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For me, Damien Woetzel will always be the gold standard for men in Stars and Stripes. I am a fan of S. Lane and Simkin but I saw them give a terrible rendition a few years ago. Here's one more video - Woetzel and Nicole Hlinka (a much forgotten former principal with NYCB).

I've seen very bad performances of Ballo and Mozartiana at ABT. I don't think they can devote the rehearsal time needed to pull off those works. The last Theme I saw at ABT was Veyette guesting, he was still in great shape and brought his A game, with Boylston who was a replacement and had issues. There are several ladies at NYCB who sail through the piece. My opinion is that ABT should leave NYCB rep alone. They have a rich rep to mine with Tudor, DeMille, Ashton, Ailey etc. Symphonie Concerante isn't done by NYCB and is doing double duty by being the ABT piece at the City Center Balanchine shows.

All great points abatt. I wonder if ABT takes the NYCB schedule into consideration at all when building their schedule. As an aside - I will miss DeLuz tremendously.

Interesting that there are 8 principal women to 4 principal men. Simkin won't be around. No one program attracts me, but maybe casting will help. I wouldn't mind seeing a Lane/Cornejo Other Dances.

I just got around to watching this last night on Netflix. I enjoyed it very much. It seemed to me that Justin Peck was learning from everyone around him, from dear Albert Evans, to the conductor, lighting designer etc. He was lucky to have that kind of on the job schooling/training. It's fun to think of how far he's come since then. He's choreographed a number of fine ballets, and is a successful Broadway choreographer working with Ramasar in that capacity.

That all make sense, and she certainly has an international reputation to draw upon. I am one of those New Yorkers who never really warmed to her, but I admired her dancing and am sure she will be very successful.

It's still mystifying to me why she left SFB. She was able to be a principal with ABT & SFB and amazingly enough do guesting, so it seems she was able to do lots of other things while at SFB. I guess I'll never know. I only saw her at ABT and liked her - didn't love her, but she is an exceptionally accomplished dancer. I hope she finds what she is looking for at this stage i her career.

How do the number of performances compare between ABT and ENB, does anyone know? It could be that the number of times to get out on stage makes a difference.

You are probably right canbelto, but it shows how messed up ABT casting is. How are dancers supposed to develope?

Yes that's a role she should had this year. Better for her than Don Q

I just saw Lane and Cornejo interviewed in Bryant Park. Lane mentioned she'd be doing Swan Lake pas de trois twice. The nights Cornejo does Siegfried. I think it's a shame. One of those shows should be her O/O.

Rehearsal periods are extremely expensive. From social media it's apparent that some principals go outside of the company to be coached. I presume they pay out of pocket. The lay off problem is connected to the lack of performance opportunity issue. If they had longer tours they'd have more performances and more rehearsal time. It seems the economics do not support it.

Does anyone think it has ticket selling staying power? I'm not going to see it. I disliked S B and the Golden C so much that I decided to put the money to my NYCB subscription. I am curious to thoughts about ABT having a hit or not

I might be overstating ABTFan but the basis for my thinking is that Trenary not only got Aurora in the Ratmansky SB but did opening night in Paris. Also, as you stated she was cast in Columbine in the original casting.

Of course,thank you for pointing that out, New ballets always get the most rehearsal hours. With a new Ratmansky full length that's on steroids

Interesting, it just seems to me that in terms of developing talent it would be good to give new people opportunities. Often in ABT, corps members are over qualified for what they do. Of course, casting is complicated.

Skylar is amazing but Trenary seems to be more favored by management. I expect she will be the next principal. What is the general take on principals being cast in soloist roles? I don't recall it happening much in ABT aside from Blue Bird in SL

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.

I think I know who you mean Canbelto and I too find it frustrating. However, I think Copeland's popular culture image has impacted her casting in a way that it hasn't with other dancers. Dancer's can promote products on instagram, but these dancers were dance stars and take advantage of it. I don't blame them. The confusing thing about Copeland is that, aside from Ratmansky ballets, she IMO isn't cast according to ability or success in certain roles.

It is complicated. I agree a big issue is performance opportunities. Back in the day ABT did extensive touring. Cynthia Gregory, as one example, had numerous Swan Lakes under her belt before doing it at the Met. Now a principal debuts a role at the Met - does it once or twice and has to wait a year for another opportunity. That is no way to build a role, career or following. It also puts a strange kind of pressure on the dancer. Unfortunately I don't know what the answer is.

I'm very surprised that casting in Harlequinade was changed after the Copeland fans, no doubt, bought tickets.

Nice that Lane's performing more (I guess, I don't know how she feels about her schedule). However, it seems to me this would have been a great opportunity to put a promising corps member out there. P. Pas is not really super hard, and the partnering is very straight forward. Surely a lot of corps members are capable and know it. I'm just thinking about the way ABT develops or doesn't develop talent.

So interesting. How much will the company become a museum for Paul Taylor's works? They aren't done in a lot of companies so see them there or nowhere for the most part. New works are still a hard ticket sell.

One interesting thing about the hops is that the more flexible the foot the harder they are to do. With a less flexible foot and more tighly knit ankle, there is less concern about going over on the arch and/or your ankle giving out (particularly if you are trying to cover space). From when I was a dancer eons ago, to now dancers have more and more been weeded in for super arched feet and flexibility. I mean in general. I'm not saying there are no exceptions or it's the only criteria. Osipova, who had great facility in doing the hops is an interesting case. She is less turned out than many dancers and has super strong legs (as evidenced by her jump). Her body type is better suited for the hops than many others.

I was not able to catch Lane's performance this year. I saw her 2nd one last year (she subbed for Kochetkova) and agree it was great. One of the best I've seen. A problem, I believe, is that she is given so few performances in these roles. Every show takes on a huge importance to a ballet fan and, no doubt, to her. No matter what happens tonight with Osipova, whether she lives up to expectations or not, she will (and should) be considered a great Giselle. One show won't do much for how she is viewed in the role one way or another.