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For better or worse I believe NYCB is a different animal with a different tradition.

This whole thing creeps me out a bit. Sponsoring particular dancers and sitting on the board - really? How much does this affect promotions and casting? How much does Kevin M go to bat for talent that he wants to develope vs the money?

Hee Seo has long been a favorite of Macaulay and Boylston has become one. A negative review of either one of is unlikely. This is the first somewhat negative thing he's ever said about Hallberg (another favorite) and it's pretty mild - smudges a few details of the scintillating solos There are other dancers who he ignores, won't say a good thing about or gives the faintest praise. Sarah Lane is one of those. Over at NYCB Megan Fairchild, Daniel Ulbricht and Joaquin De Luz are others. De Luz gets criticism because his dancing is too glib! We all have our favorite dancers, I understand that. My problem with Macaulay is two fold. One - he favors particular body types but doesn't seem to notice how much that impacts his judgement of a performance. For example, he loves men with long muscles, super arched feet and a flexible back. Those men get a lot of positives and rare negatives from him. Of course there are exceptions, but in general. Two - Once he forms an opinion of a dancer, he doesn't bring fresh eyes to a performance. I saw Hee Seo have a really rough Sleeping Beauty with a disaster of a Rose Adagio, and what a ballet teacher of mine used to call "the blind staggers" in her variation. Macaulay didn't mention those things. He mentioned the classic purity of her line. Obviously this is complicated and there is much to be discussed and dug into, but I feel better getting that off my chest!! Thank you all for being here.

The first statement is, in a way, unfortunate. Whoever gets promoted (and Kevin M. please do it already) will be looked at by some as the dancer who took Part's job. However this plays out (and I don't think she'll get the job back) ABT has done a terrible PR job. The director of marketing should be stepping in and cleaning up the mess. Among other things, that's what he gets paid for. (I believe his salary has been mentioned above) Aside from that, I am confused by the economics of it. Are there a specific number of principal contracts to give out or is there a pool of money for dancers' salaries to be divvied up. What about sponsors? I thought they covered the salary of the dances they sponsored, or do they pay part of it? If you sponsor a soloist that gets promoted, are you expected to raise your donation level?

Yes, and I have also seen Bouder and Megan Fairchild work magic. I saw Ashley Isaacs at NYCB do it, and it was far less satisfying than the others mentioned, but the performance left me with the idea that she had a musical framework and intent, even if it was unfulfilled. It was Isaac's first shot at it, and she is a soloist not a principal. Boylston has been a principal at ABT for a while now so I would expect more. Of course I am judging by a video, in all fairness I haven't seen her perform the piece live.

I love that the NY Times has these videos but I didn't find Boylston in any way impressive in the variation. She didn't seem to have a plan musically and her arms were kind of flung about. She didn't make a statement IMO, I didn't see her intent. Boylston has an amazing body for ballet and fantastic facility. I wish there was more growth in the artistry department.

I have never been a Part fan, but I definitely see her value and the importance of having her there. What principal dancer is there for younger dancers to look up to now in say in SL? I saw Part's SL a couple of years ago. I was not as blown away as her fans BUT she delivered a valid, mature performance and yes did the fouettes. Murphy, the other senior principal, seems to be out injured a lot, and quite frankly her technique still overpowers her artistry. Most dancers can't match Murphy's technique so would find her hard it emulate. If Sarah Lane is promoted (fingers cross) it is a loss to her that Part isn't there. Hee Seo, Boylston, Copeland all could use a role model like Part. If they are smart enough to watch her. I've left off Kochetkova because I find her boring and no one knows what's happening with her relationship with ABT. I've also left off Abrera who, IMO, became a principal when she was passed her prime. I don't understand the AD's game plan.

I don't know when Part was told, but the dancers belong to a union that regulates such thing. It couldn't have been just a last minute surprise.

Hi Balletwannabe, I'll start with one idea. ABT and NYCB have very different repertoires and traditions. ABT is more reliant on standard, full length, story ballets like Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Q etc. There is basically one lead role for a woman and a man in each ballet. That person has to carry the ballet. NYCB, while it has a few full length story ballets, that is not their main thing. They often do a night of 4 ballets that give opportunities to a lot of dancers to shine in principal, soloist and demi-soloist roles. Therefore there is not the worry of a dancer carrying the show. Also because NYCB has more opportunities for roles there is less of an issue with providing principal dancers with something to do. Aside from that the NYCB has a tradition, dating from George Balanchine, of throwing people into principal or soloist roles. That continues to this day. Nutcracker season is filled with debuts in principal roles. Again this is easier in NYCB because of the rep and the number of performances they do. I'm sure others will add to my comments.

I believe that back in the day, long time principal dancer Eleonor D'Antuono was treated pretty shabbily at the end. (If I'm misremembering please let me know). D'Antuono had her detractors, but she carried a lot of rep for a lot of years and was cast in pretty much everything. I think there was a special performance for Cynthia Gregory's retirement from ABT (her 2nd/permanent retirement not her first). I don't remember how Martine Van Hamel left. This year it's amazing to compare Vishneva's send off from ABT with Part's.

Totally different and off topic but in terms of the company I wonder about Kochetkova

Scheller's departure might be a little different. I don't know what the advance notice was, and a principal dancer leaving one company to become a principal dancer in another company has a different feeling for me. Scheller got a nice send off with company members applauding, flowers etc. It was beyond ordinary bows, but less than a huge pre-planned send off. We have to remember though, that she was making a career move, not retiring from dance or ballet. Presumably SFB was offering her more opportunities than NYCB or she had other personal reasons. I guess I'm saying that all goodbyes are not equal and Part (who has never been a favorite of mine) is not getting what she deserves.

Have to agree that that last comment! This is very dismaying as was the treatment of Reyes. When a long standing artists is leaving for whatever reason, there should be an appropriate announcement and send off. The AD should show respect for the art form and the artist.

One interesting thing about height is that they let Sarah Lane do SL. I know that Kochetkova was scheduled and they needed someone small to dance with Simkin, but to the best of my knowledge they never let Reyes do SL (correct me if I'm wrong) and she would have been fine. I doubt Lane would have ever been cast in SL if it wasn't for the circumstances surrounding this replacement. I saw Kochetkova for the first time when she replaced Cojocaru in the role (Cojocaru being an established international star who'd done the role). I thought Kochetkova pretty boring.

Thank you - this is really fun.

Maybe tomorrow at company class. That seems a pattern. I have never been on pins and needles for a promotion before in any company.

Interesting point but I don't think Wiles had the fan base that Part has. Also Wiles was pretty young and moving on to other projects. I wouldn't assume Part isn't moving on to other projects but still, Part leaving would feel like more of a retirement from dance. I have never been the greatest Part fan, but I would feel terrible if it ended this way.

I can't believe that would happen without an announcement and a big send off.

I don't know if all are notified before hand. It seems to me most aren't. Copeland said in an interview that Kevin M told her a week or so before the promotion announcement, that he was going to promote her but asked her not to say anything.

Wow - I would have loved to have seen that!

True Canbelto - I forgot about the NYCB casting, which I admit I've found quite satisfying. As far as Hee Seo, willowy certainly isn't something I'd associate with the ballet. I am trying to remember the last ABT couple I saw do Other Dances, but I can't. I guess it wasn't memorable!

Who will be in the new Ratmansky work is anyone's guess but I can't root for Hee Seo to be cast in Other Dances no matter who the man is. For Other Dances my dream team would be Lane & Simkin. There are lots of unknowns for fall casting even with the listings that appear on individual dancer's bios on the ABT web pages. I'm not terrible excited about the season. When I see complete casting I'll decide if I will go or not.

For promotions I feel like this is Sarah Lane's now or never time. She did a first class (IMO) Giselle, a fine white act of SL and a less fine black act (but as a last minute sub and debut, there has to be some slack given). Her dancing has been confident and first class in every other ballet. So AD now or never. If it doesn't happen for her this time I think she should find another company while she is still young enough to have great years as a principal. More years of little swans, peasant pas, SL pas de trois etc. just doesn't seem right.

Re casting - this is a clue to the overall picture although quite incomplete. If you go to the ABT website and look at individual dancers, some of the rep for the fall season is listed in their upcoming performances - Abrera, Daphnis & Chloe and Her Notes. Lane, Her Notes. Trenary, Daphnis & Chloe, Her Notes, Symphonic Variations. You have to check individual dancers. I am sure it is subject to change and it is definitely incomplete, but if you are curious check it out!

Funny you should say that Helene. I was telling my husband that when people ask me who my favorite ballerinas are I sometimes forget to include Suzanne because she was so - well - Suzanne - and I don't think of her as being in any category. One of the greats in any discipline might be a better description.