Helene

Yes!

Simkin is in Buenos Aires for Don Q with Maria Kochetkova: https://www.facebook.com/daniilsimkin/photos/a.661219130581995.1073741829.658722760831632/761862997184274/?type=1&theater

For the rest: I still don't see why love of (some) Russian Ballerinas and admiration of Balanchine ticks off so many people...who also seem to take it personally. I assume the answer is something like 'lt leads to unfairness to others...' but I don't think that's fair. It's not even as if Copeland has aspirations of being a Balanchine ballerina or that Balanchine dancers and ballets are especially prized at ABT. Balanchine isn't even a variable for her, since she wants to be a classical ballerina. It's also not as if Copeland didn't know what ABT was, regardless of race: it's a place where many, if not most, people go to see cherry-picked imports who sell tickets, most of whom are Russian or have Russian training, regardless of where they got it. The question is whether she's being treated fairly with respect to her home-grown colleagues, who, except for a few years under Baryshnikov, have gotten/get short shrift in general.

"Serenade" has the advantage of being performed by many companies and even some company schools. It's a beautiful rite of passage for students, since it was made for students, albeit more mature and less trained students. (There were many more soloists in the original, and the parts were later combined for three women.) Ironically, because of a whole lot of scheduling changes and conflicts, it was one of the last Balanchine ballets I saw for the first time.

Any Balanchine that you can see. The classics that are danced fairly regularly -- some by many companies -- are "Agon," "Concerto Barocco," "Symphony in C," "Serenade," "Apollo," "Theme and Variations," "Four Temperaments," "Stravinsky Violin Concerto," "Symphony in Three Movements," but there are so many great Balanchine ballets aside from them that aren't performed by many or any than NYCB, like "Liebeslieder Walzer," "Divertimento No. 15," "Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2/Ballet Imperial," "Episodes," the list goes on. (Unfortunately, there are two many "Western Symphonies" being performed, in my opinion.) Some are too big to be performed by mid-sized companies (ie everything but NYCB, SFB, ABT), like "Vienna Waltzes" and "Union Jack." Anything by Robbins, but especially "Fancy Free" and "Dances at a Gathering." "La Sylphide" is the most frequently performed Bournonville, but sometimes you can find "Napoli" without going to Denmark. (Ballet Arizona is doing a new production this year.) Anything by Ashton, including his "Cinderella" and "The Dream." I see "Les Patineurs" and "Symphonic Variations" on North American rosters every once in a while. Sarasota Ballet has been doing more and more of Ashton's work to acclaim. At it's best it needs a specific style and technique, and it's better seen by companies with experience than ones who throw it on the schedule every once in a while. The two big names in ballet today are Ratmansky and Wheeldon. Peck and Scarlett are the up-and-comers. Lots of companies have house choreographers or very good choreographers on staff or among the dancers, but, unfortunately, their work is limited to home audiences.

Almost no companies announce casting when subscriptions are available. ABT is a rare exception, and then people buy tickets and are unhappy when the casting turns out to be a pipe dream of many months before. (As a teenager I remember grabbing the Arts Section from the NYT every Sunday as soon as it got into the house when there was a possibility that the ABT casting ad had been published that morning. Even if I knew I wasn't going to be able to see any of it.) The Mariinsky will sometimes announce principal casting on their schedule, like "Uliana Lopatkina in "SWAN LAKE"," but not in any regular fashion or timing. Bolshoi casting is hit or miss in terms of timing. The term "Ballet Alert! was invented by Arlene Croce as an invented answering machine info service that announced NYCB casting as it came up very close to performances. Balanchine famously thought people should come to ballets instead of casts, but relented and NYCB used to cast a week in advance. Before the internet, that meant going to the theater and perusing the cast lists posted next to each side of the main doors, and keeping yours elbows sharp to get close enough to see it. It was better as a two-person operation: one to stand in line, and the other to get the casting info. I remember when PNB followed a similar policy: I had to go up to the receptionist at the Phelps Center (the ballet studios and offices building next to what was then the Opera House), who had a clipboard with casting. I remember that one woman grabbed the clipboard away from me and wanted to know why I wanted to know. I said I have a subscription on [whatever day it was at the time], and I'm not going to buy single tickets unless I know I can see the different casts. (That was my NYCB standing room approach). She relented, but I don't think she was convinced that I just wasn't trying to see all of Patricia Barker's performances. (She was usually cast in everything, so the odds of seeing her were high anyway.) In the US where there are AGMA contracts, like PA ballet, there's a clause that says the latest that the dancers can be notified of the casting. Casting is often not completed until that date or close to it. This could, of course, change, if Corella wants to announce and/or cast earlier. The dancers are rehearsing, so they know at least what roles they're up for, but they don't know how they'll be shifted around due to injuries/illness or what days they'll be dancing, and even if they do know, I'd guess they are discouraged from sharing that except to tell their family whether or not to fly out to see them, and sometimes even that isn't settled. At PNB it's 10 days before, and, unless they're swamped, they post the casting to the website for the public two Tuesdays before the Friday opening, and two Mondays or Tuesdays before week two Thursday. Sometimes they'll make an exception and post both weeks (or for Nutcracker, multiple weeks) at once. If there's a big guest star coming, then a company might announce that they'll be dancing Ballet X, and maybe that they'll dance opening night. (This happens for small, semi-professional companies and schools that bring pros, often returning local heros, in for Nutcracker or one of the classics.) As far as social media is concerned, sometimes companies encourage it, and sometimes they don't, and the dancers feel various degrees of safe and/or interested in having a social media presence. Only a select few dancers like Diana Vishneva reveal casting dates on their websites/blogs/Facebook Page before a company posts/confirms the casting. With so many changes in leadership at PA Ballet, I think the dancers will try to find out what new management thinks of social media before they continue or join the fray. I'd suggest going to the performance with as few preconceptions about dancers as possible and to avoid seeing what category they're in (Principal, Soloist, Corps). Many companies in the US delay promotions because they don't have the cash, and you can see people who are lower-ranked on paper do top-level work. You'll see new stars emerging, dancers who are great in a role or type of ballet that aren't promoted because they might not be as versatile, and even if you think you hate a dancer you've seen in A, you might like that dancer in another ballet, or they might change your mind.

I don't think there's any standard yet, to be honest. I think that employers are playing it by ear. It also depends on the industry. If a ballet company is trying to be edgy, it might encourage more outre things on social media, especially if there's a token outre person or two. If it's more conservative, the same behavior would be frowned upon.

The problem with many of the classical ballets is that there are so many versions, and some are a lot better than the others. Even when they're both great -- for example, Ratmansky's "Don Quichot," which is available on DVD and for download, and the Cuban National Ballet's "Don Quixote" are very different, even if the "greatest hits" are the same or similar (Kitri's variation, last act PDD.) The Bolshoi's "Raymonda" is a different kettle of fish than the Mariinsky's "Raymonda," except for parts of the third Act and at least one of Raymonda's variations. On the other hand, even though many classical companies do very different "after Petipa" ballets -- "Swan Lake," "Sleeping Beauty," "La Bayadere," "Le Coraire," "Giselle" (which he saved from extinction and changed), "Raymonda," "Paquita," the latter two, often in suites or single act versions -- you can say you've "seen" the ballet, and if you really love it, you can seek out other versions instead of going broad. (Petipa's name has been stuck to a lot of interesting things.) I love what I've seen of the Mariinsky's reconstruction of "Sleeping Beauty," but they decided to go back to the version that was classic for the current roster. Romeo and Juliet was never a Petipa ballet, and there are a ton of versions. There isn't a "sacred" text, although there's a great version (Lavrosky) with Galina Ulanova made specifically as a film. The Macmillan R&J is widely performed and the one you'd likely see in NYC. I have a thing for Rudi van Dantzig's that's often available on YouTube, but I don't know if anyone performs it. Ib Andersen did a wonderful production for Ballet Arizona, but the only place to which I know it has toured is Kansas City, which is a shame. If you have a chance to see Ashton's or Mark Morris' "Sylvia", do. They are very different, but each worth watching. ABT does the Ashton. The Morris was created for San Francisco Ballet, and it hasn't been revived in years. Of those ballets, if you want to see the standard text, your best chances are "Jewels," Robbins' "Afternoon of Faun" or any of the "after Nijinsky" versions, "Les Sylphides," Cranko's "Onegin," "Spectre de la Rose," or the Ashton "La Fille mal gardee." These were done within living memory or have been passed down in specific versions, often controlled by family trusts or foundations, usually rather strictly. Aside from "updates" of the classics, "Firebird" and "Rite of Spring" can be anything, and you're not going to a definitive version, unless it's a Folkine "Firebird," or something like the Joffrey reconstruction of "Rite," which most aren't: each choreographer makes it his or her own. You have to go out of your way to not see "Nutcracker" starting in December (and November in some places).

In this case, Ghomeshi made a deliberate post for all to see, especially his employer, to get out in front of the issue. It may have failed or backfired, but it wasn't the casual or impulsive use of Facebook that got him fired or in a heap of trouble, which is how most people get themselves in trouble. That kind of casual carelessness is what brought on his latest issues: Ghomeshi used CBC phone to send lewd messages to women, source says Were he being careful, he would have used his own phone, and then his employer wouldn't "own" everything that happens on his phone.

As a dancer Lund had all of the virtuosity, albeit a quiet and understated one, and all of the technique, but this was his genius, and I'm so glad he inspired the company to imbue the ballet with the same. Thank you so much for the vivid description, Anne!

I saw "Pippin" in high school, but after Ben Vereen left the production. I don't think I'd see it again: I'd rather just listen to the original cast album. It definitely has adolescent angst appeal.

A new video with excerpts from a "Debonair" rehearsal:

First weekend casting was posted to the website this afternoon: http://www.pnb.org/Season/14-15/DirectorsChoice/#Casting As always, casting is subject to change. The pattern for first weekend is Friday Opening Night cast dances "Before After," "Rassemblement," and "Debonair" at the Saturday matinee, and "A Million Kisses to My Skin" on Saturday night. A new cast dances the first three on Saturday night and "A Million Kisses..." at the Saturday matinee. The only overlap I see is that Raphael Bouchard partners both Elizabeth Murphy and Angelic Generosa in "Before After." PNB performed "A Million Kisses to My Skin," "Before After," and "Rassemblement" at Jacob's Pillow this summer, which is why dancers we haven't seen in these roles in Seattle aren't listed as debuts. Here's the spreadsheet: Director's Choice 30 Oct.xlsx (You don't have to be logged in to download it.) Back after missing "Jewels": Benjamin Griffiths, Sarah Ricard Orza. Had children starting this summer and not back, at least first weekend: Maria Chapman (July), Kylee Kitchens (August), Rachel Foster (September). Not cast first weekend: Karel Cruz, James Moore (was Generosa's partner in Before After in Jacob's Pillow), Seth Orza, Laura Tisserand, Leta Biasucci, Kiyon Gaines, Jessika Anspach, Christian Poppe, Brittany Reid, Dylan Wald.

Thank you for posting that, PeggyR -- that is a good deal!

Simkin retweeted the following post with a wonderful photo portrait: https://twitter.com/AlbertAyzenberg/status/527192216876638208

I think it's gorgeous. Thank you so much for posting the link!

MMDG just posted to Facebook: From the MMDG website: Program A (April 22 and 24): Pacific Grand Duo Words New Work -- world premiere Program B (April 23, 25, and 26): Spring, Spring, Spring -- NY premiere Crosswalk Jenn and Spencer The description for Spring, Spring, Spring: http://www.bam.org/dance/2015/mark-morris-dance-group

It's nice to see that Darci Kistler staged "Swan Lake," since she was recognized as a future star from her own performance of the role in the Workshop.

Arianni Martin will dance Odette/Odile in Ballet Arizona's "Swan Lake" this weekend: http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/arts/2014/10/24/good-evil-take-flight-swan-lake/17834649/

Ruth Bader Ginsberg saw the opera and has weighed in: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/10/28/on-the-death-of-klinghoffer-justice-ginsburg-finds-for-the-defense/