mimsyb

Well, Cerveris may not dance so much, but he is a wonderfully diverse and gifted actor and singer. His range and depth as a performer stands above so many. There's a reason so many writers, directors and producers want him for their shows. Fairchild can surely dance, his singing is passable, but( in this case) his role was not helped by the slim writing of his character by Craig Lucas. I wonder if there are many roles on Broadway he could be right for in the future. And not many shows are so much about dance as "AIP". I would hope he would return to NYCB and dance for awhile there. A dancer's life can be relatively very short and to not see him on the State Theater stage would be a true loss. There can always be Broadway, perhaps in the future for him.

Too much pantomime? Are you seeing the new "Sleeping Beauty" by any chance? Even more than in "Bayadere". One needs a special dictionary at times.. My favorite is how Aurora is shown to get older. Everyone gets in on the act on this one. Catalabutte, Carabosse, the King, the Queen, Lilac, maybe more. The "stair step" analogy is fun. But I do agree that at times in "Bayadere" we see that promise of true love over the fire pot once too often. I've often wondered what the Trocks would do with that piece of mime! Hahahaha.

So happy about "Fun Home" winning for Best Musical. For the first time in a long while I felt like most of the awards went to all the right people and the right shows. The miraculous Alex Sharp in "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time", Michael Cerveris for "Fun Home", the wondrous Helen Mirren in "The Audience", and of course (finally) for Kelli O'Hara in "King And I". The Tony voters got it right this year. I would have been happier if "On The Town" had won for choreography, as I felt it better represented what "theater dance" is about. "AIP" was more like something one might see on a ballet stage. Lighting and scenery were well deserved, but the show as a whole was a disappointment. It's selling very well, so I suppose it all doesn't matter. Still, "Fun Home" was the better, braver show.

ALINA, ALINA, ALINA!!! Tonight with Cornejo was pure magic. He was simply magnificent, and she, well she was beyond belief. The two together were that rare dance event that one remembers always. And I can't praise the three shades enough. Stephanie Williams, Cassandra Trenary, and especially Skylar Brandt were all in amazing form. Kudos to all. But it really was all about Herman and Alina.

Any new Artistic Director would have to be in concord with the ABT Board, the "man holding the $$ strings" (David Koch), and of course be of esthetic agreement with Ratmansky. And be able to do business with Rachael Moore. It's not just about who gets promoted to Principle and who gets what shows, etc. All these factors alone can narrow the list considerably. We here at BA may not always understand the thinking behind one person's decisions, etc. but so many factors are involved in the 'day to day' running of a company. It can't be an easy job.....for anyone.

Simply one of the best of the best. An unforgettable artist. How fortunate was have been to have had his genius all these years.

I so totally agree!! It was a disaster, an embarrassment.. Now, at least we have a fully rendered production, that may not please some but at the very least it is all of a piece. It is so beautiful to look at. (mostly. I'd still vote to re-imagine those "jingle bell" costumes and those for the "Garland Waltz"). And I'm loving all the comments from those who have such historical knowledge about the scenery, costumes, images, etc. Maybe in the future ABT could include some of this historical content in the program. I think the patrons would welcome it. As for the dancing, it will take a bit of getting used to, but in the end I have to say that most of the company looks fine dancing it. With the right casting, this is a ballet to sink one's teeth into. And I agree that it is a production for ABT. Not something that we have to have imported stars in order to see the work revealed. That alone is a great reason for having this around for a long time. To let our dancers revel in it's intricacies and discoveries. Plus it allows for many dancers to step up and actually dance! Yeah!

Well, I totally agree that our opinions do change with time and being able to digest a production. In thinking about this new "SB" and reading so many opinions, I wanted to throw a few considerations out there for response. First of all, this, most likely will be the "Sleeping Beauty" that will be in the ABT rep. for many years to come. Given it's cost and extravagance, is it the production we had all hoped for? I know many didn't like (loathed even) the Kirkland production, but is this something we can live with and be really proud of? Are the stylistic changes something we can live with for a long time? Can the dancers sustain it? How will it affect their training for other works? Will we ultimately miss the more refined (if that is the right term) versions of the grand pas, for instance, or can we fully accept the bent knee arabesques and the demi pointe chainees. Remember this will be with us a very long time. As a signature work of a major company, is it the best one to represent this ABT? "R&J" has also been around for awhile and has certainly withstood the test of time. Will this "historically correct" version of "S.B." still be appealing in three or four years? More? I ask this for a few reasons, one of which is the example of "Nutcracker" which couldn't be sustained here in NYC (but will live another life in L.A.). Also, and this is my other reason for opening this discussion. Who exactly is this production meant for in the current company, at least? Kent, Herrera, Reyes all gone, although I think Xiomara would have done really well with this Aurora. Part, who is a superlative Aurora, is not really right for this style, is she? OK, she's doing a Lilac, but let's face it, Lilac here is basically a mime role, not suitable for a ballerina. She got no Auroras this time out. Semionova? If she returns. Gillian and Boylston seem to be able to make this their own. Lane, I think is not able to rise to this occasion. Seo? Jury is out on her still. Gomes? He's actually better as Carabosse. Carabosse!!! Cornejo looks unhappy in this role. Gorak was OK. We haven't seen Stearns yet. In a production where almost the entire cast can easily be filled by corps members ( and a few coaches and teachers even),and is currently being done so, for the most part, I have to wonder what sort of vehicle this will be down the road. Will any of the "guest stars" want to learn this style, or is it just as fine to cast the ballet from our own.? I personally can see Skylar Brandt doing Aurora. She dances big and takes command of a stage, and she doesn't seem to be too affected by the "tweeness" of some of the choreography. Trenery also seems to be rising to the occasion. Shevchenko has turned in the best Lilac so far in her overall portrayal. So, there is is. Some stuff to ponder. (as if we didn't have enough on our plates!)

All "landmarks" are not created equal. These performances take time, money, etc. to do or revive. OK, as a vehicle for Julie and/or Gomes (who doesn't need them), and perhaps an opportunity for some to dance in some other roles, it might have a bit of merit. Still, most audiences don't know (or care) that this was a "first" for ABT. Ticket sales were not so wonderful, even for the four performances.

Yes, I would agree in some respect to Alexi. He does, after all, have not only the dancer's regard, he also has the complete confidence and backing of David Koch, who by his own admission is" the money bags in this company". I would hate , however, if Ad-ing meant that Ratmansky would no longer do the amount of choreography he now does. Especially at NYCB, where he still does some of his best stuff. Running a company(with all it's inherent headaches) tends to diminish one's creative juices.

Not sure if this is the correct place for this topic. If anyone is wondering why NYCB dancers are performing so well right now, you only have to turn to the SAB Workshop Performance, which I saw this afternoon. This particular group of dancers was astonishingly good and if even only a few of them make it into the company, things will be looking ever brighter for years to come. I attended sort of as a palate refresher after seeing the ABT "SB" opening night, but was unprepared for the level and depth of the talent today. It began with 32 of the most delicious little ones dancing in a Harlequinade excerpt. On an unadorned stage with delightful costumes, these young dancers shone like small gems. The feet and legs, the arms and placement and especially the quality of the schooling which was evident everywhere was truly a delight. While a bit younger than the kids in ABT's"SB", these little ones clearly showed what the future has in store for all of us. I especially was impressed with one Avery Lin, who has to be no more than seven or eight. Wow! Remember that name. Next up was a pas from"," William Tell", Bournonville style. Danced with sheer delight and clean batterie by Alston Macgill and Christopher Grant. They looked as if they may have benefited from the recent coaching for the "La Sylphide" across the Plaza. Then came the Grand Pas from "Sleeping Beauty" (as we remember it). Cleanly executed by one Clara Ruf-Maldonaldo and Dammiel Cruz, this was Petipa done as we know it can still be danced. Ms. Ruf-Maldonado channeled her best Meryl Park here and was so genuinely gifted as Aurora, you wanted to walk her across the Plaza to the Met stage and say, "here, dance"! Every fish dive was there, every nuance of port de bra. Every aspect of the role. Just wonderful. I can barely describe the next ballet, "Valse Fantaisie" Coached by the extraordinary Suki Schorer, this is why I go to see dance! Dance as we dance it NOW, TODAY! The speed and clarity was astonishing, breath taking in it's scope and urgency. Emma Von Enck and Ethan Fuller were more than glorious. Please give them both a contract immediately! "Stars and Stripes" (Thunder and Gladiator) showed the depth and strength of the men here and several were outstanding. The second Act was given over to "Fanfare" and the entire cast glittered and shone like cut crystals. The humor of Robbins choreography was well enunciated and everyone danced beyond miraculous! Yet again I am reminded that there is no choreographer to match Balanchine and today's performance proved that he is so alive and well at SAB. Thanks to all who participated for this amazing performance. My palate is cleansed!

Angel is still, so far, unproven. Damian, while showing much expertise and smarts with his Festival has no history with ABT. I think he would be a better fit at NYCB should MArtins ever retire. I would give a nod to Helgi Thomasson. While he is sort of Balanchine oriented, he has a good sensibility about both the classics and the newer modern choreographers. He's done a wonderful job at SFB. He's also very involved with the school at SFB, which I think is key. (as is Martins at SAB). JKO seems not to have that same connection and it's current teaching standards are not all that wonderful. And getting Helgi away from SFO would be near impossible. Why would he want to be in this Lion's Den when he can be in the City By The Bay?

I just have to add this one point. THE BED! Oi! It looks like the prop department went out to a Sleepys and ordered the "biggest 'perfect sleeper' you got"! Totally unadorned, except for that rather large bird hanging above it. Is this supposed to represent our own worst nightmare? Can't the set dressers at least put a few frills around it? Poor Aurora looks like she just stopped in at her local mattress store to test one out! I'm just sayin'

This is hard to add on to. Some of the comments I agree totally. Overall, the costumes and sets are quite lovely. Some are over done, for sure, and those headpieces on some are beyond the pale. I want to watch the dancing, not the head gear! Agree about the Queen and her Marge Simpson/Elsa Lancaster wig. Again, I want to see the elegance of the character, not be reminded of someone else in some other role, etc. I did not like the Garland Waltz costumes at all. Again with that hideous green/yellow fabric. It's as if they had lots left over from the previous production and just decided to go with it. Also, they clashed with all the other dancer's costumes. Talk about lack of harmony. This could be said about the "jingle bell" costumes for the attendants for the Rose Adagio.(oh, those tiny suzuki violins so twee!) So distracting. I'm trying hard enough to concentrate on this newer look to the choreography only to have these little elf types intrude. Back to the Garland Waltz for just a moment. Do we really need ALL THOSE PEOPLE in it? What may have looked great on the old Mariinsky stage eons ago just looks over populated and cramped here. So much fussy garland work and far too much repetitive choreography. My standard is still Balanchine's. Clean, charming, danceable. As for the Rose Adagio itself, this will take getting used to. The men (again in flamboyant costumes) overwhelm poor Aurora. With this newer, lower, bent knee choreography the dancers tend to look diminutive at times. Less grand. "Fusty" almost. This can work for some, not well for others. At the Dress Rehearsal in the afternoon, poor Sarah Lane just looked lost and out of sorts.. She doesn't dance in a grand fashion to begin with, so here she looks like a lost child. Admittedly, it was a rehearsal, but I saw little to recommend her for a Principle position. She just doesn't command a stage. So many others in this production (and elsewhere) are far more interesting to watch. Skylar Brandt, Cassandra Trenery, Shevchenko to name just a few. All did stellar work. Gillian was well served by the choreography, I felt. She has obviously worked at this and she came across (mostly) in a new and beautiful way. She continues to grow as an artist and this production just adds to her finishing school! Gomes was an ardent and excellent partner in a somewhat less than wonderful role. Oh yes, he had his grand "Washington Crossing the Delaware" moment in the boat during the Vision Scene, but his bright red costume made him look more like a British Red Coat than (I think) a French noble. Dark blue was the color of the French. I guess I've always thought this ballet was set in France. As for the Vision Scene itself, it lacked breadth and scope. Seemed cramped and tight. I never felt as it Aurora was weaving in and out of the Prince's sight. (and imagination). It needs to open out more and allow the dancers to move a bit. The role of the Lilac Fairy is a strange departure for us. She gets her moment in the Christening Scene, but then the next we see of her she's in a long, unbecoming "prom dress" with low heels. It's a mime role from here on in and as beautiful as Stella was, she comes across as more of a Major Domo than a Fairy. That stick she carries! And let's talk just a moment about all those blonde wigs on the women. When they are on the Fairies, they look like they are straight out of the "Hollywood Blondes" section of a third rate production of "Gypsy". (they also looked ill fitting, as if just plopped on the head without thought to the particular dancer's face) On both Stella and especially on Gillian they make both women's faces look harsh and lined. Old! Where once Gillian in her radiant red hair looked fresh and glowing, in the blonde wig for the last act she looked used up and ancient. I guess all those years asleep did nothing for the term "beauty rest". I was reminded of the time I first went to the Soviet Union (back in the evil 60s!). Many of the women then had these horrific "do it yourself" dye jobs on their hair. I think the Russians take to this platinum look, but here it's so distracting. Many of the costumes worked fine (longer skirts, etc.), but on some the line of the legs and especially the feet are not seen. I saw more than a few of the women confused as to when do they put the foot in the lower coupe' position and when do they go into a full passe'? I'm thinking much of this will work itself out in time. I too took a bit of offense to the stereotypical Chinese look, but hey, it's just a ballet. And who knew that both Cinderella and her Prince were African American? Nifty! Florine and the Blue Bird were enchanting. I loved the cats and "Little Red" and her Wolf. Not so much the "Hop o' my Thumb" kids. By that time I was done with variations. Too cutesy, too late in the evening. The costumes for the courtiers were almost as bad (and un danceable) as the previous ones. The men here looked like Roman soldiers in white table cloth skirts. Yes, the guys wore skirts AND they were embroidered!. The women had fringed mortar board hats on their heads. Not so attractive. There is much, much more I've missed here. All in all, a happy night (sort of). After, the shock of the dress rehearsal from the afternoon, things pulled together. I'm convinced the success of this ballet may hinge on who is cast and who dances on any given night. I totally understand why Paloma pulled out of dancing this production for her "farewell". It would not have suited her dance style, nor her personality. Smart woman! As for Osipova (please get well!), I can't imagine her doing this version of "S.B.". Unless of course she did Carabosse! Craig, BTW, was very good in the role and gets my nod for a man dancing this role as opposed to a woman. Not sure I need her back at the finale, but I guess in the vein of forgiveness it works. As an aside, at the reception following the performance, there were many accolades and "thank yous", of course. David Koch spoke and was gracious in his appreciation of Ratmansky. He said he hoped this was the beginning of seeing many more "Russian" ballets at ABT. WELL! Can "Pavilion d' Armide" be far behind??? Go and see this ballet and make your own conclusions. My guess is it will be split into two camps. As for me, I'm pretty sure Ashton is rolling in his grave and just "dying" to come out and show us how it's all done.

If she was injured, I would have brought the curtain down immediately. Rather than risk further injury. I know "the show must go on", but in this case it really doesn't need to. It was almost at the end and it might have been better not to keep going. Let's hope the injury is not serious and she will be back soon.

And perhaps just a bit small. I hate to say this on such a terrible night for Ms. Osipova, but they seemed mis-matched most of the evening. She seemed to over power him much of the time, and he was simply too diminutive when next to her. Her acting tends also to be large and enunciated; his is very understated. I often felt she was doing her ballet and he was doing his. His beats and elevation were better in Act II than in the first act. But I almost giggled when he first came on in Act II with his lilies. The bouquet was almost as big as he was. Couldn't ABT props have found a smaller bunch of lilies somewhere? I like McRae as a dancer; just not so much with Osipova. This is terrible to say, but there were moments tonight when I thought he resembled the cartoon character, "The Whimpy Kid". For me the most realistic (and therefore believable) people on stage tonight were Roman Zhurbin as Hilarion, and Marion Butler as Giselle's mother. Both had absolute naturalistic qualities with their acting and character portrayal. Not since Isaac Stapaas have I seen a Hilarion so terrified by those Wilis! Part was especially icy tonight, and I was very impressed with both Katherine Williams and Zhong-Jing Fang as Moyna and Zulma respectively. Up until tonight's tragedy, the best and most impressive aspects of the performance were to be found in the corps and secondary characters.

And Nina also rotates while hopping.

Yes, a very nasty fall. She looked to be in shock. Hope it's not as bad as it looked. Kudos to Ms. Osipova and to all who covered and completed the ballet.

Boos? Really? Despite the circumstances of Reyes' farewell, I don't think boos are appropriate. It's her night. Leave the animosity outside.

Sadly, I could not attend this one. Any photos of the "farewell bows"?

Oh gosh. The name alone makes it sound like a place to go to get in touch with your own "Saturday Night Fever". Perfect for his "over the top" ballets.

I'm pretty sure I counted 38!! What a marvel! I simply cannot speak about the whole performance, other than to say it was so filled with emotion and memories. Paloma is an artist of such uniqueness that it's difficult for me right now to process that she won't be on the stage with ABT any longer. It was an extraordinary performance by an extraordinary dancer. I think everyone on stage with her today felt likewise. And to see her on the stage afterwards with so many others,past and present was truly a moving moment. I'm hopeful it was the finale she wished for and that she can exit the stage with such pride and fulfillment. Thank you, Miss Herrera for everything you have given us over the years. Brava!

I also saw this production when it came to L.A. I agree about Gillian. She was wonderful in the role. A different take on the ballet overall, perhaps, but she was stellar.

Yes, a few bumps here and there, but overall a very emotional and satisfying evening. She still managed to convey the pure love and sheer betrayal of a young girl. And then in Act II was more ethereal than many. She seemed at times to slip in and out of Albrecht's arms, truly as the spirit she was. Both Bolle and Kent were splendid last night. He gave her all the support she needed without overpowering her. The fact that they've danced this together so many times did not diminish their sense of "in the moment " freshness. Clearly, a very emotional evening for many . Even Gillian seemed to be fighting back tears during the curtain call. And of course, both Kent and Bolle seemed overwhelmed by night's end. So glad to have seen this one!

Both patrons and (for the most part) dancers looked as if they didn't know how to get dressed! So many ill fitting gowns. For all that money, few looked elegant or comfortable. Misty's dress looked like she had a pink cervical collar around her neck. I have never known Rachel Moore to look good in a gown,,,,any gown! This one was a mess. Martine Van Hamel looked wonderful and she wasn't even named! Shame. I guess for pure flash, both Max and Irina were fine. Mostly the men stood out as the best dressers in this group. Loved Gomes and Angel. And even Whiteside at least looked festive! And also Vishneva looked like a finished product . But this was a long, long way from any Red Carpet I've seen.