Dale

Get Smart is on TV Land Wednesday the 18th at 8am edt. Our Man in Leotards 30 min. Max mingles with a ballet troupe, trying to nab the thief of CONTROL's paralyzing drug. Don Adams, Barbara Feldon. Naharana: Michael Pate. Julio: Robert Carricart. Chief: Edward Platt. Also: Full House Daddy's Home 30 min. Danny flies off to work minutes before Stephanie's ballet debut as a dying swan, and Joey decides to trade wings with Jesse. Stephanie: Jodie Sweetin. D.J.: Candace Cameron. Monday 4 pm EDT TBS ------------- Diagnosis Murder The Red's Shoes 60 min. Amanda goes undercover as a dancer when a Chinese ballet star, who was about to defect to the U.S., is murdered by someone who poisoned his acupuncture needles. Amanda: Victoria Rowell. Steve: Barry Van Dyke. Mark: Dick Van Dyke. is on Tuesday, 24 10:00 PM WPXN ------------------

Strangely, there's a ballet episode of Happy Days on right now on TV Land: Happy Days Do You Want to Dance? 30 min. Fonzie gets involved with a ballerina (Leslie Browne). Henry Winkler, Ron Howard. Lori Beth: Lynda Goodfriend. Potsie: Anson Williams. Ralph: Donny Most. Al: Al Molinaro.

Leigh, I know NYCB has always cast short jumpers for the 3rd movement, but did you see it with Maria Alexandrova (who resembles Meunier facially and size) when the Bolshoi Ballet did Symphony in C in 2000? It was like a 747 taking off. Fabulous. Although I'll always remember Meunier in the 2nd movement from her SAB workshop and therefore pine to see it again, I had wished sometimes she could do the third as well after seeing MA do it with the Bolshoi. The partnering with Stiefel is odd. She just doesn't seem to be the right size for him. Although a lot of the 3rd movement is side-by-side dancing, there are a few lifts. Maybe it is like this. Stiefel, knowing Meunier from their days at SAB and NYCB, wants to send a message about partnering and working with Meunier to the rest of the company by working with her. Like a top center telling the coach he wants the inexperienced but highly talented right wing on his line in hockey. The casting and partnering for Meunier in the 1st movement makes a lot of sense. And Part in the 2nd movement, it will make the task of seeing Clear easier.

Oops...I fixed it now. Yes, September 1st.

In New York, Contact will be shown on Live at Lincoln Center on channel 13 on Sunday, September 1 9:00 pm and reshown at Monday 2, 12:30 pm. Cast: Alan Campbell, Charlotte d'Amboise, Colleen Dunn, Danny Mastrogiorgio, Danny Mastrogiorgio, Joanne Manning, Sean Martin Hingston, Scott Taylor, Jack Hayes, Robert Wersinger.

I don't have any proof of this, but I can venture to guess that New York Magazine is feeling the heat from Time Out New York, which does listings much better than New York Mag and has pretty much taken over for Cue (the listing section of NYM). TONY does reviews of films, theater, and art, but not dance. It is possible that the people at NYM are thinking, well it works for TONY and that's how we'll snag their readers. In addition, I've seen more theme issues of NYM, like TONY. Well, I think that's way off. As I told them in a letter, New York magazine should value and further develop what makes them unique to readers -- their features on the city, columns and critics.

I don't have any proof of this, but I can venture to guess that New York Magazine is feeling the heat from Time Out New York, which does listings much better than New York Mag and has pretty much taken over for Cue (the listing section of NYM). TONY does reviews of films, theater, and art, but not dance. It is possible that the people at NYM are thinking, well it works for TONY and that's how we'll snag their readers. In addition, I've seen more theme issues of NYM, like TONY. Well, I think that's way off. As I told them in a letter, New York magazine should value and further develop what makes them unique to readers -- their features on the city, columns and critics.

I can see that La Bayadere belongs only to ballet as the Nutcracker is so universal (Barbie et al) and, I believe, Swan Lake has moved into the commercial market with children's books. The original text of Swan Lake has been changed and morphed. As Gurewitsch mentioned, Sleeping Beauty had already been a well-known fairytale. Yet I can't completely embrace La Bayadere. For me, it falls into the categories so well spelt out in Croce's essay about ballets that are beloved, but flawed, vs. masterpieces that we admire and enjoy, but don't love. La Bayadere falls into the second category, for me for a few reasons. 1) I don't really like any of the characters. Or rather, I don't sympathize for them. The Rajah, Gamzatti and the High Priest are, for the most part, loathesome people. Solor has always come off pretty empty me, and becomes unlikeable when he turns his back on a dying Nikya. She does not effect me as the other ballet heroines do (Odette, Giselle or Sleeping Beauty) and is very cold. 2) While the Shades scene is always very beautiful, the corps lacks a character. They aren't vengeful as the Willis or sorrowful like the swans. Yet, I don't know if they mean to be "background" or a sort of a muliple relection of the ballerina as the corps is in the white acts of Don Q or Le Corsaire. 3) As we've talked about elsewhere on the board, the music is not considered great. Personally, I find some of it very beautiful and the score certainly fits the bill and does its service for the ballet. 4) And the ballet, as Gurewitsch mentions, does have aspects of all theater in it, I believe the Sleeping Beauty (as I saw it in the old/new Kirov version) combines all those factors (mime, design, music, dance, pomp) much better.

NYCB also did it when it went out to California and Texas in 1998. I thought it did make a difference in the perception of the company. A few of the reviewers were bemoning the loss of great dancers such as Kyra Nichols, when in fact, she was with the other half of the company. They also didn't always see dancers doing the same roles they do at home. I'm sure companies take just the amount of dancers they'll need for the three or four ballets they'll be doing to cut costs down, and double where possible, as well. In the case of the Kirov, with all the touring they do, I'm glad there is a company at home for the local fans to see. But it is always strange or interesting to see which dancers are "in" enough to tour and who stays home. For instance, we have not seen Makhalina in NY with the Kirov since 1995 (she was with a small touring group who performed at the NJPAC, Brooklyn and the Bronx in the late nineties). She's supposedly grown as a dancer, but we didn't get to see her Swan Lake or La Bayadere. And the company was again short of men during the visit (the same thing happened in 1999). Yet, in the souvenir guide, there are lots of top men listed. Yevgeny Ivanchenko was initially on the cast lists, yet never arrived, forcing Danila Korsuntsev to do all the Swan Lakes and Diamonds. I think Gottlieb is right, you have to see a company at home to really see them.

Rkoretzky, thanks for all the wonderful reviews of NYCB. You've been my eyes in Saratoga, allowing me to follow the company in their summer home. Get well soon.

Rkoretzky, I hadn't seen anything on the web site, which states news about the winter season would be on in early August, so I was surprised when I saw the brochures at the State Theater on Monday.

The 2003 Winter season brochure is out (Maria Kowroski in her "Them Twos" costume posing langourously on top of a building in mid-town Manhattan on the front, company members, including Aesha Ash, Nikolaj Hubbe, one of the Fromans, Faye Arthurs, Aaron Severini and a sultry Sophie Flack in the costumes for Monumentum Pro Gesualdo etc...on the back). The big revival is Ballade by Balanchine. I don't think this has been seen since just after the Balanchine Celebration in the early 90s. It was supposed to come back around five or six years ago but it never got put on due to injuries. Pavane returns as well (I hope not for a Kyra Nichols retirement). Piano Pieces (Tschiakovsky) by Jerome Robbins is back too. I haven't seen this since Margaret Tracy was a soloist And from my lips to "God's" ears. I wrote that I wouldn't mind seeing Martins' Eight Easy Pieces and Eight More again and now they are back. PM's Sinfonia too. Thankfully most all of the Diamond Project revivals have been tucked away. The new works from the last season on the upcoming schedule are Haiku, The Infernal Machine, Bach Concerto V, Morphoses, and Vespro. And only one new ballet (the choreographer is not yet announced). The Balanchine ballets for the season are Agon, Ballade, Chaconne, Concerto Barocco, Coppelia, Kammermusic No. 2, Mozartiana, Nutcracker, Pavane, Raymonda Variations, Davidsbundlertanze, Serenade, Slaugter on Tenth Avenue, Square DAnce, Steadfast Tin Solldier, Symphony in C, Symphony in Three Movements, Tarantella, Le Tombeau De Couperin, Valse-Fantaisie, Variations Pour Une Porte Et Un Soupir, Vienna Waltzes, Western Symphony, and Who Cares? Monumentum is shown in a picture, but not listed and is not on the schedule. Robbins -- Antique Epigraphs, Fancy Free, I'm Old Fashioned, In G Major, In the Night, Interplay, Opus 19, Piano Pieces. Martins -- Bach Concerto V, Burleske, Eight Easy Pieces, Eight More, Hallelujah Junction, Infernal Machine, Jeu De cartes, Reliquary, Symphonic Dances. Others -- Chiaroscuro, Haiku, Mercurial Manoeuvers, Morphoses, Souree, Sonatas and Interludes, and Vespro. I think, on the whole, it looks like a good mix. I wonder if the addition of some of the Stravinsky ballets and the scheduling of Relquary is due to some Stravinsky anniversary (there's a real good book out now about the Stravinsky-Balanchine collaboration, which is the subject of Relquary as well). And, the sched is low on Tchiakovsky "gut-crunchers" for which the company is lacking the lead (goddess-type) ballerina right now, if Weese is still out, and high on works to showcase the crop of outstanding corp ladies such without putting them in major roles. In addition, there are six all-Balanchine nights.

Oh, I hope that's not true, Manhattnik. Just as bad, if they end up two of the four lead corps women in Theme and Variations. Manhattnik, you made a point about Pavlenko being stronger technique-wise than Part. And that might have been one of the reasons she's jumping ship. I'm not an insider and, living in the NY area, don't get to see the Kirov often, but it appears as if Pavlenko (although also a second soloist, like Part) has passed Part in the pecking order. Part had been second cast Diamonds when Jewels was first set on the Kirov, and now doesn't do it as often (at all?) as Gumerova or Pavlenko. Gumerova did more Swan Lakes and La Bayaderes than Part as well. But who knows? Maybe she just wanted to move to New York Although I'm happy about the addition of two of my favorite ballerinas to a company close to me, they are a bit similar to each other. Poor Meunier, here she moves to a different company, where hopefully she'll get used more, and now in comes another tall, lush dancer with many of the same qualities. (Personally, I think both of them excell in Balanchine ballets, so they are sort of in the wrong company, but, maybe is stocking up on Farrellesque women to mount a nice Balanchine birthday aniversary in 2004) Well, things should certainly be interesting at City Center this fall. Or Dvorevenko is going to be out a very long time (she looked very injured while attending the Kirov last week).

Ok, I got bounced off the computer I was on and I'm back, if only a bit later... Roma, I understand your point about Emeralds being a contained world. Part did, it appeared to me, keep things more within herself at the start on Thursday, but her natural ebulliance broke through. She's a bit like Jenifer Ringer that way -- a Society Hostess of a ballerina, as Part was described once in Ballet Review. Part also gets my kudos for the only dancer on stage to have quiet feet! When I was seating very close for Swan Lake, I think I noticed the Freed logo on the bottom of her shoes. Maybe she has one toe in her new world and one in the old. I was not at all happy with the trio. The men were good enough, although Korsakov lacked the brio and bounce he showed in Washington D.C., but Yana Selena appeared more interested in smiling to the audience than executing the steps correctly. On Thursday, she fell behind half a bar, it seemed. And neither woman did the deep plie on either side of the male soloist. It's a move that is later echoed throughout the ballet. Manhattnik, Vishneva certainly is ravishing. Golub, I thought kind of showed a lack of nuance as the lead on Friday, but I still enjoyed it. And that smile...I think I'm personally acquanted with everyone of her front teeth. And I agree about Pavlenko, she gets right at the heart of a ballet and knows where each phrase is going.

This is what is great about ballet, everybody can see different things. I thought Part was wonderful in Emeralds (but, I have to come clean, she's one of my favorites). One of the things that was interesting to me was that she was different on Thursday and Friday, and different from the way she's danced the role earlier. I agree with Roma -- the Kirov does not seem to take risks. You can't have everything, they are rehearsed very well and it shows in positive results. But it is fun to see a dancer vary their approach -- picking out something in the music to highlight one night, and then hearing something different on another night. In Washington, Part was a little lighthearted in the solo. Evidently, between performances she worked on the part with Paul and Thursday came out much more mysterious, to me at least, and didn't flash her trade mark smile until she bourréed across the front of the stage, opened her arms and had such a look of delight. I thought she was extremely smooth and dreamy, her arms embracing a cloud and her phrasing one long ecstatic sigh. Friday, she was a back to a more flirtatious mode, but it didn't bother me. The pas de deux could have had more mystery, but I think von Aroldingen makes too much of the herky-jerky motions when she coaches it. Ayupova was a little more up and down. On Thursday, to me, she started off a little choppy. I chalked it down to possible jet lag. She was performing in Giselle the week before in St. Petersburg while the other half of the company was here doing La Bayadere. But her solo was pretty and the second pas de deux lofty and delicate. However, on Friday it seems to me that it was reversed, she was much more at home in the opening and solo and more pose-to-pose in the later part of the ballet. On Rubies, I'm sorry I didn't see Pavlenko in the Neary role as I was so happy after Part's Swan Lake, I gave my ticket away, wanting to end my season right then. The Kirov women -- Gumerova and Dumchenko -- have never to me gotten the part. Vishneva was beautiful in the McBride role, she just needs a little elegance to go with the showgirl. I agree with Roma in that the men seemed to miss the mark, opting for a slapstick, circuse tone. Fadeyev didn't please me at all. Diamonds was just stunning. The corps is lovely in this, definitely making more of the opening than what used to seem like filler until Farrell (or Nichols and Kistler) came on. I enjoyed Zakharova's remote quality, and she danced on such a grand scale, I could only hope for a little risk taking here. I also thought by making so much of the, I think, three developpes she changed the climaxes of the long pas de deux. She triumphed with speed and brillance in the solo. Pavlenko took a more Swan Lake-like approach but was no-less stunning. However, on the tutu -- I did think that Pavlenko's was dirty.

Veronika Part took over the lead role in Swan Lake on Saturday afternoon, dancing with the busy Danila Korsuntsev. What a lovely dancer... she's not obviously grand such as Zakharova, but she's so smooth and plush. She also brought the tragedy I thought was missing from SZ's performance, maybe -- just a little bit -- going a mite overboard with anguished looks. However, I did appreciate the little looks she gave Korsuntsev and how she showed the fight within herself to break from him to avoid the danger ahead. At one point during the adagio, she pulled away from him, shook her head, "no," only to be drawn back to his loving arms. And, although her legs moved freely on high, she never made her extentions the point or the climax of the dance. As Odile, she was softly seductive and let the audience in on her duplicitious triumph. I thought her variation was rock solid, although (maybe I'm wrong) she made too much of a pause in preparation to some of her turns. Her fouettés got off to a rocky start, but she began to crank them out pretty good --alternating singles and doubles. I'm not crazy about singles/doubles in Swan Lake, they should probably be all singles -- just my opinion. Not a big deal, though. As has been the case during the entire run, the corps was wonderful. Manhattnik is right, it's really is as if they've got a magnetic force pulling their limbs to all the right positions -- perfect every time.

Ok, I'm trying to catch up here... I fall in with those who had a grand time Monday. Ever since Vishneva made a splash in London in 1997 in this ballet, I had wanted to see her dance Kitri. For some reason, I felt I was not seeing her or Viacheslav Samodurov at their best, but it was dazzling enough for me. At the beginning, I think Vishneva was maybe a bit tired from those La Bayaderes over the weekend and, thankfully, kept her leg kicks from hitting her in the nose, but then went back to the 12 o'clock mark in the last act. However, my enjoyment was not marred by three slips by Vishneva, who slid on a humid stage. And she did, indeed, bring the house down with her variations in Act III. I like Samodurov -- he's likeable, nice looking and possess pretty decent technique -- but he would be better off not to force things. And, he can get a little lax in partnering -- he didn't hold the one-handed lifts very long. Although all the character dancing was fine, one of the highlights for me was the vision scene with Vishneva, Natalia Sologub, and Elena Chmil. I was particularly impressed with Sologub, who has filled out nicely since we saw her as a fairy in Sleeping Beauty in 1999. She was lovely, calm and musically at ease during her solo -- using her now full, long legs to great effect.

The July 20 (mat) Swan Lake casting is now up: Odette-Odile: Veronica Part Prince Siegfried: Danila Korsuntsev

Interesting observations about Zakharova. When I read Manhattnik's musings on her "birth" from a Soviet lab, I laughed knowingly. I guess I've always viewed her as a strange, beautiful bird...maybe it was a genetically manipulated bird We were pondering her strengths and Michael brought up her musicality and Manhattnik rightly pointed out her solid technique as Odile. I'd like to add a certain graciousness that comes out in her port de bras and a, I won't say spirituality -- I don't know her that well -- but a feeling that what she is doing is special. That quality came out especially in SZ's first entrance in La Bayadere, when veil came off and she looked up, you knew this one was different. Her extentions are another thing. I don't mind high extentions, but SZ really shifts her entire torso to make room the leg. And, as Manhattnik pointed out on the La Bayadere thread, the high leg distorts the shape of other steps. And, after awhile (and I get this feeling with other dancers as well) if the leg goes up, it goes all the way up. Every time. There's no shading, just slam. Maybe when she gets older she'll realize that certain effects work best when used less. As for Swan Lake, I believe SZ is a natural Odette, but I agree with Manhattnik, I didn't get the sence of tragedy I get from other dancers. Maybe it is the lack of mime to explain her situation in this production. The Balanchine version doesn't have mime but the dance sequence he created for Odette and Siegfried conveys the situation. As Odile, I thought SZ just replaced her sorrowful look for a learing grin, but her dancing was just so good. Those fouettes were perfect and didn't move an inch. The Swan corps deserved the accolades they've received, they were so wonderful, even more than in La Bayadere for me (the Bolshoi, when here in 2000, were the best I've seen in the Shades in awhile). And I was a bit distracted during the last act, watching Veronika Part (one of the four larger swans) and Daria Pavlenko (one of the two demi-solo swans) behind the principals.

I've been away from a computer, so I'm a bit late on adding to this, but... I've always been a sort of Balanchine person, so it surprises me that I really do love the reconstructions. Although we can quible as to whether the Kirov should keep the men's solos that were added later or not or thowing the golden idol solo out, I appreciate the return of so much of the original Petipa choreography. And though there is little pointe work in the first acts, I was delighted by original lute solo for Nikiya in Act I, the Jampo Dance in Act II. In the Jampo dance, the dancers are wearing heeled shoes, but such invention...Petipa does every thing he can with the, I don't know what the proper word is, but dancers had long colored scarves attatched to their calves and they manipulated it around while kicking their legs high, or behind them. Lots of little jumps. A perfect example putting a limitation and that exploring just what you can do with it. There also was such beauty in just the way Petipa moves the dancers around, even between divertisments, he'll have the corps move in a processional from the back to the side. Act II, scene 2 was a joy for me for all the different variations. And the Dance of the Lotus Blossoms (yes, under-rehearsed) is a wonder. I'd love to see SAB do it out of context as a lesson in Petipa And if you're a lover of Balanchine, you just have to see these ballets. You can see, from the two dances in La Bayadere, where Mr. B got his garlands from. And now I can see all the connections between this ballet and Giselle (which was pointed out here and in some reviews), Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. Watching SL on Thursday, I saw that both Nikiya and Odete reveal themselves to the hero from behind screens after he inadvertantly betrays them. And Nikiya jumps out in Act III, scene 1 while Solor and Gamzatti are together in a little bit of the same way as Sleeping Beauty, when the Lilac Fairy shows Aurora to Prince Desire before the vision (a little bit of a stretch, maybe). I adored the costumes...reds, olive green velvet, oranges, dark blue and more stripes! And the headresses...little pill boxes, caps, Russian-inspired crowns; and pearls everywhere. I saw both Zakharova and Vishneva. Both were very beautiful, but different..Vishneva is more earthy and is good at showing off the character's passionate side. Zakharova (more about her when I post about her Swan Lake) was lovely during the first act and in her dance before the court. I found her very spiritual, but, as in Swan Lake, I just didn't feel any connection between her and her partner. Elvira Tarasova was interesting to me. Maybe the role calls for more of a bitchy aspect, I'm not sure, but Tarasova played Gamzatti as a beautiful daughter of the Rajah who knew her place and what she could expect from life. She expected, from her position in life, that she would marry Solor and anything else was unacceptable. A note about the audience, the Lincoln Center Festival as its own crowd. I find them not quite adventuress as a group as the BAM crowd, but they are not strictly a ballet audience. Still, up in the balcony, the house was sold out and filled until the end, although some people did scoot out during extended bows.

Loking through the all-time rep. list at the nycb site, I was surprised to note that there are a few of Martins' ballets that I could say I liked. Most of them have not been shown in a long time. I would say I'm not an enthusiast of most of Martins' work for, I guess, the reasons Manhattnik cited. I also believe many of his ballets would greatly benefit from some editing (a topic discussed elsewhere on the board). Concerti Armonici is an example. While not the most thrilling work, it would be passable if it was cut by half. Instead, it just goes on and on and on. Martins seems think that if he wants to choreograph to a baraque orchestral suite, he needs to do the entire suite (not discarding the movements not suited to dancing) and do two or more of them, not just one. The unrelenting nature of some of Martins' work wears on me. I feel much the same as Leigh does about Fearful Symmetries, which has found life at other companies as well. Ash without the originals, which also included Meunier, just seems driving and driving at nothing. I agree with those who like Barbar Violin Concerto and Magic Flute. The mozart ballet might not be right for a mature company, but why not bring it back for SAB? And Martins' Stravinsky ballets, Eight Easy Pieces, Eight Miniatures, and Eight More, would be right to help bring along some of the younger dancers, instead of putting them in Theme and Variations. I'm a big fan of Sleeping Beauty, which has the most lovely vision scene. To me, Martins choreographing Adams is worst than his work to Torke. I thought Ecstatic Orange and Black and White were interesting essays on Heather Watts, as well as Stravinsky's Concerto for Two Solo Pianos. A few more I like or at least found interesting are Jazz, Les Petits Riens, L'Histoire du Soldat, Symphony No. 1, Poulenc Sonata (a good role for Kyra Nichols at the time), Valse Triste (a good ballet for an older ballerina), and Beethovan Romance (a nice alternative to the traditional pas de deux). I remember enjoing Rossini Quartets, Rejouissance, Echo and Sophisticated Lady for their Suzanne Farrell factor. But I doubt we'll see any of his older ballets. It seems to me that Martins mainly enjoys the process of choreography rather than maintaining it or changing it. Once it's out, it's out. And once the original dancers are gone, most like so will the ballet.

Both are flawed. A quick take on what is wrong: McKenzie's -- the cutting of much of Act IV, while I think the idea of a two Rothbarts interesting, many people have pointed out that green blob guy is wrong, Rothbart is an owl, not a green blob guy. KM's own choreography is not very interesting to me. I found much of the Act I dances too jolly and Act III boring, though the evil sexy Rothbart isn't that bad, especially when danced by Gomes Martins' -- Glosses over the story so quickly, it loses cohesion; not enough mime; some of his choreography is a little fussy -- hard for hard sake; scenery not the greatest. Now some good -- McKenzie's -- Nice mime in the Act II, pretty costumes and scenery. Martins' -- I like the choreography, some of it by Balanchine, and the last act, although doesn't make much sense story-wise, is very beautiful.

I think Wheeldon is feeling pressure. In the Time Out NY interview, he mentioned that he's not the boy wonder any more and is expected to produce. He sounded a little bitter, but I guess that happens when you're at his stage -- grace period over, more expectations, just beginning to get bad reviews. That said, I liked the new piece and thought it was interesting.

I picked other because she'll be starting during the fall. I'm not sure whether that means she'll be doing Le Corsaire in Boston or if she'll begin at City Center. So, if she starts during the tour in Boston, she might be one of the odalesques or, ugh, the head bad guy's girl friend who dances a character dance. I hope she doesn't end up as a resident character dancer as she's got amazing technique and is a true ballerina. If she starts at City Center, I'm guessing (since they have not announced their rep.) she might start in one of those pas de deux the stick between the Tudor revival and the new modern piece. I'm thinking Black Swan with Gomes. I'd love to see her in Symphony in C (any movement), but I can see them sticking her in the fourth movement or one of the demi soloists to show them who's boss.

I think ABT's 2002-2003 season starts in the Fall (at City Center). We're still in the 2001-2002 season. BTW, I'm glad she's still being cast, nice job by NYCB. Although there has been a lack of casting in the past, the company has managed to put Meunier in at least one ballet a week (which is better than her going weeks without performing as in seasons past). I thought they were taking the easy-does it approach due to her hip and knee injuries.