canbelto

One thing I've always been irked about is how the term "ballet body" is used to describe a certain type of extremely thin, leggy dancer. For instance, Maria Kowroski is a perfect example -- I heard over and over again how she had the best "ballet body" because of her legs and feet. But she herself has said many times that her super-long legs, arched feet, and flexible back made her prone to injuries. So "ballet body" is being used just to describe a certain aesthetic.

In addition to negative comments being triggering, I'll say from experience that positive comments could also be triggering. For instance, I've had times in my life when I was subsisting on almost no food, and all I got were compliments for how "great" I looked. All that told me was that starving myself was a prerequisite to "looking great."

Younger audience members are allowed in with a negative PCR test:

Masks and vaccines are required for MCB too ...

Actually, you can. All NYCB dancers either got vaccinated or faced dismissal. My workplace has a mandated vaccine too -- those who didn't got taken off payroll immediately.

Well it's never going to end if people are selfish and don't get vaccinated ...

Another person I saw in the audience was Zach Catazaro. Lots of alumni and former members of NYCB.

I saw Heather Watts with Damian in the lobby. She was there, as was Eddie Villela. Ashley Bouder wasn't there but she might be rather immobile from her injury. I also saw Gillian Murphy in the lobby.

I wrote up a little appreciation of the retiring dancers of NYCB: https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2021/10/nycb-waves-goodbye-and-says-welcome-back.html

Curtain call for Maria:

I think I saw Merrill Ashley too.

Lauren King got a solo bow at the end of LA Valse.

Some farewell tributes to Lauren King: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVGBYkGggMb/?utm_medium=copy_link

Well Tiler is amazing in Other Dances and she and Roman often dance together. I'm looking forward to it.

Reichlen used to always do it, Miriam Miller has done it, Rebecca Krohn used to do it a lot.

Back to NYCB -- got an email for Nutcracker tickets and uh ... sticker shock. Fourth Ring tickets START at $89.

I actually have seen farewells where the body language between the AD and the retiree was so frosty that it would have been better not to show up. Veronika Part's was like that. Abi might have requested their absence.

I'm lucky that I'm a teacher and thus always carry a big shoulder bag full of school stuff. It's the perfect place to stuff a drink and sandwich which I eat at the fountain before the show.

Abi Stafford also made comments about how she didn't feel happy with the new regime in this Dance Magazine article: https://www.dancemagazine.com/abi-stafford-anxiety-2647826840.html?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3 When Abi retired, Jon and Wendy did not come out and give her the traditional flowers. Jon and Wendy did do so for both Ask and Lauren, which makes me think Abi's retirement might not have been very cordial behind the scenes.

There was also this with Julian Mackay's brother directing:

Harrison Coll did great in Chaconne! All that tricky partnering was handled with aplomb. As for the Chaconne, IMO it isn't Sara's role. She's not ethereal enough. Megan Fairchild was actually really good in Rotunda.

I took some video of Ask's final curtain call: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CU1Urw8Aqgw/?utm_medium=copy_link

Lauren might have a practical reason for leaving: her bf Julian Kay dances for San Francisco.

Ask la Cour had a lovely farewell tonight. He and Tess were great in Monumentum and Movements.

On nycballet's website she had this to say. She has glowing things to say about Martins: I did notice that whether by design or not, she was cast less and less when Jon and Wendy came onboard. Now, she had a bunch of choreography projects and whatnot, but she didn't actually dance much.