LMCtech

SFB's Program V looks very promising if you like to see new ballets (which I do). It runs from April 2-13. Joanna Berman's farewell solo will be on this program.

Although she has that incredible facility, I find her jumping and turning to be weak, and her acting to be one dimensional. I see why people call her sensual, but to me it is a put persona and not something that comes from within. I find her to be a surface dancer, which is fine, but if I'm going to see an emotionally charged piece, I want to see someone else.She did the lead in MacMillan's "The Invitation" a few seasons ago. She was very disappointing.

Did anyone see them perform?

Did anyone notice Brett Bauer in the corps. (He is extremely tall.)I was just wondering how he did.

So who hired him and why? I again will admit I am terribly ill informed about these processes in other countries, though I am very familiar with them here in the States.

Sounds like we're all getting a little personal and emotional here. Maybe it would be different if I were from London. However I remember all the same things being said about San Francisco Ballet in the '80s when Tomasson took over. I think they came out alright. I really think we ought to give him a chance.

Well, Mark Morris called her a genius in an interview. Joanna has something I would call subtlety. She is not technically brilliant, but she can actually act. Her Aurora is different than her Juliet which is different from her "Black Cake". She is incredibly musical. She really internalizes it. That is probably why Mark Morris likes her so much.

I did not mean to offend, y'all. What was the track record in Australia? I admit I know Mr. Stretton more as a dancer than an AD. Did the same sort of things happen there to the detriment of the Company?

Felursus, Seems as though we are of a similar mind in this respect. I wish I could see NYCB more often. I like that they let unknowns take soloist and even principal roles.

I don't think any of these events are out of the ordinary. There is always attrition in the ranks and fidgeting in the press when a new AD takes over anything (ballet, opera, symphonies, record lables, etc.). I will hold my judgement for another year or two. Hopefully he will be given enough of a break that he will be able to show his strengths as an AD and not get his hands tied right away. As for talented dancers leaving, that always leaves room for other maybe even more talented dancers to fill their places.

Hear, hear!

Maybe that's a good thing. It might be good to get some freshness into this rot-ridden organization. I hope he knows what he's getting into. [ 10-17-2001: Message edited by: LMCtech ]

I am always much more interested in the choreography than the individual dancers. Therefore, I don't tend to care who is dancing a role. There are exceptions though. I would like to avoid seeing Julie Kent in Giselle again, if I can help it. And I always like to see as many different Auroras as possible.

I also think opera fans tend to be more devoted to knowing everything they possibly can about technique, composers, singers, companies, history. They are just better informed. There is also a notable lack of children in an audience. I think that makes a difference. Opera has an elitist image (there is that word again) and for good reason. It tends to make the reveiws moer elitist too.

I am ambivalent to story ballets. I hate the plot lines because I've seen them soooo many times before they are staler than three week old bread. But I like to see them because I can really see the dancer's technique because I know choreography so well. I like that new narrative are being attempted. I wish the choreography was better so they would actually last. But maybe we just need to wait a while. Wade through the muck til we find a true jewel.

OK...Here goes from the West Coast. She has a point about the difference between the Coasts. I moved back here because I couldn't stand how uptight and hyper everyone on the East Coast seemed. I never really thought that carried over into ballet, but I guess you could argue that. Keep in mind that it has been very difficult for Oakland Ballet to KEEP motivated dancers because their contract is only 20 weeks long. Any dancer who was ambitious left for other better oppurtunities. Some words about Oakland. This is one of the country's most ethnically diverse cities, and their ballet company did not reflect that. Karen Brown's vision for the Oakland Ballet seems to include making it a ethnically more diverse company that does works that are more interesting to the Oakland commmunity and that can retain more talent. That will naturally change the direction of the company, but considering they were not doing very well financially before, any change is probably welcome.

I am interested in the fact that so many admin people left. That is not so typical in the arts. When you get a good job with a major you company you usually hold on to it. There is always some attrition but over %50 in two years is not general attrition. Can that be blamed on Kevin MacKenzie? Probably not. Artistic directors don't seem to influence the atmosphere of the admin offices as musc as say the Executive dirctor does. It sounds to me talking to people who have worked there that the working environment was extremely hostile. I'm impressed they made all those gains in an atmosphere that was probably not very supportive. Of course most of this is speculation based on personal accounts and my personal experience working for major performing arts organizations. From afar, I feel for all those admin people, 'cause I'm one of them.

Having worked in theater and opera where hiccups can be even more detrimental I learned a whole repertoire of hicupp remedies. But I only witnessed it happen once. He suffered throught the scene and then drank a glass of water upside down once he got off the stage.

"The Green Table" is anti-war in general but not about a specific incident. I think Joffrey did it a few years back and should be available on video somewhere.

Four, one to do it and three to say how much better they could have done it. (Actually that's a classic tenor joke.)

My brother tends to wear jeans and rugby shirts, because that's what he went to work in. Then he looks at the ushers faces when they see he has a comp ticket. ("Of course this slob has a comp...") I try to always wear a skirt to the ballet, but have been known to show-up in jeans for a modern dance performance. Depends on the venue for me. And I only wear formals for galas.

9. Please wait until the end of the bows to go to your car. It is distracting to other audience members and demoralizing to the dancers. Show your appreciation for the performance given and clap until the end. Unless of course you hated it, then you can leave whenever you want I suppose.

Because I tend to go to the ballet straight after work, whatever I wear to work is what I wear to the ballet. As for ballet inspired fashions. I love ballet flats.

Felursus, that was exactly what I was trying to say, but wasn't being very clear. A potato can grow in any soil, but it will be a better potato for having grown in better condotions and I think that is what happened to Balanchine. I also think that the ballet dancers in America have always been just a little different than their European counterparts and that flavored the work as well.

I keep reading this: another Balanchine would be nice but unlikely. Why is that unlikely?