Jelly

I had heard from other NYCB fans that this was an important program that made ballet feel relevant today, and overall I was not disappointed. Morgan was an uninspiring opening with the above noted partnering issues but from then on it was an exciting ride.

Troy Schumacher was a proud attendee who challenged his accomplished dancers in fascinating new ways. Tiler and Robert and Sarah Burton's fabulous dress performed to justified bravos. Justin's dancers were more beautiful than in anything he's done before. Ratmansky seems once again to be most at home with NYCB's dancers and stage.

Whatever our quibbles with aspects of the choreography or design it felt like many creative forces had brought their talents together to their mutual glory.

I attended the next to last performance of NYCB's Nutcracker yesterday afternoon. I thought it was a nice touch that Olivia Boisson and a new African American man in the company were cast as parents of two African American children in the party scene. I know that SAB has been holding community auditions around the city to attract more minority students but thus far there are many more Asian than African American children in the casts.

You might find it interesting to Google Olivia Boisson. There are a lot of interesting photos and her Facebook site has posts available to non friends. She is a New Yorker of Haitian descent who attended LaGuardia Arts High School.

I'll get right to the point. This is why you go to see original choreography. A striking combination of visualized music tailored to the special qualities of extraordinary dancers supported by excellent production values. Panio Concerto #1 is my faviorite ABT or NYCB Ratmansky to date. Osipova and Vasiliev seemed willing inperpreters of his vision with none of the excesses I saw in Symphony in C or Don Q. There seemed an interesting comentary on the rising of one Russian woman and the setting of another although the pairs of principals mainly echoed eachother. Costumes for the corps by Keso Dekker - grey front, red back - amplified the choreography. Intriging sets by George Tsypin created the mood. Looked like a standing ovation from my seat with Osipova pulling Ramatsky on to the stage and him joining the principals in the curtain call.

I also enjoyed Symphony #9 tremendously including all the leads - Semionova, Gomes Cornejo, Messmer, Salstein - but especially Cornejo and Salstein.

Camber Symphony was the weakest in every aspect. Hallberg, Boylston, Herrara and Kent we fine but not special.

Couldn't help but think that co-commissioners San Francisco Ballet must be jumping for joy to have such a hit on there hands. .

When I was an SAB student I performed at SPAC. The NYCB Children's Ballet Mistress invited SAB students to rehearse and perform there. There was also an audition in Saratoga for local students although some of those selected came from as far away as Vermont and Pittsburgh. We were told that Balanchine thought it was important that local students be included in performances and therefore there was always a piece including children in the repetory.

In the intermission backstage footage of the Sleeping Beauty broadcast Hallberg can be seen congratulating her.

I was at BAM this morning where there was an excellent turnout - as many as for a typical weekend evening film presentation. I was as anxious to see the renovated Bolshoi Theater as the ballet and the filming did not disappoint. This was my first HD presentation and I think the opportunity to see the theater and the artists backstage including interviews is a major advantage.

After being subjected to ABT's current production, this production seems like a paragon of virtue. Sets and costumes are lavish and architecturally and period correct.

I too was disappointed by the Lilac Fairy's lack of authority and yearned for Sara Mearns but enjoyed Carabosse.

Zakharova may not be a natural Aurora but she took control after the intermission and for those of accustomed to American dancers there is so much to enjoy in the use of the upper body. Hallberg was never anything but acomplete classicist even in his interivew.

All in all a wonderful sunday morning. I can hardly wait for Le Corsaire.

There were other NYCB principals as well - the Angle brothers and Maria K. A very interesting evening but it makes you realize what a master work Balanchine's Nutcracker is. It was unfortunately difficult to avoid comparison.

Last night Millepied's piece received a standing ovation. I and the people around me felt it was well deserved. It showcased the wonderful ABT dancers in a way those of us who are ABT regulars rarely get to see. He definetely handles groups of dancers well and that was exciting after the rest of the evening.

Maybe because of the second cast and because Avery Fisher makes it hard to see the lower body,the Ratmatsky seemed merely pleasant in comparison. Although the Barton piece didn't hang together it was great to see Paloma, Misty and the extraordinary men, in her vocabulary.