abatt

I don't think it would have been a good idea for them to perform Robbins and Balanchine during their NY visit. New Yorkers see that rep all the time. They wanted to bring something different that was quintessentially French. Though these works were not masterpieces, they are rarely seen in NY.

I agree that Bolero looked a lot less impressive last night than with LeRiche. In part, I think it may be simply because it is a more interesting ballet (to me) with an all male cast. It wasn't only that LeRiche has more charisma. With an all male cast, it looked like some sort of cult or initiation meeting. With a woman in the lead, it didn't seem that way at all. It just looked like a sexual tease, as she flung her long, sweaty hair around. All she needed was a pole to slither on. Since this kind of thing has become common place in TV and movies, it really isn't so shocking or interesting anymore.

I checked a handy pamphlet from the US Copyright office. It states in part What Is Not Protected by Copyright? Several categories of material are generally not eligible for federal copyright protection. These include among others: • works that have not been fixed in a tangible form of expression (for example, choreographic works that have not been notated or recorded, or improvisational speeches or performances that have not been written or recorded)

See link below for details http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/fall-for-dance-announces-2012-lineup/?ref=arts The link for specific programs is below, from the City Center website http://www.nycitycenter.org/tickets/productionNew.aspx?performanceNumber=6650 Ticket prices will be $15 (up from $10 the past few years).

Last night I attended the opening night performance of POB at the Koch Theater. I had never seen any of the works on the program before. Suite en Blanc is a lovely classical ballet that held me in rapt attention. (Bullon was replaced, but I couldn't hear the name of the dancer who replaced him.) In particular, Gillot was captivating in La Cigarette. Dupont and Pech were ethereal in the Adagio and Gilbert was fantastic in the Flute section. There were some coordination issues in the performances of the men in the pas de Cinq, but I enjoyed seeing Renavand. I was very impressed by the unison and accuracy of the female corps. L'Arlesienne had quite a few dull patches in the choregraphy, but J. Belingard did a great job. I had not read any synopsis in advance, so a lot of what was going on dramatically didn't make sense until the final moments. Nicholas LeRiche performed the lead in Bolero. At the outset, I was a little bored, but as the performance proceeded I was transfixed by the entire cast, and whatever odd ritual they were enacting. LeRich has the magnetism and sex appeal to hold your attention. (Afterwards, I made a little wish list of other men I would love to see in the role. They included Marcelo Gomes and Roberto Bolle.) I'm not sure how I will like this ballet with a female lead. The house seemed sold to the rafters. I even saw people up in the fifth ring.

Yes, originally (two seasons ago, I think) it was just Cojocaru, and Kobborg was a last minute sub in Giselle as Irina's partner. (This was one of the numerous times that Max cancelled at the last minute.) However, this season it developed into a regular gig for him, not a last minute invite to substitute. (Cojocaru had done a Bayadere with ABT a long time ago (maybe ten years ago) and I think Angel was her partner then.)

As a practical matter, I think ABT is not looking to hire someone who is 39 years old, even if it is for only one ballet. McKenzie seems interested in trying out new talent at ABT where there is a potential for a long term relationship with the company if things work out. I understand that he took on Kobborg, who is no youngster, but that seems to have been part of a package deal to get Cojocaru.Is it customary for a dancer to contact an artistic director to arange a one time guest appearance? That seems like a very bold (crass) move on her part.

I read somewhere (probably on Ballet Alert!) that Murphy will dance her first Giselle w. the Royal New Zealand Ballet this fall.

Although I enjoyed Yuriko's Gulnare very much, I've seen her in other ballets where she has not been terribly impressive. In particular, I saw her Don Q last season w. Simkin. The challenges of handling the technical demands of the full length role were beyond her. I think she is better in a supporting lead role, where she does not have to carry the entire evening. Also, I saw her in Ballo della Regina a few years ago, and she was not very good. I haven't seen anything that would lead me to conclude that she deserves a promotion to principal.

I always had regrets that I didn't see the POB Bayadere when they came to New York in the 1990s. I was not a sophisticated balletomane back then. I assumed that it would be substantially similar to the one I had seen at ABT. As Homer Simpson would say, Doh!

Most people have fantasy baseball. We have fantasy ballet casting.

Vishneva learned the role of Aurora for the ABT production and performed it exactly once during the initial run of this current production. (She called in sick for performance number two of that run.) She has never done it at ABT since (though I did see her do SB with the Mariinsky in DC 2 or 3 years ago). I would not expect to see her Aurora at ABT again.

Paul Taylor is returning to the Koch - March 5-24, 2013 http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/09/paul-taylor-dance-company-returning-to-lincoln-center/?ref=arts

My most vivid memory of Hammoudi's scary partnering was when he nearly dropped Simone Messmer during Lady of the Camelias. The guy needs A LOT of improvement.

Actually, the smart thing for ABT to do, in terms of making money, is to schedule Osipova w. an ABT regular partner, and schedule Vasiliev with a different partner. That way people have to go to two performances to see them. That's what they did with Coppelia last season. They cast Vasiliev w. Reyes, and Osipova w. Simkin.

Do we have any info re guest artists. Are Osipova and Vasiliev coming back? Cojocaru? Muntagirov? I've never seen Month in The Country, so I'm happy about that addition to the rep. By the way, the lead NY Times critic is presently in London and in today's paper reviews a Royal Ballet mixed bill which included A Month in the Country. He loved Cojocaru in that ballet. I'm sure it is in the Links section. Thanks to mussel!

Am I correct that Amanda McKerrow and John Gardener came on stage to give him flowers? Also, did you check out those Chrisitan Loboutin shoes that Irina was wearing! Who was the guy who came out right before Saviliev. Who was the guy w. the cap.

Tonight it was battle of the all star short dancers. Cornejo is my favorite Conrad at ABT since Bocca quit. Sky high jumps, wonderful lines. He also partnered Reyes very well, lifting her high and with complete security in the big overhead lifts. Vasiliev was again great as Ali. The Act II pas de trois was like a little competition between Cornejo and Vasiliev. Simkin, not to be outdone, also turned in a stellar performance as Lankedam. However, he was merely adequate as a partner to Lane. Saviliev was a much stronger partner for her. Simkin did three or four of those deep knee bends on his landings in his solo that Malhakov used to do.) Reyes was a bit off her game in Act I. She was not in control during her fouettes. She was excellent in Act II. However, in the final act her Italian fouettes were traveling all over the place.

I wasn't judging Kobborg in comparison to either Osipova or Vasiliev. I was judging him based on other dancers who perform Conrad at ABT. I had seen him at Kings of Dance several years ago and I thought very hightly of his performance then. I acknowledge that he is a strong partner.

Even though I think that both Seo and Hammoudi need significant improvement, this should improve morale within the ABT ranks, especially the corps., Both of them came up through the ABT corps and are not hired guns from other ballet companies. Of course, these promotions are no consolation to people who felt they should have been promoted instead of these two dancers.

Osipova's ronde de piques were the fastest I have EVER seen. . I don't know the technical name for what she was doing with the fouettes, but it was astounding. She even used the normally dead moments of the ballet to impress us, like when the hooded goons block her from running away after Conrad has been knocked out by the funky flower. She spun like a top at the end of that scene, while most ballerinas merely run around or do one or two spins. Vasiliev was definitely super-charged by being on the stage with his finacee. Let's hope for Don Q next season so we can see these two blow the roof off the Met. Kobberg is disappointing. I know he's a big star at the Royal, but so far I haven't been able to figure out why. He is a strong partner, though. I guess he is no youngster, so he may have been much more impressive in prior years.

Wow. Good for Ms. Jaffe. It's a loss to ABT, though, since she apparently is coaching a number of the soloists.

My hands still hurt from clapping so hard during tonight's performance. Spectacular. Vasilev was even more electrifying than on Wed. Osipova was perfection - a pure delight in every way. Every spin was phenomenal. Every jump was sky high. Tonight was the best I've ever seen Yuriko dance (as Gulnare). Jared was very good, although he doesn't have the phenomenal technique of some of the other men who performed the role earlier this week. Kobborg was an excellent partner, but his solos were underpowered. The house looked very well sold.

I had forgotten that Wiles did Medora. Since I generally avoided her performances, I don't have much recollection of what she performed.

Although this was Veronika's ABT debut as Medora, she did the role when she was a soloist at the Kirov. She has had to wait all these years to get the role at ABT. Apparently, Kent has vacated the role due to its vast technical demands, so ABT needed a new Medora. I'm glad Part finally got the role, which she deserves. Xiomara has also moved up from Gulnare to Medora this season. Simkin got his debut as Ali because Angel retired. I suppose this is an example of how dancers in the company, including principal dancers, are shut out of new roles until someone more senior steps aside.