fondoffouettes

I’m at a loss for words when it comes to Brandt’s performance tonight. She was extraordinary. She exceeded any expectations I could have had. Unreal.

Who has done them well in recent memory? The last dancer I can recall doing them with a real wow factor was Corella. I've seen Cornejo perform them adequately but they didn't make much of an impact. I feel like I've only ever seen them in their full glory from Baryshnikov (in the old video) and Corella.

Exactly. ABT never fails when it comes to "what were they thinking?" moments like this.

I miss dinners from Epicerie Boulud! I wish they'd bring back their evenings hours. I also found that Le Pain Quotidien closes early now, too. Any suggestions for other grab-and-go options in the immediate area? It's good to know that the bar at the theater isn't offering sandwiches.

Adrian Danchig-Waring's Insta Stories indicate that he subbed last-minute for Angle in Chaconne last night. He refers to it as a "throw-on" performance. So maybe Angle is indeed dealing with some sort of injury.

Same! I was really hoping to see Kowroski with Ramasar. Had Ramasar always been cast in the 10/14 Agon, as well? For some reason, I though that one had been Angle, too, but the casting sheet doesn't indicate a replacement.

Yes, I think the second male name would be the Gangster...or would it be the Big Boss? I think la Cour has traditionally danced the latter role.

Yes, though as California has noted, they are only about five minutes. I did pop out during one intermission to use the restroom, and the ushers were being proactive about telling people how much longer was left in the pause. In a longer program, where more people might get up to use the restroom, I imagine they might extend the pause if needed. Yes, he was awesome! I also thought Lauren King was so, so lovely in the fourth movement. I loved her dancing. I really felt for Meghan Fairchild, who has been documenting her struggles coming back from giving birth to twins (after contacting COVID during pregnancy, no less). She really struggled to get her leg up for just about any arabesque and seemed to have drastically reduced flexibility; she's described the physiological reasons for this on her Instagram. The first movement ballerina is such a great role, but it seemed like she was just muscling her way through it. But then when I saw how emotional she was during curtain calls, I felt so happy for her for what she accomplished. I've only seen Reichlen and Kowroski in the second movement, so it was good to see Mearns, who seemed like her usual wonderful self. The role is a more perfect fit on Reichlen (and Kowroski, when it was still in her rep), but Mearns danced very well and it was great to see her light up the stage again, as she always does.

Thanks, Marta. I must have missed it or didn't get it.

I'm really surprised the company hasn't sent some sort of "know before you go" email to ticketholders about what to expect in terms of safety protocols for tomorrow night (and upcoming performances). I agree with others that no intermissions feels like "safety theater." I haven't heard of any other NYC theaters/performing arts orgs who are doing the same. Having bathroom breaks is important. Intermissions also provide relief for those with disabilities (often invisible) that make it difficult to sit for long periods of time. I wonder if they'll make the pauses longer than usual to accommodate people's needs.

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I've always thought that ABT has been using the Dancers sets from 1987 to the present day. Even though the current production is dated to 1998, I think McKenzie reused the earlier sets in the same way he reused the Don Quixote sets from the Baryshnikov production when he restaged that ballet. This is the clearest shot of the Act II set I could find, although it's small: : It looks like the same set used in Dancers, seen in the video below, with some modifications. But if you compare the trees, the set appears to be the same. I thought it odd that the press release called out the fact the sets were so old and from a movie that is hardly known. I believe the scenic designer may have been inspired by Caspar David Friedrich's The Abbey in the Oakwood: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Abbey_in_the_Oakwood.

In his Instagram stories, Jovani Furlan congratulates Chun Wai Chan, principal at Houston Ballet, on joining NYCB as a soloist. I wonder if this means news of promotions may be coming. .

Sarah Lane's bio page is still up on the ABT site. If that gets taken down then it will be pretty clear it's not a glitch. https://www.abt.org/people/sarah-lane/ The odds of having a voluntary retirement at ABT are so slim.

This discussion of her lightness and very special stage presence brought me back to this video of her in the Dawn variation from Coppelia. All those very special qualities come across, even in an imperfectly recorded video. When you'd open your program and see her name in roles like this one, it always felt like luxury casting.

Abrera discusses that DC Giselle, which ended up being her final peformance, in this NYT article. She was the first ballerina whose artistry I fell in love with, I believe because of a performance of Symphonic Variations in which she and Marcelo Gomes were the leads, if I remember correctly. In addition to her incredible Giselle debut, I'll always remember the warmth and beauty she brought to the role of Lilac Fairy; the way her arms and hands spoke was incredible. Benevolence personified. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/arts/dance/alvin-ailey-retirements-coronavirus.html I've been pretty out of the loop regarding goings-on in ballet these past couple months, so my apologies if these details of Stella's retirement have already been discussed elsewhere.

If you needed something to make you feel more depressed, ABT's "gala" was it.

What is any city without its cultural and communal life? But yes, I understand the burdens of city life can come into high relief when there aren't the benefits to offset them. The parks were the last "normal" thing I'd been enjoying in Jersey City, where I live, but they've now closed the last of them.

This is so disheartening, to say the least. If the coronavirus is expected to peak in May, I don't see how ABT can expect their season to go on. I wonder if there's any possibility of ABT pushing their season further into the summer, assuming the Met is dark in July and August. I realize this might not be desirable or feasible for various reasons...

The Kennedy Center has canceled performances through March 31, so at least NYCB's opening night is canceled. Press release below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. EST A STATEMENT FROM THE JOHN. F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS All Kennedy Center Performances and Public Events Canceled Through March 31 in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic (WASHINGTON)—The Kennedy Center’s highest priority is the health and well-being of all our patrons, artists, volunteers, and staff. In conformance with the specific public health recommendations issued by D.C. Health and Mayor Bowser, and due to the increasing threat of COVID-19, all public performances and events scheduled at the Kennedy Center through March 31 will be canceled effective Friday, March 13. Until further notice, the Kennedy Center campus and its facilities will be closed to visitors, however, administrative staff will be on hand to continue basic business operations. The restaurant, café, and other food service will also be closed due to canceled performances. Kennedy Center programmers are exploring options for rescheduling artists and productions for a future date where possible. The following events on Thursday, March 12, will continue as scheduled: Shear Madness Millennium Stage Forté – A film by David Donnelly Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter stated: “While this is an extraordinarily difficult decision to suspend all performances and activity throughout the month of March, it is the right thing to do to protect the health and well-being of our patrons, artists, and staff. Kennedy Center leadership has taken swift action and will do our part to help in the serious containment efforts called for by our city’s and country’s top government officials and medical experts.” TICKET EXCHANGE, DONATION, AND REFUND INFORMATION The Kennedy Center is committed to providing the utmost flexibility for our patrons in light of these circumstances. Ticket holders for performances scheduled to take place between March 13 and March 31 have the following options: Exchange your tickets for a future date or alternate show (where possible) Donate your tickets, and receive a tax deduction for the total ticket value Exchange your tickets for a Kennedy Center gift certificate, or Receive a full refund for the value of the ticket and associated fees Kennedy Center Box Office agents will be ready to accommodate individual patrons’ needs. However, due to anticipated volume, we ask for your patience as we address each and every case. For assistance, please contact the Box Office at 202-416-8540 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily or email BoxOffice-AdvanceSales@Kennedy-Center.org. For the most up-to-date information regarding the Kennedy Center’s response to COVID-19, please visit the Kennedy Center website.

Brandt reports in her Instagram Stories that she’ll now be dancing opposite Cornejo on March 26. I assume she replaces Copeland? (Apologies if this has already been reported in another thread.)

If there was no intentionality behind specifically choosing a Hope Hicks quote, it makes me wonder if her comments about money did not have any intended target or subtext. She tends to philosophize in her Instagram posts quite a bit..

At least with dancers like Dvorovenko and Part, who essentially stopped being cast, their retirements would have likely happened anyway within the next couple years. I feel Lane is in that sweet spot of her career where she's at the height of her artistic and technical abilities. There has been no decline in her dancing, and in fact, she's dancing better than ever.

In reviewing the casting for Of Love and Rage, I noticed that the Tharp piece has been renamed Ghost Catcher. (My apologies if this has already been reported up-thread.) I wonder if she's also reworking the choreography, which I found to be rather unfocused and uninspired.

Oops, sorry -- missed that. Just as Ratmansky hasn't been utilizing Copeland in new works recently, nor casting her as Florine in his SB, which I think is a role she could probably still dance well unless the hops are an issue. It's actually my favorite classical role I've seen her in. To be fair, plenty of other Ratmansky favorites -- Abrera, Boylston and Cornejo come to mind -- have not been cast in his new ballet. He has mainly cast taller dancers. Perhaps he was going for a certain aesthetic and wanted "statuesque" dancers to represent this story from ancient Greece. Some of the costumes look quite heavy and elaborate, and perhaps a smaller dancer would drown in them. But it's truly a head-scratcher that Lane hasn't been cast as the TBA Rose in The Seasons. It's not like she has other obligations that week, unless she's guesting somewhere.