Drew Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 We left with the impression that Suki Schorer (who coached Serenade) was a great teacher and, surprisingly, Darci not so good. Given how great Suzanne Farrell is, we had thought Darci -Balanchine's last great ballerina- would be a good teacher but the Swan Lake did not reflect it. Well, whatever the reason the Swan Lake was not as successful as the Serenade, Schorer and Farrell have been teaching/coaching a lot longer than Kistler. So, experience may be an issue. (They also had a much more extended and, I have to believe, deeper and more mature experience with Balanchine as choreographer and coach. I tend to think of Kistler--undoubtedly a great ballerina--as closer to being Balanchine's last great discovery than his last great ballerina. Which doesn't mean she may not be or become a great teacher and coach...) Link to comment
Helene Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 "Swan Lake" is a different kettle of fish than "Serenade." There isn't a single role in "Serenade" that is the single focus or has to carry the ballet like Odette does. Kistler was an extraordinary talent, and we cling to those clips. Very few students trained in a neoclassical style would elicit the same response. Most of them aren't televised, though, for comparison's sake. Link to comment
abatt Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 "Swan Lake" is a different kettle of fish than "Serenade." There isn't a single role in "Serenade" that is the single focus or has to carry the ballet like Odette does. Kistler was an extraordinary talent, and we cling to those clips. Very few students trained in a neoclassical style would elicit the same response. I think this issue also extends to the company itself, not just the students at SAB. Most of the dancers cast as O/O in the recent revivals of Swan Lake at NYCB have been less than thrilling. Full length dramatic ballets are not their bread and butter, and it shows in the performances. The one exception, in my opinion, is Mearns. For whatever reason, she is able to break out of the neoclassical mode when she performs SL and has given transcendent performances of O/O. Link to comment
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