bellawood

I was at the performance last night. The casting changes weren't published before the show so they were announced before the curtain -- I had been anticipating no Sara but was sad not to see Sterling in 3 Movements. This also meant that there were no principal women performing last night -- at least four of the seven are injured (or perhaps ill) right now. Scherzo was quite charming! I hadn't seen it before. KJ Takahashi danced the Anthony Huxley role and was quite good. This was the first of two ballets for Harrison Coll who is a terrific dancer with a lot of personality on stage. He's also taller than I thought he was. Miriam Miller danced the second lead which was originally Isabella LaFreniere. Symphony in 3 Movements is more incredible every time I see it. When was it last done -- has it been four or five years? Every moment is interesting to watch and the music is so good. When I think of Sterling in this ballet I think of the incredible pristine attack of her first entrance. Ashley Laracey brought something else to this ballet -- not so much attack (she was no slouch though) but her beautiful arms to the pas with Taylor Stanley. All those strange swimming motions and open and closed hands really resounded last night. Isabella LaFreniere was really assured in her Firebird debut. Her last leap out in the manege was huge. What great lines!

They still haven't updated the casting for this week and now ADW will be out of Symphony in 3 Movements on top of Sara's injury. Are Joe Gordon and ADW still an item? I hope he's masking up if so! Looking forward to seeing his Orpheus. I think this means that Stanley will take the first two Apollos and ADW the second two (a switch from current casting).

Hi! Saw yesterday's matinee and came away with the same feel-good vibes as everyone on the board. Divert was wonderful and Indiana is so lovely right now. My only criticism is I think she needs to deaden those shoes a bit more. Faun: ADW and Sterling were wonderful -- obviously this is one of Sterling's signature roles -- but every time I see this I think it would be great to see promising corps members dance this ballet (it happens more often with guys than the girls, I know Grant and Kennard Henson have done it recently). The characters are so young. There was dead silence in the theater (which was very full) during Tiler's Allegro solo. I don't think anyone was breathing! I agree with Vipa about Hod in Sanguinic -- she is technically secure but it felt like a series of moves to get through. She did not display much musicality. It made me think of some wonderful Sanguinics from the past, Ana Sophia Scheller and (particularly) Jennie Somogyi. Kikta REALLY went for it, almost wild. She was much more free than in her debut. Amar got a solo curtain call. It occurred to me looking at the principals that after Sterling retires there will only be 6 principal women! I can't imagine they are not going to promote Emilie Gerrity soonish? This Rubies casting feels like a bit of an audition for Pereira.

Also, I can totally see Joseph Gordon in Orpheus but Aaron Sanz as Orpheus is a surprise!

Mira Nadon said she was missing the new ballet because of Covid on Insta Stories, ugh. Hope she's feeling better. She's cast week 4 in Rubies so fingers crossed. As for Pereira, I'm not sure she projects enough sense of humor to dance Rubies but we will see!

Thanks! I thought it might be too late as it's past noon on a show day.

Hi! Not sure if this is the place but I have two tickets to tonight's show that I can't use at the last minute. they are second ring C seats 9/11. Send me a note if you are interested and we'll see if we can do a handoff.

Oh yes please!

I wonder why the The Times didn’t mention Sterling's retirement? She’s dancing so beautifully I’m sorry to see her go.

Yes Emma, not Eve! I have a major mental block with her name for some reason. I think of the solo she was doing as the "Tiler" solo because of Tiler's insane fast feet seen here:

Jovani Furlan has a bit on instagram stories of Eve Von Enck dancing the principal solo from Divertimento no. 15 -- I think she's a potential Fairchild/Bouder casting replacement --

Week one casting is up: https://www.nycballet.com/season-and-tickets/principal-casting Hod is debuting as Russian Girl, which is an odd choice to me. Indiana Woodward just debuted and was incredible but has no shows. I think maybe she’s just off COVID quarantine? Still . . .

It was INCREDIBLE. The MIchelle Dorrance piece was a real showstopper. Just incredible to see Michelle and Tiler dance together. I had seen the William Forsythe piece when it debuted virtually and it was terrific in person. To see this much invention and creativity is really life-affirming in this horrible horrible week.

That's what it said in the program! I think his husband's business is pretty established in NYC. He made a beautiful film they showed during the farewell.

Was lucky to get to go to Gonzalo's farewell. I admit I cried! Gonzalo's strength as a performer, to me, has been how his humanity, kindness and humor project from the stage. I think that's why for me his most iconic role is in Dances at a Gathering. His farewell was full of that humor and the sharing of the spotlight, bringing his partners and Justin Peck out for curtain calls -- Justin carried him off after the Rotunda excerpt. There was a long line of heartfelt hugs and kisses at the end. There's a renewed energy in the company with the promotion of deserving young dancers, but I am glad Gonzalo is sticking around to nurture them, and I will miss his dancing.

Just got back from the afternoon matinee minus the SL one act. A large but very quiet audience -- dead silence before the curtain calls -- and one woman in the row turned to me after 4Ts and said, "Wasn't this supposed to be Swan Lake?" 4Ts would definitely be a surprise if you were expecting the full length SL! Lots of debuts in 4Ts today -- the first theme pair was Claire Kretzschmar and Samuel Melnikov, who has tamed his hair. He has nice lines. The next pair was Nieve Corrigan and Chris Grant; I saw Jaqueline Bologna dance this earlier in the week and she made more of an impression here. The very handsome Davide Riccardo danced with Meaghan Dutton O'Hara and they were the best of the three pairings. Sebastian Villarini Velez danced Melancholic quite nicely -- sometimes he looks a little sloppy but it kind of works in this role. Isabella LaFreniere debuted with Gilbert Bolden and I thought she was pretty successful, more successful than Ashley Hod on Tuesday. Gilbert Bolden is an interesting dancer, a very big presence but with a nice jump and an excellent turner. Russell Janzen was Phlegmatic, a role he's quite suited for (tho my favorite current Phlegmatic is Adrian D-W); Mira Nadon debuted in Choleric and looked good, very clean but big movement and with the requisite Choleric attitude. She is very musical and never seems rushed. I think the breakout star of winter has been Indiana Woodward, who is dancing on a different level since her promotion. She looked terrific with Anthony Huxley in Sonatine. I much preferred this to the Laracey/Stanley pairing on Tuesday, even though they are two dancers I love to watch. Finally (for me) Tiler was on for Black Swan and brought the speed and precision she is famous for. Furlan looked good -- great jumps -- but his variation tempo seemed quite lugubrious. It's probably the right tempo and I've been warped by City Ballet's tendency to wind SL up like a music box! One more show for me this winter -- the Garcia Farewell next week.

Are you asking about Mira? She and Chun got three.

I thought she was really good! She has excellent stage presence, stayed in the moment and really went for it. She came out very, very strong. Towards the end, she stumbled a tiny bit coming out of the fouettes -- but that said, she did single/doubles for the first half and then singles and while I didn't count she made it to the end of the music and really barely travelled. Honestly, I think many older, more experienced ballerinas would have been thrilled with the outcome, particularly in a debut. I will admit I was very nervous for her so am possibly not very objective! Perhaps others have more nuanced opinions --

At the show last night, Emily Kikta didn't come out for her 4T's Choleric curtain call -- it turns out she forgot! NYCB curtain calls are always a bit chaotic but this season they have been crazier than usual. The other week the Slaughter policemen came out at the wrong time, backed up, and then came out a second time, and last night it looked like the curtain operator was going to drop the curtain on Mira Nadon and Chun-Wei Chan's head during theirs. I think some remedial bowing and curtseying are called for before the spring.

Was there last night too -- I thought the star of the evening was Indiana, who was really expressive, clear and bright as Russian Girl and then was so mature and elegant in Andantino. Her Russian Girl was the best I'd seen in a long time and that includes Tiler's! Tiler and Roman were not perfect in Tchai Pas but WOW the energy and attack. I agree with Cobweb that he needs more finesse, but he's so young and it will take time to know when to go for broke. In some ways he reminds me (in his attitude) of young Sara Mearns. I would watch her while gripping my arm rests because I was sure she would hurl herself into the orchestra pit by accident. She was always dialed up to 11. (In contrast she seemed fragile last night as the waltz girl). I am seeing Swan Lake II on Tuesday and next Saturday matinee -- the former because I want to see Mira/Chan in Black Swan PDD and the latter because I want to see Mira debut in Choleric. I don't think I am going to make it through the SL one act 3 times though. My attitude towards it is very similar to Cobweb's, though I actually liked the demi soloist interludes just fine. On Tuesday it is Tiler and Joe Gordon, which is a criminal waste of Joe Gordon. Why is Harrison Ball getting Tchai Pas before Joe Gordon? Next Saturday afternoon it is Megan and Gonzalo, and I love Gonzalo and will miss him dearly, but . . .

Reichlen might be out tonight of Slaughter -- Miriam Miller is making her debut "in a principal role" tonight -- according to NYCB Instagram.

I'd forgotten that Lauren did Rubies.

Anyone see Tiler last night in Rubies?

This new casting is so much fun and I love that they are dropping the new soloists (and principals) in the deep end. I particularly think Roman should get all the dancing in he can. He's so young and all of these opportunities will help him mature as a partner. It can't hurt that Tiler has tapped him as her preferred partner in the allegro ballets -- shades of Wendy and Tyler Angle back in the day. He's spectacular to watch. We were at the performance last night and he has such dynamism and presence on stage (he was debuting 4th couple DGV). Overall last night was a bit subdued. The audience felt a little sleepy. I liked Partita a lot -- particularly the Harrison Coll/Taylor Stanley section. DGV gave a glimpse at the future NYCB -- a very elegant pairing of Davide Riccardo and Emilie Gerrity; Indiana and Harrison Ball who already have an established rapport on stage; Unity looking very much like the principal she is (with Tyler Angle as a replacement for Andy Veyette); and Emma Von Enck/Roman Mejia. Edited to say my only disappointment is so little Joe Gordon except for lots of Swan Lake stuff (and one La Valse). He had such a strong fall, particularly with Opus 19. Hoping for more in the spring!

Lots of debuts here, including for Amar(!). I'm seeing the Saturday EVE Tiler/Roman Tchai Pas, which I am very excited about, and Woodward as Russian Girl. If anyone sees Eve Von Enck in Andantino that Sunday will you report back?