canbelto

I wrote a tribute to Vladimir Shklyarov: https://bachtrack.com/news-tribute-to-vladimir-shyklarov-november-2024

My review of Crime and Punishment: https://bachtrack.com/review-crime-and-punishment-helen-pickett-american-ballet-theatre-lincoln-center-new-york-october-2024

I miss Gelsey Kirkland Ballet Academy's Nutcracker. I remember it being lovely. The whole thing is on YT:

I also attended the von Enck/Mejia/Peck Nutcracker. Of the three performances I attended, I thought this was the best overall. Tiler Peck's Dewdrop remains the gold standard, and Emma von Enck is well on her way to being a great SPF. She's dainty, warm, with a lovely upper body. Roman Mejia was an excellent partner and great in the coda. If I have ONE quibble with Emma it's that as of now she's still slightly small scale. Miriam Miller was a sultry, spectacular Coffee and I am not usually a big fan of hers. Also really enjoyed Victor Abreu's Mother Ginger.

I saw Mira Nadon in Dewdrop last Friday and SPF last Saturday. She was magnificent in both roles. Just so majestic with such a beautiful upper body.

Mira Nadon subbed for Megan Fairchild in Dewdrop last night. Nadon was glorious -- expansive, fast, surprisingly strong jumper, and she could do those pirouettes in attitude that I've seen defeat so many Dewdrops. Unity Phelan was also excellent as SPF. I had seen her in the role before and she was tentative and charmless. Last night, she was majestic and beautiful. She has a very flexible back, and those climactic back bends were the highlight of the pas. She is also a fairly strong balancer and really held that final balance for applause. Adrian Danchig-Waring partnered her so well, although his solo in the coda was less impressive. The negative: Megan LeCrone in Coffee. Really sleep-walked through the role and no longer has the flexibility to make this solo work.

Week 2 of Nut casting is out. Isabella La Freniere debuts as SPF: https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1700066878/Documents/Casting/NYCB_Casting_Nov_28-Dec_3_2023.pdf

I am surprised with the reports about Murphy because I saw her last night and thought she was quite wonderful still.

Russell Janzen is retiring. https://www.gramilano.com/2023/06/new-york-city-ballet-russell-janzen/?fbclid=IwAR0rMNe92QW64mxfPx-U2fnULPQ7vLVPV45dYsggFJic8G2N3RDVD3wlld4

This is my review for bachtrack: https://bachtrack.com/review-like-water-for-chocolate-wheeldon-american-ballet-theatre-new-york-june-2023

It's based on a movie and a book of the same name.

I think the issue is also the extreme conservatism of the Met spring seasons. I've told this story before but I remember watching ABT do Duo Concertant one year and the audience around me was shocked and appalled.

In the dance world, just from what I saw, the Pictures + Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Gianna Reisen/Kyle Abraham programs at NYCB also sold extremely well to the point of selling out. At BAM the Ailey program I attended also sold very well. In KC, the Ratmansky Giselle recon was sold out. Natalia Osipova's City Center program was sold out. And with ABT, the fall program of Dream/Seasons also sold out.

Disheartened by the negative comments about Love Letter (On Shuffle). I found it to be a very moving ballet, much better than The Runaway. The final duet was beautiful.

One puzzling program was the program with Fancy Free/Agon/Brandenburg. Fancy Free was Jerome Robbins' first ballet, Brandenburg his last, so you'd think they could program something by Robbins in the middle years to see the growth. Agon being dropped in the middle was very puzzling.