I was at Swan Lake tonight. Night and day from last week's rather disappointing performance with Tess and Russell. Tonight Sterling Hyltin and Zachary Catazaro were so moving and beautiful. Will write more when I finish this weekend of Swan Lakes (seeing Megan tomorrow and Tiler Sunday).
I am tired now, will write more later but thought Tess gave a very lovely performance tonight, and for those counting, she did about 30 fouettes with 4 doubles thrown in and landed in a clean fourth position.
I think I respond more to company style than nationality. I can appreciate dancers of all nationalities and training but there are some companies' styles (NYCB, Mariinsky) that I respond to more than others (Paris Opera Ballet -- I know they're great dancers but I just don't respond to their rather cool, clinical style of dancing).
I remember seeing a Nutcracker with Fairchild and Peck last December. Something was definitely "off" between them. Their timing was poor, he struggled with the partnering, and for the final fish dive he was having trouble holding the pose and she quickly jumped back on her feet. But there was no chemistry or warmth between them -- it wasn't like their performances of Who Cares?
Anyway he was a remarkable dancer and I'm sad but I think this is a new beginning for him. And I think fans of his dancing probably won't have to go far to see him again. I'm sure he'll be on Broadway soon again.
That's scary and ridiculous. Nicholas II was not a saint. He and his family were horrible, corrupt, out-of-touch rulers and his affair with Mathilde Kschessinskaya is historical fact, not conjecture.
Can we talk about how the casting of Rothbart with Silas Farley and Preston Chamblee again? Really? Farley has the least Rothbart-like face I can imagine. Very sweet, happy, smiley kind of dancer. Ugh. I do not like this at all.
I wouldn't recommend Bouder in Swan Lake. She's an amazing dancer but O/O is maybe her worst role. Mearns, Reichlen, Hyltin and Peck are all IMO better picks.
I'm going to do themed triple bills:
1. Piano Masterworks:
- Concerto DSCH
- Symphonic Variations
- Ballet Imperial/Piano Concerto #2
2. American Songs
- Company B
- Nine Sinatra Songs
- Who Cares?
3. Symphonic Masterpieces
- Symphony in Three Movements
- Symphony #9
- Symphony in C
4. Animal Planet
- The Cage
- Firebird
- Cloven Kingdom
5. Philip Glass
- In Creases
- Glass Pieces
- In the Upper Room
6. Chopin Double Bill
- Dances at a Gathering
- Month in the Country
Some roster changes:
Eliza Blutt, Christina Clark, Ethan Fuller, Kennard Henson, and Emma von Enck have been moved from apprentice to soloist.
Senior corps members Faye Arthurs and Alina Dronova have left the company.
Now that I've seen the photo I don't see anything remotely offensive about it. It's a contemporary ballet photo which is the focus of the fall season, and Misty and James look very fit to me and not at all vulgar. "Hooters Ballet Theatre" is a head-scratcher. And this coming from someone who once dined at Hooters and enjoyed the meal -- Hooters waitresses would love to look as fit and toned as Misty.