ABT 2019 Swan Lake

[BalletFan]

On 6/30/2019 at 10:05 AM, nysusan said:

Last night Misty didn't even attempt the fouettes, she just did a menage. I found last night boring, boring, boring. David still has beautiful line and while he did impress in his second 3rd act solo, watching him through most of the ballet I thought he's really lost a step. And he no longer finishes his jumps in a clean, tight fifth.

 

Let me start off by saying that Misty is very good in some roles, such as Juliet and Manon. However, I was shocked when she didn't make any attempt at the fouettes on Saturday evening. I know that Misty has a huge fan base and the house is basically sold out when she's in Swan Lake. So, I understand why management gave her two Swan Lakes. But IMHO, if a dancer can't do the steps, then maybe he/she shouldn't get the starring role. Plus, she had already bowed out of Act III on Wednesday evening. Call me old-fashioned, or naive, or whatever... but I for one was very disappointed.

Sarah, on the other hand, was truly a revelation. For me, Sarah’s performance as the Black Swan was the highlight of Swan Lake week.

[Fleurfairy]

8 minutes ago, BalletFan said:

Let me start off by saying that Misty is very good in some roles, such as Juliet and Manon. However, I was shocked when she didn't make any attempt at the fouettes on Saturday evening. I know that Misty has a huge fan base and the house is basically sold out when she's in Swan Lake. So, I understand why management gave her two Swan Lakes. But IMHO, if a dancer can't do the steps, then maybe he/she shouldn't get the starring role. Plus, she had already bowed out of Act III on Wednesday evening. Call me old-fashioned, or naive, or whatever... but I for one was very disappointed.

Sarah, on the other hand, was truly a revelation. For me, Sarah’s performance as the Black Swan was the highlight of Swan Lake week.

I think this is a common complaint re Misty Copeland. If a dancer can't do the steps, how/why are they cast? How can that happen in what is supposed to one of the best companies in the world? It brings the quality and integrity of the entire company into serious question.

[fondoffouettes]

Reports on here also seemed to indicate that her Odette had also gone downhill. The fact that management had initially scheduled her for just one O/O, before Murphy went on maternity leave, seemed a wise decision to me. Who knows what will happen next year, after the weirdness of her pulling out of the black swan PDD in the first performance, and her not even attempting the fouettes in the second. Assuming they bring back R&J next year, they can make that a big Copeland vehicle and perhaps allow her to bid goodbye to O/O. While I could see her staying with ABT for another 5+ years, I think there's going to come a point before that when she physically won't be able to dance O/O any longer. Her private training and skipping company class seem to have done nothing for her technique. 

Edited July 3, 2019 by fondoffouettes

[ABT Fan]

23 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

The fact that management had initially scheduled her for just one O/O, before Murphy went on maternity leave, seemed a wise decision to me. Who knows what will happen next year, after the weirdness of her pulling out of the black swan PDD in the first performance, and her not even attempting the fouettes in the second. Assuming they bring back R&J next year, they can make that a big Copeland vehicle and perhaps allow her to bid goodbye to O/O. While I could see her staying with ABT for another 5+ years, I think there's going to come a point before that when she physically won't be able to dance O/O any longer. Her private training and skipping company class seem to have done nothing for her technique. 

I forgot that she was initially only scheduled for one performance. However, I very strongly doubt that she’ll ever be taken out of SL, regardless of her abilities. She’ll continue to make technical adjustments as needed. SL will most likely be her retirement performance. Having a black ballerina do O/O with a major company is a very big deal (and it made history with ABT) and it seems like her fans mostly come to that show (others too, but understandably they want to see her in the most famous ballet).

I don’t wish to start another debate on something that has been discussed to death everywhere, but since I’ve said very little about this, I will say that I have very mixed feelings about it all. As a former dancer and current balletomane, I only want to see a dancer who can successfully do the choreography and elicit an emotional reaction from me. For me, that is not Copeland. On the other hand, I understand her importance as a role model and someone who broke barriers and woke up a lot of people (and it was about time). So, I’m conflicted. I can understand her getting one O/O. Not thrilled with it, but I can understand it. Two shows? Nope. 

[abatt]

I'm wondering whether Copeland will be cast in any Ratmansky ballets going forward.  It seems to be more than a coincidence that Copeland did not perform in a single work choreographed or reconstructed by Ratmansky this season.  Ratmansky's work occupied more than half of the 8 week season.

[nanushka]

24 minutes ago, abatt said:

I'm wondering whether Copeland will be cast in any Ratmansky ballets going forward.  It seems to be more than a coincidence that Copeland did not perform in a single work choreographed or reconstructed by Ratmansky this season.  Ratmansky's work occupied more than half of the 8 week season.

Her absence from the new ballet was perhaps particularly noteworthy, given that there were roles for many featured dancers, and with multiple casts.

[fondoffouettes]

28 minutes ago, abatt said:

I'm wondering whether Copeland will be cast in any Ratmansky ballets going forward.  It seems to be more than a coincidence that Copeland did not perform in a single work choreographed or reconstructed by Ratmansky this season.  Ratmansky's work occupied more than half of the 8 week season.

I’m guessing only his Nutcracker and Firebird, as she is a significant audience draw in both. I’ve never seen the latter, but I gather it suits her strengths as a dancer. 

The fact that she was absent from Whipped Cream, Harlequinade, Four Seasons and Sleeping Beauty — all ballets requiring strong classical technique — seems to indicate that Ratmansky no longer sees these as a good fit for Copeland. If that’s the case, he has far more sense than McKenzie.