2008 YAGP Performance at NYCC

[whitelight]

Did Semionova and Bollet perform? It was supposed to be Semionova's American debut.

She did and

sorry, it's just MY personal impression/opinion, She didn't move or emote me. I watched her and was MISSING KANDAUROVA (big RED).... Besides, "the Beatles" Osipova & Vasiliev, i was not impressed and greatly disappointed (after almost daily attending the Kirov tour)... but it's just my humble opinion.

Also, again, just my personal opinion, I found the program VERY INAPPROPRIATE for the gala where there were so MANY CHILDREN. Could someone sensor what was to be performed on the stage? There are other places in NYC to watch "love making" then the children's competition.....

I, also, could not agree more. Remembering my own brief years as a competitor (in admittedly less prestigious competitions), I was sensitive the to adult content of the evening even from the first act. Many of the "contemporary" solos looked more like cutesy and borderline provacative filly-prancing and attitude-projecting than demonstrations of the students' command over modern dance technique (or contemporary ballet technique as found in Forsythe, Wheeldon, and others' work). I realize that you have to let this go to some extent-- they're classical ballet students, may not have access to the training required for that style of movement, and have limited resources to contemporary choreographers.

But the choice to perform Carmen in the 2nd half of the program was completely inappropriate! There's not much else to say about that. I was also highly disappointed in the behavior of the kids & parents, who screamed at inappropriate moments (as mentioned above) and took flash photographs throughout the first act of the program-- with no apparent intervention either from the host or the ushers. The unfortunate Hodgkinson and Bolle had to perform their duet (the first of the 2nd act) to the accompaniment of probably 40 flashes before Mr. Cumming made the "no flash" announcement.

All that negativity aside (I know, I can be pretty crotchety for a young person-- and I think that in general I simply dislike galas), I was blown away by Osipova and Vasiliev. Osipova not only has all the tricks-- the multiple fouettes described earlier and her gorgeous, jumps-like-a-man leaps-- but also a warm and expressive upper body. Both of them are downright lovable. Very giving performers.

And I also loved the Momix. That Moses Pendleton sure has a gift.

[vagansmom]

For those unfamiliar with MOMIX's "Skiva", here are some photos from rehearsal for the Joyce last year where Steven Marshall performed it with Yasmine Lee. I couldn't find any pics of him with Nicole Loizides in "Skiva."

I think it was the first MOMIX piece I'd ever seen, way back around 1990. I never tire of it.

Skiva

Edited to add a "Whoops!" It won't let me post a link directly to the page with all the photos, but you can do a search on the page that comes up to see them all

[carbro]

Thanks, Jacki, for the link.