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So true that social media works both ways. R. Fairchild and T. Peck used media to publicize their story/marriage, but in doing so they created an audience that's interested in their relationship. They understandably, are not forthcoming about the reasons for their breakup, but they are left with the audience they built.

I do more reading than listening, but I had to add that Never Let Me Go is a wonderful work. After I read it, it never let go of me!

I believe that's the case. Otherwise every woman who is an apprentice during Nutcrackers, would get a contract at the end of a couple of weeks of doing Waltz of the Flowers.

I believe it's 9 different ballets. Not # of roles or performances.

Speaking of Robbins. I had never seen this Gelsey/Misha performance of Robbins - 1978

No Tiler Peck the first week. I wonder if she's off guesting somewhere. Does anyone know, in terms of casting, how much NYCB accommodates principal & soloist dancers doing Nutcracker gigs elsewhere. The Von Enck sisters are sharing Dolls. Hope that's fun for them.

My understanding is that year round SAB students do not stay for the summer. They go home, do other summer intensives or do other things. To be "pure SAB" is rare. The students in the year round program came from somewhere else before joining the SAB summer intensive. Their home schools can be very SAB (taught by NYCB former dancers) or less so. I don't think a claim was ever made that NYCB dancers are "pure SAB" with no other training, only that they come from the school and have an understanding of the style and values.

Again I say it is totally perverse not to cast Sarah Lane as Juliet. Yes, I know Copeland sells tickets.

Thanks for the video. I have no problem with this. I don't count fouettes. For me it is an amount of music to fill with turns and a good finish. She satisfied that IMO. I don't expect everyone to be Gillian Murphy or Carrie Imler. Keep turning, have a plan and finish as if that is what you intended all along. The worst part of Lane's fouettes at the Met was that she looked disappointed when they ended badly. I've seen other dancers fall out of fouettes and look like they don't know what to do next. I always find that unsettling. What Lane did here is an improvement from the Met, and respectable. My guess is that her disappointment in her Met performance may have been because she'd always done them in rehearsal. I have no inside knowledge, but that's my guess.

So glad Lane is taking/getting opportunities to perform SL (full length or Black Swan) outside of ABT. Experience can only make her more ready should opportunity strike at the Met season. I really feel that she has come into her own artistically and is in her prime years. I hope she gets more than 5 (or maybe 7 if you count Harliquin possibilities) shows at the Met.

Other than diversity what exactly was the artistic vision? Were those dancers told what the rep would be or what choreographers they'd be working with?

I just went back and read the article. It seems they didn't have a solid business model or artistic vision. What rep did they want those 50 dancers to perform and what kind of training did they want to give students in their wonderful school? As far as Uber-tize, Uber is a platform, it didn't purchase cars. This organization would need an incredible amount of investment money to pay a big company, advertise and run a school, and develop all the videos etc. they were going to sell.

So sorry to hear that. I have many fond memories of David. I even shared the stage with him way back in the day. He was a wonderful and unique man.

Such interesting observations pherank. There is no need to tear down or build up Balanchine. As I've said before, it's complicated.

Kevin M decided to promote Lane but I never expected him to favor her in casting. Yet some of this casting surprises me in its perversity. Her Giselle performances were spectacular, so give her a Wed. matinee. Her SL was promising (beyond promising and she's guested in the role since) don't give her that. She is a natural Juliet but don't cast her in that. Cast her as Kitri. I'm sure she'll be fine but it is not a natural the way Juliet is. Copeland has way too many performances, but she sells. Of course, we never know what the season will really bring. The last few years have proven that.

No Swan Lake for Lane is disappointing but no Romeo & Juliet is insane IMO

So true Canbelto. It's all so complicated. To me the danger is a sensationalistic bio that comes down on either the sinner or saint side. His divorce of LeClercq did not mean he did not continue to see to her well being. He didn't want dancers to marry or have kids, but kept Kent on payroll after frequent maternity leaves, even with few performances. His favored dancer towards the end, Karin Von Aroldingin, had a child while still dancing. Dancers were dependent on his approval. Many felt rejected, hurt, and went through difficult times. Many were young adults with few coping skills. They were kids entering a company run by a genius. A company that, like all companies, have politics, alliances etc. It's complicated.

Such an interesting person. My husband was in his company and learned a lot. Some lessons were not very easy! BTW Wayne's former wife Helene Roux was a beautiful and sensitive dancer with exquisite port de bras and musicality. Does anyone know what happened to her?

Having read Apollo's Angels my fear is that Homan's book will be less about Balanchine than her interpretation of Balanchine. I don't think another bio is needed now. If any written word accounts are needed, IMO it's a continued collection of remembrances of people who worked with him.

It will always be hard to separate fact from myth. What we have is the work. It will be presented and performed. Audience members will react. Academic biographies have value but will differ in points of view, and for the most part will remain on book shelves. We (I) try to get closer to genius, a performance, a masterwork etc. by reading about it, but truly in performance art there is only now. I think that is the essence of Balanchine.

Interesting interview. I think this is the link http://conversationsondancepod.com/2017/10/23/65-kevin-mckenzie-american-ballet-theatre-artistic-director/ I was particularly interested in his answer about promoting people from within vs guest artists.

We'll have to wait and see about Juliet. IMO it would be perverse to have her do Don Q but not Juliet

Thank you laurel, I wouldn't have come across this podcast on my own. It was quite honest and insightful. She made an interesting point that some forms of entertainment, such as movies, have big advertising budgets. Movies have TV ads, trailers in movie theaters, and all kinds of promotionals that ballet can't afford. Dancers take up some of the slack by posting in social media. I'm looking forward to her performances in principal roles. Interesting that Kevin M told her what roles he had in mind, last Aug. when she was promoted.

I'm skipping the season too. There is no program/cast that comes close to being a must see for me, even though there are a few dancers in the company that I love.

I can just see it. Coaches sponsored by credits in the program.