naomikage

By the way Jared Matthews has left Houston Ballet after recovering from a serious illness. He became Assistant to the Artistic Director of the Estonian National Ballet.

Chisako Oga of Cincinnati Ballet will join as second soloist. Other interesting additions include Sangmin Lee a gold medalist at YAGP and Joy Womack. Pauina Waski joins as corps de ballet. https://www.bostonballet.org/Home/The-Company/Dancers/FullCompany.aspx

Koho Ogawa writes she is retiring as a professional ballerina due to injury. Very sad for such a talented dancer only 24 years old and wish the best for her future.

Mai Aihara will also be leaving ABT

Alexandra Khiteeva performed in The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, the first time as a member of Mariinsky Ballet.

Koto Ishihara of San Francisco Ballet will join NBoC as first soloist.

Lunkina and Paquet are guesting in Nijinsky Gala at Hamburg Ballet. https://www.hamburgballett.de/en/spielplan/play.php?AuffNr=153198

Misa Kuranaga will join SFB

Misa Kuranaga announced that she will be joining San Francisco Ballet.

Misa Kuranaga announced on Instagram and Facebook that she will be leaving Boston Ballet at the end of the season. Last performances will be Cinderella on 6/7 fri 7:30 and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.2 on 6/8 sat 7:30. Next steps to be announced later.

Casting of Los Angeles "Mayerling" https://www.musiccenter.org/tickets/events-by-the-music-center/Glorya-Kaufman-Dance/1819-season/royal-ballet/

Andrey Yermakov has been promoted as principal, at last! https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/soloists

Bavarian State Ballet, George Balanchine's Jewels will be streamed live on Staatsoper.tv Thu, April 11, 2019, 7.30 pm This performance features guests Ashley Bouder in Rubies, Alina Somova and Vladimir Shyklyarov in Diamonds, and will be viewable on demand from April 12, 12:00 to April 13, 11:59 (European time) https://www.staatsoper.de/tv.html Cast of the performance https://www.staatsoper.de/stueckinfo/jewels/2019-04-11-19-30.html Emeralds 1st solo couple Prisca Zeisel , Emilio Pavan 2nd solo couple Jeanette Kakareka , Henry Gray Pas de trois Antonia McAuley , Vera Segova , Dmitrii Vyskubenko Rubies pianist Dmitry Mayboroda Solo couple Ashley Bouder , Osiel Gouneo soloist Prisca Zeisel Diamonds Solo couple Alina Somova , Vladimir Shklyarov

Some more changes, May Nagahisa will be debuting as Gulnara on April 10th (and also on 13th evening)

Not sure they have come to North America yet, they did come to Japan twice when Malakhov was AD, and also has toured to some Asian cities. I also wish I could see that Ratmansky reconstruction of La Bayadere.

Here it is, just announced. La Bayadere is in the repertoire. https://www.staatsballett-berlin.de/en/spielplan/01-09-2019/

Oh dear....He has destructed himself. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/mar/07/sergei-polunin-sacked-putin-tattoo-interview

Sorry I can't find the source right now but I read in an interview with him that after resigning Royal Ballet he auditioned for ABT, in hopes to have a career in the US. But they did not take him.

Why? The Bright Stream is such a delightful and hilariously fun ballet and one of the best in their repertoire. When the Bolshoi toured Japan several years ago, it was also the same price as Swan Lake but nobody here complained about that. it became one of Sergei Filin's last performances as a dancer (he was in the role of the ballet dancer and danced on pointe) People have different tastes on repertoire.

From Pointe Magazine article. https://www.pointemagazine.com/viengsay-valdes-2626757555.html The original interview in a Cuban media https://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?o=rn&id=246565&SEO=nombran-a-viengsay-valdes-subdirectora-de-ballet-nacional-de-cuba

Absolutely agree with this. He has technique and charisma, and he actually has guested a lot in major companies and in Russia so he is already a star. I have seen him guest in English National Ballet's Le Corsaire both as Conrad and Lankedem as well as Ali in numerous galas, and his virtuosity was amazing, bravura technique and elegance as well. It is sad that people look down on someone saying a regional company dancer...

According to this interview, Osipova has been settled with a new boyfriend. https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/interviews/2018/prima-ballerina-natalia-osipova-interview-royal-ballet/

Announcement on Melanie Hamrick's Instagram

A rehearsal clip of Smirnova and Plushenko rehearsing Swan Lake on Plushenko's instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BrGB7mRDbKe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

At the Mariinsky Ballet press conference in Tokyo 2 weeks before, Alina Somova said she decided not to tour overseas after having 2 children (it was 9 years since her last visit here), but as there were withdrawals of several dancers, cast changes happened and she managed to come. I could not see her in a full performance but her performance in Chopiniana was lovely, she seemed to matured a lot. I hope she would be on tour again as well as dancing in St.P (She danced in Swan Lake in Hyogo, which is the west part of Japan so I could not see her)