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I was there last night (Wed.) and want to give a few impressions. I'd love to hear others'. 1st - Who wouldn't want to see this program? Serenade, Mozartiana, Tchai pas, Tchai Suite #3. You just have to leave the theater with a smile on your face! Serenade - Sterling Hylltin (Russian Girl) was exuberant, eating up space, musical, her technique flowing easily. For me she's suddenly become a dancer to seek out, not just see because she happens to be cast. Sara Mearns (Waltz Girl) & Teresa Reichlin (Dark Angel) danced expansively and musically. The moment when Mearns is on the ground and Reichlin, over her, promenaded in arabesque (by the thigh) followed by fully extending her glorious arabesque, was heart stopping. Mozartiana - Maria Kowroski pulled it off with beauty, wit and musicality. I wish she had a bit more technique to back it up. There were a few seconds of struggle and lack of sustain. Tyler Angle sailed through some of the variations and held his own with them all. (funny how that Ib Anderson/Suzanne video still holds up so well). Daniel Ulbricht (gigue) was wonderful. His entrance alone said - I'm here, I'm ready, I'm happy to see you. He has an incredible ability to etch full pictures and lines very quickly without seeming rushed. Tchai Pas - Ashley Bouder in true ballerina glory. The pas de deux was beautifully phrased, her port de bras and use of her head lush. Her variation taken at breakneck speed, full of rubato and imaginative phrasing. Hers was an incredible performance. Gonzalo Garcia is a dancer I've never quite gotten. He doesn't have much of a presence, although his variation was good as was his partnering. In the coda he went for too much with the start of his a la second turns, and things got a little bumpy, but overall it was a nice performance. The flying fish catches were the most exciting I've ever seen! Bouder was actually horizontal in the air with space around her before she was caught. Tchai 3 - First 3 sections nicely done. Clair Van Ench really stands out in the corps (short blond) dancing her heart out. T&V - Tiler Peck - What can one say? There seems no end to how far this dancer can develop. In the opening theme she and Joachim Du Luz did the most exquisite phrasing with their port de bras. They seem so right out there. Her variations sang with different tones. She was in total command all the time. Du Luz looked wonderful with his sunny, yet noble bearing and presence. His turn, double tour - variation outstanding. He partnering is a total pleasure to watch. The way he used just one hand for the turns in the coda, just beautiful. The 4 solo girls King, Pollack, Sell, Wellington not only pulled their fast, difficult sections off without a hitch, but the all seemed amazingly happy to be out there! A wonderful night at the ballet. The audience seemed very enthusiastic and appreciative.

I just received a flyer in the mail. Isabella Boylston is not listed with the female principals, and there ia no picture of her. Why not?

Thank you Abatt. I'll be there tonight - I'm excited.

Thank you Helene. It is a long haul. I have my tickets and will hope for the best. It seems the PNB tickets have gotten ever hotter. I remember a ballet initiative podcast in which, Korbes said the pace at PNB was so much more civilized (my word) than NYC. Maybe that's changed some over the years. .BTW the podcast is well worth a listen. (forgive errors, my keyboard's gone crazy and I wasn't able to post the lke to the podcast)

Wow. I feel even more privledges to have seen her when PNB came to NY. I hope to see her at the Joyce. Anyone know if its one cast pqe baller ror the run?7

I've also read criticisms of her that say her dancing is dull. Clearly Lane's fans disagree. Yet some folks behave as if their opinions are facts. I don't believe that most people who follow ballet feel that the difference in skill among the female soloists at ABT is so stark that Copeland landing leads amounts to some form of robbery. To me, such accusations verge on the hysterical. It's not like Stella Abrera and Sarah Lane are Judi Dench and Maggie Smith to Misty's Meagan Fox. The difference in ability among the three is not that vast. If the difference in ability is truly not that vast, we come back to the question of why Misty was given O/O.

I agree abatt, and also want to add that Sarah has been used when a short male dance needed a partner who could measure up to technical demands.

It seems to me that the discussion boils down to Misty's race, and did being black provide greater or fewer opportunities. IMO race ultimately worked in her favor. So be it.

I agree with you about Kent & Herrera. It seems to me McKenzie was always interested in Copeland. After her first summer intensive, he wanted her to stay and she turned him down. After she got into the company her body changed (she started getting her period), then she gained a lot of weight (which she later lost.) There were many points in time when McKenzie could have let her go, but he stuck with her. I see this as a belief in her talent. Personally I prefer Lane's dancing, but McKenzie has never shown a real interest in her, or tried to develop her. She's used when short men need a partner with a Theme & Variation type technique. I think Copeland will get promoted, and why not? Lesser dancers have been principals in ABT. I'll never buy a ticket, but the publicity will sell lots. As a result maybe a lot of African American girls will study ballet. Lane is never going to be promoted, much to my dismay. It seems Abrera's chance has come and gone. I'd rather Copeland than an import.

I'm not a Copeland fan (I will truly be disappointed if she is made a principal) but I'm also not a Hee Seo fan. KM's thinking has always been a mystery to me. The unfortunate thing is that this discussion has arisen because there are so few African American dancers in major US companies. I really think the problem is there are too few African American ballet students in the pipe line. If you take all the kids who started studying ballet in say 2013, The chances for any one of them to get into a major company are tiny, tiny, tiny, never mind becoming a principal dancer. If you don't have a lot of African American kids taking ballet and having access to good training, this discussion will go on and on when one rises to the top (or near top).

Precisely, Drew. Racism in institutionalized form is not a question of individual prejudice (although individual action can make a difference in ameliorating the problem, once recognized). In Graff's case a big factor had to have been her height. She's 5 Ft. 10. That would really limit the number of men who could partner her. An AD has to make judgements about what the company needs, what the rep needs, who is going to partner who.

Pique Arabesque, Aesha Ash may have felt that Peter Martins was not interested in developing her, but that's a complaint from many dancers. I wouldn't attribute it to race. In ABT Simone Messemer went to SFB for that reason.

I got mine yesterday - September 9.

Copeland aside (I'm one who only enjoys her dancing in certain things such as Tharp ballets). In terms of race and the paucity of black dancers in major companies - I really don't thing that a company director looks at a dancer and says - I'd love to hire her, but she's black so I can't or won't. Graff not getting into NYCB doesn't surprise me because they hire out of their school. It seems to me that the problem is exposure (black audiences seeing ballet), the cost and availability of quality training if a child is interested, and just plain numbers. If you looked at all of the little girls who begin ballet training in any year, the chances of any one of them getting into a major company in 12 or 15 years is really, really small. When DTH was resurrecting, even Virginia Johnson was disappointed by the small number of qualified black dancers who auditioned. Maybe, I'm talking chicken and egg but there can't be a large number of wonderful black dancers rising to the top until there are scads of black dancers students. My view of Copeland is that her publicity and self promotion is getting her roles that others should have. Whether it is ultimately for the best depends on your point of view. BTW Alicia Graff's interview on Ballet Initiative is worth a listen. Funny, when Virginia Johnson's picture was on her wall as a kid (Along with Judith Jameson, Cynthia Gregory, and many others) she thought Johnson was white!!

Thanks for posting this sandik. A very fun video. It's wonderful that these young dancers are thinking so creatively.

True Sandik. I taught ballet in a college for a while, both beginners and advanced. There were many courses on ballet history, works of major choreographers, dance criticism etc. I'll be interested to see what comes if this endeavor. I don't think art forms evolve because of think tanks. They evolve through the experimentation of practitioners.

I'll keep an eye out for her as soon as the season starts in NYC. Funny, my husband frequently has his eye on the corps for exceptional talent, and his percentage rate for predicting promotions is amazing!!

This was great. I wish more companies would do it. Wheeldon seems a pleasure to work with.

A big thanks to you Christian and to Alicia Graf Mack for your great conversation about race in ballet. It is wonderful to hear such frank, respectful discussions.

There are several works of art that I could say my life would be poorer without. In Balanchine ballets for me it's Concerto Barocco, Mozartiana, Agon, Serenade and perhaps a few others. Then there are other Balanchine ballets that bring me enjoyment every time I watch them - Tsch Pas & Theme and Variations are among those. Balanchine was a genus who created masterpieces, great works, good works and some lemons. There is no shame it preserving such a body of works.

I agree sandik, but having a clearly articulated style does not translate to the "Pleasantville" automaton idea that Tapfan seems to be referring to (unless I misinterpret). Personally I like that NYCB has a distinctive look. I certainly wouldn't describe the company as conformist.

NYC Ballet reminds me of that movie Pleasantville. Everything there seems to be so insular and conformist. Interesting point of view Tapfan. I see NYCB frequently and I see a lot of very individualistic dancers. The company has a continuing practice of commissioning new music and does new choreography every year. There also commission art instillations in the theater when they perform (loved by some hated by others). As for singing and acting - they do great with West Side Story Suite. It was Jerome Robbins who set it on the company originally. Gina Pazcoguin is one of the best Anitas ever. Perhaps you see it as insular because company members attend SAB before joining the company (in almost all cases) although many dancers train else where and only spend their last couple of years at SAB.

I saw her in the NY Phil production of Carousel. She was great. Louise is a mostly dance role but she does act and sing in the chorus.

I hope you are right, but I have decidedly mixed feelings about two of the best American ballet dancers--which is to say, two of the best ballet dancers in the world--taking off a year (or even a little less) to do Broadway. Peck and Fairchild are a big part of NYCB's current "renaissance" with fans and critics (I say "renaissance" because even Martins' naysayers have been taking note of how well the company is dancing) and ballet careers are short and unpredictable. Nor am I persuaded Broadway is the best way for them to develop as ballet dancers, even though they will presumably learn a lot from these projects. Obviously, they want to do the shows and I wish them all success etc.. I may even try to see at least one (though with limited budget for ballet trips to NY, I usually prioritize...well, ballet), but I have very mixed feelings about seeing Robert Fairchild and Tiler Peck depart for Broadway even temporarily. I don't think Tyler Peck is taking anywhere near a year off from NYCB. Who knows what will happen, but so far the production she's in is slated for Kennedy Center at the moment, and she'll just be missing Nutcrackers. As I said, who knows. Megan Fairchild is taking more time than that off for On The Town. I know she's not as popular as T. Peck, but she does a lot of difficult ballets. Maybe it all will translate to a lot of opportunities for up and coming dancers.

I agree Sandik, the likeabilty factor is strong in both. Fairchild will have to make the role his own if it is going to work. Kelly was dancing in a different era. The key imo for Fairchild will be bringing a feeling of spontainaity to it.