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lillianna

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Everything posted by lillianna

  1. Julie has the ability to make the most difficult dance moves look effortless, ethereal. She is a real artist. I am so sad to see her performing career end but am happy that she will have more time with her young family.
  2. I was able to attend Sunday's matinee performance. Since my tickets are Sunday matinees, I often don't see the first cast, principals and soloists. This program gave me the chance to see the best and brightest of OBT. It was a very nice program. But the intermissions and pauses were long to allow the dancers to change and catch their breath. I LOVED seeing some of the corps men get nice opportunities. And they rose to the challenge beautifully. Christian Squires was wonderful in Tharp's piece. He really had the movements nailed and I loved his facial expressions. He looked confident and Fun to watch. Lucas Threefoot appeared in Tolstoy's Waltz and Duo Concertant. It is wonderful to see the improvements in his dancing this year. Known by Heart Duet by Tharp was fun. Yuka Iino was the ballerina. She is always wonderful but for this number was a bit too ballerina like. Squires nailed it and made the number extremely enjoyable to watch. I could hear giggles coming from the balcony with the humorous music and movements. I enjoyed the movement in the piece by Emery Lecrone, "Divergence". It had lovely movement,and interesting costumes. I would like to see more of her work. Very nice. Like a Samba by Trey McIntyre closed the program. I have seen this piece before on Sacramento Ballet. It is another fun number to watch and looks fun to dance. This cast included Kathi Martuza , Yuka Iino, Artur Sultanov, Brian Simcoe and Brennan Boyer. They were all excellent. My least favorite number of the day was Stowell's Tolstoy Waltz. Just not my cup of tea, I guess. The part with Kathi Martuze and Artur Sultanov was nice, but I was so worried about them tripping on the long dress that I just couldn't relax to enjoy the number.
  3. I just returned from today's matinee performance. I took my 4 year old grandson to see his first ballet.. He LOVED the first act, especially the battle scene. He was so excited at intermission that he didn't want to leave his seat in case it started again---didn't want to miss anything. By the middle of the second act, however, he kind of melted to the floor ONce he figured out that there was no dasterdly Sugar Plum fairy coming to try to scuttle the festivities, he lost interest. There were some high points today. It was Brian Simcoe's first performance of Cavalier and he was wonderful! What a great jumper! CAn't wait to see more of his performances this year. Leta Biasucci was a standout in both Snow and as HOt Chocolate. Love her smile and lines. Also outstanding was Alison Roper as Dewdrop. I have never seen the OBT performances of Nutcracker before. The sets in the party scene set the tree back away from the action making it seem to be of little importance. Not usually how the tree is seen in the other Balanchine performances that I have seen. Also, having the stage totally cleared except for the tree and the soldiers at the beginning of the battle scene was unusual. The stark set made the tree seem smaller than it should have. The children were all well rehearsed. Sarah Stone was wonderful as Marie. She was very animated and lovely. As were Wyatt McCoy as Fritz and Lucas Pitts as the Little Prince. The SNow corps and Flower corps obviously contained dancers not part of OBT. Snow seemed a bit rough, some of the dancers seemed confused about where to go and how to use the snow pom poms. Even though I do not know the company very well, having only seen a few peformances, it seemed pretty easy to pick out the OBT dancers from the students in the production. I was very surprised to see teenagers as pollichinelles. Usually that is a part for younger children. They were taller than the Flowers. I have season tickets to OBT so am anxious to see the company in other performances this season
  4. Rio was cast to appear in the Kennedy Center shows but has , unfortunately, had an injury preventing her from appearing.
  5. I'm planning to attend Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at the Kennedy Center. Any other Ballet talkers going?
  6. I had the opportunity to see Sacramento Ballet's Nutcracker last night. I have always loved this version. Ron Cunningham's Nutcracker contains lots of magical moments. The audience members around me were also enjoying the special effects. Lots of ooos and aaahhhs. The Ballet has had a hard financial time this Nutcracker season. Ron made a speech before the curtain discussing the difficult financial situation the ballet was in. Then at the final bows, dancer Kirsten Bloom took the microphone and again discussed the financial woes. Then the dancers were sent to the doorways to accept donations. Sounds really serious for the ballet. I hope that they can survive this downturn. I enjoy watching Sacrmento Ballet and would really hate to lose them. Aussie Timothy Colemea was the Cavalier last night and did an excellent job. I enjoyed Chloe Felesina's Rose--new to Sac Ballet this year, I am going to enjoy seeing her performances. Also excellent were Nicole Haskins' Marzipan lead and Amanda Peet's Sugar Plum. If I had one criticism of this choreography, I wish the Pas would be updated. I think that the dancers are capable of more than this choreography allows. Otherwise, it is a great production. I hope that we will have Sacrmamento Ballet around a long long time to enjoy.
  7. I am very happy to have them both in Sacramento Ballet. I have season tickets to the ballet. Heidi is someone that I have been noticing and hope that she gets the opportunity to do some featured roles. They are both great additions to the company.
  8. I, also, was very happy to see the positive review for this amazing company. I had the privilege of seeing 3 performances over the weekend. They company looks great! I always do love their performances of Balanchine pieces. Ballo is one of the Balanchine pieces that I am not as familiar with. The corps of PA Ballet always looks extraordinary. Having the opportunity of seeing different companies, large and small, across the country, I am always impressed with the dancing of the PA Ballet corps. I must agree that Kasmir's Colours was not my cup of tea either. The company danced it well. I just don't get most contemporary ballet. The stage was dim, the costumes were not attractive. The angles were interesting and there were lots of difficult moves going on up there in the darkness. The Philadelphia audience certainly seemed to love the number. It was danced well, just not my favorite type of ballet. I enjoyed Push Comes to Shove. Zach Hench seemed a natural for the male lead. I loved every moment of his performance. I also enjoyed Francis Fayette in the role, a slightly different interpretation bringing smiles at just the right moments. I was sitting near some ladies who had seen Baryshnikov in the role. They had such fun watching that I couldn't help but enjoy the production. I loved seeing the dancers enjoy themselves and their abilities to act in comedic roles. Great fun. Thanks PA Ballet for a great weekend.
  9. Yes, I am very sorry to see James retire. He is a gorgeous dancer, sensitive partner and very nice man. I have enjoyed seeing him dance in PA for years. I think that he is leaving while on top. He says that pain is causing him to leave dance, but you cannot tell it in his dancing. Amazing, amazing dancer. He will be deeply missed.
  10. What amazing performances!!! The PA Ballet production of Messiah was a feast for the senses. It included amazing dancing, vocals and orchestra. When I had heard that it had 53 scenes and was 3 hours long, I was a bit hesitant. But it was glorious. I saw 4 of the shows and wished that I could have seen more. There was so much wonderful dancing. The pas de deux were beautiful. I especially appreciated Martha Chamberlain's performances. Her technical excellence was so clear. This was a perfect role for her. Both Zach Hench and Sergio Torrado were wonderful as the Messiah. PA Ballet is known for its wonderful corps work. And this series was no exception. Standing ovation for the corps who danced most of the 3 hours in all of the shows (plus dress rehearsals) all week. Amazing stamina, technique and presence. The quartet of soloist women was also beautiful, techically strong and energetic. The choreography was interesting and was interspersed with tableaus, which I think, were scenes from famous paintings. It all flowed except for a few scenes. The story of the Messiah was not in chronological order, so some of the scenes were a bit confusing. I am still not sure what the war scenes were about. War scenes would have made more sense without Confederate and Nazi flags. This section seemed very out of place. But, I would not have wanted to miss Jermel Johnson grand jeteing across the stage carrying the flag in the dim light of war. Gave me chills. The other scene that I didn't quite appreciate was the angel with the huge golden wings. Corps dancers held the wings behind the angel as she was carried about the stage. Although a pretty scene, it was awkward since the angel often moved and left her wings behind. On the other hand, I really enjoyed the winged pas de deux between James Ady and Arantxa Ochoa, in one cast and James Ady and Amy Aldridge in the other. It was very beautiful and flowing. The audiences loved this production. On Friday night they were on their feet cheering even before the curtain went up for the bows. There were standing ovations in every show that I saw. This is a production that I would love to see again.
  11. I had the opportunity to attend most of the 6 performances on opening weekend. I , also, enjoyed the new sets and costumes. They are a major improvement. A few of them would not have been my choice, like the lead candy cane costume, but the others are very attractive. The new sets are much nicer. As for the dancing, WOW! PA Ballet keeps getting better and better. I have long been a fan of the younger dancers in the company. They are really coming into their own now and it is so much fun to watch. My favorite dancer to watch over the last few years has been ,without a doubt, Gabriella Yudenich. I was so thrilled at her promotion to soloist this year. Richly deserved and it makes it more likely that we will get to see her dance in great roles this year and years to come. Gaby performed her first Sugar Plum that weekend and was so elegant. She has great control, can hold balances beautifully and has such exquisite movement quality. I just adore her dancing. Another first Sugar Plum performance for Abi Mentzer. Abi was also gorgeous in the role. She looked confident and radiant throughout her performance. Loved her smile. It is so wonderful to see the young ones raising the bar. Some new additions to the company were also wonders to watch. Brook Moore has joined the company from San Francisco Ballet. She danced demi-Flowers, Dew Drop and Arabian in some of the shows that I saw. She is also an amazing dancer. She would be new to the Balanchine Nutcracker but didn't miss a beat. I loved her Dew Drop. She is a great addition to the company. I look forward to seeing greater and greater things from PA Ballet. Don't miss the chance to see this great company!
  12. The second violin in the Saturday matinee performance was Brook Moore, formerly of San Francisco Ballet.
  13. Abi was in the Russian corps. She is the red head.
  14. I would add Muriel Maffre to the list. She is extremely interesting and articulate whether speaking to young dancers at a Summer course or to a group of ballet affectionados.
  15. Riolama is not injured. She is happily expecting her first baby and time is marching on.
  16. According to the schedule in the Carmina Burana program, the company will be doing 2 different programs in October, one at the Merriam and one at the Academy. And will not have any programs in January or February like they usually do. Why is there no February program? Are they planning a tour? The schedule seems very different than their usual season.
  17. I agree with Purelyballet. I had the privilege of seeing PA Ballet perform 3 times last week and loved the new Carmina Burana. I have seen other versions and found this one much more powerful and visually interesting to watch. The two casts approached it differently, it seemed to me. Actually I was impressed that there were 2 casts. Jermel Johnson was amazing and set the tone for the ballet. I really appreciated Amy Aldridge's and Martha Chamberlain's attack in the red costumes. Phil Colucchi was perfect for the part that he played. The singers were marvelous and having the choir really added to the atmosphere. I would have liked to have a score card of the players. I do not know the poetry that goes with Carmina and was having trouble trying to determine who/what some of the sections were about. Were the stiped black girls bumblebees, flies, or swans? Etc. I LOVED the costumes, the sets, the lighting, the music, the choreography and the dancing. I am really impressed by Matthew Neenan's vision of this piece. It shows great creativity and the fact that he knows the dancers well made the choreography perfect for them. I brought a group of 11 with me on opening night. Some of them are veteran ballet goes in other cities and some total novices and they all were so impressed and couldn't stop talking about the ballet. I was attending a nurses' conference in Philadelphia and on Friday, the president, in her opening remarks, told the very large audience that she had been hearing about the PA Ballet how amazing the performance had been the night before. Word is spreading! The house was full on Saturday night. The company was beautiful in Serenade also. The corps , as always, gave a beautiful performance. Very lovely. Julie Diana was gorgeous as the waltz girl and the dark angel part seems like it was designed for Riolama Lorenzo. Serenade is one of my all time favorites and they did it proud. Bravo PA Ballet!
  18. My flight was late on Friday night so I did not get to see that performance. So, I was extremely disappointed that Julie Diana and Zach Hench did not perform on Sunday due to illness. But I thoroughly enjoyed the performances that I did see. Of the two Giselles, I could really read the madness of Arantxa Ochoa. And James Ady was a very charming Albrecht who obviously cared much for Giselle. On the other hand, I thought that Riolama Lorenzo did a better job being the innocent, shy Giselle. I loved watching Sergio Torrado. He has amazing technique and his dark good looks do not hurt , either. But, must agree, I did not see a connection between Giselle and Albrecht in that cast. The most amazing performance of the weekend was Gaby Yudenich as Myrta. It was absolutely breathtaking. As I exited the theater, people were talking very positively about her performance. She just glowed. And those jumps, magnificent. There was a last minute substitute in the Peasant Pas on Saturday matinee and the dancers did not look comfortable with each other. Francis Veyette dances with panash but misses the finishing touches, like pointed feet and solid landings. Saturday night's cast did a much better job. Yosebel Delgado and Barrette Vance danced the role beautifully, with excellent technique and Ms Vance's glorious smile. The cast on Sunday included Mr Veyette with Valerie Amiss. Who cannot love Ms Amiss's dancing? She shows her love of dancing in all of the roles that she performs. We can't help but smile with her. The corps did an amazing job. Again, I heard audience members saying that they had never seen a corps so together. Great job PA Ballet. I look forward to seeing what else you have in store for us!
  19. I plan on seeing all 3 casts this weekend if all goes as planned. I can't wait to see the performances and the newcomers.
  20. Since the links to articles the past 2 days discuss Sergio Terrado's employment with PA Ballet, it seems OK to now talk about it. Mr Terrado has been hired as a soloist by PA Ballet. I have enjoyed his dancing a immensely when he performed as a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet. Most notable to me was his preformance as the Bull in Chi-Lyn. I am really excited to have him added to the PA Ballet ranks and can't wait to see his Albrecht this weekend.
  21. I know the answer but have been waiting for an official release from the company. There were a number of new dancers added to the company after Nutcracker, a few left and one promoted.
  22. Sergio Torrado is a former principal dancer from SFB.
  23. I had the opportunity to see 3 of the PA Ballet Nutcracker performances this season and would like to report some of the high points for me. I was very impressed by how Arantxa Ochoa worked with the angels at the beginning of Act 2. You could see her encouraging each little one to move with her smile and nod. It really touched my heart, very lovely. I always love to see young dancers have the chance at a new role and was not disappointed this time. Gabriella Yudenich, a favorite of mine, did an absolutely gorgeous performance as Coffee at the 11 AM performance on Dec 23. She had the feel and look for the role. Excellent job. I also really enjoyed Barrette Vance as Marzipan Shepardess at the morning performance on Dec 23rd. She appeared very confident. Her turns were rock solid and graceful. Also, excellent job. I loved seeing Julie Diana and Zach Hench as Sugar Plum and Cavalier on Dec 26th. Julie is a very beautiful Balanchine dancer and was wonderful in the role. Zach also looked great, his turns were spot on and their partnering was wonderful.
  24. I see on the City Center site that PA Ballet is scheduled to perform 11:11 at the Fall Dance Festival. It is a great piece. I hope that PA Ballet does perform 11:11 at the festival.
  25. I was fortunate enough to see both shows on Saturday. The high point of the shows for me was Julie Diana's performances. She did the divertissement in the matinee and was Titania in the evening show. She is such a delicate, graceful dancer so was perfect for the roles. I love her facial expressions, she does so well in acting roles. Valerie Amiss was Titania in the matinee. She is also a delightful dancer and a very lovely Titania. Riolama was cast as Helena. She was very engaging in the role. It seemed to me that Helena and Hermia did as much dancing as Titania in this choreography. Despite major jet lag (flying in on the redeye and arriving Saturday morning) I really enjoyed the performances immensely. The corps looked wonderful in Butterflies and Fairies as well as the Court and Divertissement scenes. The children were also wonderful. The Pucks were Michel Antoine Braun in the matinee and Jonathan Stiles in the evening show. Michel had his own cheering section in the audience. He was great with the mischievous looks. He was great fun to watch.
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