angelica

Thanks for pointing that out, miliosr. Although I may skip the whole Fall season, I have high hopes that Forster is on the way up to Principal.

Thanks, sandik. Perhaps I'll reconsider and try to see Symphonic Variations. I saw the Serenade last year, and while I found it entertaining, I'm not sure I'd go to see it again. I do appreciate your input.

Would you be at any of these performances, sandik? There's nothing on the above calendar that attracts me. Or do you mean you would be in, say, St. Petersburg?

Very interesting interview. Indeed, towards the beginning, Cory said that one of his goals on stage was "not being cautious," to be "more free, not so contained." And, at the end, he spoke of the responsibility he feels as a principal dancer, when the audience of 3000+ has high expectations of you, as do your fellow dancers, and you yourself as well. So that does explain a great deal about the disconnect between Cory's heart-stopping performance in the studio and his more cautious (his word) performance on stage. Thanks, Helene and ABT Fan for making it possible to hear this. As for James Whiteside, well, that's a whole other story and not for today.

OMG, I'm playing it on iTunes and it's working!!! Hope it's working for you too, now.

Thanks so much, ABT Fan. You are true to your name! Strangely, I didn't even see the title of the podcast with Cory. Helene said it was #7, but #7 was an interview with David Hallberg. And Cory was not mentioned in any of the other titles. But I do appreciate your taking initiative on this!

Okay, one last try to BA members: If anyone was able to listen to James Whiteside's interview with Cory Stearns, please could you post the link that worked for you? The reason I'm eager to hear this interview is that somewhere I read that one of the subjects addressed was the experience of dancing before an audience of some 3000 people. When I saw Stearns in the studio rehearsal of La Fille Mal Gardee, he was so extraordinary, in his expression, the height of his leaps, and the number and speed of his turns. I thereupon bought a ticket to see him in performance. And once again, in performance, he wasn't extraordinary at all--competent, yes, but the performance had nothing of the élan of the studio rehearsal. So I'm hoping for a window into what is causing that disconnect. Does he get stage fright, for example? Or does he take risks in the studio that he dare not take on stage?

Hi Helene, I went to iTunes, but #7 gave me the David Hallberg interview. I couldn't see anything about Cory Stearns on the listing. I think I will simply give up for now, unless you can get it and send me a new link. Thanks, Angelica

Will try this tomorrow. Thanks, Helene!

I tried to connect to the above link but when I clicked on the "Play" icon, nothing happened. Is it too late to access this interview? I've been out of town for awhile.

I saw Swan Lake a few years ago when Skylar Brandt was still in the corps and she was an exquisite swan and did not stand out in any way that would be inappropriate for a swan corps member. Her classicism was so pure that I remember thinking what a beautiful O/O she will be some day. I wouldn't typecast her just yet. I think she's the whole package, from her over-the-top comic Medora to the Swan Queen I hope to see from her some day.

Someone once said "Ballet is the cruel art," but I can't for the life of me recall who said it or find the quote via a Google search. I used to think it was Pushkin, but I can't find it anywhere in his writings. Has anyone else heard this? It could have many meanings, of course, including the difficult and intensive training; the difficulties rising in a company; and a hundred other factors would fall under these difficulties; but I think the worst is the shortness of a dancer's career and the difficulty of retiring from an activity that can bring tremendous sacrifice, satisfaction, accolades, narcissistic gratification, but above all, joy, is the cruelest part of the equation. They don't always tell you about retiring when you're winning competitions at the beginning of a promising career. Too tired to write more, but you get my gist.

I would say that life has been very unfair to Part, from the time that her mentor at the Mariinsky died. During her time at ABT she was never fully recognized, except by a core admiring audience, for her sublime and unique talent. Not by the Artistic Director, not by the then Executive Director, not by the then Board, and certainly not by the then influential, although dangerously unknowledgeable, New York Times dance critic, who summed her up in one word, damning her with faint praise: statuesque.

Gomes is going to be dancing in the Matthew Bourne production of "The Red Shoes." As I understand it, in every performance at City Center, but I'm not sure about other venues. He'll be playing the role of Julian Craster. Be still my heart!

vipa, I think you would make a better AD than McK. I agree with everything you said. But to place so much money at the feet of Ratmansky and to strain the budget for dancer salaries seems like a very poor choice of resource allocation.

So they don't call it mandatory retirement, but they just go ahead and do it.

YES!!! And I don't see how you can run a ballet company like ABT on short rations, i.e., rationing the number of principals because you have only a certain amount of money to spend on dancers' contracts. Those people on the Board should get busy and do more fundraising. Or stop spending all that money on productions like Golden Cockerel and Whipped Cream. McKenzie and the Board really made a mess of this company by bringing in guest artists for so many years.

At Paris Opera Ballet, the mandatory retirement age is 42. At ABT they should set it at 39 if they're going to behave that way. And by "that way" I mean forcing people out at age 39.

I just want to add my voice to those who are angry and bereft at the firing of Veronika Part. She is a sublime dancer, and has brought an elegance and stage drama to ABT that will be sorely lacking without her. Technique is one thing, depth is another. While I salute the new female principals, especially the promotion of Sarah Lane, I find it difficult to believe that their promotion depended on the availability of Veronika's contract. Is money that tight? Ridiculous! Whoever wrote above about Walmart got it right. ABT should have invested in finding a suitable partner for her, someone with her high level of training and experience, someone whose eloquent body matched hers, and then promoted them to the hilt. Shame on ABT! As for Malakhov, I remember his gorgeous line and beautiful feet. And his deep plies in the role of Lankendem. Feel free to delete this, Moderators, but someone once whispered to me that ABT found him too "feminine."

Maybe we should start a petition....

Am I mistaken that Messmer then joined Miami City Ballet and that worked out well?

Even Julie Kent was at the mercy of management.

One can hope.

Is there anything remotely like this at City Ballet? When did ABT sponsors start paying the salaries of the dancers? Are there other companies that do this? It sounds like an area ripe for conflicts of interests, as if there aren't enough of those already in this company.

I wonder how anyone can dance a performance knowing their contract isn't going to be renewed. I guess that's what makes a "professional," but still.