Seattle

[TWindsong1]

Everyone seems to be off to some other place after either the 26th or the end of Saratoga. How do the dancers support themselves? Seems a very long lay-off for

a dancer. Does it come down to a video and an exercise pad? Is it possible that

Mr. Boal will need dancers to begin his new position? From his stage image and finale he looks to be a fine fellow to work with/for? Why isn't the company at least going SOMEPLACE? Will someone in the know or with suppositions have any thoughts? I worry about stuff like this.

[Helene]

Is it possible that Mr. Boal will need dancers to begin his new position? From his stage image and finale he looks to be a fine fellow to work with/for?  Why isn't the company at least going SOMEPLACE? Will someone in the know or with suppositions have any thoughts? I worry about stuff like this.

Pacific Northwest Ballet has a roster of beautiful dancers and a pre-professional school that has developed and is in the process of graduating a number of lovely dancers from its pre-professional program. The end-of-year recital was yesterday, and they did themselves proud. If you're asking about PNB, it has been going someplace -- steadily up since Russell and Stowell took over a fledgling company 28 years ago, and among the top companies in the US, with a laudatory review by Arlene Croce in The New Yorker as early as the late 1980's.

Russell and Stowell both have said that they would have liked to have a bigger roster, but they didn't have the money. The move out of the Opera House during its renovation took a huge toll on the Company and created a deficit. It has taken a couple of years in the newly-renovated McCaw Hall to reduce it. I think while it's reasonable to speculate that Boal will have some leeway with regard to hiring, PNB and NYCB are different companies with different needs.

Whenever we receive official word from Companies about roster changes, we make sure they are posted, and after that, the people "in the know" are free to comment

Have there been any articles or interviews about dancers' summer plans? In Merrill Ashley's book, she talked about going away to Hawaii and accidentally scraping her toes on coral reef. Since she expected to be on standard Principal dancer's schedule at the beginning of the season, she didn't return in top shape, expecting to spend a few weeks slowly getting back into it. She then learned that not only was Balanchine planning to choreograph a ballet for her -- her dream -- but it was a virtuoso turn, and she needed to return to peak form instantly.

[Leigh Witchel]

Often, the NYCB dancers use the time for outside projects (That's how I worked with a few of them), or they can go on unemployment and take the time off to let their bodies recover.

As for staying in shape, there are several alternative ballet classes in the city that the dancers often take.