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A bit off topic, OK, WAY off topic, but Julie Kent has suggested that Cubans do so well in dance because they spend a lot of time training in meters other than 4/4, which apparently Americans don't.

For the first time in over 25 years there are no dancers from the former USSR in the company. I was hoping that they could round up a male principal or soloist from somewhere. They're even thinner than it appears, as Ramos is trying to come back from a torn Achilles' tendon.

I'm thinking that the season ticket brochure just mentioned the programs that will have a full orchestra (I still can't find it).

Based on what's on their website, I think that R-n-J and Three World Premieres will have a live orchestra (that there are 2 productions with live music is something that I'm sure about, but someone seems to have taken the brochure that they sent me). Should anything be read into programming R-n-J on Valentine's Day?

And, yesterday, an announcement about Christopher Moulton's promotion.

There wasn't a tremendous change in direction when Boggs replaced Fredmann. The scheduling has been pretty similar, and the style hasn't changed radically. Certainly nothing like the changes at the Washington Ballet. Fredmann had connections in Russia and Japan, which helped him with recruiting (half of the current principals were hired by Fredmann). The big improvement that Boggs has made has been to adjust the artistic goals to fit with the financial realities.

The CB put out an announcement about Tracy Jones' promotion. I believe that there are only 4 dancers left from the Martin Fredmann era (only 3 of whom performed before he was fired).

Moderators, please delete.

The CB broadcast on Facebook that Asuka Sasaki has been promoted to Principal Dancer. Their website also has the photos of Tracy Jones and Christopher Moulton in the Soloists area, which presumably means that both of them have been promoted. Conspicuously missing are photos of Soloist Shelby Dyer and long-time member of the Corps Luis Valdes (who are married).

I made it to the Thursday show (I also went to the Monday "kick-off"). On Monday, I thought that the Nashville Ballet's Concerto was OK but nothing special. My opinion didn't improve after a second viewing. I didn't see much focus to the choreography, the music was bland, and some of the costumes were unappealing. The Black Iris Project's MADIBA, having something to do with Nelson Mandela, was quite interesting, even if it was a bit on the "preachy" side. The program was It was solidly ballet (not modern dance) and very high energy. The Washington Ballet's Andile Nlovu played the role of Nelson Mandela. Dwight Rhoden's Complexions Contemporary Dance finished the night with a definitely dessert (a very fattening dessert) piece. Allaying Natalia's fears, there was pointe work - by a man. I think that they made a mistake in the Monday show by putting Stella Abrera and Marcelo Gomes early in the program, as they were clearly superior to everyone else who followed.

The Washington Ballet also isn't selling that well. I think that it has more to do with the unfamiliarity with the work. ABT's Swan Lake sold out weeks in advance, but ticket sales for the Mariinsky Ballet's The Little Hump-backed Horse were so-so (despite the very high quality of the Mariinksy's performance) the following week. My initial take on The Little Mermaid is that while it contains some really interesting ideas, it drags along, especially in the first "part" ("part" != "act"?). The percentage of the performance time spent actually dancing is a little too low for my taste. This opinion is based on a single viewing, and unfortunately it looks distressingly unlikely that I will get to see it a second time.

I would list Ayano Kimura, Francesca Dugarte, and Corey Landolt as 3 dancers that I never paid much attention to before this production who turned out to be quite solid and capable of playing prominent roles. I also thought that Maki Onuki and Brooklyn Mack turned in better performances than I anticipated. Were my expectations too low? Or has there been some improvement?

The official opening night (as opposed to the "preview", which was the real opening night): Maki Onuki almost made me walk back my statement about EunWon Lee being the WB's best. I didn't think that she had as much support, but my accomplice disagreed. While I thought that Rolando Sarabia did not match Brooklyn Mack, she thought that he was better. I thought that Gian-Carlo Perez was passive as Hilarion, but she thought that he did quite well. The performance ran into a hitch when Onuki's dress snagged a large bunch of flowers as she emerged from the grave. The first Wili stepped on the flowers and managed to get most of them loose, though unfortunately since there wasn't a subtle way of moving them she had to leave her position to pick them up and put them back on the grave. The remaining flowers fell off in the middle of the stage and stayed there for most of the Giselle-Albrecht dance until Sarabia picked them up and danced with them until the segment ended with him at the grave, where he placed them on the grave as if it was part of the choreography. Venus Villa was substituted for in the peasant pas de deux, so I hope that she isn't injured and have to miss her turns as Giselle. Did I mention that the WB has a live orchestra for this production? YAY!!!!!!!!!

I'm not aware of the WB routinely posting the casting ahead of time. I got these from the program. On that note, I didn't realize that there is a Sunday evening performance. Venus Villa and Jonathan Jordan handle that one.

I made it to the "preview" performance of Giselle this evening (3/1). It was a very impressive opener for the production, better than I thought that the WB would be capable of. EunWon Lee played the ill-fated village girl, and to me she is the best dancer the WB has had in my 4 years in the DMV. She is also an excellent actress. Brooklyn Mack played Albrecht, and showed more nuance and "feel" than he has in the past. Francesca Dugarte hasn't has much prominence in the past, but she was a surprisingly good Myrta, showing excellent athletic ability. Corey Landolt was a credible Hilarion, and to me portrayed Hilarion as being on the selfish side and not totally undeserving of his fate. Andile Ndlovu was solid as the male member of the peasant pas de deux. The Lee-Mack pair performs again on Friday evening and the Sunday matinee. Maki Onuki pairs with Rolando Sarabia on Thursday and Saturday evenings while Venus Villa and Jonathan Jordan handle the Saturday matinee. During Sunday's talk, Julie Kent made references to 4 reasons why she chose Giselle: - since she feels that she is changing the direction of the WB toward more of a classical ballet company, she thought that it would be good to start off with the first great classical ballet - rehearsing for Giselle provides an opportunity for the dancers to improve classical techniques - dancers like Giselle - Giselle played a significant role in both her career and her personal life.

I believe that their 2011 production of Romeo and Juliet used choreography by Alun Jones. Is he the Jones referred to in "Jones' staging"?

Not likely, after 45 years. I'm letting my membership lapse, as the Kennedy Center appears to neither need additional money nor is interested in allowing as many people as possible to attend popular shows.

There is no mention of standing room tickets for Alvin Ailey either, despite 5 of the 7 performances being sold-out and only 1 ticket or a couple of wheelchair slots available for the other 2. This leads me to believe that the Kennedy Center was behind the decision not to sell standing room tickets to Swan Lake.

I went to the Wed. and Fri. performances, and loved them. I go hot and cold on Ratmansky's work, and this one is definitely on the hot end. Matvienko and Shklyarov were VERY impressive.

Misty Copeland suffered an injury and was not able to dance Sunday evening.

How is Devon Teuscher only a soloist??? Thursday's Swan Lake was absolutely great (by elite ballet company standards). A much more dramatic, emotional performance by Marcelo Gomes and an excellent performance by Devon Teuscher (even managing to keep the fouettes in a perfectly straight line). The 1st ballerina in the pas de troix was also impressive.

YAY!!! I took a chance and went to the Kennedy Center, and they actually had a few tickets. So I got a seat. And a pretty good one at that - across the aisle from Kevin McKenzie. I thought that performance was merely OK (by elite ballet company standards). Hee Seo was smooth as silk, but Cory Stearns was a little mechanical. There wasn't much chemistry between them (I'm conditioned to watching the Colorado Ballet, which seems to place a high empahsis on emotive dancing). As too often seems to be the case, the men's costumes were at times annoyingly silly. But I ALWAYS like programs better the second time I see them. Which is why I was so anxious to go tonight.

I had called the Kennedy Center box office when they opened this morning and was told that standing room was under discussion. That has me wondering if the Kennedy Center was making a last attempt to talk ABT into allowing standing room (performers at the Kennedy Center have the power to decline standing room). If it turns out that it was the Kennedy Center's decision, I will not renew my membership since it would mean that they don't need more money.

I just talked to someone at the Kennedy Center box office who claimed that there WON'T be any standing room tickets for Swan Lake. I find this to be totally mystifying. The Kennedy Center is always claiming that they are hurting for money, and I can't imagine that the ABT is in such good shape that they wouldn't welcome a few extra $$$$.

1.5 million people attended her Nutcracker performances.