Ambonnay

I attended the second evening of the above event. American Ballet Theatre: The Art of Adaptation Oct 12, 2009 Guggenheim Museum Panelists for Various Discussions: Wes Chapman, ABT II artistic director Raymond Lukens, Artistic Associate, ABT/NYU Masters Program Franco Devita, Principal, Jacuqeline Kennedy Onassis School Jamie Whitehall, ABT director of production Susan Jones, ABT Ballet Mistress Performers included: From ABT: Y Kajiya, C Lopez and J Matthews (soloists) ABT II: April Giangeruso, Brian Waldrep Various dancers from Jacky O school (they seemed like relatively junior dancers) A. Historical Perspective and Bouronville Technique Demonstration Lukens and Devita discussed various techniques used when a piece normally prepared to a large scale stage has to be adapted for use in a smaller venue. Samples were provided how a diagonal and a circular set of movements on a larger stage can be adapted to a small stage. The Jackie O students demonstrated various techniques individually described by Devita, and then there was a slightly longer piece involving all the dancers. The steps were less advanced than what one would expect from, say, ABT II. Bouronville was discussed because he was considered a person who effectively adapted pieces to smaller stages. B. Swan Lake, Act II, Pas de Deux By ABT II dancers Then, Jamie Whitehall, ABT director of production, interacted with Chapman to discuss production in different venues. He used an effective set of photos shown on a large screen on the stage. One of the most engaging portions of the discussion was from Whitehall. He discussed how (1) the Kennedy Center is a sort of second home to the ABT, and how adjustments were made to Romeo & Juliet when produced there (he also discussed differences between the Metropolitan Opera and the Kennedy Center), (2) how the entire scenery, props and stage visual effects were developed from start to finish for Sleeping Beauty (mostly, the castle backdrop), (3) how Tokyo and the London Colliseum are smaller venues that involved changes to the Swan Lake backderop, and (4) how, at one Athens outdoor venue some time ago, rain once soaked all the costumes of the dancers and they had to try and dry them with tissues and hairdryers. Very interesting. C. Excerpt from "One of Three" By Jared Matthews Matthews was the soloist who started the second portion of the "One of Three" work on Wednesday when I saw it. This is the second of three pieces, with two danseurs (including Matthews) and one ballerina (Misty Copeland). Only the Jared portion of the beginning of this second portion was shown. Susan Jones provided this portion of the discussion. Sometimes ABT II is used as a trial effort, or source of thinking, for potential new ABT choreographers. Kevin M saw "Barbara" by A Barton created for ABT II, and Kevin then decided to commission from Azure the work that became "One of Three". The discussion confirmed that Bard was effectively used as a preparatory venue for Avery Fisher for this fall's performances. Avery Fisher had a lot of logistical difficulties -- includng a stepped walk from one side of the stage backstage to another. During one of the "Everything Doesn't Happen at Once" rehearsals, corps member Mary Thomas got a bit lost and missed her intended entrance. D. Excerpt from "Seven Sonatas" Performed by Kajiya and Lopez They danced quite well. Lopez conveyed a younger look than Saveliev did as part of the first team in the second of the pas de deux's in "Seven Sonatas". This is a replication nof the Saveliev/Abrera pas de deux I saw on Wednesday. Kajiya performed the Abrera role with more of a fragile feel, and slightly less fluidity than Abrera (at least to me). Kajiya danced with a sort of slightly pained/trying-too-hard facial expression much of the time. I preferred the Saveliev/Abrera version, but Kajiya and Lopez danced well. The program lasted about 90 minutes. This event was a bargain at $30 for an undiscounted adult ticket. After the event, there was a short reception with a small amount of wine in plastic cups available for sampling, and some cookies and chips.

Last season's Stallings, even though generally dubbed a dud, was very good in my mind, at least when danced by the first team that included Hallberg. I loved it. I hope to see it again, although that seems unlikely given its reception.

I wonder how much new choreography costs relative to the acquisition of access rights to pre-existing choreography, given that the Company has asked dancers to take certain concessions on benefits in the past. Also, I wonder if Ratmansky's residency means that the marginal costs of getting choreography from him in the medium run are lower, because he is paid a fixed amount that is his primary compensation (?)? I agree that the Fall seasons has opportunities in terms of exploring what ABT's role is in maintaining and advancing the art. Also, given that the more senior principals seem not to be interested in participating in the Fall and stating the obvious, the Fall gives some opportunities for the corps, soloists and the more junior principals (not that some junior principals are not already prominently featured at the Met).

dirac's daily links include two more reviews of ABT's opening night, both also stating a preference for Ratmansky's choreography: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/fc8dbc70-b42c-11...144feab49a.html "After Ratmansky, the evening barrels downhill. Choreographer Aszure Barton, whom Baryshnikov has long championed, adores eccentricity but can only imagine it in libidinal terms.... [Millepied's] Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once looks clueless – and makes me feel that way. Is it a tone poem or a drama? Are the dancers characters or figures in a moving landscape? I couldn’t tell." http://www.danceviewtimes.com/2009/10/fall-gala.html "A straightforward title for a straightforward piece; it [seven Sonatas] was by far the most accomplished and polished of the new pieces.... Aszure Barton's "One of Three" ... was a forgettably jokey piece, though used the music as a background rather than a springboard.... It was basically choreography as doodling, with no development, purpose, or real interest, other than enjoying the fine dancers prance around.... Benjamin Millepied's "Everything Doesn't Happen at Once" was the most ambitious and the most opaque, beginning with its irritatingly vague title.... Beneath the glib and slick surface, there is a truly vulgar depth to his choreography, which seems to exist only for applause.... it was painful to see a dancer as rich and talented as he [simkin] is used as a party trick." Thank goodness the professional reviewers so far have seen through the superficiality of Millepied's choreography and evaluated it as it ought to be.

I'm glad the NYT article showed appreciation for Ratmansky's more "high brow" (in the sense of subtle, less gimmicky and less obvious) approach over the two other choreos, and lauded his piece. What I think the NYT article did not do is to differentiate between the quality of Millepied's piece, which, even though paling in quality against Ratmansky's piece, was still noticeably better than the worse piece of the three from Barton. In providing less-than-favorable assessments of the choreography of Millepied and Barton, the article does not distinguish between the two very much. But maybe the point is that Ratmansky's work is so far superior to the other two, that the level of the other two relative to each other was not important. "The main draw was three new ballets by the choreographers Aszure Barton, Benjamin Millepied and Alexei Ratmansky. Clearly Mr. Ratmansky, the company’s artist in residence, had the upper hand in his spellbinding “Seven Sonatas".... But for all its attitude and power, “Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once” rarely rises beyond proficient. If the Avery Fisher Hall experiment reveals anything, it’s that a choreographic point of view matters more than ever; “Seven Sonatas” could have been shown in a parking garage, and it still would have made you gasp." I assume all three choreos knew their new pieces would be presented relative to the other two's new pieces this fall. In such an environment, it must have crossed their minds that they would be evaluated relative to the other two. If I were Ratmansky, I would not have worried so much, but I find it interesting how Barton and Millepied might have viewed having their works presented next to Ratmansky's.

Am I correct in perceiving some cast changes for "Some Assembly Required", on the current ABT Calendar? Boylston and Stappas are no longer paired, and all performances of "Some Assembly Required" remaining are being danced by Riccetto/Matthews, with the exception of one Nicole Graniero/Stappas. I think N. Graniero's naming to this cast is a recent development. This is a good opportunity for Nicole, who, according to the ABT website, "joined the Studio Company in 2004 and the main company as an apprentice in 2006."

I don't want to be critical of Veronica Part when I feel ambivalent about why I don't like her dancing (her dancing or her larger-framed body type and lack of lightness, not that this piece demanded lightness). But didn't Part look more like a diva melodramatically "preening" and "overacting" a fake anguish, than a swan suffering a fragile, vulnerable and dignified death (not that I know what Dying Swan is intended to invoke, but I assume it's not intended to invoke images of a self-conscious movie star dying)? I found Part's performance artificial and lacking in subtlety. She seems to try too hard to please, to exaggerate some aspects of the emotions she was trying to convey so that all subtlety was lost. I would have a similar complaint (trying too hard to please; going for the obvious and the exaggerated) against the choreography of A Barton's work, definitely, and, to a lesser, but still meaningful extent, Millepied's work. Against these two choreographers, Ratmansky seems even more accomplished because his works don't make it seem like he is trying so very hard that he oversteps the boundary between something artistic and something obvious and crowd-pleasing and deliberately so (sort of like high-brow things versus low-brow things, with low-brow in this context meaning more obviously likely to please the crowds, but lacking in shading and gradations). Ratmansky is trying less to appeal in obvious ways.

Some aspects of Millepied's choreography: (1) The Gomes/Boylston pas de deux involved, at some points, the two dancers stretching out their palms, and putting them together in modern-looking ways. (2) After a group introductory segment, it is Maria Ricccetto with two danseurs for a little while. Initially, they lift her in a slanted position off the ground while she is positioning herself in different ways in a nice looking and modern looking manner (e.g., pretending to "walk" in the air slowly, by moving her legs in a stretched way above the ground). (3) The first group piece begins with all the dancers in this piece lined up along the three "edges" of the large rectangular area that has been taped down in white, at regular intervals. The only "edge" of the rectangle (if one looks at the stage as being a larger rectangle) is the edge closest to the audience. Then, Blaine Hoven leads a small group that was standing on the side opposite the audience and that includes Boylston, but may have excluded Gomes, through the first steps by moving forward towards the audience. The rest of the dancers, positioned on the left and right sides of the rectangle that is formed by the large white taped down area are initially not moving. They are the so-called "pillars", made of human beings, that Millepied talked about in the NYT article from a few days ago. He had to deal with exits and entrances in Avery Fisher and that is part of how he dealt with that. (4) At one point, in the second half of the work, Millepied has dancers in large numbers almost "marching" (almost; it is walking, with a distinct tempo) along certain edges of the white taped down portion of the stage. This, while a smaller number of dancers are performing other steps. At one point, there are two "groups" of such "marching" dancers moving in different directions.

As noted, the Millepied piece intended to make the most of the lighting. The white material taped to a large portion of the stage highlighted the lighting effects. To me, the lighting effects were a little too obvious. For example, with respect to the Gomes/Boylston pas de deux, at one point, the lighting jumps dramatically to only a portion of the large white material being lit, with the remainder of the original white rectangle being cast in shadow. Then, to an even smaller rectangle being lit. At one point, Gomes or Bolyston might be standing close to the periphery of the area that is lit. As another example, there is speckled lighting (not dots, but a large expanse of modern-looking, combined black and white patterns in the light) used at one of the points when there are a lot of dancers moving across the stage. The lighting augments the feeling of dynamism and kinetic energy conveyed during the scene. I would say the lighting was certainly obvious in the piece. But to me it was a "hit you in the face" type of approach to lighting. The costumes in Millepied's piece were quite nice-looking. The men's costumes revealed their chests, as they consisted of modern-looking black vests that swung around a bit, with no shirt underneath. Instead of a "V" shaped made by the neckline in front or a straight edge there, there was a straight edge and then, halfway down the best, another straight edge to the vest, but much further "in". Maybe somebody else can describe this better? Gomes was the only danseur that did not seem to feel the need to achieve a closely shaved effect. The revealing vests also showed that, continuing a trend that already had begun earlier this season at the Met, Blaine Hoven's physique has bulked up for the worse. He has lost some beauty of his line, and he seems like the most "gym-bulked-up" danseur out there. Also, Hoven's current hairstyle and hair color are not flattering. Hoven and, more than him, Simkin have more significant roles (after Gomes of course) relative to the other danseurs.

Thank you for your review, Ambonnay. I'm confused about the above quoted statement, though. The Dying Swan has nothing to do with Odette. It's not a part of Swan Lake. Or are you comparing Odette in Swan Lake with the unnamed swan in The Dying Swan? Even though my knowledge of ballet is very limited and I am still trying to learn so many things, I did know that Dying Swan is different from Swan Lake. But I appreciate your clarification, because there many things like that that I probably would not know at all. Are the Dying Swan sentiment and style supposed to be like those of Odette "before she dies" in Swan Lake? I was assuming so, but maybe the Dying Swan is supposed to engender a different type of feeling. I'm going to study the background to Dying Swan and see what emotions are supposed to be conveyed. Part's performances raise some disturbing issues for me, in terms of how our society looks at women in general and at ballerinas in particular. I wonder if I was implicitly penalizing Part's performance because her body was not as light and small as some other ballerinas. If I was, it's hard to disentangle the effects of Part's body type and look from the way she dances. I've seen Part in various other performances, and this is not the first time I have thought about this issue relating to Part. How much of what I dislike about her performances is due to her not being able to move the same way that a smaller-framed, lighter ballerina would? I'm a woman and I feel very akward about this possibility.

ABT, Opening Night at Avery Fisher October 7, 2009 I had a fairly good time tonight at Avery Fisher. I don't think I understand contemporary choreography (although I have a lot to learn about choreography in classical works as well). Welcome speech by Iman and Veronica Webb "Seven Sonatas" Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky Music by Domenico Scarlatti (seven "Keyboard Sonatas": K.30, 39, 198, 450, 474, 481 and 547) Costumes by Holly Hynes Lighting by Bras Fields Piano: Barbara Bilach The progression, in terms of who danced which portion of the piece, was roughly as follows: -- Group of all six dancers in this work: *Hallberg* dancing mostly with Abrera; other four were paired -- Cornejo -- Some jumps -- Reyes -- Kent -- Hallberg -- A slightly modern/tai-chi-with-moderation-and-smoothness connotation to some of his arm movements -- Cornejo/Reyes -- She is quite "cutsy" in this piece -- Saveliev/Abrera -- Several interesting lifts; feeling is romantic -- Hallberg, followed by Hallberg/Kent -- Some portions of this had a slightly playful connotation (e.g., at one point when one of them points at the other before jumping into the other's arms) -- Three pas de trois -- Hallberg/Kent/Reyes; Cornejo/Abrera/Reyes; and then the three danseurs in a short pas de trois. In the danseurs' pas de trois, all three initially seemed to react to something imaginary they "see" on the right hand side of the stage -- Group of six -- Miscellaneous. At one point, all dancers except Hallberg are moving, and Hallberg is stationary. Then, Hallberg moves and some of the dancers follow him a bit. I liked this the best of the three NY premiere works presented tonight. I'm not sure that the different portions of the work were particularly well-connected to one another, in the sense of a progression or a series of integrating characteristics. While I enjoyed the dancing in this work (particularly Hallberg and Abrera), I was not wowed by Ratmansky's choreography. His choreography was fine, particularly within each segment in this work, but not compelling in terms of an articulation of something through the work as a whole. Hallberg danced beautifully, as did Abrera. Abrera's long thin arms and graceful leg movements were well showcased by this work, which utilized all six dancers relatively evenly (although Hallberg and Kent did seem like the lead pair). Kent seemed like her usual self before she took her recent time off. Saveliev was lighter in his movement than various other occasions I have seen him. The white costumes were quite beautiful, including Hallberg's costume (which had a little portion of pale greyish material in front, adorning the area beneath the neckline of the blouse). Intermission #1 "One of Three" Choreography by Aszure Barton Music by Maurice Ravel ("Violin Sonata in G") Costume by Yannik Larivee Lighting by Brad Fields Violin: Ronald Oakland Piano: David LaMarche Misty Copeland Grant DeLong Paloma Herrera Carlos Lopez Jared Matthews *Gillian Murphy* Patrick Ogle Joseph Phillips Arron Scott *Cory Stearns* *Eric Tamm* The three portions of this work were in the following sequence: Gillian +Cory + five other danseurs Misty + two danseurs Paloma + Cory +7 other danseurs This work was quite disappointing for me, in terms of the choreography. The first portion of the three portions of the work seemed to have no connection to what was to follow, except for the danseurs in their suits with a white shirt and no tie. Cory is featured quite a bit in this work, and he danced well, executing the same steps in some cases as the other danseurs, but with flair. The work begins with Cory solo, then Gillian joins him. Veronica Part in "Dying Swan" I've never appreciated Part's dancing, so I am not the best person to comment on her performance. She did receive quite a bit of applause from the audience, however. For me, Part's body movements did not convey the fragility and vulnerability of Odette in "Dying Swan". Just speaking for me, her dancing seems too pretentious and deliberate for my liking. Intermission #2 -- During this intermission there are lot of crewmen on the stage rolling out large pieces of white paper onto the stage, and taping them down to form a large expanse of white, covering most of the stage. Also, like before Ratmansky's work, there were a lot of dansers warming up on the stage. Some of them have workout clothing on top of their costumes for the piece, like Gomes' hooded black tracksuit top or Boylston's red legwarmers. There must not be much space to warm up behind the scenes. Before the Ratmansky work earlier on, Hallberg was practicing a good number of steps on stage. Some of the other dancers in the piece were also on stage, warming up. "Everything Doesn't Happen at Once" Choreography by Benjmain Millepied Music by David Lang Costumes by Karen Young Lighting by Brad Fields Larger group of musicians involved, on violin, cello, piccolo, clarinet, piano and percussion Isabella Boylston/Marcelo Gomes Kristi Boone Gemma Bond *Maria Riccetto* Simone Messmer Leann Underwood Marian Butler Melissa Thomas Nicole Graniero Christine Shevchenko Jennifer Whalen Katherine Williams *Blaine Hoven* *Daniil Simkin* Roman Zhurbin Alexandre Hammoudi Thomas Forster Sean Stewart Isaac Stappas Mikhail Ilyin Alexi Agoudine Gray Davis

Hallberg and the three choreos discuss certain aspects of Avery Fisher, in a NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/arts/dance/04laro.html Excerpt from the above linked article: "There is also the question of entrances and exits. Mr. Millepied, who is using the largest number of dancers (24), is having them stay onstage as human pillars who, when not dancing, frame the action..... David Hallberg, who is performing with his fellow principal Julie Kent in Mr. Ratmansky’s ballet, discussed the importance of reaching the audience without being showy. This is crucial in a theater like Avery Fisher, where the stage is small and the house deep: the performers want to reach audience members who are far away without laying it on too thick for those up front."

Additional review of the Bard pieces: http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index...t_american.html Excerpt from above linked review: "Millepied is the victim of his grandiose ambitions in "Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once." Although the audience cheers at the sight of so many dancers meshing and reforming in tight quarters, while David Lang’s score clangs in the background, the piece is an applause machine with its parts crudely hammered together."

DeborahB: I'm sorry, but, so I understand, how would you know that, assuming you are not Millepied and he has not communicated this particular point to you? Also, I wouldn't agree with you that "[e]ach and every dancer ... at ABT" deserves to have a "major role created for them". Assuming you mean a major role created by a choreographer who is at least a little known in such capacity.

The Suzanne Farrell example is interesting -- of course she has achieved a lot, and part of that may have been due to the opportunities she got. And the audience has benefited from her growth as a result of those opportunities. However, who is to say that, had Farrell not gotten the roles she had, some other ballerina who did not actually get an opportunity would not have developed and done something wonderful (and distinctive) as well? It is sad, but generally intrinsic to the current organization of ballet companies, that opportunities are limited for everybody, particularly for members of the corps de ballet. It is also sad that dancers have a limited timeframe to try and achieve things.

DeborahB: To be clear, what I meant by making the observation that Boylston and Gomes are the first team is to indicate that I don't understand what weight your prior indication that there is an alternate team should be accorded. Obviously, it's desirable to be on any team of a work like this. And it is obviously better to be on the first team than to have the same role on the second team, all other things being equal. Also to be clear, I'm not saying Bolyston is necessarily not deserving. Just observing that I personally find it difficult to believe, as cynical as I am, that her being Millepied's girlfriend is IRRELEVANT (ie has no relevance, not even a de minimis one) to her choice as first team ballerina. It should be noted that Bolyston might (?) not be the only one who is deserving. Nor is she necessarily the most deserving, however qualitative and subjective that assesment may be.

DeborahB: I wasn't saying I Bolyston isn't talented (I really haven't decided that, for myself). I was just saying that the cynic in me would think that her status as B Millepied's girlfriend was probably not irrelevant. How she got her role in his ABT work and whether she is talented aren't necessarily connected. I'm aware there is another cast for the work, but, when your danseur is Gomes, and the other pair is Abrera/Stearns, you kind of know you are the "first team" pair for the work. Also, when you perform the work six times, as compared to the alternate team's three times, when combining Bart and Avery Fisher performances, you are doing pretty well. When there are two teams, it's obvious which is the "first team". Just take the Ramantsky work. Do you think the "first team" has Hee Seo/J Mathews leading it, or Julie Kent/David Hallberg?

DeCoster -- I didn't know until I read your post that Boylston is dating Millepied. I don't like to sound cynical, but I can't believe that that had nothing to do with the lead pair in Millepied's new work being Bolyston and Gomes. Especially when a principal like M Wiles, who normally participated in prior years' City Center performances, has no stated role in the Avery Fisher programs this year.

The same picture is on the table of conents page of the October/November 2009 "Pointe" magazine. Furthermore, Hee Seo solo is on the cover of the Pointe magazine, in a radiant photo and with the caption "A Prima is Born. ABT's Radiant Seo". Some aspects of the article in the magazine: -- Kevin McKenzie says: "Beyond her ballet-friendly physique, she has a point of view and sensitivity that leads her towards roles like La Sylphide and Juliet." -- The article companies Seo to a young Natalia Makarova, because of the "plasticity of her body", with "all movement emanating from a supple spine and technique that spellbinds with its combination of tensile strength, lightness and fluidity". The article says Seo "has a dramatic quality that radiates from her soul." -- She says John Meehan, the then director of ABT II, "was like a dad to me". -- In 2008, she had "sharp pains in her back (doctors never delivered a definitive diagnosis)". -- Seo says of C Stearns: "If you really understand and know him, you have to love him". -- The article says: "Seo speculates that some of her ability to inhabit dramatic roles stems from her own experience. 'Because I left home when I was so young, I never could be childish. I had to be an adult. I had to grow up.'" Accompanying the Seo article is a half-page piece on Cory Stearns, subtitled "The Other Side of the Partnership". Stearns is quoted as saying, in the general context of their collaboration on Romeo & Juliet: "Hee and I have a natural chemistry. What I love about her is how she feels the role; she doesn't overthink it. I'm trying to adapt right along with her, to be a 16-year-old Italian boy."

Timeout NY has an article on Simone M: http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/dance/...rink-of-stardom I am just quoting from the article. I don't agree it's "remarkable" she hasn't yet been promoted. "Remarkably, Messmer, who joined the company in 2003, is still a member of the corps de ballet... Q: I don’t want to put you on the spot, but I can’t believe you haven’t been promoted yet. What is that like for you? A: It’s difficult. Totally. I don’t think I was ready, say, two years ago. Mentally I was not in a place where I should have been promoted. I think I probably would have done fine, but I don’t think that I would be where I am now as a dancer. Whether I’m promoted or not, I feel I’m ready and that’s all that I can do. But, yeah, I want to be promoted. Absolutely. And I’ve made that no secret. I don’t make the decisions and that is not something that I can control. I don’t run the company and I’m not behind the desk. I can only hope that they value my commitment, and I guess time will tell."

The Fall 2009 ABT "On Point" leaflet contains some observations from the three choreos about their respective premiere works for the ABT fall season and the impact of the Avery Fisher venue. Not sure if this has been described before, but just in case it has not been... Ratmansky: "I envision the ballet as a chamber piece for four to six dancers. When considering music for a ballet, something must click. I was inspired to use the music of Domenico Scarlatti from a favorite recording of several of the composer's sonatas by Vladimir Horowitz. The simple stage setting -- no stage curtain -- will affect the ballet, but I hope for the better. On the other hand, there may be less theatrical 'magic' without sets; on the other hand, the relationship between the music, choreography, dancers, and audience is direct and more immediate. Holly Hynes, with whom I've previously worked, will design the costumes for the ballet." Millepied: "Avery Fisher's particular stage dimensions will definitely affect the construction of the ballet. The work is planned for 24 dancers; I imagine their movement on stage in architectural terms. Similarly, the costumes by Karen Young will be modern in sensibility, and will have a graphic, architectural quality. Lighting will define the dance sapce [brad Fields is creating the lighting design for the three premieres]. [Foregoing brackets in original]. The three pieces by David Lang -- Stick Figure, Short Fall, and Cheating, Lying, Stealing -- will be played live by a small group of musicians. I heard Lang's music for the first time in 2006 at performances of a dance work by Edouard Lock at the Paris Opera. Since then, I have been listening to his music, hoping to use it in a ballet. I am a bit fan." A Barton: "I have worked in many different environments, including my own site-specific installtions. Avery Fisher's stage -- narrow at back, wider down front -- is a piece of the puzzle. It will be good to think of the ballet in less symmetrical terms, and working on that stage as with other aspects of the project -- dancers, the Company -- will all be new. Everything will factor in. I have chosen 11 dancers because I feel the physical setting for the piece will necessarily be a little irregular. Their roles are all equal. The violinist and pianist who perform the Ravel are also a part of the scene. I love the idea of having them on stage. Costumes for this piece are by Yannick Larivee, a stage designed based in Toronto and a incredibly gifted artist." The leaflet includes a beautiful cover shot with Hee Seo and Marcelo Gomes in James Kudelka's Desir. The shot shows Gomes lifting Seo, who has her toes beautifully pointed. They are both clad in shades of evocative purple, and, to a lesser extent, burgundy, and the lighting is appropriate. There are various promo articles, including a piece on Part's promotion to principal, and a sweet picture from the Nina A farwell.

I of course don't know the reasons, but here are one possibility: Switching to Gomes gives Gomes another performance, which may be helpful in maintaining Gomes' involvement at a more meaningful level this fall when Hallberg is getting some many prominent performances during this period. Hallberg is already the male lead in the "first team" of the new Ratmansky work, and has several Avery Fisher performances of that. Hallberg also has several "Other Dances" performances at Avery Fisher. Gomes "only" (relative to Hallberg) has the danseur role in some of the new Millepied work's performances and his role in "Other Dances" this fall at the ABT. (I appreciate Gomes was the lead danseur in the On The Dnieper piece, the last new Ratmansky but Hallberg was also featured in that piece in the fiance role. Note I am not suggesting competitiveness between Gomes and Hallberg, but noting the above just as a matter of maintaining equilibrium between two leading ABT "younger" principals.) I appreciate that Hallberg and Gomes each have an abundance of riches when it comes to being cast in various ABT performances, in contrast to somebody like, Cornejo, who only appears as the second-listed danseur role in the new Ratmansky work, behind the featured Hallberg. But I think Hallberg deserves this prominence! (As does Gomes, not that Cornejo doesn't.)

When I checked last night, October 4's "Other Dances" at Bart was Murphy/Hallberg, and I bought a ticket. However, by this morning, the same performance is indicated to be Murphy/Gomes

I don't know how reliable this is, but Hallberg's website indicates he is performing Don Quixote on Nov 13, 14 and 15 in China. http://www.davidhallberg.com/calendar/inde...=11&ye=2009 Also, some interesting December events in Europe (not apparently with the ABT, although with Gillian).

Interesting -- Shevchenko joined the corps only during the summer of last year. http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=179