canbelto
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Posts posted by canbelto
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3 minutes ago, Balletwannabe said:
Did someone say they shouldn't have vaccine requirements? I certainly didn't. Vaccines work.
Not you but @Lauren did.
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2 minutes ago, Balletwannabe said:
That's a weird thing to say considering we have all been risking Covid by going to live performances with thousands of people. We too, are living our lives, by going to the ballet. So I guess this judgement is on us all as well.
I think @nanushkais talking about the idea that ballet organizations should erase all their masking and vaccination requirements. I agree with nanushka that that's absurd. Organizations have to have protocols in place.
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Re: Jovani Furlan he posted on IG that his mother was ill, and it seems he has gone home for a visit.
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2 hours ago, Lauren said:
I understand (as much as a non- medical person can) about the vaccines and masks- so don't need anything explained about how important they are. But I will say, that as someone who is skeptical of the value of both...these cancellations are doing quite a bit of harm to the "vaccine and mask = safety" cause. To be honest, it seems really, really pointless.... since clearly people are getting infected anyway..... and shows are cancelling...anyway. Yes, I know the vaccine, is meant to keep people from getting seriously ill (but it doesn't sound like there have been any cases of SERIOUS illness in these theaters that have cancelled shows). But if you aren't worried about this (for whatever reason)- these cancellations indicate there is no reason to be vaccinated; as many people are only vaccinating because it allows them to do things. If they can't do them anyway, and don't want it...there's no reason to bother. It seems that "abundance of caution" is going to become the next "wear a mask for others". I live in a country where masks are not expected during exercise, and dancers in our national theater do not wear them when dancing (they are meant to wear them going into the theater, but there is a lot of chin wearing). Very little testing unless required for travel or someone is actually ill. We have had a total of zero cancelled performances. Hospitals not overwhelmed. I point this out only to make the point that there IS another way- and also that as dance is so international, many dancers in non- US countries are not wearing masks in studios, so their social media will reflect that- they aren't breaking rules.
Vaccines are very effective in preventing serious illness. I had a breakthrough infection and got nothing but a headache and sore throat.
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4 hours ago, Rock said:
He's such an elegant dancer. How was his partnering? How was his coda?
His partnering was wonderful. The shoulder jumps were a bit tentative, but everything else was top notch. His coda was also great -- lots of pirouettes a la seconde, very fast, very centered.
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14 minutes ago, Balletwannabe said:
Aren't you supposed to wait until 6 months after the second shot? Not everyone is at the 6-month mark.
It's eligible people. If you just got your vaccine you're allowed in.
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Can I say how wonderful it was for there finally to be a Chinese-origin dancer dance the grand pas last night?
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Emilie and Chun were absolutely beautiful tonight. Wow.
Also, some cast changes:
Adams and Hod replace Kretzschmar in her assignments:
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My favorite SPFs are Sterling Hyltin, Indiana Woodward, Tess Reichlen.
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I've said this many times but when it comes to Bugaku the fact is if a company wants to acquire a Balanchine ballet they're going for Jewels/Serenade/Concerto Barocco/Apollo/Agon and the list goes on every time. Bugaku on its own merits isn't top Balanchine. It's mid-tier at best.
It's unlike Balanchine's Nutcracker, where Tea has been "cleaned up" but the ballet is still staged by many companies. The strength of that Nutcracker overrides the problematic Tea.
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1 hour ago, California said:
Do we know when it will be released on HBO or HBO Max? I really want to see it, but am not keen on going into movie theaters just now.
Usually 45 days from movie release.
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10 hours ago, Quiggin said:
Thanks, On Pointe, for your corrective review. Seemed hard to match up the effusive review by A O Scott in the Times and the online trailer with its heavy-handed camera work. Perhaps it's time to retire tracking shots for a couple of years, even a decade. And yes it is odd that Elgort towers over Zegler. In life or even on stage that may be fine, but in films every mismatch becomes exaggerated by a couple of magnitudes.
With all due respect, I suggest giving this new movie a chance when it comes out streaming on HBO Max. It really exceeded all my expectations and was moving and beautiful. I loved the 1961 film but this film does justice to the material as well.
As for the height difference, that actually becomes a joke in the film. It's quite well done.
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1 hour ago, dirac said:
Thank you for your review, On Pointe.
The poor box office numbers aren’t that surprising, given that the picture has no stars and relatively few people under forty have heard of the music or its creators. (Of course, “In the Heights” didn’t do well, either.) The demographic most likely to come out for the movie are middle aged women, who are also less likely to show up for a boffo opening weekend. However, if numbers don’t improve it may be that other viewers were also underwhelmed and not passing on the good word.
I wasn’t overwhelmed by the old movie myself but it’s a classic and a more than adequate version that is readily available for viewing, and I can’t say I see an overpowering need for a new one. I’m guessing we have it because Spielberg wanted to do it. It’s true that The Critics Are Raving, but there’s no trust there as far as I’m concerned and I’m much more likely to repose confidence in the opinions I read in this forum. However, I will go eventually.
Please report in here if you go, people.
I went and absolutely loved it. I posted a review on my blog.
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8 hours ago, JanLevNYC said:
I think the conversation has been and continues to be more about why NYCB is not giving opportunities to cultivate and mature these dancers artistry, confidence and bodies. Why we are seeing the same dancers over and over, night after night since Martins' departure? I believe one of his last years he gave us 15 different SFP in one season - with many debuts. Honestly, in my IMHO I believe dancers like Habony, Bologna, Boisson, Claire VonEnck, Staker are SO dependable they are inadvertently taken advantage of as the rock of the corps. It's sad for the careers of dancers and its just boring for the audience.
There are actually many corps members who are getting soloist opportunities. Baily Jones, Mira Nadon, Emily Kikta, the von Enck sisters, India Bradley, Olivia MacKinnon, etc. Laine Habony just isn't among those.
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I saw it today and actually loved it. I agree that Justin Peck's choreography can't hold a candle to Jerome Robbins' but I found many aspects of this film superior:
https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2021/12/west-side-story.html
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I must say I'm puzzled by the adoration for Laine Habony. I don't doubt she's good but she wouldn't be the first corps member I'd promote. Not even the fifth.
Emily Kikta, Mira Nadon, Ashley Hod, Olivia Boisson, Isabella LFreniere, and the von Enck sisters IMO all have caught my eye more than Laine Habony.
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9 hours ago, Chballetfan said:
I agree re Unity. she is a gorgeous dancer who exudes neoclassical skill and attitude. the prècisement of her limbs in Agon, Slaughter, Western etc. she has it all. and yet she is unconvincing in archetypal classical ballet. perhaps she is not a *natural* sugar plum - that is fine. no principal is destined for all principal roles. we should never underestimate SPF - although a repertoire favourite it takes a very specific type of ballerina to be suited to and to master both the variation and the pas. the pas demands exuberance, dominance, romance, adagio technique; the variation if anything demands the opposite: petit Allegro in slow motion, intricate footwork and emotion etc. few ballerinas truly master both.
i do think it is time for NYCB to consider and promote a more versatile female principal. I love Woodward and Phelan and respect their command of their respective domains of the rep. I do think there is room for a quintessentially 'romantic' dancer, a la Lauren Lovette - Laracey would be my first choice, but in her absence, perhaps Emilie Gerrity deserves to be promoted? I echo others sentiments at the lack of casting opportunities this season. it does seem a waste.
I love Emilie Gerrity. She is more romantic. And I agree that SPF is actually a hard role to pull off. I've seen some of the very best dancers falter in this role. For instance, Tiler Peck always is more free, expressive and jaw-dropping as Dewdrop than she is as SPF.
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Apparently Peter Walker went on in place of Harrison Ball (who had originally subbed for Taylor Stanley) last night with Megan:
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25 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:
Did anyone see the Friday night performance with Unity Phelan as SPF and Tiler Peck as Dewdrop. That is my dream line up and I even had tickets, but couldn't go last minute. I'd love to hear anyone's observations. I'll be seeing Nutcracker next weekend. There's so much happening in NYC all of a sudden (seemingly).
And then the Covid tests... A friend of mine is producing a show and they had to delay their opening due to several breakthrough covid cases. I hate to see performances canceled, but it's the most responsible course of action and protects everyone.
I just bought Megan Fairchild's new book. She has a few Nutcracker stories in there. It's a quick read, but worthwhile. She uses stories from her career to talk about lessons learned to improve our outlook and our mental health.
I didn;t go to that performance but I went to an earlier performance with Unity/Joe Gordon/Tiler. Tiler was fantastic as Dewdrop, but Unity and Joe ran into some partnering problems and as a result the performance was rather tense and lacking in magic. In the shoulder jumps Unity almost slipped off. I think Unity's a great dancer but more neoclassical than classical, and she's not a natural SPF.
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Did anyone attend last night?
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I reviewed the December 7 performance for bachtrack:
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I saw Sterling Hyltin as SPF a week ago and her portrayal if anything has gotten more technically secure than she used to be.
I am not ready to part with Sterling, Tiler, Tess, Sara and other veteran dancers.
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12 minutes ago, On Pointe said:
I'd be all for flesh-colored tights if the colors were more flattering. In every instance I've seen, the shades are too dark. For example, in the photo of Amanda Morgan, her legs look about two shades darker than her arms. There's also the issue of visibility. Dark tights and shoes, in my opinion, obscure the dancer's line. There needs to be a lot more tinkering with materials and shades before flesh colors look good. When white dancers wear light tights, their natural skin tones come through and add dimensionality. Dark tights on dark skin look flat. Maybe the solution is to use tights that are a couple of shades lighter than the dancer's skin, perhaps with some shimmer added.
There are many brands of tights/nylons that now make shimmery tights. I myself bought myself a pair of Wolford Neon 40s. They look particularly good on singers like Beyonce, who are known to wear the shiny tights. When I saw Moulin Rouge I noticed most of the dancers were wearing the shiny, flesh-colored tights. I wonder why ballerinas don't wear them. They are flattering on darker-toned skin.
Megan Fairchild's The Ballerina Mindset
in Writings on Ballet
Posted
I read the book. It reads a bit like a corporate self-help book. Which is ... fine, but I would have liked more insight. I felt like her YT interviews with dancers showed a more candid side to Megan. It was a very quick read.