Season Encore Program

[Helene]

Here is the press release:

Season Encore Performance

Performance to include works by Balanchine, Duato, Forsythe and more!
Featuring the PNB Orchestra.

ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Sunday, June 7, 2015 – 6:30 pm
Marion Oliver McCaw Hall
321 Mercer Street, Seattle Center
Seattle, WA 98109

SEATTLE, WA – The curtain comes down on Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 42nd season with its annual Season Encore Performance, a crowd-pleasing reprise of some of PNB’s greatest hits. An evening of thrilling selections and inspired performances, the program will feature PNB’s entire Company, along with the mighty PNB Orchestra (now celebrating its 25th Anniversary) under the baton of Music Director/Principal Conductor Emil de Cou. The evening also celebrates the extraordinary careers of PNB’s departing dancers with George Balanchine’s Serenade and selections from his Jewels, the local premiere of a work by former PNB Company member Andrew Bartee, a sneak preview of Jessica Lang’s The Calling (to be presented as part of PNB’s 2015-2016 season) and others. The Season Encore Performance will be presented one night only, Sunday, June 7 at 6:30 pm at McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer Street. Tickets may be purchased exclusively through the PNB Box Office (206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center.)

“The Encore Performance has become not only a favorite of mine but also of our audiences,” said PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal, when announcing the line-up for the one-night-only event. “The evening brims with excitement and emotion as we bid farewell to favorite artists and revisit cherished repertoire. With two PNB premieres, several retirements, the return of George Balanchine’s Serenade, and Carla Körbes’ final onstage moments, there won’t be a dry eye in the house.”

In addition to the previously announced departures of principal dancer Carla Körbes and corps de ballet dancer Brittany Reid, the Season Encore performance will be the audience’s chance to offer a fond farewell to soloist Kiyon Gaines, who will be leaving the Company and joining the PNB School as a faculty member. “Kiyon has been such a vital part of PNB for the last 14 years,” said Mr. Boal. “When I first met Kiyon, he was an eager teenager bouncing around the studio and nodding in agreement to every word I said. His infectious energy filled the room. What a pleasure it has been to watch him develop over the years, not only as a dancer, but as a choreographer and a person. Though Kiyon takes the stage for the last time as a member of this Company, we’re so grateful that he will join the Pacific Northwest Ballet School as a faculty member and continue to be a part of the institution.”

Other company members leaving PNB at the end of the season are corps de ballet dancers Raphael Bouchard, Jahna Frantziskonis, and Charles McCall.

The line-up for the 2014-2015 Season Encore Performance includes:

Emeralds (excerpt)
Music: Gabriel Fauré
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust

Rubies (excerpt)
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust

Diamonds (excerpt)
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust

Rassemblement (excerpt)
Music: Toto Bissainthe
Choreography: Nacho Duato

The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
Music: Franz Schubert
Choreography: William Forsythe

The Calling (PNB Premiere)
Music: Anonymous, 12th-13th century
Choreography: Jessica Lang

Dirty Goods (PNB Premiere)
Music: The Chromatics
Choreography: Andrew Bartee

Serenade
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust

TICKETS & INFORMATION:

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Season Encore Performance will be performed one night only, Sunday, June 7 at 6:30 pm at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center.

Tickets range in price from $35 to $200 and may be purchased through the PNB Box Office:
· By calling 206.441.2424 (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm)
· In person at 301 Mercer Street, Seattle (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm)
· Online 24/7 at our website, pnb.org
· 90 minutes prior to the performance at McCaw Hall, located at 321 Mercer Street. (Subject to availability.)

Please Note: No student/senior rush tickets or Teen Tix discounts are available for this performance.

[sandik]

I like the choices from this year's rep, but was surprised at the premieres on the program. As glad as I am for a chance to see what Andrew Bartee is up to, and to see the Lang performed live, I'm thinking I might have rather seen another excerpt from the season. Nothing from Don Q. Nothing from Debonair.

[Helene]

I'm guessing the shipload of Don Q costumes and sets are long gone I would have loved to see "Debonair" again.

PNB just tweeted a photo of Carla Korbes in the Lang:

https://twitter.com/PNBallet/status/600708238963675136

[sandik]

The photo is from a community program the ballet hosted last night -- several local choreographers showed excerpts of recent work. The program opened with The Calling. It was a great chance to see the variety of work being made in the dance community.

[sandik]

One question answered -- the Bartee work isn't a world premiere. It's the Seattle premiere of the piece he made last year at OIympic National Park that was first seen at Wolftrap Park.

[SandyMcKean]

Jahna Frantziskonis......leaving??!!

Say it ain't so. Jahna is one of the most exciting young dancers I've seen in a while. When she dances, she is 100% THERE.....and no where else.

[sandik]

Alas, yes -- we are all very sad.

[SandyMcKean]

I've been searching the web trying to find out what she will be doing next. Haven't found anything. Anyone know something that can be made public??

[Helene]

If we do, we'll post it. I hope all of the plans for the dancers who are leaving will be in the Encores program notes.

[seattle_dancer]

At last night's Q&A Peter Boal announced Jahna is taking a contract with San Francisco Ballet.

This year her brother was in the professional level of the SFB school.

I am sad she is leaving PNB but glad she is not going too far. SFO is just a quick flight away.

[sandik]

I'm sorry to be losing her as well -- I thoroughly enjoyed watching her in the Forsythe lec-dem earlier in the season, as he was tinkering. She's very legible on stage, even in a large group.

Boal made several announcements about the people who are leaving (posted elsewhere on BA, but I'll repeat here because you don't always want to rummage around online)

McCall will keep dancing, but not sure where yet.

Hipolito is going to Ballet Arizona

Bouchard is going to Montreal (but did not specify a company), which is his hometown

Reid is going to teach pilates in DC

Gaines graduated from Seattle University last week with a BA in Arts Administration (mostly earned through the PNB Second Stage program) and will continue to run the Next Step program as well as teaching at the school.

Korbes will keep dancing, but likely not in a company setting

[SandyMcKean]

I am sad she is leaving PNB but glad she is not going too far.

Well at least she is going from one great company to another. Can't do better than SF Ballet!

I miss all dancers when they leave, but Jahna I will miss more than usual (the last time I felt this way was Chalnessa Eames). This year I was just at the point where I would spot her on stage, and then proceed to focus on just her (since I go to multiple performances of all programs, I can afford to do this). Her dancing is infectious; her dedication and joy radiates. She's one of those that come along every once in a while that captures my imagination, and I relish looking forward to how their career and skills progress. And make no mistake, Jahna is a rising star -- where ever she is going to dance.

I have a brother who lives in the bay area. I never get myself to visit him enough. Perhaps Jahna being there is just the push I need to fly down there more often.

If she had to go, I'm glad it was to San Francisco Ballet.

[Helene]

San Francisco Ballet has not been a great place for moving up the ranks: most the Principals were hired as Principals from the outside and a couple were hired as Soloists and were promoted to Principal. I did the numbers: ABT has a stronger record of promoting internally, and that's not a particularly high bar.

If you look at the roster of PNB, all but Korbes and Seth Orza among the Principals and all of the Soloists started as PNB apprentices or corps and worked their way up the rank(s). Three of the eight soloists were PD's -- the others may have done the PNBS summer program -- as were five of 13 Principals and most of the corps. Frantziskonis was clearly on the fast track at PNB: while she has done many corps roles, she has also done demi and Principal roles in her short time at PNB.

Hopefully Helgi Tomasson will recognize her talent in every way.

[seattle_dancer]

Apparently SFB alternates corp dancers in reps so if you visit one of the weekends where the reps overlap, you should catch Jahna.

On the SFB forum someone said she's listed on the website now. Her photo is not up yet, and I hope they are not done with her bio because they neglected to mention her roles in Rubies and Vertiginous, two enormous accomplishments! I also thought she was very funny as the princess in Don Q, another aspect of her talent.

Who knows maybe she'll come back some day like Josh Grant and Noe?

[seattle_dancer]

I'm also sad Raphael is leaving. He was just getting some juicer roles as in Memory Glow, Before After and Vertiginous. I love how he uses his upper body, not at all like some stiff American ballet dancers. Those Monte Carlo dancers really know how to move and not just link steps.

Also, must have been waiting at least 10 years - no more, it was pre-Boal, to see Kiyon's Torque solo in the orange unitard. So memorable. Now I must give up my dream. ? I will miss his special spirit on stage but great for us to have him as a role model and teacher in the school (helps ease the loss of Tim Lynch).

[Jayne]

I'm a huge Kiyon Gaines fan (apparently it's a big club) and did some jumpy claps when he was promoted. What a shame that his injuries prevent him from continuing as a dancer. I certainly look forward to seeing "Sum Stravinsky" again in the fall season, and hope that he'll do further commissions for PNB.

[SandyMcKean]

Frankly, I think Kiyon's career is just beginning! He is so talented in so many ways. He's a natural born leader. He has charisma oozing out of his pores. As nearly everyone says, his enthusiasm is infectious. He can get an entire room of dancers charged up and present almost from the moment he walks into the room. I predict the ballet world is going hear about this young man on a national or even world stage. All of those lucky enough to be around him will see this whether it be as a teacher, a choreographer (can't wait for Sum Stravinsky next year), or as an artistic director. This man is going to make a difference, mark my words.

[seattle_dancer]

Fantastic show tonight! Finally we get to see Dirty Goods in entirety. Last summer was a teaser with the studio demonstration and the "making of" videos. Now I get the part where Ezra holds Leta upside down for so long.

I don't think there is a recording of the show tonight. If there was I feel sorry for the other dancers in The Calling after Carla. She was just exquisite tonight. In everything.

Was so glad to get to see Jahna in Rubies again. What a treat! Maybe she'll get lucky and get a show next year at SFB.

My final honorable mention is for Carrie Imler. Those turns in Seranade! Something like triple or quadruple pirouettes, a few revolutions en flat with leg in second, then she pulled it into passé for another three or four pirouettes. Increeible! I was so proud of her. It's like she was saying, you know PNB still has some kick ass ballerinas! (Vipa, I hope you saw the livestream)

The farewells were well paced, meaningful, but not overly long. Fun to see blasts from the past like Jeff Stanton and Josh Spell. I also like how parents, husbands, brother and girlfriend presented bouquets.

[choriamb]

A lovely performance of Serenade to close out:

-- Carla Korbes really gave a complete performance here (even more so than in her more emotional Diamonds, I thought).

-- The way Carrie Imler looks at her fellow dancers warms the heart.

-- Although she's a totally different dancer (her glory is her port de bras, rather than her feet), Lesley Rausch looked so much like Patricia Barker tonight. Nice touch.

[Bored_on_Wall_Street]

Mixed views on the performance. "Dirty Goods" gave me flashbacks to the worst student film and theatre pieces I saw my friends do in undergrad--cringeworthy stuff--but Serenade was mesmerizing. The excerpts from Jewels were also top drawer; I expected we would get the polonaise portion of Diamonds--what better way to send off a ballerina than with Balanchine's idolatry of Farrell/exultation of a ballerina--but I was pleasantly surprised by the choice.

[Bored_on_Wall_Street]

I can't quote on my phone, but Seattle_Dancer's remarks on Immler...she may not tick every box of what some people might want from a principal, but i'm always perplexed why this company doesn't feature her more. she's a god damned technical marvel!

[ivypink]

Hi! I'm coming out of lurkdom to put in my .02 tonight.

I was so grateful to have the live stream for otherwise I'd never get to see Carla Korbes dance.

But the repertoire...Oy vey! I thought Dirty Goods was horrid, and an insult to the very talented dancers in it. That work needs to be shelved.

The Calling--what was that? It was very pretty with the skirt all over the stage, but more of a theater piece than anything. Carla just stood there and posed. A complete waste of time. Rassemblement wasn't my cup of tea, either. It's a shame because Elizabeth Murphy is such a lovely dancer and I'd love to have seen her talent showcased in something that wasn't a barefoot modern dance.

I love Emeralds and Diamonds, but Rubies, not so much. Am I the only person who detests Rubies? I can't stand that prancing step, sort of like emboite, but not, and the silly grin on the ballerina's face. It's so forced. (I'm not dissing the dancers, it's not their fault. Just my own opinion.)

Serenade was exquisite! The dancer who knocked out those turns in the beginning! WOW! Who is she? I've never seen anything like that!

[Helene]

"Dirty Goods" was a National Park commission from Wolf Trap for the Face of America series. This was the first showing in Seattle with the combined film and dancing.

Peter Boal said he arranged for PNB to perform "The Calling" with Korbes in mind, before she announced her retirement. it will be in rep next season.

"Rassemblement" was in this year's rep. In a Q&A last weekend, Kiyon Gaines said that this role was the first major role Francia Russell and Kent Stowell gave him, and it was very meaningful to him, hence his choice for his final performance with the company.

The excerpts from "Jewels," which was the opening rep in September 2014, were selected to showcase the dancers who are leaving: Eric Hipolito Jr. Charles McCall, Jahna Franziskonis, and Carla Korbes.

Carrie Imler danced Russian in "Serenade."

[dancinginthesnow]

I missed the live stream, as it was morning here on the other side of the world, and I was at work. Any chance a recording will be available? (maybe like when some companies did 'World Ballet Day' on youtube and had the live stream recordings available in their entirety for a few days afterwards)

[Helene]

Sadly, no: the way PNB got the agreement with all parties was to make it a one-time, live-only transmission.