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NYCB Fall 2014 Season


abatt

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As soon as I heard Ratmansky would be choreographing a new ballet to Pictures at an Exhibition, I knew I would try to see it during its first season and fortunately I was able to come up to NY this past weekend when I could see it twice alongside two different Justin Peck ballets (my first exposure to Peck's work) and other premiers as well as getting the chance to see some Balanchine that I have not seen recently including an entirely delightful performance of Tombeau de Couperin.

I'm not sure what I will be able to write, but did want to be sure to write that I am deeply grateful I was able to see Sara Mearns' gorgeous and, I think rather extraordinary, debut in Chaconne. Mearns in Chaconne is not the reason I made my trip; I bought tickets based on repertory months ago, long before casts were announced (though of course hoping to see Mearns in something). I feel more than lucky. She combined a kind of subdued (for her) grandeur with joy, dancing with wit and sexiness--including a series of double pirouettes performed as subtle seduction--and also had the Farrellesque quality of dancing at times as if she were making it up as she went along. And always with complete, breathtaking security. She managed to look centered even when she was riskily 'off center.' Just amazing.

Since I will not be at Whelan's farewell NYCB performance, I also hoped for this long weekend to serve as my farewell to Wendy Whelan at NYCB--I'm hoping to see "Restless Creature" in January--and the ballet gods were smiling...and/or NYCB was making sure lots of people got to say farewell because she danced at all four performances I attended. (All four appeared to be very well sold and audiences erupted for her at curtain calls.)

Sat afternoon with Craig Hall she gave a particularly moving performance of After the Rain, a performance in which her ability to draw one into something like a private world onstage was at its most sure and beautiful. I also found it moving after Sat night's performance of Pictures at an Exhibition to see the other dancers applaud her and then, after they had all taken their additional bows in front of the curtain, see Whelan take a brief solo bow, almost immediately joined (I believe) by Ratmansky who appeared for just a few seconds before the rest of the company joined her. I found Ratmansky's pas de deux for Whelan and T. Angle towards the beginning of the ballet -- the "Old Castle" section of the music -- to be a miniature summa of her beauty as a ballerina at this very final stage of her ballet career and one of the ballet's highlights.

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I attended Friday night's performance (Square Dance, Steadfast Tin Soldier, Tombeau de Couperin, The Concert) and Saturday matinee (Chaconne, Interplay, After the Rain pdd, Everywhere We Go).

When I began attending NYCB a few years ago, Square Dance was the first piece I saw that really made me fall in love with Balanchine and NYCB. I was eager to see it again, and it did not disappoint. Beautiful and joyous. Ashley Bouder, needless to say, dazzled with her technique. Anthony Huxley is a different kind of dancer from Bouder, more serious and with a beautiful elegant form. I enjoy him very much. I have a feeling it hasn't helped his career that Erica Pereira stalled in her development. Size-wise, she is a good partner for him, but he's way ahead of her in sophistication and onstage presence. I would love to see the other cast of Square Dance, with Abi Stafford and Taylor Stanley. I love to see Taylor Stanley in anything, and although Stafford can't match Bouder's technique, she has a natural, unaffected and piquant charm that seems perfect for this role (and many others). But that may have to wait till winter season, as I'm on a budget and the rest of the program doesn't really draw me in. And as to who else I would love to see in Square Dance... Ashly Isaacs, with killer allegro technique and charm to burn.

Saturday afternoon -- Sara Mearns' debut in Chaconne. Wow. Somehow both intense and restrained, grand and beautifully flowing. I don't believe I've seen this ballet before and as with Square Dance, I would totally love to see it again but the budget is stretched thin and the rest of the program doesn't really appeal, so this will be on hold till winter season.

Interplay was fun. After the Rain pas de deux -- it was great to see Wendy Whelan for the last time, and it was also terrific to see Craig Hall. Why isn't this beautiful dancer used more?

Finally, Everywhere We Go -- I believe this is the second (third?) time I've seen it, and I really want to like it, but I felt exhausted by the end, what with the nonstop coming and going and the flailing about of arms and legs in movements that didn't seem to have a particular purpose beyond just flailing.

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I attended Friday night's performance (Square Dance, Steadfast Tin Soldier, Tombeau de Couperin, The Concert) and Saturday matinee (Chaconne, Interplay, After the Rain pdd, Everywhere We Go).

When I began attending NYCB a few years ago, Square Dance was the first piece I saw that really made me fall in love with Balanchine and NYCB. I was eager to see it again, and it did not disappoint. Beautiful and joyous. Ashley Bouder, needless to say, dazzled with her technique. Anthony Huxley is a different kind of dancer from Bouder, more serious and with a beautiful elegant form. I enjoy him very much. I have a feeling it hasn't helped his career that Erica Pereira stalled in her development. Size-wise, she is a good partner for him, but he's way ahead of her in sophistication and onstage presence. I would love to see the other cast of Square Dance, with Abi Stafford and Taylor Stanley. I love to see Taylor Stanley in anything, and although Stafford can't match Bouder's technique, she has a natural, unaffected and piquant charm that seems perfect for this role (and many others). But that may have to wait till winter season, as I'm on a budget and the rest of the program doesn't really draw me in. And as to who else I would love to see in Square Dance... Ashly Isaacs, with killer allegro technique and charm to burn.

Saturday afternoon -- Sara Mearns' debut in Chaconne. Wow. Somehow both intense and restrained, grand and beautifully flowing. I don't believe I've seen this ballet before and as with Square Dance, I would totally love to see it again but the budget is stretched thin and the rest of the program doesn't really appeal, so this will be on hold till winter season.

Interplay was fun. After the Rain pas de deux -- it was great to see Wendy Whelan for the last time, and it was also terrific to see Craig Hall. Why isn't this beautiful dancer used more?

Finally, Everywhere We Go -- I believe this is the second (third?) time I've seen it, and I really want to like it, but I felt exhausted by the end, what with the nonstop coming and going and the flailing about of arms and legs in movements that didn't seem to have a particular purpose beyond just flailing.

Cobweb, I agree wtih you about Everywhere We Go. As I said before, it could have ended several times and It would be fine with me. I will be seeing Abi Stafford next weekend in Square Dance. Having seen Bouder in it, I was a disappointed when I saw the casting, but you've given me hope. I'll report back. Thank you for your impressions.

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They have paired up Huxley in the past w. Lauren Lovette, but I didn't think it was a particularly good match. I think I saw them last season together in Raymonda Variations.

Huxley's partnering skills needed work, but his solo variations were brilliant.

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I thought Bouder was fantastic in Square Dance Friday night (it was my first time seeing her dance it)--I liked the way she "built" the role, too, moving with greater and greater freedom and playfulness--musical playfulness too--as the ballet continued. It was a dazzling performance but also one with variety and charm.

It was interesting to see Everywhere We Go on the same program as Interplay (Sat afternoon) because Justin Peck's ballet is like Robbins on steroids. For one, It seems to have something like 4 different finales. I guess the ballet's flaws have been pretty well aired on this website, but I enjoyed getting a look at Peck's work and, more than that, enjoyed the ballet's overflow of high spirits and its affectionate portrait of dancers. And I most especially enjoyed Sterling Hyltin's vivid, high energy performance--she looked like she was having fun and was certainly fun to watch. I thought Krohn, too, looked very good. She also looked lovely in Peck's new ballet Belles Lettres--and, in my eyes, she looked more than lovely in Morgen esp the Sat night performance. Though she was already compelling to me in her debut on Thursday, Saturday I found myself waiting for her to return to the stage. I have seen her a few times before, but never had that reaction to her...so that was quite nice.

I thought Scarlett's Funerailles looked like an outtake from an unknown Macmillan ballet, but Thursday night Tiler Peck and Robert Fairchild were so intense and so sensual and so...well...beautiful it scarcely mattered. (Uh...I am something less than a fan of Macmillan.) The "Sarah Burton for Alexander Mcqueen" gown for Peck gets my vote for most gorgeous gown designed for a ballet EVER. At the beginning of the ballet, the gown itself made it seem as if the ballerina were rising from the mists--and better than any dry ice could do. Zachary Catazaro and Gretchen Smith brought intensity to the same number as well Saturday night and when I heard the audience cheer them wildly I wondered if there were some unconscious yearning among NYCB-goers to see the company dance Mayerling. (That's a joke, but still...and since there is no "spit to ward off the evil eye" icon, please imagine one.)

Anyway, I'm only able to see the company in spurts--the last time was in January--but certainly in the four performances I saw, they seemed to be dancing (mostly) spectacularly: Chaconne Sat afternoon was a partial exception, marred by uneven performances up and down the ranks...but Mearns, making her debut in the ballerina role, was simply fabulous. (I tried to write about it above...) Mearns, Peck, Bouder, and the retiring Whelan: these seem to me to belong to any list of the best ballerinas in the world today.

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I haven't seen Mearns yet in Chaconne. Will be going on Friday. Some may not have read the NY Times' appreciation of Mearns in Chaconne, because the review in which it was contained is ostensibly about Fall For Dance, not NYCB. See the last 3 paragraphs, which focus on Mearns.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/13/arts/lucinda-childs-and-alvin-ailey-troupe-at-fall-for-dance.html?ref=dance&_r=0#

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IMearns, Peck, Bouder, and the retiring Whelan: these seem to me to belong to any list of the best ballerinas in the world today.

I certainly second that. Definitely some world class ballerinas now at NYCB. Unfortunately, most of the men at NYCB are not world class at the moment. The golden age of Woetzel, Boal, Hubbe and Soto has passed.

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IMearns, Peck, Bouder, and the retiring Whelan: these seem to me to belong to any list of the best ballerinas in the world today.

I certainly second that. Definitely some world class ballerinas now at NYCB. Unfortunately, most of the men at NYCB are not world class at the moment. The golden age of Woetzel, Boal, Hubbe and Soto has passed.

And that's why I'm getting such a kick out off re-introducing myself to NYCB lately. (I'm a much more frequent ABT attendee). In any given program you have the chance to see one or more of these world class ballerinas - what a treat! Out of curiosity who would you in the know consider the world class men currently in the company? Veyette, deLuz, and Fairchild?

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IMearns, Peck, Bouder, and the retiring Whelan: these seem to me to belong to any list of the best ballerinas in the world today.

I certainly second that. Definitely some world class ballerinas now at NYCB. Unfortunately, most of the men at NYCB are not world class at the moment. The golden age of Woetzel, Boal, Hubbe and Soto has passed.

And that's why I'm getting such a kick out off re-introducing myself to NYCB lately. (I'm a much more frequent ABT attendee). In any given program you have the chance to see one or more of these world class ballerinas - what a treat! Out of curiosity who would you in the know consider the world class men currently in the company? Veyette, deLuz, and Fairchild?

I don't think you can forget Ulbricht. Even if his physique is a bit odd, I find him the most exciting and virtuosic male in NYCB. It's a shame they give him so little to dance. He could definitely do some of the roles de Luz does.

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I just came home from tonight's varied program. For the third time I saw Clearing Dawn and I still don't like it, despite some great dancing from Ashley and Andy. Scarlett's Funerailles, however, is really growing on me. I love how this very dramatic piece (in the vein of Lady of the Camelias or Onegin) is being danced by a company that generally doesn't do this type of piece. Tonight Gretchen Smith and Zachary Catazaro danced it (I had seen it twice with Tiler and Robbie). I thought they did a terrific job although in the middle they seemed just a little tired. Still, they brought the drama and from where I was sitting (rear orchestra) the partnering looked pretty seamless.

Buried in the program was a premiere, Jean-Pierre Frohlich's "Varied Trio". This is a PDD that was danced tonight by Sterling and Amar. I thought it was inoffensive; neither good nor very bad. The piece is set to music that sounds vaguely Balinese and contains a lot of arm and hand gestures that are very South/East Asian. The costumes are identical light blue unitards, very simple. It had some of the requisite complex partnering that seem de rigeur today but there were some solo moments for each dancer, as well. I think with more charismatic dancers (neither of these are my favs) this ballet might be more interesting but tonight it just seemed undistinguished.

Wendy and Craig Hall performed a gorgeous After the Rain and received a standing ovation. Since Wendy is (I believe) dancing something every night this week I am calling it WWW (Wendy Whelan Week). It's like an extended farewell.

This definitely brightened up after intermission. In Peter's tango based Todo Buenos Aires, Joaquin was the lead and Adrian, Amar, Jared, Ask, Maria and Ashley Laracey were the other dancers. Set to great music by Piazzola, this piece is full of high spirits and energy. Joaquin did some incredibly virtuosic dancing but really all the men got to shine (I especially love Adrian). Sometimes they are in trios (2 men, 1 woman), sometimes all 4 men (excluding Joaquin) dance together, sometimes 2 men will dance with each other. Peter's choreography can be pretty difficult but none of it seemed needlessly tricky.

The evening concluded with Justin Peck's In Creases. I haven't seen this piece for awhile but I still like it, with its unusual formations. I find Peck using a kind of new ballet vocabulary, which is exciting (not the same old steps, just rearranged). I also really like that the 8 dancers all come from the corps or soloist ranks. Good for him, letting these talented individuals really dance! So while the evening began a bit slowly, it ended on a strong note.

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^^ Agree re: Ulbricht....so underused & sometimes maybe even overlooked by his own company. Maybe that's why he's initiating his own projects outside of NYCB.

I also think Ulbricht is wonderful, but I think he hasn't be cast more because of his height. He is a bit shorter than DeLuz and that bit makes a difference. DeLuz is tall enough to partner both Megan Fairchild & Tiler Peck, even in ballets with difficult partnering like Theme & Variations. Ulbricht is not quite tall enough to partner either of them. He gets away with doing Tarantella with Ashley Bouder because there is no real partnering. I don't think there's a dancer in NYCB, with the ability to do ballerina roles, who is short enough for him.

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I think part of the reason Ulbricht is not cast is his sloppy line. He is definitely a jumper and a spinner of extraordinary capability, but he sacrifices a pure classical line in the process.His background in gymnastics is both a blessing and a curse, I suppose. This issue regarding sloppy line has been raised in numerous NY Times reviews of his work over the years. He is certainly tall enough to partner M. Fairchild and L. Lovette.

To my memory, the only role they have given him which involved interpretive nuance was Prodigal Son. Many of the classical roles to which he would be probably be suited (Rubies, Tchia pdd, the lead in the final section of the Four Seasons, Square Dance) have been assigned to others. In addition to DeLuz, he now has to compete for roles with Huxley, who is similarly sized but much more classical.

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Saw the mat performance. I went with some trepidation about Square Dance because Abi Stafford was cast. I've seen Ashley Bouder twice in recent history and was blown away. Turned out Stafford gave a very pleasing performance. She doesn't have the blazing clarity and speed of Bouder, but who does. Stafford had no technical issues, was quite musical and had a charming manner. Taylor Stanley was much improved and more relaxed than I've seen him in the past. The corps looked amazing.

Steadfast Tin Soldier - I've seen too many times. Pereira & Ulbricht were fine although I wonder if they're as tired of the ballet as I am (They didn't dance as if they were. I just wonder)

Le Tombeau de Couperin - I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I always find it charming. Few choreographers have given such a wonder gift to the corps.

This Bitter Earth pas - Extraordinary performance by Whelan and Tyler Angle. The partnering was flawless. Whelan's total commitment to the choreography, the way every part of her body is expressive is very moving. The audience gave her an ovation. I think she is wise to retire from NYCB. She can only do a fraction of the rep there. Now she'll be free put her whole focus on project that suit her wonderful talents. I'm looking forward to it.

The Concert - As always, hilarious. Sterling Hyltin, Andrew Veyette & Lydia Wellington were the leads. I have to say that Georgina Pazcoguin is always a stand out dramatically in any narrative. When she glares you believe it.

All in all a very enjoyable afternoon. I look forward to hearing about W. Whalen's farewell performance from those of you lucky enough to have tickets.

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Thanks for your comments, vipa. I'm so with you on too much Steadfast Tin Soldier, and unfortunately, I'm starting to feel that way about The Concert, too.

And as for Abi Stafford, she is not one of the more celebrated principals, but I find her so charming and musical -- I really enjoy her.

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Reporting in on the group trip by patrons of my library to NYCB and the Meet a Dancer tour! We saw the Balanchine/Tschaikovsky program, which I had seen the week before. Nice for me to see different dancers this time around. Everyone (there were 19 of us, most non-ballet goers) enjoyed themselves and most thought the Tschai Pas was the best (Bouder/Garcia). For me a highlight was seeing Veyette do T&V for the first time in person. No wonder ABT imported him to do this piece! The tour was simply wonderful. Our dancer was Georgina Pazcoguin who couldn't have been sweeter. She talked about the history of the State Theater and the pieces we would be seeing that day in addition to her "typical" day. (She was dancing the Scherzo from Tschai Suite No.3 that day) We were then taken back stage to see the warm up area that some of the dancers were already starting to use. Then on the stage and what a thrill to see the house from that vantage point. Savannah Lowery was warming up in the wings and Georgina borrowed one of her pointe shoes to show us. One of our group brought her granddaughter who had her own pointe shoes for Georgina to sign, which she happily did as well as pose for many photos. I really felt like they went above and beyond for us especially for our youngest member who was also taken to the stage door to collect more autographs. We mentioned that we had read Jenifer Ringer's book and Mel, the NYCB tour organizer said she was missed and they all wanted to go to Calif to visit her. It was a wonderful day and there's talk of wanting to do it again and take the Costume Dept tour!

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Veyette is hands down the best male T&V dancer at the moment. Beautiful phrasing, amplitude, and perfect multiple double tours. He was also fantastic with Ashley Bouder in Donizetti Variations earlier this season. Sterling Hyltin as the T&V female lead, on the other hand, was disappointing. The role is clearly beyond her technical ability -- nycb audiences have been spoiled with how effortless Ashley Bouder, Tiler Peck, and Megan Fairchild make it look. I think they should always use the Bouder/Veyetter pairing for any of these virtuoso roles. They make a great match temperementally as well as physically -- both have presence and then some. Ashley is my favorite T&V female lead -- although she was wonderful in Tchai pas, I thought they should have had her do T&V instead of Sterling that day. Makes one miss Megan and her rock solid technique! And I thought Georgina did a great Scherzo on Sunday -- worlds better than her debut a couple of weeks ago. And Devin Alberda has been a standout, again, in the corps.

This season, I also loved Tess Reichlen in Movements/Monumentum, and Maria in Chaconne and Mozartiana (I think her much more graceful than Sara Mearns in those roles) -- especially in the opening pdd of Chaconne. Magical. Sara Mearns did not conjure that atmosphere for me. Frankly, no-one does the suspension-of-time thing as well as Wendy Whelan. She still had it in her Concerto DSCH perf on Saturday. She'll be sorely missed. Her Preghiera in Mozartiana, and her adagios in Baracco, Diamonds, and Symphony in C, were all unparalleled.

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Sterling Hyltin as the T&V female lead, on the other hand, was disappointing. The role is clearly beyond her technical ability -- nycb audiences have been spoiled with how effortless Ashley Bouder, Tiler Peck, and Megan Fairchild make it look.

Having Tiler Peck and Megan Fairchild out at the same time is bound to lead to new casting for virtuoso roles (since Ashley Bouder can't do all of them herself!). I too saw the Hyltin-Veyette Theme & Variations on Sunday and thought Hyltin looked uncomfortable. Having seen her many times in many roles, my feeling is that she does have the technical capability, but maybe was suffering from a lack of rehearsal and preparation time (I believe this is the performance that either Peck or Bouder was originally scheduled to do, but Hyltin was put in when Tiler pulled out of the last few days of the season, presumably because of conflict with her other project). Hyltin didn't own the role, didn't inhabit it as if it were her own skin, the way Bouder, Peck, and Fairchild all do. But maybe she could, if she did it more often.

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I thought Maria was sloppy in Mozartiana on Sunday. Maybe a little too much partying on Sat eve at Wendy's farewell to be in full command at the Sunday matinee..

Maria has also been moonlighting across the plaza in the Met Opera's Carmen, performing the Wheeldon choreography with husband Martin Harvey.

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