Technically strong female dancers at NYCB

[SullivanCA]

I just recently posted under Sleeping Beauty, but wanted to introduce myself. My name is Carly and I am new to the board and to the city, but not knew to Ballet Talk. I am an avid reader of all your posts and a big fan of City Ballet.

I have only seen city ballet perform twice (once during the summer and recently this past weekend). Through your posts over the years I feel like I have seen them perform many times. I also feel like I know the dancers quite well!

For those of you who have seen City Ballet many times, I was wondering what females you thought had the strongest technique. Although I have only seen the company perform a few times, I think there is a noticable difference between some of the female's ability to handle difficult choreography.

The Balanchine style of dancing emphasizes lines and does quite a good job at using the body to bend and twist in ways not thought possible, but I think many of these girls, though great at looking good and pulling off big tricks, lack solid technique.

From what I have seen, I think some of the stronger female dancers in the company include Sylve, Stafford, Bouder and Bar.

Any thoughts?

[Leigh Witchel]

Welcome to Ballet Talk, Carly! You might not see tons of fouettes out of NYCB's women, but until recently with the full length Swan Lake they were rarely in the repertory. That said, the company has tons of technical women in it. Besides the ones you mentioned (although I like Bar, I've never thought of her as a technician) there's also Miranda Weese, Jennie Somogyi, Megan Fairchild, Ana Sophia Scheller, Tiler Peck. . .you get the idea.

[Helene]

You should see Miranda Weese while you have a chance over the next six weeks. A recent press release stated that she was leaving NYCB at the end of the Winter rep season. She will be guesting at PNB after that.