Peg

The main reason Harrison Coll was absent the past year is that he was cast in the Spielberg film remake of West Side Story. It was to be released in December but I believe that has been postponed.

There is a great discussion of the history and Saratoga premiere The Steadfast Tin Soldier with Patricia McBride and Peter Schaufuss, moderated by Silas Farley, part of NYCB’s excellent podcast series. Schaufuss discusses his ballet development in Denmark, how he came to City Ballet, and how Balanchine reacted to his news that he was leaving to dance at ABT. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/city-ballet-the-podcast/id1479330738?i=1000495254526

Sara is keeping very busy! Also this: Joyce Theater Choreographer Molissa Fenley’s celebrated solo work, State of Darkness, will be performed by a new generation of New York’s acclaimed dancers, including Sara Mearns (NYCB), Lloyd Knight (Martha Graham), Shamel Pitts (Batsheva) and Casandra Trenary (ABT) . You canwatch this unique collection of solo performances, broadcast live each weekend (Oct 24-Nov 1) from The Joyce stage and available for viewing until November 7. For tickets - https://www.joyce.org/stateofdarkness

She rehearsed with Hallberg at the City Center studio for the Fall for Dance program and posted lots of photos from that on her Instagram. I’m assuming that the rehearsal at NYCB was for what is coming up at the Empire Hotel. NYCB’s virtual season is great but I wish they would offer extra benefits to supporters/members/subscribers, or simply for those of us who would be willing to pay a fee for access. Something as simple as extended access to the virtual programs would be terrific. Perhaps union rules are the reason that’s not been offered.

This afternoon in an Instagram post Tiler Peck announced her latest venture, A New Stage, curated by Tiler Peck. In her post, she says the program premiering Oct. 16 will be the first in a series. www.clistudios.com/anew stage/

In past years, there were five Fall for Dance programs rather than two.

Sara Mearns had posts on social media this week that she has been in the NYCB rehearsal studio working on something that she can’t give details on yet. She showed a photo of clasped hands, indicating it wouldn’t be a solo performance.

In last week’s interview with Peter Boal on the Conversations on Dance podcast, Boal outlined the very careful steps PNB has taken to allow dancers to return to the studio for rehearsing for the Sun Valley Ballet Festival, which streamed last night. It was a fascinating conversation, and can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-on-dance/id1128237763 I’m not sure whether it’s still possible to view the festival, over 90 minutes of beautiful performances, some archival but a couple recorded just last week for the festival, including Leta Biasucci dancing the

Note that the Dance Rewind programs (second Wed of the month at 1 pm) are unreserved and held in the third floor screening room, which has a seating capacity of 60. The other programs require advance registration online, up to 30 days in advance. Registration is free. If space permits, individuals who have not signed up are admitted from a standby line a few minutes before the start of the programs. Conversations programs are held in the Bruno Walter Auditorium, inside the Amsterdam Avenue entrance, and approximately 200 can be accommodated. The Dance Historian Is In programs are ge

I would love to see it again too. Russell Jantzen had a recent fellowship (last year I believe) from NYU’s Center for Ballet and the Arts, and his topic was Davidsbündlertänze. It raised my hopes that it would come back to the repertory. Separately, I heard Wendy Whelan and Jonathan Stafford in conversation with Edward Villella earlier this week at Symphony Space. When questioned by Villella about how she’s been spending her time, Wendy said she had just finished the programming for 2020-21, and that it would now be reviewed and discussed before being finalized. I hope she doesn’t forget

Did you see the Houston Ballet perform Morris’ “The Letter V” at City Center this week? It was gorgeous, with inventive partnering and many little surprises. And at the first Fall for Dance program his own company performed a long excerpt from “V”, the beautiful work he did for them in 2011.

But this production of WSS has Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker as the choreographer. It could be very strange to say the least . But I’m assuming the Robbins Trust had to approve it.

He’s cast as Bernardo in the Broadway production of West Side Story which begins previews in December. This was announced some time ago. He could conceivably return after the run.

Both wear toupees while performing.

Alastair Macaulay had some harsh words on Knight’s pompadour in his Instagram post tonight. From the photos I’ve seen, I agree. Unfortunate. Perhaps he’ll learn from experience that this isn’t the way to stand out.