bellawood

A marvelous time last night. The audience was energized and the theater was filled to the rafters. I enjoyed the whole program, even Orpheus (Stockholm syndrome, perhaps?) but Symphony in C brought the house down. It looked great, crisp, expansive. All principal couples were excellent.

Yikes!!

Interestingly Megan gave herself a meh review on her own Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyPhlcAupxy/

I was there too, and felt Huxley/Fairchild was surprisingly flat. I saw Huxley's debut a few years ago, and he fell in the tour/pirouette sequence in the second solo; I was wondering when I saw him cut them short/start them late if that was in his head. Megan also had a moment towards the end of her long diagonal of turns when she stumbled slightly. The four soloist ladies were a mess. I think it's because Megan LeCrone was always ahead of the music. I would love to see someone other than Mary Elizabeth Sell or Laine Habony (who was in Serenade) in these featured corps roles. Finally, I wondered if Andrew Litton was revving the tempo a bit; the corps was flat-out running around to get into their lines. The double tour/double tour finale was shaggy. Watching this made me think of other casts I'd like to see. I will see Peck/Gordon this weekend; wouldn't Emma Von Enck be killer in this? And, of course, Roman a la Joaquin de Luz would be a treat (de Luz used to do the tour/pirouette sequence every day, apparently). Serenade was very good. I don't actually love Sara in this role, but I can't question the commitment. Russian Girl is a great role for Indiana, and I thought Miriam Miller was compelling as the Dark Angel. I've only seen this as Gerrity/Le Crone recently and it's nice to have some change of casting there. I felt Davide had a decent first pass at this very challenging partnering role. I think you need a few goes of it before you stop looking like you're directing traffic or catching fly balls. Jovani had the same problem in his debut last (?) year -- I assume he was supposed to dance it this season but had to opt out because of his knee. ADW used to dance this and was great at it. Orpheus -- hahaha on the creatures running off stage! @abatt I was slightly left, and it looked like they had trouble dragging Ashley under -- maybe she collapsed just a bit to far away from the hem? Joe kind of helped shovel her under the curtain. Then the curtain went up, and they all went running off. The joys of live theater. I am seeing this three times this week, and then not again I hope for a while. As @cubanmiamiboy says, vintage!

I have been reflecting on the discussion around the lack of connection between Tiler and Joe in PC2 and I have some thoughts: 1. Unlike other grand ballets, PC2 doesn't have a "real" PDD when they are on stage alone. I last saw this ballet in 2019 with Joe and Ashley Bouder (and her squeaky shoes). I had the same feeling then -- they are apart. At the time, I considered it an issue of Ashley's, since she has often felt separate on stage, even in her spectacular heyday. But PC2 is very much about the ballerina. She is in command. In other instances, as when TP & JG did Swan Lake together, I thought they had terrific rapport, and Joe has had great stage rapport with other partners (most notably Lauren Lovette). 2. Tiler's incredible stage presence and charisma. She's just mesmerizing -- you just watch her. I think you can forget to take in the whole since you get so focused on the one. She's scheduled to dance quite a bit next week and I wonder if she'll be able to return. Best wishes to her father.

Wonderful! I love that role. Just watched Chun’s debut, very very successful. He wasn’t perfect but was dancing so free. Mira was beyond. I mean, what a dancer and artist. As she did in Emeralds, she showed me Terpsichore as something totally new. What a treat, honestly. The PDD was incredible. Isabella was quite excellent too. Emily was ever so slightly off in the infamous shhh! turns. She flubbed the last one. But for a debut an excellent version and I highly recommend getting a last minute ticket for tomorrow if you can!

I agree, to me Miriam Miller is a ballerina who was very to PM's taste and has perhaps not gotten a lot of looks under new management. Her major roles -- Titania, Agon PDD -- she did when PM was director. I think Kikta is several inches taller than ILF. She looked like she was dancing with a child during the coda of S&S. Can she dance with Gilbert Bolden? Never mind her own husband?

Yes, I remember. it wasn't a huge success for either, unfortunately. Claire is very pregnant right now!

I second that! What fun he is to watch, in the spirit of Damian and Joaquin.

Hi all! Just returned from 3rd cast. The place was packed, and in a continuing trend, a notable number of patrons were young/stylish/there to be seen. Emeralds -- MIRA. The thing that I am realizing while watching her discover these ballets is that she dances them like they are absolutely natural to her body. This is true for Violin Concerto and Emeralds, two totally different ballets. Second, she shows me things I never noticed before. The beautiful Violette solo, which can come off as "cute" in the wrong hands, is absolutely riveting and internal in Mira's interpretation -- it's about Mira being in the moment, not any showing off at all. Davide Riccardo was an able partner. Megan Le Crone, in an unfortunate contrast to Nadon, was effortful. Her solo and the walking PDD felt like steps. I've watched her dance for many years, and while she has gifts, it's always this sense of effort that holds me back from being there with her. ADW danced in place of Aaron Sanz. Rubies -- WOW EMMA. I mean, wow. She's so precise, so playful, so fast, and dances BIG. She's much better in this role than Lauren Lovette ever was. This is Sterling territory but with more warmth and humor. It's no surprise now that Erica Pereira did not get a second go at this. Emma is principal material, and soon! Jovani was an absolute delight. There were many cheeky, non-choreographed moments, and frankly, I ate them all up. Christina Clark was just ok. She had the smile pasted on (not great) and is so tall I think that feeling of attack is muted just because her limbs can't move fast enough. It is pretty tough to do this role, I imagine, when another current company member has so quickly claimed it as her own after Tess's retirement. Diamonds -- There are boys in this ballet -- a redhead who was partnering Naomi Corti in particular -- who look SO young. Chun was very polished, very elegant, a wonderful and handsome lead, but I imagine that Joe Gordon was more impressive in the solos. I was underwhelmed with LaFreniere. This feels miscast? She was secure technically, but there was no perfume. It takes time to inhabit this majestic role, I know.

I CAN'T WAIT! Seeing her Saturday night. I also changed my tix for Friday Oct 6 to see her Terpsichore debut Sat matinee. How was Emma in Rubies???

Re: Unity, I’ve seen a bunch of her debuts and I think she’s very nervous the first times through. She was basically petrified during 2nd movement Symphony in C, and I’ve seen her fall in other debuts or near-debuts (once, memorably, three times in one performance — tchai suite No. 3 second or third Movement, I can’t remember which one). But when she settles in — as in Agon — she can be so spectacular. Her rep is large as others have noted — and that could definitely be an issue.

They still do "T. Peck" even though Justin retired at least five years ago, right? And T. Angle is still T. Angle.

I'm seeing first cast (for Russell's retirement performance) and third cast -- can't wait for this fall season to begin!

That line was written in consultation with SAB's lawyers, for sure.

I think Darla Hoover must be out after a year, too. You would think they would have to have a press release or similar. Was Peter Martins ever Artistic Director AND Dean of Faculty? I thought that was Kay Mazzo forever.

wow! Did not sense from her IG that she was really dancing again yet.

More Instagram rehearsal footage: Chun as Apollo. I wonder if Joe Gordon will ever get cast in this?

Also on her insta stories, Mira said she was understudying diamonds — so I would guess the diamonds leads would be (barring injury) Mearns, phelan, and LaFreniere. I would guess Mira is dancing Emeralds and rubies tall girl. i was really excited to see Emma von Enck dancing Rubies w/Jovani. Seeing Jewels twice so maybe I will get a chance to see her!

https://www.balletherald.com/russell-janzen-diamonds-final-performance/?fbclid=PAAaavl4lrUMzzpiyehsOP0AUc0s5tY7Oif07hbiMO58sulghh8C3Fw6x00JA_aem_AR8E91Z_joIID9Km51ccjoy4lsKZgmoayujWQH3zJZezODNSw3hvm4Zqxh0zh5PLTJE September 24 dancing diamonds.

I Hope that this Nadon/LaFreniere casting is a preview of what we will see on September! I think this is an ideal casting that (knock wood) we should be able to enjoy for a while.

Last night was my second go at this program. Brandenburg was spectacular, I connected with it much more this time. The first time, the first cast of this ballet (first movement) was Woodward/Huxley. This cast was von Enck/Mejia and it was a completely different ballet. Major youthquake time. Woodward/Huxley were elegant but a bit remote; the second cast was all verve, openess and playfulness. Emma von Enck is a special dancer. Roman just seems to grow as a dancer and partner with every ballet. I preferred Mira/Aaron Sanz in the second PDD from the first cast but Unity/ADW were very polished. The corps was very strong. Fancy Free was nicely danced. Andrew Veyette subbed for the bartender which was amusing. Peter Walker seemed miscast as the “sweet” sailor. Agon was good but not the absolute home run it was two weeks ago (that was a superlative performance). Isabella LaFreniere danced the “bransle” sections and was terrific. I am finding i am very impressed with her in b&w ballets (Episodes, Concerto Barocco). The demisoloist girls were not as strong as they could be, I thought.

Also, Tiler Peck seems to be out all week too, still listed for the final week in 1 performance --

It would be fun, but I would guess if Unity only does one she would do Agon and Nadon the Brandenbug PDD she has already performed.

Chan sprained his ankle so I doubt we will see him.