Helene

The last one reminded me of the So You Think You Can Dance auditioners who are highlighted every year and told to take lessons, and they're almost always guys. I thought it was real at first, but it turned out to be a double parody.

Yes, it's Generosa in yellow. "Take Five" is a crowd-pleasing opener that features a lot of dancers and puts the audience in a mood to celebrate.

Casting is up for Encores: http://www.pnb.org/Season/13-14/Encore/#Casting Nakamura will dance the "Romeo et Juliette" pas de deux with James Moore, the Act IV pas de deux from "Swan Lake" with Seth Orza, and the Rose Adagio from :"Sleeping Beauty." Andrew Bartee is featured in the Bee Man solo in "Emergence," and Liora Neuville will dance the Bluebird pas de deux with Benjamin Griffiths.

Congratulations to him

Full Principal casting is up for both weeks, and Moyna and Zulme have been added for both weeks. Sarah Ricard Orza and William Li-Yee will perform twice: they are now scheduled for the Sunday matinee final regular season performance on 8 June as well as their debuts on Thursday, 5 June. Chelsea Adomaitis makes her main stage debut as Myrtha on Sunday afternoon. Also making debuts second weekend are Margaret Mullin and James Moore in the Peasant Pas de Deux on Friday, 6 June and Angelica Generosa and Kyle Davis in the Peasant Pas de Deux at the Saturday matinee 7 June (2pm). http://www.pnb.org/Season/13-14/Giselle/#Casting Giselle Performance Casting Wks 1 & 2.xls

And the original that's being parodied, an ad that has had ballet teachers and institutions calling out the lack of technique and training all across social media:

It's taken me a long time to read this book. I loved "Striking a Balance," but "Never Far from Dancing" was not nearly as enjoyable: for the most part, it was a catalog of mostly three complaints: 1. Dancers now have it good 2. Dancers now don't do things right 3. Current choreography is awful. (I almost tossed the book in the garbage after reading Desmond Kelly's "We sucked up injuries in my day" rant.) There were three notable exceptions: Alicia Alonso, Antoinette Sibley, whose voice hasn't changed, and Nina Ananiashvili, who was still dancing and running her company when the last interviews were done. Ananiashvili was the one who still sounded so live, it was a pleasure and a joy to "hear" her. For the most part, it was a depressing read.

Yikes -- Poklitaru choreographed the drecklich "Romeo and Juliet" that the Bolshoi brought to Seattle.

Thank you so much for the feedback, Bonnette! I hope that's everyone's experience . I've been having luck so far on my Mac (Lion) and Windows 8.1 tablet with Firefox 29.0.1 and Chrome 34.0.1847.137 for each OS, too. I haven't tried IE yet.

NYCB just https://twitter.com/nycballet/status/467033154042486785https://twitter.com/nycballet/status/467033154042486785: We're having a bit of a whoo-hoo moment... @MagnoliaPics has picked up #BALLET422 for North American distribution!

I'll be poking around to see if I need to re-update anything. Please let me know if you see anything that doesn't look or work like before.

I always remember that solo to a piano, but I see from the Kennedy Center video it was to a harp. The solo was, indeed, the last piece McBride performed at her retirement performance, one of the most gracious gestures I've ever seen.

I'm afraid we couldn't get this done today. I'll try again tomorrow.

IPS will inform me if it can't be done today, and when it's over. Until then, assume it could start any minute, and anything posted until it's over could be lost.

Congratulations to all of the dancers who've been promoted and accepted into Ballet West II Madison Sugg is one of PNB's PD students, and we've gotten to see her in a number of corps roles. A shout-out to her as she prepares to join her new company!

Gary Tucker graciously has sent us Principal casting for Week 1 and Giselle/Albrecht casting for Week 2. (It's not yet up on the website.) As always, this is subject to change. Kaori Nakamura, Lesley Rausch, and Carla Korbes reprise Giselle. Sarah Ricard Orza and William Lin-Yee debut as Giselle and Albrecht in a single performance on Thursday, June 5. Jerome Tisserand debuts as Albrecht, partnering Nakamura. Batkhurel Bold, who partnered Lesley Rausch in 2011, will be Korbes' Albrecht this year; he will also dance Hilarion (with Nakamura/Tisserand). Rausch's Albrecht is Seth Orza, who partnered Rachel Foster in 2011. Lin-Yee is cast Wilfride, Hilarion, and Albrecht In the three performances for first weekend, the three Myrtha's reprise their roles: Imler (with Nakamura/Tisserand), Dec (with Rausch/Orza) and Gilbreath (with Korbes/Bold). Lin-Yee and Moore are new to Hilarion; Moore was injured in 2011. Jonathan Porretta is back and dancing Peasant Pas de Deux with Leta Biasucci. Kaori Nakamura dances Opening Night, and her second and last Giselle will be the June 7 Saturday matinee. Giselle Performance Casting (Partial).xls

There will be Q&A's after each performance. Please note that the non-subscription performance is Saturday, June 7 at 2pm.

The first related events are this coming weekend: Friday Preview: Friday, May 16, 6:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle [indent=1=Join us for an hour-long preview led by Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB artistic staff, featuring Company dancers rehearsing excerpts from Giselle. PNB’s popular Friday Previews offer an up-close view of the Company preparing to put dance on stage. Tickets are $12 each and may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. (These events usually sell out in advance.) Friday Previews are sponsored by U.S. Bank. SEMINAR: Giselle: New Designs for PNB’s Stellar Production Saturday, May 17, 3:00 pm
 The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle
 Peter Boal has commissioned Jérôme Kaplan (Roméo et Juliette, Don Quixote) to design new sets and costumes to complement PNB’s unique staging of Giselle. Hear from Boal and PNB’s team of artists about the process of designing and building the scenery and costumes for this historically-informed production, while viewing a selection of sketches, fabric swatches, costumes, scenic models, and props. Tickets are $25 ($20 for PNB subscribers) and may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. ABOUT THE DESIGNER: Jérôme Kaplan was born in Paris and studied scenic design at L’Ecole de la Rue Blanche. In 1991 Mr. Kaplan met the choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot and discovered the world of dance. He went on to design sets and costumes for numerous Les Ballets de Monte Carlo ballets including, L’enfant et les Sortilèges, Roméo et Juliette, Cendrillon (Cinderella), Casse-Noisette Circus, Œil pour Œil (Eye for Eye), and Scheherazade. He also created the costumes for Raise the Red Lantern for the National Ballet of China in Beijing. He has also worked for Opera of Strasbourg, Shanghai Ballet, National Ballet of Finland, National Ballet of Korea, Royal Opera of Stockholm, and Northern Ballet. In 2010, Mr. Kaplan created sets and costumes for Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote for Dutch National Ballet and Christopher Wheeldon’s Tornerose (Sleeping Beauty) for the Royal Danish Ballet. In 2011, he designed sets and costumes for the world premiere of Ratmansky’s Lost Illusions (Les Illusions Perdues) at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, winning the 2012 Golden Mask award for Best Costume Designer. BALLET PREVIEW — FREE Tuesday, May 27, 12:00 noon Central Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle Join PNB for a free lunch-hour preview lecture at the Central Seattle Public Library. Education Programs Manager Doug Fullington will offer insights about Giselle, complete with video excerpts. FREE of charge. PNB LECTURE SERIES & DRESS REHEARSAL Thursday, May 29, 2014 6:00 pm Lecture, Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall 7:00 pm Dress Rehearsal, McCaw Hall Join Artistic Director Peter Boal and guests during the hour preceding the dress rehearsal to discuss PNB’s new production of Giselle. Attend the lecture only or stay for the dress rehearsal. Tickets may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. LISTEN TO THE BALLET! PNB partners with 98.1 Classical KING FM to bring listeners some of the world’s most popular ballet scores, featuring the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra live from McCaw Hall. Tune in to KING FM (98.1 fm or king.org/listen) for an opening weekend performance of Giselle on Saturday, May 31 at 7:30 pm. PRE-PERFORMANCE LECTURES Join Education Programs 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.

I thought I had already created a "Giselle" thread, so sorry for the lateness. Here's the press release: “Pacific Northwest Ballet’s renovated Giselle…sparkled with details that re-contextualized this story in surprising and satisfying ways.” -- DANCE Magazine SEATTLE, WA – Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal’s radiant reconstruction of Giselle drew international accolades when it premiered in 2011. (“A Giselle of exceptional interest. The production is rich in detail, both intelligent and eloquent. Pacific Northwest Ballet has made Giselle live anew.” --New York Theatre Wire) PNB’s production marked the first time an American ballet company had based a production on Stepanov notation as well as the first use in modern times of the rare French sources for Giselle. Now, to close PNB’s 41st season, Giselle reappears newly adorned in luxurious 19th century costumes and scenery, conceived and designed by Jérôme Kaplan (Don Quixote, Roméo et Juliette). Giselle runs for eight performances only, May 30 through June 8 at Seattle Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $28 and may be purchased by calling the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, in person at 301 Mercer Street, or online at PNB.org. A masterpiece of the Romantic era, Giselle tells the story of a beautiful peasant girl wooed by a duke disguised as a villager. When the duke’s identity and real betrothal to a noblewoman is revealed, the deception causes Giselle to die of a broken heart. In Act 2, her spirit is called from the grave to join classical ballet’s most iconic apparitions – the Wilis – a ghostly sisterhood of maidens doomed to haunt the night in their bridal gowns. In collaboration with Mr. Boal, who has overseen the entire staging, Marian Smith concentrated on the French sources and their use for the action of the ballet, and Doug Fullington reconstructed choreography using the Stepanov notations. Mr. Boal has also taken into account the rich performance history of Giselle in fashioning a production that both honors the past and appeals to today’s audience. “Comparable to an epic film for its sweep, character development, story lines and visual stimuli. The outstanding Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Emil de Cou, brought newfound beauty to the score.” -- Los Angeles Times “Marvelous. The most striking thing about Pacific Northwest Ballet’s new Giselle is how it teems with life. The world of Giselle and her tragic story comes newly and vividly alive.” -- Dancing Times (UK) ABOUT THE PRODUCTION Libretto: Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier Music: Adolphe Adam, with additional music by Friedrich Burgmüller, Ludwig Minkus, and Cesare Pugni Choreography: Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, and Marius Petipa, with additional choreography by Peter Boal Staging: Peter Boal Choreography Reconstruction: Doug Fullington Historical Adviser: Marian Smith Scenic and Costume Design: Jérôme Kaplan Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli Original Production Premiere: June 28, 1841; Ballet du Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique (Paris), choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot Petipa Production Premiere: February 5, 1884; Imperial Ballet (St. Petersburg), choreography by Marius Petipa (after Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot) PNB Premiere (Peter Boal Production): June 3, 2011; new production May 30, 2014 Running Time: Two hours and 10 minutes (including one intermission)

We received a query about Sharone Filone, former director of Lake Erie Ballet. Please feel free to respond to this thread, or if you prefer to contact the person directly, please send email to "Contact Us," and we will forward your email.

Froustey is on a one-year sabbatical from Paris Opera Ballet. Her decision to leave or stay has significant financial as well as career ramifications.

The Baryshnkov/McBride Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux was recorded in the studio and is on one of the "Choreography by Balanchine" DVD's. It was excerpted for the Balanchine doc aired on PBS.

I'm planning to request the upgrade Wednesday morning Pacific Time.

"Never" also ignores the rich and varied rep created for the company by Tudor, deMille, Balanchine, Robbins and later Feld and Tetley, as well as Folkine's works and Tudor's extensive coaching, not to mention the American dancers who were the early stars of the company. Even in the '70's during the Makarova/Nagy vs.Fracci/Bruhn debates, there were many performances of mixed bills in the spring/summer season among the "Swan Lakes" and "Giselles."