Helene

Official sources only are allowed here. Other internet forums are not official sources.

This isn't about comfort, which is a discussion of the discussion. We're not a fan board, and dancers and families read here at their own risk. If anyone has an issue with a post, there is a "report" button. We review reported posts and, if we agree, we delete, move, edit, etc.

From the photos and text originally posted on social media weeks ago, they are, and that was already established earlier in the thread, but I interpreted the question differently, which is why I answered the way I did.

Fairchild and Day shared the role of Jerry in the London production of "An American in Paris."

Perhaps they will learn not to post on the World Wide Web in the first place, and the disparity in numbers is irrelevant, since it was shared by both sides. The Internet has a long memory, and the only way to put the social media genie back in the bottle is if it isn't seen by thousands and/or no one has take a screen share. (Which would have been removed from this site.) Fairchild showed a propensity for publicizing his private life throughout his relationship with Peck; it was mutual.

They did, on their own public-facing social media, for days or weeks, open for anyone to see.

First week of casting is up: The Nutcracker will run from Friday, November 24-Sunday, November 26, with matinee and evening performances on Saturday and Sunday. Please be careful to note start times, and, as always, casting is subject to change: https://www.pnb.org/nutcracker/ (scroll to bottom) Link to the downloadable spreadsheet: Nutcracker 17_11_18.xlsx

We received the following query today from Helge Ralov: Does anyone know if this film has been archived, and if/where it is available?

The Sunday matinee guest was Benjamin Griffiths [BG], who danced the same role as Christian Poppe in "Afternoon Ball" and Fernando's Replica in "Plot Point." It was moderated by Peter Boal [PB]. Q: Why "Plot Point"? PB: Pite had originally suggested "Grace Engine," which Hubbard Street Dance will do instead as part of it's early December program, for PNB. Boal's request was that she use the orchestra. Pite sent Boal a video of "Plot Point," which uses an orchestral score for the movie "Psycho," with a big list of caveats: she wasn't satisfied with the work as it was made for Dutch National Ballet and wanted to redo it. She cut one of three plots and 12 minutes off the work for PNB and added and changed the choreography and details, working directly with PNB dancers. (For example, there was no black briefcase in the Netherlands.) Q: Working with Pite: BG: She's unique: you'd would think that because she knows exactly what she wants that she'd be demanding and that she'd want to see what she wants right away. [Instead] she's casual, conversation, it morphs until it becomes specific, you don't even know it's happening, and as it gets closer to the show, she focuses on details, asking for more and for changes in the hands and head for the Replicas. BG: It's a process, and she even sent notes to make changes for the second weekend, after she had gone. Q: On being a Replica: BG: Anonymity of being a Replica is a different feeling. They wear hoods, white makeup, and masks, and adding them impairs hearing and vision. Pite asked them to do all facial expressions under the masks, saying that although their faces wouldn't be seen, the emotions would come through in their bodies, which was unlike "Emergence," where they also wear masks, so many were used to them, but aren't asked to express beneath them. BG: Pite wanted replicas to look more real-world: wearing shoes, holding "real" guns, handling props. PB: She wanted a contrasting qualify, like the lushness of Elle [Macy] vs. the quality of Emma [Love Suddarth, her Replica], but she still wanted the audience to understand the connection between the two. Q: What happened in "Plot Point"? BF: His character is an alter ego [of Fernando]. He causes Fernando to do bad things he was conflicted about [as a human]. PB: Replicas do what people wouldn't do. [About Celia]: You know you're bad when you do worse than your replica would. Q: Relationship of "Plot Point" to ballet? Doesn't rely on ballet technique. It was difficult to learn, and it seemed random in comparison to ballet phrases, and it didn't rely on ballet technique. He did a ballet barre to warm up, but it didn't reflect the movement in the work. Q: How do you prepare for the "slog of Nutcrackers" and the intense rep. [Yes, the person asking the question said "slog."] BG: He compartmentalizes. On Tuesday [this past Tuesday], Nutcracker rehearsals begin in earnest, and he will switch gears after working with extra diligence in class. Q: How many hours a day do you work? BG: It depends: for some programs, he might have a couple of hours of rehearsal, for others five-six hours, plus company class, plus offstage training. Peter Boal noted that Griffiths is still doing strength training with the PD men to strengthen their core and do weight training, to develop their upper bodies for lifts. Q: Who is the Biedermeier couple in "Afternoon Ball"? Parents he wishes he had, or people he wishes he could have been. His Utopian Ideal. For example, they're polite, perfect, and never interrupt each other. He comes in, trying to be that way as he is dying, trying to get that feeling back. Q; About the "Afternoon Ball" improv: It was improvisational in parts, and all of the improv had to be created from 17 "NC" eight-count phrases that they were taught. The tempo for the last performance were a lot faster, so the improve parts were shorter. For one of the sections, he had three options and decided before the show which one he'd use. Q: Thoughts about "Afternoon Ball": BG: He first danced it seven years ago. Coming back to it, it was hard to put together. There is only one repeat, and new phrases one after the other. BG: Acting on top of dancing makes it look like less of a technical piece. BG: [Stager] John Selya wanted his weight down. [I think my note says he watched videos of Tharp letting her weight drop.] Peter Boal asked Griffiths about his experience with Second Stage: He's one quarter away from being a senior, having taken one class at a time for a long time.. He's in the Arts Leadership program. There was a cohort who had taken all of the core requisites [as part of the on-site program], and they had to make a choice to end it, or to have everyone go on together, which they did. To Peter Boal: Q; When will "Plot Point" come back? PB: Soon, hoping for two years. Typically PNB tries to negotiate for two performances in a five-year period to have the most flexibility. He wasn't sure how the audience would react to "Plot Point." Q: How far in advance is casting done? PB: It depends on the rep, and can be all over the place, since rehearsals can start in the summer or months before the piece goes on, or it can be the period right before the performances. He does most of it, but allows choreographers to choose people. Often he makes suggestions, especially if the choreographer doesn't know the dancers. [It may have been "Afternoon Ball" where he said he sent a video of company class, and there was only one change from his suggestions. Only Griffiths and Postlewaite were in the ballet before.] He's meeting with Francia Russell and Kent Stowell soon to cast "Swan Lake." He mentioned that the Ballet Masters are responsible for some casting, but didn't say whether this was corps, corps and demis, etc. Q. When are you bringing back Wendy Whelan? He'd definitely bring her back, but she's busy, and she's dancing. As soon as she builds up rep -- "Pictures at an Exhibition" was her first staging -- it will be easier.

I attended the Q&A's after second Friday and the Sunday matinee, and I'll try to decipher my notes: The Friday guests were Elle Macy (EM) and Christian Poppe (CP), moderated by Peter Boal [PB]. Q: Who did the casting? PB: Crystal Pite cast "Plot Point" after a two-day workshop. Q: Were the replicas matched to the humans or chosen as a set? PB: Usually Pite doesn't care about heights, but in this case, it was important to match humans and replicas. She also took movement quality into consideration. One example was pairing James Moore (Fernando) with Benjamin Griffiths (Fernando Replica): they have danced together and have shared roles for a long time and know each others' movements very, very well. Q: About working with Pite: EM: [As second cast] the 1.5 hrs./day were gold. She "didn't want to be the reason the story wasn't told." The workshop was really helpful, because Pite's dancers "go there immediately." CP: So much incredible insight. Q: Compare working with Forsythe and Pite: EM: Forsythe requires ballet technique to do it: he stretches ballet. CP: Similarities: a great aura, give great explanations, are very encouraging. Their styles are not really alike. One of the dancers mentioned that daily class wasn't helpful to prepare for "Plot Point" (but was useful for the other things the dancers are getting ready for). Q: On how to deal with the differences when the rep is so diverse. EM: It's rough on the body to go from "Jewels" to "Plot Point" and cited differences in posture and weight changes. CP: You have a different relationship with the floor. He talked about how the way you move your back, especially, is different, and that for the first week, everyone had back pain. Q: What did Pite say about the replicas? [That was *the* question of the Q&A's: people wanted to know what they were seeing.] EM: Less interaction with her replica, but the shadow was most important. [I can't read my handwriting here: she said she was trying to shove? store? it away]. Sarah Ryan's [Celia's] replica was making her do evil. Pite came up with the Replica walks for work with her own company, Kidd Pivot, and added it to this version of "Plot Point." There's a lot of isolation, leading with the arm or foot. Peter Boal mentioned several times in different Q&A's that one of the great moments in "Plot Point" was when Celia does something even her Replica can't accept, and Celia's Replica throws her hands up and abandons her. Q: How to prepare for demanding debuts/rep? [Macy danced in second cast of "Plot Point" and Poppe made his debut as the main street kid in "Afternoon Ball" and Thug 1 in "Plot Point."] CP: Take deep breaths. Keeping anxiety at bay is difficult. EM: This changes by debut, based on the psychological vs. physical challenges of the role(s). Laughter can take the pressure off. Macy gave kudos to Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan, who learned the role of Celia the day before and who replaced Noelani Pantastico that night (Thursday). Poppe said that they don't often get to watch each other as much, but because the alternate casts danced on the same night, they were able to watch their fellow dancers perform. Poppe's favorite section is center of Dress Circle. Macy said that for rehearsals, she likes to sit in the middle [I think of the orchestra] to see faces and structure, but higher for Balanchine. Q: How did rehearsing for "Afternoon Ball" work? CP: All [three] casts rehearsed together in the beginning, but for the last two weeks, they rehearsed separately. Stager John Selya wanted them to have their own interpretations. Ballet Master Anne Dabrowski prepared the dancers before Selya arrived. There was structured improvisation in the work. They were given outlines and got to fill in some sections. Selya let them try different things and then would "umpire" by saying X didn't work, but Y did. He would say something worked, but then tell the dancers to do it differently, so that it wasn't the same every time. Q: About Poppe's character? Street kid down on his luck, has descended into chaos and mood swings. The three street kids are not really friends. His character hasn't had a great life. Q: What does the Biedermeier couple represent? They were explained to him as representing his character's ideal work. He's on the verge of dying, and they are his idea of heaven. Assorted comments: EM: Inspired by coworkers, seeing artists surface. Hopes she can see "Betroffenheit" when Kidd Pivot visits [runs concurrently with PNB's "Director's Choice" second weekend Friday and Saturday]. CP: From Lake Stevens [45-60 minutes north of Seattle]. He trained locally, then at Cornish before becoming a PD student. He listens to Classic Rock. This rep was the fundraiser for Second Stage, the program that supports education and business opportunities for the dancers, so that they are prepared after retirement. Each year they donate their salaries from the opening night of one rep to fund the program, and they ask the audience for help. Before each performance a dancer goes before the curtain and describes the program. This rep I remember Carli Samuelson, Madison Taylor, and Cecilia Iliesiu (who spoke without notes!) I didn't note who said this, but there are three leotard lines by dancers already launched [Elizabeth Murphy's] or in the works.

Laura Cappelle tweeted a link to a short video of Ratmansky teaching/coaching the corps and Krysanova and Lantratov and Vaziev talking about having Ratmansky there, and there are English subtitles:

Any news about a ballet professional on Ballet Alert! must include links (if online) or references to official sources, including public-facing social media.

Presumably that means "Genia" is Obraztsova.

There was a "making of" documentary on CBC when it was created for National Ballet of Canada, but, unfortunately, it's not on YouTube, just a short excerpt: The video on the show page on the CBC site keeps hanging, and I can't tell if it's geoblocked or whether the entire show is available, even in Canada (or through a VPN): http://www.cbc.ca/romeosandjuliets/video.html Beyond that I can only find some trailers:

Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Breeden interviewed Yuri Fateev and Timur Askerov during the Mariinsky's recent visit to the Kennedy Center for their podcast, "Conversations on Dance," a must listen: http://conversationsondancepod.com/2017/11/13/mariinsky-ballet-director-yuri-fateev-and-dancer-timur-askerov/ The interview is played twice: the first is with a voice-over of Fateev's translation of Askerov's answers, and the second, beginning at ~50:35, presents Askerov's answers in Russian, followed by Fateev's translation.

Joshua Grant will perform the Cavalier with Studio West Dance Theatre at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia, WA from December 14-18. He's been helping the students with partnering, both how to and how to be partnered. https://www.thurstontalk.com/2017/11/10/family-favorite-nutcracker-ballet-returns-beautiful-minnaert-stage/ The article also mentions that he will give master classes and be involved in a new work over the next months.

There are several points he raises about his relationship with Wiles: He says that both of them were conflict adverse, and that this was the key to their difficulties. His coach and mentor Guillaume Graffin told him to take control and not get pushed around, which he couldn't, because see point 1. From his description, she both wanted him to take control and to mind-read what she wanted, so that she didn't have to ask for it, because see point 1. Until one day in public she passive-aggressively treated him unprofessionally, and he finally took control and told her he'd had it, which was what Graffin told him to do in the first place, and, after which McKenzie told him, "I know what happened." He doesn't say this outright, but, chronologically, McKenzie, who was acutely aware of the difficulties they had as a partnership, but cast them together for years, pushed him quickly towards Principal after that, ie, he proved he could take control of the situation. He also describes how Wiles was a different person with her other partners, so he doesn't paint her as an across-the-board awful colleague and person.

Since a dancer could end up doing four different roles in Nutcracker easily -- parent, snowflake, flower, Spanish corps -- I'm guessing that Nutcracker counts as one, unless maybe the dancer also did a "named" role?

They've been playing excerpts during the Met Live in HD intermissions, and Peter Gelb wasn't kidding when he said the 90+ Leontyne Price is the star of the film.

I've been stalking the website, and I just saw the cast changes: Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan replaced Noelani Pantastico in "Plot Point" last night, and she replaces Rachel Foster tonight, tomorrow night, and Sunday. Madison Abeo replaced Pantastico in "Her Door to the Sky" last night and will dance tomorrow night as well. Rachel Foster isn't dancing second weekend, and Angelica Generosa dances in her place in the street kid trio along with Benjamin Griffiths and Lucien Postlewaite. https://www.pnb.org/season/17-18/her-story/ The link to the downloadable spreadsheet is here: Her Story 17_11_09.xlsx

And finally, FUN FACTOIDS! 99.97% of PNB’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® was built entirely by artisans, craftspeople, carpenters, painters, and animators in Seattle, WA. Over 50 drapers, stitchers, first hands, milliners, dyers and painters built the costumes. PNB’s shop was not large enough to accommodate the number of costumers required, so some of the costumes were constructed at the Seattle Children’s Theater and Seattle Repertory Theatre costume shops. There are 154 costumes in the show, not counting duplicates (i.e., multiple versions of the same costume, for different-sized dancers playing the same role – Sugar Plum Fairy, Cavalier, Dewdrop, etc.) Clara’s party dress and Drosselmeier’s coat lining required 10 light coats of red paint for each stripe. Each Snow skirt has nine layers of various fabrics. There are 56 points on each skirt. There are 174 velvet diamonds and 322 jewels on the Harlequin costume. The Harlequin’s partner, Columbine, has 160 velvet diamonds and 272 jewels. 640: Black pompoms on the eight Polichinelle costumes. 760: Petals on the Waltz of the Flowers costumes. (19 costumes, including extras.) 10 feet and 60 pounds: The width and weight of Mother Ginger’s skirt. 175: Number of snaps on the Mother Ginger costume. 4,000: Holes cut by hand to create the lace “doily” tutus and headpieces for the Marzipan costumes. 300: Jewels hand-sewn on the two Arabian (peacock) headpieces. 500: Yards of tubular horsehair used for the Party Mothers’ hairpieces. 1,428: Cabochons sewn onto the Spanish women’s costumes. 2,568: Appliques machine-sewn on the seven Spanish dresses. Sewing the Nutcracker doll required a 16” long needle. Eagle-eyed audience members may spy one gold tooth on the Mouse King. Speaking of mice: Seventeen mice (eight adult mice, eight young mice, and the seven-headed Mouse King) were built by Erik Andor and a team of fabricators in his Pioneer Square studio. 98 yards of “fur” have been used to create the mice. They have a total of 230 whiskers. Each adult tail consists of 25 segments. Each ear is made up of six pieces. Laid end-to-end, the mice’s upper lips total 782 inches. For more information, visit EncoreArtsSeattle.com/making-mice-erik-andor 35 men and women in the PNB Scene shop built and painted the sets and props. There are 22 painted drops. 3,000 square yards of fabric were used in the creation of the scenery. 343 gallons of paint were used in the painting of the scenery. The corridor scrim at the top of the show depicts Nutcracker historical figures Alexander Dumas, E.T.A. Hoffman, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, George Balanchine, and Lincoln Kirstein. An actual walnut was used to model the construction and painting of the Nut Boat. It took 400 hours to build the Christmas tree. At its full height it stands 40 feet. There are 450 lights on it. 30 cubic feet of “snow” will be deployed during the Act I Snow scene, per performance. One of the delightful highlights of PNB’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® is the animated video that accompanies the overture. (For an excerpt, click here.) Created by Straightface Studios located in the Interbay neighborhood of Seattle, the three-and-a-half minute video takes audiences on a flight through the woods and a New England town, up to the front steps of the Stahlbaum home. The town was inspired by antique mid-19th Century maps and satellite images of New England. The terrain covers 372 sq. miles and there are over 1.5 million trees, 8,540 bushes, 287 buildings, and seven mice. In 2016, Straightface created a second video to play during the first act violin solo following the Party scene. This video integrates live-action ballet dancers into a computer-generated world. The prominent Christmas star that appears in the Snow scene at the end of Act I is presented by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Winter Star, from Chihuly’s popular Chandelier series, debuted as part of the artist’s iconic Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem 2000 exhibition, and has also been exhibited at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (near London) and New York Botanical Garden. And finally: Amusements Gift Shop at McCaw Hall has stocked its counters and shelves with 18,000 ornaments, 2,500 nutcrackers, 4,400 plush animals and dolls (around 2,000 of them wearing tutus), 1,400 t-shirts, 600 tiaras and 200 magic wands for shoppers attending the show.

SPECIAL EVENTS Studio Presentation: The Nutcracker at 125 Tuesday, November 14, 5:00 pm Celebrate the 125th anniversary of The Nutcracker with an hour-long look at the ballet’s origins, including a comparison of dances from the original 1892 St. Petersburg production and Balanchine’s classic 1954 version performed by Pacific Northwest Ballet. With PNB Company dancers and artistic staff. Tickets are $25, available through the PNB Box Office. Opening Weekend Festivities Celebrate opening weekend of The Nutcracker (Nov. 24-26) and kick off the start of the holiday season with crafts and activities, magicians, dance classes, and more. Free with admission. Nutcracker Benefit Performance Saturday, December 2, 2:00 pm Join PNB in a new holiday tradition – The Nutcracker Benefit. The performance you love, plus added delights for audience members, all while raising much-needed funds to benefit PNB. Enjoy the matinee performance of The Nutcracker with lobby entertainment and crafts, pre-show and intermission specials on delicious beverages and treats; and a keepsake souvenir Nutcracker memento to cherish for years. All Benefit tickets purchased include a charitable donation that is fully tax-deductible. Visit PNB.org/Nutcracker/Benefit. Listen to the Ballet PNB partners with Classical KING FM 98.1 to bring listeners some of the world’s most popular ballet scores, featuring the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra direct from McCaw Hall. Tune in for a live broadcast of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® on Saturday, December 2 at 7:30 pm. Only on KING FM, 98.1 fm or online at KING.org/listen. See the Ballet…and Play the Instruments Classical KING FM 98.1, in collaboration with Music Center Northwest, will host their ever-popular Instrument Petting Zoo at The Nutcracker matinees on December 2, 3, 9, and 16. Stop by and get a feel for the instruments that make Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score come to life! Free with admission. Nutcracker Suites at McCaw Skip the lines and bustle of the lobby at intermission! Treat you and yours to an enchanted intermission experience in the SAVOR…McCaw Hall Nutcracker Suite. The Nutcracker Suite takes the stress out of intermission and adds to the memorable wonder of your day at the ballet. There’s a range of activities awaiting you: a Build-a-Cupcake experience in partnership with Cupcake Royale; hot cocoa, sweets, and light appetizers presented by SAVOR… Executive Chef John Roberts; activities and photo opportunities; and coffee, tea, wine, beer, and sparkling wine for the adults. NutcrackerSuites are $30 per person (includes applicable tax and service charge); performance tickets sold separately. (There are no Nutcracker Suites at the Dec. 2 matinee and Dec. 9 evening performance.) To purchase, visit PNB.org/NutcrackerSuites. FAQs for PNB Kids Visit PNB.org/Community/PNB-Kids for helpful hints and frequently asked questions about attending the ballet with children.

Now for the press release, part 1: PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS November 24 – December 28, 2017 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street, Seattle Center Seattle, WA 98109 SEATTLE, WA – Pacific Northwest Ballet’s sparkling production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® returns to Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall for 35 performances November 24 through December 28, 2017. Featuring eye-popping colorful sets and costumes by author/illustrator Ian Falconer (Olivia the Pig), Tchaikovsky’s timeless score performed live by the mighty PNB Orchestra, and the beloved story of Clara and her Nutcracker prince, PNB’s production is a delight for audiences young and old. Tickets to this year’s run may be purchased through the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at 301 Mercer St. 2017 marks the 125th anniversary of The Nutcracker. On November 14, PNB shines a spotlight on the classic ballet, with a special studio presentation taking an in-depth look at the ballet’s origins, including a comparison of dances from the original 1892 St. Petersburg production and Balanchine’s classic 1954 version. For more information, see “Special Events,” below. 2017 NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCE SCHEDUL Day Date Times Friday Nov. 24 7:30pm Saturday Nov. 25 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm Sunday Nov. 26 12:30 pm & 5:30 pm Friday Dec. 1 7:30 pm Saturday Dec. 2 2:00 pm* & 7:30 pm *Benefit performance – See “Special Events,” below. Sunday Dec. 3 12:30 pm & 5:30 pm Friday Dec. 8 7:30pm Saturday Dec. 9 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm Sunday Dec. 10 12:30 pm & 5:30 pm Thursday Dec. 14 7:30 pm Friday Dec. 15 7:30 pm Saturday Dec. 16 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm Sunday Dec. 17 12:30 pm & 5:30 pm Wednesday Dec. 20 7:30 pm Thursday Dec. 21 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm Friday Dec. 22 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm Saturday Dec. 23 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm Sunday Dec. 24 12:30 pm Tuesday Wednesday Dec. 26 Dec. 27 12:30 pm & 5:30 pm 12:30 pm & 5:30 pm Thursday Dec. 28 12:30 pm & 5:30 pm

May he rest in peace with a glass of wine in his hand.

I'll start with the current "SNOFEES" promo: no processing fees through November 17 (PST) if you click the "No fee" price options after you select your seat or cite the promo code "SNOFEES" if you call the Box Office (206-441-2424). https://www.pnb.org/mypromo/?promo=sNoFees&utm_source=PNB+List&utm_campaign=ee2b252620-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_df81d84eb5-ee2b252620-295706613