abatt

I think that if you go into this expecting to see ballet because, you know, it's called American Ballet Theatre, you will be disappointed. If you are willing to accept the "modern dance" aspects of this choreography (push me, pull me, roll on the floor) you are more likely to enjoy the performance. I'm wondering what the expectations are when people go to see Northern Ballet of England, as opposed to their expectations when they go see ABT. For me, trying to dismiss the poor choreography by calling it a psychological ballet or "expressionistic" is not a valid pass. As pointed out in the NYTimes, there are many psychological ballets that are great (A Month in The Country, Lilac Garden). They use the classical idiom as their mode of expression.

Danceviewtimes also liked the performance, particularly Devon Teuscher.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/arts/paul-taylor-dance.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=sectionfront Here is an article about a number of important dancers who are retiring from the Taylor company. I can't imagine what the company will be like without some of these beloved, wonderful dancers.

I'm running to the box office to exchange out of my Eyre tickets for this weekend. Can't you exchange your tickets?

Actually, they performed the Tempest both during the Fall season at the Koch where it premiered, and during the Spring season at the Met. So they did cycle it through the rep enough times to perhaps break even. Given the money they spent to train all these dancers for Eyre, I'm guessing we will see it scheduled again next season.

That's true. This might have been more tolerable as a one act ballet with the scenes of young Jane deleted. But it got stretched out into an unsatisfactory full length ballet.

Worst: David Parsons Pied Piper MacMillan's Anastasia HereAfter or was it renamed After Here Those are what immediately come to my mind.

While Jane Eyre was definitely not the worst thing ABT has ever put on stage, it certainly wasn't very good. I've seen "long skirt" ballets like Lady of the Camellias that I thought were weak, but at least had a few engrossing pas de deux for the lead dancers. Jane Eyre, however, does not. There are just too many bizarre and uninteresting choreographic choices. As an example, in the final pas at the end of the ballet, Jane repeatedly taps the back of Rochester's calf with her foot. If this is supposed to convey intimacy, it didn't work. It took me right out of the ballet. When she did it three consecutive times, I just became frustrated. The vocabulary of this choreographer is much too limited. I asked myself whether Vishneva Gomes could have saved this ballet? I don't think so. At least they are getting full use of the smoke machine they had to rent for In the Upper Room. I'm beginning to think that reducing the season to 5 weeks at the Met going forward will be a good thing. Someone above referenced Ratmansky and not always enjoying his work. Marston and Ratmansky are about as different as night and day. Whatever you feel about Ratmansky, he is all about the steps. Loads and loads of steps using the full ballet lexicon. Marston has barely any ballet steps, and needs a new ballet dictionary.

I've always felt that Manon was much weaker than R&J. However, compared to Jane Eyre, Manon is a masterpiece. One thing that is concerning is that its success is highly dependent on the casting. I'm spoiled by having seen some really great Manon casts in the past, like Ferri/Bolle, Kent/Bolle, Vishneva/Gomes. Will any of the current casts at ABT measure up? We'll see. At the recent YAGP gala, Seo and Stearns did the bedroom pas from Manon. I hope they've been practicing a lot since then, because based on what I saw both of them needed vast improvement. They were the dullest couple in the bedroom pas I had ever seen.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/05/arts/dance/jane-eyre-american-ballet-theater-review.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=sectionfront from the NY Times

Great story in the NY Times about what the three Billy Elliots are doing now. David Alvarez is going to be Bernardo in the upcoming Spielberg film of West Side Story. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/05/theater/billy-elliot-ten-years-later.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=sectionfront

I think Misty put a warning somewhere on her social media that Manon may not be appropriate for kids to attend. That is an admirable warning.

Taylor Stanley was replaced this afternoon by Harrison Ball in the role of Puck.

Getting back to the Tharp program, Brahms Haydn was very well done last night. However, I think my favorite Twyla classical ballet is Bach Partita. As always, In the Upper Room is an astonishing display of non stop energy. Last night was my first viewing of Deuce Coupe. I found it frequently boring and don't need to see it again. Even though it was only about 30 minutes long, it felt a lot longer.

Yes, the three ladies you mention are all talented, good dancers. However, it remains to be seen whether any of them will turn into important artists of the caliber that used to contract with ABT.

Fracci, Makarov, Kirkland also must have been a great era, but before my time. Since ABT has now gone to a new model, whereby it is relying on its own school instead of contracting with artists of international stature, how many stellar artists do we really expect to come out of ABT's school? It is not an internationally important school. Even within the US it is not considered a top tier school. Certainly there are some good dancers, but is anyone really expecting the next Nina Ananiashvilli or Julio Bocca to emerge from ABT's school pipeline?

Indeed, some who have attained top principal level status at ABT are not worthy of that status.

The Glory Days of ABT are long gone. They had an amazing roster back in 2000. I'm happy I was able to see the company so often during the height of its artistry. I doubt we'll be seeing that level of artistic triumph again in this company anytime soon.

It's odd that they are having Huxley do three consecutive performances of Oberon. I was surprised to see Garcia cast as Oberon this season. Given his age and history of injuries, I doubt we will be seeing him as Oberon next season. Veyette smartly decided to retire this role (or he was told by management that he was retired from the role).

A number of years ago Gorak partnered Xiomara Reyes. She is a very small woman, but Gorak still had difficulty. Hopefully he has improved since then, but I suspect that his partnering problems have been a major factor in why his career at ABT has not advanced.

Does anyone think that McKenzie is considering hiring Brooklyn Mack on a permanent basis? If Sterling Baca had stuck around, I bet he would be a leading contender for ABT principal.

At a presentation/rehearsal for donors a few weeks ago, I'm told that McKenzie bragged that he gives people in the corps chances at lead roles. While that's true, it's only because the company has so few men in the middle and upper ranks who are entrusted with lead roles on a regular basis. Mismanagement is nothing to brag about.

The soloist men at ABT don't really get the type of lead roles that one would associate with a test for promotion to principal. Aran Bell, however, seems to be the one to watch, as he is doing the lead in SL and SB this season. He seems to be due for a promotion to soloist ASAP.

This might be old news that I missed, but Copeland is no longer listed for any performances of Corsaire.

Watching Act II of Midsummer this season will not be the same without Tiler Peck. This is one of her signature roles, and in my opinion others in the company who are cast don't approach her level in this pas. In fact, despite the very high level of talent overall in the company, she was very much missed in many roles this season.