abatt

Huge difference between a DUI with no injuries and being accused of sexual and physical abuse of employees.

Glad Martins is formally cleared after having his reputation destroyed.

The Joyce Theater in NYC got $90,000.

Kid performers also have lots of parents, grandparents and siblings who will buy tickets to see their loved one on stage. So casting kids is also a good sales tool.

Re Martins ballets: I like ballroom dancing, so I always enjoyed Thou Swell. I also think Zakouski is pretty good, provided that it is well cast.

Interesting article re coaching at NYCB now that Martins is gone: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/arts/dance/balanchine-dances-taught-by-old-masters-patricia-mcbride.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront

I don't think the slap is gratuitous. It demonstrates that the society inhabited by these characters solves its disputes through violence, whether it's feuding clans or a feud between a father and his daughter.

It's interesting how the exact same choreographic moment in a ballet is interpreted based on who the choreographer is. My recollection is that the Ratmansky Romeo and Juliet, which I saw a few weeks ago in the cinema, also had a significant slap of Juliet by her father. It was not deemed a problem in the Ratmansky production, but in the Martins production it causes a big uproar that leads to it being removed.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/12/arts/dance/peter-martins-ballet-romeo-juliet.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront For those who were thinking that Peter Martins' works would be dumped by NYCB going forward, think again.

Since NYCB does not use the scenic designs, tutus or tiaras of Ballet Imperial, I don't think they should go back to using that as the name of the ballet either.

Usually a ballerina does the Bransle Gay for a few seasons before ascending to the main pdd. This was the case with both Maria K and Wendy Whelan. They both did Bransle during their soloist years before being elevated into the lead pdd. I was surprised that Miriam Miller was given the chance to do the main Agon pdd without first doing Bransle. I never saw Miriam do the Agon lead, but I did see her Siren debut. I think she needs some important demi soloist roles before being given more lead roles.

I think ABT did Balanchine's Sylvia pdd a long time ago. I remember seeing Dvorovenko do it at City Center during an ABT Fall season. It costs a lot of money to make new productions of full length ballets. I think fundraising may drop in the coming seasons because of Martin's departure, so I doubt the company will be going on a spending spree to dump the old SL sets and costumes.

I'm not sure about the overall batting average of Balanchine and Robbins. They created a myriad of works which are either no longer performed either because the choreography is lost or because the work was not good enough to survive. Only the truly great works continue to be performed worldwide. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the entire body of their work can comment further. I'm not sure about the cost effectiveness of new works. Martins had a lot expensive flops. Most notably, there was one season when he hired Calatravo to create the designs for a few new ballets, the majority of which flopped. Let's also not forget the Paul McCartney commission for Ocean's Kingdom, which will also probably never be seen again (thank goodness). But I think Martins at least made back all the money for the McCartney work because of the amount raised at the gala, where rich people were clamoring for tables in order to meet Sir Paul.

I suspect the reservations for the large block of rooms was made a long time ago, before the contract negotiations.

DeLuz was fantastic tonight in the Fall section of Four Seasons. At age 41 or thereabouts, he can do spins and jumps that men 15 years younger cannot execute properly. If he can only do it once a week, I'll take it.

Casting up for week 5. We're getting a new Juliet- Woodward (with Taylor Stanley as her Romeo). Terrific. I was hoping she would get a chance at that role.

To add insult to injury, they have decided to throw a "See The Music" presentation into Wednesday evening's show, right before the final ballet, Four Seasons. So in addition to having to sit through the awful Oltremare for 40 minutes, they are taking away another 10 or 15 minutes of the audience's time by holding us captive to the lecture. Why can't they do the lecture during the 20 minute intermission between Oltremare and Four Seasons?

The problem with mixing the old with the new is that not enough young, hip people come out to see the newish work, and the more conservative crowd also stays home. By way of example, Friday Feb 2 was an arts series program with Square Dance, Oltremare and Four Seasons, in that order. Of course it was a sell out because all tickets were $30, and there was free beer and a DJ after the show. Whoo hoo. However, the remaining three performances of that very same program were not selling, and were on TDF. That surprised me because Square Dance and Four Seasons are classics. However the fact that the 40 minute Oltremare was plopped into the middle of the program appears to have been a dis-incentive for most ticket buyers. Maybe they would have been able to sell more regular priced tickets if they would have put Oltremare last, so that people could leave after the two beloved classics. I'm not sure. But at these prices, people expect three high quality works. The All Balanchine nights seem to have sold very well without any ticket discounts.

In recent years, under Martins, the new works have been more about quantity than quality. In part, the overwhelming pile up of new works was motivated by these "Fashion Galas" dreamed up by Sarah Jessica Parker, with Martins' blessing. It was almost as if they attempted to line up as many high fashion designers as possible to rub elbows with the rich people at the gala, and the choreography and choreographers were an after thought. Some works that are created and experimented with at the choreographic institute simply don't belong on the stage of the Koch.

Is the Holiday Inn walking distance from the theater where they are performing? With many companies, that is a significant factor in which hotel they choose. For example, when the Mariinsky comes to Washington DC I know that they always select a hotel that is walking distance from the Kennedy Center.

The company makes the travel arrangement, including the hotel arrangements.

My impression is that once a work has been rehearsed and presented, it stays in the rep for a period of time. Generally, a rep work is performed 12 times over the course of nearly consecutive season. So for Red Violin, I think they did it 4 times in the fall 2017, plus 4 times in the winter. I expect to see it pop up for 4 performances sometime during the 18-19 season. Although an awful production, any full length sells lots of tickets. I'm not so sure they would ditch R&J. I'm hoping that the relentless flood of new works will be reduced somewhat going forward. People come out to see new Wheeldon, new Ratmansky and new Peck. I was there on the night of the Walker premiere. There were substantial numbers of empty seats that night. People are not buying tickets to see new Schumacher, new Walker, new [fill in the name]-.

The photography in the Paul Taylor brochure looks similar to the type of advertising that Alvin Ailey has been doing in recent years in its brochures. For Sara Mearns fans, she will be dancing with the Taylor company on certain dates at the Koch Theater in Isadora Duncan dances. Here is a review of performance of Duncan works that took place at a one night only gala last June. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/20/arts/dance/review-sara-mearns-joins-isadora-duncans-maenads-and-nymphs.html

Not surprised she's injured. She KILLED IT in Russian Seasons on Thursday. It was a magnificent performance. Wishing her well. Anyone know who will replace Mearns tonight?