2018 Spring Season

[bcash]

On 4/29/2018 at 7:01 PM, Jacqueline said:

Was anyone there today to see Sara M. and Tyler A. in their Tchai Pas debuts (well, NY debut for him)?  By the look of the curtain call on Sara's Instastories, the applause was thunderous!

The "30 under 30" tickets were all in the 4th ring for the Sunday mat. performance. They could be anywhere in the house and are supposedly assigned based on how well the house is selling as a whole, and I suspect this was because of the Sara M. debut. (For comparison, the tickets for Sat. mat. were in the orchestra.)

The audience was certainly enthusiastic for her, right from the entrance, and I think both dancers fed off of the energy/good will in the house. She brought a sense of scale to the part, devouring space with each step and turn. T. Angle was better than I expected, with considerable lightness in his jumps (which I did not expect given his current shape). His partnering has the usual self-effacing ease, and you could feel that Sara M felt secure and confident dancing with him, as Maria K. did in Agon on Saturday. I particularly liked the way he caught her in those fish dives. With most couples I always fear that the woman is going to slip out of the man's arms, or the effort in containing the woman's momentum is very visible, but Sunday was probably the first time I didn't sense any effort from the man, impressive given Sara is not a petite dancer. The catch was secure and so timed as to make contact with Sara M. just before her momentum dips, yet without any sense of thwarting it prematurely. 

 

Catazaro did well in Apollo, and Sterling Hyltin was beautiful as always. I was not planning to catch this performance but certainly did not regret seeing it.

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2018 by bcash

[nanushka]

3 minutes ago, bcash said:

The audience was certainly enthusiastic for her, right from the entrance, and I think both dancers fed off of the energy/good will in the house. She brought a sense of scale to the part, devouring space with each step and turn. T. Angle was better than I expected, with considerable lightness in his jumps (which I did not expect given his current shape). His partnering has the usual self-effacing ease, and you could feel that Sara M felt secure and confident dancing with him, as Maria K. did in Agon on Saturday. I particularly liked the way he caught her in those fish dives. With most couples I always fear that the woman is going to slip out of the man's arms, or the effort in containing the woman's momentum is very visible, but Sunday was probably the first time I didn't sense any effort on Tyler's part. The catch was secure and so timed as to make contact with Sara M. just before her momentum dips, yet without any sense of thwarting it prematurely. 

All so well put. This matches almost exactly how I experienced the performance.

Edited May 3, 2018 by nanushka

[bcash]

On 4/30/2018 at 5:16 PM, Barbara said:

Abatt, I noticed this too but for me it worked! It might have looked like she was losing a bit of control (that's her m.o. isn't it - dancing on the edge of control?) but then swung the final spin into, well I don't even know what to call it - a very fast spin throwing herself into a backbend with her head thrown back. I found it thrilling! Wish this had been filmed so we could see that bit again.

Yes at first I thought, oh she's losing it, but at the end the impression was that she made it into some new flourish, just barely though.

[nanushka]

1 minute ago, bcash said:

Yes at first I thought, oh she's losing it, but at the end the impression was that she made it into some new flourish, just barely though.

Yes, same here. It was a moment that only half registered at the time, though.

[dirac]

8 hours ago, Drew said:

 Presumably New York City Ballet knows part of its audience is well educated about the music and dancing--but worries about the portion that isn't. Especially if that portion is likelier to be the younger/newer part of the audience. I personally didn't dislike the one "See the Music" NYCB feature I heard--but I did think it should have been shorter.  I wonder if the company has not done some research on audience responses to "See the Music"--seems as if they would have done...?? Obviously turning newcomers off can't be the goal!

I would think they've done appropriate research as well, probably before they initiated the program. No doubt there are those who are impatient with these features because Oh-I-know-this-stuff-already but enough arts organizations are implementing such programs that I think it's likely they've demonstrated some appeal, particularly to the younger audiences that it's becoming increasingly important for them to reach. However, briefer is probably better, especially given that research also appears to suggest that attention spans are not what they used to be and as cobweb points out, many people have to get up early in the morning.

[nanushka]

10 minutes ago, dirac said:

I would think they've done appropriate research as well, probably before they initiated the program. No doubt there are those who are impatient with these features because Oh-I-know-this-stuff-already but enough arts organizations are implementing such programs that I think it's likely they've demonstrated some appeal, particularly to the younger audiences that it's becoming increasingly important for them to reach.

All that granted, I just don't yet get the argument for having it in the middle of the program as opposed to before the start time (e.g. 1:00 or 1:15 for a 2:00 matinee curtain). (I understand the union issues with having it during intermission.)

[abatt]

Casting is up for week 4.

[CharlieH]

I guess that we’ll finally know the title & music of Justin Peck’s new ballet tonight. A low-key premiere compared to the big Carlyle Broadway work.

Is anyone else as excited as I am about The Dybbuk? 

[Kathleen O'Connell]

19 hours ago, abatt said:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/02/arts/dance/jerome-robbins-in-124-costumes-and-30-minutes.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

Article about all the costumes for the new ballet Something to Dance About. Given all the money they have invested in these costumes, it seems that this ballet will be coming back over numerous seasons.

OT! I wish the powers that be would deign to fund a documentary about NYCB's costume shop. The little clips we get from time to time make me hunger for something more comprehensive — following a project from start to finish, perhaps. Something along the lines of The September Issue  — which wasn't really about fashion, but rather negotiating both creative conflicts and production snafus while working to a tight deadline — might be interesting. At the very least, the craft of these fabulous artisans needs to be documented and celebrated.

[cobweb]

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Is anyone else as excited as I am about The Dybbuk? 

I have no idea what Dybbuk is. Can anyone enlighten me? Will be there tomorrow night to see it. 

[Kathleen O'Connell]

18 hours ago, Rock said:

When you've had the music deconstructed and broken down for you, explaining what's coming and what you're going to see, it takes away from your own experience. 

Well, for what it's worth, not mine. 

Since I know most of the NYCB rep well, I have a pretty good idea of what's coming and what I'm going to see, which frankly adds to my experience rather than detracting from it. And it's happened that I've learned something new about a work I've seen dozens of times and simply never noticed before. A couple of the "See the Music" presentations I've seen have featured newly commissioned or less frequently performed works, and I appreciated having my dance-watching and music-hearing pumps primed. 

I like the experience of taking in something about which I have absolutely no prior knowledge, but I also like the experience of taking in something when I have a grounding in its particulars, either through study or experience.  (To quote Louis Pasteur, chance favors the prepared mind.) They're very different ways of encountering and experiencing art, but they're both valid and valuable. 

On a related note, I love seeing dancers I've witnessed being human beings — either via social media or speaking to us from the stage in their civvies or sweating and fretting in a documentary — transform themselves into something extraordinary through their art. That's mystery enough for me.

Of course, your mileage may vary! And I have gotten impatient with "See the Music" from time to time when I've needed to get out of the theater and into a subway car before it turns into a pumpkin. 

[abatt]

1 hour ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

OT! I wish the powers that be would deign to fund a documentary about NYCB's costume shop. The little clips we get from time to time make me hunger for something more comprehensive — following a project from start to finish, perhaps. Something along the lines of The September Issue  — which wasn't really about fashion, but rather negotiating both creative conflicts and production snafus while working to a tight deadline — might be interesting. At the very least, the craft of these fabulous artisans needs to be documented and celebrated.

The Met Opera also makes all of its own costumes in house..

[Kathleen O'Connell]

7 minutes ago, abatt said:

The Met Opera also makes all of its own costumes in house..

Thanks - I should have known that, but didn't! 

A quick search and I found this short video: Backstage at the Met Opera's costume shop: frenzy, fabric and velvet codpieces

I don't know if my favorite bit of dialogue is "Is this Pong? No, it's Ping" (about a costume for Turandot) or "How do you feel wearing that codpiece?" (fitting a costume for Henry VIII in Ana Bolena).

[cobweb]

Another terrific performance of Concerto Barocco - Agon - Four Temperaments last night. Ashley Laracey is luminous, radiating light and poetry from within. Emilie Gerrity was again grand and exciting in Sanguinic. I love the confidence and authority with which she is carrying herself; she looks like a principal. IMHO, she should update her profile photo on the website. It makes her look like a frivolous 18 year old, rather than the grand, mature presence she has become. Terrific performances in 4T's all the way around, Huxley, Janzen, Gerrity, Lowery, and the supporting corps. Thanks, NYCB!

[liebs]

Dybbuk is based on a Yiddish play about the possession of a young woman by the malicious spirit – known as Dybbuk in Jewish folklore – of her dead beloved.  Robbins keeps to the essence of the story but it is not a narrative ballet, more impressionistic.  I've seen it once or twice and never really felt it was successful.  It includes some fold dance elements.  Robbins reworked it a number of times as well.

[cobweb]

A further note on Agon. Last night was my second time seeing Kowroski and Tyler Angle. Kowroski looks fantastic, and Angle is a great partner of course, but I felt they lacked tension in their relationship. It was too courtly. There is more suspense and a hint of menace when she's with Ramasar or Danchig-Waring. 

[Olga]

 

6 hours ago, cobweb said:

I have no idea what Dybbuk is. Can anyone enlighten me? Will be there tomorrow night to see it. 

This is a link to a comprehensive article about the play as well as background info about Dybbuks.

 

http://www.yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Dybbuk_The

[cobweb]

Thanks for the info on Dybbuk, Olga and liebs!

[canbelto]

According to Ashley Bouder's instagram story Erica Pereira is indeed going to be debuting as Swanilda.

[Helene]

Good for her!

[vipa]

2 hours ago, canbelto said:

According to Ashley Bouder's instagram story Erica Pereira is indeed going to be debuting as Swanilda.

Pereira got promoted to soloist quickly after joining the company. That was a while ago. She's stalled out since, and hasn't been cast much. I have to admit I'm not a fan, but I wish her well. I'd love to see her blossom.

[canbelto]

Any reports from the gala?

[fondoffouettes]

2 hours ago, canbelto said:

According to Ashley Bouder's instagram story Erica Pereira is indeed going to be debuting as Swanilda.

Bouder’s post is pretty jokey. Are we sure Pereira is actually learning the role?

[canbelto]

3 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

Bouder’s post is pretty jokey. Are we sure Pereira is actually learning the role?

It's on her "story" feed. 

[dirac]

14 hours ago, cobweb said:

I have no idea what Dybbuk is. Can anyone enlighten me? Will be there tomorrow night to see it. 

I recommend the 1937 movie, made in Poland and in Yiddish, which is a wonderful telling of the tale from a play by S. Ansky, who researched the legends thoroughly while writing it. I would not be surprised if the film is available online.