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Gomes and ABT

rg

By rg
in Dancers

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sandik

sandik

Posted
Posted
On 12/21/2017 at 2:10 PM, Drew said:

Putting Gomes to the side for a moment: what seems certainly to be "ridiculous" and "bottomless" is all of the unspoken norms and, in some cases, hypocrisies that led to the #metoo movement emerging. I can say that I know directly of problems in my work 'world' -- not the ballet world -- with, in some cases, perpetrators getting kicked not to the curb, but upstairs, effectively being financially rewarded for what they had done.  Truthfully, the problems I know about directly mostly involve heterosexual men and their treatment of women; and there is a range in these behaviors, and my own view is that not all such sexual relations (even when fraught power relationships are involved) can simply be coded as exploitative or harmful.  But still, all too often,  "ridiculous" is what HAS been going on un-talked about and unaddressed to the harm of more people than I think people outside such circuits of corruption may imagine...

The recent death of Bernard Law, who was continually "kicked upstairs" is just one reminder for me of how often that kind of poor management happens.

 

On 12/22/2017 at 4:37 PM, cubanmiamiboy said:

That we men are likely less vulnerable than women in such situations...less likely to surrender right away, more likely to meet the offender with a counteracting physical force....is that really unthinkable ....?

Force is not always physical.

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ABT Fan

ABT Fan

Posted
Posted (edited)
15 hours ago, Drew said:

Re Gomes and lawyers: he surely has a manager he can call at short notice--and his management must have lawyers they can contact relatively quickly even if he doesn't. As others have said above, he is not some newbie in the profession with no professional contacts or resources. (Including the dancers' union for that matter...) This did all happen very quickly and, unfortunately, that can be read in multiple ways--not all favorable to ABT and not all favorable to Gomes. Moreover this resignation may finally not really turn out to be about ABT versus Gomes. Even that may be assuming too much. I hate to channel Donald Rumsfeld but we really are talking not just about known unknowns, but about unknown unknowns.

According to Gomes' website, he's represented by Scott Schlexer Artist Management. Looking at Schlexer's Instagram, there's several photos of him with Gomes at all kinds of events like the recent Guggenheim Works and Process where Gomes spoke about a recent project, and even postings about Schlexer dog-sitting for Gomes earlier this month. So, it appears they were friends (or just friendly outside of the office) as well. In any case I imagine he would have been one of the first people he called. I was also wondering about AGMA - how could they help Gomes in a situation like this?

To the comments earlier re: the journalists tweeting their support for Gomes. I agree that if those journalists are privy to details the public is not then they should report on it. If they won't or can't, then they should remain quiet.

Also, someone wrote earlier about not looking at Gomes as neither a "victim or a monster" at this point, with so little facts known to us and I agree wholeheartedly. I'm also applying that sentiment to ABT as well; they're neither the "good guy nor the bad guy" till more is revealed.

In the meantime, I imagine (hopefully) that Mckenzie is already looking for a replacement (holidays or not) and that guy needs to be a star. At the very least they'd need a major guest artist to fill in temporarily (I'd say two as Gomes leaves about 5 principal roles open for the Met season). I'd like to see Hoven get one SL; he's ready. They're going to be in damage-control mode now and will need to build some positive excitement for the Met season, which will not be possible by filling in the holes with Stearns, Whiteside and Lendorf and some deserving soloists. And, I imagine fans will still be bitter, understandably, over Part's departure, so they need to rally, to say the least. 

Edited by ABT Fan
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Helene

Helene

Posted
Posted

I think it's as important for ABT to find at least a couple of excellent partners and to worry about stars when they aren't scrambling.  It might also be easier to find men for the second half of the Met season after their current contract is up.  We're coming into the winter audition season, when there will be some shifting going on.

Are there any men from Corella's purges at ABT?  There also has been turnover at ENB since Rojo  took it over.

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cubanmiamiboy

cubanmiamiboy

Posted
Posted

One thing certainly comes to-(at least my)- mind. There is a looming, grotesque, huge , and more importantly, DISGUSTING cloud of double standards in this particular purge. I am very reminded of a certainly biblical passage.

I really wish Gomes well. He was probably the main reason for my ABT trips in the last years.

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Barbara

Barbara

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

In the meantime, I imagine (hopefully) that Mckenzie is already looking for a replacement (holidays or not) and that guy needs to be a star. At the very least they'd need a major guest artist to fill in temporarily (I'd say two as Gomes leaves about 5 principal roles open for the Met season).

Yes,  I'm sure K. McKenzie is not having the holiday he might have imagined. I would love if Shklyarov returned to fill in.

 

2 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

 

 

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fondoffouettes

fondoffouettes

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

In the meantime, I imagine (hopefully) that Mckenzie is already looking for a replacement (holidays or not) and that guy needs to be a star. At the very least they'd need a major guest artist to fill in temporarily (I'd say two as Gomes leaves about 5 principal roles open for the Met season). I'd like to see Hoven get one SL; he's ready.

I believe Gomes’ assignments were one Giselle, two SLs, one R&J, Whipped Cream, and Firebird (can’t recall how many of those last two). If this were a few years ago, when Gomes had a huge workload, the situation would be more dire. I could imagine them maybe getting one guest star (for the Giselle?) and filling the rest with dancers in the company. While in general, I’m not crazy about guest stars dominating the schedule, which luckily they don’t any longer, I’d LOVE to see Shklyarov again. He seems to partner more petite dancers than Murphy and Teuscher, though. Maybe they can get Bolle to do more than his one scheduled performance. He partners many of the same women as Gomes and certainly has star appeal. 

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sandik

sandik

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Helene said:

I think it's as important for ABT to find at least a couple of excellent partners and to worry about stars when they aren't scrambling.  It might also be easier to find men for the second half of the Met season after their current contract is up.  We're coming into the winter audition season, when there will be some shifting going on.

Are there any men from Corella's purges at ABT?  There also has been turnover at ENB since Rojo  took it over.

I think you mean PB, but yes, that thought crossed my mind as well.

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sandik

sandik

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, cubanmiamiboy said:

One thing certainly comes to-(at least my)- mind. There is a looming, grotesque, huge , and more importantly, DISGUSTING cloud of double standards in this particular purge.

We really don't know anything about this -- at this point, speculation is rather like the old Kremlinologists trying to sort out changes in the Soviet hierarchy based on who stood where in the May Day parade. 

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ABT Fan

ABT Fan

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, fondoffouettes said:

I believe Gomes’ assignments were one Giselle, two SLs, one R&J, Whipped Cream, and Firebird (can’t recall how many of those last two). If this were a few years ago, when Gomes had a huge workload, the situation would be more dire. I could imagine them maybe getting one guest star (for the Giselle?) and filling the rest with dancers in the company. While in general, I’m not crazy about guest stars dominating the schedule, which luckily they don’t any longer, I’d LOVE to see Shklyarov again. He seems to partner more petite dancers than Murphy and Teuscher, though. Maybe they can get Bolle to do more than his one scheduled performance. He partners many of the same women as Gomes and certainly has star appeal. 

I just checked their site and your tally is correct (one of each except two SL's). Thank goodness his load wasn't larger like years prior, that's for sure. I'm also not in favor of guest artists (except maybe one or two max per season), but I think this situation absolutely calls for it. Bolle is a mega star but he's only scheduled for one performance (Giselle) which has many of us wondering if that'll be his retirement performance. If it is, since Giselle is the first week of the season he won't be picking up more shows, unless he decides to go out with SL (I think he and Teuscher would be gorgeous together). If he's not retiring, I think if he was willing or able to do more he'd already be cast for it. But, I'm all in favor of his picking up an additional performance or two. Hallberg isn't piling on the roles, which I got the feeling from his book that he won't be doing again so he doesn't get reinjured. I'd love to see him take a SL as he isn't scheduled for one, but I don't think he's a good fit for Teuscher (he's very tall, but his slight build isn't strong enough I think to partner someone who is also tall). And, as much as I want to see Teuscher's SL this year, if Whiteside or Hammoudi is subbed in, I'd have a really hard time talking myself into a ticket. 

I really don't think we'll have to wait too long to find out who will subbing or joining as a guest. Mckenzie will be working overtime to fill those TBA's as quickly as possible as I think morale and ticket sales will depend on it. (Though I don't think replacing Gomes' parts will in any way mitigate how devastated the company and fans must be, but I do think that leaving those TBA's vacant for weeks/months will only excacerbate the problem).

Edited by ABT Fan
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Helene

Helene

Posted
Posted
35 minutes ago, sandik said:

I think you mean PB, but yes, that thought crossed my mind as well.

:wub::wub::wub:

11 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Isn't Matthew Golding (prior corps dancer with ABT, later principal with the Royal) now a free agent? Or am I confusing him with someone else. I was not a fan of his facial expressions, but he's tall and a good dancer. 

He also danced with Dutch National Ballet:  he is the Basilio in the DVD of Ratmansky's Don Quixote from that company.

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theo

theo

Posted
Posted

BACA?  He's not an international star, but he is kind of home grown.  Too much for current soloists, who deserve a shot?  Maybe, and some are ready I think.   I hate to talk about filling Marcelo's  shoes.   Perhaps this is not PC, but I pray for healing for all concerned.  When one door closes another opens.  I hope for all concerned that  doors  open to the light. 

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canbelto

canbelto

Posted
Posted
19 minutes ago, theo said:

BACA?  He's not an international star, but he is kind of home grown.  Too much for current soloists, who deserve a shot?  Maybe, and some are ready I think.   I hate to talk about filling Marcelo's  shoes.   Perhaps this is not PC, but I pray for healing for all concerned.  When one door closes another opens.  I hope for all concerned that  doors  open to the light. 

Sterling Baca is now the leading man at Pennsylvania Ballet and I doubt Corella would release him to guest at ABT.

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Kathleen O'Connell

Kathleen O'Connell

Posted
Posted

Well, McKenzie might take a look across the plaza ... 

In a recent review of one of NYCB's falls season Swan Lake performances, Leigh Witchel suggested that Chase Finlay might find ABT's repertory more congenial to his talents than NYCB's:

" Finlay’s obvious success in the role raises questions. His Siegfried is indeed a confirmation that his real repertory isn’t at NYCB. It’s ballet’s princes and heroes: Siegfried, Désiré, Albrecht.

Those roles aren’t just more congenial, but safer. Finlay’s not a pyrotechnician; he’s a strong dancer and got through his variation in the Black Swan pas with no trouble, but that’s the edge of his comfort zone. The way Martins constantly pushes for harder, crazier phrases taxed and injured him. The dude is a prince – in a company that doesn’t really need them."

I don't know if a permanent slot on the roster would suit either Finlay or ABT, but he might be a suitable guest Prince in he interim. 

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LadyBubbles

LadyBubbles

Posted
Posted

Bolle can do all of the classical roles Gomes was scheduled to perform (I'm not including Firebird or Whipped Cream). The problem (and we finally know the reason he wasn't given a Romeo this year) is that he has other commitments in Italy in June. I don't blame him. His career will end soon and he's not into choreographing like Gomes and other prominent male dancers, so he has to stay relevant. Unless he cancels the commitments (which he already announced, btw), he's a no-no for SL and R&J. As for Giselle, they were scheduled to dance on the same day (Gomes in the matinee, Bolle in the evening) so, unless they shuffle casting a little bit it's also a no-no situation.

ABT has talent to work with, but they don't have much time to make decisions. So, all I can say to them is: good luck with that. And I mean it, because I look forward to attending the MET season next spring.

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Kathleen O'Connell

Kathleen O'Connell

Posted
Posted
17 minutes ago, abatt said:

They will probably redistribute Gomes' roles among Stearns, Whiteside & possibly Lendorf.  Maybe Hammoudi or Hoven will pick some work up.  I doubt they will hire a guest artist to take over Marcelo's workload.  

I'm sure you're right, but it would be heartening if some of the dancers further down in the ranks got opportunities out of what is otherwise a sad business all around. 

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