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Just going by the online casting sheet, updated on May 22, which indicates Nadon replaced Mearns on Wed, May 22 in Pictures

Out of curiosity, was Ratmansky at the rehearsal of Pictures?

I see that Mearns was replaced in Pictures last night by Nadon (per casting list).  Mearns was also replaced on Tuesday by Nadon in Mosaics.  If anyone goes tonight I would be interested in knowing if Mearns appears in This Bitter Earth.  Mearns had no appearances last week.

How were the new leads in Glass Pieces, Sanz with Ava S.

29 minutes ago, bellawood said:

I was there too! I thought they said, 'We love you Mira!" followed by a laugh. Either way, I found Law of Mosaics challenging. My husband loved it and loved the music (!).  

BTW Mira was out on the 1st tier lobby during the second intermission -- she is at least 5'8 in her sneakers. Husband: "She's tall!" Gilbert Bolden makes her look smaller on stage. Noticed in the Kyle Abraham piece that even Peter Walker is noticeably shorter than Emily Kikta when she's on pointe. I think it is her partnering limitations that are keeping her from promotion. I was also favorably impressed by Quinn Starner in that ballet. 

I have a ticket for her debut on the 5th! Have to figure out my travel. 

Loved Kikta in Love Letters.  I wish they would cast her and Peter Walker in Glass Pieces.  Their long lines would look great in Glass Pieces pas.  They would have also been wonderful in Red Angels together.  

Also noticed in the KC casting that Olivia MacKinnon is getting a lead in Emeralds.  She is definitely moving up fast in major role debuts.

LaFreniere has been injured for the entire spring season.   That's why they needed a new Diamonds female lead, ie, Mira Nadon.

Many exciting Jewels debuts.  Miriam Miller finally gets Emeralds, and Corti debuting as Tall Girl. 

By the way, Nadon replaced Mearns last night in Law of Mosaics.  When the announcement was made before the show, there was audible chatter.  Couldn't tell if people were pleased or disappointed, but someone yelled out Go MIRA.  Sadly, not even Mira could make that ballet worthwhile.  40 minutes of my life I will never get back.

Darn.  Wish they were doing this on Sat or Sunday.  I can't miss work for this. Oh well.   Waiting eagerly for reports.

23 hours ago, bingham said:

Jake is prpbably preparingv the Golden Idol variation. I wonderful How they could  add that variation To the Kingdom of the Shades section

It could just be a program of excerpts.  For example, Boylston I believe has only danced Gamzatti, so I would assume that she could do the section with Gamzatti's big solo (with the Italian fouettes) in excerpt.   I'm not excited about showing parts in excerpt.  

Maxwell and Angle were able to pull off the complex exit lift that was a problem on Tuesday in Pictures. Except for Play Time, this was a strong program.  I'm not sure why they felt the need to make this program 2 1/2 hours long.  They could have easily dropped Play Time and sent the crowd home happy with a 2 hour show.

Right.  Forgot to mention Mearns on the tall roster.  She seems to be cutting back on roles and appearances at NYCB in recent years. In particular, she has missed Nutcracker season for at least the past two years. 

Speaking of Mearns, she will be the Artist in Residence at NY City Center next season and will curate and appear in a  program of performances in April 2025.  She will also be  a participant in Fall For Dance.  Info is on the City Center website. 

It's going to be much harder now for a tall woman to reach principal.  They already have LaFreniere, Nadon, Phelan.  Their soubrette principals are ageing out.  Bouder is pretty much don except in her own mind, and Fairchild is now late in  her career.  Tiler Peck is now  around 35, I think.  Emma certainly deserves this, but she also fills a need.   

I think Miriam Miller deserves to be in the mix for promotion to principal. 

Glad to learn that Emma VE was promoted.  It is a well deserved promotion.  A little surprised nobody was promoted out of the corps up to soloist.  

26 minutes ago, bellawood said:

Mira Nadon just shared a picture on Insta stories where she's wearing the Diamonds tutu  . . .

Thank You for this info.  I'm ready to book my trip.  Just need to know the dates she is doing Diamonds.

48 minutes ago, Fleurfairy said:

Bouder is exhausting.

The management seems to be going out of its way to find roles for her in her current state.  At 40 years old she is debuting Helena.  To me, this is proof that her assertions that management is persecuting her is rubbish.

Disappointed that Mejia is not getting Oberon this season.

Long dress and running around the stage sounds like a good fit for Bouder right now.  However, doesn't she have to appear in Act II in a tutu and do some classical ballet?  

I too was bored with Play Time, but I enjoyed the rest of the program. When Play Time first premiered it was a sell out because it brought in fans of Solange Knowles.  Not so now.  

Nadon was great in Pictures.  Fearless and expansive.  

In terms of progress this entire 24-25 Season, a few people made enormous progress as artists.  Olivia MacKinnon tops the list.  She has made tremendous progress in interpretation and projection.  

NYCB has not done In Memory Of or Ives, Songs by Robbins in some time.  They are not as good as DAAG, but they are worthwhile works.  

I love DAAG.  It is a work of great depth and meaning.  As I have watched it over the years, its meaning has changed in certain ways based on events that have occurred in my own life.  The first time I saw it I felt it was too long, and I thought the final tableau of all the dancers at the end was tacked on and unnecessary.  As I have aged, and lost people in my life, each time I see it I think of all of the relatives and friends who have passed on and how much I miss them. It evokes all of the places we used to go to and memories of the past.  Very few ballets have that effect on me.   The miracle of this ballet is in its small gestures. 

Weight is very relevant to being a ballet dancer.  It impacts line.  It impacts partnering.  It impacts technique.  It's disingenuous  in my opinion to pretend that weight is not relevant.  Maintaining an acceptable weight has always been a part of that occupation.  Dancers at NYCB have traditionally been given weight warnings when they were becoming too heavy.  Not sure if they still do that.  We can't pretend that ballet dancers are like office workers, so weight doesn't matter. 

Body type is something entirely different.  For example, Mearns has a wide torso, and that is a body type issue that is unrelated to weight.  Xiomara Reyes essentially had no neck, and that is a body type issue that is unrelated to weight.  

I was there.  Green in DAAG requires very little technical finesse, so I can't really make a judgment about her technique based on that role.  Green is one of the easier roles int he rep, so it is not a test of technique or stamina.  She was fine in the role,.

She has not lost any weight over the past two years.  I thought she looked heavy, particularly in comparison to every other performer on stage.  

1 hour ago, matilda said:

Agree with the comment above. This isn't merely a "body shaming" situation or a matter of just a few extra pounds. Ashley gives the impression of being very much in denial. It's very sad to see such a once glorious dancer engage in public self-sabotage. 

She doesn't think she has a problem, and blames her lack of casting on the "isms".   She has never been able to accept criticism or disappointment like an adult in a competitive profession.  When Martins gave Hyltin first cast in SB, and Bouder got third cast, she ran to the NY Times to whine about it.   Her reaction to disappointment is never one of self-reflection.  Rather, her reaction has always been petty and lacking in self awareness.  Nothing has changed.    Feminists don't throw their female colleagues under the bus.  Her portrayal of herself as a martyred victim is outrageous.  

I'm wondering whether NYCB will acquire the rights to either the Ratmansky SL or his R&J.   I think the company realizes that these ballets bring in a lot of audience members. 

Even if the sets and costumes of the Per Kirkby SL are hideous, the Martins SL always sells out.  Less enthusiasm for the Martins R&J.

I'm glad that the company is allowing him to bring dances from Paquita to NYCB.

41 minutes ago, matilda said:

I

Year of the Rabbit, from 2012, remains one of Justin Peck's best works. Very creative corps formations and exciting choreography for the leads. It was a little disappointing watching this knowing that he never evolved much beyond this early style though.

I think Rabbit was so successful in terms of the quality of choreography because Peck had a lot of time to work on it and revise it, if I remember correctly.   As he became more popular, it seems like he has less time to devote to each work.  That may be a big part of the problem.  

6 hours ago, mille-feuille said:

Haha! Call Me Ben was truly terrible. My top City Ballet stinker is definitely Bartok Ballet.

I'm curious to see if my opinion of Red Angels will have improved since the accursed Here/Now festival. I remember sneaking a peek at the phone of the girl sitting next to me after seeing it one evening. Her text message read: "It's a bad night at the ballet..."

LOL.  Bartok Ballet is also in my top 10 list.   We have similar taste, apparently.