Winter 2018

[Barbara]

He doesn't seem to mention his personal training program for dancers any longer. This could have been a path for him to remain with the company and maybe still will be. On the other hand, he's always noted on social media how much he loves warm weather, which makes me wonder if in retirement he will return to Spain or even LA. 

[Jayne]

Miami?  

[Sal]

I was at Thursday night's all Balanchine/Stravinsky performance and enjoyed it immensely!

Megan and Joaquin were so beautiful and touching in Baiser. What a great pair. Joaquin looked in really fine form and I'm sad that it looks like he's retiring soon. He seemed very strong and able, as well as expressive in a way that only comes with a bit of life experience

Agon was great as always and Maria and Adrian were super together. She was in total command of her role -- held the panche with Adrian lying on the stage for longer and stronger than I have ever seen it held -- and then came out of it with total control. He brought a bit of a quirky, otherworldly element to the pas that really worked against her strength. His partnering was rock solid. Would love to see them in other ballets together.

Duo Concertant was lovely as always. I didn't think that Ashley Bouder and Chase had the best chemistry but their individual lines and style of dancing complimented each other well. Ashley kept her mugging to a minimum which was a relief, just really strong technical dancing. Chase had a fine line and strong technique usually but I felt that last night he didnt't seem in tip-top shape. I don't think it was fatigue, although it could have been, it just looked like he needed to get to class more often and sharpen things up a bit.

Tiler Peck was a queen in Symphony in 3 Movements  -- just flawless. It looks too easy for her.  She and Tyler Stanley were really interesting together and I'd love to see more of them together as well.

 

 

[canbelto]

So I will eat my words about Maria Kowroski no longer being up to the demands of Balanchine roles. I didn't like her Mozartiana nor was I crazy about her Chaconne, but I loved her in Agon last night. I thought she and Adrian D-W were just sizzling.

[nanushka]

Just a heads up to anyone who'd like to see, Tiler Peck currently has a series of stories on Instagram that show a stretch of the Symphony in 3 PDD from last night.

Edited March 3, 2018 by nanushka

[vipa]

57 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Just a heads up to anyone who'd like to see, Tiler Peck currently has a series of stories on Instagram that show a stretch of the Symphony in 3 PDD from last night.

Thanks you nanushka. I saw her in it last weekend and loved it. I also love Sterling Hyltin in that role.

[nanushka]

1 minute ago, vipa said:

Thanks you nanushka. I saw her in it last weekend and loved it. I also love Sterling Hyltin in that role.

While watching the IG stories I was thinking, I can't wait to see Sterling in this on Sunday! I've never seen the piece live before, have only seen a video of it on YT with her, but she's in a different role there. I think I'll really love her in the PDD part!

[canbelto]

11 minutes ago, nanushka said:

While watching the IG stories I was thinking, I can't wait to see Sterling in this on Sunday! I've never seen the piece live before, have only seen a video of it on YT with her, but she's in a different role there. I think I'll really love her in the PDD part!

Oh I'm excited for you! It's one of those ballets where if done right the energy and attack leave you breathless. And it's only 20 minutes long.

[nanushka]

12 hours ago, canbelto said:

Oh I'm excited for you! It's one of those ballets where if done right the energy and attack leave you breathless. And it's only 20 minutes long.

Yes, I'm excited too!

It's interesting, because the first few times I watched it on video I felt it to be exactly what you describe ("the energy and attack leave you breathless") in a fun and exciting way, but then I read the critics quoted in Repertory in Review and they experienced it as what you describe but in a more menacing way. On rewatching the video, I can totally see how that could be the case. I'm curious to see how it will come across in live performance.

Apparently it's a lot of fun to dance, too, as has come up repeatedly in the Conversations on Dance podcast interviews. I can certainly see why, from corps up to principals.

Edited March 3, 2018 by nanushka

[cobweb]

So far I've seen two performances of the Baiser de la Fee - Agon - Duo concertant - Symph in 3 Movements program. (off topic - I skipped Tuesday night to see Parsifal - totally worth it!). What a fantastic program. A few random comments. Symphony in 3 Movements has been electric. The diagonal that opens and closes the first movement is both blazing and satisfying. Taylor Stanley has really grown in this role. In the past I would get nervous when he picked up Tiler Peck in that overhead lift - now he seems solid and confident. I could watch him in anything. Maria Kowroski looks absolutely incredible - especially Thursday night, when she held the arabesque penchee longer than I think I have ever seen before. And she has a thrilling intensity. I love Adrian Danchig-Waring, and this seems so minor, but his skin has been orange all season. Especially noticeable in Apollo, when he clashed with his three porcelain muses, and now with Kowroski. Dancing, however, looks great. Anthony Huxley looking great in Agon. Such clean, pure, and committed dancing. Duo Concertant gets dull without the extroverted charm of Robert Fairchild. Chase Finlay looked fine, apart from stamina issues, and Russell Janzen deployed some truly beautiful lines, but enough of Duo Concertant, please. On to the two final performances of this great program. I look forward to the new castings, but I will sorely miss Maria Kowroski in Agon. 

[nanushka]

So excited for this tomorrow!

 

[canbelto]

A wrap up of the Winter Season, including the final all-Stravinsky bill and Romeo + Juliet:

http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2018/03/winter-season-diaries-all-stravinsky.html

[cobweb]

Different casting made for a very different show in the Balanchine-Stravinsky program.

Baiser de la Fee - As much as I love Tiler Peck and Anthony Huxley individually, as a pair they just didn't do it for me. She is too tall for him and there was no chemistry there.

Agon - Reichlen and Finlay were not in the same class as Kowroski and Danchig-Waring. The audience went wild for them, so I'll have to go in with an open mind when I see the program again this afternoon. But the partnering showed bobbles and both of them looked like they were performing steps they learned... as opposed to Kowroski, on whom the role looks organic... as if it were made on her... as if she's discovering the movements as she goes along. In the pas de trois, Peter Walker looked uncomfortable, not completely in control of his very long limbs. But Unity Phelan was absolutely sizzling and stunning. 

Duo Concertant - just yesterday I posted a plea for this piece to be dialed back, but now I have to eat my words because I loved it last night. Russell Janzen was beautiful, and Megan Fairchild is my favorite of the three I've seen this season - she's more subtle than Ashley Bouder and more interesting than Sterling Hyltin. She made it seem like a narrative was happening, even if we didn't fully understand what it was - but she drew me in, left me wondering and curious about the story between the two dancers. 

Symphony in Three Movements - was electrifying once again. 

They need to step up the male pipeline. With Veyette out, and I don't think either of Angle brothers have been dancing this season (admittedly, I've only gone to the Balanchine programs, so maybe I missed something), I don't know what they would have done without Adrian Danchig-Waring. He is so tall and strong and carries himself with such authority. If he hadn't been there to dance with Kowroski, who would they have put? I could see a few of the current principals gaining that kind of gravitas -- Taylor Stanley first and foremost - but others are works in progress. Russell Janzen could get there with more confidence; Catazaro with more confidence and more technique; Finlay is close but needs I don't know what exactly. Anyway, they need to work fast on maximizing the potential of the male roster. 

 

[abatt]

 Huxley danced well in Baiser, as did Tiler.  But the magic was missing.

Bobble galore in the Agon pdd. This was the first time ever where I felt that the two leads were not on equal footing. The Agon pdd becomes deflated if there is no sense of equal fierceness  between the two leads. Reichlin seemed like the teacher, and Finlay was the dutiful student.  The good news is that this role didn't challenge Finlay's stamina because it is primarily a partnering assignment, without taxing solo variations for him.  I liked both Peter Walker and Ashley Isaacs in the secondary roles.  And my goodness Ashley Hod is looking stellar.  

Russell Janzen is a welcome new interpreter of Duo.

Symphony in 3 Movements was mostly electrifying. 

Edited March 4, 2018 by abatt

[canbelto]

I went back this afternoon and happy to report that Chase's partnering was much better today in Agon, although still don;t think he's right for the role. Symphony in Three Movements was fabulous. Baiser de la Fée also improved a lot.

[fondoffouettes]

I went to this afternoon's matinee, and the ballet I was looking forward to the least -- Duo Concertant -- was the performance I enjoyed the most. I'd like to echo what others have said about how lovely Fairchild and Janzen were in this ballet. I'm guessing they are rarely paired because of their height difference, but they looked spectacular together. I know Fairchild and De Luz have enjoyed a long partnership, but it was great to see her with someone different. A taller partner made her appear more as a woman and less girlish, I thought. They struck the perfect tone -- that earthbound folk-dance quality. They seemed to have a great connection, and the moments in which they were embracing one another as they listened to the music seemed natural and unaffected. Janzen executed all his solo work with precision and great speed. The final section -- which I can find a bit overwrought and precious -- was beautiful here. In an Instagram post from this evening, Fairchild describes Janzen as a gentle spirit, and that's exactly the impression he made in the final section. The way he manipulated her hand was so sensitive and subtle. 

Agon was not the taut, electrifying performance you'd hope for. Reichlen and Finlay definitely seem to have worked out the PDD bobbles, but it just wasn't exciting for some reason. The part where she whips her leg behind his head was much less swift and impactful than what I've seen before. I've seen a lot of sweaty dancers over the years, but I've never seen someone sweat as much as Finlay did toward the end of the ballet. The sweat was dripping off him like crazy.

Oh, and the "See the Music" talk before Agon seemed unnecessary. I'm sure many in the audience just wanted to get on with it and see Agon!

Baiser was danced well by Peck and Huxley, and I was quite moved in the final section, though there was perhaps some magic missing. He looked too slight next to Peck. This was my first time seeing the piece, so I wondered if some of Huxley's solo sections are meant to be danced with more bravura panache. They were more subdued and poetic, which is perhaps how they are intended to be.

Symphony in Three Movements was very exciting, with Danchig-Waring and Hyltin looking fabulous. I wasn't wild about the rest of the cast, but overall, they were quite good. I thought Lowery's dancing had a cumbersome quality; the combination of the ponytail and leotard was probably the least flattering look I could imagine on her. 

Edited March 5, 2018 by fondoffouettes

[nanushka]

I had exactly the same feeling about the program: that Duo was the highlight, in terms of the quality of performance, though it's my least favorite of the four pieces and the one I was least looking forward to. I've never liked Megan F as much as I did today. She had the perfect energy for the piece. And Russell J looked great, reminiscent of Peter Martins at times in a few ways. The violinist was also quite good, better than for Robbie F's farewell.

Baiser was quite nice. I've missed seeing Tiler P since last spring, so it was great to see her today, in fine form — expressive, crisp, with just the right degree of brightness, and those lovely hands, arms and shoulders. Anthony H looked good on his own, but I agree that he was not well-suited as a partner for Tiler, as he is shorter than she is on pointe and he even looked to have a thinner waist.

Agon seemed a bit sluggish — I noticed as soon as the "See the Music" started and the orchestra began playing. (I really hope the next AD gets rid of those. Such a bad idea. The speaker said three times something like "Don't worry, we'll get to the dancing soon" — in which case, why bother at all, if you know that's what people really want? And it ruins the effect when you've just heard some of Stravinsky's most inventive music 5-10 minutes before hearing it again in the context of an actual performance. Programs like this are great to include, when they're voluntary.) The slack pace sucked out some of the piece's energy. I agree that Peter W did not look fully comfortable in the 1st PDT. I liked Ashley H better than Lauren K, as the latter seemed to be mugging a bit more (which I noticed in Symph in 3 as well), though both danced well. Ashly I was quite good in the 2nd PDT, and Harrison C and Joseph G were well matched. Although the PDD was reasonably clean, it did not seem dangerous and taut and exciting; a bit too academic, yet also just a bit shaky.

Symphony in 3 was great to see live finally (I never had), but I don't think the performance matched the piece's potential. I think I like Sterling H in Lauren K's role (which I've seen her do on video), and I'm curious if taller women ever dance the PDD role. I know it wasn't created on a tall dancer, but Wendy W danced it, no? I think I'd like to see Tess R in it. The male principals overall were more impressive today, I felt, though I did like Sterling well enough.

There was a woman behind me who tapped her loud heel all through all four pieces — including Agon, which no one who's not a professional musician should ever attempt to do in public. It really put me in a sour mood, I must say, so take that into consideration when reading any of the above.

Edited March 5, 2018 by nanushka

[cobweb]

Reichlen and Finlay were much improved from last night, with the partnering mostly smooth, but were lacking in dramatic intensity. However, Joseph Gordon, Harrison Coll, and Ashly Isaacs were blazing in the second pas de trois. I can envision Isaacs in the main pdd, perhaps with Coll... one day. Peter Walker looked more at ease in the first pdt than he did last night. And with Unity Phelan out today (replaced by Lauren King), I was able to focus some attention on Ashley Hod (that was impossible last night when Phelan was on the stage). She has beautiful limbs and her dancing looked great, but to me she's lacking in something extra. 

Megan Fairchild and Russell Janzen were wonderful in Duo Concertant. I honestly don't think I've ever enjoyed Fairchild more. She had a perfect level of charm, subtlety, and inner drama, and the rapport between her and Janzen was touching. When I saw him with Sterling Hyltin the height differential looked awkward, but somehow, with the even shorter Fairchild, he looked just right. His dancing was beautiful; I could watch those long lines all day. 

Adrian Danchig-Waring looked great in Symphony in 3 Movements. He has been a powerhouse this season. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, since I have only seen the Balanchine programs, but it seems Veyette, Jared Angle, Tyler Angle, and Gonzalo Garcia are all out, and I haven't seen much of Catazaro either. I hope these guys are back for the Spring. And please, when is Ramasar coming back? IMO, it can't be soon enough.

As for the unflattering leotard on Savannah Lowery... to me almost all the leos in Symphony in 3 are unflattering. The white leos are sexy, but they make some of the girls look flabby... which they are not. And maybe it's something about the lighting that's extra harsh? 

[canbelto]

3 minutes ago, nanushka said:

 

Symphony in 3 was great to see live finally (I never have), but I don't think the performance matched the piece's potential. I think I like Sterling H in Lauren K's role (which I've seen her do on video), and I'm curious if taller women ever dance the PDD role. I know it wasn't created on a tall dancer, but Wendy W danced it, no? I think I'd like to see Tess R in it. The male principals overall were more impressive today, I felt, though I did like Sterling well enough.

There was a woman behind me who tapped her loud heel all through all four pieces — including Agon, which no one who's not a professional musician should ever attempt to do in public. It really put me in a sour mood, I must say, so take that into consideration when reading any of the above.

I've stood next to Wendy. She's not tall. Her proportions are very long with long arms and legs but she's probably 5'5" at most. I've never actually seen tall girls do it. I've seen Wendy, Tiler, and Sterling. I think the smallness might be necessary for all those difficult lifts in the pas de deux.

Edited March 5, 2018 by canbelto

[nanushka]

1 minute ago, canbelto said:

I've stood next to Wendy. She's not tall. Her proportions are very long with long arms and legs but she's probably 5'5" at most. I've never actually seen tall girls do it. I've seen Wendy, Tiler, and Sterling. I think the smallness might be necessary for all those difficult lifts in the pas de deux.

Ah, ok, I thought she was a bit taller than that. What you say makes sense.

[cobweb]

Forgot to add - "See the Music" - just no!!

[vipa]

6 minutes ago, cobweb said:

Forgot to add - "See the Music" - just no!!

You made me laugh cobweb. I alway hate "See the Music" and my husband thinks I'm a grump about it!

[TheCouchBallerina]

To my surprise, Duo was my favorite performance of the night as well. (I might add that I was sitting behind Jacques D'Amboise, who seemed to echo the same sentiment!) Agon appeared technically correct to my untrained eyes, but it didn't wow me like it has in past performances. My first viewing of Symphony in Three was thrilling--especially the corps work; Sterling Hyltin's treatment of the ballet came off as very learned and meticulous.

[nanushka]

Megan seems to suggest the dedication to Sean Lavery may have been a particular influence on today’s performance. One definitely had the sense of witnessing something special.

 

Edited March 5, 2018 by nanushka

[cobweb]

She must be standing on something in this picture. When she is standing on the stage next to Janzen, the top of her head is at his shoulder.