nlkflint Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 I just spoke with an excited ballet goer who exclaimed that artists from ABT were going to be performing in the area (South Florida) in March. Looked through my Palm Beach Post today and sure enough, found a "Season Preview" piece about an event at the Kravis Center March 15 entitled Stars of American Ballet, featuring artists of NYCB. I know, I know, NYCB has SAB--School of American Ballet. But so many just know it as SAB and don't really put any emphasis on the "American." The title "Stars of the American Ballet" in Bold really will be confusing. Balletomanes will clearly know the difference. But I can see students and parents etc thinking they will be able to see stars of ABT in Florida this spring. Does NYCB use this phrase in NYC? Does anyone else find this an interesting title? Just curious. Link to comment
Farrell Fan Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 This kind of confusion is nothing new. Often when SAB is mentioned on television. for instance, one is likely to hear "The American Ballet School." And of course, in the Jurassic Period, when ABT was called Ballet Theatre, Balanchine and Kirstein's company, first of several precursors of NYCB, was the American Ballet or some variant thereof. It doesn't seem to me that in the present instance there was a conscious attempt to fool the public. (That would imply that ABT dances at a higher level than NYCB, which is not always, or even usually, the case.) The real bamboozle would be if these "stars" are, for instance (no offense intended), Ask La Cour, Savannah Lowery, Aaron Severini -- you get the idea. Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 Also, assume that this entity is probably completely independent of both NYCB and ABT. They're probably using "American" as in "from America" rather than "American Ballet". Why? Because they need to sell tickets and this makes them seem the most recognizable without using their company's name for an event not under the company's aegis. What you're getting isn't NYCB or ABT, but a group of dancers putting together a program on their off time. Which still could be quite a good evening, so I'd just get a bit more details were I you. Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 If I were to see a program titled "Stars of American Ballet", I would expect to see either a pickup group of dancers and ballets, probably a "highlights" program, or else some really rather decrepit dancers who have just shlepped in from Scranton, PA, whence they were marooned in 1938 when the company ran out of money. Link to comment
nlkflint Posted October 11, 2003 Author Share Posted October 11, 2003 I have now found a small summary of the event: Darci Kistler, princiapl ballerina at NYCB, along with fellow principal dancers, who will make up the company, will celebrate the centennial of the ballet's fonder, George Ballanchine. The program includes one of his earliest and most popular works, Apollo (1925) set to the music of fellow Russian Igor Stravinsky. It's one of many galas worldwide celebrating the choreographer who dramatically changed the dance landscape in America. Also on the special program is Ulysses Dove's visually dramatic Red Angels and other works to be announced. Link to comment
lampwick Posted October 11, 2003 Share Posted October 11, 2003 Farrell Fan--yes. A ticket billed as "stars" should of course be principal or high soloist dancers. I know exactly what you meant in the context of this discussion, and meant no offense, but I know that it'd hurt my feelings to be singled out in "print" anyway. Without naming names, I know that some of those kids are working VERY hard (and quite thoughtfully) in order to move up to the next level and improve on thier dancing. Maybe the stars of tommorrow Link to comment
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