angelica

18 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

 

Wild Cards: I think there may be very few promotions in this category, given the number that happened in 2015, but perhaps Hamrick, Fang or Scott will be rewarded for their many years of dancing soloist parts. Then there are the relative newbies who have been standing out: Ahn, Shayer, Zhang (Ziyao).

I think that Scott (Arron Scott, is there another Scott?) is already a soloist, and well deserved.

bingham said "Zhong jing Fang, Paulina Waski and April Giangeruso for soloist."

I have found April to be very disappointing this season, with a weak upper body and falling out of her turns.

36 minutes ago, 83firefly said:

Can't wait to find out!! Crossing fingers and toes for Royal and Lane.

These two should definitely be promoted. And Thomas Forster should be given more prominent roles to groom him for promotion to principal in the next year or two.

2 minutes ago, nana said:

I really liked Tuesday's performance, so attended again last night and it was even better. Especially, Simkin and Lane were much better yesterday so the whole performance was higher level. I sat quite close to the stage and could see the facial expressions of Bolle and Ferri, and their actings were sublime and in the end Act 3 made me tear up. I felt so fortunate to see the moment. 

I attended last night, and agree with everything that was said above about the remarkable performances of all the dancers, including the corps de ballet. The only thing I would add is that all the dancers have such beautiful lines so that everything they did, in addition to being dramatic, had a classical refinement that elevated the performance to a fine art. Which, at its best, ballet is.

After all the posts I read initially about Onegin not having enough dancing, I was surprised by how much dancing there is. This is a gorgeous ballet. I hope ABT keeps it in its rotational repertoire.

2 hours ago, California said:

Hard to explain why Hallberg and Seo were such a disappointment. I blame him for his stiff, ominous, nasty characterization as much as her flaccid one.

I totally agree, California, alas. Brandt, and to a lesser extent Cirio, were the stars for me last night. When Brandt is dancing, I can't take my eyes off her.

And I'm always trying to track Kaho Ogawa among the corps. She's so distinctive it's not that difficult to do.

4 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

I think part of the issue may be that the standards now require bigger and better tricks from both men and women (dancers, AD's and the public are all guilty of encouraging this). So dancers face immense pressure to try. 

One result of this situation is what we've seen this season at ABT--a huge number of injuries, which is becoming more and more par for the course in the ballet world. Of course, these "tricks," and more and bigger jumps and turns, are not the only reason for the injuries, but they certainly contribute to their cause.

On 6/15/2017 at 4:19 PM, ABT Fan said:

 

Maybe he can guest in Peck's next showing of The Times are Racing. 

3 hours ago, Natalia said:

Having absorbed the reports of Sarah's O/O, as well as having recently witnessed her Giselle & Princess Praline, I still hold hope that she will be promoted at the end of the Met season. Do others feel like me...or will ABT use the excuse of last night's tech glitches - esp. the fouettés - to hold her back? Hope not.

PROMOTE SARAH LANE!!!

41 minutes ago, Kaysta said:

On a sour note, there was a really smelly person sitting a few seats away from me.  It was nearly killing me.  I also saw one girl wearing the shortest shorts I've ever seen.  I'm going to sound like an old curmudgeon, but why can't people at least look presentable when they go to someplace as cool as the Met Opera House?  I"m not expecting gowns and suits, just clean pants and a shower.

That happened to me yesterday, except the really smelly person was right next to me and spoiled the performance for me. What could I say? She was disabled and had brought her own seat cushion, so maybe that was it. So I said nothing and took out a piece of Trident Tropical Twist. It helped only a little.

10 minutes ago, Fleurfairy said:

Now this I can commiserate with. The Met Opera House is just not built for ballet. It's built fine for opera when seeing is not absolutely necessary. I recently sat in the orchestra for Giselle and while I admit I am a very petite person, the woman in front of me was tall and had a huge mop of curly hair to boot which dwarfed my view of the stage. I spent the entire performance leaning right and left trying to see around her and it was incredibly frustrating and had I had enough gumption, I would have changed seats. There is not enough of a pitch to the floor, it's pretty much level. So if you have a big person in front of you, you are screwed.

Yes, and if you're in the Grand Tier you have a huge pitch, or rake, but in the center of that section you are so far away from the stage that you can barely see the facial expressions and the acting without binoculars, which ruins the experience. If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times: for ballet, every single seat at the Met is a compromise.

8 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

That's the fastest I've ever bought a ticket!! 

Me too!

28 minutes ago, Jayne said:

Perhaps a tall, strong American male principal on exchange to ABT would get Veronika Part more performances?  

 

 

Do you have anyone in mind? I think that's a great idea. Better happen soon!

Although I'm a longtime fan of Nina's, I'm still hoping that this is The Year of Sarah Lane.

7 minutes ago, nanushka said:

 

Isn't this exactly what Fridays in June were made for?

Oh, nanushka, that makes me feel so much better!  

9 minutes ago, miliosr said:

That leaves the corps guys but, boy, are they young. Is the collective age even over 25? Calvin Royal may get a promotion to soloist but I think the person the company is really missing right now is Sterling Baca. I think he was poised to move up but the company didn't do it and he didn't want to wait.

It pains me every time when Sterling Baca's name comes up. Years ago I saw him in a studio rehearsal of the male corps when he was still a boy, surely under 20, and singled him out even then. I can't quite say why, but "there was something about him...." Now he looks different, as he's grown into a man, but I can't believe that ABT let him get away.

I definitely think that Forster has potential. I know everyone was raving about Salstein's Hilarion, but I thought Forster did a superb job in that role, with stellar acting as well as dancing.

Many people have mentioned Shayer, but for me there's something still boyish about his presentation, and I don't see him as a prince. For me, it's the height of his jumps that sways everyone to like him, but the acting isn't there.

7 minutes ago, Natalia said:

 

Thanks...I meant Thursday! Still thinking about the Wed matinee last week for Sarah's Giselle, LOL. Next week would involve a very late bus back to DC, then trying to stay awake on Friday during the day. 

Oh my, I'd forgotten you're in DC. I admire your stamina in coming to New York for a single performance. You are a true balletomane! I'm at an age where it isn't so easy for me to do that kind of travel, but if I were, I would do the same for Sarah. Thankfully, I'm only just north of the city.

24 minutes ago, Helene said:

 Too many dancers, too little time (off) and cash.

So true, Helene. So much more of everything and too little time to keep up. I haven't done a whole lot today besides keep up with the current threads on Ballet Alert!

23 minutes ago, Natalia said:

 

I've already alerted my employer that there's a small chance that I may have to "work remotely" next Wednesday! 

Natalia, Teuscher is dancing at the matinee next Wednesday and Seo is dancing in the evening. Isn't it more likely that Sarah would replace Kochetkova on Thursday evening? On the other hand, if you need Wednesday to cool down your anticipation, then by all means work remotely on that day.  

1 minute ago, ABT Fan said:

 

I don't think that'll shock as many people as you think. At least, not on this board. ;)

I think many of us feel similarly.

3 minutes ago, volcanohunter said:

As for ticket prices, what the National Ballet of Canada charges is pretty astronomical, too, and that's nearly always for the "home team." But at least at the Four Seasons Centre one doesn't feel as though seated somewhere halfway to Connecticut.

Yes, every single seat at the Met Opera is a compromise for ballet, except, perhaps, for J1, which is almost impossible to snag. Alas, it wasn't built for ballet. The (fka) New York State Theatre is much better, but I don't think the stage is large enough for ABT's productions.

27 minutes ago, Fleurfairy said:

Sarah Lane could (and should) step in for Kochetkova if she's still injured next week. Lane has danced O/O with Angel Corella in Spain so she's not entirely new to the role. She can also go easily with Kochetkova's scheduled partner Daniil Simkin. 

I would LOVE to see Sarah get this opportunity.

1 hour ago, ABT Fan said:

 

Yes - Lane, no doubt, and Shevchenko (I saw all 3 of her Myrta's - wow). I haven't seen Teuscher's O/O and will miss it next week as I have to work. I have seen her in soloist roles, but I haven't seen her in anything yet this season. I think Trenary is on the cusp.

There is something so exciting about following the trajectory of a ballet dancer's career from their initial performances in ABT2 or in the corps, through their rise to soloists, and hopefully into the limelight. Somehow they become a part of your life (or mine, speaking for myself). Once I see them in a studio rehearsal, I feel that I know them, which of course isn't factually true, but I love the feeling.

1 hour ago, Kaysta said:

 

I think Teuscher has IT as well.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts after Wednesday's matinee.

 

Looking forward to sharing thoughts and hearing yours as well after the performance. 

10 minutes ago, its the mom said:

I do remember the film and her opportunity at RNZ.  But with proper coaching earlier, might she have been able to dance that role?  It just seems that dancers lost out in the last 10 years because of the guest artists.  

I don't think the dancers at ABT are ever given enough coaching from within, guest artists notwithstanding. Gillian surely got more and better coaching in New Zealand.

7 minutes ago, Just an Observer said:

Once the Wed night Swan Lake became available, why was it given to Seo, rather than Abrera or Lane? The Misty casting  I get - - - she attracts an audience that otherwise would not attend. But Seo?

 

To quote from a famous Julia Roberts movie of some time ago, "Big mistake. Huge."

10 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

 

I agree Brandt possesses that as well. But, since I feel that a few of the other principals do NOT have "it" and they have danced leading roles for years already, I think Cirio and Brandt demonstrate to me anyway that you either have "it" or you don't. Experience doesn't equate star power or aura. 

Yes, that's true, ABT Fan, although experience does refine the technique and raises the star power (although if Skylar raises it anymore the Met ceiling will have to be raised as well). Do you think any other soloists have that star power? I believe that Sarah Lane showed it in her performance of Giselle with Cornejo, and that Cassandra Trenary and Christine Shevchenko may have it too. Need to see them in full-length ballets. Will be seeing Teuscher on Wednesday.