BSS

Hyltin I think was promoted too quickly. In the first few years after her promotion she was pushed into a bunch of roles and in each of them was sweet, charming, but not much more. Her dancing has much more power now -- more boldness in attack, more clarity. I still think some of her roles are a bit too coy (Terpischore for example) but she's definitely a greater overall artist.

Interesting observations Canbelto. Talk about someone who was promoted too quickly, IMO (to soloist not principal) - Erica Pereira. I keep hoping to see her blossom, but not much seems to be happening.

Your opinion means nothing because you are an OBTUSE MORON. PLEASE KEEP YOUR NEGITAVE OPINIONS TO YOUR SELF. YOU SOUND LIKE A VERY ANGRY OLD WOMEN WHO HAS SHRIVLED UP AND HAS NOTHING BETTER TO DO BUT TO BASH ERICA PEREIRA.PLEASE DO NOT GO AWAY ANGRY JUST GO AWAY

I agree that a promotion is overdue for Georgina Pazcoguin. She is vivid in character parts and the co. should value that gift. There are only five women soloists, so there is certainly room for promotions.

It is fun to speculate. In the corps, the Laurens, King and Lovette have both attracted a lot of attention this season. I would expect to see them promoted in the next couple of years.

There are several soloists who have principal potential. Certainly Katherine Morgan, despite being out injured this season would be an obvious choice. The principal ranks are top heavy right now however, so I don't think we will see any promotions next season.

If any soloist deserve to be promoted it is Ana Sophia Scheller. Katherine Morgan has not danced with the company in almost 1 1/2 years. I understand she has some health issues and injuries but promotion i do not see. It would just not be fair to other young ladies who have day in and day out been there when called on to preform.

Has anyone been to see the Nutcracker at NYCB yet? Here is a link to Alastair Macaulay's first review of this year's run. It's a nice review of Balanchine's production but at the end gets a little bit nasty toward the dancers...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/arts/dance/29nutcracker.html?_r=1&ref=dance

This critic is just a nasty person he enjoys bel I have read reviews just like this last one many times before completely off base he does have his favorites. I remember he was reviewing a nutcracker last year and mentioned a dancer who was not even dancing she was injured. He said she was much better in that role just to be nasty to the person who was dancing that part. He is obtuse and nasty and should be fired once and for all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Macaulay had some kind words for Kathryn Morgan, who hasn't even been dancing because of an injury, as well as some harsh words for NYCB's newest soloist Erica Pereira. He had positive and negative comments for Janie Taylor. It makes me wonder how difficult it is for dancers to read harsh criticisms of the work they put so much heart and time into.

I've been reading Macaulay's reviews in The NY Times for about a year now (I'm sure there are other BTers who have been reading them for much longer) and he seems to be the critic most willing to share negative opinions. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, its just interesting to me.

I have been involved with dance some 20 years now and can tell you this most dancers do not even read what the critics have to say!!!!! As far as Mr Macaulay

i can say i have read many of his reviews and he always has his favorites. The dancers he likes, in his eyes can do no wrong point taken his comments about Kathryn. I have never seen him say a negative comment about her dancing. On the other hand he seems to thrive on tearing down anyone he does not like. I personally find Mr Macaulay obtuse and mean.

I generally enjoy reading Alistair Macaulay's reviews from New York.

As to favourites, do you mean that he admires certain dancers and not others based on his fairly wide experience of viewing ballet over three decades on two continents?

Your comment is well taken and based on his wide experience of and here is the word VIEWING!!!!! NOT EVER DANCING A SINGLE STEP I WOULD SAY HE IS OBTUSE AND MEAN!!!!!!!!

Macaulay had some kind words for Kathryn Morgan, who hasn't even been dancing because of an injury, as well as some harsh words for NYCB's newest soloist Erica Pereira. He had positive and negative comments for Janie Taylor. It makes me wonder how difficult it is for dancers to read harsh criticisms of the work they put so much heart and time into.

I've been reading Macaulay's reviews in The NY Times for about a year now (I'm sure there are other BTers who have been reading them for much longer) and he seems to be the critic most willing to share negative opinions. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, its just interesting to me.

I have been involved with dance some 20 years now and can tell you this most dancers do not even read what the critics have to say!!!!! As far as Mr Macaulay

i can say i have read many of his reviews and he always has his favorites. The dancers he likes, in his eyes can do no wrong point taken his comments about Kathryn. I have never seen him say a negative comment about her dancing. On the other hand he seems to thrive on tearing down anyone he does not like. I personally find Mr Macaulay obtuse and mean.

Link

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/...eira&st=cse

Congrats to a lovely dancer, a well deserved promotion indeed.

I just finished reading the times review of NYCB opening night for the winter season by Mr Alastair Macaulay he says “Chaconne” pas de deux, the WOMAN seems to want to revolve faster than her partner allows: an image of endearing impetuosity. For years this critic has made fun and sometimes been extremely NASTY to many in the art of dance. That being said his statements about the pas de deux were fine. I just want to point out to him that he is not perfect like he makes himself out to be. I love the part where he says THE WOMAN maybe if he looked at his insert in the program he would have seen that THE WOMAN was Erica Pereira. To Mr Macaulay next time you review a performance and there is an insert in the program maybe you should look at it. Nothing like having all the facts correct when you are writing a story MR MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suggest you go back and reread the article. In the sentence you mention, Macaulay is describing the choreography, not the performance, so it is appropriate for him to say what the woman always does at this point as opposed to what a particular dancer did that night. Whatever you think of Macaulay as a critic, you do yourself no favors by broadcasting your misunderstanding here.

I stand corrected but i still do not care for this critic

I just finished reading the times review of NYCB opening night for the winter season by Mr Alastair Macaulay he says “Chaconne” pas de deux, the WOMAN seems to want to revolve faster than her partner allows: an image of endearing impetuosity. For years this critic has made fun and sometimes been extremely NASTY to many in the art of dance. That being said his statements about the pas de deux were fine. I just want to point out to him that he is not perfect like he makes himself out to be. I love the part where he says THE WOMAN maybe if he looked at his insert in the program he would have seen that THE WOMAN was Erica Pereira. To Mr Macaulay next time you review a performance and there is an insert in the program maybe you should look at it. Nothing like having all the facts correct when you are writing a story MR MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Allen Peiffer New York City Ballet

I was at yesterdays 1 PM show and just wanted to report Pereira and Peiffer were brilliant there technique was impeccable. I look forward to seeing this pairing in the future

BSS

There are so many corps girls at NYCB right now that draw the eye. Kathryn Morgan barley even fits in this category, she is a principal in waiting. Muller, King and Piskin for sure but I also find myself watching Ashley Laracy and Glenn Keenan all the time. Both were lovely in Emeralds yesterday afternoon and I think it was Keenan who did double duty also poping up in Diamonds. And Erica Pereira, my goodness she's extraordinary.

Over at ABT I always notice the lovely & elegant Zhong-Jing Fang, the sweet yet forthright presence of Anne Milewski and the lightness and delicacy of Renata Pavam, and this season I've also started to notice Jessica Saund. Among the men I've been had my eye on Grant Delong and Alexander Hammoudi for a few seasons now and of course Simone Messmer and Blaine Hoven are ripe for promotion.

And during the Kirov City Center season I was captivated by Svetlana Ivanova, Elena Androsova and Maria Shirinkina. Wish they were local so I could watch their progression!

I agree with you 100% Erica Pereira is extraordinary!!!!! Saw here do Juliet in Peter Martins Romeo & Juliet when she was an a apprentice, she was wonderful then and even more enjoyable now to watch. I am sure we will see some amazing performances in the near future from this truely gifted dancer.

Erica Pereira is the dancer i am watching!!!!!!

I was at last nights performance Sterling Hyltin and Jonathan Stafford were perfect together. Erica Pereira who did lead Marzipan delivered i can't wait to see her in her debut in two weeks as Dewdrop Congrats to all at at last nights performance. It was also nice to see Garnetta Gonzalez or as many know her as Coco back she is a very gifted dancer.

I like the idea that the company is driven by the Works and not the Dancers. The post the casting at least the week before on the web site and in the lobby. We have 2 subscriptions (both Thursdays night series) and often buy extra tickets or end up trading in tickets if we have a conflict or will be out of town. We might purchase some extra tickets to see a favorite ballerina (Maria Kowroski currently) dance in something new or special. But that is not usually the driving force - the ballets are. I will want to see anyone at NYCB dancing Agon. Or 4T's. Or mostly any of the Balanchine and Robbins works. I would also do that for some Martins work (Barber Violin Concerto for example) and certainly most of Wheldon and many of the other young and new choreographers that have most recently been shown (Elo for example). Not that I don't have my favorite dancers. But the driving force is always the ballet, not the dancer. That is always a secondary consideration - as I think it should be.

ABT is much different in that they promote their star system and people go to see specific principal dancers much more than at NYCB. Also, ABT does mostly full length evening story ballets (which I am not particularly fond of) and you are pretty much stuck with the specific stars for the entire evening.

At NYCB they usually have many shorter ballets and have many of their principal dancers performing on any given evening. That is part of the joy. And an even bigger joy is seeing a young dancer being given a principals role. It happens many times every season - and that can be as much fun and as enjoyable as seeing one of the principals.

They have often plucked dancers out of the corps to do major principal roles. I believe Sara Mearns dance the principal role in Swan Lake while she was a corps dancer. And they had chosen a young SAB student to dance Julliet in R&J! Unfortunately she was injured and a young corps dancer had to take her place.

I can recall many dancers who as corps members danced in principal roles - eventually becoming soloists and then principals. In fact I would guess that is true of all of the principal dancers. Young dancers at NYCB seem to be given a chance to strut their stuff. And I love that about the company.

Your comment about the young student is some what correct Mr Martins picked 4 students one an apprentice Ms Erica Pereira she performed the lead role of Juliet in Peter Martins' 2007 production of Romeo + Juliet. I was in NY at the time she did both shows and all i can say is WOW if she is any gauge on the talent at NYCB the company has no worries about being the one of the premier companies in the world!!!!!!!!! Ms Pereira was wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!! Right after her final performance she was made a corp member and we hope to be seeing her this season!!!!!!!!! in Romeo + Juliet

BSS

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/arts/...-arts-headlines

http://www.nysun.com/article/54387

http://www.exploredance.com/article.htm?id...or&sid=1804

http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/6408.html

http://www.danceviewtimes.com/2007/Spring/07/nycb6.html

'SingerWhoMoves' date='May 17 2007, 01:10 AM' post='203997']

So sad to be out of NYC for this- but I was just browsing the company website, and noticed that Erica is now listed as a member of the Corps de ballet. Congratulations Erica!

- from the most recent Reviews thread re R & J.

Thank you, I'm so glad it has finally been publised! Erica Pereira is now a member of the corps! I have no idea if there's been any other acknowledgement but she was told right after her second performance on Saturday. This could not have happened to a nicer, more down to earth, and lovely person.

Brava Brava Erica :yahoo:

Yes, thank you, indeed, BSS! However, Natalia's excerpt leaves out the very important contrast that Popkin draws - because she's left out this portion: "the ballet has furnished an effective vehicle for a group of the company's most talented young dancers."

Michael Popkin's piece titled "The Kids Are All Right" goes on to draw out this observation by writing

...On Saturday afternoon, the brilliance of the two young leads -Erica Pereira as Juliet (18 years old and still an apprentice dancer) and Allen Peiffer ( just a few years older) as Romeo - tipped the scales in favor of the production.

Ms. Pereira is a slight but strong dancer with beautiful arms, long legs, and a flexible back who caused a stir among ballet aficionados at last year's School of American Ballet workshop. She has not only physical facility but also appears to be a natural actress. Her dramatic reading of the character on Saturday afternoon - progressing credibly from innocence to eroticism, determination, and then fear before a compelling death scene - was extraordinarily precocious.

Mr. Peiffer was just as striking as Romeo: He's a prince by physical type, long legged and with the stretched lines and elegant physique more commonly found in boys trained at the Kirov or Bolshoi academies in Russia than at New York City Ballet, where the men have recently tended to be punchier and more muscled. As was true of Ms. Pereira, he transcended the given material and gave a coherent, dramatic reading of his role. Of everyone who danced Romeo these past two weeks, he realized the death scene the best. Upon discovering Paris approaching the tomb with flowers, Romeo jumps on the catafalque and then pounces upon his rival and kills him. With Mr. Peiffer, this moment was finally unforced and convincing...

In my reading of this review, I feel the thrust is much more about what was "right" with this performance and much less about what so many feel was wrong with the production.

BW your point is well taken Mr Popkin wants to draw our attention to the title The Kids Are All Right and thats where we should focus our attention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a link to a wonderful article in the New York Sun about Pereira & Peiffer as Romeo & Juliet in the Saturday matinee.

http://www.nysun.com/article/54387

BSS

WOW!!! OK, all you SAB and Patrelle fans, now that Erica's Juliet has sent NYC balletomanes pirouetting on their heads, tell what else you've seen her do!

We were at SAB workshop in June 2006 Erica danced square dance and blew us away, also saw her do the Swan Lake in the video posted on newsday web sight she is truely a joy to watch. If my memory serves me right she was 16 in the Swan Lake video

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/ny-et...0,3658642.story

BSS

Did Patrelle coach her for Swan Lake? If not, does anyone know who did?

I love the way Pereira keeps moving and moving, even when it was only her hands that complete the first and initiate the next movement. The only thing remotely pose-like was when she was in the overhead lift. I also love the way she lifts her fully turned out knee for every turn. What a beautiful dancer she is.

Cheryl Yeager coached Erica along with Darla Hoover at Ballet Academy East Erica was 16 in that video

Any word on when the casting will be posted for Romeo & Juliet?

Congratulations to the newest members of NYCB!

Also, I spotted (apprentice?) Erica Pereira in the corps of Raymonda last night dancing with such lovely freshness and delicate strength.

sz i think you are mistaken about apprentice Erica Pereira she was in Evenfall not Raymonda she looked wonderful and even had a small part with Mr Orza. Congratulations to the newest members of NYCB!

BSS

Can any of you comment upon Erica Pereira's performance in Spanish on Saturday night? I was not able to attend and am very interested in hearing about it.

BW i was there Saturday night Erica was great in Spanish she was also in Snow you can always pick her out in a group she has an ease about her and she moves like she is floating.

BSS

In reference to Links/October 1:

Roslyn Sulcas in the New York Times on the reconstruction of Balanchine choreography

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/arts/dan....html?ref=dance

BSS writes:

"The article was great i was wondering if the girl in the picture is Erica Pereira? Since there was no mention of the young dancers names. I remember seeing her in the SAB work shop this past June she was wonderful in the workshop. Can anyone confirm if that is Erica?"

Yes, that IS Erica Pereira in the photo with Frederick Franklin, according to her mom.

Toby thanks for your reply Erica is a lovely dancer im sure we will be seeing some great things from this young lady in the near future.

BSS