Helene Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Just https://twitter.com/sfballet/status/661250171531952129https://twitter.com/sfballet/status/661250171531952129 by San Francisco Ballet: *Just Announced* Joan Boada & Pascal Molat to retire from SFBallet following the '16 Season. A Farewell Performance is planned, date TBA. Link to comment
Helene Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 From the press release: San Francisco--CA—San Francisco Ballet has announced that two long-term Principal Dancers, Joan Boada and Pascal Molat, will say their goodbyes to the Company following the 2015-16 Season. A Farewell Performance is planned toward the end of the season, with the date to be announced. “Joan and Pascal are two exceptional artists who have given so much to the Company and our audiences over the years,” said SF Ballet Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson. “I am grateful to each of them for all of their hard work and dedication and wish them the best of luck as they step into the next chapter of their lives—they will be missed.” Boada, who hails from Cuba, trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba before dancing with a number of companies including the National Ballet of Cuba, Le Jeune Ballet, The Australian Ballet, and Royal Ballet of Flanders. In 1999, Boada joined SF Ballet as a principal dancer and during his tenure, he has performed a wide range of works by choreographers including Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, James Kudelka, Mark Morris, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins, Liam Scarlett, Helgi Tomasson, and Christopher Wheeldon, among many others. In addition to having a number of roles created on him, Boada has also performed principal roles in many full-length productions including Romeo in Tomasson’s Romeo & Juliet, Prince Siegfried in Tomasson’s Swan Lake, Basilio in Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote, Aminta in Morris’ Sylvia, and Prince Gillaume in Wheeldon’s Cinderella. In 2003, he received the Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Best Ensemble performance with Lorena Feijoo in Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote. Molat trained at the Paris Opéra Ballet School and danced with a number of companies in his native France, including Royal Ballet of Wallonie, Royal Ballet of Flanders, and Ballets de Monte Carlo. Molat joined SF Ballet in 2002 as a soloist and was promoted to principal dancer a year later. During his career with SF Ballet, Molat has performed in ballets by a diverse array of choreographers including George Balanchine, John Cranko, Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Wayne McGregor, John Neumeier, Paul Taylor, Helgi Tomasson, and Hans van Manen, among many others. Molat has had many roles created on him and performed principal roles in numerous full-length productions such as Mercutio in Tomasson’s Romeo & Juliet, Hilarion in Tomasson’s Giselle, the Poet in Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid, Gremin in Cranko’s Onegin, and Aminta in Morris’ Sylvia. Molat has served as a guest faculty member with SF Ballet School and most recently, performed the role of Mercutio in the 2015 film of Tomasson’s Romeo & Juliet, as part of the inaugural season of Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance. Link to comment
pherank Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Joan Boada has often been paired with Kochetkova, who will be spending more of her time at ABT - perhaps all of her time. I can see Boada being a good partner for Dores André too, but he may be struggling at present to find roles. A disappointing way to go out, really - I hope this last season proves me wrong, and he finds decent roles. Pascal Molat has been one of SFB's very best 'character' dancers, and always high energy. I'm going to miss him particularly. Losing both Damian Smith and Pascal Molat leaves SFB with no great character danseurs that I can think of. Link to comment
Quiggin Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Joan Boada has been dancing fairling regularly with the company - this past season in Ratmansky Triolgy, in Hummingbird and in The Four Temperaments (with Frances Chung). i didn't see his famous Don Quixote with Lorena Feijoo after he was fired - which resulted in his restatement back into the company. Paul Parish could might be able to recount the story. Estaban Hernandez could be a good character dancer to succeed Joan Boada and Pascal Molat (less so Damian Smith). He's a brilliant hoofer (he was in Les Lutens) as well as first rank corps member. Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Hmm, I think it's very possible that Pascal may stay on as a principal character artist post-official retirement. He really is a wonderful and vibrant actor. It would be a shame to lose him completely! Link to comment
Terez Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I wish Pascal Molat would wait a year or two... : ( Link to comment
Terez Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 "... Kochetkova, who will be spending more of her time at ABT - perhaps all of her time." Yikes. I hope not all of her time! Link to comment
Helene Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 SFB just tweeted that Pascal Molat will be speaking with ACT Director Carey Perloff tomorrow, Monday November 16 at 7:30pm at the Strand Theater as part of Words on Dance. Tickets are $40 (Orchestra) and $20 (Mezzanine). From the website: WORDS ON DANCE PREMIERE SCREENING RITA MORENO AND CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON in conversation Filmed in New York, April 2015. Film clips of Wheeldon's choreography including his Tony Award winning choreography from the Broadway show AN AMERICAN IN PARIS SAN FRANCISCO PREMIER From Tribeca Film Festival: EARLY SUNDAY MORNING• Produced and starring American Ballet Theatre Principal ISABELLA BOYLSTON, American Ballet Theater Principal JAMES WHITESIDE, Choreography, JUSTIN PECK.• Words On Dance conversation screenings with Isabella Boylston, and Justin Peck WORDS ON DANCE LIVE ONSTAGE CAREY PERLOFF with PASCAL MOLAT • San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer Pascal Molat, in conversation with ACT Artistic Director, Carey Perloff, screening of Pascal Molat in early studio footage Paris Opera Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet selections• Acclaimed dance filmmaker KATE DUHAMEL, film premiere featuring Pascal Molat Link to comment
Josette Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I recall two amazing Joan Boada performances: Kochetkova had to miss two Romeo and Juliet performances due to a neck issue, but performed the Sunday matinee. I was sitting in the front row, when, while her hair was being brushed in her first scene with her nurse, her face started to bleed just above her eye, she exited stage right, and the curtain came down for about a half hour and then the show continued. Kochetkova was obviously shaken and Boada gave her and the audience the most ardent, passionate Romeo performance I have yet seen, sweeping and supporting his Juliet through what was the last show of the season. The other performance where Boada memorably saved the day was Don Q, starting with Vanessa Zahorian and Davit Karapetyan, but Karapetyan had to be replaced by Boada due to injury in the second and third acts, and Boada was a marvel both in his dancing and partnership with the stunning Zahorian. As for Pascal Molat, his Mercutio's death made me tear up, his Husband in The Concert made me laugh, his Prince Gremlin in Onegin had humanity - everything I saw him dance was memorable; he is a wonderful dance-actor. I am grateful that I was able to thank him personally on one occasion for his work. I hope to go to their tribute performance. The tribute performances have a focus and an atmosphere different from the regular season performances as there is an outpouring of love to the retiring dancers. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 The company has just posted some information on the farewell gala for Boada, Molat and Nedvigin, which will take place on Sunday, April 17. https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/production/overview?prodid=3401 Link to comment
Recommended Posts