MoMo

On 11/6/2022 at 3:15 PM, ABT Fan said:

I'm so glad I saw this mentioned on Cornejo's IG! He is a complete and rare artist. Fantastic performance by Cornejo, and such a treat to catch this especially since he had to bow out of his R&J at the Met this year. California, yes, I wonder too if he'll hang on a bit longer. Whenever he does choose to retire, come h*ll or high-water I'll be there.

The last time I saw Boylston as Juliet was several years ago, and unfortunately I don't see any progress. Her dancing is gorgeous, she's a magnificent technician, but her dramatic abilities have rarely impressed me (although she was perfect as Jane Eyre). 

The rest of the cast was fairly mediocre. I kept thinking of Klein and Cirio as Mercutio, Royal and Ribagorda as Benvolio, and Zhurbin, Forster, Ahn as Tibalt.

Regardless, seeing Cornejo was more than worth it.

Seeing this performance I am reminded that Stella Abrera never had the opportunity for a farewell performance. Her Lady Capulet is exquisite, and should be remembered. How about a final Lady Capulet for her next Spring? 

59 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Watch Aran Bell’s recent IG story. It shows the shoot today. You can clearly see the costumes for SL, Giselle and R&J. 
 

Also visible in Cassandra Trenary’s IG stories. She’s in a beautiful turquoise dress that’s not from anything I know so perhaps that’s Like Water for Chocolate, the new ballet.

You are correct about R and J. Just saw a post by Gillian Murphy with James Whiteside in R and J costumes. 

18 hours ago, laurel said:

I adore Ratmansky’s Whipped Cream, and it was wonderful to see the ballet return last night at such a high level of performance.  The fantastic score, the unique costumes, the crazy choreography – what a wild 1920s hallucination of fantasy, satire and overindulgence.  The company was so well rehearsed, and so very alive with the thrill of performance.  The gingerbread men were swinging their mallets at the marzipan archers with ferver, as if they wished to do real harm.  Wham!  For the first time, every dancer presented a character on stage, utilizing facial expression and excellent mime.  No one made a misstep, no one was sleepwalking in the back row or going through the motions.  There are so many new, young dancers in the company, and so many opportunities opening up, everyone seemed thrilled to be on stage and was dancing full out.

Sarah Lane’s Princess Praline, with her lacy, layered footwork, has given way Skylar Brandt’s big, bold, movement.  Her movements are faster, higher, deeper, wider; Princess Praline now is a different character, much sassier.  Brandt is able to lengthen her limbs to such an extent that she appears far taller than her true height.  It's quite an achievement.  The endless work with Max and Irina has definitely come to fruition.  Brand's natural inclination for goofiness makes Princess Praline a perfect fit.  ABT absolutely must do right by Brandt and revive Coppelia for her.  She was born to play Swanilda, and in my opinion she would be the ultimate American dancer in that role.   This is my *personal* recommendation to Susan Jaffe...

In case you’re unaware, Jonathan Klein was a youthful figure skater in France, and as a young adolescent competed in the French junior national championships.  Emily Hayes posted some old footage of him on the ice in one of her food/travel vlogs on Youtube (“Made by Mily”), and he was quite impressive.  You can see the vigorous athlete in him and why his pirouettes and leaps are amazing.  However, he could use some finesse and lyricism in his dance.  A few months at the Paris Opera Ballet School or something similar would be perfect.  Well, no matter what may or may not be possible, I imagine that he (and everyone else at ABT) could use better coaching than what is currently available to the company.

Princess Tea Flower was languid and lyrical when danced by Stella Abrera, but Christine Shevchenko has turned her into a glamour girl, sparkly and lively.  Calvin Royal’s dancing has improved enormously since I last saw him, and he was especially confident last night as Prince Coffee.  Among their attendants there were two knockouts:  Chloe Misseldine and Jarod Curley.  As the attendants move about the stage in performance, frequently changing partners, these two more often than not ended up together, and they looked like an unbeatable team, the tallest dancers in the room.  Jarod Curley is ABT’s answer to Daniel Day-Lewis.  With each costume and wig change, he vanishes into his character.  He is tall and blonde, and last night, whirling around the pastry shop, he was unrecognizable as the dancer who performed Mithridates in Of Love and Rage.  I had one of my little fantasy moments at this point, and kept imagining him as Purple Rothbart in Swan Lake, entering the ballroom with Chloe Misseldine as Odile.  Whoa!  That's yet another fantasy I hope to see come true one day.

Major congratulations to the three dancing liquor bottles:  Catherine Hurlin, Blaine Hoven and Connor Holloway.  Their teamwork was great, and I’ve never seen the three bottles performed so well by all three dancers together.  In particular, Hurlin’s mime has improved so much, she’s finally able to get some big laughs as Marianne Chartreuse.  I hope that they, and everyone in this case, perform just as well or better on Saturday.  Cheers, all!

 

Thank you for this lovely review. I saw Whipped Cream when it premiered in 2017 and loved it. I actually saw it seven times. Three in Orange County and four in NYC. I am so glad it is as good as ever, especially with new members of the Company being able to perform it. 

32 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

Wow! He's delightful in this role. I haven't been following the casting very closely -- who does he replace? 

It looks like Daniil is replacing Jake Roxander who was previously announced as The Boy. 

On 8/25/2022 at 7:15 AM, ABT Fan said:

I completely forgot about that DQ cancellation. Well, I hope we’ll get to see him in Sinfonietta and/or learn that he has a guesting gig somewhere and is not out with an injury.

I just saw an ABT publicity photo for Sinfonietta. Aran Bell was featured in the photo, along with Roman Zhurbin and Hee Seo. 

22 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

After watching this video, I've clearly never seen this ballet before. ABT last did it in 2015 so not sure how I missed it. Through the entire 22 minutes I kept seeing Shevchenko and Trenary - this choreography fits them like a dream. Their bios say they have danced this before so I really hope they're cast in the fall. Ahn, Royal, Bell, Han, Curley, Klein, McBride, Hurlin would also be great in this. So much jumping, omg! I hope they start cardio training early.

ABT performed Sinfonietta in 1990 or so, when Jane Herman was Artistic Director briefly. They performed it at LA’s Wiltern Theater. My husband and I saw it. It is a thrilling piece and will be wonderful for ABT’s excellent  dancers to perform. 

2 hours ago, AB'sMom said:

ABT Studio Company sure seems to have impressive dancers. A dancer everyone was raving about at Royal Ballet School’s year-end production, Takumi Miyake, is coming to the Studio Company next year.

Everyone is always talking about Misty. She hasn’t performed since 2018, she just had a baby and she is 40 years old. She won’t be back, IMO. 

12 minutes ago, balletlover08 said:

I knew Cat Hurlin would make principal after 2 successful debuts in Don Q and Swan lake! Very well deserved. 

I'm surprised about Roman Zhurbin, doesn't he do mostly character roles? Maybe more of a thank you for your service promotion? Confused about this one. 

Now the soloists rank is lopsided towards the females. Though perhaps Luciana Paris intends to retire soon? But I totally called Chloe Misseldine to soloist this season. She was given lots of demi soloists roles and she knocked them out of the park. Sunmi I was not shocked about but I didn't guess it thinking they would go Coker instead. I feel like Misseldine and Park are two that are on the principal track getting promoted basically after their first Met season. Betsy may end up being a forever soloist and Breanne I think still has a chance. 

I'm bummed about Zimmi Coker as I thought she would be soloist now. 

Sungwoo Han was great in the pas de trios so I figured he may be promoted but I was also expecting Curley, Frenette to be promoted also. 

I was also expecting Coker. As for the men, I was also expecting Curley and Frenette. They have done outstanding work and received excellent notices, especially in Of Love and Rage, and Swan Lake. 

2 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Yes, agree about Coker. It's Misseldine's first Met season, Park only joined as an apprentice last November!

The soloist rank is now really lopsided, so many more women than men - and they only promoted one guy.

I agree. And some of the men in the Corps, who perform “Soloist” roles, were not promoted and should have been. 

1 minute ago, DPell said:

Curley is replacing Bell in the evening performance of Zigzag as well.

Curley has been an MVP relief “pitcher”, this Season, with all the injuries. 

On 7/4/2022 at 7:17 PM, abatt said:

This has been a problem with ABT for a long time.  They are too short staffed to run a multi-week season of consecutive full length ballets because they do not have enough lead principals (or soloists who can actually dance principal roles).  What always ends up happening is that when people drop out due to injury, the other principals who are still healthy and young have to pick up the slack.  This has happened over and over, during the course of many years.  

I agree. As a Baseball lover, this is equivalent of not having enough Big Leaguers and then calling up their Triple A players and expecting them to win the World Series! While there is valiant effort by ABT Corps., this is not a viable or long term solution. Susan Jaffe needs to look at this procedure and make changes. I also agree that more coaching is required. 

1 hour ago, tutu said:

7/4 pas de trois was planned to be Fang/Waski/Sumitani, according to one of Waski‘s Instagram posts.  7/5 and 7/6 evening were scheduled to be Misseldine/Park/Han, according to a Misseldine post.  Unclear who 7/6 matinee pas de trois will be, as it certainly can’t be the remaining cast, Hurlin/Waski (replacing Williams)/Hoven, performing for Hurlin’s O/O debut.  Maybe Fang/Waski/Sumitani again?

Of course, given the several demanding weeks already completed and the amount of COVID in NYC right now, we may already be into the “bleeding casting sheet” phase — that is, when injuries and illness mean substitutions run rampant.  At this point in the season, I think no casting is a guarantee.

Wednesday 7/6  matinee pas de trois should be Frenette, Coker, Granlund, so far. Big Swans Lavine and Post. 

2 hours ago, FauxPas said:

I am seeing Gillian and Robert Forster tonight. 

Let me rush in to defend Irina Dvorovenko's acting - I actually saw her act onstage in an adaptation of Henry James' "The Beast in the Jungle".  She also was wildly funny and childishly temperamental in Encores' "On Your Toes".  There's a lot going on behind those eyes onstage and onscreen these days. 

I found Irina particularly delicious in comedy.  She was fabulous as "The Merry Widow" in Ronald Hynd's ballet version and a charmer as the Operetta Star in Antony Tudor's derivative "Offenbach in the Underworld".  Irina did period style very well.  She also was a delicious Kitri in "Don Q" opening and closing her fan over her head while knocking out fouettes.  I didn't see it but her comedy in Le Grand Pas de Deux by Christian Spuck as a bespectacled ballerina klutz was evidently priceless.

I had less luck with her big classical roles where I often got her on a bad night where she had onstage bobbles.  Her Gamzatti however was always spot on and there was lots of evil going on behind those eyes.

 

Hi. Not to be too “nit picky”, but Gillian will be dancing with Thomas Forster tonight, not Robert Forster. Robert Forster is the late actor, star of “Jackie Brown”. Thank you. 

1 hour ago, abatt said:

Note about Frenette.  A very promising dancer.  Was this his debut as Benno?  I wasn't sure.  Nice elevation and line.  But tone down that facial makeup!  Way too much.

Yes, last night was Patrick Frenette’s debut as Benno. 

7 minutes ago, balletlover08 said:

When does ABT usually promote? 
 

i think Cat will be promoted to principal soon. Zimmi, Chloe and Betsy to soloist. I’m unsure on the male side but that’s my guess for the next batch of female promotions. 

ABT usually promotes during last week of Spring/Summer season. Thus during R and J week. I agree with your female choices. I will add Patrick Frenette, Jarod Curley, Jonathan Klein to soloists. Elwince is an Apprentice and he should be promoted to Corps. ( All my opinion and hope). 

I agree about having Patrick Frenette and Jonathan Klein being ready to perform Romeo just in case. Both are scheduled for R and J already. Patrick as Benvolio and Jonathan as Mercutio. It would give the Company more depth. 

I agree with your thoughts. I do think they will promote, as they had promotions in 2020 during the pandemic, even though the dancers weren’t performing. It will be Kevin’s last hurrah. 

On 5/13/2022 at 7:52 AM, FauxPas said:

Patrick Frenette, Cameron McCune, Jonathan Klein and Luigi Crispino are overdue for soloist opportunities.

With the female corps ladies, I would include Betsy McBride, Erica Lall, Zimmi C. , amongst others. 

Replying to miliosr: As a Southern California native, I would love to have ABT  located here. They have a venue in the Segerstrom. But like the Dodgers in 1957, they have a complete presence in NYC , after 42 years. What they don’t have is a permanent venue. So my feelings are mixed about this. 

1 hour ago, abatt said:

I had no idea that Stephanie Petersen was actually Stephanie Williams with a new last name until someone on this board pointed it out. 

Actually, my point was more about the fact that McKenzie now has only  a few soloists, many of whom are not suitable to do a lead role when needed.  It's nice that he decided to promote Fang and Paris up to soloist at the very late stage of their careers, but the result is that when McKenzie finds himself in need of a capable soloist  for a secondary lead role, they cannot step in to fill the gap. 

I have to agree with you in this. The soloist rank is sparse, both on male and female side. So they have to fill in with senior Corps members. It’s good for the Corps, but not good planning. 

On 10/20/2021 at 7:38 AM, abatt said:

The talent pool  seems to be stretched very thin at ABT.  They are putting someone named Petersen from the corps into the lead role of Myrta on the Sat matinee in place of Fang (who in my opinion was never going to be suitable as Myrta).  I don't recall seeing Petersen in any lead or demi-lead role.   

I feel the need to respond to this inquiry. The phrase “putting someone named Petersen”, as if she was a stranger . Stephanie Petersen (née Williams ) was married during the pandemic and also had a baby in February. This off time during the pandemic was a horrible experience for everyone. I think it is brave of her to work hard and come back and perform after so long. It is said she did very well, even though she was probably nervous. Brava to her! 

I think the government agencies are not prepared for the massive number of people who are applying for unemployment benefits. 😞😢

11 minutes ago, balletlover08 said:

Exactly what I was thinking! I guess it makes sense since Copeland is paired with Cornejo right? I thought Skylar did great for her first few times running through it! I'm sure she will be great if she gets the chance! 

She rehearsed Giselle with Irina and Max, and eventually got the role. I think this is good planning on her part. 

9 hours ago, California said:

If you follow Aran Bell on Instagram, he just posted a Story recorded from the wings with a very nice torch lift.

I was at the performance last night. The torch lift was spot on and thrilling. It was a lovely performance by both Bella and Aran. He is a future big star. 

I too found it odd that in the interview with Christine Shevshenko on Nutcracker, they played excerpt from Swan Lake! Someone didn’t do their homework.