bingham

It sure is discouraging to the members of the corps de ballet. Except for I Boylston 2011 promotion, there has not been promotions since 2007-8 (?). Is this due to monetary problems at ABT?

When was Hammoudi promoted? I

Oppss... he was promoted in 2012.

It sure is discouraging to the members of the corps de ballet. Except for I Boylston 2011 promotion, there has not been promotions since 2007-8 (?). Is this due to monetary problems at ABT?

Cojocaru was never listed as a principal - only a guest artist. I suspect she would continue to guest w. ABT. If Osipova is no longer performing w. ABT, that will be a real loss of $$$$ for ABT. Osipova, I believe, was someone who definitely boosted ticket sales..Maybe she will be a guest artist, and come in for 1 or 2 shows. I get the feeling that we'll be seeing more of Kochetkova.

For this viewer at least, not just a loss of $$$, but of artistry and excitement. I certainly hope Cojocaru and Osipova continue to make guest appearances.

When Alina joined the ENB, she stated that she will continue to dance with ABT and Hamburg Ballet. Maybe, we will finally see Evgenia Obrastzova . She looked wonderful dancing Tatiana with David Hallberg at the Bolshoi.

In the recently updated Dancer Roster, N Osipova's picture is missing. Does this means that she will not be dancing with ABT next season? Ivan Vasiliev is still listed as a principal dancer.Many corp de ballet dancers are also missing. Among them R Pavan,M Ilyin and R Doble.

Oh Terpsichore, please do not let Ratmansky ruin the Swan Lake. It's one of the last pleasures I still have in life - please do not take it away from me.

Hilarious..

One more prediction, one production will be retired with a new version to be premiered in 2015.

Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty?

Did anyone see A Lendorf in the matinee. Please report.

I swear I saw the Puss N Boots pas in their SB years ago. Very short dance but cute. Did they take it out??

The cats get a bit of dancing as they enter the stage, as do Cinderella and her prince and Little Red Riding Hood an the wolf. Oddly enough I had the same feeling that in previous years the cats have danced more in the ABT production. Does anyone recall? Perhaps it's just wishful thinking on my part. Also, I thought a decision was made in previous years to bring back the king and queen for the wedding act, but this didn't happen at Tuesday's performance (or perhaps they were planted so far to stage right that I couldn't see them).

The cats (and other characters) did not dance in the earlier performances. You were probably thinking of the previous SB by Macmillan. The king and queen were present last Tuesday.

There's a physical detail in Copeland that bothers me-(I've seen her a couple of times onstage). She has hyper curved lower legs, and I noticed that the effect during chainee turns is weird. Because her legs don't create a straight line, when together they separate from the knees down, and then the chainee turns loose very much its magic, which is largely based in placing both feet as close as possible while executing the steps. In general she danced fine, but I don't think she is Principal material.

This is something I have noticed, as well, and it can be distracting in certain passages, like the chainee turns you mention. Her legs have the odd and (to my eyes) unattractive effect of looking like they bow out beneath the knee, which obviously isn't the physical reality for a dancer. This can be seen very clearly in the wallpaper images of her twitter feed (https://twitter.com/mistyonpointe). Unfortunately, I feel as if it is a physical quirk that becomes most jarring in classical tutu roles, though when Copeland dances as brilliantly as she did as Florine earlier this week, it's easy to forget about any less than "ideal" aspects of her line.

I found this on a Russian forum. Ivan Vasiliev and Isabella Boylston's Blue Bird PDD:

Awful.

Thank you Plisskin for posting this. Boylston looks fabulous! Vasiliev? Bent knees, feet not pointed, legs turned in. I don't understand. So what if he can jump as high as a skyscraper and turn like a tasmanian devil. He looks awful doing it. I would love to be a fly on the wall during his rehearsals. I wonder if KM and the rehearsal directors correct him for these persistent and unprofessional mistakes?

Ratmansky, when he was director at the Bolshoi, plucked Vasiliev and Osipova out of some crowd (was it a school or a regional company?) and hired them at the Bolshoi. I wonder if/how he gives corrections when he choreographs, as he used both of them in the Trilogy. And I wonder if he pushed Vasiliev along as a way to get Osipova into the Bolshoi. I haven't noticed anything along these lines in his interviews to date.

N Osipova was a Bolshoi Academy graduate and was in the Corps de ballet when Ivan was hired as soloist ( from the Belarus national Ballet) He was a winner at the Moscow IBC before he joined the company.

For the life of me I cannot understand why a dancer of Misty Copeland's prominence is cast in this production as a Cat (and one who does not dance, at that!!)---surely it would have been a prize spot for a corps dancer.......there she sat, all during Act 3----just watching...I wonder what was going on in her head.....

I saw her as one of the goats in Sylvia last week and was struck at the similarities with the cat in SB -- especially the pawing hands.

But ,at least, there was more dancing in Sylvia...

A Burlaka-staged Paquita would be a wonderful addition to the 2014 Met season or 2014Koch season.

I would like to see Raymonda again but not in the Holmes-Mckenzie staging.It would be great if Ratmansky would do it in collaboration with Burlaka( Just like what they did in Bolshoi's Le Corsaire).

I want to see Veronica Part on Sat., but I want to see Herman Cornejo on Fri. Mr. Puppytreats prefers that I go on Friday, but I think Veronica would be a beautiful Aurora, and Stella would be a wonderful fairy, and I have a front row ticket. Is the part for Prince Desire very small in ABT's production? If Herman has a small part, such as he did in "Corsaire", that could weigh in favor of seeing Veronica.

The part is smallish. This version tries to give it a bit more heft but I'd always choose my sb based on the female lead. Plus Part is dancing with Gomes, so not too shabby on the prince either

I'd also go with Part/Gomes. Although the Kochetkova'Cornejo could also be interesting. IMO, however, this production has some real flaws. Costumes and scenery tend to the grotesque at times. Dancers always seem to be cramped on the stage. Story telling is diffused. Carabosse is not scary. The storybook characters have been reduced to the bare minimum. On and on. If this is your first viewing of this ballet, know there are superior versions out there. Why ABT is clinging to this one is beyond me.

It cost a fortune to produce it.

I also very much liked Vasiliev's Orion. And found Cornejo's dancing in Act 3 to be thrillingly beautiful. Effortless, soaring jumps with real ballon-that magical pause in the air one reads about more than one sees. In another discussion this season someone expressed reservations about his line. Though he is not tall, his proportions, his classical purity, and his elegance all create, to my eyes, a wonderful line. And everything was effortless. The variation effectively lifted the entire performance to another level. And the audience responded accordingly.

Reyes is a trooper. A last minute debut in an extraordinarily challenging "star" role. Add to that a distraught child (or children) who let loose at the beginning of her variation in Act 3. I quite liked her in the scene in Orion's cave. But I agree with Abatt that this is not really her role and, I find, that like Sleeping Beauty, which is clearly in Ashton's mind, the ballet does not come near its full glory without a glorious ballerina at it's center.

The company did mostly dance well and at the other performances I saw Semionova was very fine especially in Act 2 and Murphy simply fabulous. Would like to write more about them and other featured soloists, but am at hotel on a borrowed IPad so ...

ITA with Drew's review of last Thursday's Sylvia.I thought Xiomara and Herman's did especially well considering the short rehearsal period they had. Does ABT have an an understudy for the major roles in their full lenght ballets? If not, they should have a soloist or corps member ready to take over in case of injuries. When POB announces the cast of their full lenghts, they also list the understudy or replacement.

Sylvia is such a beautiful production that i hope ABT would do it more often. Everybody danced very well in the 2nd act with special mention of Craig and Misty(as goats),Stella A, Simone M and G, Davis (as Terpsichore and Apollo). A Scott was in his usual spectacular self as a slave in the cave scene. With Ashton's Cinderella coming next season, Sylvia will probably be send back to England. I hope she comes back soon.

At least with Ms Osipova - she seems to be truly injured. Wtih Ms Kirkland it was her love affair with colombian marching powder.

I saw 3 Don Q with Yoko Ichino as replacement. She was good but i wanted to see Gelsey

This overlaps with my thoughts on Ms Lunkina and NBoC. The common thread of dancer criticism of ABT is the lack of coaching. The common thread of the guests, is that they arrive already beautifully coached.

Dancing for ABT seems to be a feather in the cap for guests in their career resumes. That said, they rarely ever want to tour with ABT - either abroad or in the US. Even sunny Los Angeles is not a draw (god bless the dancers who do go, however!)

Wouldn' it be fantastic if ABT mandated guest exchanges for all visiting artists? Imagine if, in return for Stephen McRae, James Whiteside was offered the opportunity of several months of coaching with RB in the Ashton style. Or if Svetlana Lunkina could dance for ABT in return for sending Simone Messmer to the Bolshoi for additional 1 on 1 coaching?

Cory Stearns is going to the RB in December( as exchange with S Mcrae) I hope he gets coaching( from Jonathan Cope or A Dowell) for his coming Manon debut. Isabella B. is going to RDB ( in exchange with A Lendorf) in December too

How was Jared M's Sylvia debut last night? Anyone saw it ?

With the absence of Bolle and Hallberg , i wonder who will dance the tutor in A Month in the Country?

Marcelo Gomes

Xiomara Reyes

casting update for today, June 26 from ABT:

<<

There has been a cast change for the matinee of Sylvia today, Wednesday, June 26. Cory Stearns is injured and Marcelo Gomes will replace him in the role of Aminta.

>>

Veronika and Marcelo....Together again.

Murphy was fantastic last night. This is one of her best roles.

Regarding Reyes, has she ever performed Sylvia, or will Thursday be her debut?

On a separate note, Boylston was replaced last night in a minor role (Persephone). Now Boylston is someone who I would be interested in seeing as Sylvia, but I guess that won't happen this season.

Herman has had a run of bad luck in the partner department. First Cojocaru cancels out, requiring ABT to go and hire a ballerina short enough to take over Cojocaru's roles. Now Osipova has cancelled, requring Reyes to step into a role she was never scheduled to dance. These problems highlight the difficulties presented by using a short male principal. One of the other ballerinas scheduled to do the role cannot just step in and add a performance to her schedule, because they are all too tall for Herman. I like Herman very much, and I'm glad he has so many opportunities with ABT. However, the casting issues are apparent.

This will be Xiomara's debut in this role.

Underwood was to me the most talented ballerina in the corps. A few seasons ago I really thought she had an amazing potential, after seeing her in giselle and La Bayadere. Sadly, it looks like she had a really bad injury last year. When i found out that she had been given Lilac Fairy this season I was thrilled, so this is really really bad news, I had my ticket already just to see her, damn !!!

Also, I never got why Osipova debuted in SB 2 or 3 seasons ago, and since then she hasn't done it again, or am I wrong here ?

same thing with Vishneva who stopped doing first Don Q (a few seasons ago), then SB and SL, and is not even doing Sylvia this season ((((

I also was thrilled when she was cast as LF and terribly disappointed on her being replaced. I still remember her Zulma (or was it Moyna?) a few seasons ago. Good luck to her.

Did anyone go to the matinee today? I'm very eager to hear how Hee Seo's debut went. Am seeing Boylston/Simkin tonight. Very excited.

Back to DC from my day-trip to NY for this. In a word: GORGEOUS! Exquisitely lyrical...and no embarrassments technically! Yes, her 31 fouettes as Odile traveled halfway to the wings, in a south-westerly direction...but she DID THEM and they looked pretty. (No club-footed whipping legs.) Her Odile solo was spectacular, including the double-pirouettes into single-pir-a-la-2nde...smooth as buttah. Balances to-die-for! The Odette solo had a couple of hiccups while executing the pirouettes within the diagonal of piques, but she 'covered' them well. Much more importantly was Hee Seo 'total execution' of the dual role, totally into the pathos of the Swan Queen's sad situation...and so in love with her Siegfried. Hee Seo's physique is perfection for this role; truly, the loveliest natural willowy beauty to essay the role since Sylvie Guillem. (Sorry, I don't care for the non-feminine 'Body by Gold's Gym' mighty-mite Odettes hoisted upon us of late, even if they do all 'the tricks.')

Gomes - what else can be said about his Siegfried? Fantastic...especially his high-arched jump off the rock. Palpable chemistry with his Odette! Radetsky as Purple Rothbart held his own, while not quite in the league of Marcelo the Magnificent. The A1 Pas de Trois (Teauscher-Shevchenko-Hoven) was charming, if underwhelming (low jumps, etc.). Mikhail Ilyn and Arron Scott nailed Neapolitan.

Surprised to read that, among all of this year's graduates of the JKO Academy, only Carolyn Lippert has made the ABT roster (as the lone apprentice)! I had been expecting Hurlin and Marshall, too. Maybe other apprentices will be added to the roster as the Met season progresses?

All of the previously listed apprentices(except Lippert who was just added to the list quite recently) were promoted to the corps de ballet). The new apprentices will probably be added in the next season in September.

No press release yet but, as you can see from this roster, the prizes have been awarded:

http://www.moscowballetcompetition.com/en/node/28

The 'big news' among Seniors: Skorik wins the Silver. Timur Askerov GOLD...yes, Gold. Draw your own conclusions. The only other senior golds awarded in the entire competition were to Russians Oksana Bondareva of the Mikhailovsky (in duets) and to David Zaleev (solos). No female solo senior gold was awarded this year. The other Mariinsky competitors managed only a bronze (Ernest Latipov) and 'diploma' (Alexei Popov). Ex-Mariinsky soloist Cheprassova was not so lucky.

Juniors: American/Swiss Miko Fogarty wins jr gold, sharing the top female prize with Ksenia Rychkova and Elvina Ibraimova (both Russians). Two of the dancers representing the USA are among the 4 girls sharing 3rd prize-jr: Beck and Higgins.

Gisele Bethea,also of USA won the silver medal.

YEAH! We're getting the Bolshoi next summer in New York! Can't wait. I'm a little surprised by the rep, since they did Don Q and Spartacus during their last NY visit.

I notice that Osipiova and Vasiliev are reuniting with the Bolshoi during the Bolshoi's upcoming visit to London this summer.

I sure hope that if the Bolshoi invites O/V to reunite w. the company for the NY Tour, that their agent works it out in adance with ABT so that O/V can appear with both ABT and Bolshoi in NY. The non compete issue destroyed the Mik's planned visit to NY a few years ago.

On the conflict issue, I wonder if the Bolshoi will invite Hallberg for the summer NY performances, and if so, what will McKenzie do about that in terms of non compete issues.

Does the non compete clause be still in effect even if the ABT season is over ?