ECat

Of course, in Russia, there are a slew of tall ballet dancers who have performed Aurora and projected a youthful quality such as Alina Somova of the Mariinsky.

Oh how heartbreaking for her. Well it looks like she as able to at least get through part of Act 2. I wish her so much success and health in her next endeavor.

16 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

They both still danced lead roles. Moore did Myrtha, Other Dances, I think Lilac Fairy, but never an O/O, Kitri etc. 

Thank you for the clarification.  In fact, I seem to remember Moore in Pillar of Fire.

Most of Victor Barbee's roles with ABT as a principal were lead character roles. I may be incorrect, but I think Kathleen Moore was also more of a character dancer.

@naomikage than you for sharing this wonderful news!! I am wishing Nadezhda a well-deserved congratulations! She is such a versatile dancer and truly sparkles on stage.

It is such pleasure to read all of these detailed reviews. I live in Los Angeles and I was unable to get to NY this season so I really appreciate all of you sharing your thoughts.

3 hours ago, fondoffouettes said:

(After all, Max was often wooden onstage. Irina was a beautiful dancer technically, but sometimes it didn't seem like much was going on behind the eyes.)

@fondoffouettes I have seen performances with Max and Irina that were actually quite moving. Perhaps I got them on special nights. They danced Giselle a while ago in Costa Mesa and they gave very heartfelt performances. Also, Irina was quite emotionally connected during a performance of La Dame Aux Camelias I saw in NY.

Alexandra Trikoz had been promoted to Soloist at the Bolshoi. Congratulations!

 https://2011.bolshoi.ru/en/persons/ballet/4449/

58 minutes ago, silvermash said:

The ballet programme and cast  are available on POB website

https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/news/paris-opera-ballet-tour-los-angeles

@silvermash thank you for the link! I'll be at the July 20th performance and will share my thoughts. I have only seen POB live once and I am thrilled to be able to do so again.

Well said @Buddy! I was especially impressed with her double turn in second toward the end. I am looking forward to witnessing the trajectory of her career.

This is great news!  Congratulations to both Stella and the students of the ABT Onassis School. They will be in excellent hands with Abrera at the helm.

@Buddy You and I both are fans of this lovely dancer. Congratulations to Eva on her promotion!!! I was so impressed with her Rose Adagio as it demands precise technique and strength. In my opinion, she has great control over her flexible feet and hyperextended legs which allows her to excel in various roles. 

I am very excited about both Eva and Elizaveta Kokoreva. The Bolshoi needs to retain Bolshoi-trained dancers at high levels. I do love the Vaganova imports and the Bolshoi style must be preserved as well. The soloist levels are lacking men at the moment.  I'm looking forward to seeing some growth in that area.

This is for those of you who have been following Victoria Brilyeva's performances with the Bolshoi after leaving the Mariinsky.  Brilyeva is getting her first leading role as one of the leading couples in Emeralds on June 29. Congratulations and  wish her much success in this role!

I wish Stephane the most wonderful performance this evening. Although I have never had the fortune of seeing him perform in person, I am a fan of his. His performance in the recorded version of La Dame aux Camelias moved me to tears. He has so much depth to his artistry. Perhaps I'll get tickets to see him in Mayerling.

Congratulations to the newly promoted dancers! I personally feel that Vinogradova is the most deserving, but perhaps her promotion will come soon.

14 hours ago, Buddy said:

Yes, they're all very fine, ECat.

After not viewing it for awhile, I watched the video mentioned last month from about a year-and-a-half ago of Oxana Skorik performing Fokine's "The Swan" at a Mariinsky gala. My goodness, what a beautiful performance that is !

When she combines her beauty of dance, which I consider to be perhaps the finest in ballet today, with a sympathetic commitment to expression, which she does here, I have to say once again that she could well be my favorite ballerina in the world today.

Yes, Skorik beautifully embodies the swan. I have a lot of respect for her for getting so strong. She is very hyper flexible, yet has the strength to control those lovely limbs of hers.

On 5/15/2022 at 2:39 PM, Buddy said:

 

A few recent debuts. Her sister as Shirin and Nadezhda Batoeva as Mekhmene Banu in The Legend of Love. 

https://youtu.be/NxnNm34n5b4

And Renata Shakirova and Philip Stepin in La Bayadère.

https://youtu.be/mmARahGRPuA

(Thanks to Sophia at Dansomanie) 
  
 

Thank you for sharing these videos. Congratulations to all of these amazing dancers on their debuts. Philip Stepin is a favorite of mine and I hope he is promoted to principle during his career. In fact, I hope all of the above dancers achieve that level.

Congratulations to the very talented and handsome Alu!

2 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

Wow! Helene, I agree. His Hilarion in Akram Khan’s Giselle is one of the most amazing performances I’ve ever seen. Lucky Boston to get him back.

I concur about his performance as Hilarion. It was so powerful and amazing.

On 2/19/2022 at 4:41 PM, miliosr said:

Time for ABT to make like the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1957 and relocate permanently to southern California. 😉

Does ABT's presence in the LA area impact Colleen Neary's Los Angeles Ballet at all? Los Angeles Ballet is a small company as it is. (It's most recent (pre-COVID) form 990 filing shows revenues of $3.63 million against expenditures of $3.37 million.) Or is the LA metropolitan area so big and sprawling that there's room for both?

That is a great question you ask. I live here in Los Angeles and the Segerstrom Center is in a different county which is about 1.5 hours south of Los Angeles. Luckily, the Los Angeles Ballet will probably not see a lag in ticket sales at all.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful video about the gorgeous Jillian Vanstone. Congratulations to her for a long and successful career!

4 hours ago, Chballetfan said:

I know it's unlikely but I would love a late promotion to principal for Laracey - especially as she danced so much last season and took a lot of Nutcracker strain! I can't understand why she never progressed up. 

Re these promotions: they are all deserved. Like you say, some of them are not personal favourites but nonetheless. I'm really happy for Miriam Miller - I will never forget her in Divertimento on the online broadcast. Just radiant with pure joy at being on the stage. I love Emma von Enck as well. Coquettish technicians are in short supply at the soloist rank.

Ashley Laracey has always been a stand out for me as well. I would love to see her promoted to principal.

Congratulations to all of the newly promoted dancers!

18 hours ago, Drew said:

I feel this way too...and can only guess how discouraging it is for her...

Indeed! Especially after their number of performances are being cut back so dramatically. If I were in charge I would give her one of Hee Seo's Don Q performances. Don't get me wrong, I love Seo, but I see her as more of a lyrical dramatic dancer.

On 12/16/2021 at 5:12 PM, BalletFan said:

I'm very excited about the Spring Season... but absolutely shocked about Cassie! Is she getting any performances at all? The calendar is working for me, but I don't see her name listed anywhere. 

Hopefully she will get a lot of performances during the mixed bill performances. But it is disheartening to see her only get one full length.

On 1/15/2022 at 4:23 PM, Buddy said:

Drew, I would guess that you’ll see this one as well. Since you like the Bolshoi’s young Elizaveta Kokoreva as much as you do, you might also enjoy the Mariinsky’s even younger Anastasia Plotnikova who’s still in the Corps de Ballet.

From my limited video viewing, she’s the Mariinsky’s answer to Elizaveta Kokoreva. Whereas Elizaveta Kokoreva is perhaps more technically ‘dazzling,’ as you might expect at the Bolshoi, Anastasia Plotnikova is pure ‘loveliness.’ Why I think of them together, besides their young ages and fine talent, is that they are both ‘Pure Sunshine.’

Added: This is the only ‘official’  video (posted by herself). It's from about two-and-a-half years ago. I would say that she's more graceful now and has put on a little more weight, which is nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHK8H181cr4

 

Oh thank you for sharing this!  I am also a big Kokoreva fan and Anastasia is quite a delicate beauty.  

On 1/15/2022 at 2:16 PM, Drew said:

Congratulations to Kokoreva. Based on video, I believe I would love seeing her live. The Raymonda Act III variation she did in the broadcast was a WOW! for me.

I cannot agree more. This news makes me so happy as Kokoreva is a new favorite of mine at the Bolshoi. I think she more than has the potential to be come principal. Her career will be very exciting to watch.

@Buddyyour assessment of Sergeyenkova is similar to mine. Ballet, as with all performing arts, is subjective and I love that we have this space to share opinions, whether in agreement or dissenting. Today I watched a video of her Odette debut and I was impressed by her artistry at such a young age. I would like to see her Odile as well, to see how she handles the technical challenges.