vipa

Some of the music gets on my nerves but apart from that I don't mind it. I do like the female variation.

Didn't Cynthia Gregory hate it, or did I just make that up?

I wouldn't dream of speaking for her, but Cynthia did make fun of it in one performance. She pretended to smoke and then put out a cigarette during her variation. That, to me, would indicate that she (at least at that time) did not hold the piece in high regard.

Diana Vishneva's choice is obviously based on the dramatic interpretation she's planned for any given performance.

I don't think that is so obvious. When I saw her with ABT in June. I knew her turns would be a failure as soon as she began. She started out with a lot of energy but I soon worried that she would not be able to get back on pointe. She got through in a way but I did not see any dramatic intent.

She does the Russian style fouettes which take a lot of muscle to get throught because the mechanics of the movement do not help.

Anyway she got throught the fouettes (I am not a counter so I don't know how many) but assigning dramatic intent is a stretch in my opinion.

Kajiya is no surprise at all. BRAVA - at last!!!

It is great news. I'm not very familiar with Kajiya but I look forward to seeing her. All others I am familiar with and each is special in his/her own way. I'm glad ABT went with variety.

Funny, a few years ago I thought ZHONG-JING FANG was soon to be soloist material. Maybe she still is but seems to have lost steam. It's a difficult profession!

I'd be interested in Bouder in anything she danced. That's the definition of a fan. Now, speaking from a more measured perspective, I hope we don't lose sight of the fact that casting her in the role would not be because she's right for it. She isn't, and she shouldn't be the model for the role, nor start a trend. But she's talented enough to make a case for herself.

I wouldn't say she wouldn't be right for it, she would just do it like no one else. One if my favorite Croce quotes of Farrell in Diamonds was (this is from memory so dear wise ones correct me if I am wrong) "The riveting spectacle of the freest woman alive."

I don't thing Bouder is there right now but she has it in her and I'd love to see her do Diamonds now and then again and again for a number of seasons. I believe she can go there.

I, for one, would love to see her promoted! ...

You're not alone. Stel-la! Stel-la! Stel-la!

I'd love to see that to. Reyes has been out a lot this season. Is she injured?

For all of you Sarah Lane fans, the current issue of Time Out New York has an interview with Lane. The online edition's version is extended:

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/article/871...n-the-fast-lane

She's also featured in a cover story in Dance Magazine.

Thank you so much. I am a Sarah Lane fan. What do you think about her comment that Kevin M. seems to prefer taller dancers?

I loved her insights into coaching at ABT. Particularly that Gelsey wanted to work with Lane after she performed bluebird PPD, and how unusual that is.

I really believe some promotions are due in that company. I hope this is one of them.

. What makes her great, he gets. To me the "if or how fouettees" is secondary for Odile (unless, of course they achieve classical purity, or joy of virtuosity--a la Murphy). What matters was her wild passion that would not stop powering up, no-matter-what.

I respectfully disagree that the fouettees were a dramatic choice (if that's what you mean). To me it looked like she starting turning with a lot of force hoping that she could muscle her way through, which is actually the only way to do it with Russian style fouettes. I looked at her ability to continue not as wild passion but as a dancer survival instinct; keep going no matter what. For me, as soon as she started I knew it was not likely to go well, so I forgot characterization and kept my fingers crossed!

That leaves Marcelo, Angel, David Hallberg, Herman and Max to carry the company forward

Not a bad prospect, really!! Let's see... Marcelo, Angel, David, HERMAN... all except perhaps one yet in their 20s... this is a problem?

heh, well no! they are all wonderful. But they still haven't found the right girl for Herman to partner, and he is just too short for the main leads with the female dancers they have. So that leaves 4 principals who are all great but that isn't just enough to support the entire company

This isn't to say I think ABT is in dire straits..just an observation.

Sarah Lane is the girl. They have given her opportunites but they are slow to promote

Saw Vishneva/Gomes tonight. I was glad I went. I loved Visnheva's Odette. I thought she used her flexability very expressively and musically. Her variation was ravishing. Her Odile fell a little short for me. The ppd went well but I thought that in her variation she was not able to use the choreography to portray her character - she was just trying to do the steps. I am not a fouette counter, but I feared at one point that she would not make it on to pointe to continue turning. I am probably unintentially making it sound worse than it was. Nothing was bad and Odette was wonderful. Veshneva, who I've never seen before is clearly a world class ballerina. It is just that one goes to the ballet hoping for that transcedent experience and this wasn't that for me. It was enjoyable, it had transcendent moments but wasn't the total experience that keeps us all returning to the ballet to find.

Gomes was practially flawless. I found his partnering a little "handy" in turns. You saw him really turning her (this is an area in which I really love Steifel). But that is really nit picking. I thought his characterization and dancing really wonderful. As far as his solos went, it doesn't get better.

I liked Radetsky as Von R.

Pas de trois Ricctto, Abrera and Saveliev - very good, clean and enjoyable. I particularly liked Abrera for her beauty, rock solid technique and joy.

Two swans - Thomas and Corella unfortunately were not so good.

Misty Copeland had some nice moments and I did notice Sarah Lane in the corp of the Prologue as the one most likely to stay on pointe to finish a movement.

As much as I love fouettés (they are my ballet guilty pleasure) I never count them. As long as they work with the music, it is fine with me.

Hans. I totally agree! Perhaps because I could never do them well, I enjoy them immensely.

I find if I try to count them, I'm not truly WATCHING them.

Agreed - I never count. If there is no big struggle, they look nice and end musically I am happy. If course it is fun to see the things G. Murphy can do, but even in that case I don't count, I just enjoy.

. . . [W]ho honestly wants to look at some just THROWING (and I mean throwing) her arms around?!

Not you, not me, but I'll bet she finished to rousing cheers.

now, someone like Ashely Bouder can REALLY do fouettes. . .

"Someone like Ashley Bouder?" Name one! I dare you!

I've seen S. Sylvie do beautiful fouettes and of course there is G. Murphy. I love, love, love Bouder but other people can do fouettes.

Or am I missing the point.

NYTimes messed up. Both dancers deserved their due, but the placement of the articles and even the fact that they appeared on the same day was a bone headed decision by the Times. Each article should have been first page of the Arts section on separate days. I wonder who was responsible for that???

I can't imagine it was the editors. That is content. Wouldn't it be the purview of the chief critic?

NB--I'm asking here, not insinuating anything If someone(?) one of the professional critics on the board perhaps?, has any insight, I'd appreciate it!

It could just be that it is typical that fri and sat performances receive their reviews on Monday and no one thought to make any changes even with the unusual circumstances.

It could be simply that Nichols has been a constant in the NY dance scene for 33 years and one of the last of Balanchine's chosen. Ferri has not been as permanent a fixture and of late has been a guest artist (althought a great one) at ABT with a somewhat limited rep.

Definitely Cynthia Gregory

If I lived in NYC, I'd spend my entire nest egg going to the ballet, but now I have to pick and choose. My friend and I have been collecting Swan Lakes over the years. We both love Makarova the best with Ananiashvili a close second. This time, though, with Vishneva I'm hoping to see something different or extra as I saw with her Giselle. Has anyone seen her in this part? What should I look for? Will I be happy with my choice?

I'll be there too. I'm sure we'll be comparing notes on this board. I have never seen her before and won't prejudge. I'm just happy that I will be seeing one of the major talents of this time.

Any bets who gets Ballo? My guess is first cast Murphy-Stiefel, second cast Lane-Cornejo .

You are probably right but a Murphy- Hallberg cast would be nice too.Any ideas for "Leaves..."

Abrera maybe, she is unlike Kirkland (who I saw in the role) but has an air of mystery and fluidity that might work.

A connected topic - ABT is ripe for promotions. I had assumed that Part would become a principal soon. Is that happening? Could Abrera be on the principal track? Also, I have been rooting for a Lane promotion to soloist. Are any promotions likely to be announced any time soon? I feel like this site is sometimes like "the oracle."

I was at Tuesday, and I would call the dual Raymonda debut a qualified success.

Bouder's dancing couldn't have been clearer, her energy more infectious, her response to the music more delightful. She just overplayed the sweetness factor. There's plenty of sweetness in that music, and the coy tiltings of her head just made it a bit gooey.

The man's first variation is a killer -- nary a moment to breathe, and most of the time spent beating or leaping in mid-air. By the end of the variation, Veyette was looking spent, and he never quite caught a second wind. Count this as a learning experience, and maybe he'll figure out a way to conserve something for the rest of the ballet.

The corps was good, and the soloists mostly at least adequate. Stafford (what is she still doing in this role?) blazed through her variation and the amazing finale. Dronova is an angular dancer, and like many angular dancers has a tendency to look brittle. Tuesday there was no brittleness, just a fine, feminine delicacy. I also liked Mueller's bold reading of the harp variation. In the difficult final variation with the pirouettes on the bent supporting leg, Scheller struggled. I have no doubt she can do it, but it must have been an off-night.

I very much enjoyed Hyltin's debut in Stravinsky Violin. Unlike her partner, Nilas Martins, she has the right energy. My complaint about this performance is hard to pin down. I didn't find much contrast between the two pdds. I used to think the first one involved a mature couple with a complicated relationship, the second a younger one who haven't yet accrued the complications. This time, the couples seemed very much alike. Kowroski lacks the quirkiness vonAroldingen brought to the role. The "crab step" when she turns over in back bend, was too smooth and apparently effortless. Nothing knotty there. (Facility is not always a good thing, I guess.) But it allowed the eye to take in the whole picture, as Evans mimicked her movements with his arms. However, the Kowroski-Evans partnership was powerful. I very much enjoy them together. He is finally getting the prominence he has, for so long deserved.

Dybbuk continues to get strong performances from its whole cast. Ringer and Millepied have been digging deeper into their roles, sharpening the details.

I was there Tues. A few observations if I may. Bouder was wonderful, fun, grand, a technical wizard -- and I am so glad that she shares the joy she feels in her dancing. While Bouder always seemed ready for more Vayette seemed spent. He had wonderful moments (big hanging cabrioles) and moments of - well not so good.

I thought all of the variation girls looked a bit wimpy with the exception of Scheller who had bad moments but showed a presence.

Ringer was fine in Dybbuk but I don't want to see the ballet ever again!

I rather liked Kowroski in VC. I am finding her to be quite a witty dancer.

I must say that one of the reasons I love this board is that I love hearing opinions that I may or may not agree with, but that invariable make me think about my opinions and think about performance I've see in a different light.

So this is a cut-back from three to two weeks. Were sales bad last fall? At least Wheeldon's new company will be at City Center the week before.

Thanks

I didn't know about Wheeldon's company being there (I'm sometimes not totally with it). I'll be looking into that.

I can't believe ABT's sales at City Center were bad. Whatever the reason, a two week season is a shame.

Any bets who gets Ballo? My guess is first cast Murphy-Stiefel, second cast Lane-Cornejo .

I'd love to see Lane-Cornejo but I don't think it will happen unless she gets promoted.

Per the ABT website calendar, Thursday night's Romeo and Juliet performance with Reyes and Carreno has been replaced with Murphy and Hallberg. Wednesday night's performance with Dvorovenko and Beloserkovsky is now Dvorovenko and Carreno. Oh well.

Anyone know what's going on with Reyes? Is she injured? If so, I hope not badly.

Felicitations Estelle et Philippe!!!!

Congrats - as a mom of two sort of grown children (19 & 21), I hope you enjoy parenthood as much as I did and do. It is a wonderful journey.

Kowroski and Neal were magnificent indeed. " Diamonds" has all the emotion that some multi act ballets have, minus the mime and "story telling" of course that was Balanchine's point.

I liked Lowry. I enjoy her amplitude combined with speed. I can see how others don't enjoy her as much. At the same time I thougt Fairchild wasn't edgy enough.

Loved both Bouder and Ringer in "Emeralds." I wouldn't have cast Bouder in this role, but it worked. I understand she is also doing "Rubies."

Someone mentioned that there was a problem in the coda of "Diamonds," but I didn't see it.

The only problem I saw in "Diamonds" was that in the 4 girls "folksy section" one of the girls kept getting off.

ABT's site has just replaced Reyes by Ferri for Wednesday matinee.

Is Reyes injured? Lane replaced her in Blue Bird pdd recently.

Vishneva will be doing other productions in the season, including Manon. If money is tight, maybe go and see her in something else?

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm going to see her Swan Lake. I'm really looking forward to it.

Vishneva was pure perfection in Act I. But the Vision turned out to be bland and the pdd - ordinary. I think Hallberg is largely responsible for this - he was absolutely atrocious. Looked like a lifeless corpse in desperate need to be awakened himself.

The production is a joke, but this has been discussed thoroughly already, and I don't have much to add. However, Vishneva's Adagio and Part's Vision redeemed everything for me. I feel incredibly lucky to have witnessed and experienced dancing on such a high level of artistry and virtuosity.

Question - Help wanted.

I've never seen Vishneva dance. I saw Murphy (replacing Kent) the other night. I really disliked the production, but enjoyed much of the dancing. I can still get a ticket for Vishneva on Sat. althought it would be a stretch budget wise. Is it worth it??

Thanks in advance for your input

His assessment of Martins's Sleeping Beauty wasn't that bad -- or I should say wasn't that good. Gottlieb calls it "the best of his full-evening ventures" which could be seen as damning it with faint praise, since the other candidates are Swan Lake and Romeo + Juliet. Gottlieb was, in my opinion, almost right in his summary, that by comparison to McKenzie/Chernov/Kirkland's "concept," Martins's is "loyal to the text." I would say "loyal to the synopsis,"at least until the end, as its speed is, in my view, counter to its setting, and the "passing on" is counter to its point of restoration, not evolution.

Thank you -- well said!