vipa

A Debut Subscription would be terrific but do you think it would sell well at the Met? There are 3800 seats to be filled amd, if you add standing room, over 4000 tickets to sell.

There are probably under 1000 of "us". The rest of "them" probably look for know commodities.

I really think marketing is everything. Selling something as "newly discovered talent" "bright new faces" (obviously I'm not in advertising but you get the idea).

Maybe ABT could reach a segment of the population that doesn't follow ballet closely, but can be made to be excited by the idea of young talent. Look at what a great job NYCB did marketed Romeo & Juliet.

The main point is that the company would have to be committed to the idea, and that's not what ABT has been about.

I just wish he would make it easy for us and create a Debut Subscription.

What a great idea. I would love that, and marketing it would be so easy.

The NY Sun is reporting this morning that ABT made its official \

I just received the ABT MET season brochure. No big surprises in the advance casting except for H Cornejo's Don Q, Giselle and Sleeping Beauty, all with X Reyes.Michelle has a Don Q and Gillian, a La bayadere.

I was hoping Lane would get a Sleeping B with Cornejo since they had a good one.

Also is V. Part no longer Aurora?

I, too, am eagerly looking forward to the Kajiya/Cornejo performance.

I also have my ticket. What about S. Lane. I looks like she is out the NY season (all two weeks of it!). Anyone know when she is expected back. I do miss her presence.

I don't hate 'em if I can't see 'em on stage.

I agree. If the choreographer said that a particular tatoo worked for a piece it would be ok. Other than that it's like altering a costume.

Treefrog mentions the "brava!"s emanating from Gerald Arpino's box at a performance of the Joffrey Giselle. It reminded me of the time I saw and heard Mr. Arpino at City Center, leading the applause for his company. He could scarecely contain himself -- a one-man standing-cheering-bouncing ovation. It impressed me a lot, since I couldn't help contrasting it with an audience reaction I was more familiar with -- that of Lincoln Kirstein at NYCB. Actually, Lincoln's was more of a non-reaction -- his expression never changed and I almost never saw him applaud, let alone emit whoops and hollers. This is kind of a stupid question, but I'll ask it anyway: who would you rather have as a boss?

I think NYCB members always looked to Balanchine as the "boss" the one they sought approval from.

I was at tonight's performance, and for what it's worth my impressions:

There Where She Loved - worked overall, a bit too long, Sterling Hyltin looked wonderful, the singers were excellent

Vicissitude - a pas that seems to me very dependent on performance but can be enjoyable (as an aside, a possibly good subject for this board - ballets that work vs ballets that work only with exceptional performers.) T. Angle and M. Kowroski were very engaging. I really like his masculinity and it works well with her sensual quality.

Slingerland - I could have done without this one and the program was a bit too long.

Prokofiev - my favorite of the pas de deus. It was also my first Alina Cojocaru. Her warmth is enveloping. The shapes and lines bring to my mind beautiful "ringing tones" in voices. I'd love to see her in a full length ballet.

Dance of the Hours - Nothing is more fun than seeing Ashley B in something like this. You have to smile.

Fool's Paradise - I have to admit that I was tired by then. I think I liked some of it. I'd like to see it as an opening ballet.

Overview

I still think Wheeldon is strong on Pas de Deux and very week on groups. A group meaning more than 3.

The program was too long. Many people left before the last ballet.

I wish this endevor well but right now it is built on stars and pas de deux. We'll see what happens

One more thing - It was an enjoyable evening.

While checking ABT's site this evening to look for more casting info (none found), I discovered that the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs is subsidizing $11 tickets for families attending ABT City Center performances:

http://www.abt.org/performances/family_tickets.asp

It is a positive move but from experience (shoot me down if you disagree) I've found that it is hard for most kids to enjoy ballet from the far away seats. I wish there was a way to hook kids up with close to the stage orchestra seats.

I just got tickets for Nov. 1 & 2. I was going to get tickets for Nov. 4 because I really wanted to see S. Lane do Ballo. The Sun. NYT article said maybe and the NYTimes ad said tba, but the web site says Kajiya. No offense to fans of Kajiya but I really wanted to see Lane. Any insights? Any advise?

In checking for casting at the ABT site it looks like Sarah Lane is no longer listed for Ballo or Sinatra Suite. Yuriko Kajiya is replacing her in Ballo. I wonder if she is injured.

Does anyone know whether the Local One stagehands work any of the various dance venues - City Center, Joyce, etc.? This possible lockout is giving some of us jitters, especially since, according to news sources, it could start immediately or after a period of several days.

I'm not sure. Theaters run by non profit organizations are not threatened and the Joyce may be non profit.

It will be interesting to watch. In 2003 (I believe) the broadway musicians went on strike and Equity and Local One honored the strike. The unions stuck together. Personally I believe that is a good thing.

I think of a "lyrical" dancer like porn: I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it. The most lyrical dancers I've seen live have been Alina Cojocaru and Alessandra Ferri.

I always thought of Mariana Tcherkassy (former ABT principal) as a lyrical dancer.

This is wonderful. Thank you so much for doing this.

Watching Mimi Paul in her ACT 3 solo variation brought a smile to my face. I did not know who she was until after the film and I was able to read the program. After she was done, I wish we could have rewound the film to see her dancing one more time. I've come to take pleasure in seeing dancers who have the ability to communicate something beyond the steps -- as if they want to tell us something about themselves and their lives.

I remember seeing Jenny Somoygi for the first time some years ago and my eyes were drawn to her and she seemed to be the best dancer cast at articulating the dance to us, in being able to say something. And it helped me in my learning to appreciate dance, in understanding that dancing was, of course the steps and technique, but also, much more.

Even though the film was made more 42 years ago, Mimi Paul and her dancing looked like freshly cut flowers.

I agree about Mimi Paul in the film. I believe she left and joined ABT because of some Suzanne resentment. Iwas a young super on stage when she did Swan Lake for ABT. I believe it was considered something of a disaster, particularly her Black Swan. This brings me to an idea that back then there was more of a distiction between NYCB technique and ABT technique.

Feel free to shoot me down if disagree

One rap (not Richard) on Balanchine's Don Q has been that there's not enough dancing. This film seems loaded with dances and wonderful dancers -- the Rigaudon Flamenco with Gloria Govrin and Arthur Mitchell; the pas de deux Mauresque, Suki Schorer and John Prinz; the Danza della Caccia with the trio of Patricia Neary, Conrad Ludlow, and Kent Stowell. What dancers these were! Today's NYCB isn't as good -- honest. The scenes between Balanchine and Farrell made my eyes mist more than once. What the film loses is the procession of knights and prelates in the last act -- it's just too dark at that point to tell what's going on. But Farrell is as magnificent as remembered, in every scene she's in.

When it comes to Mr. B's Don Quixote, some things never change. A few audience members walked out long before the end.

I was there too and totally agree with Farrell Fan. I would like to add some other comments after some time to digest. I wish the score was better. The ballet might have been more successful with better music to support it.

Dates: Saturday, November 10, 2007 @ 8pm

and Sunday, November 11, 2007 @ 3pm

That's at the very end of the ABT New York season. Does that mean Part isn't doing much during the last week of that season? The season that I wish was so much longer sigh!!

"Design for Strings" for both seen and been in

The Sept. 17 issue of New Yorker lists a 9/18 6PM showing of the film at the Performing Arts library. Joan Acocella writes "get there early because there are fewer than 200 seats."

This would indication that it is open to the public.

I would wish for two things for the Met season that are not part of the abt plan

1. Fewer imported stars and more in house talent for the full length ballets.

2. A rep program that was really rep

He just doesn't get it.

Doesn't get what?

Is there a difference between beautifully proportioned body and preferred body type?

Well, since the "beautiful proportioned" expression doesn't contain any specifications, every single answer to that question is going to be based in personal preferences,so beautiful proportions here will be linked to specific sets of preferences.

Then why is this thread "beautifully proportioned" not "my perferred body type" or "the dancer who has a body that I think best for ballet" or "a body that I think amazing." Are there body proportions that are beautiful as a classic archtypes? If so I stand by my vote for Fonteyn and Weese.

Is there a difference between beautifully proportioned body and preferred body type?

For beautiful proportions I'd vote for Margot Fonteyn and Miranda Weese.

Not sure if this now belongs in Heads up! or where. Sorry if I mis-categorized it.

Some of the City Center casting just went up on the ABT website. Unfortunately, none of The Leaves Are Fading casts are identified. A few tantalizing tid-bits:

Ballo: Murphy/Hallberg, Wiles/Beloserkovsky and Lane/Cornejo. Some performances not yet cast.

Fall River Legend: Kent, Murphy and Wiles. Some performances not yet cast.

Clear: Herrera and Carreno. (Those who have seen this piece should recall that the men are heavenly shirtless and lusciously lit. I cannot even imagine how incredible JM will be in this!) Some performances are not yet cast.

I couldn't find Lane/Cornejo in the Ballo casting. Am I missing it?

It's usually called the "Act II Divertissement."

Thank you - that's what I meant.