BW

In November's issue of "Dance Magazine", Clive Barnes defends the honor of NYCB in his piece called City Ballet Under Fire This end piece begins with this: I wish I could give you a link to the whole article but it doesn't appear to be available on line.. Mr. Barnes goes on to say : He specifically rebuts Jennifer Homans' NY Times article, of 5/26/02, and initially refers to her "a woman I had never heard of"... This comment is just the tip of the iceberg. ;)I don't know if you're all too tired of this subject to even comment - however, I thought it was rather odd that Mr. Barnes, or Dance Magazine's editors, waited until Novemeber to publish this. What do you think?

Thanks for that review:( - I'm just hoping it was an off night, or that I'll see it differently during Sunday's matinee. I actually decided not to read your post Manhattnik - once I hit the cupcakes part and scanned down to read that you'd seen "Rubies" too. :eek: Here's hoping for better performances to come! Sunday night I'll come back and read your whole review. ;)

When asked your question, Phaedra392, Ms. White's immediate response was "Prayer from Coppelia"...then she stopped and said that it might have been from the "pas de deux from Swan Lake"...but she was really pretty sure it must have been "Prayer from Coppelia" - so now it's up to you Phaedra392! ;)

Wait! This can't be a politically correct version can it?:eek: I'm having a bit of trouble with the pointe shoe throwing in Act II...in reality this pointe shoe is actually a crucifix...or is it the Faber No. 2 pencil that should be the crucifix? All I know is that historically speaking, in order to make this story real, there must be a crucifix. Perhaps Sasha/Masha/Cinderella/Mina wears the crucifix in her pointe shoe? So far, my favorite image is "the black cloaked figure bouree'ing towards her"...maybe it's a ring wraith?

Syr, I am truly pleased that you posted this here...but am wondering if the bibliophiles on that What are you reading now thread http://64.247.33.2/~atom/forum/showthread....s=&postid=56785 might have some info for you? Since it's been so slow, I bet your post will catch a few eyes... Here's hoping for your find being a "rare" one!

Certainly has a more interesting life together - in my opinion....However, you're right it does get expensive to buy those ballet tickets - and I only have 3 in my family! piccolo - I'm glad to hear your opera company is having some good results by offering tickets at lower prices and encouraging families to attend. I was fortunate to have parents who took us to see plays...and then we bought the records with the music from the plays..OK, they were musicals but still! Because I was exposed to theater and to art museums and cathedrals, etc., I have kept my interest and do my best to expose my offspring to these things as well. Oddly enough, I've noticed that a number of parents of young would be ballet dancers have never even seen a real, professional ballet performance!:eek: I just don't get it. Nevertheless, "the Diva Program" seems the way to go. Do you think I might suggest it? ;)

Leigh are you just using "Dracula" as a jumping off point for whether or not it is "wrong" for companies to only do story ballets because they sell tickets? Or is it poor Dracula that is the offending culprit here? A couple of years ago, I wanted to take my daughter to see Pennsylvania Ballet's version of "Dracula"...and, of course, combine it with a busy day of Liberty Bell and other historic site visits. ;) So what can I say, I happen to like "Dracula"...granted there are some really bad versions out there...my favorite is the one with Louis Jourdan as the Count, flapping his way up the side of the turret... If "Dracula" can be well done as a ballet, why not? If, however, all a company did was one story ballet after another and then proceeded to trot it out every single October, it could well get old. I would suggest the old subscription approach: give 'em "Dracula" on October 31st and something without a "story" on another night...lure them in, so to speak. ;)

I like your comment pumukau: Initially I preferred, generally speaking, "story" ballets...however, I can't say that anymore at all. ronny, although I think I understand your comment: - that is in the sense of why you might say that, I'm afraid there are many "abstract" artists who have much to say in their work -whether they be painters, musicians or choreographers.One man's poison is another's passion...beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and all that, eh? If one hasn't seen Balanchine's "Symphony in C" performed well, and in real life, you haven't experienced the energy, the vitality, the excitement of "an abstract ballet"... I have to reiterate that watching a video or a CD cannot compare to being there, in person - in flesh and blood - to hear the music and see the dance, together. Does "Serenade" have a plot? Some might say so, some might not. To me, seeing it performed and listening to the music as it was performed, live, in the night at SPAC in Saratoga Springs, was one of the most compelling experiences that I have ever had. I am certainly no expert - far from it in fact - nevertheless since ballet is an art, I have to think that the choreographer designs his or her piece with more than just a passing thought or two. Just as when a painter - whether it be Georgia O'Keefe with her "flowers" or Picasso with his paint splatters - creates and presents their work, I believe there is always a "raison d'être". Each person who views these paintings or watches the ballets will draw their own conclusions....but whether or not I think something is "successful" or not does not negate it. Just my humble;) opinion, of course! P.S. I actually enjoyed Martin's "Jeux de Cartes"!

Phaedra, I'm working on getting the answer for you. It may take me a few days...into next week. I'll let you know what I find out.

SusanB, here is .00001% of my two cents: yes, some do have agents. I'm sure come evening, you'll have a few more succinct responses!

You know, it was kind of embarassing to listen to. Apparently her next book is about "eroticism" in some novel way, no doubt. What can I say, I thought it might be interesting. I do like Leonard Lopate and think he is a very good interviewer, so figured it might be worth it... Now he is on to Annie Lamott.

Right now at 12:50pm in New York City, Toni Bentley, the former NYCB ballet dancer, is discussing her new book Sisters of Salome with Leonard Lopate on WNYC AM 820. If you want to check out this book, you can go in through the Amazon banner on this site. From Publishers Weekly Former NYC ballerina and independent scholar Toni Bentley offers a study of four famous women who created versions of the legendary femme fatale Salome (popularized by Oscar Wilde) in Sisters of Salome, a cultural study and the story of an obsession... For those of you who don't get this station - you can check them out on their website.

Me too, FF! Although I suppose one could point out the obvious - words are made up of symbols! ;)

Well, perhaps not everything - but it's a nice start! I found this link in my "mail box" this morning. I subscribe to something called "A.Word. A. Day." Thought you might find this interesting.

BalletNYC, thanks for that info - wish I were going to be in that neck of the woods! Please let us know if The Legend of Sleepy Hollow makes it up towards New York, I'd love to see it. ronny, go for it!!

Svenia, Thank you so much for telling us about your first live ballet experience - even if it did turn out to be a bit more "modern" than you had expected!;) It is exciting even to be just sitting in the audience, waiting for the orchestra to play, the lights to dim and the curtains to part. Some might call it "magic"! Please do continue to write...and by all means tell us what else you're seeing. P.S. Treefrog, I can just see your father making that remark!;)

Very interesting - do you really think they might change the name to celebrate the man behind the original company? Perhaps the George Balanchine New York Theater might work well? Funding is a big part of it, isn't it? Perhaps there's another letter writing campaign to be born? Meanwhile, how many of us have written our congress members about the UN resolution?

For what it's worth - I am in love with NYCB at SPAC. What a venue - the dancers truly appear to enjoy themselves on stage...or was it me?

These memories and your vignettes are wonderful and very touching - from the inspiring, to the fear inducing! I wish I could remember the first ballet I attended - sadly I don't recall the name...but I would say that it was in 1980 or possibly '81? I was out of college and someone invited me to see Natalia Makarova...I believe it was at City Center...I remember the theater had a small feeling to me. I recall being amazed...and I loved the music. Later, we "dined" at The Pen and Pencil. Hard to believe that I took me, almost, 18 more years before I went to see another professional ballet company perform! What could I have been doing with all my free time?!? It took my daughter's love to bring me back for more...and now I'm hooked.

MacArthur certainly seem to fall into this category with their MacArthur Foundations's Fellowsip awards! Although I just posted this under Links, I felt that many people might not even see it...as not everybody checks them... Here is a link to the MacArthur Foundation's website: http://www.macfound.org/programs/fel/2002announce.htm Today the choreographer Liz Lerman, the Director and Founder of Dance Exchange in Tacoma, MD was just awarded a fellowship. She will receive $500,000 over the course of the next five years -with "no strings attached"! The array of the different kinds recipients is truly astounding. Thank goodness for these patron saints and guardian angels and for their foresight! P.S. By the way, this is a very interesting thread - so much information from so many.

MacArthur certainly seem to fall into this category with their MacArthur Foundations's Fellowsip awards! Although I just posted this under Links, I felt that many people might not even see it...as not everybody checks them... Here is a link to the MacArthur Foundation's website: http://www.macfound.org/programs/fel/2002announce.htm Today the choreographer Liz Lerman, the Director and Founder of Dance Exchange in Tacoma, MD was just awarded a fellowship. She will receive $500,000 over the course of the next five years -with "no strings attached"! The array of the different kinds recipients is truly astounding. Thank goodness for these patron saints and guardian angels and for their foresight! P.S. By the way, this is a very interesting thread - so much information from so many.

either attended, were taken to, or brought your children, or a "significant other" who had never been to one before, to see? If possible, let's not count Nutcrackers. ;) Okay, if it was a "Nutcracker" that's fine...but then try to include the next one as well - if there was a "next one"... And please, feel free to elaborate!

Aesha Ash seems a wonderful choice to me. Unfortunately I am not that familiar with a number of the male or female corps dancers by name...I wish they had photos of all of the dancers in the company.

Calliope, the reason I think a demographic study well created and well executed could be worth while is to show the administration who really does come to their programs. I do go regularly - not as often as some of the balletomanes here:) but I do subscribe to both the NYCB (usually just their winter season) and ABT's spring run at the Met...and then I fill in with other types of companies when possible or single tickets but I am far from the deep pockets corporate type...and I can't be alone in this "type".... so maybe this would be worth knowing for their marketing and membership/fundraising departments? Actually I can think of a number of times I've been told to "go see" such and such ballet because it was "so good" or so and so was so"wonderful" - and I'm thankful for the good advice I've gotten by word of mouth!

Where to start on this article? Since I'm not from South Florida, but New York, I suppose my views are a bit Northern... I think there are an awful lot of generalizations in this piece. Yet, first I'd like to start with an observation: 1. ''In Miami-Dade, a large part of the population base has come from areas where arts are viewed a little bit differently,'' says Pete Upham, director of marketing and communications at Miami City Ballet. ``For example, contributions, they're government-funded. So these people aren't used to contributing. And contributions really have to make up half of our income.'' I suppose Mr. Upham is implying that the vast majority of Miami-Dade's population hails from points farther south...as in Cuba, where the "state" funds the arts? Now onto the specific points that caught my eye: 2. "But a recent survey of the opera's single-ticket buyers found that young patrons tend to shun the commitment of a subscription series, instead buying single tickets on short notice. That led the FGO to develop the ''Diva Deal,'' a discount admission program targeted at patrons between the ages of 21 and 35...''We'd not only be addressing that behavior [of buying tickets on short notice] but addressing a definite need for a more reasonably priced ticket for people who are just beginning their careers,'' MacKinnon says." Sounds like a great idea to me - let's submit this to our "own" ballet companies and see what they say!? 3."The orchestra recently surveyed its audience, Schlender says, and found that ``they come for the music and not for social reasons. They come for emotional and intellectual stimulation. They come for inspiration and not escape.'' ''Sometimes,'' Schlender continues, "younger people do want something a little edgier. They want something a little more contemporary. But who's buying the tickets? . . . You can put on something by Philip Glass but then there are empty seats in the audience. It doesn't necessarily turn into dollars at the box office.'' Hmm, I don't know about you however I do not believe that Philip Glass is exactly on the cutting edge of today's young person's horizon. The people I know who attend Philip Glass concerts tend to be in their late mid 50s to later 60s and even early 70s...OK, I know that there are some modern dance companies that use his music but a straight concert? And then, just after saying that the audience members come for "emotional and intellectual stimulation." and that "They come for inspiration and not escape" - the author of this article writes that Schlender feels that "The more he studies his audience... the more he believes that most young people just aren't intellectually or emotionally ready for Mozart, Bach or Brahms." Seems to me that Schlender is a bit at odds with himself here. My vote goes for "Diva Night" AKA "Prima Ballerina Night" (what's the masculine form?) and doing a really well though out survey to figure out who their audiences really are or could be. I agree that deep pockets are awfully helpful when it comes to subscriptions... However, if the arts organizations wish to "grow" their audiences then I think somehow they have to teach them the importance of "giving"...along the lines of NPR and PBS...AND create at least a week with in each season, or make some viable attempt at lowering ticket prices for a short time, and advertsiing this in an appropriate manner. All this being said, we all know that everyone spends their money on different things. What makes one person scrimp on their wardrobe and subscribe to a season of ballet, while they live in a tiny apartment or on the "wrong side of town" while someone else chooses to spend their funds on country clubs and a $175 little black handbag with someone's name on it? Who knows? :rolleyes: