I've been an ABT fan since 1967, but I've never attended a performance in NYC. My experience with ABT has been thru touring: Chicago, U of I, St. Louis, Miami, & D.C. Between 67 - 88 not a single year passed without at least one performance. In "89, I moved to St. Petersburg, Fl. Since then I've only caught 2 performances: Clearwater and last year's Swan Lake in Miami. This year they'll be in Gainesville & Miami - I'm going to both!
I consider my "good-old-days" with the ABT to be "67 - "80. I lived in southern Illinois, 250 miles from Chicago. I would leave home early fri and rent a hotel room for 2 nights, and return sun evening. A typical ABT weekemd during this time would be: Fri eve "Giselle", sat mat Mixed Bill 1, sat eve "Swan Lake", sun mat Mixed Bill 2. I introduced two young men to ballet by dragging them along to a Chicago weekend. One became a professional dancer and the other still attends ballets in St. Louis and Chicago. This from a town of population of 2,100.Ballet weekends ended in '81 (?) when the ABT brought one full -length ballet for the entire stay. I'd go up sat morning, take in a matinee, and return in one day. I did the same last year in Miami for "Swan Lake".
IMHO I'd prefer a greater variety while on tour. I'd think the tourism boards would see it my way too. To be able to see 4 different performances in 1 weekend again! Perhaps I'd be tempted to go to NY if : ABT + NYCB = OGW (one great weekend). {I'm an algebra teacher.)
