Helene

Kent Stowell did a beautiful version named "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet" to a Tchaikovsky score he and Stewart Kershaw (then PNB Music Director) developed from existing scores. I'll never forget Fleming Halby's Friar Lawrence performing the marriage scene to the Preghiera movement of "Mozartiana." Mime in the old school Danish tradition. For many young dancers at PNB, this was their first foray into full-length dramatic ballets, and it showed off the company beautifully. I also remember seeing a wonderful "Romeo and Juliet" on YouTube which I can't find anymore. The Juliet was a lovely blond Dutch dancer, I think from Dutch National Ballet, and it may have been Rudi van Danzig's version. I can only find short excerpts of it now, sadly.

The PNB press release: Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal announced today that former PNB principal dancer and current Les Ballets de Monte Carlo principal dancer Lucien Postlewaite will return to PNB this fall for the 2017-2018 season. Mr. Postlewaite danced with PNB from 2003 to 2012, at which point he left to join Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. He has returned for guest appearances in Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette and Cendrillon. “At PNB, relationships between audiences and dancers run deep,” said Mr. Boal, in his announcement. “We love watching new dancers take the stage and look forward to seeing seasoned dancers return to signature roles. When a dancer leaves the company, we feel the loss. Every now and then, a favorite returns like a prodigal son. I'm so pleased to announce Lucien Postlewaite is coming home. He'll be returning to PNB next season stepping into roles both familiar and new. After a five year tenure with Les Ballets de Monte Carlo we are so pleased to welcome Lucien back to Seattle.” “I am excited to be joining PNB for the upcoming season,” said Mr. Postlewaite. “While I'd say I spent my formative years at PNB, my time at Les Ballets de Monte Carlo has been transformative. I look forward to reinterpreting the roles I've already danced with a fresh perspective and to exploring the creations and works that have been added to PNB's repertoire since I left five years ago. I am grateful to Peter Boal for this opportunity to return home and am eager to continue my artistic journey with my Seattle friends, colleagues and audience.” Born in Santa Cruz, California, Lucien Postlewaite trained at the School of American Ballet in New York and Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle. He joined Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2003, was promoted to soloist in 2007, and principal in 2008, when he also received a Princess Grace Award. In 2012, he joined Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, directed by choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot, as a principal dancer. He performed leading roles in ballets including, La Belle, Cendrillon, Roméo et Juliette, Vers un Pays Sage, LAC, CHORÉ, and Casse-Noisette Compagnie. Mr. Postlewaite is a founding member of Seattle based contemporary dance company, Whim W’Him. He has performed as a guest artist with the New York City Ballet and has appeared in galas around the U.S. as well as in China and Japan. PNB is now accepting season subscription renewals and new subscription orders for its 2017-2018 season, which features a newly-designed production of George Balanchine’s Jewels, a program devoted to female choreographers, the return of Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake, and much more; For further information, contact the PNB Box Office by phone at 206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at 301 Mercer Street. All programming and dates are subject to change. For more information, visit PNB.org.

Bouder speaks about how she came to this project in her interview with Rebecca King and Michael Sean Breeden for "Conversations on Dance": http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/42393-ashley-bouder-interview-on-conversations-on-dance-podcast/

Rebecca King and Michael Sean Breeden interview Ashley Bouder for their podcast "Conversations on Dance": http://tendusunderapalmtree.com/ashley-bouder-principal-dancer-new-york-city-ballet/

I was warned that casting changes can go straight to the website and bypass the company's spreadsheets, so that when I noticed that the spreadsheets sent to the mailing list a few days before the performance were out-of-sync with the website, and the website wasn't updated soon after, I kind-of-assumed the website was correct, but then forgot to follow-up, or I would have learned the spreadsheet was correct, and I would have changed my Sunday plans around to see the Sunday matinee. But I'm glad you got to see it, seattle_dancer!

Reading your posts, @Syrene Hvid, I so wish I could be in Copenhagen regularly!

Part 2: TICKET INFORMATION & DISCOUNT OFFERS Tickets ($30-$187) may be purchased through the PNB Box Office: · Phone - 206.441.2424 (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm*) · In Person - 301 Mercer Street, Seattle (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm*) · Online - PNB.org (24/7) Subject to availability, tickets are also available 90 minutes prior to show times at McCaw Hall. *On Saturday performance days, the box office and phones are open 10am – 6pm. GROUP SALES Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For group tickets for your family, friends, and coworkers, please call Group Sales Manager Julie Jamieson at 206.441.2416, email JulieJ@PNB.org or use PNB’s online contact form at PNB.org/Season/Group-Tickets. GET THE POINTE The Pointe is PNB’s exclusive mailing list for ballet fans between the ages of 20 and 40. Members of The Pointe receive information about special events and flash sales just for them. Born between 1977 and 1997? Visit PNB.org/The Pointe for more information and to sign up. TEENTIX PNB is a proud participant of TeenTix. Originally founded by Seattle Center, TeenTix’s members (13 to 19 years old) can purchase tickets to PNB and other music, dance, theater and arts events for only $5. To join TeenTix or view a list of participating organizations, visit TeenTix.org. STUDENT AND SENIOR RUSH TICKETS Subject to availability, half-price rush tickets for students and senior citizens (65+) may be purchased in-person with ID, from 90 minutes prior to show time at the McCaw Hall box office. SPECIAL EVENTS FRIDAY PREVIEW Friday, April 7, 5:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer St., Seattle PNB’s popular Friday Previews are hour-long studio rehearsals hosted by Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB artistic staff, featuring Company dancers rehearsing excerpts from upcoming ballets. Tickets are $15. (Note: These events usually sell out in advance.) Friday Previews are sponsored by U.S. Bank. LECTURE SERIES & DRESS REHEARSAL Thursday, April 13 Lecture 6:00 pm, Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Dress Rehearsal 7:00 pm, McCaw Hall Join former PNB principal dancer Louise Nadeau for a panel discussion with PNB’s West Side Story Suite Anitas (Lindsi Dec, Carrie Imler, Noelani Pantastico) during the hour preceding the dress rehearsal. Attend the lecture only or stay for the rehearsal. Tickets are $15 for the lecture, or $30 for the lecture and dress rehearsal. Tickets are available through the PNB Box Office. PRE-PERFORMANCE LECTURES Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join Audience Education Manager 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. POST-PERFORMANCE Q&A 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. BEER & BALLET Thursday, April 20 PNB presents an encore of its wildly-popular BEER & BALLET night, with specially-priced tickets and discounts on select beer and wine. For more information, visit PNB.org. BACKSTAGE BASH: Curtain Call Friday, April 21, 10:00 pm Join members of PNB’s Young Patrons Circle (YPC) for Backstage Bash: Curtain Call, a backstage after-party immediately following the Friday, April 21 performance of BALLET ON BROADWAY. Doors will open at 10:00 for an event filled with entertainment, live music, and an onstage DJ. YPC caters the event with appetizers and a beer/wine bar. Tickets to the Bash are available through the PNB Box Office. (This is a 21+ event. Admission to the Bash does not include the BALLET ON BROADWAY performance: Receive 20% off performance tickets with Bash ticket purchase.) Special thanks to Ten Mercer, Dilettante Chocolates, Stella Artois, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Chris Graves Music. YPC is PNB’s social and educational group for ballet patrons ages 21 through 39. YPC members save up to 40% off their ballet tickets. For more information about YPC, visit PNB.org/YPC.

PNB's "Ballet on Broadway" program is right around the corner. Here is the press release: Part 1: Another op’nin’ of another show! Pacific Northwest Ballet presents Featuring works by GEORGE BALANCHINE – CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON – JEROME ROBBINS April 14 – 23, 2017 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center Seattle, WA 98109 April 14 and 15 at 7:30 pm April 15 at 2:00 pm April 20 – 22 at 7:30 pm April 23 at 1:00 pm SEATTLE, WA – Come on along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway: Pacific Northwest Ballet takes its audiences on a trip down the Great White Way – while staying right here in Seattle – withBALLET ON BROADWAY, the fifth offering of PNB’s 2016-2017 season. BALLET ON BROADWAY sets the stage with three crowd-pleasing hits, George Balanchine’s Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (from the musical On Your Toes), Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel (A Dance), and Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite. Packed with Tony Award-winning music and choreography, plus sets, costumes, the mighty PNB Orchestra and – of course – incomparable dancing, BALLET ON BROADWAY promises to be boffo blockbuster entertainment and April’s most magical, musical night on the town. BALLET ON BROADWAY runs for seven performances only, April 14 through 23, 2017 at Seattle Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $30. For more information, contact the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, in person at 301 Mercer Street, or online at PNB.org. Join members of PNB’s Young Patrons Circle for Backstage Bash: Curtain Call, an after-party immediately following the Friday, April 21 performance of BALLET ON BROADWAY. Doors will open at 10:00 for an event filled with entertainment, live music, and an onstage DJ. Tickets to this 21+ event are available through the PNB Box Office. See “Special Events” (below) for more information. The line-up for BALLET ON BROADWAY will include: Slaughter on Tenth Avenue Music: Richard Rodgers (from On Your Toes, 1936), orchestrated by Hershey Kay Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust Staging: Susan Pilarre Scenic and Lighting Design: Holly Hynes Running Time: 23 minutes Premiere: April 13, 1967; New York City Ballet PNB Premiere: September 20, 2008 Balanchine originally choreographed Slaughter on Tenth Avenue in 1936 for the musical On Your Toes, in which Ray Bolger played The Hoofer and Tamara Geva portrayed The Stripper. The show was a parody of Broadway, Russian ballet, and the mob, in which a jealous Russian premier danseur hires a mobster to kill a rival during the premiere of a new ballet, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. The ballet itself tells the story of a tacky strip joint and the customer who falls in love with the Big Boss’ girl. The premier danseur arranges for the hoofer to be killed, but the girl saves him. At Balanchine’s insistence, On Your Toes was the first Broadway musical to credit staged dances as “choreography,” and is considered the first musical in which the dances were integrated into the plot, performed by dancers who were also dramatic characters. On Your Toes was the first of four Rodgers and Hart musicals choreographed by Balanchine. The others were Babes in Arms, I Married an Angel, and The Boys from Syracuse. In 1967, Balanchine mounted Slaughter on Tenth Avenue as a separate work for New York City Ballet. Casting Suzanne Farrell and Arthur Mitchell in the lead roles, Balanchine followed the original ideas but made new choreography. The 2008 Pacific Northwest Ballet premiere of George Balanchine’s Slaughter on Tenth Avenuewas generously underwritten by Dan & Pam Baty. The works of George Balanchine performed by Pacific Northwest Ballet are made possible in part by The Louise Nadeau Endowed Fund. Carousel (A Dance)© Music: Richard Rodgers (“Carousel Waltz” and “If I Loved You” from Carousel, 1945), arranged and orchestrated by William David Brohn Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon Costume Design: Mark Stanley Running Time: 15 minutes Premiere: November 26, 2002; New York City Ballet PNB Premiere: March 12, 2009 The musical Carousel, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, premiered in 1945. The show won acclaim for its many hit musical numbers and for its innovative plot about the ill-fated marriage of young millworker Julie Jordan and carnival barker Billy Bigelow. Christopher Wheeldon’s salute to Rodgers includes the composer’s melodic and evocative “Carousel Waltz” and “If I Loved You” in a reverie that distills Carousel’s carnival atmosphere as well as its theme of tragic romance. A large corps de ballet creates a stylized carousel on stage, their movements often separating the lovers. With a simple hint at the story, Wheeldon catches the sweep and emotion of the music and the poignant, doomed nature of the lead couple’s relationship with a tender and romantic pas de deux. Carousel (A Dance) was the fourth of five ballets by Christopher Wheeldon to be added to PNB’s repertory, following Polyphonia (acquired in 2007), Variations Sérieuses (2008), and After the Rain pas de deux (2008). PNB subsequently commissioned Wheeldon’s Tide Harmonic (2013). The 2009 Pacific Northwest Ballet premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Carousel (A Dance) was generously underwritten in part by PNB’s Board of Trustees, Advisory Board, Members of the Barre, and Stowell Society. West Side Story Suite Music: Leonard Bernstein (“Prologue,” “Something’s Coming,” “Dance at the Gym,” “Cool,” “America,” “Rumble,” and “Somewhere Ballet” from West Side Story, 1957) Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Choreography: Jerome Robbins with Peter Gennaro Staging: Robert LaFosse and Jenifer Ringer Vocal Coaching: Joan Barber Scenic Design: Oliver Smith Costume Design: Irene Sharaff Lighting Design: Jennifer Tipton Running Time: 36 Minutes Premiere: May 18, 1995; New York City Ballet PNB Premiere: March 12, 2009 With a book written by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreography by Jerome Robbins, the musical West Side Story is one of the most popular theatrical productions based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Set on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in the mid-1950s, West Side Story explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Young Tony, who belongs to the native Manhattan gang, the Jets, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theater. The original 1957 Broadway production, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, marked Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway debut as lyricist. The production earned a Tony Award in 1957 for Robbins’ choreography. The musical led to the innovative, award-winning 1961 musical film, winning 10 Academy Awards out of 11 nominations, including Best Director, for Robbins and Robert Wise, and Best Picture. Jerome Robbins extracted a sequence of dances from West Side Story to make this suite for New York City Ballet in 1995. The 2009 PNB premiere of Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite was generously underwritten by Marcella McCaffray, Lyndall Boal, Carl & Renee Behnke, and Aya Stark Hamilton.

In the "The New Yorker Radio Hour," Remnick has not shown disinterest in dance.

She's making a different choice, but she didn't invent that choice: there have long been dancers who do galas and guest. And she's hardly to first dancer to have a prominent presence on social media. And I don't think wanting to be the center of attention on stage is all that uncommon among dancers. You don't dance Odette or Aurora from the back of the corps.

Remnick, who reported from Russia back-in-the-day was very interested in the Bolshoi after Filin was attacked: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/03/18/danse-macabre I would not be surprised if he and Acocella were on the same page about what dance and what in dance is worth writing about. That's not surprising, because while Croce wrote about modern dance, she tended to stick with the big guns of the time, if not exclusively.

Misty Copeland is on a book tour during ABT's week off: her newest book is "Ballerina Body: Dancing and Eating Your Way to a Leaner, Stronger and More Graceful You." We were lucky to hear her speak at Meany Hall at the University of Washington; her appearance was organized by the UW Alumni Association. It was packed, and many people, including lots of young dancers, had her book. Professor Valerie Curtis-Newton, the Head of Performance, Directing, and Acting at the UW School of Drama interviewed Copeland and selected questions that had been submitted. Copeland must have been asked many of the same questions many times, but her answers sounded spontaneous and fresh. She spoke with a lot of emotion and passion, and it was a privilege to be there.

Thank you so everyone who contributed to the next year of Ballet Alert! and Ballet Talk for Dancers We've reached our goal, thanks to you

A short video with choreographer Jessica Lang discussing a painting by Georgia O'Keefe at Seattle Art Museum and O'Keefe's influence on her: https://www.facebook.com/PNBallet/posts/10154686931368952

Rebecca King and Michael Sean Breeden has interviewed Kathryn Morgan for their podcast, "Conversations on Dance": http://conversationsondancepod.com/2017/03/13/kathryn-morgan-former-new-york-city-ballet-soloist/ She's getting married this May: congratulations to her and her future husband

King and Breeden ask really good questions, and they did their homework.

Rebecca King and Michael Sean Breeden interviewed Peter Boal for their podcast "Conversations on Dance": http://conversationsondancepod.com/2017/03/06/peter-boal-artistic-director-of-pacific-northwest-ballet/ It's fascinating, not your average bear.

Out of sight, but never out of mind: in the "Lightening Round" in his recent interview with Michael Sean Breeden and Rebecca King, Fabrice Calmels named Carla Korbes as his dream partner: http://conversationsondancepod.com/2017/02/27/fabrice-calmels-joffrey-ballet-principal-dancer/

A video from PNB, with Leta Biasucci and Benjamin Griffiths speaking about "Empire Noir" and working with David Dawson and clips from the ballet: https://www.facebook.com/PNBallet/videos/vb.21358443951/10154683943188952/

PNB is waiving the handling fee on tickets to this week's performances of "Director's Choice": https://www.pnb.org/mypromo/?promo=suite

Here's the press release: Pixvana Studies Dance Movements in VR with Pacific Northwest Ballet Seattle, WA — Pixvana partnered with the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) to explore the unprecedented possibilities for dance and performance within virtual reality (VR), resulting in the 3-minute VR film Silent Resonance. Directed by Pixvana’s Creative Director and CTO Scott Squires, the film’s eponymous ballet was choreographed by PNB Company dancer Price Suddarth and features PNB dancers Emma Love Suddarth and Miles Pertl. Silent Resonance debuted at PNB’s fundraising event “Pointe to the Stars” on March 9; it is coming soon to Steam and is available now on YouTube 360 and Facebook 360. PNB’s first VR experience, Silent Resonance is the result of Artistic Director Peter Boal’s effort to leverage technology to reach new audiences. Squires and the Pixvana team approached the project as an exploration of movement in dance, as well as an opportunity to test the software tools that Pixvana is developing for VR content creators. Shooting in a PNB studio, the Pixvana team worked with Suddarth to optimize the choreography for VR – keeping the dancers in specific zones to avoid disrupting stitch lines, and keeping the dancers an optimal distance from the camera. Reimagining Eadweard Muybridge’s motion studies from the late 1800s, Squires then utilized a special echo effect that visualizes Suddarth’s choreography. The raw, lyrical pas de deux slowly intensifies with three mirrored versions of the dancers throughout the 360 view. Silent Resonance was finished with Pixvana's SPIN Publish platform, which enables ultra-high quality VR video encoding and delivery. The final result is a meditative, ethereal experience. (To view a behind-the-scenes video on the making-of Silent Resonance, click here.) “I’ve been interested in doing a ballet project for VR for a while now and PNB was an ideal partner – they were so excited about the technology and its potential to bring a fresh perspective to the arts,” said Squires. “It’s a great way to achieve a more intimate experience with your audience, reach new people outside of the Seattle area, and create visuals that would be impossible to match on a traditional stage.” “I took inspiration for this work from the virtual reality concept itself,” explained choreographer Suddarth. “In VR, the intention is to immerse the viewer entirely into a different world. With that idea in mind, I sought out to create a short work that provided the viewer a glimpse into the mind of a dancer. In the piece you see the struggle, the conflict, the joy, and the complex beauty that is the heart and soul of a dancer.” (To read more of Suddarth’s interview, click here.) “We are excited about the doors this collaboration opens,” said PNB’s Boal. “We’re seeing one art form enhance another and the sum total is inspiring. Innovative choreography and exquisite dancers are seen in a new light, through a new lens, and by new audiences.” Pixvana Inc. is pioneering a cloud-based platform for virtual and augmented reality. The company is Seattle-based and venture backed by Madrona Venture Group and Vulcan Capital. Pixvana’s founders have proven startup success in media technology, and hail from senior product and engineering leadership roles at Apple, Adobe, Microsoft, and Lucasfilm. For more information visit Pixvana.com.

I'm not confusing him with his brother, because I was thrilled when Isaac Hernandez got great opportunities in Europe. Maybe I saw Estebam on video, then. I remember asking someone to ID him among the men. ("Him!")

I remember seeing him in a small male ensemble the last time I saw San Francisco Ballet, which had to be four or five years ago, and being really impressed with him.

"Empire Noir" is generally described as "dark," but I see intensity rather than darkness, and it's one of those rare ballets where the music, set, costumes, and choreography are so beautifully integrated, any missing piece would diminish the work. Ice dancers around the world should be flocking to David Dawson's door to design their lifts for their exhibitions. Without "Slingerland Duet (which we'll see as a stand-alone next season), the progression of the music and choreography of "New Suite"' was so perfectly balanced and concise, it was almost Apollonian. Handel 4, especially when danced by Imler and Porretta, brings the work full circle, informed by the pieces that come before. While the Dawson got the standing ovation, "New Suite" showed why Forsythe is the Master, and Dawson, in his boyish 40's, is still Grasshopper. I much preferred seeing "Her Door to the Sky" from the Gallery Upper (on the border of the Dress Circle) to be able to see the patterns and tableaus. I love Britten's "Simple Symphony," and I thought the work was strongest in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th movements. I wasn't convinced that the choreography in the 3rd movement was up to the long, intense adagio, although Ricard Orza was beautiful in it, and it had some inspired moments. Anything in which Iliesiu is featured is a giant plus for me -- lucky for us that she was the Friday night post-performance Q&A guest -- and Rachel Foster in the Saturday night cast looked radiant. In one of the earlier post-performance Q&A's, Peter Boal said that Doug Fullington would record a version of his pre-performance lecture as a podcast for each program in which there was a lecture. I especially enjoyed the live one from Saturday night. And Josh Grant, after dancing in all three ballets in the evening and at least one in the matinee, was a delightful post-performance Q&A guest: you'd never have known that he had just completed the equivalent of the Boston Marathon.

While big transitions are risky, this isn't a disruptive changing of the guard and/or company style: all of the retiring dancers are Tomasson hires. It's a great opportunity to see younger dancers and longer-term/senior corps dancers who haven't been given the roles before step up to the plate. Their performances won't be the same as the beloved veteran dancers, but it's an exciting place to be when you have the depth that SFB has and a bit of a vacuum. I also would count on Tomasson continuing to make key "acquisitions" to supplement the roster, since dancing in San Francisco is such a plum job, and there's a frightening amount of talent out there, including, but not exclusively, people trained at the SFB School. Plus our girl Jahna will only get better and better