abatt

NYCB added a performance of SL on Feb 11, ditching a mixed bill program on that date in order to take full advantage of robust SL ticket sales. I think the added performance is now virtually sold out. I'm not sure if the movie fueled the demand for SL tickets, since SL sold out last year at NYCB. Also, SL always sells well at ABT. By the way, there is a very funny mash-up of video from Portman's speech at the Golden Globe Awards. You can find it at www.collegehumor.com. Use the words Natalie Portman Extended Laugh to find the video.

Thanks so much for posting this info. I'm surprised Mearns/Angle are doing SL on Friday and Sunday. I thought they would rotate the cast because of the demanding nature of the lead roles. Sara better eat her Wheaties during that time period. I wish I could attend the Suozzi/Mearns Prodigal, but I will be in DC at the Kirov Giselle. Reports, please, from anyone who goes.

Balanchine's neoclassical, leotard ballets are frequently compared to Picasso insofar as Balanchine breaks up the classical line of the body in those ballets, and angularity is a key component to successful performance of the leotard ballets.

When Damian Woetzel performed Prodigal Son, I always got the sense that he was channeling various artwork which depicts Christ on the cross. In particular, I got this impression in the scene after he has been robbed and he is standing up against the piece of scenery that is used alternately as a fence and a table. In that scene, the table is now vertical, and the Prodigal stands in front of it, barely able to stand on his feet, using one of the rungs on the left to dangle and hold himself up. That imagery never came through so strongly to me when other dancers performed the role.

The BAFTA award nominations were announced today. The leader in nominations was The King's Speech. Black Swan received the second most nominations, including for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress for Portman and Best Supporting Actress for Barbara Hershey. (Mila was shut out.) The ceremony is on Feb 13, 2011. I've watched it on the BBC America channel the last two years. I assume it will be carried again this year on that station.

Let us also know how Citronelle is. My husband and I are thinking of going there next time we are in D.C.

Wiles has black hair now? Yikes. Blonde looked so good with her complexion. She reminds me of a "Hitchcock Blonde."

There is a pizza place called Rigoletto Pizza at 208 Columbus Ave., very close to Lincoln Center.

In a review of Ms. Portman's new film, No Strings Attached, which also stars Ashton Kutcher, NY Times critic A.O. Scott writes: "Ms. Portman can now claim what appears to be a unique distinction: She may be the only Golden Globe-winning actress to simulate sex on screen with two former members of the cast of “That ’70s Show.”

I attended on Tuesday evening, and it was wonderful. I'm surprised the review doesn't mention how great Somogyi was too. I was particularly thrilled with Duo Concertant. For many, many years, the female role was not danced at the level it should have been at NYCB. With Hyltin, I could see each and every step gorgeously articulated. Robby Fairchild's performance was also fantastic. I have to say that I agree w. the review with respect to Whelan and Askegard. I'm usually a big fan of Wendy's, but I thought her technique was weak, especially her lack of clean lines. Askegard, who is the finest partner that NYCB presently has, also was lacking in technique. I'll chalk it up to the possibility that since it is the first rep performance of the season, maybe Whelan and Askegard are not yet firing on all cylinders.

Yes her speech contained too much information. Doesn't every mother want to hear her daughter gush to 17 million people how much her unwed pregnant daughter and her fiance love sleeping together? Not.

Really? I repeatedly saw Millepied during the broadcast. He was seated to Portman's right at the Black Swan table. I also saw him leaving the limo with Portman when they first arrived at the Red Carpet. Mlllepied wore a black tux, and he had a red handkerchief in the breast pocket of his jacket that was the same color red as the rose on Portman's dress. Portman's parents were also in the audience (the camera focused on them during Portman's speech). Portman thanked her parents for giving her a great life, and she thanked Ben for going on the journey to create new life wtih her. She also joked that Ben is a good actor because in the film he is asked whether he would sleep with Nina, and he snickers. Portman quipped that Millepied enjoys sleeping with her every night. Portman also thanked "sweet lips" Mila Kunis.

Yes, it was supposed to be Murphy. I am very disappointed that I won't see Gillian (bought my ticket for that casting), though I have never seen Kajiya dance so this will be a good opportunity to see her in T&V. Kajiya had better plan to bring her "A game" for T&V. It's one of the most difficult Balanchine ballets in the rep. Casting Kajiya (one of the shortest dancers at ABT) wtih Hallberg (one of the tallest) will certainly look interesting. Easy lifting for David, for a change. I'd be interested in hearing how Kajiya does in this ballet. I have been underwhelmed by many of her performances of technically demanding principal roles in the past. Hopefully she has improved. Since she is getting the opening night, I guess I will be reading about it in the press.

According to the Times, the union, AGMA, has moved to block MOVES on the ground that it violates the dancers' labor contract.

That's where the film reminded me of Kirkland's book... The director has mentioned in interviews that he read many books to prepare for writing the script. I think I recall him mentioning in one interview that he read Kirkland's book. By the way, Natalie gave a tearful thank you speech at an awards show recently in which she thanked Ben Millepied, her partner in the film and, "now in life." She also mentioned in an interview w. Access Hollywood that the director gave her the greatest gift by introducing her to Ben.

ABT has added some casting info on its website. Part's partner for SL is Cory. Bolle is partnering Paloma in Giselle. I'm not too happy about the Stearns partnership with Part for SL. I was hoping it would be Bolle. Also, Reyes will be partnered by Radetsky in Cinderella.

My problem with the movie is that it was so campy, but had pretentions of being a serious movie.

The official casting is now up on the NYCB website

I think Morphoses used to be a regular source of additional income for some NYCB dancers. Now that Morphoses (in its original incarnation) is finished, "Moves" seems like a great alternative for them to dance more weeks and earn additional money.

That may be true, but now that we have come to expect it, we are disappointed when it is not provided. ABT has been known during the last decade for the caliber of its men. When I want to see stellar female dancing, I often go across the plaza to see the NYCB ladies. Except for their guest artists (I include Vishneva in the guest artist category), many of the ladies at ABT on the principal level are, in my opinion, a disappointment.

I agree with you that he is not at the same level as the other principals, but at the same time it would arguably be unfair to him to continue assigning him so many lead roles every season without a promotion. Also, ABT's principal ranks among the males is getting old, as we have discussed on this board. Indeed, many of their principals only show up for the MET season. It is probably easier to sell tickets to out of town engagements when you are presenting principals in principal roles, instead of soloists and corps members. I'm hoping that Cory continues to develop and improve. Frankly, I was not a big Hallberg fan when he was a soloist, but he has worked his butt off to improve and become the incredible dancer that he is today. However, I think Hallberg's weaknesses were more amenable to improvement than Cory's. Hallberg's primary weakness when he was a soloist was his partnering skills. I think partnering improves with experience and age. In my opinion, Cory's weaknesses are technical - jumps and spins that are adequate, but not what we have come to expect of ABT males. I'm not sure that those technical issues can be addressed easily at this stage.

The Associated Press is reporting that Peter Martins was charged with DWI at 2 AM on New Year's Day at a checkpoint in Yonkers, New York. The AP also reports that Martins issued a statement through a spokesperson stating that he will not discuss the matter.

Hi abatt, Nunez is a technical monster, a real standout dancer and slowly becoming the RB's go-to girl, she's always worth the price of admission. At the start she was often cast as the soubrette, or secondary non dramatic principal. She's without doubt one of the top technicians in the world. She came to prominence at the same time as Cojocaru, and fell under her shadow after Cojocaru's starmaking rise to fame after the two Giselles in 2001. Cojocaru got the meaty roles, Nunez got the show off demi caractere roles which was a pity as Nunez is a very credible, striking dramatic dancer too, she's been coming into her own of late and getting those big meaty principal parts, she definitely worth seeing. Pennefather is pretty dreggy. A political promotion to Principal to counter the non-British principals at the RB complaints. Very bland, technically patchy, but tall and good looking but so what? He's paired with Nunez a lot he's the Hardy to her Laurel, the Marge to her Homer, the Scully to her Mulder, the Kate Jackson to her Farrah Fawcett, the Tonto to her Lone Ranger and the Richie to her Fonzie. But Nunez is worth the price of admission alone. Thanks Simon.

I'm not familiar with Nunez & Pennefeather. For those in the know, will they give a great performance?

In the Dec. 31 edition of the NY Times, each of the cultural critics was asked to write about the event in 2011 he is most looking forward to. Macaulay wrote that he is looking forward to seeing Ms. Mearns take on new roles. He calls her the great American ballerina of our era. No argument from me on that one. What new roles are we looking forward to seeing her in? If I were in charge of casting, my choices would be the girl in pink in Dances at a Gathering, Mozartiana, the lead in Apollo, and the final section of the Vienna Waltzes. I missed her last year in Cortege Hongrois, so I hope I can see her in the role this season. Any thoughts? Is Sara the great American ballerina of our era?