ksk04

Finally here!

Thursday, January 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Isabella Boylston
James Whiteside
Gillian Murphy
Thomas Forster

Friday, January 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Sarah Lane
Alban Lendorf
Stella Abrera
Calvin Royal III

Saturday, January 19 at 2 p.m.
Skylar Brandt
Daniil Simkin
Hee Seo
Alexandre Hammoudi

Saturday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Cassandra Trenary
Tyler Maloney
Christine Shevchenko
Blaine Hoven

Sunday, January 20 at 1 p.m.
Isabella Boylston
James Whiteside
Gillian Murphy
Thomas Forster
 

Luckily I have Friday night tickets already!

So the SCFTA dates are two weeks before this, yet we get no casting for that? Grumble grumble. I guess I see who the casts will likely be, but I need dates!

While I am happy to hear the union is involved, I don't know that this expresses any particular moral or ethical stance by the union regarding their "alleged" behavior. This is part of the contract, to have representation and ensure due process. I could be complained about at work and my union would still need to provide me with representation in any grievance whether or not they thought I was guilty or at fault; the point is that they ensure the processes outlined in the contract are upheld. The union may end up advocating in both sides of this: if there was a violation of the contract with the firing of Catazaro/Ramasar (if if if) AND if the dancers complain about the work environment and want the union to be involved with ensuring a harassment free workplace/code of conduct/whatever (if if if).

2 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

My intention was only to delineate what Ramasar and Catazaro are being accused of from what Finlay is being accused of. None of it is appropriate for the workplace. But only Finlay's behavior, as described in the report, is potentially criminal. There's too little detail about Ramasar and Catazaro's involvement to assess the severity of what they did. 

I understand now, thank you. I do wonder about the "revenge porn" law that several people have referenced though and whether that could apply to the other men...I'm sure there are a lot of nuances for the law that are difficult to assess for a lay person.

I'm a little confused about the slight writing off of Ramasar and/or Catazaro's behavior because they "only" or "simply" shared images (and yes I read the lawsuit). This is a much larger violation than the fifth-grader sex banter these guys had. If a colleague sent me nude pictures of someone we worked with, my first impulse wouldn't be to reciprocate but rather report them to HR and tell the poor naked colleague what was going on.

This is so much more horrible than what I was expecting. I am shocked that Ramasar and Catazaro are only being suspended, especially considering that many female dancers at NYCB were potentially violated.

edit: reading the court documents, the allegations about other behavior (like the rehab, domestic violence, rape, assault) are even more horrific.

2 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

Since Ramasar and Catazaro are being suspended without pay I wonder if they'll be able to take class at SAB to stay in dancing shape. I know injured dancers, and other dancers returning from Broadway have done that. Depending on the nature of the offense that might still be allowed.

I would imagine that any dancer who has been reprimanded for even a whiff of inappropriate behavior is exactly who SAB wouldn't want to welcome to avoid potential legal issues of them being around minors, especially since the company seems to be very focused on appearing pro-active after the Martins stuff. But that's just my thinking--perhaps it will be different.

22 hours ago, California said:

I was thinking it would be interesting to see the Royal  Ballet in LA next July, but then realized they weren't doing Mayerling, so scratch that. 

I'm really tempted by this Bolshoi season next summer in London. I'm hoping they announce rep before Christmas, but they also have a history of changing their mind, so even that will be risky. I'm hoping for their DonQ, which is still the gold standard for me, and their Raymonda, which is perhaps too risky in North America, for reasons we've discussed elsewhere.  I definitely won't bother with their bizarre Swan Lake or Spartacus, having seen those at Lincoln Center a few years ago.

They are doing Mayerling, though, in addition to the new McGregor work you posted about, unless something has changed: https://www.musiccenter.org/tickets/events-by-the-music-center/Glorya-Kaufman-Dance/1819-season/royal-ballet/

I already rolled the dice with my subscription and have tickets--not sure how I have been able to "select" Copeland's shows so well without casting two years in a row now, but I will be exchanging into Lane and/or Shevchenko. Have to decide if I want to keep the Abrera ticket or not--love her, love her in the role, but haven't been able to work out seeing Sarah Lane as Clara since the Nutcracker decamped here.

Thanks for the info everyone! I guess it shows I don't do the Instagram thing...

I keep going back and forth with this because last I checked tickets were still available, but ultimately want to know what they are dancing (can't take another evening like Isadora so soon after the last). There's no one I want to see enough to throw so much caution to the wind.

Josette, I thought the same thing and my mind started wandering to what other horrors the season subscription holds. I do agree it was nice to hear the Prokofiev score instead of something atrocious; I just kept replaying moments from Ashton's Cinderella in my head.

Some of the interview from the Press Telegram article makes no sense. For example, " Varnava emphasized that his examination of Duncan, set to the score of Sergei Prokofiev’s “Cinderella,” isn’t strictly autobiographical. He’s more interested in her art and legacy. 'There is so much to explore besides the details of her life, which I think are sometimes paid too much attention. I’m more interested in what she achieved as an artist.'"  

I saw literally nothing of what Duncan achieved "as an artist" in this production. All it seemed to do was explore, poorly, details of her life? Whatever...

I'm putting my impressions on Isadora here, I guess. Basically as expected based on the promos, past experiences with Ardani productions, and the last Osipova solo vehicle. I feel like I cannot give an unbiased judging to choreography whose main vocabulary is squatting, flex feet, jutting legs, and turned in legs as a stand in for emotional expression. There were really absurd parts to the narrative (the giving birth in car scene comes to mind) and the character of Isadora never feels like a person who is making any of her own decisions; in the ballet she is directed from one scene to another, sort of haplessly, by (I think) a Terpsichore figure. Having it danced to the score of Cinderella was extra disappointing as I can see better choreography in my head throughout the whole evening. I am not an expert on Duncan's dancing but I have read a bit about her, seen "the clip" of her on Youtube, and also Ashton's 5 Brahms Waltzes and I didn't see anything of the lightness and freedom I associate with Duncan in this piece (which are also qualities of Osipova, no?). Even when she jumps there is some nonsense flexed foot which takes away any of the lightness. The whole evening seemed to make Osipova as ugly and ungainly as possible. Lots of strained emoting.

There's a fairly large supporting cast for something like this and lots of costume changes. I'm glad Veronika Part can cash this paycheck but that is about as much as I can offer on her. She is there as a satire of a ballerina and given terribly clunky, unballetic (imo) choreography and a gaudy costume. I enjoyed fleeting moments of her port de bras, but overall lackluster. 

As usual, it seemed like people loved it. Standing O, etc. I hope someone else can share their opinion!

18 hours ago, Buddy said:

Here's a brief look at Natalia Osipova in rehearsal. It won't be any literal storytelling from this glance.

https://www.facebook.com/SCFTA/videos/10156433653200890/?utm_source=Email_marketing&utm_campaign=Eblast_1819_IsadoraOnSale4&cmp=1&utm_medium=HTMLEmail

Well Five Brahams Waltzes it ain't...though this is about what I expected 🙄. I will be there opening night.

I was there last night at the Seo/Stearns/Murphy cast. To echo Dreamer, the corps looked good in the shades scene aside from the speed at which to raise their arabesques and some wobbles once the initial entrance is done. The three newly promoted soloists were the Shades--Fang, Williams, and Hurlin. Seo and Stearns are not well suited to this ballet--they lack any grandeur or bravado in their dancing. I found the Nikiya's death scene to be especially disappointing. Neither had major technical problems (though I was not able to stay for the final act), but they also did not inhabit the role and milk the choreography for what it is asking. Stearns is no warrior and Seo is no adagio dancer. She seemed to have an especially stiff back which is not a great quality for Nikiya. I've seen them together recently in Ratmansky's SB and Nut and those are better fits for them. Gillian Murphy was in good form and didn't appear to be having some of the smaller technical problems reported at parts of the Met season; she was excellent in her first Act solo and fouette sequence, as well as her movements in the confrontation with Nikiya and her possession over Solor while watching Nikiya dance. I was happy to see her in the role since it's unlikely I will get the opportunity again.

Casting is finally posted for the extremely brief trip to CA with La Bayadere. Per the Dorothy Chandler site:

I have tickets to Saturday...prefer to see the Sunday cast to get a good look at the newly promoted ladies (since neither Teuscher nor Shevchenko got to debut in the Nutcracker out here last year) but a little worried about how much longer we'll be seeing Murphy and this is a great role for her.

I am so ecstatic about Mayerling. I also hate that this is in LA proper so I won't be able to see all three casts as the back and forth would be painful.

NEVERMIND: I am also confused if the previously announced RB/Wayne Macgregor/Walt Disney Hall collab is in addition to this, or does this replace that event for unnamed reasons? Or was that the Wayne Macgregor run in October (though that is with his company, not the RB)? To me it seems weird that the Royal would announce their tours, including a visit to LA, but not announce they are bringing Mayerling as well?

Sorry, I was going off of the email announcement which didn't clarify this, not the website link. I see now the other program.

I received an email explaining the Music Center will do a "Facebook live launch" of their upcoming 18/19 season tomorrow:
 

Quote

Join us on Facebook as we announce the spectacular 18/19 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center! The Music Center’s President & CEO Rachel Moore and Vice President of Presentations & Education Michael Solomon will discuss the upcoming season, answer questions from fans and share what they are most looking forward to next season. Only on Facebook Live. April 24 at 11 a.m. PST.

Link to watch: https://www.facebook.com/MusicCenterLA/

Personally, I would just love an email listing this right now but to each marketer his own!

1 minute ago, sandik said:

Interesting -- some of us were just discussing these kinds of options in email.  When I first started working in dance in the early 1980s, it was all about the subscription, but it's shifted now.  Fewer people seem to want to be bound up by that kind of long-range schedule, and more people seem to want to buy multiple tickets for one event and nothing for something else.  A cafeteria-style system is one way for people to make some kind of commitment to the presenter (and for the presenter to get the cash up-front) without the sturm und drang.

I agree. In this instance, however, you can only select one performance per event as I found out today (and confirmed with a SCFTA rep on the phone). Once tickets come you can purchase more single tickets (like the regular subscription). I found this disappointing as I would have booked instantly several performances for each of the classical runs from ABT/Mik. You'd think, as you say, that they'd want as much of my money as they could get right now. Maybe in the future...

Segerstrom is offering a "Choreograph" Your Own series this year (I think for the first time in recent memory). You can pick 3 shows and make a series--beneficial if you're trying to skip anything.

Thanks mussel. As usual, no emailed word to their loyal customers yet!

It also says ABT's Nutcracker from December 14-23. Disappointing there's such a short run for Harlequinade. Thought they could have used Nutcracker momentum there for something.

No comment on the Osipova Isadora or the return of Eifman. Oh dear.

Interesting...I will give it thought--thanks for the heads up maps! I saw Sarafanov in DQ years back with the Mariinsky.

I think it's all in what you can tolerate with the Giselle options, honestly, to echo what everyone else has said. I have seen seen Misty's Giselle last year with La Scala; it's not great with the fudging of choreo and a total lack of lightness in jumps, but I imagine better than Boylston who seems incongruous with the romantic port de bras and epaulement required in the second act--that would be like nails on the chalkboard to me the whole time, but perhaps that might bother you less. Cornejo and Abrera would seal the Copeland choice because I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to see them in anything.

Foiled again for Lane!!! Darn.

After yesterday's show I have two major comments: (1) Does ABT really only have one handkerchief that turns into a cane (unless I totally missed the "trick" part...)? They can't find another after it broke on Salstein????? Zhurbin walked around waving a cane in everyone's face as if this was a good substitution for the magic trick; and (2) Abrera needs a new partner for this role.  They took the role away from Gorak already, and maybe it's time to let someone else have a swing at it. Lots of small partnering blunders especially at the end of the pas de deux and during the coda with pirouettes. Missed the music on the torch lift.

Onto Murphy/Hoven tonight. Hoping Blaine impresses--I saw him when he suddenly debuted in the Bright Stream a few years ago (forget who he was replacing) and have hoped for more opportunities for him since then.

15 hours ago, laurel said:

 

That sense of darkness seems nearly to have vanished, and it has a lot to do with the way Drosselmeyer is played now; as a rather friendly fellow who buoyantly zips around the stage making magic happen.  The change was most pronounced when played by Craig Salstein on Friday night.  Yes, Craig is back, at least for this run, and it was great to see him, but his Drosselmeyer was the most upbeat, energetic and utterly youthful Drosselmeyer I’ve ever encountered.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely not the Balanchine version.

Laurel, thank you for reminding me of how bizarre I thought Salstein's characterization was. This was made worse at the show I went to as (as AB'sMom mentioned) his magic trick didn't go off and so it made his characterization look even more hapless/jokey. I thought Zhurbin was menacing enough on opening night, but you are right--it can/should skew darker.

I agree with you that Stella is the best interpreter of this role; she captures the choreography and the characterization so well--can't wait to see her again in a few hours!