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The article actually gave her height and weight! I don't believe that would happen today.

Last thought about Sarah Lane now that I've read other comments and had a day to think about the performance. For all the ups and downs, all the elements are there, and this season she has proven herself IMO to be a real artist. I sincerely hope that last night will not be her last SL with ABT. I would love to see her again when she's had some real preparation and rehearsal time. I hope Kevin McKenzie sees it that way too - promotes her and gives her Swan Lake opportunities before next year's Met season. I also wonder what will happen with Kochetkova and ABT now that she's missed the entire Met season.

I wasn't concerned when Lane started because of her style of turning. Some people are "spinners," these dancers rely on velocity. Other people are what I would describe as "balancers." There is more rotating that spinning. I don't know if that make sense to anyone in the way I'm describing it so I'll give one example. Cynthia Gregory was a "balancer." She did multiple turns because she could stay on her leg for a long time. She didn't take a lot of force and spin. Lane tends to be the balancer kind of turner. Some people combine both attributes. All that said, if tonight Lane had just pumped out maybe 3 more and pulled in for a finish she would have been fine. I think she lacked confidence in it. Also, I think she was tiring at that point, probably from lack of experience in doing that role.

I agree that she got close to finishing 32 counts. It actually is never 32 fouettes. If you do all singles it's about 30 and pull in for a double. If you do doubles in there it's fewer. The thing is that Sarah got close to the finish line and then came off pointe. I'm sure that if she had been able to pump out maybe 3 more and pull in for a double it would have been fine.

I too was at tonight's performance. I thought it was an uneven but in some ways an amazing performance from Lane. First off I didn't expect her characterizations to be so remarkable. White swan vulnerable and pure - Black swan gleeful, glamorous evil. Technically, as Odette ,she showed indescribably gorgeous port de bras and musicality. There were a couple of small bobbles in the variation but nothing major. On the other hand she did a balance that was astounding. Technically Odile was more uneven. The pas went very well with one partnering mishap on Simkin's part. The variation had ups and downs. (personally I dislike that variation. It doesn't look great on anyone.) The fouettes weren't finished. They started out with beautiful looking single, single double that barely moved, and went to nice singles that barely moved but she came off pointe before the finish and that was that. As an aside I wish every dancer didn't think she had to do doubles. Just pump out your 30 or so singles, pull in for a double and your done. I think dancers are going for too much in this respect. In any event it seemed to me that Lane was tiring as the ballet went on. My take away is that Lane has the potential to be a great O/O. The characterizations and artistry are there. Most of the technique is solid. She has to iron out a few problems.This was a last minute replacement in a role she's never done before for ABT. Rehearsal time had to be limited and as a soloist she was doing things like the pas de trois while preparing. That's one difficulty in being a soloist doing principal roles. The other dancers doing O/O didn't perform in any other Swan Lakes. Now - the rest of the show. I thought Lendorf as the purple Rothbart was great - charismatic and great dancing. I loved Brandt in the pas de trois with her joyful presentation, and great beats & jumps. Joseph Gorak is a fine dancer but has an odd way of partnering turns that disrupt the flow. 4 Little Swans had a crowding issue that make one of the be pushed out of line! I am curious to read other takes on the Lane performance. I truly hope she is promoted now and that she has more Swan Lake opportunities.

Just got my ticket for tonight's SL. It seems almost sold out.

Interesting review that IMO described the flaws in the production well, and gave the reader an idea of the qualities of the performers. I found it a bit odd though, that he chose to review Swan Lake after seeing just 1 performance, so he couldn't comment on other interpretations. Also, unless I somehow missed it, he didn't review Giselle at all even though there were 3 debuts in the title role.

This is the kind of thing that I find fault with. I saw Copeland's first SL in NY with ABT and the fouettes didn't go well. From what I've heard and read since they haven't gotten better, possibly worse. She should have a credible plan B.

I had the same experience as California. I wanted to like the Joyce show more than I actually did, and would never go back. As for Martins taking her out of roles at NYCB. I heard her on an WNYC interview recently where she said (paraphrasing) that he had a lot of younger dancers that he wanted (or had to) put into those roles. It's a tough thing for a ballet dancer. There were roles she wasn't ready to drop but Peter Martins had to look at the big picture. It is very tricky. We all want new exciting stars and mature stars and everything in between but there are just so many roles to go around.

Interestingly it could be that Copeland's SL is one of the reasons even casual ballet goers know about the 32 fouettes and expects to see them. Misty Copeland gets more press than any other ballet dancer alive and several reviews, interviews and articles mentioned the fouettes and her problems with them. That said, I wasn't at the Boylston performance but is sounds like she had a good plan. The one time I saw Copeland's S I wished she had a plan to abort if necessary. She travelled a lot, ended early, did a leap. It looked a bit unprofessional to me. I (I believe abatt stated this as well) stopped going to Julie Kent performances because it seemed there were constant compromises for her diminishing technique and flexibility. Yet that doesn't mean that accommodations should never be made. I saw Cojocaru do Giselle with Hallberg a number of years ago. One of the greatest performances I've ever see. Even Macaulay called called it a highlight. Cojocaru did not do the hops on pointe across the stage in her act l variation. She did a few hops, straightened her standing leg and balanced. A compromise/change because of a problem with her foot I later learned. I wouldn't have tradedthat performances for a hundred dancers hopping across the stage on pointe!

I just watched it again and was amazed, filled with joy and moved all over again!! To find the link I went to facebook, the PNB page and scrolled down to the encore performance. It will be available until July 11. One more thing - I thought Peter Boal's speech was beautiful.

If it turns out that Lane replaces Maria K. I hope they announce in advance. I'd get a ticket for Lane. I've seen Kochetkova's SL It was OK but I don't want to see it again.

OH my goodness. No official change in casting yet. Fingers crossed!!

Just finished watching. What a privilege to see them both but particularly, for me, Imler. I never had the opportunity to see her live but I believe she has to be one of the greatest dancers produced in America. What a wonderful way to go out. Loved it.

I didn't see the performance today, but would like to comment on Seo in general. I've seen her in a lot of roles (many substituting for dancers who were out). She is a beautiful women with a lovely body. She has technical limitations that IMO a principal dancer should not have UNLESS that dancer has a unique artistry to offer. Of course, some people see artistry where other's do not but I will offer Ferri as an example. I am old enough to have seen her back in the day. Her technical weaknesses were always there. There were many times when she came off pointe, missed a turn etc. however, dramatically she made statements that were true and touched the heart, so she more than justified her position as principal dancer. In Seo I see technical weaknesses and nothing unique in terms of artistry. She's not a "get the job done" kind of dancer or a special artist IMO. As an aside, I don't enjoy Ferri's performances now because the scales have tilted in one direction too much for my taste. Others might differ.

Very interesting points. In the old days ABT did tour more, giving dancers an opportunity to develop. ABT no longer does those tours but I see that some dancers do outside gigs as a way of developing. Boylston did Vall under Damien and Sarah Lane has been working with Daniel Ulbricht's group. I could be wrong, but I don't think those kind of opportunities were as numerous as they are now. Sarah Lane went to the Marinsky? I didn't know that.

Great video. My goodness who wouldn't want to dance with DeLuz? Sometimes I think NYCB men are not mentioned enough, but for me he is one of the best dancers and partners around. I particularly love the way many NYCB men partner.

Hmm with Boylston injuring her ankle in Giselle (hope she is recovering speedily) and Kotchetkova, Part & Murphy pulling out of shows with injuries, Swan Lake week could get interesting!

I'm a New Yorker and don't see SFB often. This idea of a festival of new works is a difficult one for me, having just been through the NYCB Here and Now series. A lot of new works (most of them forgettable) a lot of injured dancers, a lot of hype and not much to show for it. I hope SFB does it better. I wonder if a series of new works is truly audience building if most works aren't memorable and not worth keeping in the rep. Perhaps this is a different discussion.

I agree that Boylston is the most likely if she is totally healthy. The wild card of a guest is also possible. As I said Kochetkova was a last minute guest import to replace Cojocaru a couple of years ago. That began her ABT relationship. I'll bet Kevin M is looking at all possibilities right now!

If Kochetkova pulls out, I think her SL will go to Boylston, if she is healthy. Or they could import someone last minute. Before Kochetkova danced regularly with ABT, they hired her as a guest for SL when Cojocaru pulled out. That was a few years ago, and the first time I saw Kochetkova dance.

Wow Brandt's also doing it on Thursday. Nice opportunity for her. Kochetkova's Swan Lake is looking less and less likely!

We got off topic for sure but Lane's Giselle seems to generated a lot of excitement (for me too), and for whatever reason, there haven't been many reviews posted here of the other Giselle performances this season.

Exactly!

Truthfully I'd be shocked, and even disappointed, if Brandt or Trenary became a principal so soon after becoming a soloist. Personally I have a slight preference for Brandt, but as much as both have demonstrated potential, neither IMO have shown that she has what it takes to be a principal now. Maybe in a couple of years.