aurora

Besides, she's in many ways, a company artist. She was part of ABT for ages, and even if the young dancers don't know her personally, the older ones do. One would imagine her presence wouldn't create the sort of tensions in the company that the use of an outside "star" might otherwise.

I think Abatt has hit the nail on the head. So it is true that Ratmansky's version of Sleeping Beauty made it less likely we'd get guests in SB because the whole point (and one which I'm very happy with) is that it has to be danced in a coherent style, which just isn't possible to drop in and do. But his presence doesn't (and didn't for his first some odd years with ABT) prevent guests from taking part in Giselle, Bayadere, R&J, etc. And we have had guests in those quite recently.

She has been a guest twice--once last season, and once this season (2 performances of the same role, a roll that older ballerinas do frequently). Hardly the situation being suggested. And I think they wouldn't have asked her back had her performance last year not been considered a success. In any case, she's hardly taking up a ton of space on the roster.

A lot of dancers have had injuries this year, but nothing has been sad about this season. We've so far had a lot of amazing debuts by many up and coming dancers. Some scheduled, some unexpected. All so far excellent.

good to know. I'm sorry for the inaccurate information. Do you know when this policy changed? The Ethics in Journalism document for the New York Times, clearly states that reviewers can accept press passes and tickets to events they are reviewing. In any case, even if it is out of economic necessity it is still sad that the arts coverage has been so drastically curtailed.

You are correct, she does (devon.teusch). And I don't disagree that his reasons for disliking Corsaire have a certain validity, however I didn't even have to read them to know what they were because he has explained them ad nauseam in his reviews of this ballet over the years he has worked at the NYTimes.

At least we're mostly spared reading how much Macaulay hates Corsaire this way!

That isn't a criticism of you, I speak from experience!

They have been neglecting to review much of anything, certainly anything ABT. The only Giselle or Don Q reviews I recall seeing was that combo review of Misty. According to their head critic, it is due to the cuts to their arts coverage, although since he is certainly staff, and since they get free tickets *and* people have seen him attending many of these shows I don't think it really explains it... He is on twitter and instagram so you can ask him about it directly, but police your tone or he will block you.

You get devon teuscher as Gulnare, that isn't too shabby.

I don't have a detailed review particularly, I'll just add that I thought it was--from the entire cast--as spectacular show. There were bobbles here and there, but none diminished from the performance and everyone really brought their A game. I agree the Odalisques weren't totally in unison in the first bit, but they were not jarringly out of sync and looked good. As a note they were a replacement cast in full as the original group included Skylar (hah) with Luciana Paris and Christine Shevchenko..so they were replaced en mass with an alternate C(K) cast of Cassie Trenary, Katherine Williams and Catherine Hurlin. Cassie was perfect in the first variation--I mean super crisp and stunning. I saw the tiniest of bobbles if one wanted to nitpick in both K/Catherine's variations but they were really excellently done. Catherine esp. was lovely, this was the first time I'd seen her in a featured variation and as noted, this is such a hard one. They also all looked beautiful in the "coda" after their solos where often everyone looks rather spent and things tend to get rather sloppy. As an aside, I'm assuming they just pulled them as a group as they'd rehearsed that way, but has anyone seen Luciana Paris of late? I've been supposed to see her several times this season and every time she's been replaced. Sarah Lane was beautiful-- really confident gorgeous dancing from her. Simkin was great but I wish he would do the really deep plies I remember others doing as Lankendem. Salstein is the best in the rather thankless and unbelievable role of Birbanto (I'm your best friend! suddenly I'm going to kill you because I want the slave ladies!). he had one little fall at the end of a passage, but he is such a great character actor he played it off. Cirio had the unenviable task of dancing Ali in a cast where he was probably the 3rd most bravura dancer in the role that usually goes to the most bravura man? And he killed it. He didn't try to beat Simkin or Cornejo for tricks, he did beautiful leaps and turns with more elegance and glamour than either of the others. This was a clean gorgeous performance. There have been more throat catching renditions of the variation but it was a stunning one and sat well in the pas de trois. Which brings us to our leads! Cornejo has probably lost a bit since his heights, but he is such a great dancer, that isn't damning too much. His slight diminishment as a soloist, has, moreover been offset by a massive increase in his partnering skills over the years which lets face it, were never a great strength. He now, not only seems a secure partner, but a devoted one. I thought his dancing excellent last night, if somewhat less clean and elegant than in the past. What really impressed me was the partnering. The superfast pirouettes mentioned by fondoffouettees were stunning and the lifts were also easy and without tension of anxiety. I know what was meant about that lift but it was done with such ease I didn't find it awkward, but it was a sort of tabletop position. This was a very happy partnership. She is a great size for him and they seemed to have a really fantastic instinctive working relationship. In the "bedroom" grotto scene I kept thinking I'd like to see them do R&J. And lastly, Skylar! Wow!! No obvious nerves, just joy. She took this opportunity and ran with it. As noted, she had a slight difficulty with one turn in her variation in the pas de trois, and in the jardin animee, if i remember correctly, she came out of a pirouette early (came down to half pointe, not a big deal). otherwise no technical difficulties. She was in character (as much character as this ballet calls for) throughout. it really was a triumphant debut. I don't know if they'll all be quite as amped up on Thursday when it isn't Skylar's debut, but I don't think anyone should hesitate to go out and grab a ticket. In fact I'd advise you do. I felt like I saw the start of something spectacular.

I know almost nothing of Orthodox tradition, but in Catholic tradition certainly--penitent saints have been very popular throughout Christian history. Mary Magdalen being the greatest example. Mary of Egypt being another (and also popular in eastern tradition, at least historically)

That is certainly what the article I read about the film implied.

and in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/04/arts/dance/ballet-dancer-gray-davis-subway-rescue.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=0

Gray Davis saves person on subway tracks:

Yes. There have been almost no reviews this season. This is after they had actually increased them the last few...

Just as a note, I'd say Hoven must have just had an off afternoon on Saturday because I saw him do this at the rehearsal on Thursday and he was excellent then. As was Trenary--My thoughts on her were the same as yours. I definitely hope she gets Giselle soon.

agreed. but it wasn't terribly late, and the applause was enthusiastic and the house not empty. It seemed surprising when there weren't any given the circumstances

I wondered if she was injured? She didn't come get the conductor, he did. Which was also highly unusual.

If that was the case, it isn't now...

I agree on everything! I'd just like to add that Rachel Richardson's shoes were ASTONISHINGLY quiet, which at the met opera house is no mean feat. and that the fan drop preceded a totally fantastically danced solo--it was like "take that fan!" followed by a coda with doubles with fan above head... Also, please get rid of the hair metal gypsy costumes ABT--I'm too busy laughing to watch!

See, I don't find the (ugh) "boob jiggling" obscene because if I recall correctly, the woman wasn't bothered by it. This can be problematic in itself, but the female dancers were not treating this as a moment of offensive groping (so far as I remember it, I saw it once and thought it totally unmemorable as a piece). So while you might find it obscene to see boobs grabbed on stage, I personally would find it less offensive than the repeated trope of a woman being physically abused/manhandled by a group of men against her will (which it sounds like this was since she apparently slapped one at the end?) I'm not for censorship either but I have to say I also find I'm rather over rape/abuse of women as a plot device in new ballets. (And I adore Ratmansky).

If you didn't move from the times article to the instagram post and the ongoing--well I'm not sure what to call it--with Macaulay, it is probably worth reading

And of course the Millepied 3 Movements is even more conventional, in that it was him having his live-in gf at that time do the costumes.

Gemma Bond (ABT corps) is also a Choreographer. http://gemmabonddance.com/ She has not however seemingly received the commissions of some of her male peers thus far. She is putting on 2 performances at the Joyce in July, which might be of interest to those following this topic. Last night she took part in a show at the 92 street Y which I didn't know about unfortunately until after the fact, focusing (appropriately enough for this topic!) on female choreographers: http://m.92y.org/Event/129995