pherank Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 New York Times Dance Critic Alastair Macaulay has recently published an article regarding the Amercian-born Ballerina: All-American GoddessesU.S. Ballerinas Redefine an Art, but What About History? http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/07/arts/dance/us-ballerinas-redefine-an-art-but-what-about-history.html "Just now there are at least 11 prodigious American-born young women dancing in six different American companies, who deserve to be called ballerinas.""I can only say that their dancing already matters greatly and is full of yet greater potential. Set these 11 women against their European counterparts, and you find an energy, an open audacity, a rhythmic complexity, and an assertiveness that helps to define them as excitingly American.""San Francisco Ballet has Vanessa Zahorian and Sarah Van Patten...Ms. Zahorian and Ms. Van Patten are complex women who often light up San Francisco Ballet’s repertory with multifaceted authority. Both can be striking in dramatic roles: Ms. Zahorian has mature sophistication, while Ms. Van Patten is capable of wildness and sweep." I want to congratulate Macaulay on his good taste. ;) And I congratulate Ms. Zahorian and Ms. Van Patten on their musicality, artistry and theatrical individuality. Link to comment
Drew Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Always interesting for me to hear about the top ballerinas in San Francisco--though alas I have only ever seen the company once and that some years ago. Link to comment
pherank Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Always interesting for me to hear about the top ballerinas in San Francisco--though alas I have only ever seen the company once and that some years ago. I heartily agree that it is nice to hear something good about the SFB company, which is why I mentioned Macaulay's recent remarks. He is in fact one of the few east coast critics that takes the time to praise SFB dancers, and the company in general. So I can't be totally down on him. ;) Link to comment
Helene Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Admin note: this thread is to discuss the inclusion of SFB dancers in Alastair Macaulay's article. A general discussion of the article can be found here: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/37481-macaulay-on-all-american-ballerinas/ Beanie off. San Francisco Ballet has posted the news to its Facebook Page, just as Ballet Arizona (Jillian Barrell) and Miami City Ballet (the Delgados) have about their dancers: The New York Times name-checks our own principals Vanessa & Sarah in this celebration of the "All-American Goddesses" of ballet! http://nyti.ms/1a76HI2Do you have an all-time favorite US ballerina? Maybe Maria Tallchief (pictured)? There is a wonderful Sam Falk photo of Tallchief taking a nap with her feet up on her dressing table. SFB asks a wonderful question and so did Jayne in the general discussion, and there's a new thread to discuss exactly that, Who Would Be on Your All-American Ballerinas List? Link to comment
pherank Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Admin note: this thread is to discuss the inclusion of SFB dancers in Alastair Macaulay's article. A general discussion of the article can be found here: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/37481-macaulay-on-all-american-ballerinas/ Thank you, Helene - good job re-organizing the thread(s). Link to comment
Josette Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 I've read several of Macauley's reviews where he praises Vanessa Zahorian and Sarah Van Patten, and it is wonderful to see both of these beautiful, uniquely gifted ballerinas singled out! Link to comment
Helene Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Sarah Van Patten is one of the most unique ballerinas I've seen. I only get to see the company in intense weekends, even when I see her perform the same ballet in a three-day span, her interpretations are not set or predictable. Link to comment
Helene Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 As I mentioned upstream, this thread is about the inclusion of SF Ballet dancers on Macaulay's American Ballerinas list. I've moved general discussion posts to the original thread in "Writings on Ballet," and I'm closing this thread. Link to comment
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