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Amanda McKerrow's Farewell Giselle


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I thought I'd open a special thread for Amanda, hoping to gather not only reports on this particular performance, but a general appreciation her career.

What a special performance tonight was! I don't think I've ever seen a better Act I. This was the first time I had the sense that Albrecht was not the first man Giselle had ever seen. She managed to strip the cloying sweetness from the role, showing us an adolescent who knew she was playfully leading Albrecht on. Yet, it was still a naive characterization. So intelligent, so recognizable. And much was conveyed in something that was not quite mime -- more like gesture.

The second act was as light and lyrical as I've seen in a long time. She and Stiefel truly conveyed the redemptive power of love.

I will let others expand on the post-performance acknowledgments (as well as the performance itself), but I was struck by one particular gesture. As each of the wilis passed Amanda, giving her a single white rose and receiving an embrace, I remembered Amanda's first appearance on that stage, before she ever appeared with ABT, at a gala hosted by Dame Margot Fonteyn. At the end of that evening those many years ago, each of the performers presented Dame Margot with a single rose. Amanda, who had just danced the pdd from the last act of Sleeping Beauty, was the first make the presentation. She was awkward and uncomfortable. Tonight, on the receiving end, she was gracious and confident. But a fitting way to end -- closing the circle.

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Yes, Carbro, it was wonderful to be part of an audience that gave her a full measure of Love in gratitude for the Love her Giselle has given us all these years.

The McKerrow thread in Dancers, after a slow start, contains some deeply felt expressions of gratitude for performances past:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=20054

How strange that her retirement was hardly noted in the NYC press, yet warranted over 5 pages in the Washinton Post, as given in Wednesday's Links:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5071201561.html

Tonight's performance was all the more moving for having a cast composed of so many of her close friends.

Thank you, Amanda.

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I have to agree that it was a special performance, carbro—the first time I've been moved to tears seeing Giselle (I also saw Kent Monday night and Vishneva on Tuesday, and will compare them under a different topic), though I know part of that was the poignancy of Amanda retiring from ABT.

Speaking of flowers, I thought it was very effective how McKerrow and Stiefel turned those in Act II into as powerful a motif as the daisy in Act I. For example: Stiefel's entrance, cradling the lilies as if they were Giselle; later, McKerrow dropping all but two at Murphy's feet, then briefly waving those two as her own "magic wands" in counterpoint to Myrtha's flowered branches; and finally, Amanda handing one to Ethan as she vanishes into Giselle's grave, and then stroking his head, an unbearably tender, gentle moment that seems to sum up her own character as well as Giselle's.

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It was indeed a very special evening. There was an edge to everyone's dancing, as Stiefel, Murphy, Radetsky were exemplary in their roles. McKerrow gave a hauntingly beautiful performance as Giselle, one that will linger in the memory for many years to come.

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Amanda's first act was lovely. Amanda seemed very young and unaffectedly innocent and her acting was very transparent and detailed. Her mad scene had lovely touches - like a chill invading her arms which shivered like she was already becoming a Wili before our very eyes. I was told that her foot was bleeding in the first act - the toe shoe was full of blood and staining her stockings though I didn't see anything wrong from the Balcony. The only change in the choreography was that she did some lovely promenades at intervals between the hops on pointe (she did quite a few hops but broke them up) in the solo after she is crowned Queen of the Vinyard. It was a nice variation and very musical.

However, the intermission was very long and I was afraid that Amanda might not be able to make it to the end of the evening. Amanda's second act was lovely but carefully danced with a lack of abandon. Ethan gave a sensationally danced second act - his brisées were as good as Angel's on Tuesday. He was very emotionally giving (even melodramatic at the end of Act I). He also was mean to poor Wilfred who means well (as does that victim of fate and class warfare Hilarion). I felt that Karin Ellis-Wentz was the best acted Berthe of the run - firm and warily protective. Xiomara and Herman repeated the Peasant PDD - not as well as on Monday but still an audience pleaser. Carmen Corella and Michele Wiles were Moyna and Zulma. Radetsky again danced an excellent Hilarion but Gennadi acted it better on Monday. Gillian was better last night than she was on Monday. Smoother line and clearer transitions. No one has arms like Veronika Part but Gillian has a way of bourreeing backwards that is supernatural.

BTW: I recognized Kevin, John Gardner, Angel, Maxim B., Jose Manuel Carreno, Marcelo, Graffin, Bocca and a few others presenting their floral offerings at the final curtain. There was one man with dyed blond hair and another shortish man with glasses who came out after him who got on his knees before Amanda. Who were they? I thought they might be Robert La Fosse and Wes Chapman but I don't what they look like now. Anyone able to identify who some of the other men were? Also it is a shame that Vladimir was unable to attend and present his bouquet.

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I did not see Robbie LaFosse. The chap with the shaved head was Wes Chapman. Terry Orr (sandy hair) and Kirk Peterson were among the flower presenters. And didn't you just love the way Amanda's husband, John Gardner, raised his arms to the audience, inviting more applause for the ballerina??? There was great tenderness expressed between Amanda and each of the other dancers.

Just to clarify a detail: Michele danced Moyna, Carmen Zulma.

Someone (perhaps the same person? first initial J? [like that narrows it down! :blink: ]) told me, too, that she saw blood on the shoe, but I didn't notice it from my Dress Circle vantage point in either act.

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Not having seen too much of Amanda McKerrow, I was amazed by how many adoring fans she had, all of whom were there last night to send the ballerina off.

It was a special celebration and many audience members were tearful. I am so happy she had such a warm farewell.

It just made me think how this generation of dancers was slowly leaving- within a few years, a completely new generation will have begun at ABT. I am one of those who thinks this in fact was a glorious era.

The principal dancers presenting flowers were also very touching. I was a little surprised that none of the women were on hand..

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The principal dancers presenting flowers were also very touching. I was a little surprised that none of the women were on hand..

Actually Gillian Murphy presented Amanda with a bouquet and they kissed very emotionally. They may have known each other from early on in Washington where Gillian trained and Amanda now teaches and coaches. I spotted Paloma Herrera and Irina Dvorovenko (looking good) onstage applauding her with the rest of the soloists and corps along with Kolpakova.

I was told that management supplied the audience with dozens of flowers to toss and the stage and orchestra pit at the end looked like an explosion in a florist's shop! Every bit as emotional and touching as Susan Jaffe's very similar "Giselle" send-off. Amanda was weeping at the beginning but perked up at the end and was proud and touched at the extent of the reception and presentations.

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Aaaaaggghhhh! I wish I had been there!!! I saw her Giselle earlier this year in DC and loved it, her characterization was so incredibly rich and detailed. Same with her Juliet...I went to see R&J with McKerrow/Stiefel some time ago at the Met, with a friend that had never seen a full-length (she used to go only to NYCB). She was totally hooked after that, and I watched almost the entire performance through tears. By the time Romeo finds Juliet at the graveyard, I was really sobbing. I'm so thankful I got to see McKerrow in those two roles... I'll miss her.

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What I've always admired about Amanda's dancing is that it feels personal. There is definitely a place in dance for flashy ballerinas who project to the entire audience and bring hordes of people to their feet in excitement. But there is also a place for people like Amanda. When she dances, it feels that she's dancing for you because it's so understated and introverted. That may sound like a paradox, and perhaps I'm not explaining it well. What I mean is that, with Amanda's characters, it feels like a shy and introverted girl is baring her soul, and she's letting you see her in that vulnerable state--because she trusts you to know, not because it's something she would share with anyone and everyone. Sometimes it does seem that she's dancing for herself and not for the audience, but that's what creates a sense of personal trust in her performances. Her characters look authentic and genuine precisely because they're dancing for themselves; you don't get the feeling that her characters are putting on a show to make you think they're something particular.

I love show-stopping performances, but it's also refreshing to see an understated interpretation, and unfortunately I think dancers like Amanda are falling out of fashion.

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...it feels like a shy and introverted girl is baring her soul, and she's letting you see her in that vulnerable state--because she trusts you to know, not because it's something she would share with anyone and everyone.

Beautifully explained! Your words almost bring her performances back to life. This really catches not only her Giselle, but also her monumental performances in Pillar of Fire at City Center. The Pillars, and the Giselle with Malakhov remembered by Cargill in the Dancers thread, did, however elicit cheers.

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BTW:  I recognized Kevin, John Gardner, Angel, Maxim B., Jose Manuel Carreno, Marcelo, Graffin, Bocca and a few others presenting their floral offerings at the final curtain.  There was one man with dyed blond hair and another shortish man with glasses who came out after him who got on his knees before Amanda.  Who were they?  I thought they might be Robert La Fosse and Wes Chapman but I don't what they look like now.  Anyone able to identify who some of the other men were?  Also it is a shame that Vladimir was unable to attend and present his bouquet.

The man with the blonde hair standing by Wes Chapman was Roger Van Fleteran, former ABT soloist and current Ballet Master at Alabama Ballet with Wes.

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