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E Johnson

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Everything posted by E Johnson

  1. While DTH's school is running again, the company is, I am pretty sure, still on "hiatus."
  2. As someone participating in those four calls -- they weren't for the choreography, they were for the wonderful performances and also for Jock's entire career.
  3. My thought exactly! I got tickets for the 5-28 matinee in the hope I'd see him in this role one last time.
  4. I also attended the Saturday matinee. As for Martins as Apollo: sigh. So not a good role for him. His dancing managed to be both mushy and choppy. Weese was lovely, though. Opus: Jazz, with lots of corps members having a ball, is the balletic equivalent of a big basket of puppies. It is clearly of its time (and what appear to be the original program notes don't help), but the dancers seemed to have no problems getting into the right mood. The pas de deux, performed by Hall and Rutherford, stood out choreographically -- it was more interesting and not quite as directly related to West Side Story and Interplay. The performances were delightful; particular standouts to me were Ramasar, Veyette, Hendrickson (who has matured a great deal recently and become even more interesting and complex), and Pazcoguin, who was a revelation to me. She was confident, strong, yet coquettish when necessary. American in Paris -- this struck me as just lazy choreography. Very little of interest step or structure-wise, and rather than showing us new interesting things about his dancers, or at least their strengths, as he usually does, Wheeldon rather seemed to play to his dancers' worst qualities. Woetzel was charming without really putting any energy into his dancing, aided and abetted by not really having any dancing to do. Ringer was pretty in pink, but ill-defined beyond her default sweetness. Korbes was the exception -- she looked good and energized Woetzel for the brief time they were together.
  5. Well, if it is I guess I will have to follow through on the promise I made to an NYCB caller, that I'd rejoin the Guild if they brought back the Balanchine Swan Lake. (His response? "You know, he choreographed that for children.")
  6. Well, not to beat a dead horse, but I'd rather wathc LaCour that Nilas Martins any day, so his promotion doesn't upset me too much. I think he is talented and almost visibly turned himself into an NYCB dancer over his first season or two - before he stuck out stylistically, now he sticks out because of his height and verve. Maybe its early but not, to me, undeserved.
  7. At the risk of being flip, part of it is because there's so much of it to love -- a long season, the opportunity to see ballets and dancers repeatedly. Balanchine ballets, in my opinion, really repay repeated viewings. There's more than one of his ballets I really disliked, or didn’t "get" on first viewing that I came to like over time, and even the ones I liked from the get-go have become richer and more enjoyable experiences as I 've seen them again and again. Being able to see dancers repeatedly in different roles, or the same roles performed by different dancers, gives one a chance to learn more about them and to see the ballets in new and different ways. Now, if NYCB’s dancers were bad or they were performing lesser choreography, this might not be such a boon. But the chance to really sink into the Balanchine rep (as well as many the other ballets they perform) at NYCB is special and rewarding.
  8. Marcovici seems like a natural choice, and i'd love to see Evans get a shot as well. I'd bet marcovici wll do it soon; he seems to be getting cast in a lot of the Boal rep. Maybe LaCour?
  9. Well, when I first started going to the ballet regualrly about 15 years ago, I often fell asleep, but for me it was a sign of enjoyment. I was working very hard at a new job and had various personal issues going on, but when I went to the ballet I relaxed enough to drop off. Ideally, I would just relax without sleeping, but it was not always possible. I think I have never actually stayed awake throughout Vienna Waltzes. Even when I stay awake, which is most of the time now, at a good performance I can feel knots of muscle in my back opening up -- the only other time this happens is during a massage.
  10. I just stopped by to check the casting at the theater, and Soto is out all week, repalced by Evans in the Barber and (I think) Neal in Union Jack. Sonata and Interludes is replaced by Tarantella. I hope this is not due to an injury, and if it is, not a serious one.
  11. I've already gotten tickets to take my four-year old. If anyone else is considering it, you can prepare your child with Lithgow's book of the Carnival of the Animals, which contains his narration of the ballet and nice colorful illustrations (and one picture of the final tableau of the ballet) and a CD with him reading it along with the ballet's music.
  12. Well, my son is only four, so who knows where he'll end up. But we have been exposing him to "the arts" and so far he likes them -- he can't read, but he loves books and being read to. He has favorite paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (mainly Jackson Pollack), and he often chooses dance videos to watch beore bed over Little Bear. How this will all change as he gets older and peer presssure kicks in, I can't say.
  13. I've also gotten it at the Universal newsstand on 8th avenue between 57th and 58th.
  14. As someone who used this video to get a small child ready for the real thing, I'm in favor of the narration. There isn't too much of it, but it really helps someone not familiar with the story follow along.
  15. One of Borree's worst performaces that I saw was in Scotch, with, I think, Askegard. She completely failed to do the second of the big horizontal jumps, obviously afraid she'd fall or be dropped. It was like seeing a show horse refuse a jump. I have liked her in some things -- Duo Concertant and even Coppelia - but in others it is just painful to watch her.
  16. Well, you could fill a lot of the Woetzel roles just by bringing Steifel back! On another note, Evans is also in the "afternoon" of his career, and may have decided to focus his energies elsewhere, but I think that Soto's retirement may, goddess willing, be a boon for him. They're already cast in many of the same roles and if it means he moves into first cast for those and also picks up more of Soto's repertory (he did a great Bugaku many years ago when Soto was injured) I'd be happy. He'd certainly, in my opinion, be a more worthy successor than Fayette. A potential up and comer I haven't seen mentioned is Adam Hendrickson -- is it because of his height? I'd like to see him try some of Boal's rep.
  17. He's still listed on their website, which is usually pretty quick to reflect changes. http://www.nycballet.com/about/bio_tewsley.html
  18. Nichols did it for the 50th anniversary season, and I think she still could.
  19. Notes (somewhat belated) on the May 29 matinee: Western Symphony, Ivesiana, Who Cares. First, this was odd programming – the bipolar program (UP, down, UP!). I heard several audience members who were charmed by Western complain about Ivesiana – “weird” and “the worst I’ve ever seen,” for example. Western was performed very well. As with Union Jack a few weeks ago, the corps seemed both well-rehearsed and enthusiastic, especially in the first movement (LaCour was a standout, he’s a lovely dancer and so tall). Ringer and Fayette danced the first movement Ringer was very good – she’s been really enjoying some more comedic roles this season and they are a good fit for her. Fayette was a bit of a disappointment – he partnered well, but didn’t put his variation across well. Not strong or clear in the steps at all. Second movement – Ansanelli and Tewsley. A good role for Ansanelli; she was appropriately goofy and sweet, and a good sport. Tewsley was trying hard but doesn’t quite have the role down – he slipped between just getting the steps OK and actually performing the role. He needed to swagger and look lovestruck and only did the latter consistently. (Definitely didn’t help him that I saw Evans’ fully-realized performance in my head.) Third movement – Hubbe and Sylve, substituting for Kowroski. Sylve is very strong and did a nice job here, Hubbe a wonderful ham and gave a nice performance. It was interesting to see this very American ballet with such a “glorious mosaic” cast. Ivesiana. I love this ballet. As soon as it was over I wanted to see it again because I knew I was missing things or just picking them up late in the game. It was also generally well-performed, and the orchestra, under guest conductor Carolyn Kuan, was outstanding. Central Park in the Dark: a chilling piece. Fayette was appropriately menacing and implacable, but I was disappointed n Tinsley. Instead of looking like a frightened and uncertain person, she seemed like a dancer who didn’t know exactly what she was doing, and sometimes like an actress on a bad Lifetime movie. I can see she might grow into the role but this time her performance did not work for me. The Unanswered Question: Taylor and Gold were both superb, and Taylor’s unseen bearers did good work too. This is the first role I remember seeing and liking Taylor in and it is a good one for her – she seems truly unaware and unconcerned about everything that is going on around her and done to her. Gold was moving in his desperation. In the Inn – Evans and Sylve (again substituting for Kowroski, and I think debuting in the role) are a terrific pair. They have comparable levels of maturity and theatricality that worked very well in this; a pair of lovely jazzy athletic dancers meeting, having a good time, and parting. The choreography – with hand slapping and ponytail flipping and all that goes with them – is a huge contrast to the rest of the piece. But it all hangs together because the choreography is in each case a perfect response to the music. There is also a theme of failed partnerships, perhaps – none of the couples end up together, and what connections they have are at best fleeting and at worst dangerous. The final movement, In the night, consisting only of corps members walking on their knees across a darkened stage, was also well-done. Who Cares? This ballet did not, to me, benefit from following Western. There is a lot of similar shtick and it played better in Western, either because it was the first time we saw it or because it was better performed. The women’s corps did not have the same sparkle, or precision, that I saw n the Western corps. The men were better, with Andrew Veyette and Kyle Froman standing out. The principals were Weese (substituting for Boree), Bouder, Carrie Lee Riggins (substituting for Sylve), and Martins. Weese was great, both in the lyrical “The Man I love” pas de deux and the quick “Fascinatin Rhythm.” Bouder did a nice job on “Stairway to Paradise”, but was not as impressive in “Who Cares?” – She is not a naturally emotional dancer and paring her with Martins practically guarantees that you’ll get the steps (very well done) and nothing else from her. Riggins, like Weese, struggled mightily to get a genuine reaction out of Martins but to little success. Martins’ performance was just too calculated for me – My companion said you can just see him thinking “step, step, snap fingers, turn.” Nothing spontaneous, nothing relating to the music or the other dancers on stage. He’s willing to be jazzy, but not to relax and see what happens.
  20. Maybe someone needs to remind them it’s Orpheus, not Phaedra. Seriously, though, why must Martins be the only Orpheus, as he has been for years? The role does not play to his strengths, and one can easily name other principal dancers who are much more suited to it: Boal, Evans, and Hubbe seem to be more obvious choices just off the top of my head, and I'd even like to see Soto get a shot at it rather than just the Dark Angel. Or among the soloists, Gold or Liang would be preferable.
  21. Does anyone know how contributions can be made? I tried their website but it isn't set up to take contributions (which seems silly to me; I bet I'm not the only person who read that story today and wanted to help).
  22. Comments on Friday, May 7: La Valse: Taylor, Tewsley, Fayette. I saw this last week with Rutherford and Soto, and thought it was very good, but this performance was better because of Janie Taylor. The role seems perfect for her -- her Girl in White seems otherworldly from the get-go, a girl who will be interested in death and drawn to him because of who she is, not just because she is the principal ballerina on the stage. Taylor's abandon and commitment was breathtaking. Tewsley was also excellent -- I was not impressed by him at all when he first joined the company but so far this season I have been pleasantly surprised by him. He is more mannered or expressionist than most NYCB dancers but that is the right way to be, I think, for this role. He and Taylor also work well together -- they are both emotional but in different ways and their styles fit in a quirky but ultimately powerful way. Fayette was a disappointment after Soto, who was chilling and seductive. Fayette was over the top. Among the other dancers Stephen Hanna stood out, giving a well-crafter performance. Episodes: Wow. This ballet has grown on me, mostly because I have managed to get over my hatred of most of the music. The dancers did an amazing job. I had no doubt, watching them, that I was seeing the ballet as it should be done. Episodes is an austere ballet with its twelve-tone music and plain leotards on the dancers, and the dancers for the most part gave austere, elegant performances to match. Liang and Tinsley led the first section. I am so happy to see Liang back. His dancing is lovely, light and graceful, and he is a gracious partner. (I am glad to see him back not merely because he is a good dancer but because he is a good dancer of a type the company doesn’t seem to have many of. The younger principals and soloists are, to my mind, heavier dancers and I don’t see a real prince among them.) He and Tinsley were precise and crisp. Fayette and Reichlen had the second section, done on a dark stage with spotlights. They did a fine job but Reichlen certainly did not erase my memory of Alexopoulos in the role-- she and Fayette both got the steps but nothing more, no sense of mystery came through. Whelan and Evans were just fantastic in the third section. This is similar to Whelan's roles in Agon and other leotard ballets, but she makes each one look different and fresh. I think I held my breath and possibly did not blink through most of their pas de deux. The steps look like they must take a lot of concentration, both the counts and getting the balances right, but Evans and Whelan made me feel completely comfortable that they would get it right and that they would show me how the steps were supposed to work and how they related to the music. Kowroski and Askegard led the Ricercata. As much as I have convinced myself not to hate the rest of the music in this ballet, I always feel relief when, in this section, the music finally resolves. Kowroski gave a lovely performance but I think Askegard perhaps does not really belong in leotard ballets – he often looks uncomfortable and contorted. Vienna Waltzes – or, the ballet I almost never stay awake all the way through. This time I ate a brownie at intermission to keep me up, but this is never going to be a big favorite for me. Rutherford and Fayette (who must have wanted a nap by this point in the evening) started the piece. I think those long pink dresses are amazingly unflattering to the dancers – I remember Meunier used to look awful, but this evening Rutherford also did, in a completely different way. Their performances were OK but seemed a bit perfunctory to me. Weese and Woetzel led the second movement. Weese has been just terrific both times I’ve seen her this season, strong, committed, tearing up the stage. It was refreshing to see her whipping out of the wings after the, to me, dull dancing around the trees in the previous section. Woetzel was good but not as good as Weese – not technically, he danced the hell out of the part, but he seemed uncomfortable in his lovely lime green tights. He sometimes appears to have difficulty committing to roles or costumes that are a little silly, like this one or Union Jack. They are also a good pair – unlike other partners, Woetzel matches Weese in strength and power and they push each other to do better. Edge and Gold tried hard with the Polka, but it seemed a bit slow and lifeless. Ringer as the black widow is a stupendously bad idea. She is a lovely dancer in the right role, but for this, absolutely not – she is not mysterious or even often three-dimensional. I agree that it would be interesting to see Whelan try the role, or perhaps Sylve or even Korbes, young as she is. Martins – I didn’t expect much and got what I expected. It’s always a pleasure to see Nichols these days and so I enjoyed the Rosenkavalier waltz more than usual – Askegard was a serviceably gallant partner. The programming felt strange, to me – Episodes was such a contrast to the other two ballets, and it felt as if La Valse and Vienna were intended to be the sugar to make Episodes’ medicine go down.
  23. Kline is also the narrator in the Balanchine's Nutcracker movie, the one starrting Macaulay Culkin. I also believe his children attend or have attended SAB and he and his wife are big contributors to the School [feel free to cut this if it is considered gossip; however, without going back to check my old SAB newsletters, I am pretty sure that is where I got the information.]
  24. There was a wonderful quote from Patrick Corbin of Paul Taylor’s company in the film "Dancemaker" to the effect that, in order to partner well, he is in love with his partner --but just for those ten minutes.
  25. Liang? I guess all our wishes that he'd come back paid off!
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