Helene

Cecilia Iliesiu has been teaching in British Columbia and she's guest-teaching now in Vancouver at Goh Ballet: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3sor1_R5Cl/ (Instagram)

Ashley Bouder posted a photo of her, Glenn Keenan, and Josh Spell heading to a party after she and Kennan received their NYCB apprenticeships: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3u3NQuLYk_/

Mark Franko, Dance Editor of The Massachusetts Review, sent out an email "to offer you here a sneak preview of Ariel Osterweis’s forthcoming book, Body Impossible: Desmond Richardson and the Politics of Virtuosity. This excerpt is from the book’s introduction, and it will be out in in April 2024 as part of the Studies in Dance Theory book series at Oxford University Press." From the excerpt, I assume the hardcover, priced at $125, is targeted for libraries, but amazon and Barnes & Noble also have the paperback @$39.95, with free shipping for both, and are taking pre-orders. Local independents are as well; prices may vary.

Four years after its originally-scheduled PNB Premiere, Alejandro Cerrudo’s complete One Thousand Pieces finally arrives. Seven Performances Only: March 15 – 24, 2024 Friday, March 15 at 7:30 PM Saturday, March 16 at 2:00 and 7:30 PM Thursday – Saturday, March 21 – 23 at 7:30 PM Sunday, March 24 at 1:00 PM Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center Seattle, Washington 98109 Streaming Digitally March 28 – April 1 SEATTLE, WA – Delayed gratification: Four years after a global pandemic pushed back its Pacific Northwest Ballet premiere, Alejandro Cerrudo’s One Thousand Pieces finally comes to the McCaw Hall stage as the fourth offering in PNB’s 2023-24 season. Featuring music from Philip Glass, Cerrudo’s large-scale ensemble work will be presented on a double-bill, paired with the joyous revelry of Matthew Neenan’s made-for-PNB Bacchus. ONE THOUSAND PIECES plays seven performances only, March 15 through 24 at Seattle Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at just $38. (The program will also stream digitally March 28 – April 1. Digital access is available by subscription only.) For tickets and additional information, contact the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, in person at 301 Mercer Street, or online 24/7 at PNB.org. (Follow hyperlinks below for additional notes): One Thousand Pieces Music: Philip Glass Choreography: Alejandro Cerrudo Staging: Pablo Piantino, Jessica Tong, and Ana Lopez Scenic and Costume Design: Thomas Mika Lighting Design: Michael Korsch Running Time: 70 minutes Premiere: October 18, 2012, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago PNB Premiere: March 13, 2020*; September 24, 2021 (excerpts); March 15, 2024 (full work) *COVID shut-down “For me, a stained glass window is a transparent partition between my heart and the heart of the world. Stained glass has to be serious and passionate. It is something elevating and exhilarating” — Marc Chagall One Thousand Pieces was created in celebration of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s 35th anniversary in 2012. The work was inspired by Marc Chagall’s America Windows, stunning panels of glowing stained glass created by the Russian-French artist and donated to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1977—the same year Hubbard Street was founded—to commemorate America’s bicentennial. When asked why he chose the title One Thousand Pieces, Cerrudo replied, “Literally because of the symbolism of the work, observing how each piece of glass combines to make a whole larger piece made from many individual pieces, the same way human beings come together to create a project. The windows have inspired my choreography, but I’m not intending to teach anyone about this artwork. Instead, it’s my personal interpretation. The set designer, the music, and the dancers have all inspired me. I’m not trying to tell a story or represent the art. The scenic design is quite abstract, yet I hope everyone will be immersed in the images that will appear and connect them to the windows.” One Thousand Pieces was the fourth work by Alejandro Cerrudo to be added to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s repertory PNB's 2024 performances of One Thousand Pieces are supported by Lynne Graybeal & Scott Harron. The 2020 Pacific Northwest Ballet premiere of Alejandro Cerrudo’s One Thousand Pieces was generously underwritten by Susan Brotman. Bacchus Music: Oliver Davis Choreography: Matthew Neenan Costume Design: Mark Zappone Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli Running Time: 24 minutes Premiere: March 15, 2019, Pacific Northwest Ballet Inspired by the lush and flamboyant music of Oliver Davis, Matthew Neenan’s Bacchus embodies the nature of the Roman god of wine, merriment, and abundance. PNB's 2024 performances of Bacchus are supported by Connie & Tom Walsh. The 2019 world premiere of Matthew Neenan's Bacchus was supported by Richard & Lisa Altig, Lyndall Boal, and David & Cheryl Hadley. SPECIAL EVENTS PNB CONVERSATIONS & DRESS REHEARSAL Thursday, March 14, 5:30 pm Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join PNB Dance Historian Doug Fullington, in conversation with members of the PNB Orchestra, including Music Director/Principal Conductor Emil de Cou, and Concertmaster Michael Jinsoo Lim. PNB Conversations offer in-depth interviews with artists involved in putting our repertory on stage. Attend the Conversations event only or stay for the dress rehearsal of ONE THOUSAND PIECES. Tickets (suggested donation of $25) are available through the PNB Box Office. BALLET TALK Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join dance historian Doug Fullington for a 30-minute introduction to each performance, including discussions of choreography, music, history, design, and the process of bringing ballet to the stage. One hour before performances. FREE for ticketholders. MEET THE ARTIST Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Skip the post-show traffic and enjoy a Q&A with Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB dancers, immediately following each performance. FREE for ticketholders. TICKET INFORMATION Tickets to PNB’s live and/or digital performances may be purchased through the PNB Box Office: Phone - 206.441.2424 In Person - 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center Online 24/7 - PNB.org Subject to availability, tickets are also available 90 minutes prior to each performance at McCaw Hall. Advance tickets through the PNB Box Office are strongly suggested for best prices and greatest availability. Tickets for the live performances of ONE THOUSAND PIECES are $38 - $210. Groups of ten or more may enjoy discounts up to 20% off regular prices (not valid on lowest-priced tickets or combined with other offers): Visit PNB.org/season/group-sales for more info. PNB’s digital presentation of ONE THOUSAND PIECES (March 28 – April 1) is available by subscription only, $120. For information about special ticket offers including group discounts, The Pointe, Pay-What-You-Can, rush tickets, Beer and Ballet night, TeenTix, and more, visit PNB.org/offers. Caveat Emptor: Like many performing arts, PNB struggles with ticket resellers. At their most mundane, third-party sites snap up less expensive tickets and sell them for a profit. At their most dastardly, they sometimes sell invalid tickets. To enjoy the ballet at the best prices available, always purchase tickets directly from PNB. Suspected ticket scams should be reported to the Better Business Bureau. Health, Safety, and Accessibility: At this time, masks are encouraged but not required as part of the PNB audience experience. For details and info regarding PNB’s current health and safety policies, visit PNB.org/Health. For information on McCaw Hall accessibility, visit PNB.org/Accessibility. The show must go on: Pacific Northwest Ballet is committed to honoring its performance calendar. Performances will not be cancelled for weather, traffic, or acts of Congress. In the unlikely event that the status of a performance does change, an announcement will be posted on PNB.org.

If someone has official news about Coker, they're welcome to post about it.

They could make a lot of money if they printed this up on t-shirts.

I just got an email from Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center (T.U.P.A.C) about an upcoming screening of "Lift," Misty Copeland's documentary, on February 25 at 3pm at the Center:: Hosted by none other than Jonathan Batista, Pacific Northwest Ballet's trailblazing first Black Principal Dancer, this event promises to take you on an unforgettable journey through the world of pre-professional ballet instruction. Prepare to be moved by the incredible stories of marginalized Black ballet students as they defy the odds and pursue their dreams on stage. Join us as we shine a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of Pacific Northwest Ballet's Black dancers, including Tacoma's own Soloist, Amanda Morgan, the visionary Ashton Edwards, and the captivating Destiny Wimpye. They'll be sharing their personal challenges and triumphs, inspiring us all to reach for the stars. Don't miss this chance to experience the culture, resilience, and creativity of Black ballet dancers firsthand! Reserve your seat now for an evening filled with beauty, empowerment, and inspiration. Let's come together to honor the past, celebrate the present, and ignite inspiration for the future. Join us for this exhilarating, one-of-a-kind Tacoma event!

The other day I saw a sign on the inside door that said that alcohol is inside Mammoth only.

They brought in outside dancers because that's what they do in their big anniversary years. Most of the guests are from companies that have some lineage from Balanchine through their Artistic Directors, past and present. PNB dancers under Russell and Stowell were invited, and Edwards was invited while dancing under Boal.

Regardless of how this was meant, it violates our "discussing the discussion" policy by talking about each other instead of the topic. There is also no such monolith as "ballet fans."

Along with the early subscriber package today came the Winter 2024 Ballet Arizona newsletter. The Studio Company Spotlight on page 5 featured Jordan Islas. Q: Who is your greatest dance inspiration? A: One of my inspirations is Jonathan Batista, a Principal with Pacific Northwest Ballet! I admire his work ethic and talent and am fascinated by his journey, coming from Brazil and getting a full scholarship to English National Ballet School. To see a person that looks like me, achieving such a high title in the ballet world, gave me a north star. It showed me the culture for black dancers was becoming less rigid and more accepting. I hope I can shine just as bright as him and let others, who might not feel seen, know that they belong despite the norms of the ballet world.

The "slim" early subscriber package arrived today. Usually, they throw out a few crumbs, but this time it was all Sleeping Beauty and nothing else . The description also included "projection design by Wendall K. Harrington (Alexei Ratmansky's Wartime Elegy)". "This historically informed re-imagining of the classic tale is not-to-be-missed..." Plus, digital is being offered as a $30 add-on for full subscribers, yay!. That's the first thing I looked for. Also pre-paid parking at a discount and a mobile ticket option.

They are bringing in dancers from different companies for their anniversary season. At least some of them have gotten attention from the NYT. PNB dancers have participated in other anniversary years, like when a young Noelani Pantastico and Olivier Wevers danced the second movement in Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, and when Patricia Barker danced Polyhymnia during the 1993 Balanchine Celebration, along with a Calliope from the Mariinsky Ballet and a Terpsichore from Paris Opera Ballet. They may have chosen this particular ballet to send a message -- or they may have taken a recommendation from Stanley, who'd worked with Edwards before, or they may have remembered that and run with it, or they may have considered that people would be less upset if another visitor danced an iconic Balanchine or Robbins role, instead of a Peck, ie, one less opportunity for a NYCB dancer, or, or, or -- but they invited him as part of their anniversary, not in a vacuum.

May thanks for posting the links, @volcanohunter and @Brook703! The Peck wasn't the one I had seen, but this one was clearer. I love Ballo, so watching that clip was a pleasure. I wonder if I had seen the Peck clip in a story that is past its expiration date.

I wish I could find the shortish snippet from Tiler Peck's new ballet from wherever I saw it under whoever's account, but from it I can see why so many people rave about and seek out Emma Von Enck.

He cleans up well 😄.

I just looked at the schedule again to find that Elizabeth Murphy isn't in the second week casting, either, and Leta Biasucci is listed for tonight's and the Sunday matinee performance. Leah Terada is listed for tomorrow evening as one of the Act II Pas de trois swans and in the Act I Pas de trois on Sunday. I'm glad to see that she's able to dance.

In many public talks and Q&A's AD's and moderators have talked about having the rights for a limited time only, with three years being the most I've heard cited. It's often the reason given to audience members who ask why a company can't perform X ballet that has gotten raves somewhere else, ie, the company they're reading about has exclusive rights for X (usually three) years, or exclusive geographic rights. They talk about co-productions and how both companies can have constraints based on the agreement. Sometimes they mention being able to negotiate an exemption. For example, a production might be too expensive to expedite shipping from another continent because another company there booked it in between after it had been scheduled by the first company; the only time they could afford to get the sets is if they perform it again outside the window. Or funding comes through, but not in time to move the current season around to fit it in. In those and other cases, a choreographer or family or foundation might extend the license.

I would have assumed from the title that "Maestro" was about Bernstein the conductor, not a depiction of his marriage. I'm glad I've been following the thread.

This is the post that PNB published to Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2lsWzePzYf/

Not a where to stay, but a where to eat. My favorite Thai restaurant, Bahn Thai, is just a few blocks away from the theater on Roy. (Take a right coming out of the theater, walk to the traffic light, take a left, then take a right on Roy.) If you want to order takeout for after weekend matinees or when the performance is 2.5 hours or less on Fridays-Sunday nights, whether you live in town or want to bring food back to your hotel, you order during last intermission, and even set a time besides ASAP for pick-up. (It usually takes 30-40 minutes by default). Even if you don't have an account with them (name, address, phone, email, and, if you choose, stored credit card information), you can sign in as a guest with your name, phone, and email address -- they send confirmation and pickup notifications to both -- and either way you're asked for a billing zip code when you put in your cc information. https://www.bahnthaimenu.com/ Pro tip: since Swan Lake has a pause between Acts III and IV, I filled my cart during second intermission, shut off my phone, and then placed the order (cc info) during the pause. I stayed for the last curtain call, and the timing was perfect for me to be able to pick up my food. There's also a new sandwich shop called Mammoth that opened up on the retail level of the apartment building directly across from the Phelps Center, which is next door to McCaw Hall. They have sandwiches and salad versions of their sandwiches except for the brisket, and they have wine and beer for those who eat there. There's indoor and outdoor seating, and I don't know if you can bring alcohol outside, because it hasn't been open in warm weather yet. I found the tuna and brisket on the salty side, but not the turkey. Portions are good-sized. You can also order ahead here: https://order.toasttab.com/online/mammothsandwiches

Maybe his memory be a blessing and a comfort to his friends and family.

Terez, as a longtime poster here, you are welcome to pop into threads to let us know when you've written for Bachtrack, with a link to your review.

Lucien Postlewaite was never a dancer who tried to give himself a concussion by kicking himself in the head with any movement that started with a forward battement, I don't think it's easy by any means to maintain such a high level of excellence for 20 years, especially when you add in all of the lifting and partnering he's done. But it does mean that the comparisons now aren't to extremes that younger dancers in their twenties, especially virtuoso dancers can go to, but instead to elegance, placement, line, and musicality that has become burnished with experience, most definitely including his experience in Monte Carlo. One of the things about the ballet classics, is that they're a lot like opera: dancers start thinking a lot about the iconic solos/arias and pas de deux/duets, especially ones like the White Swan pas de deux, or a variation that grabs them, the way aspiring opera singers learn E lucevan le stelle or Vissi d'arte in Tosca. Or like delving deeply into of Shakespeare's iconic speeches. In a full-length opera or ballet or complete play, there is so much more to think about to make the entire performance work. That's a Captain Obivous statement, but part of what makes it difficult is the imbalance of time spent learning and thinking about the biggest moments, many of which are not only familiar from watching, but also familiar from any combination of variations and partnering class, competitions, auditions, and recitals. It's also the difference between understanding the general arc of a character and all of the individual moments that keep it vivid, especially we're all too apt to think of Prince Siegfried as a one-dimensional fool and enjoy the dancing. Kent Stowell's direction for Prince Siegfried is probably a double-edged sword in that there's rarely an empty moment -- there's a huge amount of interplay downstage left and right between him, the Jester, and Woflgang, the tutor in Act I at the same time other things are happening -- like in Act I of The Nutcracker. There's also dancing with the guests, including six girls. So there's a lot for Siegfried to hang his hat on dramatically, piece by piece, but to be meaningful, it has to be more than vignettes. Postlewaite brought some of his Prince in Maillot's Cendrillon into his portrayal, at least in the beginning: he was not Very Serious. He wasn't a frat boy, but you wouldn't confuse him with Werther. As much as I hate the word "journey," that's what Postlewaite brings to the character over the course of four acts. It's not a Nureyev-like intervention making the Prince the center of the universe, but it makes Siegfried an equal partner in the drama from the beginning, building up to Act II. Odette doesn't ever have to stand around and socialize: the only "downtime" she has is for the few seconds after she makes her entrance thinking she's alone. The rest of the time, it's-all-intensity-all-the-time. Even Odile is static only when her dad, BvG, is whispering in her ear. It's not easy to make the shifts and disjointedness feel like a full characterization, especially since so much of it is recognizable, and there are so many sudden mood shifts. Stowell follows the conventions for O/O in Acts II-III. The other major critical part to the drama in this production is the neoclassical pas de deux, with quotes from Ivanov's Act II, that Stowell created for Act IV to music as plaintive as that for the White Swan pas de deux. (I don't know what it is, and I can't find it.) His Act IV is not a "Swans dance the intro, Odette is distraught, Prince Siegfried is so sorry, now let's wrap this all up with the music we've been waiting for and get the unions home to bed" version. The Act IV pas de deux is like the Wedding pas de deux in Romeo and Juliet, on another, graver plane after an unalterable breach has occurred, and it means something different than the first pas de deux. That distinction is what brings the story and the characters to the end of the arc. It's what Brunnhilde and Siegfried might have sung at the end of the Ring, if he wasn't already dead, and it wasn't Wagner's opera. Leta Biasucci was exquisite as Odette/Odile, and the least of it was her dancing, which was sublime. She, like Postlewaite, showed intention in every moment and aspect of her performance and created such richness; for me, it doesn't get better than that.

Thank you for the heads up, @seattle_dancer! Here's the updated downloadable Excel file: 2024 01 31 Swan Lake.xlsx