Dale

I don't feel comfortable speculating on what was Taylor's state of mind today. It wouldn't be fair.

It is under the "Dancers" section.

BW, don't worry about not seeing the caller. I might be in the minority, but I found - having seen the later version first - the caller annoying after a while. At first, it is interesting to see that, yes, the ballet really does use "square dancing" as well as baraque court dancing. You see the evolution of the dance form. But then I was just thinking, "Oh, be quiet. I can't hear the music!"

According to the catalogue of Balanchine's works, a revival (of GB's actual choreography, not "after") was done in 1954 for Broadway (I believe Zorina was the star). A film was done of On Your Toes, also with Zorina and Eddie Albert in the leads (Lew Christensen and Andre Eglevsky appear in the Slaughter on Tenth Avenue ballet). It sometimes pops up on TCM, but usually at around 5am. There is a snipped of the "Princess Zenobia Ballet" in the film "That's Dancing." The Slaughter on Tenth Avenue in the film of On your Toes differs than what we see in the 1968 ballet for Farrell and Mitchell. A lot less high extensions and the dancing at the end is more "Broadway." I'm also pretty sure Albert does not do the tap dancing at the end - you just see his feet then flashers to his face scanning the audience trying to find the gangster. In the 1983 revival, there was additional choreography by Peter Martins.

A new thread for the 3rd week.

Jeannie, unfortunately I can't afford to take you up on your offer. The airfare from New York to St. Petersburg is too much for me. So, for now, reviews, including yours (which I very much enjoyed reading and hope you put more reviews of the happenings in Russia up on the board), are all I have now. I would gladly see the production with an open mind should the Kirov-Mariinsky Ballet bring it to the Northeast United States -- just has I did not let negative reviews stop me from attending several nights of the reconstructed Sleeping Beauty and La Bayadere and loving every minute of it. However, I can't help thinking, and maybe this is my Balanchine-obsessed bias speaking, that a strict pantomime does not really do justice to a ballet company. Ballet theater, in the Diagiliv sense, should combines music, dance, mime, costumes, libretto, and scenery. One aspect should not dominate. As Alovert had in her review, Chemiakin has a production there, but maybe the ballet isn't the best place for it. Regarding Gergiev, I haven't listen to his latest recordings, but I did enjoy his full Sleeping Beauty recording made, I think, in 1993 or 1994.

Re. Zelensky: I think he was just in New York for the two performances in Western Symphony. During the spring season he's probably be busy at the White Nights Fest. or other guest gigs. Somogyi was very good as Polyhymnia. And Korbes evidently came to the notice of SAB when Boal guested in Brazil to do Apollo and a very young Korbes was his Terpsichore. I'd like to see her do it.

When I saw the title Ballet Master's Choice, I thought that it might contain an interesting grouping of ballets we might not usually see together, but when I looked at it, I wasn't that interested. I don't mind seeing certain ballets rested if there is not an appropriate dancer available. Since Zelensky and Stiefel left, I felt there haven't been too many ideal Apollos at the company. Well, they have too really fine ones in Boal (some say PB is one of the top practitioners ever of the role) and Hubbe. The problem is terpsichore. Those Apollos require smaller partners. When they last did the ballet, Margaret Tracy and Borree were cast. For me, Tracy was not ideal for the part, but when I'm in a generous mood I'd say she wasn't that bad and did nicely. I just don't think Terpsichore is the right part for Borree. It is for Kowroski, but without a tall Apollo, she won't be cast. Philip Neal was cast as Apollo by Suzanne Farrell a few years ago and I thought it was a breakthrough performance for him. But he's never done it with NYCB. Same thing with the Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet. After Meunier wasn't cast in the Rondo, I didn't really think Whelan and Kowroski were ideal. If Sylvie stays on for the next season, I think she could be. Same with the lack of Tchiakovsky "gut-crunchers." My feeling was that the company didn't know if Weese would be truely back in good health, so rather than use a dancer not right for the part, they didn't schedule those ballets for the Winter season. Now, Weese looks to be on the right track and they also have a true danseur noble in the company in Tewsley, the Piano Concerto is on the spring list. One worry I had when I looked at the ballets was that Pavane, brought back this season for Nichols is not back. I think she has been really smart in the ballets she choses to do now and looking at the spring schedule there's not much for her (Serenade is also being rested). Well, maybe there is enough with In G Major, Vienna Waltzes, Davidsbundlertanz, Midsummer and Walpurgisnacht and a few other such as Concero Barocco and Chaconne. The two little Stravinsky ballets by Martins are off the schedule. I guess the young up-and-comers will get there chances in Swan Lake and Coppelia.

Shemyakin as librettist seems to be the scary thing. Among other reviews of the latest Nutcracker, the Nina Alovert one in the Summer 2002 Ballet Review was extremely upsetting. Ruins of the castle, a figure in a dark cloak playing the harp, groupings of sexually ambiguous men...I don't know how this figues into the Nutcracker, even going back to the original book. And Alovert said that Shemyakin's designs often left little room to actually dance. Here's one passage of her review: :Chemiakin's Nutcracker is not only not a ballet, it is diametrically opposed to Tschaikovsky's music. The score is aimed straight at the heart of the viewer. This is why the ball can be enjoyed by both children and grownups. Twentieth-century productions developed the humanistic ideals of the nineteenth century; they dealt with people and fate. The world created by Chemiakin is full of uncaring human beings and rats who eat people. The one good person is turned into a sugar-coated doll. this world has been created out of the pain-filled fantasies of a late twentieth-century artist and has nothing to do with the world of Tschaikovsky or of Hoffmann. It is closer to the frightening world of Franz Kafka. ....... I understand that the hardships endured by Chemiakin under the Soviet regime may have given him the idea that rats are more human than people, and of course he has every right to stage a work with that theme. But the concept has nothing to do with Tschaikovsky, with his lament of the impossibility of happiness." It all sounds like a bit of a vanity production for Chemiakin, not one that has concerns for the ballet, music or for the company. I know he is a highly regarded artist, but not every artist, however good, is suitable for theatre or ballet. So, does he have an ally at the Mariinsky or influence at the theatre?

I know we are still early in the Winter Season, but since it regularly has been topping about at about 30 degrees around here, I can't think of a better time to think about the 2003 Spring Season. There doesn't appear to be much change in the reperatory from the winter season to that of the spring. Full length: Coppelia, Midsummer Night's Dream and the return of Martins' Swan Lake (my spy from Wednesday night was correct!). Balanchine: No revivals (they'll probably wait until the Balanchine anniversary season of 2004 to bring back very old ballets, if at all). The revival from this season, Ballade, is back, as is Donizetti Variations, Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, and Walpurgisnacht Ballet. If the rumors are correct, I'm sure we'll be seeing Sylvie in the Tschiakovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 and Brahms-Schoenberg Quartest (Rondo). Also, Symphony in Three Movements, Chaconne, Agon, Le Tombeau de Couperin, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Vienna Waltzes Robert Schumann's "Davidsbündlertänze", Western Symphony, Concerto Barocco, Who Cares?, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Valse-Fantaisie, Square Dance and Tarantella. Robbins: West Side Story Suite is back, as is Ives, Songs, the Cage, and Glass Pieces. Also, Piano Pieces, Interplay, In G Major, In The Night. Martins: In addition to Swan Lake, there is a new ballet called, "Guide to Strange Places" (I believe the music is Adams again), Sinfonia, Symphonic Dances, Hallelujah Junction, Reliquary, and Thou Swell. There is a new Wheeldon ballet, Carnival of the Animals, and (back by popular demand) Carousel (A Dance). Plus, Morphoses. And others - Vespro, Circle of Fifths and Sonatas and Interludes. The full listing is not up yet, only subscriptions (with new strange names such as Ballet Master's Choice): http://www.nycballet.com/nycballet/html/su...s_classics.html

Does anyone find that Mikhail Shemyakin is involved with the production of Princessa Pirlipat worrying? I know he is a very important cartoonist in Russia, but many of the reviews of the Kirov's new Nutcracker by both Russian and western writers felt his influence in the ballet was not good and overshawdowed both the music and the dance.

I really missed Ringer in that third pas de deux of In the Night. Whelan missed the dramatic moments. Borree had one of her better performances in the first pas de deux, with Marcovici, and Kowroski and Askegard were wonderful in the middle section. I agree with Farrell Fan, the Bach is a bit of a waste. I can't help but feel it is Martins pandering to Kistler's physical limitations. However, I was happy that Eight Easy Pieces and Eight More were brought back. Nice little works good for the younger set. As good as Fairchild, Keenan and Madradjieff were (although sometimes they seemed a little rough along the edges), it would be nice to see dancers such as Saskia Beskow, Mary Helen Bowers, Carrie Lee Riggins or Laura Paulus get a chance to do a little something on their own. The men were better, with Carmena dancing the more soulful solo and Daniel Ulbricht getting the showy part originally done by Gen Horiuchi. Unfortunately, Symphony in Three Movements was a little flat to me. Not outstanding, not bad. I thought Soto and Whelan did a little less of the orientalisms than are usually done in the central pas de deux. Hendrickson and Taylor were high-flying in the opening and I thought Sofiane Sylvie and Jared Angle were very good in the other pair. As for the thiness of the corps, it's hard to tell from the 4th ring. I think so many of them are just so young that there bodies aren't as mature. And I haven't seen as many apprentices used in a season as this one. The two ballets with large corps had them, and Western Symphony the other night.

vanniai, I bought tickets for the Jan. 22 performance of Serenade-Thou Swell-Slaughter. I would recommend it as you will see Kyra Nichols in Serenade. Nichols' career is most likely coming to an end, so a chance to see her in a part she should still be very effective in is a chance not to be missed. Kowroski and Woetzel are very good in Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.

If I were to guess at the next soloist to be promoted, it would be Ansanelli. However, I don't think that the amount of work a dancer is getting is always a true indication because there are many circumstances that can create a situation like that - injuries, dancers leaving. I mean, the company isn't just going to shut down because they don't have the principal dancers to put in ballets. And I don't mean to disparage Ansanelli, because she has undeniable gifts. This brings up the point that was made in the Week One thread. The lack of principal dancers in the company and why there is a need for a dancers such as Sylvie and Tewsley (and a Zelensky) type. Two top dancers (Nichols and Kistler) are in their decline, two (Alexopoulos and Margaret Tracey) retired and one (Meunier) left. On the men's side, there always seems to be a choice between a dancer with the right technical abilities but the wrong temperament and a dancer with the right temperament but iffy/not brilliante technique.

Bobbi, you raised an interesting point about the 2nd movement of Western Symphony. I've seen it performed both ways over the years and I did miss the "Swan Lake" overtones the part contains. Ansanelli has a touch of attention grabber in her. She's toned it down a lot recently, but it came to the fore a little bit in WS. Anyway, I checked two sources on what the true character to the part - originated by Janet Reed. From Repertory in Review: Reynolds quotes B.H. Haggin on Melissa Hayden's performance, Magallanes' romantic misery "is matched by Hayden, who gives the ballet a tongue-in-check, world-weary insouciance that no one else can equal." Don McDonagh wrote in George Balanchine, "In the "Adagio" second movement, a laconic man enters with four young women in front of him like pairs of a team of horses. A lolo woman enters behind him, delicately stitching her way across the stage on point, and catches his attention by tapping him on the shoulder. He is immediately taken with her and their duet is slow and dreamy..."

NYCB put out a new "face" book as I always call them. It contains new individual color photos (most of them the saw from those used in the dancer section of the web site). It's only $5 and is useful for telling new corps dancers apart.

It was wonderful to see Weese, Zelensky and Korbes back in action. Yes, Weese and Korbes are probably a few weeks from getting back to full shape, but Zelensky looked as if he lost weight during his lengthy absence. Just like men! It's not fair. I agree with Carbo and Michael - Raymonda Variations is one of Jenifer Ringer's best roles. She just sparkles in her variations. I actually chuckled to myself during her first variation as she found the most delightful accents. The pas de deux was a mite shaky though. I think they were a bit better with Neal, whose size and strength allowed Ringer more freedome of expression. I'd agree with Carbo that Boal was a little less than his best. Fatigue probably has something to do with it. But a just-under-strength Boal is still a lot better than most. In the variations, Faye Arthurs, Gwyneth Muller came off best for me. I never found Arthurs to have a weak jump. She did have very good hops on point in the first variation. She was delightful. During the last run of hops, she was full steam ahead until she suddenly, and charmingly, turned to the audience and smiled, as if to say, "Oh, I didn't forget you, but I'm really loving these hops." Muller danced big and projected an air of graciousness. But Mandradjieff and Dronova looked as if they needed more rehearsal time. Teresa Reichlen always sticks out for me, along with Sophie Flack (they both were in the 1st movement corps in Western Symphony). I couldn't take my eyes off Reichlen when she came forward with Stafford for the part that ends to turns. Robert Schumann's Davidsbundlertanze - I was worried that Kistler would make her own way with the 2nd couple, but I thought she did a nice job with it. She does have a lighter take on the role than its originator (Farrell) or those who took on the role afterwards (Calagari or Kowroski). Kyra Nichols was lovely, tender... It is hard to single out a specific moment, but she was very moving in her pointe variation and the final pas de deux. The Watts role could became a great one for Somogyi, but it needs more passion, more impetuosity. And I thought Martins needed to do a bit better with the partnering in their last pas de deux. In the series of supported low jetes, he really needs to make it look as if she flying or at least make it smoother than it was. Weese was fine in the Mazzo role, which I always considered the weaker of the other three. Alexapolous was really the dancer for me that made it more than it was, or at least allowed me to discover its secrets. About the ballet, I think it points to Balanchine's genius that he, Mr. Abstract, could make a "plotless" ballet that has elements of Schumann's life in it and can be viewed as somewhat autobiographical. Karin Von Aroldingen as Clara the woman, but also as Balanchine's friend in later life. Farrell, the muse, as always. On Wednesday, D'Amboise's words from "Elusive Muse" came to my mind during the quicker, more aggressive of the pas de deux he did with Farrell - "the next muse was coming in" - and there is Farrell's character pulling and pushing at D'Amboise's, forcing creation. Heather Watts and Peter Martins representing the passionate side of a relationship. But they were a big part of life at the company. They also had a passionate and stormy relationship. And Kay Mazzo in the faithful, "we'll get through this storm" women's role. And she helped Balanchine weather the storm of the Farrell situation. She stepped into many of Farrell's roles, did what she could do in a hard situation, and took the hits from the critics. And Balanchine kept making roles for her, even when Farrell returned. That's not to put down Mazzo as a dancer. In fact, I'm probably reading too much into it, coming to my own conclusions is dangerous. Most likely the ballet is not like that all. But that's the greatness in Mr. B's work, it could mean that to me now, or something else the next time I see it. And the same for another person. Western Symphony is always great fun. At first, I thought the first movement cowgirl was a bit extroverted for Somogyi - a very internal dancer for me - until I thought about her success as the working girl looking out for fun role she had in Urban Dances and a few other roles such as that one. She handled herself well, but I think she needs to project more. Tewsely didn't project at all in the second movement. I'd hate to think a ballet has to be like Mayerling to get this guy going (I liked Tewsely very much in his earlier guest spots with the company). Ansanelli was wonderfully goofy and sweet as his partner. Before she's made principal, she probably needs to get stronger technically. In technical parts, she often goes for the big flashy steps and sketches in the rest. Here, she looked a bit wobbly in the Italian fouettes. It's like what Martins said to Millepied (and told by Millepied in his interview in TONY), you get to be a principal dancer when Martins doesn't worry about you out there. I still worry about Ansanelli sometimes. However, she really took to those dives into Tewsely's arms with gusto. Wonderful. If only the corp in the last movement took their cue from Ansanelli's fearlessness. It was heartbreaking to see, at the moment when two groups of four couples charge at each other from opposite corners of the stage, only to jump out of the way at the last moment, the dancers pulled up way too early, sliding out of the way with time to spare. When people talk about the loss of meaning in the Balanchine rep at NYCB they might be talking about moments like that. Although I see many promising dancers in the corp, most of them looks as if they're wearing their mother's makeup. Too young. But I cheered right up. It wasn't a surprise to see Kowroski put in one of her best performances in a long time, she and Zelensky always danced well together. And he looked tickled to be back dancing after such a long injury layoff. Was this his first performance since sustaining an injury during NYCB's 2001 Nutcracker season? He looked real hyped up and probably put it on a little too thick, but he was having so much fun. I can't wait to see him on Sunday. It's too bad he can't stick around and do Vienna Waltzes or Symphony in C (I'd always wanted to see him in the pas de deux of Agon but he never got the chance when he was member of the company).

Kylian's Sinfonietta is done in New York at American Ballet Theatre. It has a lot of jumping, lots of earnest earthy folk looking at sunsets and, if I remember, rolling on the ground. No pointe shoes for the women. I guess it is considered a good piece for men. I can't believe Stretton thought that would be the highlight of a season that included Scenes de Ballet and I've never seen Ashton's ballet. Unfortunately, I've only seen photos of the work (and the costumes look gorgeous, very chic).

I'm not sure I answered correctly because a statement was not used to answer true or false, rather a question. I think a genius or an artist can act like a decent person. I'd agree with Dirac that "great" people are often indulged, which can lead to poor behavior. A great choreographer who berates dancers while working would most likely do the same if he/she worked in an office. They might lack coping skills. Or they are just bullies. I remember when I first started going to Manhattan School of Music when I was 14, I was told to accept that I would be yelled at or humiliated by my teachers, coaches or conductors. This was called artistic temperament. Later, when I started at the New York Times as a copy boy, I was told that editors or writers might yell at me and take out their frustrations at me because working at a newspaper was very stressful and these were the top editors in the world. It was accepted and I accepted it. But that's crap. By now, I've come across brilliant people, geniuses, artists that know how to deal with people or act civalized. I've found many talented people who didn't like getting into fights because it wasted energy that could be put towards their work. I think the key is not to put geniuses/artists on a pedestal in that they are perfect and brilliant in all aspects of their life. Wasn't that one of the themes of the play Amadeus? Salieri was pius and expected to be rewarded by God with genius. Yet, Mozart was crude and rude but had great talent. On the other hand, spending 8 hours a day in a practice room doesn't exactly help with people skills. I came across a few artists (child prodigies particularly) that did not know how to handle themselves in social situations because they didn't have the training by playing with kids their own age or hadn't gone to school. Those things teach us how to deal with other people or our frustrations.

Marc, do you know if the filmed Scheherazade the ballet that was shown in England over the holidays? And will it be released commercially? Pavlenko is much admired here in New York. I enjoyed her 1 chance at La Bayadere at the Met (Z and V got most of them) and I would love to see her Dying Swan. Did she do it the traditional Kirov version, or the Isabel Fokine way? I'm still kicking myself for missing the New Years in Vienna thing. I fell asleep before I could remember to tape London will get an early chance at seeing Nioradze, Pavlenko etc... at a night called, "Ballet Stars of St. Petersburg." It is from the same people who are producing the St. Petersburg New Year Gala on January 12 (I believe it was mentioned somewhere else on the board). That night too has Nioradze and Ivanchenko, along with musical guests. On May 7 and 8 at the Royal Albert Hall, Nioradze, Makhalina, Pavlenko, Zelensky, Ruzhimatov, Ziskaridze, Kuznetsov and Batalov will dance an evening of extracts from Manon, Corsaire, La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty, Sheherezade, Swan Lake and a "specially created ball by Alexei Ratmansky." www.ensembleproductions.co.uk. Ah, the endless touring

I thought most of the NYCB women were miscast in Bournonville, except (I'm sure purists would disagree) Heather Watts. It was the one time I didn't like seeing Farrell in something and I liked her in Stars&Stripes, La Source and in Who Cares? (although not in Patricia McBride's part, that wasn't fair). I guess I always felt Magaret Tracy was all wrong for Chaconne.

I'm finding it hard to come up with a list for this because usually when I don't like the casting, it's because I don't like the dancer or rather think they are being used improperly in the company. Yet, sometimes even dancers who are miscast in a part are at least interesting in a role because they are interesting dancers. And I hate to blame the dancer who is doing their best in the wring role. However, Herrera was miscast as the Siren in Prodigal Son, although I thought she tried her hardest. The part was made for a tall dancer with long legs, and a certain emotional quality that is not Herrera's. She is more of a subrette. And count me in for a Prodigal return to ABT's rep. to see Meunier reclaim the role. Jenifer Ringer is a dancer I adore, but she probably wasn't the right person for Theme and Variations. But I'd much rather watch her in the role than other more technically appropriate dancers. She's a ballerina, and even though the role didn't suit her, she gave a ballerina performance. I think there is two types of miscasting - the "our principals dance everything" type of casting and a fundamental non-understanding of a ballet or role. The later is more worrying. Regarding Borree as Siren. It never happened. At least not at the State Theatre. I saw it mentioned in a thread this Fall, but I believe the person was wrong. Despite what some people say about the casting at NYCB, the recent Sirens have been Alexapolous, Kowroski, and Meunier. In the 90's there was Kistler, Ashley and Calegari. Maybe a few others, but not Borree. I don't think the Ballet Masters would do that to Borree or the role.

Kyra Nichols is one of the most musical dancers around, if I had to add a name to the list. Dirac, my eyebrow raised when I read that about Baryshnikov. I never thought about him as non-musical, just the right amount of musicality required. But maybe it is different with many of the modern pieces he's done during his 2nd career. Maybe after seeing him do a Morris piece or something, I would move him into that catagory.

Fraildove, the library at Lincoln Center is special, but many university libraries have some performing arts videos not available at stores, especially schools with a strong performing arts department. Try calling around to the biggest libraries and universities in your state. And if you're looking for historical ballet performances on tape/dvd, Video Artists Internation (www.vai.com) puts out a series that includes Nureyev, Tallchief, Erik Bruhn with several partners of the age. For those of you in New York. The Museum of Broadcasting has some things that the Lincoln Center library doesn't. I seem to remember seeing a performance of Ballet Imperial with the original cast from the Ed Sullivan show. Manhattnik, your thoughtful descriptions goes into something that isn't considered often today - performance practice. It's something I got into at music school after taking a class where we analyzed recordings of the same piece from the earliest, to the 30s, 50s, 60-70s and 80s. Kind of like that piano show on WQXR. You can hear that performing didn't get better later on, just styles changed. There is a feeling that dancers in the 40s aren't as good as those later because they don't lift their legs to their ears, but they had other strengths (even if they could, it wasn't the style), such as Fonteyn's glorious backbend that Alexandra has alluded to recently on another thread. The first time I saw it was on the tape An Evening with the Royal Ballet in the Le Corsaire. She didn't have the high extentions that you see today during the adagio, but she had that backbend that you hardly ever see now. And I've seen those backwards hops on point on the tape "Alicia." I just recently bought it and when that part came up and said out loud, "My God." I had never seen it. In the recent Erik Bruhn release on VAI, I saw Sonia Arova for the first time. I thought she was miscast for the Sawn Lake "Black Swan pas de deux" but hops on point appear to have been her specialty because she got them in her variation, and in the one from Coppelia. Today we seem a bit more hidebound to tradition when we see the variations in Don Q. or Black Swan than in the Ballet Russe's time.

Mme. Hermine, a baby started screaming during the white swan pas e deux, but Murphy took no notice and was wonderful.