BalanchineFan

Merrill Ashley is just a treasure! I hope she continues to coach for NYCB as well. I seem to remember seeing her in the audience when one or another dancer debuted in Sanguinic in 4T, and I'm sure she did some coaching then. They should make use of these great dancers who worked with Balanchine before it's too late. I also thought her remarks about support for the apprentices were salient. I hope someone follows up on that in some way. It's possible that more is currently being done for them than happened in her time (apprentices are usually at least 17, routinely finish high school and even college during their careers, for starters) but I can't imagine it would be expensive to give everyone a mentor, or a "buddy" to look out for them. There's a lot more support at the school, now, too.

They have added 24 hours of streaming so Wethersfield Nutcracker is still available! Until Sunday midnight Eastern Time, I believe. It's well worth watching if you haven't already, and very inventive, imo. The setting is a large house and grounds in Wethersfield (CT or NY) one might presume. I found the use of the different rooms and grounds quite compelling. You never knew exactly where you were going to be led next, which room, which snowy field. The theatricality of it and the music are amazing before you even get to the dancing. Claire Von Enck dances the Doll in the First Act. Sara Mearns is the Sugar Plum with Tyler Angle as Cavalier. The dancing and choreography is just beautiful. I found myself bursting into tears (actual sobs) when they reveal the stage for the divertissements. Troy Schumacher captures the majesty of Tschaikovsky's music in this film, revealing the different set pieces and elements slowly and carefully. Maybe I was crying for all that has been lost during the pandemic, but it was such a lift to see those dancers in full costume and pointe shoes after all this time, and to be made to wait a bit for their dancing artistry. I found the whole thing to be imaginative and well produced. Kudos all around.

They won't be paid regularly, unless something changes. From the interviews it sounds like the dancers were paid two weeks rehearsal to make the New Works Festival pieces this fall. NYCB might be able to do something similar in the spring or summer, but it won't be ANYTHING like months of steady rehearsal and performance pay. From the New Yorker article about the making of the New Works Festival. "The couple had given up their New York apartments, and the next day they were flying to California, to stay with Woodward’s parents. “There was just no way we could pay our rent without a salary,” Coll said. While furloughed from the company, they would collect unemployment, or maybe teach remote dance lessons. “I’m from the city, and I’ve never lived anywhere else, so it’s weird for me,” Coll said. “When the company has stable employment for us, we’re going to be back in a flash.” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/11/09/how-new-york-city-ballet-took-on-the-pandemic

I am loving the new leadership. They don't have a lot to work with, due to the pandemic, but I'd be lost without the digital seasons, and I think the intent of the programming has been quite good. I would never blame producers for a few dud new ballets, especially under these conditions. There seems to be a lot of creative energy around the company which is different from the 1990's. Hearing the way Justin Peck spoke about NYCB as his "home," (and of his responsibilities to NYCB's dancers) after Stafford mentioned all his outside projects and acheivements was another positive indicator. It would be nice if they'd promote a few dancers, though. I wonder if finances play into the decision not to promote during the pandemic furlough.

OH, I remember that period in the 1990's quite well. It was so depressing to see the state of NYCB at that time. I stopped going. Still, during that time, SAB kept on turning out excellent dancers, many of whom went to dance with ABT and with regional companies, enabling them to perform the Balanchine rep well. SAB is another institution that kept the Balanchine legacy alive, as Helene notes. Those SAB dancers go all over the place, taking Balanchine's approach with them.

Thank you for responding! I get your point, and thanks for the education. I don't think that Balanchine's work is, or will ever be, treated that way at NYCB. The new works we're seeing online are a response to the constraints of the moment, albeit a looooong moment. And if people were a tad concerned seeing dives into the pavement in Andrea Miller's work, the danger of anyone having to do hops on pointe ON PAVEMENT as you might see in Symphony in C really precludes them performing Balanchine's work outside during the pandemic. After a walk in Central Park this weekend, what I'd like to see is a spring season at the Delacorte Theater, maybe chamber ballets that were originally created for City Center (Allegro Brilliante, Agon, pas de deux and smaller casts). It's outside in Central Park. The Delacorte typically has Shakespeare in the Park, but there must be a way for the theater to be shared, or opened up earlier to more performing companies. The audience could bundle up and the dancers would be moving. @pherank Have you seen Mearns in the Molissa Fenley solo State of Darkness (to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring) at the Joyce? I think it's still available to stream (for $13) through Nov 7th. Better than her taking out the trash and about 35 minutes long. https://www.joyce.org/stateofdarkness

The New Yorker article says that Indiana Woodward and Harrison Coll moved to California to live with her parents " The couple had given up their New York apartments, and the next day they were flying to California, to stay with Woodward’s parents. “There was just no way we could pay our rent without a salary,” Coll said. While furloughed from the company, they would collect unemployment, or maybe teach remote dance lessons. “I’m from the city, and I’ve never lived anywhere else, so it’s weird for me,” Coll said. “When the company has stable employment for us, we’re going to be back in a flash.” It's worth a read https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/11/09/how-new-york-city-ballet-took-on-the-pandemic

They have scheduled Kowroski's live farewell performance for Sunday, October 17, 2021. They have yet to announce the pieces that will be on the program.

I agree about Thank you, New York, though I also really loved the moment where the camera comes up behind Georgina, showing her looking at the Met, and then the camera pivots to show the view West, while she turns towards the camera. Her arm gestures emanate away from her heart as if she's expressing her love for New York in an attempt to embrace the city. It was interesting to me that the Mearns section was filmed so differently, but, for me, the big payoff was the turning montage and her finishing flat on her back.

I don't like Stafford's mustache either. The interview was good, though. I thought Wendy and Justin were the best interviewers, and Justin the best "interviewee". What he's trying to do as a choreographer is so specific and so deep. Plus, he knows NYCB dancers, the classical idiom, the Balanchine rep, and is interested in so many other kinds of dance.

The thing with new works is that you never know how they're going to turn out. Some are good, some bad, it's a given. No one wants to watch a lot of bad ballet, but the process can be interesting, and the bad ones are usually quickly forgotten. I always thought that was part of Balanchine's meaning when he gave a young choreographer the advice, "make a ballet, then another, then another, then another, then another, then another, (etc) and then maybe you'll make a good one." Sure, I'm dying to see 4T, DAAG, the Bizet, etc live and in person. Until then... what's good and interesting to watch now? What speaks to the issues in my life today? I'm jumping around with the responses. I would add Lauren Lovett's Not Our Fate to the list of new ballet keepers. I don't consider it on the level of Everywhere We Go or The Runaway, or most ballets on that excellent list posted earlier, but I'd be happy to watch it every few seasons. @Drew what is it you're saying about Royal Ballet and Ashton? I don't follow them well enough to understand what happened to the Ashton rep or how they were treating it.

I'll second that, Buddy! Fall for Dance was fabulous, though I loved the Calvin Royal solo even more than the Mearns-Hallberg duet. (The titles of the dances aren't coming to me presently. I was introduced to Kyle Abraham, who choreographed the Royal solo, through NYCB, so I feel it's connected to this thread.) I was also so energized and moved seeing Justin Peck's new film with Jody Lipes, Thank you New York. I particularly loved the Taylor Stanley and Georgina P sections. Seeing the camera move and show all those different views from the Rose rooftop was stunning, plus the dancing! They do really move! Hearing Peck and Lipes talk about the work is also fascinating. The story of this moment, this city, these dancers, this New York. I'm about to watch it again. My other highlights were the Andrea Miller (including those fish dives into and across the pavement!!) and seeing long limbed Russell Janzen standing in the long lines of the side of the Met. Balanchine understood that new works are what make dancers. Justin Peck talked about that responsibility, his responsibility to the dancers ("his platform"). New works aren't just for the audience or the audience's pleasure, they are so that the dancers can grow and reinvent themselves, which, long-term, adds to the audiences' enjoyment. All artists' job is to inspire and I found plenty of inspiration with these new pieces. It's a future to be excited about.

They showed Steadfast Tin Soldier on television in the 1980's (those 18 months or so when Baryshnikov was at NYCB) with Patricia McBride and Mikhail Baryshnikov, so there's tape somewhere.

Are you thinking of any men in particular? I don't see a huge crop of tall corps men, particularly now that Silas Farley is gone. There's Preston Chamblee, but the other tall-ish men are much newer and haven't done as many (any) leading roles. If you look at the NYCB principals and soloists, there will soon be a shortage of tall men. No Ask, no Gonzalo. Andy Veyette, Adrian D-W, Jared and Tyler Angle will all have been in NYCB about 20 years by Fall 2021. Russell Janzen has graying hair. I'm not judging any of the men (and they were all dancing GREAT last we saw them in person), but there's a lot of rep and only so much Harrison Ball, Taylor Stanley, Joseph Gordon and Peter Walker can be expected to do. They needed Jovani Furlan and I think they need Chun Wai Chan, too. If he's tall. Among the current NYCB men Roman Mejia is the only one I see having a definite promotion in his future.

What a lot of fascinating and exciting information in that press release. I wish it wasn't all so damnably far in the future. I saw Andrea Miller's Gallim company a few years ago in Fall For Dance and the work was riveting. Lots of shaking in the movement vocabulary, I'm not sure if she always does that or how it will translate into her work with ballet dancers. I read in the NYTimes once that Taylor Stanley had been to Israel to study with Gallim. I hope he's cast in the new work.

I saw a Jamar Roberts piece last night as part of City Center's Fall for Dance. It's a solo, on the same program as the Wheeldon duet for Sara Mearns and David Hallberg. Nice work all around. IMO, Roberts' music choices improve (and get more classical) as the solo goes on. I love the Wheeldon duet and have already watched it twice. Very poignant. Fall for Dance is charging $15 for each of two programs. I thought the format was something that might interest NYCB. They don't have anyone in the audience, but they filmed the dances live. I would imagine one might eventually invite a small audience (25% capacity) to socially distance in the large theater, like they're doing with the World Series in baseball. Of course, baseball stadiums have the added advantage of being outside. Check Fall for Dance out if you're interested. https://www.nycitycenter.org/FallforDance

I looked at Mearns' IG and I think the picture of the clasped hands is of Sara with David Hallberg and that they are at City Center. It's just two hands with the floor shown underneath them. Did you read somewhere that they were at NYCB? I don't see that. Mearns uses #joni and Wheeldon is using Joni Mitchell music for their Fall for Dance duet. Hallberg also mentions 15 years of wanting to dance with Mearns in his posts about the Wheeldon-Joni Mitchell-Fall for Dance project. If Mearns was performing at the Empire Hotel they would have announced it.

The list may be endless, but these particular men ALL went to jail. Three are in prison presently.

I am so sorry that happened to you CanBelto. So sorry to hear about it. It does change one's perspective, I imagine. I think it's completely right that that sort of activity is criminalized and that it be referred to as sexual assault. The legal system is slow to respond to changes in technology, but things do seem to be moving in that direction. A few people here are posting as if the #MeToo movement is over. I don't see any evidence of that. I don't think we're going to return to the days when all men (or people of power) can abuse the less fortunate with impunity. There is a roadmap towards justice, and steps the recipients of such abuse can follow to hold the powerful to account. That said, I don't think we need to "believe all women." Even though the overwhelming majority of claims are true, we need to give complaints credence, investigate accordingly and prosecute the perpetrators. Yes, the system favors the powerful, but that can change. Larry Nasser, Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein are all examples of the change.

It's a beautiful excerpt, but with DAAG it would be hard to pick a bad moment. I can't wait to see the entire ballet again. I loved this last program. And Duo Concertante is just lovely to watch. I have no idea what the ending means, but it always gives me such a sense of loss and longing. I remember seeing Robert Fairchild perform it with Sterling Hyltin when he decided to leave the company. (gorgeous and space "eating"!!) I also have memories of seeing Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins do it together. Just seeing the two of them standing at the piano said something. The scale of their bodies, their energy and attitudes really complemented each other. All the couples I've seen dance it well, really well. Those two looked like King and Queen of all they surveyed.

I haven't seen all of her posts, but I know she's been rehearsing a Christopher Wheeldon duet with David Hallberg for Fall for Dance. Do you think that's it? There's also a Dancers of NYCB fundraiser on the roof of the Empire Hotel Oct 18th. I didn't think Mearns was involved in that, but there will be performances for those who support Dancers of NYCB. For a $100 donation you can have access to the event online. For $250 you can go in person. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-dancers-of-new-york-city-ballet-registration-122906122521

I really liked the Scherzo as well. I wasn't aware it was an excerpt. I also agree with all the posters about Megan Fairchild's hosting. She was great. I think she's gotten a lot of practice doing her YouTube channel, but it seems both she and her brother were brought up with some acting training (and continued it during their careers). She is so comfortable in front of the camera. I liked that the introduction was geared towards children. She had a good script that was informative, entry level ballet knowlege and still didn't talk down to anyone. I also enjoyed hearing Maria Kowrowski's inroduction earlier in the week. They have very different personalities, but her story about Karin von Aroldingen in rehearsal still brings tears to my eyes. I remember von Aroldingen's dancing so well. Passing it down generation to generation.

Regarding Waterbury's intentions, I don't see how any one of us could know what she intented at any point. Basic negotiating tactics favor starting with a big ask, knowing it will get whittled down in negotiations, and also starting with a promise to keep things private knowing you can go public later. You can't do the reverse. That's all that I see. No brazen blackmail. That's how one negotiates. Additionally, in the civil court system the only thing you can be awarded is money. The defendants can't undo the suffering they've caused. They can only pay money in recompense and acknowlegement. That's our American system of justice. Don't blame a woman for using it.

That depends on your definition of sexual assault. Finlay is still liable (if that's the word) for taking sexually explicit photos of Waterbury without her consent and disseminating them. That part of the case can move forward. I disagree that her chances of winning are "slim to none' particularly with respect to Finlay's intentions. The decision itself says that the texts accompanying the images show that Finlay knew it would cause her distress if she found out. If he knew it would cause her distress and he did it anyway, it seems to me that that is the definition of "intentionally causing distress." I happen to agree with the outcome so far. Personally, I'm glad NYCB, SAB and the two dancers had their cases dismissed. I wouldn't publicize it if I were NYCB. Better that people forget entirely.

Great article! Thank you Kathleen. Which ballet is it, (Brahms Shoenberg third movement, perhaps?) that is pictured in the media control room?