Calliope

Could you imagine if dancers just didn't show up to work b/c the markets are doing poorly and their sponsors couldn't afford them anymore?!

Does this mean some of them are making "too much" that they need sponsors??

I'd rather see a general acknowledgement, "we'd like to thank the following patrons for their support of our principal dancers...."

Is ABT the only company that does this, at least in print?

Was the audience on its feet b/c of Farrell, the ballets or the performance?

I'm glad to see Lorenzo back dancing! PA Ballet has quite a few NYCB alums, I'll have to try and catch them on tour.

It's outside of NY, but there's a website with photos of Balanchine's summer house in Weston CT (lots of LeClercq on the site too)

www.katzhome.com/history.htm

I don't know if there's any cemeteries in NY that they still bury people in.

It's outside of NY, but there's a website with photos of Balanchine's summer house in Weston CT (lots of LeClercq on the site too)

www.katzhome.com/history.htm

I don't know if there's any cemeteries in NY that they still bury people in.

Does anyone know where Stuart Capps and Jessy Hendrickson went? Or if they're still dancing.

That's who I thought it was too Amanda.

I thought it was interesting that on such a mainstream tv show, that ballet was chosen to represent that "generation"

I know it's been an ongoing practice, but as Alexandra mentioned earlier, people used to give without having to have their name attached. It would be nice of a company to not feel as though they have to put people's names as sponsors. I understand the reason for needing the funds, it's just a sad commentary that people feel the need to be recognized for a donation. I wonder if the dancer's have any say in it?

Having said that, is ABT's defection from AGMA (the union) also allowing them to do this?

Thanks for the explanation Alexandra!

I can just see the anti-depressant company's lining up to sponsor Giselle already!

Thanks Alexandra.

Does that mean the "sponsored by" is the salary and the individual performance "underwritten by"?

Just to play devil's advocate. Isn't that like "buying" casting?

They have a website that includes past winners and explanations of the awards

www.pgfusa.com/

I noticed in ABT's programs that some of the prinicpals have "Sponsored by..." and a person(s) name (in principal photos section)

Then at the end of the programs performances were "underwritten by"

What does this all mean? And is this new?

I went to last night's performance.

Within You Without Your: A Tribute to George Harrison

Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra (Robert Hill)

Fancy Free

I had no expectations for the Harrison piece and was pleasantly suprised. Although overall, I felt like I was watching a Gap advertisement.

The music was not instrumental, it was the actual songs. For some reason, I thought it would be instrumental. It opened with Joaquin De Luz dancing Stanton Welch's section. Dressed in what looked like maroon levi's and a darker maroon tight fitting tshirt, Joaquin held his own with Gillian Murphy (back to the audience) as his muse. Very quirky choreography. Lots of running and rolling around on stage.

Next was Natalie Weir's tribute. To the song "I Dig Love" Julie Kent, Ethan Stiefel and Herman Cornejo were appropriately coy. By far my favorite part. Kent was on point, lots of crazy, lazy turning. A very youthful, fun, sassy segment. The audience seemed to like it best. Again, maroon was the costumed color. Kent in a short tunic.

Ann Reinking's piece was set to "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" "danced" by Sandra Brown and Jose Carreno. I put danced in quotes b/c it seemed more like a Pilates meets Cirque de Soleil section. Again, lots of rolling around each other, through and on top of each other. Not much in way of dancing, some of it was definitely Pilates. Even the costumes. Brown had white cropped top with tank shorts and Carreno shirtless in white tights.

"Isn't it a Pity" had the largest cast, Welch's second movement. All corps dancers. dancers walking to the beat of the music, randomly stopping to a solo, then the women coming together with small skats, then the men. A bit "west side story"-ish (or a Gap ad). Though someone needs to teach the women how to run. They looked quite awkward doing so.

"With You Without You" was Weir's second and very different from her first offering. An Tibetan influence in the song, featured Murphy (the only person in the entire piece not in maroon, she had a lilac long flowy skirt) who had zero dancing, and Stiefel who danced within the overhead light. His movements reminded me of "The Cage".

And lastly "My Sweet Lord" Parsons homage. All the dancers parade out one at a time in front of the scrim, skipping, turning and then come out in groups. I felt like I was at a Godspell performance. It felt the most like a celebration of Harrison's music.

A fun ballet, better than I expected and nicely danced, with the exception of Murphy, who was given no steps really.

Next was Hill's premiere of Concerto.

Opened with Angel Corella to an orange backdrop in an orange unitard. (I'm not a fan at all of orange). The piece sounded and looked much like a Balanchine/Stravinsky piece, just in orange. Music was by Lowell Liebermann. It's obvious Hill's command of partnering and understanding it and his dancers. Kent and Marcelo Gomes had the pdd. It was a piece I'd need to see again in order to determine if I liked it. I didn't not like it, I'd just need to see it again. It reminded me of the 5 paragraph essay you learn to write. First paragraph is the intro what you're going to cover, next 3 paragraphs are your point, and the last paragraph is the summary. The piece followed the same structure. Michele Wiles is fast becoming one of my favorites to watch, she was in the "corps" section.

Program ended with "Fancy Free" JDe Luz, Stietel and Carreno were the sailors, Sandra Brown, Murphy and Alina Faye the damsels. I haven't seen the piece in a long time and while "fun" it seems quite dated.

I've decided to forgo my Sunday ticket to a friend who loved the Harrison piece. So that ends my ABT City Center season. I have to say, it's nice to see the dancers so close up. At the Met their faces get lost. I look forward to the City Center season to become acquainted with them. And they look like a different company here, comfortable with their rep.

It's a fast clip, but in the very beginning of the tv show "American Dreams" there's various footage of events that occur during the 60's, there's a clip of a ballerina, but I'm not sure who it is.|

Does anyone know?

You did just fine Tracey! Thank you.

You said it was the last performance for Nutcracker? Do they not do one during the holiday season?

Glad to hear the young ones liked it to! And kudos for bringing them

Thanks Leigh. There were only a few corps member that seem to have doubled up though was Kristi Boone, who was in 1st movement corps and then a 3rd movement demi and Erica Cornejo in second movement and 4th and Carrie Peterson 2nd and 4th

I went to the Sat. matinee performance.

After a bit of confusion on the programming, there was an insert saying "Grand Pas Classique" was not going to be danced by Dvorovenko and Belotserkovsky, it was to be replaced by "Swan Lake pdd" with Dvorovenko & Saveliev, which elicited a bit of a groan from people as they opened they're stagebills. Only to have it announced that Swan Lake pdd was going to be danced by Dvorovenko and Belotserkovsky. Very confusing.

The afternoon started with "The Garden of Villandry" danced by Sandra and Ethan Brown and Carlos Molina.

It was very Gatsby-esque in costume and setting. The men courting Brown as she seemingly waltzed alternatively with them. Not much dancing though, it reminded me of what I do with my nephews, one, two, three, swing... The audience didn't seem to know what to think of it either.

There was a pause and then I was waiting for Syvlia PDD to start, when the strains of Tchaikovsky, started. Oh, Swan Lake was on. I have to say, I'm not a fan of taking a pdd out of a story ballet and performing it alone, I kept waiting for Dvorovenko to hide behind the other swans, but, there were none. It was amazing to realize how much the corps has to do. It was nicely danced by both, though Belotserkovsky's blonde hair was a bit distracting. I never though I'd say that about a man's hair, but sitting up in the tier, it just looked funny. But enough about the man's hair. Dvorovenko's swan was graceful but not frightened enough, but you lose all of those meanings when the piece is taken out of it's entirety.

Next was Sylvia PDD. I was looking forward to this, as I haven't seen it danced in a while. Herrera and Gomes pulled out all the technique they could on this one and certainly woke up the audience. Herrera is an amazing technician, for me, she still lacks musicality, I could practically hear her counting. But she did what was needed for the piece and her feet are the strongest of any dancer I've ever seen. Her balances (and there were many) were flawless as were all of her turns and jumps. Gomes couldn't quite match Herrera's technique as grandly, but he did just fine.n his leg beats were well defined and high.

There was finally an intermission (3 pdd's is too long to make an audience wait) and then the reason I went Symphony in C.

First movement was danced by Gillian Murphy and David Hallberg. I'd never seen Hallberg before (I believe he recently won the Bruhn with Wiles) I had to check my program, initially I thought it was Stiefel (and I mean that as a compliment). I think first movement is the toughest one b/c these dancers set the tone for the rest of the ballet. Murphy was just fantastic, even though she seemed unsure of whether or not she should smile or not smile throughout the piece, again technically perfect. As was Hallberg, he had an infectious energy and beautiful line Anna Liceica and Adrienne Schulte were the demi-soloists, my only issue with them, was Schulte had a big grin on her face and Liceica a frown. It is picky of me, but it's a ballet I've seen so many times, I guess I notice the little things.

Second movement was the veterans. Ananishvilli and Carreno. To see her is to understand what a ballerina is. She continued each and every note through her wrists and her eyes would follow her hands. A beautiful demonstration of continuing the music. Carreno was elegant in his partnering. Out of all of the movements, it's my least favorite, but all held my attention raptly.

And as soon as that ends you're thrown into the whilwind Third Movement. Xiomara Reyes and Angel Corella led the movement. Both had high jumps and fast footwork. Corella's energy seemed to carry everyone else through it. A note on Reyes, I've yet to see her do any character portrayals. I'd like to see her do some of that, she seems to be brought out for the ingenue type parts only.

Which brings us to the former ingenue now budding ballerina, Michele Wiles, who danced the 4th movement with Sascha Radetsky. I thought it to be a mismatch in partners, Wiles is a very tall girl and often you couldn't see Radetsky partnering her, just a pair of black arms. Wiles is a dancer who's graced with long legs, strong feet and looked down at them several times as if to say "I can't believe they're doing this" it was fun. She's young enough for the part, yet strong enough to carry it off.

Seeing all four of the principal women in line at the end was a bit of a timeline. Here's how varied our company is, we have the "she's made it and here she is" dancer in Murphy, the "sophisticated and elegant ballerina" Ananiashvili, "the young ingenue that can" in Reyes and the future of the company in Wiles.

I have to look to see whether or not Bizet was first done at City Center, it looked a bit small on that stage.

All in all a nice afternoon at the ballet. Though I had a good chuckle, when waiting outside for a friend, a young woman in her 20's and her mother (?) passed and remarked "isn't that nice, all the old ladies are going to the ballet".

An update on LaFosse who will now be a "guest" with NYCB as he's retiring (sort of) NYCB issued a press release earlier this month on it.

http://www.nycballet.com/programs/pr.html

If I were Homans, if nothing else, at least I know that I got under someone's skin, which was part of the point of her article. And Barnes' critique probably drew more attention to the article itself.

If I were Homans, if nothing else, at least I know that I got under someone's skin, which was part of the point of her article. And Barnes' critique probably drew more attention to the article itself.

It's spelled "the four temperaments"

fluff of a book. I'm sure there was a discussion of it on here somewhere.

I still liked the book "A Candle for St. Jude" takes place in a British school, they did make a movie of it (with Tanny LeClercq)

Part of my own personal distinguishment for a company as to whether or not it is international level is fiscal. Do they bring in enough $$ to subsidize tours elsewhere and be successful enough on the road to fund other tours, bigger ones.

NYCB and ABT established themselves early on as "road" companies and I think in order to "recruit" audiences you need to tour. It's not enough to say you have a great rep and fabulous dancers if no one sees you.

Thanks for the update Dale, is she out for the entire City Center run? I too was looking forward to seeing her get a fresh start.

But not surprised she's out...

I think they're a very versatile company, they can do many things well, but not one thing great.

And they've recruited nicely in upper ranks for both men and women. For me, I just haven't figured out their "style" and perhaps that's b/c they've gotten people from the "outside".

I think they perform well, but I'm not sure they're an international company.