aurora

1 hour ago, fondoffouettes said:

I don’t believe he’s officially retired Solor, but I assume as much. He pulled out of ABT’s Bayadere months ago, before he injured himself. I think the Petipa role he’s most likely to reprise at ABT or elsewhere is Prince Desiree. I could certainly see him in the Ratmansky reconstruction; lots of partnering, with just one (super taxing) solo.

Romeo is no walk in the park and he's still doing that....

1 minute ago, fondoffouettes said:

Regarding Teuscher...have I been moved by her dancing yet? No. She can be a somewhat remote presence onstage. But I’m hoping her development follows the Murphy rather than the Wiles trajectory. Wiles’ dancing had a somewhat hard-edged quality, whereas Teuscher comes off as a much softer dancer, with greater potential for lyricism.

I feel similarly. I like her and am interested in seeing her. But she hasn't utterly wowed me yet. I thought her first attempt at Nikiya was good but on the cautious/reserved side. While she was a bit stiffer (back especially) than usual she still didn't have that brittle quality Wiles did. Wiles I believe only ever danced Gamzatti.

3 minutes ago, LadyBubbles said:

Ah, now that's different. Interesting though, scheduling 2 principals to perform the shade trio on the same night. I'm sure ABT has its reasons for its casting decisions, although I don't always understand them.

I do wonder how much rehearsal time both dancers had considering they had a major debut 2 days ago, and they are both working on even more debuts in the next few weeks (Columbine and Kitri for Lane, Pierrette and O/O for Shevchenko). It's no secret that we can't give everything the same degree of priority.

Agreed. It is a problem with the packed met season certainly.

I would say I really didn't think the corps looked bad tonight. There were bobbles certainly in that side developee after they are all in formation, but I don't think I've ever seen that NOT have bobbles. No one looked like they were going to lose it tonight.

14 minutes ago, LadyBubbles said:

Re Lane: Not enough rehearsal perhaps? I was afraid this could happen. That variation is hard because if you're off the music pretty much everything else gets messed up. Hopefully tomorrow goes better for her. I'm glad Shevchenko did fine, although I'm sure she would have given a great go with more rehearsal time. Speaking of rehearsal time, for the sake of the company, I hope they give their shades more of it next time they stage this production. It sounds like the unsteadiness problem was more than just nerves.

Why do we think this 3 shades cast was a last minute switch? They were listed in the program.

17 minutes ago, Dancerboy90210 said:

Report on Friday June 2nd Performance

I don't think I'd say that Lane had the worst go of the variation ever, but she clearly got into her head too much as the variation progressed. She appeared to be thinking about nailing those triple pirouttes (there was a momentary pause before each turn/she was sitting in plie and not going right into it) and I think a double with the nice extension out would've served her better. She feel off pointe in the releves in arebesque coming down the diagonal. When she misses something up on stage, she seems to always have this "I completely give up/defeated look" that makes it quite obviously she messed up and its not covered up well. I think she needs to stop doing that...

She did 4? 5? releves and then stopped walked and eventually did a few more before the end of the sequence.

Honestly if I saw a dancer in the corps do that I'd think they'd be lucky to ever get another shot at a solo.

1 hour ago, vipa said:

I truly believe that a company that considers itself world class should have a number of corps members who can step up to the plate and do Peasant Pas (which is standard ballet technique) and the Shades. These dancers went through the 2nd company, presumably doing more difficult things. Many of the women have done the Shades variations in competitions. If Kevin M is serious about home grown talent he should have corps people on notice to be prepared for these things. Imagine being in a company in which opportunity can be thrown your way? If it happened regularly in ABT a lot more people would be ready.

Interestingly Lane had the worst go of the first shade variation I've ever seen.

8 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

What? Just looked at that, too. That's ridiculous and insulting to Lane and Shevchenko (but, at least Lane isn't the only female principal still doing soloist work, as in peasant pas.)

Perhaps, as we've already seen this week, they've realized what a bit of a mess the corps has been and need to bring out the big guns.

I guess I'm glad I'll get to see Lane/Shev tonight. But, this is still ridiculous.

 

The Shades trio I saw weds was not a mess nor did other reports indicate they were. I'm not sure how this in any way fixes the Shades issue.

Both Cornejo and Simkin regularly (at least in the past, and long after being made principal) do soloist parts. As does Cirio.

1 minute ago, nanushka said:

There’s definitely a good number of names in tonight’s shades lineup that I don’t recognize, though it’s quite possible some were around last year and I just don’t recall.

The apprentice Zimmi Coker was in the front this afternoon and was very very good...

2 hours ago, Vs1 said:

That's why I found the comparison odd

I assume the comparison is not based on her suicide but on her being forced to decide which of her children to save (her "choice").

23 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Fondoffouettes, didn’t you love the Dairy Queen soft-serve curly-top headdresses of the waltzing ladies?

http://time.com/3736331/free-ice-cream-dairy-queen/

 

Or... it looked like whipped cream (which was the point)

5 minutes ago, maps said:

Have you seen the Mariinsky's Rite?  I saw it multiple times.  The Chosen One dances to death.  12+ in St Petersburg. Pavlenko as the Chosen One and Gergiev conducting.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvVKWapctX4

 

I've seen recordings. I've seen, however, the Joffrey version when they started doing it, and it was profound and horrifying (I love it).

4 minutes ago, maps said:

 

Mariinsky Rite was pagan, tribal, elaborate costumes, and the ritual sacrifice obscured by action.   Age12+  https://www.mariinsky.ru/playbill/repertoire/ballet/le_sacre_du_printemps   Le Parc is age 16+.  

 

If one found the image of a terrified young woman, trapped in the middle of a circle, about to be killed "obscured" the dancers weren't doing it right.

42 minutes ago, California said:

Part of the problem with this new ABT ballet is that nobody got a warning beforehand or had any idea what to expect. Manon, Mayerling, and others mentioned here are so well-known, with so much advance information (and YouTube clips), parents can decide. I've been trying to think of other ballets with parental warnings. The only one I can recall is Dracula, which Colorado Ballet (and many regional companies) perform; advance publicity said it was not suitable for young children. Children were not banned (as you would see at certain movies), but parents were warned. I can recall some art museum exhibits with warning signs before people enter (e.g., some of the Mapplethorpe photos). That's plenty, in my opinion.

Compare this situation with the care with which many theaters post warning signs in the lobby that flashing lights, explosions, etc. are included, presumably because those can trigger health problems for people with certain conditions. 

I'd think the original Rite of Spring might count as a warning beforehand...

Would someone expect rainbows and ponies with that music?

Let's not forget the subject of Rite of Spring...why would anyone expect a ballet related to it would be appropriate for children? Is that the standard for ballets now? PG?

1 hour ago, fondoffouettes said:

Art has often represented the atrocities humans commit on one another. I’m not offended, hypothetically, by a work of art that comments on these terrible things. But trivializing them, as abatt has said this ballet does? Yes, I’d be offended then.

And I completely agree with what abatt and others have said about a word of caution to families. Some performing arts organization (not in NYC for the most part) have gone overboard with assigning ratings to works and providing warnings. But this is an instance when I think a warning would be appropriate. Childhood memories of my first ballet experiences are so vivid (and positive). I can’t imagine how I’d have processed a work like this.

I for one didn't find it trivializing so ymmv

1 hour ago, FauxPas said:

It is really a shame that it took ABT so long to cast Stella Abrera as Giselle until she was nearly forty.  I hope Catherine Hurlin, Paulina Waski, Katherine Williams et al. don't have to wait that long to get their chance. 

I enjoyed your review very much and totally agree with your sentiment here. It is worth noting, however, that Abrera was cast as Giselle 10 years ago in 2008 and then suffered a terrible injury which scuppered that opportunity, kept her from dancing for almost 2 years, and clearly put her out of the promotion track for years.

On 5/20/2018 at 3:44 PM, Drew said:

I am unable to get to NYC for this program and not a big McGregor fan, but actually still feel much as you do, and wish I could see this.

I like the Ratmansky Firebird a lot —though it has to be said that on this board, I seem to be an outlier. It does need confident, musical dancers giving 200 percent. But in any case, as you say, hearing Stravinsky live is never a loss. And publicity-wise, I would have thought these two scores in particular on the same origram would have a certain appeal —

I'm with Drew in liking Ratmansky's firebird a lot! I'm looking forward to it.

I thought last night was really magical. I'm so glad I was there.

Just now, nanushka said:

True, I think. But taking Vs1's comment to be referring to the alleged victim (which your original reference was not), I think it does make sense.

 

But I was quoted and then misinterpreted. why would the victim learn compassion from being victimized? Or was it Copely who would have from being called out... I actually can't understand what Vs1 was saying.

15 minutes ago, Helene said:

That is true, @nanushka, and he could have misread the tide, especially when men raise the complaint.

This whole conversation literally makes no sense.

I was speaking to an earlier commenter on this thread who said they had experienced sexual harassment and yet was castigating the person who reported Copely at great length. I was saying SHE had not learned compassion. This entire offshoot of the conversation has been from Vs1 quoting me out of context and seemingly not understanding what I wrote.

5 minutes ago, Olga said:

I find her conduct in this from start to finish (assuming we are finished) very odd and out of touch. 

Could you explain how so?

12 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

It sure is! My February trips to Chicago have always gone wrong on some level, but that's when the Harris Theater seems to schedule marquee ballet tours.

You aren't kidding. Last time I went there in February my flights were cancelled in both directions...

4 hours ago, nanushka said:

I don't think that's what aurora was saying at all, though I could be wrong.

You aren't wrong nanushka!

As you note, that wasn't what I was saying at all.

22 minutes ago, kfw said:

nanushka,  the chorister’s male, and given the compositon of the Met’s chorus, he’s probably white. So I’m scratching my head at your theory.

 Also, I didn’t dispute Copely’ s right to decide for himself, I posed alternative options and asked why they weren’t better. We’ve been putting ourselves in the chorister and the director’s shoes all along and offering opinions on their choices – it won’t do now to say “we can’t know what’s best.” My question stands.

 And aurora, you ought to see my “extreme privilege,” ;-). All that privilege and three bucks buys me a cup of coffee bigger than I really want anyhow. You’ve already presumed I’ve never experienced any sexual harassment.

I do not presume that. I base my assessments only on your statements. All I'll say is that if you have (and you may well have!) it taught you to empathize with the perpetrator rather than the victim, and that is even sadder.

18 minutes ago, vipa said:

I respectfully think this is too broad a statement for this situation. It's interesting for me to see the clear division in the comments. I don't think anyone will be converted to the other's point of view.

I have no animosity to men (white or otherwise)! That comment was purely a response to kfw's continued disregard for victims, and extreme concern for a celebrated man who has other jobs (who in his view is the only actual victim here) which really could only come from a place of extreme privilege. I apologize if this veers into discussing the discussion but I thought it did deserve a response.

39 minutes ago, kfw said:

The punishment should fit the crime, as the saying goes. 

 You’re welcome to believe me or not, but I think if he is a victim, quite possibly what he’s a victim of is the whole triggering/safe space mentality, in which not only sticks and stones but words also are thought to break bones, that makes people turn inward and become extra sensitive and fragile. We live in a culture which we're all about rights rights rights and every group asserting their rights against other group’s rights. Humanistic it's not. 

 Would it not have been better for the chorister himself for him to have spoken with Copely face to face? If the chorister was truly traumatized (which we don’t know), would not a face to face apology and expression of understanding by Copely have made him feel better than getting Copely fired? Why not? To quote a phrase, what’s so funny ‘bout peace, love and understanding? 

 Having written this, I just saw a tweet that said “Offended is the new righteous.” To which a man I know replied, “The new self-righteous.” Exactly.

It is hard for white men to lose a bit of the dominance they've always had over other groups.