jimmattimore

Theresa Reichlen: Where did she come from? She's 19 ? and danced an ethereal and magnificent Lilac Fairy on 02/19; she was the best dancer this night. I think the horns were fair, not horrible, certainly not great. I really like Glenn Keenan and Rebecca Krohn. I'm not ballet savvy enough to know what propels a corps member to soloist and beyond, but these two women always perform well.

Ballet Fans: I have two fourth ring tickets for the Saturday 2/28 matinee performance of "SB."

Would anyone like to have them?

JIM

Leigh:, I loved your very funny comment about not caring if the players did crosswords in ink. As I write, I'm struggling---in pencil--with the Times crossword.

"Serenade"

I saw the new Stroman last evening and Woetzel and Gold are great, but I wouldn't be rushing out to see it again.Ansanelli was also terrific and Maria can do no wrong in my eyes. I loved the work of the corps, and I like Keenan and Krohn a lot. I'm eager to see "Sleeping Beauty" next Thursday.

Brava for those reviews of 1/31. As my wife said, "That's the best 'Swan Lake' I've ever seen. "(and I defer to the truly knowledgable balletomanes on this site.)Maria Kowroski danced brilliantly and I can't believe anyone could outdance her in that role. Her arms are magnificent, and we all love her legs. Wow, it turned a cold NYC day into a blazing fire.

oh my good heaves, "Dr T" is trash. The ending is so stupid that you only can laugh. On my Top Ten Worst movies of alltime and I also despise "Mccabe and Mrs. Miller" I will see "Company," but I'm apprehensive. Off to "Swan " with my wife.

Caroline Cavallo: She is very pretty, hit 29 fouettes (I think), but she was stiff and looking a bit frightened. I think Nilas is a nice dancer, but that's as much praise as I can muster. The highlight of the evening was Danirl Ulbricht as the Jester. I love "Swan Lake" and I enjoyed my evening with ,I'm happy to report .a very attentive and sweet few hundred college students up in the fourth ring. Ah, these injuries with all of February to go.Scary.

Is there a reallygood tape of "Serenade"? Thanks

Alexandra: Happy Birthday. BA is the best magazine and best ballet web site in the world. Blessings and continued success.

Tonight NYCB celebrated Mister B's 100th birthday with a shot of vodka and birthday cake for all. The balcony was full, so I belive this was a sell out. Hubbe was fine in Apollo, Boree a little shaky in the first pas. I just love Serenade and so I found all the dancers wonderful. Peter Boal did a spectacular

Prodigal Son, but the ballet bores me as does (You know I hate it becasue I can't even title it) Bugaku.

Too Too much for me.

I had a great time with an attentive and giving crowd.

Fokks: My God, what great reviews. I am sick to hear that Janie is out. There's a big article in The Sunday Times about the new Susie Stroman ballet. Any thoughts on the ballet she's doing? I have not seen "The Producers," but I did see "Contact" and although I loved Deborah Yates, the last act is just a big lindy which my wife and I do. I missed my train by 1 minute on Thursday and sadly missed MND. I'll be in this Thursday so I'll pass on my thoughts.

NYCB:Janie Taylor. Lots of charm and just a great dancer. Happy 2004 to all. jim

Go with Herrera/ Coreno first or Murphy/Stiefel.

The last I heard was that Susan Jaffee was an artistic consultant at ABT and does commentary on a ballet show that you can only get in Manhattan.I too love Paloma of the incredibly fast spins.

Yikes, as I arrived last evening at NYCB, I saw that dreaded white slip. Miranda Weese was to dance, but is injured, and Jennie Soymogi took over and was great as was Janie Taylor.BALLET ALERT arrived yesterday and accompanied me on my commute. A great issue as always with a most timely note about diminishing "Nutcracker" audiences. Many empty seats everywhere last night.

Alexandra. Okay.

It is day-to-day isn't it becasue how often is there a tiny slip of paper in the playbill saying someone is dancing in place of. NYCB should have a morer informative web site.

I love the classical ballets the best, and I always loved Susan. I wrote her a love letter a few years back, so she invited me to visit her in her dressing room; that was very exciting. I thought that was a very gracious thing to do for me.

Iattended her final performance, and that was great. I would place Suzanne Farrell as number one oif all time and is there a sadder movie Than "Elusive Muse"? My wife and I were sobbing.

I loved Callie Andre Robinson when she danced with the ABT Studio Company. Is she still with MCB?

And how I loved Eddie at NYCB, one of the greats to come from Queens, NY, my home borough. Merry Christmas

TO NYCB fans: Remember a few years back when Carla Korbes and Ashley Bouder seemed to be favorites? What happened? I wrote a huge love/appreciation letter to Janie Taylor last year, and she graciously sent me a signed pair of pointe shoes.Where did Aesha Ash go? I see that Janie will be Dewdrop on Thursday, so I'll take my one and a half hour train ride from Long Island just to see her.

Hi :

Many persons don't care too much for Yvonne Borree, but she was a fabulous Sugar Plum last night , and Nicholaj Hubbe was a great cavalier. I think the costumes are new becasue they really shone last evening. I've seen "Nutcracker" at least 49 times at major companies and local dance studio companies, but I would rate last's night's total performace as an A+. I do tend to look for the good in life and in art, and I am not enoough of a technician to know if anyne missed position. I sit in the fourth ring and it was only one-quarter filled. Miranda Weese is so great and Janie Taylor was one of the two lead flowers. I love Janie, and I think she should be a principal. Happy Channukah and Merry Christmas, balletomanes. Jim Mattimore :

I (and my wife) came to ballet late, although we both had seen various "Nutcracers" over the years, but when I found ballet, I just worshipped these dancers. I now attend about 20 ballets a year, and would see even more. If you're a New Yorker as I am, you can buy balcony seats for $12.00 at The New York City Balletby joining The Fourth Ring Society. Bravo Ballanchine. The opening night was great, and even at 40, Darci still looks fabulous.