Helene

Then he can throw himself the biggest gala he wants. Iksanov was going to be the fall guy, no matter what.

He was one of the greats with an immediately recognizable voice. Rest in peace, Mr. Vickers.

Here is the press release: ZIONS BANK AND BALLET WEST PRESENT STATEWIDE COSTUME TOUR Beauty of Ballet West Costumes to Visit Select Zions Bank Branches SALT LAKE CITY – July 9, 2015 – A gallery of glamour will tour Zions Bank branch locations July through October as Ballet West presents an exclusive exhibit of ballet costumes. Costumes from Giselle, Swan Lake, Vespri, and The Nutcracker will showcase handcrafted artistry in Zions Bank lobbies along the Wasatch Front. The tour will begin at the Zions Bank Head Office lobby (One S. Main St.) on July 13, and will then travel from Ogden to Lehi, leading up to the exhibit’s homecoming in the lobby of the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in November, which will coincide with the beginning of Ballet West’s 52nd Season. “Zions Bank is a wonderful partner to Ballet West. They have a long history and passion for the arts in Utah and have always been particularly supportive of our Company,” said Scott Altman, Executive Director of Ballet West. “This is a unique and wonderful opportunity that will allow us to reach new audiences as customers will be able to see first-hand and up-close the artistry of their hometown ballet company.” What many Utah residents may not know is the international acclaim given to Ballet West’s Costume Production Director, David Heuvel. A long-time member of Ballet West, Heuvel has won many awards and his work has been featured in film and television, most recently in Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” video, watched over a half-billion times online. Heuvel has a team of four who personally make every costume shown in a Ballet West production. In an average year, that equates to hundreds of costumes individually stitched and tailored to fit dancers. “Zions Bank is a proud supporter of Ballet West and the arts in Utah,” said Scott Anderson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Zions Bank. “The arts and business are not necessarily polar opposites. Both test the envelope of human creativity, intellect, energy and promise. Both seek to motivate, to produce, to achieve excellence, to grow and to unite. We are proud to offer this unique educational opportunity for those coming into our bank branches.” The exhibit will be located in the bank lobbies and is open and free to the public. Visitors will also have the opportunity to enter their name to win a pair of season tickets for Ballet West’s 52nd Season, starting in November. The Season lineup includes: Iconic Classics, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Beauty and the Beast, The Nijinsky Revolution, and Innovations 2016. For more information, dates and locations, please see: www.bit.ly/costumetour.

Sounds like quite a night! Joan Boada is a long-time Principal Dancer at Sn Francisco Ballet: https://www.sfballet.org/company/dancers/principals/Joan_Boada

Among other topics. This has been posted in the Misty Copeland thread: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/40130-misty-copeland-part-deux/ Please discuss it there.

There are times when Balanchine came into the studio, and no one remembered enough of the original, and he'd make a new ballet. He would have been working on the music ahead of time, including making a piano transcription if he hadn't already. He sliced and diced Glinka and Glazunov more than once and re-choreographed "Mozartiana" and Mozart's Divertimento No. 15. ("Caracole" was the first version.) He expanded "Serenade" by one movement and "Theme and Variations" by three in "Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3." "Palais de Cristal" to "Symphony in C" was a major overhaul of detail within the same structure. "Ballet Imperial" to "Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2" is a change in feel from tutus to tunics. I've never had a chance to see them close enough together to know how much the choreography changed (or didn't). Watching the Tchaikovsky Competition, in which only one of the pianists, co-silver medalist Lucas Geniusas, opted for the Second -- actual or planned -- I wonder how many people expect(ed) to hear the "Van Cliburn music" and whether that was the reason they briefly dropped "Tchaikovsky" from the title.

We haven't yet heard, but Peter Boal said that they were starting early this year in August for the new "Nutcracker." He was also watching rehearsals and performed Drosselmeier at NYCB during a trip East last year, but I don't remember if his staff or any of the dancers were with him. There are a lot of dancers in the company who danced in "Nutcracker" during their SAB and/or NYCB years. The Orzas. William Lin-Yee, and Matthew Renko would likely have done a number of roles. Ballet Master Otto Neubert danced in it at NYCB: I saw him as the Cavalier partnering Stephanie Saland, in 1987. I don't know if he did any other roles, including character roles. Other dancers who might have danced some roles in the Balanchine "Nutcracker" in other schools/companies: Miami City Ballet: Jerome Tisserand Oregon Ballet Theatre: Leta Biasucci, Henry Cotton Central Pennsylvania Ballet alumnae Carrie Imler, Carli Samuelson, Noelani Pantastico, and Biasucci I could imagine Boal doing a lot of coaching, but I can't imagine him staging the whole thing, given the number of chirldren and corps roles. It's been a while. In all the years I saw the NYCB "Nutcracker," while I'm sure I saw him among the kids and adult corps, in featured roles, I only saw him dance Tea, twice. Looking through cast lists, though, I find that I saw PNB dancer Ryan Cardea's Nephew in 2001.

Hmmmm...maybe there's still hope?

San Francisco Ballet won the 7x7 2015 Reader's Choice Award for "Mesmerizing Performance Company or Troupe." http://www.7x7.com/culture/best-san-francisco-2015-live-music-art-galleries-more-cultural-happenings (Scroll)

"Theme and Variations" is the closer for POB's 2015-16 season opening Robbins/Millepied/Balanchine program that runs from September 22-October 11.

ABT dancers might be more like their Ballets Russes predecessors than NYCB dancers who grew up with the evolution and eventual (tragic, IMO) truncation of the ballet. The first American Apollo, Lew Christensen, with his brother among the most important influencers in the development of American ballet, came from vaudeville.

In "Spectre" for me, it was Yuri Soloviev, whose physique is closer to the photos of Nijinsky than the lithe dancers: https://youtu.be/Her-4YC0d60?t=29s

(And Chicago gets Mark Morris' "Dido and Aeneas," too.

Ballet West just announced: ---------------------------------- BALLET WEST REPORTS BANNER YEAR Record ticket sales, robust giving, and extensive touring highlight Ballet West’s 2015FY SALT LAKE CITY – July 7, 2015 – Record-breaking ticket sales, robust institutional and private giving, expansion and phenomenal growth of the Ballet West Academy, along with a successful matching campaign that resulted in the complete elimination of operational debt, made Ballet West’s 2015 Fiscal Year (ended June 30) one of the most successful in the organization’s history. “The artistry sells itself,” said Scott Altman, Executive Director, “But our marketing and development teams also instituted a cadre of new initiatives that led to an extraordinary year. Ballet West’s 2014-15 Season proved that the people of Utah have a one-of-a-kind passion for dance and a hunger for internationally-renowned artistry, as they came out in huge numbers to support what we do.” The season’s ticket sales shattered long-held records, including The Nutcracker which was the highest-grossing production of this holiday institution in the Company’s 51-year history. Season opener, Giselle was the second-highest grossing fall production ever, and Swan Lake was the highest grossing non-Nutcracker production in the history of the organization. Innovations, which introduces audiences to cutting-edge choreographers, also had its highest-grossing run since its inception eight years ago. Overall, ticket sales were up 16 percent over the previous year. In addition to robust sales at home, the Company also had one of the most extensive and successful touring seasons in its history. Dancers performed The Nutcracker to sold-out houses in December for a week at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. In March, the Company took New York City by storm, doing robust business at the historic Joyce Theater. Tours to Aspen, CO, Victoria B.C., and Dallas, TX were also well-received and well-attended. “I am so pleased that audiences are coming out in record numbers to experience the great artistry of Ballet West,” said Artistic Director Adam Sklute. “Our dancers are performing brilliantly at every level of the roster, and we are producing a wide and artistically diverse repertoire. It is thrilling to see an infrastructure being built to move the vision of our Founder Willam Christensen into the 21st Century and beyond.” Dramatic gains were also achieved by the Ballet West Academy, one of the premier dance-education institutions in the country. The addition of the spectacular new Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation Ballet West Academy at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, as well as the addition of three dedicated studios at the new Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Centre, and two studios at Trolley Square, led to a 70 percent growth in revenue from the Academy, which currently has a roster of almost 550 students. “The Academy is a compelling story, as the greater dance community is recognizing the incredible talent the facility is producing. Additionally, parents and students are noticing and enrolling in record numbers,” said Altman. Perhaps most notable during the 2014-15 Season was the elimination of the Company’s $2.2 million operational debt after a 12-month campaign. Many prominent and passionate donors stepped-up to contribute to - and complete - a “Million-Dollar Match,” marking the first time in 33 years the company will be operationally debt-free. With the fiscal priorities no longer focused on retiring operational debt and debt servicing, the Company may place even more emphasis on artistic programming, along with Education and Outreach initiatives and the Academy. Last month, reflecting on the improved outlook for the Company, Ballet West’s Board of Trustees approved an overall budget increase of 11 percent for fiscal year 2016, putting its annual budget over $11 million for the first time in its history. Victor Rickman, outgoing Chairman of the Board, said, “I couldn't be more proud of having served as Board Chair during one of the most successful and exciting periods in Ballet West’s history. Scott Altman and his team have worked hard to place the company in excellent financial health -- the best in years -- and Adam Sklute and our artists are receiving well-deserved accolades, both nationally and internationally.” “Ballet West’s cultural significance within Utah is unmistakable,” said Altman. “Continued touring nationally and internationally will leverage our brand to help the economic development of the entire region. And, with our overall momentum, the potential growth of Ballet West is boundless. This watershed moment is made possible by the many who have come before and helped align the building blocks for the future. For a Company that’s already 51 years old, the future is bright with new possibilities.”

You don't get to roll in your grave or tut-tut while alive and be taken seriously if you sell the rights during your lifetime.

The Bolshoi dancers gave away lifetime employment in the last contract negotiations. I don't think Tsiskaridze had a leg to stand on: employees who repeatedly undermine a company and management publicly are rarely treated with turn-the-other-cheek kindness. The Russian companies celebrate big anniversaries much more often than American companies, which tend to celebrate retirements more than anniversaries, although there likely will be fewer long-timers under year-to-year contracts. Each year on the schedule there are special performances to honor dancers and musicians.

Jose Limon died in 1972. "The Moor's Pavane" premiered in 1970, and ABT program book that I got in 1971 had a photo of Bruce Marks in it.

Valentina Kozlova also did "On Your Toes."

Megan Fairchild talked about how sore she was using different muscles when she was getting ready for the role. For a ballet dancer to take on a new movement style is a big stress on the body. Ballet dancers talk about being vulnerable to injury when they have to switch styles and techniques in the rep that their companies perform.

I think more ballet dancers are going to Broadway because more choreographers are doing work for ballet companies and Broadway, just like Balanchine, and roles are being created/expanded for them.

Thank you for the news, mussel! Congratulation to all of the newly promoted dancers

Yes (to California Dreamin)!

It would make a great advertising poster for the LA stint: the three new women at the Principal rank are California girls

If the information appears on a dance professional's public-facing public media, ie, you don't have to be accepted as a "friend" to see it, then it is fine to post here.

Sarah Ricard Orza came back after not having danced for a year. Dancers come back from long injuries all the time, not to mention pregnancies, so he could work up to it to avoid injury, were he interested.