Paloma Herrera to Retire in 2015

[Dancerboy90210]

I'm surprised no one picked this up yet. With everyone leaving, I wonder who will be left to perform?

Yesterday, I opened my inbox to see an email with the subject line "BIG NEWS!!!! from paloma." The American Ballet Theatre principal had sent out a note to several of her colleagues and contacts in the dance world announcing that the 2015 season at the Metropolitan Opera House would be her last. By that time, she will have danced with ABT for 24 years, including 20 as a principal, inspiring thousands of students, ballet lovers and fellow dancers along the way.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Helene
To reduce quote to comply with copyright.

[Helene]

There's a discussion in the Paloma Herrera thread in the "Dancers" forum:

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/38770-paloma-herrera/?hl=herrera

[FauxPas]

Okay, what ballet should Paloma choose to exit in? Two popular choices for ballerinas are:

1) Title role of Giselle - provided farewells for Amanda McKerrow and Susan Jaffe

2) Swan Lake - farewell vehicle for Nina Ananiashvili, Angel Corella and Jose Manuel Carreno and Cynthia Gregory (Act II)

or another ballet? Paloma is quite fine in "Sleeping Beauty" and "La Bayadere". Would she still be up for "Don Q" next year?

[abatt]

I'm wondering whether they would use her in the new production of Sleeping Beauty (which will premiere in 2015), since she is leaving.

I think her best roles are Don Q, Corsaire and Sleeping Beauty. I've never thought her Giselle, Swan Lake or Juliets were particularly memorable. Acting was not a strong point for her, and I feel like these roles require a good dance actress.I also liked her Raymonda very much, but that was a long time ago and who knows if that one will ever come back to ABT.

Paloma did very good work in modern ballets, and I closely associate her with Tywla's works for ABT. Maybe ABT will do a Twyla program next season?

[Golden Idol]

Abatt: from your keyboard to KM's ears. Oh yes, would love to see Raymonda again...

[ABT Fan]

Yes to Raymonda and yes to a Twyla program!

[fondoffouettes]

The programming prospects of a Paloma farewell season are exciting, as she can still dance most of the full-length classics proficiently. I'd personally like to see her go out with Sleeping Beauty, which has really been one of her best vehicles. And it would be nice to see an ABT ballerina go out in a ballet that is not tragic!

I can only imagine (and dread) what a Julie Kent farewell season will look like, whenever that might come. Onegin, Lady of the Camellias, Manon, Romeo & Juliet, Othello, Month in the Country, Merry Widow...anything featuring silk skirts and overwrought pas de deux. I hope she bows out while she can at least still dance SL, Giselle, and the Dream.

[onxmyxtoes]

The programming prospects of a Paloma farewell season are exciting, as she can still dance most of the full-length classics proficiently. I'd personally like to see her go out with Sleeping Beauty, which has really been one of her best vehicles. And it would be nice to see an ABT ballerina go out in a ballet that is not tragic!

I can only imagine (and dread) what a Julie Kent farewell season will look like, whenever that might come. Onegin, Lady of the Camellias, Manon, Romeo & Juliet, Othello, Month in the Country, Merry Widow...anything featuring silk skirts and overwrought pas de deux. I hope she bows out while she can at least still dance SL, Giselle, and the Dream.

Kent isn't doing SL this year. I saw her last year, though, and thought that she was exquisite - even with minor choreography modifications. Hers was the best I've seen in the past couple of years, and I've seen at least 10 (if not more) of ABT's Swan Lakes in that time.