mom2

I am joining this conversation a bit late I'm afraid.

I want to say that I enjoy Matt Murphy's work on the Winger and Ranting Details a great deal. I find him to be a wonderfully articulate young man. I'm not sure that we could or should compare his or other bloggers' work to scholarly writing - in my mind these are distinct entities, with quite different goals.

In addition, I will say something which may be considered controversial. It has nothing to do with dance, but is my opinion about writing in general. I find that elementary and secondary schools these days are not doing quite as much to prepare students in the area of written expression. This is my opinion as a mother and school psychologist. Therefore, I would suggest that if one is noticing a less than stellar quality of writing in dancers, it is probably more generalized across the entire population: it is not an issue particular to dancers or others who do not seek full-time post secondary education. In fact, by the time young people reach the post-secondary level there is very little done to develop written expression. One is expected to come to University with these skills intact, and mechanics of writing are not addressed in evaluations of essay assignments. In high school we are told that there isn't the "time" to address these things, and the emphasis in elementary schools seems to be elsewhere these days.......

In closing, I would suggest that many of the blogs I see out these days are more a vehicle for personal expression and exploration than production of a final "good" copy. We are fortunate that the young people who post on the Winger and other sites allow us these windows into their experiences.

m2

My sincere sympathies to the family.

Sweet rest to a Canadian dancer.

m2

I am by far an expert myself - and am not sure I navigated the Kennedy Center website accurately, therefore I hope I don't propose someone who has already been honoured. My thoughts (not necessarily ballet):

* Gregory Hines (posthumous)

* Mark Morris

* Savion Glover

* Ethan Stiefel

* Patricia Barker

* Melissa Hayden (posthumous)

* Lauren Anderson

Thanks for your posts, miliosr! I look forward to them each week.

I am watching the show now (missed quite a bit tho). I see that Marie still hasn't had very good costume advice - or maybe it's just me.

I agree that Mel and Maks seem to be the standouts - after some non-descript performances early on.

For me, Jenny isn't confident enough - which seems odd for an actress, but you never know what will "get" someone, really. This is too bad, as she really is a lovely dancer when her lack of confidence isn't showing!

And having watched Mel and Maks now - WHO chooses the music for this? Honestly. Paso doble to "I can't get no satisfaction"??

Clearly, I am getting too old for this!

m2

I am not at ALL qualified to give a review - I just watch the show and have my own impressions.

In random order, my thoughts are:

* I think the couple who left last night was the right choice. (Mark/Kym I believe?)

* I did like Maks and Mel's performance

* didn't agree with judges about some of the others - specifically Helio and Juilanne (but what do I know really)

* I thought that generally this was a weak week! Perhaps it was a result of the slower music for some couples - I thought weaknesses really showed. Jane, for example, has been quite strong but I wouldn't say that this was a stellar week for her.

* I thought Marie's costume was NOT AT ALL a good choice. Perhaps that is why she fainted - I would have. Honestly.

* Personally, I didn't care too much for Sabrina/Mark's piece, although the judges (and public) seemed to love it. I thought it was too much drama, not enough dancing...but again WHAT DO I KNOW!!

I will end - and likely get skewered!!

m2

Thank you for the information all!

Wonderful for Ms Hamilton that she is now with the Royal Ballet - thanks to drb for sharing that news.

And yes, the second one I had read about was Dusty Button, via the ABT (JKO school) website.

I can now put my curiousity to bed!

m2

Congratulations to all the new Studio Company dancers!!

I am curious though......there were a couple of dancers I had read about over the past year who I thought were going to Studio Company - Melissa Hamilton from YAGP for one; the other is listed on the ABT site as a graduate of the JKO school who has gone on to studio company, but the name/photo are not on the Studio Company list.

Any idea as to what has happened here? I suppose each could have gone on to a different company, I don't have any connection whatsoever to the dancers in question, am just curious!

m2

I was in NYC recently and went to the Frick which I quite enjoyed and would love the opportunity to return to.

Happy Museum Day!!

m2

Thank you for sharing that link! I see a dancer we know from Canada is listed as an apprentice!!

m2

Thank you for posting this! Am actually travelling to NYC on the 29th, so if I'm lucky will be able to catch this before it's too late.

By the way, I enjoy "Ranting Details" very much! I can only aspire to be such a talented writer!!

All the best,

m2

I'm looking forward to this!

I'll be in NYC during that time, and happened to stumble on the information last week - bought tickets for the 15th I believe it is.

Now, I'll go back and read this thread in preparation!

m2

Thanks for the news, Paquita - I echo your thoughts!

Here is a link to names of the Apprentices for next year:

http://www.youdancecanada.ca/artists/index.shtml

m2

I wish that I had been able to see the competition - sounds like it was quite interesting!!

I know that the format for this one is different to Jackson and Varna (from what I've read, at any rate), in that the dancers don't learn the pieces until they arrive in NYC. I know they prepare one piece in advance, but they don't know what they will be dancing until the start of the competition. For most other competitions, aren't the variations practised for quite some time in advance?

Attended the performance today.

I had a ticket, rescheduled from my regular series. My two daughters however did not have tickets, and I was banking on Rush seats. We arrived at the box office at 11:30 (last show this was PLENTY of time), but no more regular rush. I could get subscriber rush (or some such thing) at $80 per seat. Regular rush seats are $30. I hadn't really planned on shelling out THAT much for an afternoon, so one daughter went off happily for a sunny afternoon alone in the city.

I remember reading that NBOC had given out free tickets somewhere along the line - would that have been for today's performance? Hmm. That on top of the administration deciding to re-categorize my season's seat to a higher dollar value (with no prior notification) has left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.

On to the show.

As indicated in an earlier post, I had never seen this version of Don Q before. I did, however, spend an entire semester studying Don Q in Madrid a number of years ago as a college student. This version of Don Q is a nice attempt to be true to the characters in the novel, and I appreciated that. However, if one is looking for lots of dancing this isn't the best place to start. This is a story told through drama, dance and music.

The main characters today did well, as one would expect them to. Tanya Howard was lovely as Dulcinea in all her forms, to the extent that my 16 year old was impressed (and this is actually saying quite a lot). The Divertissments (sp?) in Act 2 were lovely and quite enjoyable. Let's see...the young dancers from the school (Act 1) did a wonderful job; the staging (particularly Act 1) was also quite good.

In the end, I think perhaps this isn't a summertime ballet - it's better placed in the fall or winter when one is content to be indoors to watch a wonderful story unfold and not feel guilty thinking of the wonderful weather outside......

m2

I am going tomorrow, so no report here yet.

Sadly it doesn't look as though we'll see Ogden - I think it's Tanya Howard tomorrow, I can't remember now.

The reviews have been so mixed I"m honestly not sure if I'm looking forward to it or not (I've never seen Balanchine's Don Q). Nevertheless, I figure it's a piece of ballet history that will be good to see.

I'll write a report after the show.

m2

Dancers proceeding to the second round have now been posted.

http://www.nyibc.org/2007/results.php

Congratulations to all competitors!

m2

I attended the Sunday matinee performance. Have read that Paula Citron liked Richard Landry's character in Four Seasons....here are my thoughts about the program:

In this performance (Sunday mat here) Richard Landry's character was (to me at any rate) the personification of death - and not a very nice one at that. I don't recall ever seeing it danced quite that way - but then again perhaps it was just my seat, or that performance..........

I always enjoy the Four Seasons and yesterday was no exception. One standout for me was Julie Hay in Winter - but you all know that I'm partial to her. Others were wonderful also - in particular the work seen by some of the younger corps members.

Polyphonia was superb, and Bridgette Zehr the best I've seen her this season. She has an amazing facility - gifts from god without a doubt. I was also quite impressed with Lavoie...perhaps he'll get a nod for a promotion??? The news re hirings and promotions CAN'T be far off - PLEASE Ms Kain - DO tell us!!

Wolf's Court - well, perhaps this is one that grows on you? Or perhaps I just don't know enough about dance to fully appreciate it. All I can say is that it wasn't something that sticks out as a work I really would like to see again.

I look forward to other's impressions!

m2

miliosr,

I enjoy your reports on the competition very much and am really looking forward to this week's installment.

I admit that I am by no means an expert in ballroom dance, so perhaps I shouldn't have an opinion at all...that said I did have an opinion about this week's dances but of course the judges didn't seem to agree with me! Can't wait to read your opinion!

m2

WONDERFUL opportunity for San Antonio!

Be sure to stock up on yellow roses!!!

m2

Thanks,

Have been checking that page from time to time since the announcement would have been made yesterday...we're interested in the NYC finals results.

m2

Is anyone able to tell us the names of the competition medallists?

m2

Millie - you are so right! Where is a good Don Q pdd when you need one??

I forgot to mention that I did find it hard to follow the program - ok, partly this was because the program changed a LOT from the printed one - and would really have appreciated a little printed insert with the changes. By the time I got home I could no longer recall the name of the Royal dancer who was the substitution (thank you to Marga for this), and it was only thanks to some rudimentary knowledge (and luck) that I knew pieces were changed. I imagine changes are not unusual for a gala, so perhaps next year this could be a consideration?

m2

Marga,

Thank you for such a lovely review!! You always are able to say what I WISH I were able to articulate!

I too enjoyed the show very much last night. I did like the NBOC offerings, but wished that a piece other than the R and J balcony scene had been chosen for Cote/Nan Yu. It was wonderfully done, don't get me wrong, but he has been touring that one quite a bit lately.

I also liked the piece danced by Zehr/Konvalina, but agree that by the end of the evening I was wishing there had been more classical pieces.

I heard an audience member comment on the costumes - many were VERY simple, if not plain. I didn't mind this really, but found it interesting on the weekend of the YAGP finals that so many younger dancers must be paying quite a bit of money for costumes, while the professionals took a more minimalist approach.

Finally, about Desmond Richardson. Sigh. I agree with you compltely, Marga - as did a number of the young women sitting down the row from me. They were MOST vocal in their appreciation, which started the moment he stepped onto the stage.

m2

I love Nan Yu, so will enjoy her performance....hope that all is well with Ms Ogden!

Hubbe was in Toronto not so very long ago to set Sylphide on the NBOC - I think he even danced the role of James once or twice (not the day I had tickets though)...so I would say that at the very least he is considered an expert interpreter of Bournounville by companies around the world....