Barbara

2 hours ago, MoMo said:

Happy for the three promotions, which are deserved. Patrick Frenette needed to be promoted as well, in my opinion. 

Momo, I very much agree with you about Frenette and probably Andris Ischkuk (sp?) too imo. 

I’ve been wondering the same thing. Very curious. 

I echo California by saying I too really enjoy the Ratmansky Nutcracker! I saw it every year it was at BAM. And every year I prevail upon ABT to bring it back for an East coast run. So far they haven’t listened to me! LOL. What about the Fisher Center at Bard College? Too far out of the metropolitan NY area? Other venue ideas? 

Definitely not Lea but I don’t know who she was. Would love to know too. Several young dancers I couldn’t identify - the young lady with short hair (not Paulina Waski) and a very pale, blond women in red caught my eye too. Sierra Armstrong looked marvelous! Surprised more principal men weren’t in class compared to the women. 

I’ve long thought ABT could make an evening of beautiful divertissements from several of Ratmansky’s full lengths. Of course he would have to approve and that might be unlikely. 

I agree wholeheartedly that her first season rep is wonderful but how can she assess the dancers ability if they are not cast? Example, Curley in The Dream. 

I thought (hoped) that today would be the day. Although I certainly see the reasoning for end of fall season as ABT Fan notes. However, I think it will be bad for morale if the dancers have to wait longer than that. 

I watched “Turn Every Page” this evening. Very sad knowing that he’s now gone and unable to edit the final LBJ volume.  My thoughts go to Robert Caro as well. 

One of a kind, that’s for sure. Condolences to his friends and family. 

4 hours ago, MoMo said:

I think her timing is poor. One week before Met Season and NYC debut of Like Water for Chocolate. Why now and not after Season was over? What’s the rush? 

Indeed, and such a truncated season at that.  Seems unnecessarily harsh. 

That sounds like the perfect plan! Thanks FPF and BayStater for your replies! 

Hoping for some guidance if any of you have been to the Pillow in recent or even not recent years. I’ve only been once and that was many years ago. I have tickets for the outdoor stage at 6:00pm then the main stage at 8:00pm (Dutch National Ballet). Wondering if one hour between performances is enough time to do the full service dinner at the cafe. Or is a quick bite at the pub a better choice? Am I right in remembering there are picnic tables available to use for the pub takeout? Any dining suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks! 

Hoping for some guidance if any of you have been to the Pillow in recent or even not recent years. I’ve only been once and that was many years ago. I have tickets for the outdoor stage at 6:00pm then the main stage at 8:00pm (Dutch National Ballet). Wondering if one hour between performances is enough time to do the full service dinner at the cafe. Or is a quick bite at the pub a better choice? Am I right in remembering there are picnic tables available to use for the pub takeout? Any dining suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks! 

So jealous, Susan! Look forward to your reports. I harbor fantasies of Sarah returning to ABT one day. I miss her exquisite dancing. 

That was beautiful! 

It’s hilarious! Bravo to all! 

Me too, going on Sunday! 

I agree this didn’t seem a prudent thing to say to an interviewer but I do think she was referring to former partners being physically weaker, not weaker dancers - that since she is tiny in physique she was then paired with smaller partners and that her partner in Houston lifted her as if she were flying. 

I have no memory of that SNL skit - hilarious! Thanks volcanohunter! 

1 hour ago, abatt said:

Nice tribute, canbelto. 

I'm not sure exactly who in the Company determined that Ramasar should be fired (it was probably a group decision).  I suspect they may have been advised by their counsel all along that the termination of Catazaro and Ramasar would likely be reversed if it went to arbitration, but the Company went ahead and fired them in order to publicly align themselves with the "me too" movement and improve the public image of management.  

At any rate, Ramasar did not appear to hold any ill will towards Stafford or Whelan.   I guess he had to make peace with management  in order to keep working at the Company that wrongfully terminated him.  Wishing him well in the next chapter, whatever that may be.

 

In retrospect, do you think it was a missed opportunity for Catazaro when he declined the re-hire offer? Would he have been welcomed back as warmly by staff and colleagues as was Ramasar? 

44 minutes ago, abatt said:

I liked CODA, but it was a very predictable feel good movie.  The Power of the Dog was full of complex, nuanced characters, and a more viable candidate for Best Picture than CODA.

I completely agree, abatt. 

I don’t know, seems unlikely her contract wasn’t renewed when she’d recently had the chance to step into the role of Myrtha and did very well from the accounts I read. But I’ve given up on trying to make sense of how these decisions are made. Especially at ABT. 

I’m confused by the pieces shown in the video that were choreographed for Stella. Will they be performed somewhere by her?Or was it simply a gift to her to be choreographed on and snippets seen on the video? 

Might Blaine Hoven be able to step up? 

I’ll jump in with a report. I specifically chose my one and only Giselle ticket for Tom Forster’s debut and I thought he was fantastic. From his first appearance on the stage he was authoritative and elegant. I thought he and Gillian had a lovely rapport. Hers was a tradition interpretation and in the first act I especially appreciated her controlled roll downs off point. Her diagonal hops might not have covered the entire stage but were strong and musical. In the second act Forster did the entrechats six, which were impressive in their height and sharp beats and the fact he held his arms in a low  port de bras not using them to help him gain height. Can anyone do bourees better than Gillian? At one point she flutters off stage backwards in a blur of fleet movement. By the end Forster had me tearing up. I’ll leave it to others to address more technical or aesthetic issues but for me it was a magical and emotional return to watching ABT. And of course bravo to the wonderful corps of Wilis!