angelica

I have a small collection of pointe shoes from some of my favorite ABT dancers: Amanda McKerrow, Diana Vishneva, Stella Abrera, Sarah Lane, and my most favorite pair from Veronika Part, on which, per my request, she signed her name in English on one shoe and Russian on the other. I'd like to add a few others some day, but they are becoming increasingly expensive. I display them in a basket on an occasional table in my living room near the grand piano. Admittedly, they are a curiosity to some. Others find them fascinating. Someone on this list has a great quote from Agnes de Mille appended to their signature about the ability of dancing on pointe to elicit attention, second only to screaming (or something like that, I can't find it now), which I love!

I never heard that said anywhere in Europe. The superiority of the Kirov in terms principal dancers in the 60's and 70's has not been equalled since those decades. Find me the equal of Alla Sizova, Alla Osipenko, Irina Kolpakhova (generally considered among the greatest classicist of the 20th century) that alone Gabriella Komleva, Inna Zubkovskaya, and Xenia Ter-Stepanova. Find me a more stylish prince than Vladilen Semyenov, or more perfectly trained dancer than Yuri Soloviev and what about the character dancers of that era etc.etc. That's exactly the point. What people were saying in the 60s and 70s, at least here, perhaps not in Europe, was that however magnificent were the principal dancers at the Kirov, the corps de ballet was also absolutely astonishing.

Let us also not forget that both Makarova and Baryshnikov were trained at the Vaganova School. As was Kolpakova. For me, Veronika Part is the dancer who, today, embodies the best of the Vaganova training. It isn't so much in the arms as it is the fluency of the back and the torso. Not to speak of her exquisite feet. Who cares if she can't do quadruple pirouettes? Not I. Give me Veronika in anything--to me she is a true Mariinsky ballerina at the Mariinsky's best. (However, my understanding is that when her coach in St. Petersburg died, there was no one who came forward to support and promote her, leading to her immigration to the West, which perhaps reflects the more recent history of the Mariinsky Ballet, as others have mentioned in previous posts.)

It used to be said, in the 60s and 70s if I remember correctly, that if you took only the corps de ballet of the Kirov (now Mariinsky), you would have the best ballet company in the world.

These are wonderful photos, aurora! Thanks for posting them. California, I noticed the beauty and agelessness of Makarova's face during the interview with Letterman. I think that you make a very good point, and, as aurora noted, tactfully put.

I was watching with my daughter, who's a ballet dancer and teacher. Both of us agreed that Makarova was concentrating intently on the dancers' movements, style and interpretation. Her face was the same as my own when I study a dancer. I thought she was deeply invested in what she was seeing. I don't think she was unhappy at all. How could she be, even given her expertise and preferences, when the performances were so stellar? That possibility had occurred to me, and I hope you're right. To this viewer, however, it seemed that her face was devoid of any emotion whatsoever, devoid of intensity as well. I don't want to speculate further because there are so many possibilities, but I'm going to watch the program again tomorrow in the light of the various comments above. I would not dismiss the possibility that she may have been unmoved by the performances, despite our own feelings about them. I watched the performances again today, and feel much better. I did detect the flicker of a smile when the JKO student was dancing and then a broad smile at the end, during the curtain calls. So I do think that Makarova approved of the performances. Thank you BA-ers for sending me back for a replay.

I was watching with my daughter, who's a ballet dancer and teacher. Both of us agreed that Makarova was concentrating intently on the dancers' movements, style and interpretation. Her face was the same as my own when I study a dancer. I thought she was deeply invested in what she was seeing. I don't think she was unhappy at all. How could she be, even given her expertise and preferences, when the performances were so stellar? That possibility had occurred to me, and I hope you're right. To this viewer, however, it seemed that her face was devoid of any emotion whatsoever, devoid of intensity as well. I don't want to speculate further because there are so many possibilities, but I'm going to watch the program again tomorrow in the light of the various comments above. I would not dismiss the possibility that she may have been unmoved by the performances, despite our own feelings about them.

My own two cents: I thought that Julie Kent and David Hallberg looked exquisite together and that Kent looked young and ravishing, with flawless skin. No wonder Hallberg looked smitten. I had no sense of an age disparity. I wish that more could have been said about Makarova's staging of La Bayadere, especially the Kingdom of the Shades scene, with perhaps a 30-second video of ABT dancers descending the ramp. There's a book about Ballet Theatre from way back when that devotes an entire chapter to the work Makarova did to remake this ballet for ABT and to achieve a unity of what was then a somewhat ragged corps de ballet. It seemed to me that Makarova showed little emotion, especially while watching the performances. Not a single smile. It made me think that she was unhappy with the whole event. But that's pure speculation.

This is an awesome resource. If I start reading the articles, I will have to stop doing everything else. They sound fascinating!

When I took my son to see Swan Lake at the age of 15 (Amanda McKerrow), at least he waited until intermission to say those things. Sigh. I said he could leave but that on the way out he had to give his ticket to someone, perhaps a ballet student, waiting outside the Met and hoping to get a ticket. Which he did.

California, you're a genius and thanks for sharing! I've noted the dates on my calendar.

I voted for Guillem, but withdrew my vote because no one else had voted for her. I figured that maybe others knew something that I didn't know that would disqualify her. Although I love Paris Opera Ballet, I don't have enough inside information to choose Madame's successor.

I saw the Veronika Part - Alexander Hammoudi performance last night, which played to a full house. And Veronika brought that house down. She was luminescent, utterly divine, expressive, rapturous. And best of all, she appeared Self-Confident! Her feet were wondrous in their expressiveness and beauty, and she floated over the stage in her grand jetes. She may not have the always-reliable steely technique of some other dancers, but she is born to dance. (I've heard that having a high instep and very flexible feet makes it more difficult to do multiple turns, for example, which is why we chew our nails for her in ballets with 32 fouettes. I believe Alessandra Ferri had the same sort of pliant feet.) Alexander Hammoudi made a valiant effort to be a worthy partner. But although he has a nice ballet line, he's not a great technician. These days we expect multiples turns from our male dancers, as well as an easy intuitive technique (think Cornejo, Corella, Carreno), and Hammoudi is not a natural turner. However, with an extra half-second of preparation, the couple managed the Grigorovich lift with Veronika appearing completely at ease up in the air. Hammoudi danced with a graciousness and modesty that seemed to reflect an awareness that he was dancing with one of the greats. He showed a similar modesty during the curtain calls. The applause was thunderous. This was Veronika at her very best.

I don't share your opinion (I realize I am in the minority here apparently) but in any case, promoting Gorak out of the corps would have no impact on whether Abrera ever makes principal. If you don't believe that Stella should be made a principal, then perhaps the following won't make sense: but I believe that when ANY promotion is made in a company, it has an impact on most if not all of the dancers, who would be likely to reflect on their own positions within the hierarchy and their own chances for promotion, if not now, then in the future. Obviously I cannot speak for Stella, but if I were in her shoes, I would feel every promotion as a reminder that I'm being overlooked. It might be a reminder, but as a professional, she must be aware that male and female dancers serve different roles and DANCE different roles and it can have no impact on her in any way if a male dancer at a lower rank is elevated. It might be a reminder to her husband of his limited chances for promotion at this point, but for her it really shouldn't make a difference. If we're going to stay concrete about this, the promotion of Kajiya, whom I thoroughly enjoy, would make a huge, if not fatal, difference to Stella's chances of promotion.

I don't share your opinion (I realize I am in the minority here apparently) but in any case, promoting Gorak out of the corps would have no impact on whether Abrera ever makes principal. If you don't believe that Stella should be made a principal, then perhaps the following won't make sense: but I believe that when ANY promotion is made in a company, it has an impact on most if not all of the dancers, who would be likely to reflect on their own positions within the hierarchy and their own chances for promotion, if not now, then in the future. Obviously I cannot speak for Stella, but if I were in her shoes, I would feel every promotion as a reminder that I'm being overlooked.

I would be more than happy to see Kajiya and Gorak promoted. But only after Stella Abrera is promoted to Principal. It breaks my heart to see all the promotions that leave her behind.

Carolina, I loved reading your review of the performances. I am always thrilled when Veronika Part, Stella Abrera, and Sarah Lane are singled out for their exquisite dancing. In the upcoming Spring Season in New York, the Principal Dancer Veronika Part is finally being given her due of an expanded repertoire and company recognition. Stella Abrera has long deserved promotion to Principal Dancer and an opportunity to dance leading roles in full-length ballets. Sarah Lane has Principal potential and should be given more opportunities as well. So thank you, especially, for focusing on the secondary roles (without which a ballet would not sustain) as well as the leading roles.

Also, I could go on and on about Part, but I will spare you. She is exquisite, passionate, the most eloquent of all the female principal dancers, IMHO. Yes, technically, I hold my breath when she gets to those 32 fouettes, but she's never missed when I've seen her. And 32 fouettes do not a ballet make. I try to go to her every performance and can't wait to see her dance Kitri, which I think is a debut for her. And yes, as mentioned by trieste, she is a breathtaking Myrtha. But that will be in 2014. I am dreaming of a Stella-Veronika Giselle.

I don't think that Stella Abrera has been cast as a principal in anything for the Spring Season, which is a tremendous wrong that needs to be righted. She and Part together are gloriously matched, as they were in both The Bright Stream and the Fall Season Ratmansky premiere. She has long deserved to be made a principal dancer, and, in fact, was slated to make her debut as Giselle a few years ago, when an injury sidelined her for quite some time. But she is back in exquisite form, I would say right up there in eloquence with Part and Vishneva. Now, however, others less deserving have cut the line and she is relegated to senior soloist roles, such as the Lilac Fairy, which make you long to see her as Aurora, which she did dance with Royal Ballet of New Zealand last year. (I think she had one Gamzatti last Spring, but that wasn't nearly enough.) If ABT would give more extensive casting information, you'd be able to see when she's dancing those soloist roles. Thankfully, Ratmansky appreciates her dancing and casts her prominently, but she really deserves a shot at those full-length works. Does anyone know whether we can expect to see David in full form in the Spring? I hope so, because he's definitely a "don't miss."

Angel is true to his name. So generous and forgiving.

Given that there is already a world-renowned company in residence there, did anyone else find this statement a bit surprising? It could just be that it is out of context, and of course it does reflect his long relationship with ABT. But not, perhaps, a terribly politic statement? Yes, aurora, it struck me exactly the same way. And, Kathleen, I agree completely about the Met. Over the years I've sat in every section trying to determine the best seats in the house. To my mind, just about every seat is a compromise in one way or another (too far back in center parterre, part of stage cut off in side parterre, too many heads in orchestra front rows before the raking begins, feet cut off in Orchestra Row A, etc., etc., etc.) Maybe J 101 and others around there are ideal, but there aren't many of those and they're almost impossible to get.

Well said, FauxPas. I hope that upper management is getting the message that Ratmansky is sending. I would add to that list Misty Copeland (Firebird) and Sarah Lane (Nutcracker).

Golden Idol and Faux Pas, Does this not suggest that with some coaching and/or acting lessons, Cory could really step up his game in the acting department? Surely he must know. Surely the artistic staff of ABT must know. Cory is an important member of the company, not simply eye candy, and I think that ABT should make an investment in him. (Sorry to change the subject, but I take every opportunity to get on my soapbox about this: after her performance in Ratmansky's ballet, Stella should definitely get her Giselle as well as a promotion.)

Just to add my two cents' worth....I thought that Cory Stearns, who to my mind is George Clooney-gorgeous and has a beautiful ballet line, but who has disappointed me up to now in the acting department, was magnificent in The Moor's Pavane on Saturday night. Macaulay noted in today's New York Times that Cory seems to be animated in roles with "a streak of malice," which may well be the case, although up close he looks like your very sweet boy-next-door. In Moor, however, his body was infinitely expressive, and I had to force myself to take my eyes off him to watch the others. In a word, I found him riveting. Now, if he could bring that expressive intensity to his more princely roles, he will have almost no peer in the princely department and I won't have to choose between seeing David with a lesser ballerina or Veronika with a bland partner. Veronika already dances with unequaled eloquence; what she needs is a partnership made in heaven.

On the plus side, however, this is the long-awaited Year of Veronika Part.