fondoffouettes

It’s really just his unimaginative choreography I object to. He also left his post as head of the POB after less than two years, complaining of institutional racism. I’d expect an effective leader to try to fix those issues rather than jump ship. I feel like there must have been more factors at play in his departure than he was willing to cite to the press.

Please no Wheeldon! I agree with Kathleen O'Connell that at least Martins hasn't really crowded the programming with his works. It's pretty easy to avoid his works in any given season. Lourdes Lopez would certainly seem to be a top contender for the role. I'm really hoping they don't simply anoint whoever they consider to be their current golden boy.

Most importantly, someone who doesn't fancy himself a choreographer, who really isn't. Unless Stiefel's space ballet was a one-off, I'd be worried he might use a company as a vehicle to create more of his own pieces.

Yes! As much as I would like to see NYCB mend ties with Farrell and have her stage Balanchine ballets, I'd like to see the company look to a generation that didn't work directly with Mr. B (yet would still respect the legacy). Ringer seems very smart and well-liked. Anyone but Benjamin Millepied, please! And no other B-list (or worse) choreographers for that matter. I have no sense of which former dancers are natural managers/leaders, though. Wildcard: What about Ratmansky? He's created some of his best plotless ballets for NYCB. And certainly he could sweep aside Martins' awful full-lengths. I'm not sure how much of his time is occupied by his contract with ABT, though, or what other restrictions that arrangement may impose.

I had the same feeling about the anonymous letter, which is described as "making general, non-specific allegations." One wonders, then, what made it compelling enough to pursue a serious investigation. Every organization feels extra pressure to do their due diligence in investigating sexual misconduct allegations these days (which I think is a very good thing), but I feel as if we're only getting part of the story here. I assumed that the NYT recently conducted these interviews with former dancers and students (who spoke on condition of anonymity). But usually, the NYT is much more explicit in describing how they've gathered corroborating information from anonymous sources. This "in recent interviews" feels very vague. They really should clarify to whom these sources spoke. Maybe, or maybe not. It's impossible to know the dynamic of their marriage and how this may be impacting her. I'll admit that my opinions of her are shaded by the nepotism that allowed her to dance far beyond the point when she should have been onstage.

While any concrete plans still remain to be seen, Part left a comment on her own Instagram post indicating that she’s continuing to pursue a life onstage. This is a far cry from her (understandably) pessimistic posts immediately following her forced retirement, when she essentially said she was leaving the art form. The video is also a poignant reminder of Part at her very best — a glamorous, seductive Odile in the arms of Gomes. I already miss the magic she worked with those gloriously long limbs! Edited to add: If anyone knows where this footage comes from, and if there's more of it, I would love to know! I'm guessing it's from the Gomes doc, but I wonder if more footage of them dancing SL exists somewhere. I know there's the White Swan PDD that's part of a Youth America Grand Prix video, if I remember correctly.

She was relying on Irina and Maxim to coach her for her unplanned debut. That says a lot. Lane is in general a stronger turner than other O/Os in recent memory (I’m thinking of Part and Seo), so I can see her getting to a point where she owns the fouettés. Boylston and Copeland have no business going anywhere near the role, but there’s really nothing left to be said on that topic, especially when it comes to Copeland. Up until recently I’ve still gone to the occasional Boylston performance to see how she’s progressing. She’s not. I’ll be avoiding her for the foreseeable future. Sloppy, unrefined dancing. Her saving grace is that she can leap and turn. I’ve been avoiding Seo for the past couple seasons but would like to see her in at least Bayadere to see if she’s made any strides in consistency (and expressivity, too).

It also accomplishes nothing. Canbelto or anyone else for that matter can access anyone’s public Instagram account from a web browser if they wish.

Also, they only took down some content (the most overt). Much of it is still there. One post lost its caption. They didn’t go back and delete everything linking the two, so they must not care that much.

I'm sorry you were blocked. I echo the sentiments of others here. They both have a ton of followers (I'm sure several of which overlap, given their careers in Broadway musical), and they were regularly posting googly-eyed comments on one anothers' accounts, as well as posting photos/stories of themselves together. And like vipa has said, Fairchild and Peck have built an audience interested in their personal lives. (You don't necessarily have to do that on social media; think of David Hallberg, for instance, who shares lots of interesting behind-the-scenes content about being a dancer, but never shares anything about this personal/romantic life. I think I've maybe seen photos of his family dog? And certainly many others fall into this category.) I'm sure sensitivity to exes could be a factor. I used to work with someone whose recent ex came out of the closet and, for reasons that aren't important to mention here, briefly became the subject of news stories (which included the information on coming out of the closet.) It was a horrible experience for all involved to have that played out in the public eye, even though there should ideally be no shame associated with coming out in this day and age.

I just received a promotional e-mail from NYCB for screenings of The Nutcracker at movie theaters across the country. https://screenvisionmedia.com/events/the-nutcracker/?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FY18NutinCinema&utm_content=version_A Does anyone know if this is the same Fairchild/De Luz recording from two years ago? I’d be eager to see a new film with a different lead couple.

Very happy for Day and Fairchild. Thanks for sharing. Fairchild seems to have deleted the Instagram post of him and Day embracing one another (posted by canbelto above). Edited to add: Wow — Day has also deleted his caption for the photo in which he’s raising his glass. It used to say something to the effect of “Raising a glass to my dude” (on the preview night of Brigadoon).

A few glimpses of what we'll be missing at the Met this spring, but as canbelto has noted, a lot can change between now and May. I have to imagine Lane would be their go-to if they need an extra O/O to fill in for an injured dancer this season.

I get it that this may be a major choreographic event. The title just seems really pretentious and fussy -- it's a portmanteau, in all caps, with a red R. Not to mention that the red R doesn't looks especially avant-garde on ABT's circa 1998 website. Funny how all the artistic geniuses of the past never thought to change the font colors of the titles of their works. McGregor may be on to something... or is he just overcompensating?

It seems like they had plans for each of the three new principal women to take on 2-3 new major roles each this season. Aside from Nikiya, there wasn’t another obvious role for Teuscher to take on, so I guess they settled on Juliet. I’m hoping it helps her break out of her shell a bit. Still, it’s very disappointing not to see Lane in the role. It’s ridiculous they gave Lane the Wednesday matinee of Giselle after her triumphant performances last season. Why not give it to Copeland, who can probably even fill the house for a Wednesday matinee? Copeland is just a cash cow, plain and simple. Even she must realize she’s not being cast based on technical and artistic merit. They are basically only avoiding casting her in things she has no hope of getting through, like Nikiya and Aurora.

I think it must be. Her ABT bio only indicates that she's danced Gamzatti, and they are usually pretty good about updating those role lists. Yeah, Boylston doesn't exactly radiate the sensual beauty needed for Nikiya. I don't even want to think about what she'll do with her arms and hands...

Seriously. I'm guessing Lane is also a very likely candidate for Columbine. Maybe management felt that learning four new full-length roles would have been too much for her. But if that's the case, I wish they would have given her Don Q to someone like Brandt, who could certainly do the role justice (not that Lane can't). Especially bearing in mind the profound acting abilities Lane showed last year in Giselle, it seems a crime not to give her Juliet. Hopefully it's still in the works for the future, though.

I'm pretty sure he's planning to dance till he's 60...while still looking 30. But in all seriousness, yes, I think you may be right.

Some assorted reactions, in no particular order. They are styling AFTERITE in all caps and with a red R. Seriously? Is there such a need to be gimmicky? Giselle: Glad to see Waski getting a shot at Myrtha, and I think Osipova counts as a judicious use of a guest star. Bolle should be considered a guest star, as he's only performing once all season, in the Saturday evening Giselle. I didn't think this was a great role for Murphy, but I suppose they couldn't take it away from her. Lane was perhaps the most brilliant Giselle last season, yet they give her the Wednesday matinee. La Bayadere: It's kind of nice to see an all home-team Bayadere for the first time in...I can't remember how long. Hallberg returns to Solor (but not Siegfried). And two new Nikiyas: Lane and Teuscher. Corps member Joo Wan Ahn gets cast twice as Solor. I feel like ABT never casts corps members in principal roles...how exciting. Murphy is only cast as Gamzatti but not Nikiya; she's always alternated the roles, at least in recent seasons. Romeo and Juliet: If you want to see Hallberg, you get stuck with Boylston...both times he performs. Ugh. Abrera is the only new Juliet. Should fit her like a glove. Swan Lake: This is the most unimaginative Swan Lake casting I can recall since the year of Seo Ballet Theatre. We have only six Swan Queens, not the usual seven (or even eight, as in 2014). Very much looking forward to Shevchenko's debut, though. I can't believe Hammoudi is cast yet again, and opposite Murphy. They are still trying to make him work as a leading man? He was such a letdown in the role last time. I guess they figure Murphy can practically partner herself. Glad we are getting to see the D.C. casting of Gomes/Teuscher, though. Don Quixote: Mostly lots of the same, with the exception of Lane's debut. I have no doubt she'll be a fine Kitri, but I'd much rather see her in Swan Lake or Romeo and Juliet. Whipped Cream: Yay for Shayer getting a shot at this role! Jonathan Klein hasn't really been on my radar, but exciting to see another corps member in a leading role. Some overall thoughts: Cirio isn't being utilized much. He gets a Don Q, a couple Whipped Cream performances and three Mercutios in Romeo and Juliet. Maybe he will be cast in Harlequinade. Copeland is given no new roles, I believe (smart move). Gorak is currently not cast at all; maybe that will change once Harlequinade casting is announced. Murphy and Gomes seem to be dialing back a bit in terms of number of performances.

Mostly up now. Wow -- no Swan Lake or Romeo and Juliet for Lane, and she's given the Wednesday matinee Giselle. Abrera does get R&J, though. Lane adds Nikiya and Kitri to her rep, though. Many other things to absorb, too!!!

You can get to the press release by tweaking the ID number of their previous press release: http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=589 But it's really the casting doc I'm interested in seeing at this point. Edited to add: They've also started updating the online calendar. Only a few dates are up at the moment. http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx?startdate=5/1/2018

There's usually a lag in it appearing on the ABT site. Hopefully those on the company's press list will fill us in! They usually seem to get the schedule via e-mail before the rest of us can access it online.

And with Hallberg! Excited to see their special partnership again.

Some sweet posts from Ashley Day — the other Jerry in the London production — from around the time of Fairchild’s NYCB retirement. Fairchild has posted some cute Instagram stories of them hanging out in NYC over the past couple days, but they expire after 24 hours and can’t be reposted.

Yes, I think Shevchenko essentially picks up the spot vacated by Part. Assuming Misty gets two performances like last year, that doesn't leave room for any other debuts as O/O. They did cast 8 different Swan Queens was back in 2014, so I guess it's possible: http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=485 But two Misty performances are money in the bank; I can't imagine them changing that this year unless she's not up to it physically. Edited to add: On a somewhat unrelated note, it's hard to believe Murphy will be 39 when she dances O/O this spring. I realize she's been prone to injuries in recent seasons, but her dancing has shown no technical diminishment to my eyes. She still dances circles around many others...