Promotions

[Natalia]

1 hour ago, miliosr said:

With Royal's promotion, there are 8 male soloists -- Forster, Gorak, Hammoudi, Hoven, Royal, Salstein, Scott and Zhurbin. Shayer's promotion would have made it 9, which would have been a lot for a company where the recent historical norm has hovered around 6.

 

I would imagine the race is now between Forster, Gorak, Hammoudi and Hoven to eke out that promotion to principal.

 

I would look at overall budget (principal salary pot of money), rather than # of slots. With Vishneva gone, only two expensive half-baked quasi-guest "permanent" Principals remain, Bolle and Kochetkova. I sincerely hope that ABT is getting rid of both of them in this half-baked capacity. Not that they couldn't return as true guests, once or twice a year, if warranted. But please stop draining the Principals fund with this half-baked fake Principals  arrangement.

[nanushka]

35 minutes ago, Natalia said:

 

I would look at overall budget (principal salary pot of money), rather than # of slots. With Vishneva gone, only two expensive half-baked quasi-guest "permanent" Principals remain, Bolle and Kochetkova. I sincerely hope that ABT is getting rid of both of them in this half-baked capacity. Not that they couldn't return as true guests, once or twice a year, if warranted. But please stop draining the Principals fund with this half-baked fake Principals  arrangement.

 

Kochetkova at least, until this season (when, as I understand, injury was an issue), has appeared somewhat regularly, whereas Bolle and Vishneva have only been appearing a few times each spring. What are the benefits for the company of spending all the money to put those sorts of dancers on the roster as non-guest principals? Is it just the prestige for the company of having them on the list, on the website, in the program, even when they're not dancing? Is it primarily to ensure that they will keep coming back for at least those few times year after year, whereas as guests they'd have to be more proactively lured back for each engagement? Some other reason? I'm just curious about whether and how this could be viewed (even if, we think, incorrectly) as making good business sense.

 

(And BTW I completely agree with you, Natalia. I hope to see Bolle and Kochetkova both dropped from the roster. For different reasons: Bolle is a fine artist, but he doesn't deserve a permanent position for the reasons expressed above; Kochetkova just bores me, though I completely understand some others view her differently.)

 

Edited July 8, 2017 by nanushka

[Natalia]

Hopefully Bolle will soon move on to be AD of La Scala, as heavily rumored & wished.

[ABT Fan]

9 hours ago, alexL said:

Sarah's Juliet will be heavenly!! She will be great in La Sylphide as well. Her partner better be Lendorf (who is probably the best James at ABT)

 

I have a feeling that some of the corp members will be promoted during the fall season(like Hoven and Cirio last year). My guess is Hurlin, Waski, and Shayer.

 

Edit: apparently there isn't any promotion during fall season. My apologies

 

Whiteside was promoted to principal in October a few years ago, but that was a one off, definitely not the norm.

[miliosr]

2 hours ago, Natalia said:

 

I would look at overall budget (principal salary pot of money), rather than # of slots. With Vishneva gone, only two expensive half-baked quasi-guest "permanent" Principals remain, Bolle and Kochetkova. I sincerely hope that ABT is getting rid of both of them in this half-baked capacity. Not that they couldn't return as true guests, once or twice a year, if warranted. But please stop draining the Principals fund with this half-baked fake Principals  arrangement.

I question how much ABT would save by reducing Bolle (especially) and Kochetkova to 'Guest Star' status.

 

Short of being able to look at ABT's books, I'm not convinced that ABT is paying Bolle a principal's salary comparable to those of Gomes, Murphy, Cornejo and Stearns. My guess is they're paying him his regular guest star fees and the 'Principal' designation is really a courtesy both for his stature in the ballet world and for the 10 years of help he's provided to ABT (when they really need it.) Whether he's listed as a 'Principal' or a 'Guest Star,' it might be a wash in terms of savings.

 

Reducing Kotchekova to 'Guest Star' would save some money but, since she spends a portion of her time at the San Francisco Ballet, some of her salary (half or more?) is paid by that company. (The same dynamic will now apply to David Hallberg, who has stated he intends to spend part of each season with the Australian Ballet.) It's impossible to know what arrangements are going on between these companies in terms of who is picking up the lion's share of these dancers' salaries.

 

Edited July 8, 2017 by miliosr

[ABT Fan]

I was also expecting, in addition to promotions, news of a new male hire or two at either the soloist (especially) or principal level. Since that didn't happen (unless it's forthcoming) hopefully that means they plan on developing/pushing their male soloists who may have principal potential. They cannot waste any time if that's their plan. 

[cobweb]

Zhiyao Zhang seems to have a ton of potential. He is tall, has expansive long lines, an effortless-seeming technique, and a wide-open face that reads beautifully in the theatre. He is a treat to watch. 

[Barbara]

On ‎7‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 2:13 AM, Jayne said:

I've seen many complimentary words about Zhong-Jing Fang.  Possible soloist?

I definitely agree with this! She has stood out so many times even in a sea of wonderful dancers. This was my only teensy disappointment in the list of promotions this year. 

[FauxPas]

One thing that happened this year with all the injuries was that Schevchenko, Lane and Brandt were now dancing the leads in ballets like "Le Corsaire" and others.  This meant they were pulled out of dancing things like the Odalisque trio and someone had to replace them.  Luciana Paris was injured and not dancing until the end of the season.  So ABT had to dig into the corps de ballet for soloist women.  The long neglected and pushed aside Zhong-Jing Fang was dancing the second odalisque variation and Zulma in "Giselle", Mme. Chartreuse in "Whipped Cream" among others.  She was consistently excellent.  Other corps ballerinas who were tapped for solos included Paulina Waski, April Giangeruso, Catherine Hurlin and Kaho Ogawa.  Melanie Hamrick on her first season back after maternity leave was busy and in stronger form than ever.  Oddly absent were Gisele Bethea (who seemed invisible) and Gemma Bond whose only big gig was as one of the Porcelain Princesses in the new solos put into Ratmansky's "Sleeping Beauty Act III".  Scout Forsythe is a much discussed, admired young ballerina who also has been flying under the radar lately.

 

Now that Lane, Teuscher and Schevchenko are now principals their days as a Flower Girl, Amour, Swan Lake Pas de Trois, Moyna, Zulma, Street Harlot, Shade, Odalisque and Peasant Pas de Deux are likely over.  That is a lot of solo work that needs to be filled.  Bond, Hamrick and Fang are experienced, gifted dancers who could be tapped for steady soloist work.  Gemma Bond currently is also pursuing choreography and coaching.  Waski stumbled in one of her variations in "Corsaire" this year but otherwise was lovely.  Giangeruso was given harder variations and often the strain was showing.  Ogawa impressed me as the turning odalisque in "Corsaire".  Hurlin did nothing that knocked me out but I may need to see her do more before I judge.  Bethea and Forsythe because of the recommendations and reports of other posters here whose taste and erudition I respect should be explored for more solo opportunities.  But this process needs to be continued and more corps girls need to be given opportunities.

Edited July 9, 2017 by FauxPas

[Kaysta]

I didn't see Bethea on stage at all this season.  Wonder if she was injured?

Edited July 9, 2017 by Kaysta

[KarenAG]

I am so happy for all Sarah, Christine, Devon and Calvin, but especially happy for Sarah Lane.  And they have no role in Veronika Part's dismissal - that belongs to McKenzie, as abatt notes.   I feel bad for Part and an so sad I won't see her dance.  But these promotions are very well deserved.     

[cubanmiamiboy]

On 7/7/2017 at 3:00 PM, Natalia said:

 Lots of great artistry and FOUETTÉ CAPABITY among them..

 

??

[cubanmiamiboy]

Looking forward to glorious, exciting upcoming seasons at ABT. MERDE to all!!❤❤?

[Royal Blue]

Gemma Bond provided an opportunity through her engaging program in the 2017 Ballet Festival at the Joyce Theater for some of her colleagues to make wonderful impressions (pun intended). Skylar Brandt and Cassandra Trenary exude such great self-confidence and seem so eminently worthy of becoming principal dancers in a prominent ballet company that it is simply inconceivable they will not soon be promoted. On the other hand, the recent promotions of Devon Teuscher and Christine Shevchenko appear entirely justified. Hopefully the ascendancy of these four (along with Sarah Lane) will help restore some faith and hope, as well as a semblance of order to the current dysfunctional ABT realm. 

 

And even if she never manages to move up the ranks, Stephanie Williams is such a lovely ballerina!

Edited July 28, 2017 by Royal Blue

[Fleurfairy]

I think the promoted women certainly earned their place. Skylar and Cassie have not yet "put in their time" as soloists. I'm not convinced Skylar is all that well-rounded a performer. I can't picture her in Swan Lake, Giselle, or R&J. She just seems more inclined to the high energy showmanship roles, so Corsaire was a good fit for her this season. Don Q would be another good one. I do expect them to be promoted sooner rather than later, maybe when Abrera retires. Does anyone know if Kochetkova is coming back? I hope not, I think she's entirely unnecessary with the amount of petite women in the company already.

 

Stephanie Williams is lovely!  There are so many outstanding corps dancers that it makes me sad we will probably never see them perform leads with ABT.

Edited July 26, 2017 by Fleurfairy

[Royal Blue]

During the past few years my attention has been held captive by the amazing ballerinas of NYCB, so I am not that familiar with the current members of the ABT female corps. But it is gladdening to hear that many of them are outstanding dancers. When reflecting about promotions we must always remember the absolute necessity for some women who are impressive to remain in the corps—both at ABT and NYCB! Everyone who appears on the stage performs an important function in the respective repertoire of each company and should feel valued.

 

 

[angelica]

On 7/26/2017 at 3:53 PM, Fleurfairy said:

I'm not convinced Skylar is all that well-rounded a performer. I can't picture her in Swan Lake, Giselle, or R&J. She just seems more inclined to the high energy showmanship roles, so Corsaire was a good fit for her this season. Don Q would be another good one.

 

I saw Swan Lake a few years ago when Skylar Brandt was still in the corps and she was an exquisite swan and did not stand out in any way that would be inappropriate for a swan corps member. Her classicism was so pure that I remember thinking what a beautiful O/O she will be some day. I wouldn't typecast her just yet. I think she's the whole package, from her over-the-top comic Medora to the Swan Queen I hope to see from her some day.