oberon

I went on a cold, rather desolate day. This installation is not offensive nor is it inspiring. I thought it might look better in Summer.

It's the final week already...

Yes, between Kowroski & Reichlin is was a night for great gams at NYCB...

Hmm...

In the last year or so there have been an endless number of injuries. The only good thing about it is when they COME BACK from injury, like recently Kristen Sloan...honestly, I never expected to see her again onstage, and what a lovely dancer she is. It's funny because I didn't realize she was back and actually saw her onstage before I had checked the roster...I thought I was hallucinating! This season I am missing (big time) Abi, Somogyi, Borree, Pascale, Hankes, Laracey, Knapp, Labean & Marcovici. On the other hand, Korbes, Krohn and Philip Neal are back on the boards and that is good. So many dancers that have left are really missed, especially (to my mind) Samantha Allen, the Tracey sisters, Natanya, McBrearty, Ash, & Lindy Mandradjieff. And I really liked Robert Tewsley. The happiest return, for me, was Edwaard Liang's...

You said it, perky! Only at NYCB...Balanchine gives the corps things to do that really challenge them and you watch certain people to see how they bring it off. I mean, you just have to see the things he demands of the corps - as individuals - in a given ballet...it's not easy stuff; there's very little standing about. Other choreographers working there find this big pool of talent and know they can ask for "more" in their works. The other reason why I think NYCBs corps dancers are better known to us as individuals than the dancers at ABT is, the Met is just waaaaaay too big for dance. I'm sure there's wonderful kids in the ABT corps but you just feel so far away from them, it's hard to really know who is who. For a company that supposedly "just dances" there are huge, charismatic personalities among the NYCB corps dancers...you mentioned three outstanding dancers but really there are so many. This season some of the newer kids started to assert themselves as well (Hyltin, Scheller, Paradiso to name just three).

Thursday 2/17 EMERALDS again wove its spell...it is very refined and introverted and so tends not to grab the audience. Rutherford and Hanna have ironed out some slight partnering issues since the first performance, he now somewhat more solicitous and she somewhat more yielding. Both danced their solo passages with the right poetic feeling. Sylve is larger and more sophisticated than Ringer, but perhaps less intoxicating. Jon Stafford looked fine partnering her. In the Pas de Trois, Dronova and Keenan danced very well and Antonio Carmena practically stole the entire show with his gallant, sturdy presence and technical assurance...he so clearly displays the joy of dancing. Millepied & Weese brought out the witty, jazzy inflections in RUBIES...they may be a slight mis-match physically but they really looked like they were having fun. And tossing off the bravura passages with a sort of casual brilliance. Reichlin looks great and danced with clarity; the three pencees were not quite as steady as last week but she sure knows how to hold the stage. Maria K & Philip Neal were both at their best in DIAMONDS; Philip seemed nearly back to pre-injury form, lighter and more buoyant, while his partnering gave Maria total freedom...her extension is uncanny yet never seems forced, and she seemed to be taking a more lyrical approach than the last time I saw her in the role....a bit softer and more sustained in the arms and upper body. One unbelievable balance just about killed me. It was an exciting performance which the (very large) audience showered with applause. Saskia Beskow looked so striking among the DIAMOND demi-solistes...and in the corps, Korbes stood out for musicality and a feeling of quiet rapture. All night, the corps seemed especially strong. This season I've been watching Andrew Veyette quite a bit...he is a clean dancer and a good partner and an all-American guy who works hard to fine effect. Another person I've been noticing is Katie Bergstrom...very pretty dancer. Everyone, in fact, was looking good.

Yes...great writing, Ari...and you've hit several excellent points. Amanda, I agree that promotions cause jealousies and hurt feelings among other dancers who are passed over..some of this I know first-hand. It also can make the unpromoted dancers try harder, as carbro states. Sometimes it seems that promotions are based on talent, some on the needs of the Company (needing tall boys, or shorter girls as the case may be, to dance with established "stars"); and others as a reward for good, long & diligent service...in a way those are the nicest. As to the various nominations, I would like to add that Glenn Keenan is a delight, and I look forward to seeing her in EMERALDS tonight.

Treefrog, I wish you could have been there too! I am still trying to figure out the SHAMBARDS pas de deux...is he killing her or trying to save her? The first time I saw it, and heard the score quoting LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, I thought Wheeldon had lifted the scenario from that opera and that this was Lucia's brother being horrid to her. Now the segment looks oddly romantic to me - tempestuous, yes, but still romantic (great romances are often tempestuous, IMHO...) There is tenderness here, in a bizarre way...I guess the mystery is part of the attraction I feel towards the piece. Last night I was convinced it was Wheeldon's best work for NYCB to date. But DARK...dark, dark, dark...

{Note: the pencee girl in RUBIES often gets the biggest applause...it's that kind of role.} Wednesday 2/16 I had such a great time tonight, really it was probably the best performance I have seen during the winter season. When the curtain rose on SYMPHONY IN THREE MOVEMENTS, with its diagonal of girls in white, it was like a breath of fresh air. The ten demi solistes were super, especially Pauline Golbin...I wish Chris Wheeldon would fashion a role for her in his next ballet...she has massive star power. It is always great to see Albert Evans and in this pas de deux, he and Wendy are ideal...elegant and sexy. It also looked like Wendy really enjoyed her little fling with Jared Angle. Sylve was very impressive, and Jennifer Tinsley & Tom Gold danced with dynamic bounce. This ballet looked so clean & crisp, with touches of wit...the score, led by Andrea Quinn, is remarkable and Balanchine has used it to perfection. SHAMBARDS tonight was very powerful...it is possibly the darkest ballet I have ever seen. The score has an eerie undercurrent of foreboding, a creepy lyricism which might accompany a nightmare. But it is also very beautiful. Even the normally ebullient Joaquin de Luz and Daniel Ulbricht seem sinister as they emerge from the shadows looking like they are going to beat the crap out of someone. Fairchild strove valiantly to keep up with Bouder (a pointless effort since basically nobody dances like Ashley right now...) The gorgeous Carla Korbes & and the increasingly muscularized and charismatic Ask LaCour offered a very impressive partnership. The centerpiece of the ballet, the pas de deux for Jock & Miranda, was really compelling...the partnering so fluid yet always with that edge. Miranda looks so vulnerable & beautiful and Jock is - in a word - incredible. What will City Ballet be like when he has gone? They were given a wonderful reception, clearly enjoying their partnership...he kissed her hand and she seemed at one point about to swoon into his arms. Jock's frequent partners must be seeing June 19th closing in on them... I've always liked GLASS PIECES...yes, it has an 80's look but that's OK. The alien couples who drift among the crowd in the opening section included a radiant Rebecca Krohn...may we see her more often, in bigger roles? The other-worldy adagio, as danced by Wendy Whelan & Philip Neal, seems suspended in time...while the corps weaves a BAYADERE-like pattern across the rear of the stage, Wendy & Philip look like exotic angels. Their gestures were ideally matched and timed. The boys in the corps were especially impressive in the concluding segment.

When Pauline Golbin's marriage was announced in the NY Times a few years ago, she was referred to as a "Senior Corps dancer at NYCB..." which title doesn't really exist but which may have referred to her seniority or that she gets featured roles from time to time. In general, I don't think a fourth level would enhance the Company...

Canned music? Hmmmm... But glad to see Ansanelli appeared as she has missed a couple weeks at NYCB.

Perky, remember the old joke: "They x-rayed her head and found nothing"??? I think it's a great dream...maybe next you'll have a Rubies dream!!!

I was hoping this might be a week without cast changes, but already Liang has been replaced on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Saturday 2/12 evening Very large audience for this All-Robbins programme...repeats of FANFARE and ANDANTINO, and a spell-binding AFTERNOON OF A FAUN. The simplicity of this piece, with its thrice-familiar music, somehow always manages to draw me in; tonight we had an other-worldly Damian Woetzel and the extraordinary Janie Taylor, that rare ballerina who can be both frigid and smouldering at the same time. I don't know what her secret is, and I don't want to know...I love being mystified by her, as by Wendy Whelan. Between Taylor's hypnotic legs and her incredible hair, you cannot take your eyes off her...except that Damian radiates his own powerful sexuality and mystique. This was one of the highlights of the season. It's always disheartening to have a big slip of cast changes fall out of your programme...there were 4 in FOUR SEASONS and I was sorry that Eddie Liang and Carla Korbes were not on hand tonight...I didn't really expect to see Alexandra as she has been out for a couple of weeks, and also Ben Millepied did not dance. Jared Angle replaced Liang and was very good if a bit earth-bound in Spring, while Jenifer Ringer delivered a joyous, flowing performance...she's one of those ballerinas you could watch for hours at a time...a fascinating dancer. Rutherford replaced Korbes and she danced beautifully, as did Stephen Hanna...their partnering was not quite smooth, however, perhaps they didn't get much rehearsal. With Fall, a trio of virtuosos unleashed a barrage of pyrotechnics that astounded and delighted the audience. Anyone who hasn't yet succumbed to Bouder Fever needs only to see her in this ballet...speed, clarity, daring, and superb musicality all wrapped up in this petite package of balletic delights. The same might be said of Joaquin de Luz, whose blinding smile and casual command of the whole bravura vocabulary seemed to send shock waves thru the house. Not to be out-done, Antonio Carmena served up his own feast of treats, fearless and looking rightfully pleased with himself. As the climax of a fine night of dancing, I can't imagine anything that would be this much sheer fun.

Friday 2/11 After so many years and seeing it so many times, APOLLO still looks so clean and fresh. I'm sure the Nilas-bashers will find plenty to complain about in his performance, but I thought he was fine - he reminded me tonight more than ever of his father. Wendy replaced Darci and gave a performance of great clarity and musicality; Sylve and Rutherford were extremely attractive and danced beautifully. CHICHESTER PSALMS is unlike anything else in the repertoire; it is more of a ritual than a ballet. The rise of the curtain brought a sigh and wave of applause from the audience. Anyone who thinks NYCB's dancers aren't attractive only needs to see this ballet. I didn't know who to look at first, they all looked incredible. Korbes & Ramasar danced with sustained lyricism. And I have fallen in love - again - this time with Lauren King...what a beauty! The boy soprano, Jason Goldberg, who has had a very busy season at the Met, sounded like his voice might be about to change. This is the only Bernstein score I can endure. ANDANTINO replaced EROS PIANO...Fairchild & de Luz danced well enough but lacked the air of romantic tenderness that Borree and Boal bring to this piece. SHAMBARDS is so dark; even the folk-dance elements have a somewhat ominous feeling. Korbes & Ask LaCour look great together but I am not quite sure how their duet relates to what the corps is doing in the first segment. The pas de deux for Jock & Miranda is breathtaking; Wheeldon has created one of the best showcases for Soto's partnering skills, and Miranda is poignant in her resistance and final submission. They were very strongly applauded. The company's whiz kids (Bouder, Fairchild, de Luz & Ulbricht) were highlighted in the final section...Bouder walked off with the honors. Amanda Hankes, who has not danced so far this season, was listed in SHAMBARDS but she did not appear.

There is a story about Sofiane Sylve in today's NY Times.

To shave the armpits??? Reminds me of a Bluebird I once knew...he agonized for a week before the performances as to whether he should shave or not. He was not really very hairy and I said, "Just leave it...everyone knows men have hair under their arms." About an hour before the opening performance, he shaved. But a very itchy rash developed. He powdered it down but of course while dancing, the sweat caused the powder to "melt" and he had these blotchy red marks which were far uglier than any hair would have been. The rash lasted through the entire week's run of performances, and it was a while til things were back to normal.

While it is true that Nilas was well-applauded last night, I don't think that implies a failure on Wendy's part. Any sequence where a male dancer does a series of turns or jumps or a combination of the two tends to be an applause-getter, even if they are not especially well done. Barrel turns practically come with a built-in "Applause" sign. Also, I do not see a corresponding applause-opportunity for the woman in DIAMONDS; her role - while very difficult - is less overtly showy, more sustained. I did think Nilas was pretty good last night and I also think he & Wendy are very well matched, having been paired many times. Wendy last night seemed to me so light, so glowing from within, and so wonderfully musical. I believe she said in an interview not too long ago that she wondered how the audience would adjust to seeing her more vulnerable side and perhaps that is what Michael saw. For me, Farrell's description of the Diamond role, "...a mysterious prism that reflects the entire spectrum..." seemed to epitomize Wendy's performance. I also agree with everything that Michael says about Seth Orza's dancing except to say that in REUNIONS, SWAN LAKE (Benno), SLEEPING BEAUTY (Gold) and then again last night there is just that very last tiny degree of "perfection" that eludes him and keeps me from viewing him as a virtuoso dancer. Last night in the double series of pirouettes/air turns, the first ended with a hard landing and the second air turns were not finished and ended with an off-balance landing. The woman sitting in front of me released an exasperated little sigh, so I think I was not the only person to notice. Orza is a great stage presence and he is (and will be) a huge asset in many roles, but so far he hasn't really convinced me that he has the virtuosity that others see in him. He would be superb, I think, in the other EMERALDS role: the man in the "walking" pas de deux. Orza certainly has the face, the body, the partnering skills and a sort of all-American nobility that make watching him a treat. I look forward to the second JEWELS cast next week though I wish somehow the old sets could be restored.

I have seen Orza have similar problems before...he's a very good dancer in general but (like all dancers) needs to be suitably cast. In HAIKU, for example, he was really excellent.

carbro, when Alexandra danced EROS PIANO there was an "eros" feeling between her & Hubbe. I'm not sure Fairchild is appropriately cast in this, but I'll find out on Friday.

Wednesday 2/9 JEWELS I realized tonight that I liked the old JEWELS sets better - much better - than the present ones. EMERALDS was gorgeous...I cannot understand when people say it is boring. It is just so beautiful in every aspect. Tonight Rachel Rutherford and Stephen Hanna made a very attractive couple; Rachel danced with expansive lyricism and Stephen showed he is heir-apparent to all the cavalier roles. Jenifer Ringer simply radiates onstage; aside from being a beautiful woman, Ringer is a subtle and expressive dancer of the highest order. The romantic walking duet with James Fayette was a memorable moment in this performance. Amanda Edge and Carrie Lee Riggins were excellent in the pas de trois, which they and Seth Orza danced with a spacious feeling. Orza however is not a bravura dancer; he did not pull off the turns in the air...but he is a good partner and a handsome presence; in fact he would be excellent in either of the leading roles of EMERALDS. Miranda Weese and Damian Woetzel seemed to be having a wonderful time dancing together in RUBIES...the jazzy, sexy bits were slyly underlined while both showed their super-virtuosity in the purely balletic passages. Teresa Reichlin, vastly improved over her earlier appearances as the seconda donna, gave a very impressive performance which elicited a big audience response. She could bring an even frostier feeling to the part, but that is nit-picking. Then we were treated to a classic Wendy Whelan performance of DIAMONDS...everything so perfectly etched on the music; the extension and the swooning backbends drenched in lyricism. Her musicality is quite astonishing; the spirit of Odette really hovers over this ballet. This was one of Wendy's finest nights, which is saying alot. Nilas Martins also gave one of the best performances I have seen from him in the past few years...he is a wonderful partner and managed a lighter and more buoyant feeling than is often the case. Among the corps, a luminous Carla Korbes looked ready to assume the ballerina role, and the fetching Rebecca Krohn, subbing for Ellen Bar as a demi, was such a pleasure to watch. DIAMONDS evoked a third call before the curtain, and Wendy looked genuinely happy...she had every reason to be.

I like dancers of different heights, depending on the role and the ballet. Some of my favorite dancers have been tall (Ted Kivitt, Peter Martins, Edwaard Liang) but lately I have been enjoying Joaquin de Luz quite a bit. It is always good for a dancer of any height to have a suitable partner; just as it doesn't look good if the girl is taller than the boy, I also don't like to see a tall man with a girl who is too short for him. It seems to me that the taller & bigger ballerinas of today are having difficulty finding even taller & bigger men to partner them, but there is also a new set of shorter girls coming along (Bouder, Fairchild, Scheller) who will be needing partners only slightly taller than themselves. I do agree with you that tall dancers (of both sexes) tend to be technically a bit less dazzling than their shorter colleagues. For example, some (not all) long-legged ballerinas can't seem to get a good set of fouettes going. Could this have something to do with their center of gravity? Good luck to you, Daniil...your website's great!

This is very sad news. I saw Castelli dance many times and always enjoyed him. He was a bright presence onstage. This is an unfortunate loss for the Company.

PAVILLON D'ARMIDE has always intrigued me. I wonder if it could be re-constructed...has there ever been a revival? I imagine it would look rather like a faded Valentine to modern eyes.