Memo

It will make a great film. It's a beautiful piece of material. I loved the book and cant wait to see it as a film.

Thanks for the reminder I just bought my tickets

I have seen it, it was shown on TV it is really really lovely and Alina Cojocaru is very expressive and beautiful. Its a lovely production.

I am hoping to see her in person too. I have seen her on video and she is very special to watch. Being on the west coast I hope to see her in person this season.

Anyone have any insight as to why ABT is all of sudden seems to be being turned down by the YAGP winners. Does ABT need to be offering a company contract. Has the standard become that high? Seems that neither winner took up the ABT studio company this year.

The end of "Dances at a Gathering" does it for me. And the Act I curtain for Giselle. And yes, the right Act II curtain, too - major blub. And I can cry at proper apotheoses in Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, too.

I am with you Mel. The first act of Giselle if done right can really get me. If the storytelling is done well the situation for all involved is so tragic.

Also when Alexandra Ferri sits on the end of the bed in Romeo and Juliet. The music swells and she is motionless with Juliets thoughts and emotions carrying the moment. It is all internal and is so powerful at that moment.

Just sometimes the feeling of being in the Theater (somewhere legandary like the Royal Opera House, The Met, or the City Center, the buzz of the crowd and the feeling of being there with so many ballet lovers really gives me the shivers and makes me well up thinking how lucky I am to be alive and right there at that moment. The anticipation of the moment.

I knew my son at 11 was hooked when I took him to a peformance of ABT and turned at some pointe to see him with tears rolling down his cheeks. When I asked if he was OK he answered "its so good". I knew at that point he was hooked!

Here is ours. We will miss him dearly and have fond memories of the time he spent with us and us with him.

I took class with him for the first time at the Stanley Holden Dance Center when I was 15 years old. I took my son to his classes when he was 15 so it went full circle for me. He had been master teaching at Los Angeles Ballet Academy since September. Although our students were always encouraged to attend his classes at CDT whenever they could. We were honored to have him in our midst.

Los Angeles Ballet Academy

Irish dancers who dont do Ballet at all.

It seems odd to me that these huge groups come in to do Grand Prix, they are not ballet dancers they obviously pay the fees but do not take a class all week (I hope they enjoy NY and have time to Party) and then come in and do an Irish or a cabaret dance at the competition and win.

All the ballet dancers however dance ALL WEEK deal with jet lag, classes, sore feet, blisters, pointe shoes, tired muscles, scholarship classes with 100 people on stage at 9am and compete till 10pm and then do the ensemble competition on the last day> (Which their teachers have also been rehearsing them all week for, while in NY) and then these novelty groups get to walk in and take away one of the prizes.

I know life is not fair but Makes all the hard work seem...............ughhhhh........I dont know.

I wonder why as non ballet dancers you would fly a huge group into to NY to perform. One of the YAGP teachers mentioned to us that the YAGP set up classes but there were about 150 ensemble members who never showed to a class and those that did do not dance ballet. So there sat a teacher, pianist, and studio space with noone to take class. I have heard that Brazil is a poor country and I wonder how all those dancers afford to fly in for it when it is not their style of dance. You would think they would be spending their money to take them to an international clogging competition to take related classes and compete against their peers?

There are some fantastic Ballet dancers who participate in the competition who are from Brazil there are obviously some very strong schools down there. I wonder if these dancers are from the same schools commercial dance division or from schools that specialize in this type of style of dance.

They are very very big and very good there is no denying that, but seem out of place in this environment and is hard on the ballet dancers. (If that is relevant.)

Lovely description, I would see both.

I would try to see Nunoz or Cojucaru.

Does anyone know anything about their tour of Mexico. I have a sister there who I would love to buy a ticket for for a birthday gift. If anyone has input on anyway to order those online I would really appreciate the feedback.

Well I think that ABT decided to offer another dancer a contract and wanted to do it publically. This young man was entered in the Senior division and was in the final round. They also wanted the Grand Prix winner to be only one person but found another dancer they wanted to offer a contract to.

Last year ABT caused much controversy, because they awarded an honorary grand prix to someone who was not entered in the Senior solo division. This year it was awarded to a competitor who did not necessarily come in with the highest score (this is me speculating now) but was a dancer who had the qualities that ABT is looking for, for Studio Company. They also awarded him a scholarship to the JKO school. My assumption is that he had the qualities they were looking for and want him at the school till Sept and then he will join the Studio Company when it resumes. (the Studio Company had their final perf during YAGP week). The level of the men in the senior final was extremely high anyone could have walked away with that contract I think it just depended on what type of dancer style wise, height wise, quality wise, they happened to be looking for that fit well with their current troupe.

Since the rules clearly state that the ABT can offer the contract to any dancer that they want (as opposed to the highest scoring competitor) this seems fair and legitimate to me.

Have added a few more to my post that I had originally forgotten. As I got some sleep after the week there and regained consiousness I remember a couple of other performances that were in there. My she packed alot into that first half didnt she!

Moderator's note: Edited to link to Memo's previous list of who danced what.

Yes with just a little taste of what I saw last week. I would love to see her in a full length ballet.

Wow I remember seeing her at "Starpower" dance competitions as 10 years old doing very sophisticated Jazz movement with lots of rheinstones and glitter! ha ha. The room used to fill when she went onstage she was such a phenom for her age. It is amazing that she made the transition (while in NY doing broadway) to classical ballet and ended up where she is now. Amazing and exciting.

Green green green.

What a golden opportunity for those fortunate enough to be in Texas at the time. The stars appearing are the cream of RB's crop. Cojocaru is well known, but Nunez is wonderful (a favorite of mine), and Galeazzi is multi faceted. Kobborg is also well known but don't overlook Soares who is terrific. Enjoy!

Memo, I had to laugh at your predicament! Been there, done that, close to self-mutilation.

Giannina

Can ya bellieve it!!!!! Its not all bad I will be seeing a RBS end of year performance at the Opera House.

I did see Nunez and Soares at the YAGP Gala last week and I agree she is devine! I would love to see her in a full length ballet and Sleeping Beauty seems like a perfect fit. How exciting for San Antonio.

Wow this is great for San Antonio. I would love to see the Sleeping Beauty but unfortunately I will be in ENGLAND at that time!

In one breath, you're calling them all winnners;

Thanks its the mom for your words.

I believe pj was the one who brought up Boris's quote if you look back at my posts you will see that it was not me.

I think you are just pulling one comment out of my post and making an issue out of it. I had my likes and dislikes about the performance and about the competition in general. It is just my opinion.

If we cannot express opinions then there is no discussion. I think this forum is different to BT for dancers and It would be a shame to see this thread closed because of this.

All dancers who perform in public are open to critique it comes with the territory.

I certainly did not post to begin a controversy.

The person writing the original post likely did not intend it this way, but the post itself simply implies that only the top 3 would be the "winners." The question raised was about how it was possible for someone in the top 12 to perform in gala if all dancers from the top 3 in every category was not able to perform. The post I left was merely to say that it appears that yagp labeled the "winners" as those in top 12. Afterall, some use of labels seems logical, particularly since it was a "competition." So I hope that my reply to that specific aspect of the post did not start the process of changing the topic to semantics and/or the use of the word "winner," as I did not mean to lead into this topic at all.

It our shared sentiment and loyalty about all dancers which allows use to view them as all being the winners in our minds, if not in ceremony.

Well if you are refering to my post. I was trying to report and who I saw, what they danced and a bit of editorial comment on my opinion on the performances all in one. I think there were people at the gala who had not sat at the competition with a program and was trying to make it easier for them to figure out who was who.

I felt that the young ladies contemporary was not anything out of the ordinary and seemed out of place in the line up. I felt the same way about Whitney Jenson and her partner doing the pas de deux I would like to have seen the first or second place pas de deux winners which I did not see at the competition. I heard that they were really excellent.

I have seen Larissa put up pieces that did not even make the final round that were interesting and different and worked really well. Obviously Larissa thought differently and it is her show. She always does an awesome job I just felt it was out of place in the line-up.

correction: The young girl from the Rock school who did her contemporary in the gala was Sara Michelle Murawski. She was a top 12 senior, and it seems that they consider the entire top 12 group to be the 'winners.'

We also saw a young lady from the Rock School do her Contemporary I think she was

Kristie Latham, (16) The Rock School for Dance Education, Pennsylvania/USA but I was not sure where that fit in since there were still winners that did not perform.

I stand corrected. I was not sure about that one. Thanks.

No he did not but he won a scholarship to JKO and I speculate that they want him there till the contract begins in Sept with Studio Company. He was quite a stand out with his height and his beautiful feet but was not the strongest dancer in the competition. ABT seems to be really going after the very tall boys at the moment and also took a very tall boy from RBS this year. They look for potential and he definitely has it.

May I add a few things. Sorry if it has already been said

Abrera and Radetsky did not perform

Orlando Ballet School performed and were announced as outstanding school 2007 which is incorrect they were outstanding school 2006. The outstanding school 2007 was named as The Rock School. This performance at the Gala by Orlando Ballet School was unfortunately less than outstanding.

The Solos were performed by the pre competitve winner

Paulina Guraieb Sbella, (10) Fomento Artistico Cordobes, Mexico

EDITED TO ADD a very small and very dinamic Japanese boy who was the Jr 1st place winner

Tomoha Terada, (12) Tanaka Ballet Art, Japan

We also saw The Junior Grand Prix winner

Kiril Kulish, (12) San Diego Academy of Ballet, California/USA

(la Corsaire)

Contemporary dance prize winner (for whom at the awards there was no "prize" given to her) they actually called her up on stage said "we actually have nothing to give you so just stand there and have your moment" the contemporary dance prize has been awarded at several competition shame she will return to South Africa without even a certificate to show for her hard work.

Camille Bracher, (15) Ballet Theatre Afrikan, South Africa

and Outstanding European dancer

Telmo Higino Gomes Moreira, (15) Escola de Danca do Conservatorio Nacional, Portugal

both did their contemporary solos

We also saw a young lady from the Rock School do her Contemporary I think she was

Kristie Latham, (16) The Rock School for Dance Education, Pennsylvania/USA but I was not sure where that fit in since there were still winners that did not perform.

MAY I ALSO ADD THAT WE SAW

Ryan Steele, (16) Dance Dynamics Performing Arts Center, Michigan/USA

he danced a contemporary piece by Carlos Dos Santos Jr

Womens Junior 1st place winner

Megumi Horiuchi, (14) Kaneta Kouno Ballet Academy, Japan

Harlequinade

Womens Senior 3rd place winner

Aurora Dickie, (18) Pavilhàod – Centro De Artes, Brazil

Don Q

Mens 2nd place (tie) winner I believe the website is incorrect he tied for 2nd not third.

Young Gyu Choi, (16) Tanz Akademie Zurich Taz, Switzerland

La Syllphide (in my opinion of the standout performances of the competition.)

We saw Witney Jenson and Reyes Reyneris perform the pas de deuz from the Pharoh's Daughter

There participated in the pas de deux competition (him as a non competing partner) but did not place.

The young man who did the Acteons solo from Diana and Acteon was the first place mens winner was indeed

Jim Nowakowski, (17) The Timothy M. Draper Center for Dance Education, New York/USA

Diana in Acteon

Jim and his partner also won the pas de deux competition. Outstanding everytime he sets foot on the stage.

Then we saw the Senior Grand Prix Winner

Melissa Hamilton, (18) Greece

La Bayadere

Excuse me I do not have them in correct order but 2 large ensemble groups also performed one was

Dance World made in Takane, Japan, "Ballad - Deep in My Heart" (that placed in second) their peice involve spinning chairs.

and

Formento Artistico Cordobes, Mexico, "Muy Dentro De La Tierra" the First place large ensembel winner

very large group of nymphs which sent the Mexican contingent in the audience wild.

Hope this helps.

The second act in my opinion is the best $150 I have spent in a while. It was inspiring and a wonderful opportunity to see some dancers I may never have the chance to see again in my lifetime.

When mentioning Marianela Nunoz's pirouettes which were eye popping I would like to add that their artistry and port de bras held just as much impact as her amazing fouettes. And their partnering was so smooth and elegant it really was artistry partnered with brilliance.

Memo

But given all the depth of ABT's principal male contingent, with or without Stiefel, I can't say that Radetsky commands the charisma and star power of men like Corella, Gomes, Carreno, Cornejo, Bocca (now departed), or Hallberg.

First of all Center stage was several years ago now, he has grown alot since them. Secondly most of the dancers you mentioned above (except maybe Hallberg) are a fair bit older than Sasha. Hopefully he will mature into a soulful dancer because he certainly has the skill.

I think that another young dancer to watch out for in the future is Jared Matthews. Though still in the corps he always stands out. I think he is a thinking dancer with alot of potential.

Any news yet?

I was at Sylvia on Sunday. I loved the costumes and set for the production. The corps work was the most enjoyable part of the production. The ABT corps seems to me to be the best in years. David Halburg is a star in the making. I really thought he did a wonderful job. I was however dissappointed in Michele Wiles performance. She seemed very tentative and almost afraid to use the stage. I know that Ashton Chor has a certain control and restraint to it, but I really felt she missed the mark on the interpretation of the role and technically I thought the performance was weak. There was alot of missed partnering. The landings were heavy and the arabesque lines were uninspiring.

I wonder if anyone else saw it and has input.

Bart, the short answer is that it really depends on the school, and within each school, it often depends to a large extent on the teacher, too.

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David Howard believes that turning is a feeling or a knack and can be taught in a free form and then tidied up later. I think that a combination of both works. One must work technically to avoid any bad habits but if the dancers dont sometimes try it (for better or for worse) they never get it.

What are the panels thoughts?