vipa

Love the Bournanville flavor - speed, direction changes - in the variations. Some of that seems to have been lost along the way.

I haven't seen this posted yet - sorry if I'm wrong. NYCB is having a Jan. 22 celebration of Balanchine's birth. Some events are free others not. I've gotten tickets to the 10:30 showing of the Balanchine documentary (free but you need a ticket), a matinee performance (tickets are on sale) and an onstage class of SAB students taught by Peter Martins (free but you need a ticket). I didn't purchase tickets to the evening performance. http://www.nycballet.com/ticketing/2011/balanchine.html If you are interested. Moderators feel free to totally remove if this is old news.

Can't answer your question directly, but the stage hands union has always been very strong (looking into the history is an interesting exercise). Wages, overtime and who does what is very prescribed. I tend to be a pro union person - but there are some unions that have gotten deals that are IMO too generous. Not the fault of the unions - someone was at the other side of the bargaining table. I digress - but your question is a good one.

I agree that the rep is disappointing, but what a great thing. World class dancers with live music visiting those smaller venues is such a good move. The live music aspect is so wonderful. Good for Peter Martins. I think he has really grown in his job (boy that sounded pretentious). I just thing that this is a good move and that the company looks much, much better now than it has in a while.

I for one am disappointed that Sarah Lane isn't featured more. ABT casting is all over the place in some respects. I can't see any sense to it in terms of development of the women. Copeland gets something, Boylsten (forgive sp) gets something. Lane is used for Theme (because she can do it?} I guess I just don't understand casting at ABT. NYCB is a easier to figure out!!

Forgive me if this has already been mentioned. Brian Lehrer (the wonderful wnyc radio host) had a fun segment asking dancers to call in with opinions on Black Swan. It was aired on Jan. 4. Here's the link. http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2011/jan/04/dancers-black-swan/ Love to know what you all think

I did love it, and have noted all of your suggestions. I'm entering a new world - thank you for your help

Thank you Helene, what a great idea. I just signed up to receive emails about the broadcasts.

My husband and I saw it last week and LOVED IT. True confession - I had never been to the opera before. I'm a big ballet fan and go to many music concerts each year; I've heard recordings of opera singers and attended some vocal concerts but I never attended an opera. I have been talking about going to the opera for years without actually doing it. My 20 something son (a musician) gave me and my husband tickets to Pelleas & Melisande at the Met for Christmas. I am in danger of becoming a big opera fan. Seriously if any of you BTers have recommendations of operas to see - either the Met or NYC Opera please fire away. I'm a newbie with a wide range of musical tastes. I know this is a ballet board, so if there is another site I should be going to please let me know. Pelleas & Melisande really whet my appetite.

Once, a journalist asked Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones if the Stones were truly the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world. He replied simply that, "On any given Saturday night, any band is the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world." Great Keith Richards quote. I love Mearns in so many roles. Kudo's to Martins for giving her opportunities. A problem that I have with ABT is that so many artists languish because of lack of opportunity. Of course some of this is determined by rep and the need to sell tickets. IMO I don't think we have to declare anyone the "great American ballerina of our era." I guess I'm just not comfortable with that idea. Bouder is untouchable in some roles. Her technique will push female dancers in much the way Merrill Ashley did in her day. Tiler Peck is a great artist. At ABT Murphy has transformed her self from super turner to artist. What would Murphy be if she had to opportunity to develop in the NYCB rep? Another story. Yes, Mearns has a more unconventional body and to some extent approach (as Farrell and before her Kent had) but to give her the "crown" is too simplistic. Alastair Macaulay is very prone to these pronouncements, I wish he would refrain. Was the "Great American Ballerina" of a past generation Farrell? or was it Kirkland or Gregory or did you make a point to go see McBride in some roles even if you would not have given her the crown?

I've read many reviews of the movie (I didn't like the movie), but I started to think about the ballet. To my way of thinking the white swan is the passionate one. She falls in love with the prince and yes desires "pure love" but is the one who falls in love. The Black Swan is the calculating one who is out to seduce and trick the prince. We don't have any knowledge of her internal life, other than she is carrying out Rothbart's will. For my money (which was wasted on this movie ticket) we would have had a much more interesting movie if the Portman character was a loving creature (not an ambitious, frigid, being) who turned into a manipulative cold hearted creature.

Forgive me if this has already been posted, powers that be feel free to remove. NYCB is having a Sat. with George event on Jan 22. Tickets are required for all events, but some are free. You can order online http://www.nycballet.com/ticketing/2011/balanchine.html I've already gotten tickets for a couple of free events and paid for tickets to the 2 PM show.

Got a Nook as a gift. I had my doubts at first, but am loving it. My husband preloaded the nook with 2 books that he knew that I wanted to read. Reading in this device is very easy on the eyes, because you can adjust background light and font as well as font size. My favorite feature is that you can borrow ebooks from the NYPL. You go to the very extensive ebooks selection on the nypl web site and using your library card, you can borrow books for 7, 14 or 21 days. They download to your Nook. Right now I am reading (on the nook) Louise Erdrich's book The Master Butcher's Singing Club. I love her writing.

Thank you all for your reviews. Please keep them coming, I won't be able to see a performance so I rely on you. It sounds like Murphy/Halberg were divine. A few questions if I may - What is being done to the Merlitons/Marzipan music? I may have missed something, but I don't think it's been mentioned. What makes Chinese (or tea) special, as a couple of you have mentioned it. Is there any sign of Misty Copeland? She had been cast in many things for a time, but not recently. Thank you all again.

I saw it too and agree

Again veering off topic (moderators remove at will). The too thin thing was part of my problem with Portman in the film Black Swan. I looked at her body and thought that she would never get through a ballet.

Amen to that - on the Today Show clip that I saw, she said something like this (paraphrasing) - at NYCB we have all types, big, petite, womanly, wraithlike - they are all gorgeous, and can all dance up a storm. Let's celebrate that. (end paraphrased quote) I loved that statement. It showed class and told people who are not familiar with ballet, that not every dancer is as skinny as Natalie Portman in Black Swan. In fact Ringer said that dancers who are too skinny, can't do the job. I'm getting off topic, but I think Jennifer Ringer's statements are great ones to have out there.

Love it - & also the look on the face of the guy kneeling to her left.

I'm not saying she earned those comments. They were very harsh. But I'm saying that there are many many ballet dancers who don't have ideal figures (long neck, long limbs, short torso, arched feet), who can make it work by the strength of their dancing. Also, being out of shape is a different matter from not having an ideal figure. An interesting discussion. In Macaulay's response to those who responded to his comments, he mentioned that Lynn Seymour was the plumpest dancer and one of the greatest that he's seen. He noticed her plumpness but her artistry over ruled it in a sense. In other words Seymour's dancing didn't make him not notice her weight, but her other attributes were more salient to him. I remember Seymour and agree that she was very plump and very great. On the other hand It seems to me that there are body types that Macaulay favors or disfavors no matter what. He admits to Daniel Ulbricht's gifts but often his criticism seems related to Ulbricht's size and body type. The fact that Macaulay has said that a tendu by Hallberg can be a monumental event (paraphrasing) also speaks to physical preferences (the line of the long let and large instep). A shorter leg and lesser instep would never get that comment, regardless of the energy or intent behind the tendu. But ballet is a visual art and we all want to see what we consider beautiful and right. The other issue is the role - If Ringer was successfully doing a great dramatic role he might have been taken by the performance and not cared about or mentioned the weight. The more I think the more confused I get -- words to live by!

It's all in the PR. Maybe ABT could cash in on Lane & Riccetto being the dance doubles in the movie somehow. Or have an ad campaign for their Swan Lake in the spring that alludes to the movie. Maybe emulate the movie make-up for Black Swan (just kidding)!

Thank you Leigh and SanderO for this thoughtful and thought provoking exchange. SanderO, I can't wait to get your impressions of the movie.

Just came back from seeing the movie, and although I've liked Aronofsky films in the past, I can't recommend this one. On the psycho drama front it didn't carry me along. Nina (Portman's character) was never a person that I cared about. She was nervous and fragile from the beginning, always seeming to be trembling and on the verge of tears. Pushing her into delusions and insanity would be a piece of cake. In other words there was no sense of normalcy being intruded upon by delusions, we never had the normalcy. Also we never had a real sense of how she fit into the dance world. From other dancers we saw snippets of cattiness, but also niceness, as Nina was congratulated on getting a role, but Nina didn't seem to have any friends in the company. Does this mean that she was always an odd bird (no pun intended}! She also never seemed to derive any pleasure from dancing. Lily (the Kunis character) at least had some life and heft to her, some relish for dance and life. I found myself liking her and looking forward to her being on the screen. And speaking of heft - for all the talk of Portman losing weigh and training etc. I thought she was actually too thin and way too un-muscular. We saw, what were for me, endless shots of Portman's upper body flapping around and then a long shot of her dance double (Sarah Lane of ABT) doing beautiful turns and pointe work. A couple of times going from Portman's skinny un-muscled body to the beautiful legs of Lane was jarring. There is no way that the Portman body we saw on the screen could do a lot of technique. Lane is small and thin, but with the beautiful musculature that comes with years of training. Final statement - I didn't know where the film was going, but the end was nonsense. I was disappointed, and would love to hear from those who disagree. As I said I've been an Aronofsky fan and would like to consider other opinions.

I believe discussions about a dancer's weight should be in the context of the performance. Macaulay states the Lynn Seymour and Mark Morris gave wonderful performances despite their weight. Agreed, I witnessed both, however in the Nutcracker review all we know is Macaulay's opinion about weight. Was the dancing heavy, labored, line distorted, choreographic intent not achieved? We don't know any of this. All we know is that Ringer and Angle were too heavy looking for Macaulay's taste.

I believe Seo is no longer cast in Seven Sonatas in NJ

My husband and I have been big fan's of Gina Pazcoquin for years. Her performances are gems. She brings a depth and intelligence to everything she does. She is a tremendous asset to the company. I think that she has not been promoted because she doesn't have the kind of technique or look that would allow her to be cast in a lot of the soloist roles in the rep. When you look at the ballets and the kind of things the soloist women do, Gina doesn't really fit the bill. I do love her in everything she's given and think she is very well cast.