Calliope

Mattel was corporate sponsor for NYCB's Nutcracker, at the same time of the video/dvd release for Barbie. I love the description of the woman who does Odile's voice, someone best known for being "annoying"

Where did the unicorn and the porcipine come from?! Is "Swan Lake" really German? I had no idea.

Has anyone else seen this production. It's in NY now, I'm not sure where it has toured or is going to. I've seen quite a few of their productions, and fortunately/unfortunately, I've seen "O" , which is just so amazing it puts all the others to shame. But back to Varekai. It seemed to me to have the least amount of dance in it, compared to all the others. In fact, I don't recall seeing any pointe shoes whatsoever. Like most dance, they've gone more acrobatic than artistic. But the tying together of all the acts into the plot of the story is still incredible.

I haven't seen the Artemis yet, but it's the second Artemis/Diana ballet in the rep this season. Who knew you could overkill a goddess! I think ABT is suffering from the same malady that a lot of other companies are, and that's this crazy notion that you need to keep finding the "next best thing" in order to get a "new" audience in, and what's happening is instead of growing an audience, they're alienating them. With ABT, I don't mind rep at City Center, the dancers just get lost on the huge stage for me to watch it at the Met. And I used to like the big productions with all those dancers, now I feel like I see the same ones over and over. I wish they'd realize quality is better than quantity when it comes to the rep. But perhaps ABT is going through a Diamond Project type of a period. Let's hope it doesn't last.

It reminds me of my brother, who like most men, claimed they only got Playboy for the articles

With no disrespect to Pointe it's like the "Teen Beat" of ballet mags. In New York Magazine a couple of weeks ago, they had in the listings section (the Go See) ABT's debut ballets for the season and then promptly listed NYCB's opening night program, complete with choreographers names and ballet titles.

I don't think they are. Though Ansanelli has shown herself to be worthy of the title.

In today's NY Times Kisselgoff reviews the Martins piece in more detail

Thanks Victoria, that makes some sense. I thought everyone had to do the same piece.

Who picks what is "performed" at the competitions? I still don't understand, how art can be competitive. It's like a dog show, with companies saying they basically have best in show.

Too bad about the Hendrickson sisters. I'd seen Emmy do workshops and the Choreographic Institute, she was quite talented. Jessy was always a favorite and a few of us were talking about not seeing her onstage anymore

I found her review puzzling as well. She lost me after talking about Redpath and then saying that "two other sections" showed "similar striking wistfulness" but only mentions the "Turtles" section. And maybe I'm having a senior moment, but wasn't this story originally in an English museum (based on a story Wheeldon wrote in grade school)?

I've always been puzzled as to why NYCB does Swan Lake opposite ABT, I suppose it's after a month of doing Nutcracker, they don't want to do any full lengths, but I prefer ABT.

I voted yes, just so the dancers have the opportunity to do some of those roles. now, who's version it is, well...that's another poll. But it's a good opportunity for them to emotionally grow in a role, I wish they spaced them out a bit more though.

Thanks Sneds. What did Rutherford and van Kipnis do in the Wheeldon piece?

you might want to take a look at the CPYB gala thread, it lists quite a few of the alumni names. http://www.balletalert.com/forum/showthrea...&highlight=cpyb

Rutherford is another one who came up through SAB.

Sorry, June issue with Sarah Jessica Parker on cover. it's early in the mag.

A brief article with a picture of Xiorama Reyes, Michele Wiles, Janie Taylor and Alexandra Ansanelli. And there's also an article on Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and Princess Caroline's patronage of the Company

Last night's program, was, umm, interesting. Offenbach in the Underworld (Tudor) I'd never seen the piece before, so I had no idea what to expect. The program nots says the balelt takes place in a "fashionable cafe in the 1870's" for me it felt like I was watching a scene from the best little whorehouse in texas. Nevertheless, some nice performances, especially from Gennadi Saveliev, the painter who gets to dance with all the women. Ernica Cornejo danced the role of the debutante. I loved Cornejo, such strong feet. Among her friends, Marian Butler, Misty Copeland and Yena Kang. I wish I could say more about them, but I couldn't take my eyes off Cornejo. Carlos Molina danced the part of "His Imperial Excellency" I kept referring to him as the magician, since his black cape with red lining was more intriguing than his dancing. Irina Dvorovenko... The Operatta Star. She danced with nice attack, her turns were all on and her ease at reversing their direction was truly amazing, she made it look easy. She's a bit stiff in her torso and the wrists could have been a little limper, but all eyes were definitely on her when she was on stage. Sascha Radetsky was the Young Officer, in his "Music Man" costume, unfortunately he didn't have much to do. Finally Monique Meunier. It was a nice welcome back to see her on stage again. She looked lovely and her high extensions weren't too high and they were effortless. It was a limited role, as were all but Dvororenko, who had the most dancing to do. The can can part, seemed a little sparce, I wish they had brought more people in just to fill it out, especially on the Met's stage, it gets a bit lost. Next piece was Clear, a Stanton Welch piece with music by JS Bach and costumes by Michael Kors for Celine (but no tags were displayed, just a program note thanking Kors) Marcelo Gomes, Maxim Belotserkovsky, Ricardo Torres, Gillian Murphy, Joaquin De Luz, Carlos Lopez, Craig Salstein and Gennadi Saveliev were the cast. This was the best I've seen Murphy, you just never have any worries watching her dance the "fast" (City Ballet type) roles. But the men stole the show, especially De Luz, Lopez, Salstein and Saveliev. They really did a solid job in a ballet that just seemed packed with turns and tours throughout. There was a pause and then after listening to glorious Back, we had Diana & Acteon pdd music by Cesare Pugni, choreo Agrippina Vaganova. Palom Herrera and Jose Carreno danced it. Carreno deserved tremendous applause for his costume, a barely there sarong, more reminscent of the Flintstones than ancient Rome. It was a crowd pleasing piece, with not a heck of a lot going on. I don't think there's enough time for the dancers to have much of a connection and except for the occasional miming of a bow, it could have had any other title. The programming was unfortunate (at least for me) but both Herrera and Carreno pulled out all the stops. The last piece was Within You Without You, I didn't stay for it, and most of the half filled theater seemed to be leaving as well. A mother sitting next to me commented that it was impossible for her to bring her kids to the ballet because of the cost of tickets. I genuinely felt bad for the kids.

but lack of numbers doesn't indicate a problem, perhaps it's just that the white community looks around and is uncomfortable that there aren't more minorities. I certainly haven't heard (at least in baseball) anyone complaining they've been discriminated because of color or nationality.

I noticed the AP pickup, but neither WWD or either NY review made mention. CK has done a few fundraisers for the company (last fall before the City Center engagement). So hopefully the company did. If not, at least Julie Kent can hook the company up with some free Pantene.

Ballet dancers make up a minority of the general population and I'm not sure it is an issue. Dance Theater of Harlem, Alvin Ailey, these are companies where the minority is the majority. If you look at the audience makeups, there is a distinct difference there to. But that doesn't mean there's a problem. It's just culture. You could argue there are few blacks in the NHL or fewer whites in the NBA. It doesn't mean there's a bias. When Eminem came up there was a big "oh my another Vanilla Ice" white guy wanting to be a rapper. But after a while, people noticed his talent, not his skin color. There's an article in one of today's NY newspapers and Jackie Robinson's widow (Rachel) talks about the dwindling numbers of black baseball players, but they're are more blacks playing in the NBA now. I think the teacher's remarks were plain ignorant, and someone should point out the insensitivity.

I take it Ringer is still out? I just remember her picture in Vanity Fair for Wheeldon's Carnival

While I don't much like the advertising, it seems to be the trend in many ballet companies campaigns (San Fran, and NYCB) where fashion-type shots dominate. In fact, ABT's photographs basically look like they took the cover images to the NYCB workout and changed the angles. But for me, ABT has changed artistically for the better. The brought back "La Fille" to NY, which I hadn't seen since Joffrey, homegrown talent they've brought up through their ranks, their Studio Company offers a great opportunity and they've brought some fantastic ethnic diversity to their ranks.