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Another correction: It's Pittsburgh not "Pittsburg." I was struck by the number of dancers who come from Pennsylvania. I gather there is an outstanding school somewhere in the state.

This business of "Yvonne has no technique" seems to be a recurring theme in this forum. Last year when it came up, I asked why they would give such a notoriously difficult role to someone with no technique. I didn't get any satisfactory answers other than that there's a "hard" version and an "easy" version which doesn't make much sense given how few people have danced the role. In any event, I was at Friday's performance and I thought it was dazzling. I asked my wife (who is a former dancer, and has seen every Square Dance since Pat Wilde) what her view was. She said that, while Borree is not her favorite in the role, she didn't notice any particular technical concerns. As far as being worried about a particular dancer, I worry a lot more about Ansanelli who fell off pointe twice in a recent Western Symphony.

On this business of Borree's not being a technician, if she's not a technician, how is it that she is one of the few people who can actually do Square Dance which, I am reliably informed, is one of Balanchines's toughest ballets?

On this business of Borree's not being a technician, if she's not a technician, how is it that she is one of the few people who can actually do Square Dance which, I am reliably informed, is one of Balanchines's toughest ballets?

I've seen her a couple of times during the current season and she's terrific, particularly in last night's Emeralds with Ayupova.

Any truth to the rumor that a soloist from the Kirov will be guesting with ABT next year?

Reading the report on the music for the Mahdiviani piece made me wonder why it appears to be so tough for people to find good music to choreograph to. I found the Philip Glass score (in Circle of Fifths) so loathsome that I simply couldn't pay any attention to the dancing (which appeared pretty pedestrian). Does everyone have a tin ear these days? I'm reminded of Peter's "collaborations" with Torque (which fortunately seem to be a thing of the past). No matter how inventive the choreography, if the music is awful, no one's going to notice. Fortunately, Circle of Fifths was the only dog on the program. We also saw Ansanelli's debut in Firebird. I liked it although she seemed a bit tentative, not commanding the stage at all. Agon was spectacular particularly the Kowrowski/Evans partnership (good to see Maria dancing with someone other than Askegard).

I wasn't surprised by Fayette who's been doing very solid work lately. The other two were, of course, logical candidates. The real shock was no women given that that's where the ranks seem to be thin. We've had two retirements lately, one serious injury (I gather Miranda may be back for Saratoga) and some of the principals are seriously underutilized (I rarely see Boree and Meunier is practically invisible). Every night it's Maria in this and Wendy in the other and the next night it's Wendy in this and Maria in the other. I know I'm exaggerating but not by much. So why were Taylor and Ansanelli passed over, particularly given the widespread perception that Taylor is his favorite?

Lucky LoD will be seeing Maria in both Swan Lake and Kammermusik. Incidentally, speaking of William Forsythe, I read in the Times that his company is being shut down. Is this outrage being discussed anywhere else on the site?

" most were middling sorts of dancers when they danced, " Peter Martins? Anthony Dowell?

I thought the Tanner piece was interesting but my dislike of everything else ranged from moderate (Wheeldon) to intense (Preljocaz). Incidentally, who was it who fell in the Wheeldon, Bouder?

On the "little details that disappear" issue, I agree with Leigh that this is rarely black and white. Here's an example. Everone is familiar with the moment in the second movement of Symphony in C where Farrell did a penchee arabesque and touched her forehead to her knee. Kowrowski does the penchee arabesque but the forehead doesn't touch the knee. Why? It's hard to believe she can't do it or is not familiar with the business. I suspect that she chose not to do it for some reason. Does this make her performance inferior? Does it detract from "Balanchine's legacy"? I don't think so.

On the "little details that disappear" issue, I agree with Leigh that this is rarely black and white. Here's an example. Everone is familiar with the moment in the second movement of Symphony in C where Farrell did a penchee arabesque and touched her forehead to her knee. Kowrowski does the penchee arabesque but the forehead doesn't touch the knee. Why? It's hard to believe she can't do it or is not familiar with the business. I suspect that she chose not to do it for some reason. Does this make her performance inferior? Does it detract from "Balanchine's legacy"? I don't think so.

I certainly agree that Homans was short on details in her critique. Who exactly is "step-driven and one-dimensional"? Maria Kowrowski?! But it is also true that Martins has a lot to answer for. Why, for example, go to the trouble of reviving the Sylvia Pas de Deux for the Balanchine Celebration only to let it totally drop out of the repertoire?

I certainly agree that Homans was short on details in her critique. Who exactly is "step-driven and one-dimensional"? Maria Kowrowski?! But it is also true that Martins has a lot to answer for. Why, for example, go to the trouble of reviving the Sylvia Pas de Deux for the Balanchine Celebration only to let it totally drop out of the repertoire?