BW

After reading everyone's thoughts as well as today's NY Times review, I feel even more that after a certain point - so much of ballet is subjective. I couldn't believe the NY Times piece didn't even mention Teresa Reichlen. :rolleyes:

To each his or her own. :yes:

Oh Farrell Fan, thank you sooooooo much for posting here. I've been awaiting your word on the production and the performances! I'm sorry I wasn't there with you to experience it and see a couple of other dancers whose parents I know thanks to Ballet Talk. Your point about it all being put together in 5 weeks is a good one.

I'm touched by the blown kiss and very glad that you enjoyed yourself so much.

There's an active thread on Ballet Talk for Dancers which you might find of interest: NYIBC with some very exciting news!

Many of you are obviously very knowledgeable about ballet technique as well as the art in general. In my last post about Miss Sylve, I didn't mean that I thought she was bad - far from it! She is lovely, her dancing was as well.

I wish I could roll back my mind's eye and watch it all over again - I loved the whole ballet and was really glad to have gotten in for it. My first impression of Miss Sylve was that she was regal - a Queen of the Fairies - especially in her refusals to give Oberon her little "boy".

Perhaps it was in reading bobbi's post that I remembered a certain something that wasn't so much an imperfection but rather a difference from my Titanias of the past? As I stated at the outset, I found her a refreshing change and frankly I chose Friday night's performance because of the specific dancers who were and were not performing that night. For me, it was a true Midsummer Night's Dream.

You know bobbi, I think you hit on what I was feeling about Ms. Sylve. It's true I did find her a refreshing change and she did grow on me through the performance all in all, but there was "something" that nagged at me a bit.

Although I didn't think she was leaden at all, I did feel that she seemed a bit "earth bound" - I'm wondering if she and Antonio Carmena were not the best partners due to their statures?

I can tell you how Teresa Reichlen danced as Hippolyta - beautifully with flash! She was very impressive and even though she slipped in Act II while Jason Fowler as Thesus was partnering her it didn't stop her for more than a split second. What a striking dancer - such long legs, arms - a great neck and that red hair. Really impressed by her.

Albert Evans was nimble as ever as a very humorous Puck - great to see him again and hope to see a great deal more in the next season, since I won't be up in Saratoga as far as I know.

Alexandra Ansanelli and Rachel Rutherford were, of course, very good as the love torn young women... And this was my first time to see Titania played by someone other than Darci Kistler. I thought Sofiane Sylve was a really refreshing change. I can't comment on the technical aspects the way many of you do - but she was The Queen of the Fairies as far as I was concerned - an excellent actress. Loved seeing Jennifer Ringer in the second Act - what a beauty she is. Personally, I wish she could have been partnered by someone other than Charles Askegard - but that's just my personal bias. :rolleyes:

The whole performance was really well done from the little fairies to the hounds of Hippolyta, but Antonio Carmena's Oberon was, for me, one of the absolute highlights amidst other excellent performances. I have seen him dance before, but never in a role like this which is one I think he richly deserves and I'll bet he will be playing it many more times in the future. He is a superb dancer - fast, powerful, exact and very "kingly" - a danseur noble - not without a sense of humor.

I probably could have saved the bandwidth here and just posted that I was extremely glad I'd broken my hiatus with NYCB by choosing this particular performance with this cast.

Thank you to Juliet and others for your descriptions of the sets and the better part - the dancing - of this performance. I'll be interested to read how the rest of the performances progress and what changes you notice.

So true Oberon! I've seen Midsummer's before - just been going through a hiatus with ballet - but I agree it's a great beginning for summer and a return to things ballet.

And Gia Kourlas seems to feel the same way when she writes about it in her article in today's NY Times: Star-Crossed Lovers Magically Untangled

In New York City, summer cannot really officially begin without two outlandish events. One is the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, in which an assortment of loony sea creatures, ruled by King Neptune and Queen Mermaid, descend upon the Brooklyn boardwalk. But the other one offers a more magical adventure. In George Balanchine's indelible "Midsummer Night's Dream," Titania and Oberon, Queen and King of the Fairies, inhabit a beautiful world where butterflies frolic with fairies, and mortals and immortals try to make sense of love...

Great - you convinced me! We're going Friday night. I used to attend regularly but haven't for about a year. Looking forward to it.

Any of you who've posted thus far - had you seen it performed in the past when Balanchine was Don Q?

I certainly did not, but I would find it interesting to hear from someone who will have now seen both - to get their take on it.

I see that John Rockwell's review has been posted in the Links section and have read it - he certainly seems to have a different take on it all as compared to those who've posted thus far. Not meaning this to imply that anyone is right or wrong...just bringing it up.

Hoping to hear more on this one.

Really!? Isn't that an interesting draw - very smart. If any of you attend I hope you'll give us some feedback on that as well.

Well, being a fairly "plain folk" , I wish I could be there for several reasons - the obvious being that it's an historic moment of sorts (and I've never seen Balanchine's Don Q, just read about it) and I'd love to see the dancers, particularly those whose parents I know, perform! Merde to all the dancers! I look forward to detailed reviews here. :yes:

I don't frequent this board the way I used to but would love to know if Farrell Fan is going to be down for this performance - I certainly hope so.

Just had the absolute pleasure of seeing Alvin Ailey's American Dance Theater perform at Purchase College last night - "Wow!" The 3 pieces were Love Stories (2004) choreographed by Judith jamson with Robert Battle and Rennie Harris to the music of Stevie Wonder), Shining Star (2004) by David Parsons with music by Earth, Wind and Fire and, finally Revelations (1960) an Alvin Ailey original with traditional gospel music.

I wish I knew the individual dancers by name, but sadly I do not. The last time I saw this company perform was when they were at the New York State Theatre about 4 years ago (?) - and I definitely recognized at least two dancers - "principals" if they refer to them that way...

Although I have always loved Revelations, last night I thought I'd died and gone to heaven during Shining Star. What's not to love about that piece? Thought the use of the white over coats was wonderful - and, frankly, I was mesmerized by the beauty and sensuality of the dancers and Parson's piece itself.

Oh to be young, fit and a great dancer - these dancers really and truly looked as though they were having the time of their lives - in all three pieces. My guess is that they all had a lot of real fun in Love Stories. :grinning-smiley-001:

I hear they're going to be at the NJPAC and Leonard Lopate will be there speaking with Judith Jamison. I hope someone with more of a way with dance words will report back. :yes:

Nice thread - I do it, too - and I don't even know what I'm "doing" when it comes to ballet but still I see it all the same.

I felt sad when I heard about his suicide this morning. It's been a long time since I've read his books, though I surely enjoyed them when I did. The one that stands out in my memory is "Hells Angels". I did note that he's written one more recently that must be, at least in part, about Bush. Might be interesting to see that one.

I think Hunter S. Thompson must be close to one of the last of his gonzo kind.

I have to admit that I took a look at your video clip on Ballet Talk for Dancers and really enjoyed seeing you dance, Daniil. Thanks so much for adding Harliquinade to the mix here.

Farrell Fan, I'm sad to hear your report.

Never having seen a real life Christo installation, I surely hope to make it in.

I've enjoyed the NY Times articles and the posts I've read here.

For those of us who've never experienced a Christo wrapping et al, it is something I feel I should see.

Wow, I've just read his piece and I'm stunned. I can't wait to read the letters to the editor on this one.

That said, I do understand the allure of a beautiful face on a dancer but what about Jennifer Ringer or Alexandra Ansanelli, Likolani Brown, Saskia Beskow...to name only a few. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. I will admit that I find a dancer's face to be an important part of the whole - as an audience member and certainly no dance critic. Me thinks Mr. Rockwell has put his foot in his mouth on this one.

Andrei thank you for your post - and I love the way you've described the important differences between modern and ballet.

Not being a dancer, nor a ballet critic, but the mother of a formerly very serious ballet student who was required to take Modern once a week, I can state that for dancers who are naturally "turned out" etc., that this modern class caused untold injuries for her and for the vast majority of her classmates. Daughter's PT at West Side Dance Physical Therapy advised her not to do what the modern teacher requested and if possible to avoid having to take the class at all...

Granted this does not speak to the choreographic side of this discussion, but Andrei's post really hit home for me.

Very exciting news to read! Having formerly been a subscriber to NYCB, but not now, I am especially looking forward to this season - though I'll have to pick and choose this time around.

Congratulations to all the dancers who've been promoted. I can't imagine the feelings of accomplishment and excitement they all must have.

rkoreztky, thank you for your insightful post and I have to agree with Dale who wrote

Fairchild brightens the stage with her crystalline dancing. While it couldn't hurt for her to stay a soloist for a bit longer, she has the goods now. In sports, managers sometimes put in a young talented player into the starting lineup and they blossom further.

Farrell Fan, I'm with you. I think there are many plusses to having the boards combined. It offered a more complete spectrum to dancers, students, balletomanes and the rest of us.

Periodically, I can't help myself and remind the BT for D readers to keep their eyes on Ballet Talk, as well. :yes:

Thanks for taking the time to post all that information, hockeyfan! I'll pass the word along for sure.

Yes, Watermill, I am sure you've hit it with the budget differences, to say the least, and you're so right about the "culture" shock - the lack of a live orchestra threw her, too. hockeyfan228, I'm not 100% sure what she meant when she made the comment about classical dancing, but she seemed to feel that there was very little real ballet dancing. I'll have to question her more closely.

And when I do speak to her again, I will indeed encourage her not to give up but to go back to see another performance of a ballet she is not so familiar with... I think I recall a discussion about a summer performance venue outside in the city - that might be a nice reintroduction. If either of you can point me in the direction of this, do let me know.

Many thanks!

Spoke to my niece today. She, who cut her teeth on NYCB's Nutcracker and spent her formative years in the audience as well, attended OBT's Nutcracker recently and felt very let down. She described the costumes and scenery as being very gaudy, tacky and lack lustre... also said she felt she there was very little classical ballet dancing.

Granted it's hard to see new takes on the old theme, sometimes... Anyone else have any reports, in addition to those from the gala? Was my niece too harsh? On target?

I was so glad to read this article - especially happy for Amanda McKerrow and John Gardiner to have found a new home. Can't help but wonder if they'll be involved in the school, as well. If so, the students are extremely fortunate!