balanchinette

I was there on Sat afternoon. I very much disliked the audience participation gag. With Serenade, Danny Ulbricht "counted" the audience through -- 8 beats from when the upraised hand meets forehead. Even though I didn't participate, I couldn't erase that from my mind when the actual ballet began. With the result that, when the actual company was performing the same part, I unwillingly found myself counting 8 beats. Ugh. This really lessened my enjoyment of the ballet. I don't need to know that it's 8 beats for that wonderful gesture. I used to enjoy it as a magical fluid moment, and now I will struggle to not count the 8 beats it takes. I, for one, really don't like this "demystification" of ballet. We're there to watch and enjoy our own reactions, not to be coached through the ballet. And what is with the announced intention to start Tues and Weds performances a half hour earlier (so they will start at 7) and to cut the intermissions from two to one? If NYCB wants to alienate young professionals, this is a surefire way to do it. It's impossible for young profs to get out of work early enough to catch a 7pm performance at Lincoln Center on a weekday. As for the new photos, sure, they're nice and all, but nothing about them tells me that these are pictures of ballet dancers -- it looks like a slightly better version of a hip clothing catalog. As for the performances today, I thought Janie Taylor miscast (even though I'm a big fan of hers generally). And Megan Fairchild danced very "small". I remember when Ashley Bouder used to do Russian girl -- that was amazing! I would love to see Jennifer Ringer as Waltz girl again this season. And Amar Ramasar in Who Cares is not nearly as charismatic as Robert Fairchild, although much improved from last season. Interplay was the best performed ballet (even though it was my least favorite in terms of choreography among the three masterpieces Sat afternoon.)

Omg, yes!! Ashley was mind-blowing last night. She had a series of assembles that were about 15 feet off the floor and had the audience gasping at each. Amazing musicality and phrasing, as always, but that jump has to be seen to be believed. I haven't even seen a Prodigal Son where the jump is that amazing. Veyette wasn't too shabby, either. Great casting as well in Stravinsky violin concerto last night. It's nice to have fresh faces in the main roles, and to be able to see all the steps executed so well. Maria and Sebastien did one of the best pdds I've seen in this ballet, and Robert Fairchild and Sterling Hyltin were also great. On another note, I caught last Friday's performance of Serenade, with a wonderful cast -- Ringer (subbing for Kistler at the last minute), Reichlen and Mearns. Tess as Russian girl is something to see -- amazing how someone so tall and willowy can move and jump that fast and high. Ringer is a lovely Waltz girl, and Mearns danced Dark Angel with great amplitude (much better than Gilliland, who was Dark Angel in previous performances and wasn't nearly as smooth). It was one of the best Serenades I've ever seen at NYCB.

Yes, Bouder was amazing!! She is a master of timing/phrasing and never looks hurried, she always looks like she's having fun. I really want to see her Theme and Variations again, as well as her Liberty Bell!

Saw Divertimento last night. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it again (going again this week!) Ashley Bouder was her usual wonderfully musical self, just a delight to watch. Tiler Peck, Sterling Hyltin and Ana Sophia Scheller were all very strong, and I thought the men were excellent as well. Andrew Veyette's solo was filled with great jumps and at least two perfectly-landed double tours. Tyler Angle and Amar Ramasar both danced with amplitude and were great partners. Apart from Yvonne Borree, who had her usual shakes (which I still find distracting and disruptive), it's a very strong cast for Divertimento. The orchestra strings had its problems with the high notes, par for the course, but I thought the music was conducted at the perfect tempo. First (and last, I think) Namouna for me last night. Especially after the brilliant choreography of Divertimento (I can never watch it enough to appreciate all the myriad touches of genius) I found Namouna rather long and boring, although the dancing throughout was excellent. I liked maybe 10 minutes of it. The pdd near the end was one of the better parts, although Peter Martins' loudly ringing cellphone right when the pdd started didn't help. Really, of all people to commit a cellphone faux-pas. And Lalo is no match for Mozart. Maybe Namouna would do better paired with something else that doesn't invite such unfavorable comparison.

Agreed that yesterday's program was wonderful! What a treat to have an all-Balanchine program again after last season's story ballets. Wendy and Chuck Askegard were wonderful in the Adagio section of Barocco, and the corps members were also excellent. However, I didn't like Ellen Bar's performance -- she danced very "small" and didn't make the second role register as other dancers have in the past (Abi Stafford, who makes great jumping entrances in Barocco, and Rachel Rutherford). My favorite performance yesterday was Tess Reichlen as Choleric -- such amazing stage presence! It's hard to watch anyone else when she's on stage. And marvellous gargouillades! I also thought the three opening couples in 4Ts were very strong, and Tyler Angle and Jenny Somogyi were also wonderful. Can't wait for Divertimento No. 15 this week!

I completely agree, jsmu. I am one of the seeming few who still doesn't get what all the Mearns hoopla is about, and I think Reichlen is one of City Ballet's best (and most underrated). I would love to see Reichlen do Diamonds.

Caught the Sat. night performance with Morgan and Angle. Morgan was pretty good, but she seemed a little rushed at times in the Rose Adagio, especially in the section of unsupported penchees across the stage, stopping at each prince. She barely sketched these, even though they are a beautiful moment in the adagio (Cojacaru does some heart-stopping ones in the clip that's available on youtube). Her first series of balances were strong, but she fell off pointe once in the second (promenade) balances. I thought she was at her strongest in the third Act (her vision scene could have used more amplitude, especially in the grand battements to the side coming downstage -- Ashley Bouder did those wonderfully, I was so moved during her vision scene.) Tyler Angle was also very good, no sign of the technical problems other posters had mentioned from his debut performance. The Fairies in Act 1 were especially good, and Tess Reichlen was a special treat (subbed in for Rebecca Krohn) -- I preferred her Lilac to Sara Mearns' -- Tess has amplitude to spare! In the divertissements, Danny Ulbricht was incredible as one of the Jesters, mouth-dropping leaps and exits, and lots of fun to watch. The horns had a rough night of it, you'd think after so many performances they would get better, not worse? Looking forward to regular rep in the spring!

As much as I like Tiler Peck, I have to disagree slightly with the rave reviews on this board regarding her Aurora debut. I thought she did a fine job, but I wasn't blown away. I was sitting in the middle of the orchestra section, pretty close to the stage, and from my vantage point her Rose Adagio seemed tentative. To me, she didn't even hit the balances -- she barely got her hand above her head before it was back down again, clutching at the next Prince's hand a little desperately. I thought this was a little disappointing, given that she struck some beautiful balances elsewhere in the ballet, and I put it down to nerves. I saw the opening night cast, and I think Ashley Bouder was a much stronger Aurora. Last night, I didn't see much difference in Tiler's Aurora from Rose Adagio to Vision Scene to Act III. I did think, however, that she was at her best in Act III. I liked Diamond the night I saw Tess Reichlen do it -- last night Gilliland seemed awkward and stiff. Erica P. did a nice job as Princess Florine, but I thought Tiler did a better Florine. The best performance of the night, for me, was Adrian Danchig-Waring as Puss in Boots. Spectacular jumps and characterization!

I thought this article in the Star Ledger was an interesting commentary on the programming changes this season. Spoiler: it's quite the indictment of Martins. http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index...01/post_16.html

Too true about Philip Neal -- he is a great partner, and when I saw him in the divertissement in MND last week I thought he looked great. Also true about Nilas -- he is barely on stage anymore, b/c he can no longer handle most roles.

I totally agree about the Man I Love segment, abatt. I kept seeing Miranda Weese and Philip Neal in that role instead -- they did a wonderful job with that pdd. I also missed Sofiane Sylve as the blue girl -- I didn't think Ana Sophia Scheller had the same presence (although her turns were great). Robert Fairchild was in his element, though -- he looked so much more animated than he was in the Nutcracker -- unlike then, he really seemed to be enjoying himself here. Who wouldn't, with such wonderful music!

Indeed, especially in the case of the superb Reichlen. Her delicacy, sensibility, and elegance are far, far beyond the NYCB norm at this point, and recall the great dancers of NYCB's glorious past. Hear, hear! And Tess has only gotten better since the promotion was announced. Her Dew Drop is amazing, and unique b/c how often do you see tall women doing Dew Drop?! And she was wonderful again as Hippolyta last night in MND (the rest of the cast was also superb, best MND I've seen!), even better than I remember her last spring. Perfect fouettes that didn't travel in the slightest, and HUGE jumps. Brava, Tess. I can't wait to see her in more roles.

I've been to two performances of the Nutcracker so far, the first Bouder SPF/Reichlen Dewdrop and the first Janie Taylor SPF/Reichlen Dewdrop. I had to see Tess Reichlen twice b/c she was SO FANTASTIC as Dewdrop! Amazing and gorgeous with a huge jump and lightning quick, and just bewitching. It was also really special to see such a tall and lyrical, yet quick, Dewdrop! Bravo. Tess is really proving to be a marvelously versatile dancer. Ashley and Janie have very different styles, both were wonderful in their first SPF solos. Ashley can really play with the music, and Janie has the most supple back and wonderful freedom of motion. But the partnering between Ashley and Andrew Veyette, and Janie and Robert Fairchild, in the big pdd at the end was pretty rough, especially in some of the more difficult pirouettes into supported penchees, and both nights the fish dive finale looked pretty wobbly. Lack of rehearsal maybe? Robert F. also did a different variation in his solo than I'm used to seeing, one that looked a little easier than usual. Maybe he wasn't feeling well. I did miss seeing the more senior dancers do the pdd this year-- I realize now that Maria K. and Charles Askegard, for example, really make it look effortless when it's actually incredibly difficult!

Saw the Sat night performance. My favorite was the Ratmansky, and I especially enjoyed watching Hallberg (incredibly musical, as always) and Stella Abrera. Best music of the night. I liked the "fugue" part of the ballet at the end, where he has all the couples reprise a main theme/motif of their previous pdds. The second ballet was meh, choreographically speaking. I thought the Millepied was good, but I hated the "music" for the pdd and it hurt my ears. The finale was very good, built up to a nice climactic ending. Did anyone else notice how much Millepied quoted from other ballets/choreographers? I saw the famous head-to-knee penchee from Symphony in C, the dancing-with-shadows from Wheeldon's polyphonia, the group dancing in a big maelstrom effect of La Valse, and several riffs on Mr. B's throwing of a dancer from one group to another, frozen momentarily in position by the second group, as in Monumentum/Movements. Millepied's also learned a lot from Balanchine's way of handling big groups. It was fun to see the ABT dancers go all out. And, of course, Simkin is incredible. He's half gymnast, it seems.

Although I'm excited for Who Cares? and TP2 (let's hope Tess Reichlen gets to do the principal part again!), I'm disappointed at the number of full lengths. 2 weeks of Sleeping Beauty is too much. Not even ABT puts on 2 weeks of the same full length ballet at a time. I think that NYCB should stick to its niche and leave ABT to do their thing. I am not thrilled that NYCB is trying to become another ABT. A huge reason why I prefer(red) NYCB to ABT was its Balanchine/Robbins repertory.

Abatt, I had exactly the same reaction as you. In my zeal to see MND again, after its hiatus last year, I bought tickets in advance (before casting went up) to the first performance, which in my experience usually has the most exciting cast. I was greatly, greatly disappointed to see Darci Kistler cast as Titania -- for the very first performance. But, I'd already bought my $100 ticket and so I went, and every time Titania was on stage (and she has some of the most gorgeous music in the ballet, too), I had to look elsewhere, at the corps, at Kaitlyn Gilliland -- anywhere but her, because she really destroyed my memories of what a fantastic role Titania really is. Thank goodness, I got to see Tess Reichlen on Saturday afternoon, what a breath of fresh air. I must add that Janie Taylor and Tyler Angle made a spectacular debut in the Act 2 pdd -- I think they will only get better the more they do it, but Janie, and Kathryn Morgan (best Sleeping Beauty pdd I've ever seen!) are my favorites of this past season. In any case, I too, am not going to buy Nutcracker tickets in advance, which is my usual practice. Once bitten, twice shy. I'm not going to spend $100 to see Darci as Sugarplum. If she can be cast as Titania, and as the Striptease Girl, there's no limit. In this economy, especially, I can't afford to shell out for as many performances as I would like.

So true. I thought the same thing. I saw Midsummer Night's Dream on Tuesday, with Kistler as Titania, and she barely sketched out the steps, stumbled out of turns at least twice, and at one point she appeared to momentarily forget what came next. No idea why she would want to have people remember her this way.

Week 8 casting for Midsummer's Night Dream is now up: http://www.nycballet.com/casting/wk8.html I must admit to being rather disappointed that Darci Kistler is performing Titania in the first performance. I don't think she has the technique, at this stage of her career, to fully do the role justice (I have very fond memories of Sofiane Sylve in this role). I'm also a little disappointed that Yvonne Borree is performing the second act divertissement this season (with Marcovici) -- although I am very glad to see that Janie T. and Tyler A. will be doing the divertissement later in the week -- that should be very exciting, as will Tess Reichlen's Titania.

I have to also applaud Robert F. and Janie T. for an incredible performance in Opus 19. Janie has been "the" performer of the season for me, I really wish Peter Martins would cast her in more ballets -- and where has she been the past few years! We were missing out on one of City Ballet's most wonderful dancers. She was brilliant in La Valse and her pdd in DSCH had me spell bound. Huge extension, great jumps, an incredibly supple back, and loads of amplitude and abandon. Just incredible. I'm really looking forward to seeing a lot more of Janie over the next few years! Robert F., too, danced with great amplitude. Great performance from him, especially as a debut, wow! Maria was great in Chaconne, but Marcovici is not a good match for her -- the partnering was difficult b/c she is so much taller than he is, especially when on pointe, that he has to struggle to reach her wrists. Philip Neal was much more enjoyable in his Chaconne performances earlier this season, he didn't make it look like quite as much work in his solos. Ask La Cour plays a great air lute in the pas de trois, and he seems tall enough to partner Maria -- I wondered why he didn't get a shot at the Marcovici role. The corps was wonderful throughout.

I actually thought that Megan Johnson also looked very thin -- it was especially striking to see her next to Abi Stafford, because she made Abi look heavy in comparison! I don't know if it's just a matter of having different body types, versus being too thin, though. In fact, I thought Megan and Abi were a bad match in Barocco because they look so different. Wendy and Rachel Rutherford match up better in dance style and look. Wendy has a very prominent rib cage, but again, that might just be a body type issue versus being too thin. Agreed that Albert is looking fitter this season, and it's definitely an improvement. Nilas Martins seems to be going the other way. And I wish Marcovici would lose some of the muscle bulk, especially as it makes him look like he has no neck (in the vein of an NFL linebacker).

I attended on Fri and Sat nights. Wendy and Albert in the Barocco pdd just get better and better every time I see them in it. The lifts are so sutstained, and Wendy just lets one movement flow into another with heartstopping beauty. I felt that Rachel held back a little, but I still think she and Wendy are a great match in Barocco. T&V was better with Hyltin and Millepied than with Stafford and Garcia earlier in the season, but I thought the corps, especially in the finale, were a little off. I am wondering if NYCB has any men who can do T&V as well as Hallberg? Millepied was good but not quite as good! I am very much looking forward to Bouder's T&V later this season. T&V is in need of some serious fireworks from the lead ballerina. I don't much care for the earlier 3 sections of Suite No. 3, but a large part of that has to do with the really annoying scrim that they don't remove until T&V. It's like looking through smudgy glass and I kept wanting to rub my eyes. Violin Concerto is immensely more pleasurable now that R. Fairchild is doing what N. Martins used to. What a difference! I really enjoyed watching him. Borree was her usual shaky self and had zero energy. They need to find someone like Alexandra Ansanelli, who used to dance this. I get very distracted by Borree -- how much is she going to shake today? It definitely takes away from the performance. Janie Taylor in La Valse is spellbinding. Wow!! I saw MCB's version a few weeks ago, and their female lead pales in comparison. But I thought that the three girls who open the ballet at NYCB were not quite up to par. Tyler Angle was great as the man who gets drawn in by the "fates".

I was also at Tuesday's performance. I thought Maria was fantastic, I've never seen Monumentum and Movements danced so well (the last time I saw it Darci K was still doing the role). Very glad to have Maria in it this time around. McCauley in the Times review said (in effect) that Maria gave the ballet an amplitude not seen since Farrell days. High praise, indeed. I'm looking forward to seeing Tess Reichlen in Monumentum later this week. Loved Jared Angle in DAAG. Loved Danny Ulbricht in S&S -- that's the perfect role for him. I was blown away by his incredible double tours landing in a perfect, deep plie facing exactly front. wow. The men as a whole were great and a lot of fun to watch (I thought they did better than the women, who are looking a little straggly). Although Erica Pereira did a great job in the First Campaign -- I think I spotted a beautiful quadruple pirouette. She is a great turner. Missed Bouder and Woetzel in the finale, too, although I appreciated Sara Mearns in the adagio part of the pdd. She had some very nice balances and supported turns in arabesque. I didn't think she had quite the right personality for the faster solo parts. I remember Sofiane Sylve doing this and she was tremendous fun to watch. Woetzel has been the best El Capitan I've seen, with his effortless virtuosity. I also missed Woetzel as the man in brown in DAAG, although Millepied danced very well.

Phew, that's good to know. I, too, had made the decision to forego Divertimento this season due to the rest of the program. This is wonderful news!

Sat. night and Sun mat. were the first two performances I've been able to get to. I agree with Carbro on just about everything, including that Mearns and Ramasar were the highlights of BSQ. Maybe of the whole evening! Sunday had more disappointments than thrills. Already I've seen more than I'd care to of Sebastian Marcovic. He looks like a "thud" come to life. The only word I could think of to describe Abi Stafford in T&V was "wooden." I think that Garcia, in his defense, was thrown in well before he was scheduled to premier in this. I thought Morgan and Peiffer were just delightful in FFpdd, she has charm, delicacy, a sweetly flirtacious glance and very good eye makeup. They are both precise in their footwork, and bouyant in the Bournonville jumps. I hate to sound like (and feel like) a sourpuss, especially after being so very ballet-deprived, but "La Stravaganza" is a colassal waste of time, space, money and dancers, and I was really not so fond of the new piece, "Lifecasting." (That, like so many other pieces are just too hard to see with such low lighting, but I've bitched about that in the "Aesthetic Issues" thread.) I agree with everything you say about Sunday's dismal program. FFpdd was the best ballet of the afternoon, and that's saying something with T&V on the program. La Stravaganza is the worst thing I've seen NYCB put on -- why bother, it's such a waste of those talented dancers who are cast in it. I actually fell asleep at one point. Where Balanchine's ballets seem to fly by in a blink of an eye, this one dragged on for what seemed like forever. It was a relief when it finally ended. The new Lee ballet was only marginally better, again, what a waste of people like Bouder and Korowski. And I wasn't a fan of the monotonous music. I, too, am suffering from Marcovici overload. While I think he's a decent solo dancer (although he has no neck these days and seems to be all bulging arms and pecs), he's not a good partner -- he seems awfully tense when partnering and he doesn't do much for the woman dancing with him. It speaks volumes of Wendy's gifts that Wendy was able to look as good as she did in After the Rain. With Jock Soto she was radiant, though. T&V looked pretty awful. ABT did it better in the fall, and I never thought I'd be one to say that ABT danced a Balanchine ballet better than NYCB. After seeing the wonderful Miami City Ballet corps, the NYCB corps in T&V looked straggly and under-rehearsed. Gonzalo was ok, nothing on Hallberg who did it in the fall at ABT. Abi was stiff and had trouble with the turns. The ballet never came alive, even at the grand finale. I hope that, with more performances this season, T&V will improve. It's a shame that ballets like La Stravaganza seem better rehearsed, and the dancers in that more enthused, than in Balanchine's T&V.

Agreed that Jeanette Delgado was superb in Square Dance; I too, think that she's the best female lead I've seen in that role (I wonder why Ashley doesn't dance it over at NYCB? She would be amazing too, I think). Nikolaj Hubbe remains the best male lead I've seen in Square Dance. I also agree that the star of Symphony in C was Catoya, I couldn't take my eyes off her, she was just gorgeous. I thought that she would be a much better choice for the Adagio. Wu looked to be a bit too nervous and fragile, and very unsteady during that key moment when the dancer has to touch her head to her knee. Catoya has the amplitude to really bring the Adagio to life. I was a little disappointed with the Rubies performance, I must admit. None of the leads were as good as what I've seen at NYCB, and the partnering looked a little rough to me. I will say that the corps throughout the evening were fantastic, every step clearly etched and very musical. Would that NYCB danced Balanchine as clearly and as joyfully.