New York City Ballet 2021-2022 season

[cobweb]

I would love to see Laracey, Phelan, or Peck in Mozartiana. If they want to surprise us with someone from the corps, Kikta or LaFreniere. I have my doubts about Reichlen, however. In some ways she seems like an obvious choice (principal, tall, frequently dances same roles as Mearns and Kowroski), but I'm not sure she would bring anything magical to this role.

[BalanchineFan]

3 hours ago, nanushka said:

I'd see that! I don't know that her Preghiera would particularly do it for me, but I'd love to see her tackle some of those variations especially.

Tiler Peck can bourree with the best of them. It might be interesting. I used to think of her as Ms Sunshine, but she's deepened considerably over time.

I saw Suzanne Farrell do it back in the day, and her (performing) ghost looms nearly as large as Balanchine's over Mozartiana. She was otherworldly. And you never quite knew when the spirit would catch her. The phrasing and her choices were so spontaneous, different each night. She FLEW across the stage like a wind had gotten hold of her. And I still don't know how you could be reaching up so high to commune with ... the higher spirit... and end up in such a deep backbend.

[Drew]

It's exciting that the company is so awash with talent (though sad that their opportunities to dance are still being impacted by the pandemic)...But a huge YES from me to Laracey getting opportunities in Mozartiana and the one act Swan Lake. Even though I wouldn't be able to see any of her performances, I would be pleased just to know they were taking place. And, of course, whoever gets cast--the options already mentioned above include a slew of wonderful dancers--I plan to be reading about the performances here.

Edited to add: Farrell was incomparable in Mozartiana, but I did enjoy Hyltin in the ballet when I saw her dance it a few years back--her debut season in Mozartiana I believe.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Drew

[seallen]

3 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

Tiler Peck can bourree with the best of them. It might be interesting. I used to think of her as Ms Sunshine, but she's deepened considerably over time.

I saw Suzanne Farrell do it back in the day, and her (performing) ghost looms nearly as large as Balanchine's over Mozartiana. She was otherworldly. And you never quite knew when the spirit would catch her. The phrasing and her choices were so spontaneous, different each night. She FLEW across the stage like a wind had gotten hold of her. And I still don't know how you could be reaching up so high to commune with ... the higher spirit... and end up in such a deep backbend.

Thank you!

For sometime I have struggled to define what it is about Tiler Peck for me. She is an exceptional and gorgeous technician. She is gifted and her virtuosity is something to behold, however she somehow leaves me cold...and you have helped me express what it has been, for me, her "sunshine". I am excited to hear she has deepened and look forward to experiencing her as a more mature dancer.

And yes, Suzanne Farrell moved as if possessed by spirit - fully embodied and fully transcendent.

 

[cobweb]

Who are the men who are currently dancing Mozartiana? I remember Huxley for sure. Janzen and Tyler Angle also, I think. Not sure Angle is up to it, judging on his dancing in the fall season. So they probably need some new men as well. What about new soloist Chan?

[abatt]

9 hours ago, cobweb said:

Who are the men who are currently dancing Mozartiana? I remember Huxley for sure. Janzen and Tyler Angle also, I think. Not sure Angle is up to it, judging on his dancing in the fall season. So they probably need some new men as well. What about new soloist Chan?

I think they will continue to cast Tyler Angle in his usual roles even though his abilities are diminished.  They did the same thing with Veyette. 

Mejia  would be great for the smaller male role.  I would also love to see Mejia in Black Swan pdd  and in Tschai pas.

[JuliaJ]

I think Gordon would be great in Mozartiana. Ball could handle the lead as well although they probably need a taller guy. With all respect to T. Angle and his talents, I think his ship has sailed for the white-tights roles. He doesn't have the technique for hard-core classical anymore. And yes, I think the baldness would be distracting in ballets like Mozartiana, Diamonds, Swan Lake, etc. It's not a good look for the company to keep casting veteran dancers in roles to which they're no longer suited. It's curious why Jared Angle is still on the roster; he hadn't performed in awhile even before the pandemic. 

Veyette has actually made somewhat of a comeback in the last couple of years; he still has a lot of power and control in turns, at least.  

[BalanchineFan]

I would watch Joseph Gordon cross the street! Happily and attentively. Yes, on Mozartiana, yes on anything else. Put him in!

I don't see what baldness has to do with dancing ability. Tyler Angle is not playing a "young prince", except for Swan Lake, and is it... impossible that a young prince would be bald? Not to my mind. I also love seeing older dancers in roles.

I will admit I saw Nureyev dance several times. As he got older he was difficult to watch because he seemed to be in pain landing his jumps. THAT was not comfortable for this audience member. Pain onstage is never a good look. It doesn't in any way apply to Tyler Angle, though. I thought both Angle and Veyette looked great last season. I was surprised, but happy to see the bald head. Better than the toupees many men wear, imo. I think ballet needs to loosen up on many of these preconceived ideas of what is "appropriate."

I've even seen/heard people remark negatively on dancers who had gotten tan and were appearing in Diamonds. I'm Black, and it made me wonder how they felt about dancers who are naturally "tan" or people of color. Are we supposed to think that they're not appropriate for Diamonds, either? An abstract ballet.  Going further... Must all the white swans be white people?  Or... Should only Black women dance the Black Swan? (That would certainly upend a lot of casting worldwide!)

Maybe the ideas (anti-baldness and color-ism) are separate for some, but they seem connected to me.

Edited January 11, 2022 by BalanchineFan

[abatt]

Yes to Joe Gordon in anything.

 

I found Tyler Angle's baldness distracting in Symphony in C, but not at all distracting  in DGV pas with Maria at her farewell or in Slaughter.   

 

[BalanchineFan]

7 minutes ago, abatt said:

Yes to Joe Gordon in anything.

 

I found Tyler Angle's baldness distracting in Symphony in C, but not at all distracting  in DGV pas with Maria at her farewell or in Slaughter.   

 

So is it the tutus that makes you feel the men should have hair?

[vagansmom]

On the topic of male principal dancers who haven't been cast in the recent dance seasons, what about Sean Suozzi? He's on the roster as a principal dancer, but I can't recall having seen much, if any, of him in the last couple danceable seasons.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

12 hours ago, cobweb said:

So they probably need some new men as well. 

Adrian Danchig-Waring. I'd pair him with either Reichlen or LaFreniere—he's partnered both in Chaconne.

Sterlin Hyltin demonstrated that a not-tall dancer can be a success in Mozartiana: I'd like to see Indiana Woodward take a crack at the role—more than Peck.

ETA: I think Reichlen could be good in Mozartiana. When she lets her incomparable Rubies Tall Girl peek out for a moment or two in other Balanchine roles (Stars and Stripes and Chaconne for example) she brings something all her own to them.

Re LaFreniere: After seeing her debut in Chaconne I'm eager to see her in every other Farrell role. 

Edited January 11, 2022 by Kathleen O'Connell

[Kathleen O'Connell]

38 minutes ago, vagansmom said:

what about Sean Suozzi? He's on the roster as a principal dancer

He's still a soloist. I can't remember the last time I actually saw him on stage. 

[nanushka]

1 hour ago, BalanchineFan said:

I don't see what baldness has to do with dancing ability. Tyler Angle is not playing a "young prince", except for Swan Lake, and is it... impossible that a young prince would be bald? Not to my mind. I also love seeing older dancers in roles.

... I was surprised, but happy to see the bald head. Better than the toupees many men wear, imo. I think ballet needs to loosen up on many of these preconceived ideas of what is "appropriate."

I completely agree. And I suspect that, for many, any initial distraction would diminish over time, as this (hopefully) becomes more normalized. I found Angle's previous look (obviously artificial) to be distracting too. It's a natural function of aging for some men. I don't see any reason why they should be prevented from dancing certain roles just because they don't have a full head of hair. The shaved look is quite common nowadays for men with thinning hair, and on many it looks (IMO) much better than the alternatives.

(That said, if I were in a position to do so, I might suggest that Angle not go full-on shaved, but rather buzzed. I think on his head that would look optimal. But that's just my personal opinion.)

Edited January 11, 2022 by nanushka

[BalanchineFan]

46 minutes ago, vagansmom said:

On the topic of male principal dancers who haven't been cast in the recent dance seasons, what about Sean Suozzi? He's on the roster as a principal dancer, but I can't recall having seen much, if any, of him in the last couple danceable seasons.

It's possible he had an injury in there at some point. I think I remember him being suddenly taken out of a few things (which indicates injury, imo) but I can't remember when. I think he has often danced the second man's part in Mozartiana, to acclaim.

Edited January 11, 2022 by BalanchineFan

[JuliaJ]

The whole point about Angle was that his solo dancing abilities in hard classical ballets like Mozartiana, Symphony in C, and Chaconne have diminished. His lack of hair is completely secondary. But it doesn't help the overall visual effect. 

[abatt]

19 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

He's still a soloist. I can't remember the last time I actually saw him on stage. 

Troy Schumacher has also been missing from the stage for a substantial period of time.

I think some tough decisions have to me made by management about certain long term corps and soloists dancers who will not be advancing.

Edited January 11, 2022 by abatt

[Kathleen O'Connell]

1 hour ago, BalanchineFan said:

So is it the tutus that makes you feel the men should have hair?

For me, yes, in the sense that a full(ish) head of hair is part of the costume. Princesses wear tutus and tiaras; Princes wear jeweled tunics and hair. If they don't have their own hair, a hairpiece is fine with me—like the curls the ballerinas wear in Apollo. I've got no issue with bald dancers (or dancers with mop tops and beards) in ballets where the look can be part of the overall theatrical effect. 

[Kathleen O'Connell]

4 minutes ago, abatt said:

I think some tough decisions have to me made my management about certain long term corps and soloists dancers who will not be advancing.

I'm OK with keeping long-term soloists who aren't likely to make principal on the roster so long as they are regularly (and justifiably) cast and have a real role in the company. (Like Lauren King, for example.) I don't think that applies in the case of Suozzi. 

[cobweb]

I could definitely see both Joseph Gordon and Adrian Danchig-Waring in the principal role in Mozartiana. Both of them have springy, elastic legs and a plush quality that would be great in this. Thinking about that reminds me of past performances, especially Chase Finlay. I loved his catlike landings in Mozartiana. Also an emphatic yes to Roman Mejia in the shorter male role. That is a no-brainer. 

[canbelto]

I also think Jovani Furlan could be good in this.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

37 minutes ago, canbelto said:

I also think Jovani Furlan could be good in this.

Agreed!

[Helene]

Pavel Gerdt was in his '50's when he danced the 1895 premiere of Swan Lake.  (He didn't do the variations.)

I don't care about men's hair -- maybe be from having family members bald in their '20's and gray-haired by 19 -- but I also dislike hearily uniform body types and despise colourism.  

[claireasday]

On 1/10/2022 at 6:20 AM, BalanchineFan said:

I wonder who will be cast in Mozartiana. Maria Kowroski used to dance it. I've seen Sara Mearns and Sterling Hyltin dance it. I hope there's a debut... but who would it be?

Doesn't first cast usually go to the most senior ballerina in the company? Of the principal women who have done it, Hyltin is the eldest.

4 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

I've even seen/heard people remark negatively on dancers who had gotten tan and were appearing in Diamonds. I'm Black, and it made me wonder how they felt about dancers who are naturally "tan" or people of color. Are we supposed to think that they're not appropriate for Diamonds, either? An abstract ballet.  Going further... Must all the white swans be white people?  Or... Should only Black women dance the Black Swan? (That would certainly upend a lot of casting worldwide!)

Maybe the ideas (anti-baldness and color-ism) are separate for some, but they seem connected to me.

I think you're correct here in that what is deemed "appropriate" in ballet is often a regurgitation of oppressive and/or restrictive societal ideals. Baldness onstage doesn't bother me.

[volcanohunter]

In Gerdt's day, male dancers nearly always wore wigs.

And not just the 50-somethings.

The practice continued for decades. (Photo from 1950)