BalanchineFan

19 hours ago, deanofdance said:

but couldn’t help thinking that “Solitude” would be better without the boy.   Even with the boy, it’s a strong piece — but who wants to feel manipulated into liking a piece —or deterred from saying they don’t like a piece — because of the sentimental atmosphere of a father losing a young son to war/invasion?  Especially when both father and son dancers come out to take a bow together at the end.  

I thought what Ratmansky did with the boy was spectacular, though. Not just him lying there, but

1. the moment when the boy appears with the two women and then disappears before the father gets there.
2. the boy being lifted, and then echoing the man's movement
3. the boy walking upstage amid the rubble, followed by the man's jetés circling the stage
4. the boy and the man being reunited and the man sheltering the boy as the lights flash brightly

And it's never the only thing happening in the ballet. I felt moved and not manipulated.

20 hours ago, pirouette said:

Here's the link for anyone who's interested: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ubs-DzggnKCrovbCDw3pqIChxma4Ql3/view?usp=sharing

Some of my own personal thoughts: 

• It's disappointing to see that Emily Kikta only danced four times in the entire season (4T's and Stars & Stripes if I'm not mistaken). I wonder what's going on there. I know issues about height have been discussed upthread, but for reference, she danced 15 times in 7 roles in Fall 2023.  
• As expected, Phelan danced the most, but it's amazing to see how much Maxwell and Von Enck danced this season!! 
• Seeing the numbers among the corps — Alec Knight and David Gabriel have certainly had an impressive season!

Would love to hear everyone else's thoughts!  

I always appreciate your charts. Thank you for putting it together.

I think Kikta was just unlucky in the rep that was offered this season. I don't see a lot of ballets that they "could" have put her into. Or maybe she wasn't able to perform that often. She was great as Choleric in 4T when I saw it.

My favorite Peck duet. this is the original Sufjan Stevens music  

https://m.facebook.com/nycballet/videos/flash-footage-russell-janzen-and-maria-kowroski-in-justin-pecks-everywhere-we-go/501067244130489/

11 hours ago, nanran3 said:

Symphony in Three Movements:  I remember really enjoying Sterling Hyltin in this role

I LOVED Sterling Hyltin in Symphony in Three Movements! I think she's the first dancer I saw in that role.

2 hours ago, meunier fan said:

Casting is now out for NYCB in London - 

https://sadlers-wells-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2024/02/NYCB-Casting_Sadlers-Wells_March-7-10-2024.pdf

Why take the ravishing Mira Nadon ALL that way merely to hide her in Gustave???? 

It's NYCB, they always need understudies!

About 30 (is it 32?) dancers, six performances. Quick in and out.

The rest of Sadler's Wells programs look like they are slanted towards contemporary, Crystal Pite, James Kudelka and Emma Portner doing work for London City Ballet. Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake with the male swans. I can see why this is the program. Or programme, as the case may be. And ok, Kenneth MacMillan is in there somewhere.

If NYCB had been performing Year of the Rabbit (or another chamber cast Justin Peck ballet), I might have substituted that for Rotunda, but it all seems in keeping with SW's 2024 offerings.

If you had to choose a program for roughly 30 dancers, newer ballets, not too many musicians (is it just two?), what would you program? What would you want to see? If it had already been made a year ago when this was planned, I'd probably choose Solitude. Ratmansky's Voices is another option, but NYCB hasn't been rehearsing it.

10 hours ago, abatt said:

Interestingly, a friend accompanied me to see Solitude with Adrian DW in the lead on Sat afternoon.  Her reaction was that the emotional resonance of Solitude comes  solely from the music.  She was unmoved by the performance/choreography.  Different strokes...

I’m not saying the music plays no part, but I don’t get that. Different strokes, indeed.  I found the visual images rich and so evocative of what our minds do after death and loss. Not to mention the wonderfully inventive dancing. 

1 hour ago, bellawood said:

My only quibble is why was Indiana Woodward in this ballet? Sometimes, the talent pool is so big at City Ballet dancers are used because they can. She was a principal in a soloist part, and there were soloists in corps roles. 

It's not a criticism of Solitute, but is definitely a ballet where the few corps couples fade into the background. They do beautiful movement, they make fabulous shapes on the floor, in canon, in the air, etc, (inventive, angular shapes and partnering) but really the drama is with the three or four main characters and  the boy. There is a lot to decipher with those four people so Ratmanksy uses the other dancers more as a unit. I didn't notice Hod, Laracey or Woodward much as individuals. Plus it's darkly lit. It's a great choice, actually, quite bold.

I bet all the dancers wanted to be in the studio with him. Though, IIRC, Tiler Peck said she bowed out of this ballet to focus on her own choreography.

2 hours ago, deanofdance said:

Due to how my subscriptions worked out — I was seeing this program for the 3rd time

Do you realize that you can exchange subscription tickets for other dates? I believe we have up until 24 hour prior to the original performance. You could even choose a spring performance or take a credit for next year. 

NYCB subscriptions have excellent perks. Any additional single ticket purchases are also cheaper and you avoid a fee of $8/ticket. 

While I was overjoyed to see the 4T-Liebeslieder program three times this winter, I know that approach is not favored by some. 

On 2/24/2024 at 7:37 AM, uptowner said:

Solitude was stunning. 

I love that ballet. I got tickets to see it a second time this winter. Is there any indication why Joseph Gordon isn't doing more performances? I think he and Adrian Danchig-Waring were always sharing the leading role, but now I think Adrian has all the remaining performances.

[Thank you @abatt for the correction. I'm wrong about the casting.]

I'd be happy to see that program, as well. I wonder if Daniel Ulbricht will do Rotunda. He was so fabulous! Seeing his performance deepened the way I experienced the ballet. Londoners should get a chance to see him. 

And I wonder who'll do Duo Concertante. Will they get a debut before NYC?

Thank you so much @meunier fan for your insight into the programming. I'm glad there is someone in London who wants to see these ballets, someone who (doubtless) chose this program as what they wanted to present. I hope Sadler's Wells recoups its money this time. They certainly have a chance bringing fewer than 20 dancers and just a handful of musicians.

3 hours ago, FPF said:

Not sure that the rep for London includes roles that Mira has been doing--they're only doing Rotunda, Duo Concertante, Gustave Le Gray, and Love Letter (on shuffle). 

How many dancers is that? You only need about 15 people. Less than 1/6 of NYCB.

5 hours ago, cobweb said:

I wish we could see Maxwell lead the Stars & Stripes regiment with the baton. But the casting's out already so that ship has sailed. 

Honestly, it's NYCB anything could happen with casting. (Not wishing bad juju on anyone)

11 hours ago, FauxPas said:

All I will say is that I saw Ashton Edwards and Taylor Stanley in TTAR and I didn't get a sense of opposition or of being in two different worlds.  What I got were two beings who were were isolated/lacking community and joyously found one in each other.  That sense of connecting and finding yourself in the right place with the right people and being in your community.  The was a sense of joyous bonding. Edwards was radiant onstage and projecting JOY and Stanley was very present and engaged.

We like to sort of push sexuality into black and white extremes on the furthest poles of the Kinsey Scale.  But there is also different forms of self-identification and presentation.  Edwards is biologically male was presenting very female.  Taylor Stanley is biologically male but was more cisgender in his presentation in this ballet.  The way that a dancer may present onstage is not the way they present offstage.  For example, the Broadway actor Brandon Uranowitz can play very serious masculine guys onstage but I saw him interviewed on the Tony's red carpet and he is extremely flamboyant and effeminate offstage.  I don't have a problem with that.

The "Brandon Uranowitz" of NYCB is Gilbert Bolden who can present very serious, weighted and masculine onstage (as in the Barber Violin Concerto) and sexy in a macho way.  However, in his real life and in galas Bolden loves to genderfuck and wear high heels and very outrageous feminine fashion like a peacock.  Per instagram, Bolden uses the pronouns "He/Him".  Meanwhile checking Taylor Stanley's instagram he presents cisgender in private life (and seems happily partnered with Alec Knight).

So the pronouns are a very personal thing and the self-presentation and self-identification can vary widely.

In ballet we have all seen very gay and feminine male dancers who have had to "butch it up" onstage and in the studio in order to get cast.  In standard ballet, traditional gender roles are rigidly enforced.  So the debut of Ashton Edwards with Taylor Stanley partnering was a joyous opening up to more diversity.  I think the community of Peck's "The Times are Racing" is open to trans, non-binary, whatever...  There is room there.  I didn't get a sense of compromise or political correctness or virtue signaling at the expense of artistic intergrity but a sense of joy, connection and discovery from the pairing.  The world of that particular ballet is about find and creating community - there was room in that community for the very different alternative gender identifications of Edwards and Stanley.  And it added another level of narrative and message to the ballet.

I have noticed the differences you mention; in identity, presentation and choice of pronouns. Though there may be other occasions, currently and in the future, The Times Are Racing, imo, is the perfect ballet for this representation.

2 hours ago, abatt said:

I find it odd that Maxwell has very limited experience as the lead ballerina in major Balanchine works.  This is their bread and butter, so anyone who moves up to principal must be able to handle those roles.  How much does it really matter that she has been cast as the lead in Peck, Martins and some Robbins.    I would like to see Alexa lead  major Balanchine ballets to test her mettle and see how she does.

I think Alston MacGill should move up to soloist.  This is her time.  She missed years due to injury, and she is blazing in every role they cast her in. 

Maxwell was blazing in Bourree Fantasque last fall. She lead one of the movements. She’s getting a bunch of debuts now, but in Robbins ballets, The Concert and Opus 19. Maybe they need her acting skills there more than in the Balanchine. She’s ASTOUNDING in Robbins’ work. Worth the price of admission all on her own. 

I included Alexa Maxwell in the discussion as an example of a dancer who had success in multiple principal roles while in the corps. I’m not arguing that she should be a principal tomorrow (though she’d be worthy, imo, I just don’t think management is ready to do that)  

What have you seen Alston MacGill perform lately? I’ve only seen her as Demi in 4T. I know she has a solo in Ballo. Has she done more?

16 hours ago, Fernie M said:

As far as upcoming retirements, and there should be a few, perhaps they didn’t want any farewells to put a damper on the 75th anniversary season.

Or the dancers themselves all want to stay to enjoy the 75th. 
I saw LeCrone onstage in a suit at one of the public events (company class onstage? Or maybe something more recent). She looked very businesslike. I thought she must be injured to show up like that. 

And on height, we just disagree. 

Megan Fairchild may have gotten opportunities because she was a good partner for de Luz. She got promoted because of what she did with those opportunities. 

15 hours ago, matilda said:

I would love to see Kikta and/or Miller promoted, but if it doesn't happen, I think height will be the reason. 

I don't see height as EVER being the reason someone is kept in the corps or as a soloist. If they're not too tall to hire, they're not too tall to be promoted. I don't think dancers are ever hired with someone thinking, "oh, corps for life,  no matter how well they start dancing.'

11 hours ago, vipa said:

I agree that Maxwell wouldn't be a surprising promotion, particuarly because, among other things, Justin Peck had her as a 2nd cast lead in his full length Copeland Ballet. She's even gone in with Tiler Peck recently as 1st cast. It's a good sign when the resident choreographer uses you. 

I just wonder if there will be any promotions so soon after the last batch. I agree the those who stated that the soloist ranks have to be cleaned up a bit. There are dancers who rarely perform. Bouder is also an open question.

Alexa Maxwell has had notable debuts in Alexei Ratmansky and Jerome Robbins work as well.

On 2/19/2024 at 10:55 AM, cobweb said:

Thinking about who of the women might be promoted to soloist, to me right now there are several strong contenders, but maybe none yet a slam-dunk (it's not like the situation when Maxwell and Kikta languished forever in the corps). India Bradley -- is getting lots of opportunities and seems to be favored by management so I wouldn't be surprised if she's promoted, but I don't see it yet. While her flexibility and lanky physique are beautiful, I find it sometimes makes her seem insubstantial. Seeing her in the same role (one of Melancholic's two sidekicks) recently as Mary Thomas MacKinnon and Alston Macgill, I found them more fierce and impactful, not to mention having better form, than Bradley. I feel that Bradley's physique and strengths are more suited to roles requiring delicacy, such as when she did the pas de trois in Emeralds, a role I liked her in. But her elegance and artistry need work. Dominika Afanasenkov -- another obvious candidate, who has done very well in all the opportunities given to her, but maybe could be tested in a broader range of roles before promotion. Ava Sautter -- similar situation to Afanasenkov, she blew "In a Landscape" out of the park and seems to have huge potential, but needs more testing in big roles. Mary Thomas MacKinnon -- someone I've found very interesting and compelling, again not quite sure she's ready. Mind you, no complaints from me if any of these ladies gets the nod! Alston Macgill -- great to see her looking so strong. She got big (huge) opportunities right when she joined the company and did very well. I don't recall what role it was, but I remember thinking at one point that she held the stage against a cast of dancers far more experienced, august, not to mention much taller, than she was! If she keeps looking as good as she does now, she also is an obvious candidate for soloist, and a good size to pair with Takahashi and the apparently up-and-coming David Gabriel. That's my assessment, did I leave anyone out?

Are you only considering women? Because Jules Mabie deserves to be promoted now, imo, after seeing him in Symph in 3 and 4T. Just on the basis of those two performances.

David Gabriel was also good in Bourree Fantasque last fall, throwing Alexa Maxwell all over kingdom come.

In terms of promotions, I don't see any of those women being promoted in the immediate future. Talent aside, NYCB has 20 principals and 20 soloists, they don't need to promote dancers. They need to develop them. Still, following your question, I look for corps members who are cast in, and KILLING, their principal role assignments. I enjoy all the dancers you mentioned above, but none of them has yet had as many principal roles as Alexa Maxwell did before her promotion to soloist (The Cage, Copland, Voices, Fancy Free, and I think I'm still forgetting something major). I agree, I thought they could have promoted her and Kikta to soloist a year earlier. I don't mind the prudence with promotions, it's just how it is.

What roles would people want to see India Bradley, MT MacKinnon, Domenika Afanasenkov or Ava Sautter tackle pre-promotion?  Or roles for ANY upcoming woman to prove herself? As Midsummer is approaching, Sautter and Afanasenkov seem like Titania types, but I would cast Kikta before either of them. Generally, I'd want to see success in a variety of Balanchine and Robbins leading roles before promotion to principal. Paradigm shifting success.

I've only seen MT MacKinnon in demi roles, not even true soloist parts. Did I miss them? Olivia MacKinnon had done the 2nd lead in PC2 and Walpurgisnacht (I think?) along with Rondo before getting promoted. Or was Rondo after?

On 2/16/2024 at 11:37 PM, Quiggin said:

Unfortunately, art depends on dialectics and binaries where two different ideas impact each other. it doesn't have to be male and female but it has to be two oppositional forces and those don't seem to have been worked out here

I’m really not following your point. It seems to me that if there are two people, then you have two oppositional forces. 
We’ve seen the duet in TTAR as male/female, male/male and non-binary/nonbinary. It’s still two people doing the steps, doing their best to dance together. How do dialectics and binaries come into it?

13 hours ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

I cried every time I saw Whelan and Hübbe dance Nein Geliebter. No one has matched them since. 

I SO wish I'd seen them dance it.

5 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

For those keeping score, here's how the Liebeslieder casting sorted out:

Verdy's role: LaFreniere (w/ T. Angle), Tiler Peck - w T Angle

Jillana's role: Laracey (w/ Veyette) M Fairchild w Danchig-Waring

Adams' role: Mearns (w/ Chan) Nadon w P Walker

Hayden's role: Woodward (w/ Chamblee) Phelan w Mejia

Thanks for the chart! I added last week's cast.

5 hours ago, abatt said:

I enjoyed all of the LW cast, but I found the pairing of short Woodward and super tall Chamblee a distracting partnering  mis-match of sizes. 

I loved the difference in their heights. All of the duets have such a depth and mystery to the relationship, who has the power, who is chasing whom, I think it gives Chamblee and Woodward a lot to play with.

I will say, and I've seen both casts this year: no one dips as low as Patricia McBride in Nein Geliebter where she does that forward leg gesture. The man, standing behind her, clasps his hands around her pelvis and takes her forward. I was watching the film on youtube and she's practically right hip on the ground, and still (McBride) manages to gesture her leg forward without it really touching the floor. All the couples I've ever seen (past 5-7 years) could work on that, if they deemed it important to their interpretation. I believe this role was choreographed on Melissa Hayden.

And kudos to Tyler Angle, partnering both Tiler Peck and Isabelle LaFreniere in the role created by Violette Verdy.

I thought last night’s 4T was electric! So many fine debuts, so many dancers who performed with a single driving purpose, bringing out all the colors and dynamics in the choreography. 

Jules Mabie… DEFINITELY among them.  What a long limbed, broad shouldered hunk of burgeoning artistry. 
Davide Riccardo, equally so, perhaps more languid and “beautiful” as one might expect from his role. 
I loved Ashley Hod’s crispness and drive as Sanguinic. Positively stunning in the devil’s backbone pizzicato section, too. (What is that part called? It’s in Choleric when the three Theme women and Sanguinic gather around Choleric for a lot of fast footwork). 

All three themes solid, though I particularly enjoyed Nieve Corrigan & Andres Zuniga and Megan Dutton OHara & Alex Knight. Knight has matured and is “giving prince” as a younger generation might say. 

I almost didn’t mention Mira Nadon’s bright, sharp Choleric. She is an amazing stage animal. I sat closer than my usual seats and, though you could see her working things out to end with the music on the various crashes in her first variation, it was seamless. 

Alston MacGill seems to have fully recovered from whatever injury/setback she had awhile back. She dances like a predator; no dainty poses for her. She’s seen what she wants and she’ll hunt it down and shake it out of a tree. That energy and attack, that appetite for movement are what I love most about NYCB.  The whole cast had it.

And then, Liebeslieder! 

On 2/14/2024 at 6:03 PM, cobweb said:

Also, what about KJ Takahashi? I would think he and Von Enck would be a good fit height-wise. 

I’m on my way home from the ballet. A lot of luminaries were there, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, James Whiteside, Suki Schorer, Susan Pilarre, Heather Watts  

The new Ratmansky, Solitude, is quite moving, masterfully composed. He really knows what he’s doing. What a great evening. 

(KJ Takahashi partners Indiana Woodward in it. He’d be great with Emma Von Enck)

Joseph Gordon is amazing. He opens Solitide in stillness, he has an extended solo later. Both Mira Nadon and Sara Mearns are beautiful and moving. It deals with death and the war in Ukraine, it’s quiet and powerful, with bursts of activity, lifts and partnering. The juxtapositions (stillness vs sharp, tense movement, or swooping dancing) work very well. This isn’t a review, just a reaction. I recommend it HIGHLY. People should see it. I think it will be in the rep for a long time  

Opus 19 began the evening. Lovely dancing by Taylor Stanley and Unity Phelan, though this atmospheric ballet has never spoken to me. 

Symphony in 3 closed the evening. The women danced well, but I’m hoping to write about them more at length. David Gabriel and Adrian Danchig-Waring were stand outs for me. Adrian, in particular is killing it every time I see him. So clear and dynamic. Jules Mabie is also making his mark as a partner of tall ballerinas and capable soloist in the making.

The more often I see NYCB the more I am struck by the depth and variety of the rep. Next I’ll be back for 4T and Liebeslieder. They are churning these ballets out. In the best way.