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Veronika Part leaving ABT


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Just back to hotel from the show:

 

Sublime Veronika Part danced an extraordinarily touching MOZARTIANA and was cheered to the rafters! Bravissima! Lots of bouquets, including huge one from AD Kevin M. And I believe that I saw Ratmansky following KMc. Entire company stood at back of stage and cheered.

 

If there were protests, I missed them. 

 

More later...meeting pals for dinner before evening's season finale. I'll report when get back to DC.

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14 minutes ago, Natalia said:

Just back to hotel from the show:

 

Sublime Veronika Part danced an extraordinarily touching MOZARTIANA and was cheered to the rafters! Bravissima! Lots of bouquets, including huge one from AD Kevin M. And I believe that I saw Ratmansky following KMc. Entire company stood at back of stage and cheered.

 

So happy to hear this! Sigh. Thank you for the report, Natalia.

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Beautiful sentiment from a young ballerina coming up through the ranks.  Scout's tribute should set an example for the other young up-and-comers.  Honor those who have come before you and shone you the way.  

 

Now for Veronika...You have beauty and grace that is truly unique and obviously treasured.  I sense that your times have not been so easy at ABT.   I'm sorry that it took this harsh turn of events for people to come out,  stand up for you and show you how treasured you really are.  This is no small thing.  Know that you are beloved.   As one door closes, another opens.  May the next door open to something truly satisfying for you.

 

I am better for having seen you grace the stage.

 

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I regret being the bearer or a negative impression of the tribute given to Veronika. It was short, slapdash, and frankly it shocked me. Company personnel were hastily assembled in a semicircle behind her, some of the principals hanging toward the back (Hallberg was one). K. McK. walked out onstage very quickly, gave V a kiss, and withdrew to the sidelines. But from among the dancers only Marcelo and Blaine personally saluted her. Blaine presented her with a bouquet himself. Marcelo urged her forward to take more solo bows. One of the ballet mistresses (was it Kolpakova?) gave V. a bouquet. I saw no retired dancers she may have danced with having returned to join the throng, as I've seen at other farewells. As for Veronika herself, after having given a beautiful performance, she was utterly professional. No tears I could see through my binocs, no stray expressions of rancor either. To repeat: an absolute pro. I don't know how she did it.

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10 minutes ago, Golden Idol said:

As for Veronika herself, after having given a beautiful performance, she was utterly professional. No tears I could see through my binocs, no stray expressions of rancor either. To repeat: an absolute pro. I don't know how she did it.

 

There are some backstage videos and photos from immediately after the bow that are posted by a few other dancers (Forsythe, Brandt, Boylston, etc) on Instagram as "stories" –– which I don't know how to link to here, but which are public under their official accounts. These confirm your impressions of what you saw from afar, Golden Idol, in terms of Veronika's demeanor.

Edited by nanushka
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Well life goes on. ABT could defintely handle these "retirements" better but I can also see the necessity in them. If given the chance, most ballerinas would stay on the roster long after their technical abilities diminish. Some have stayed much longer than they should (Ferri, Kent) and take up space that could be given to a younger dancer that certainly has earned the right to be promoted. 

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13 minutes ago, Fleurfairy said:

Well life goes on. ABT could defintely handle these "retirements" better but I can also see the necessity in them. If given the chance, most ballerinas would stay on the roster long after their technical abilities diminish. Some have stayed much longer than they should (Ferri, Kent) and take up space that could be given to a younger dancer that certainly has earned the right to be promoted. 

 

What you say is true, I think, but I also don't think it's relevant in this case. Veronika is still quite technically capable (she went out with Mozartiana after all, and was one of only two dancers to do the Odile fouettés this year). This firing couldn't, I think, be justified by ABT on the grounds you mention. And unless there are demonstrated technical [added:] or other artistic problems, firing a 39-year-old dancer because of her age is...well, age discrimination.

 

Edited to add:

If anything, Veronika seems more technically secure now than when she was promoted to principal.

Edited by nanushka
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Thank you canbelto for posting the bows. I loved the little girls giving her flowers. But why was Gomes the only principal who gave her a bouquet? The norm is for every principal to do so (unless they're out in town). The rest just stood in the back. I don't get it.

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6 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Thank you canbelto for posting the bows. I loved the little girls giving her flowers. But why was Gomes the only principal who gave her a bouquet? The norm is for every principal to do so (unless they're out in town). The rest just stood in the back. I don't get it.

 

I don;t know but Veronika and ABT aren't parting (pun intended) on very good terms. Maybe she didn't want what she felt were insincere gestures. Maybe except for Kevin McKenzie she chose the people she truly wanted out there with her. Just a guess.

 

ETA: at the stage door Irina and Max exited and were apparently waiting for Veronika. So there were people in the audience supporting her.

Edited by canbelto
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Marcelo definitely is much more of a class act than the current AD.  As I stood there this afternoon, watching those rose petals fluttering down across this sad and somewhat awkward farewell, I started wondering what things might be like if Marcelo were running the company.  I can't help but think that a proper farewell would have been planned for an honored veteran performer like Veronica, because Marcelo is human being who genuinely likes people.  You can see it in his dancing and in the way he behaves with others.  Well my little daydreams often go nowhere, but I do hope that the current regime will depart sooner rather than later.  Managerial and financial skills are one thing, but sensible behavior towards employees and the public is quite another.

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5 minutes ago, canbelto said:

ETA: at the stage door Irina and Max exited and were apparently waiting for Veronika. So there were people in the audience supporting her.

 

That is wonderful to hear. They're both so supportive of so many dancers there.

 

So were there any protests in or out of the theatre? Any unsavory behavior by any crazed fans?

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1 minute ago, ABT Fan said:

 

That is wonderful to hear. They're both so supportive of so many dancers there.

 

So were there any protests in or out of the theatre? Any unsavory behavior by any crazed fans?

 

Nope. It was actually a quiet, classy affair. Also, Mozartiana is one of those ballets that ends up hitting me emotionally when I least expect it. When Blaine Hoven and Veronika finally held hands and danced together I don't know why but I felt a lump in my throat.

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9 minutes ago, laurel said:

Marcelo definitely is much more of a class act than the current AD.  As I stood there this afternoon, watching those rose petals fluttering down across this sad and somewhat awkward farewell, I started wondering what things might be like if Marcelo were running the company.  I can't help but think that a proper farewell would have been planned for an honored veteran performer like Veronica, because Marcelo is human being who genuinely likes people.  You can see it in his dancing and in the way he behaves with others.  Well my little daydreams often go nowhere, but I do hope that the current regime will depart sooner rather than later....

 

I was just watching him the other day and thinking "gosh he would be such a perfect next AD."

Edited by nanushka
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