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New York City Ballet 2021 Season

Buddy

By Buddy
in New York City Ballet

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vipa

vipa

Posted
Posted

Just saw the Friday show. Had a wonderful time. I'll leave others to comment on La Valse. Not one of my favorite ballets, so I'm interested in other reviewers. Other Dances reinforced my opinion that Tiler Peck is a dance genius. The blend of imagination, musicality and technique is extraordinary. The timing of even the smallest developpe brought out some musical nuance. Gonzalo Garcia was charming and wonderful. They looked great together. 

After the Rain with Lovette and Chamblee was lovely. It's a great vehicle for Lovette. I have to say that during the piece she was trying to connect with him, and he was a bit more business like!

Agon - A ballet a could see a thousand times. Kowroski still looks great in the pas. Huxley, Sara Adams and Ashley Hod were the first trio. Hod and Adams are having good seasons. Huxley gets better and better. In Bransle Gay I thought Megan LeCrone looked cautious and tight. My husband disagreed. 

When entering the the theater the electronic reader was unable to scan bar codes on phones, so a bunch of us had to stand on line to get paper tickets. Not a big deal, but it did slow things down. Also, I noted that the house was pretty full, with some folks up on the 4th ring. Interestingly there seemed to be a lot of younger people there (younger to me, so 30's and 40's), yet it seemed to be a knowledgable crowd. It was clear the audience knew who was retiring. I wonder if this says anything about NYCB's outreach, publicity, social media or anything.

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tutu

tutu

Posted
Posted
14 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

THANK YOU! I love this. I know a few people are disappointed there weren't more promotions, but the news AS IT IS, brings tears of joy to my eyes, even days after the events. There is something about promoting dancers in small groups, particularly to principal, that allows each of them to shine and have their moment of ascendancy. Unity Phelan and Indiana Woodward are really coming into their own, developing their artistry and becoming ballerinas with an indelible, individual mark on the art form, an individual point of view and approach to the repertory. My opinion is that the recognition would be reduced if they were promoted in a group of 15 or even six. It would seem less like a crowning moment. All three dancers have made a mark on the NYCB repertory and have been cast up above their pay grade consistently since well before the pandemic. 

Seriously, I've got tears of joy for all involved! Those are few and far between in these days.

Hear hear!  

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BalanchineFan

BalanchineFan

Posted
Posted
On 10/7/2021 at 8:37 PM, vipa said:

Thanks Canbelto, I hadn't seen the official word. Does this mean promotions are done? I thought there would be more. IMO the principal rank on the male side is growing a bit thin with 3 retirees and the limited rep of some of the men. The women's soloist rank is a bit thin too, with King retiring, Phelan and Woodward promoted to principal, and (I believe) Pollack & Pereira on maternity.

NYCB doesn’t have to promote anyone, nor do they need a set number of principals or soloists. They have always had corps members perform leading roles when needed or according to artistic choice. Actually, forget the corps! Miriam Miller, Alston MacGill, and KJ Takahashi (and probably others) had leading roles while APPRENTICES. So did Kathryn Morgan back in her day, iirc. Whether we like it or not, this is not a company that is stuck on hierarchy and it’s an art form that favors the young. 
They can promote anyone at any time.

Maybe they think It keeps the dancers on their toes. Maybe it’s the way Balanchine did it. Certainly, with injuries and the like, they can’t know exactly what they’re going to need until they need it. and I’m sure they don’t want to repeat the situation with Chase Finlay, who's still the youngest male principal in the history of NYCB. It’s a cautionary tale. 
 

highlights from tonight: Tiler and Gonzalo in other dances. Lauren lovette and Preston Chamblee and After the Rain - the crowd went wild. People were sobbing. Maria and Amar in Agon. All told, a great night of ballet  

 

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nanushka

nanushka

Posted
Posted

Well, yeah, but personally I think it's a good thing when workers are appropriately compensated for their labor. I understand if there's a need for caution now, financially, but I certainly don't think promotions should be withheld for any sort of "motivational" purpose. Promote them and pay them, if they're dancing the roles.

Until tonight, I had never truly gotten the appeal of Megan LeCrone. I loved her in Agon.

Maria K was fantastic. Those legs will be missed.

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vipa

vipa

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Well, yeah, but personally I think it's a good thing when workers are appropriately compensated for their labor. I understand if there's a need for caution now, financially, but I certainly don't think promotions should be withheld for any sort of "motivational" purpose. Promote them and pay them, if they're dancing the roles.

Until tonight, I had never truly gotten the appeal of Megan LeCrone. I loved her in Agon.

Maria K was fantastic. Those legs will be missed.

Just throwing out there, there is a pay differential in most contracts, for corps members doing soloist roles. I'm not familiar with NYCB's contract specifically, but I wouldn't assume that a corps member gets corps pay regardless of how many soloist or principal roles they do.

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nanushka

nanushka

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yes, correct, but almost surely not the same. If the company can afford to promote for a “full” standard roster, they should, IMO.

That said, I’m delighted and satisfied by those promotions that have been announced.

Edited by nanushka
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mille-feuille

mille-feuille

Posted
Posted

Mr. Mille-feuille and I thoroughly enjoyed Friday night's program.

We both thought La Valse was great, especially the second part. It's so dramatic, and (I feel) Halloween-like, in the best way. Sterling and Joe Gordon looked wonderful. I'd watch him in anything. Was it just me, or was one corps girl missing from the second half? One of the boys had no one to partner, although he covered admirably.

I have not liked Other Dances much when I've seen it before, but Tiler can make anything interesting. It was my first time seeing her this season and she was gorgeous—silky and floaty.

I have to admit that Mr. Mille-feuille and I did not particularly enjoy After the Rain. I have seen it SO. MANY. TIMES and it just does not hold up to repeated viewings. Mr. Mille-feuille is not a fan of modern choreography—his tastes fall squarely in the classical and neo-classical realm. We saw this on opening night with Maria and Ask and did enjoy it then, thanks to the depth of these veterans' artistry. I found Lauren Lovette and Preston Chamblee too green in this ballet.

Now, a ballet that I have seen many times and has never gotten stale is Agon. Amar looked wonderful, as did Ashley Hod. Sebastian Villarini-Velez caught my eye favorably, too. I thought Megan LeCrone had the perfect aura/mood in the Bransle Gay, but I felt that she was holding back in her dancing, not taking up as much space as she could. Amar and Maria were fabulous in the pas, and they bowed four times—the audience wouldn't stop clapping. It was heartwarming to see the friendship between them as he encouraged her forward for the extra bows.

Considering going to see Maria and/or Teresa Reichlen in Agon next week...

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abatt

abatt

Posted
Posted (edited)

Maria K in Agon was THE highlight of the evening.  She was commanding and daring.  In a word - exquisite.  Wendy Whelan used to own this role at NYCB, but Maria over the years has developed her own take on the role that, in my opinion, is much more sensually charged.   Just amazing.  So glad I got to see her again in this role.  Amar was a good partner, but for me he fades into the background compared to Maria.  Jock Soto was the last person in the role who I thought made an equal impression with his ballerina in Agon.  

I did not like Megan LeCrone.  Her movements were clipped as she tried to keep up with the music.  Please get someone else for this role already.  She's been doing it for years but hasn't improved in it.

Huxley was terrific, as was Hod. 

La Valse is not a great ballet, but I enjoyed it.  Gordon was a last minute replacement for Taylor Stanley.  He was very elegant.

Other Dances was well done, especially by Tiler Peck.  Personally, I can't wait to see what Mejia will do next week. 

Now for After the Rain.  Lauren Lovette is way too short for this role.  The main value of this little pas is to see miraculous extensions of long limbs.  The fact that Lovette was paired with a very tall dancer only highlighted Lovette's short limbs.  Plus they had no evident rapport.  

It's a week too early to say goodbye to Maria.  As I savored her Agon performance in my mind when I returned home, I realized that although many principal ballerinas have retired from NYCB, Maria belongs in the Pantheon of greats along with Wendy Whelan and Kyra Nichols.  She was and is a very special dancer, and I'm glad I got to see her from her days in the corps through the present.  From her comedic instincts in a role like Titania or in Slaughter, to her angular and spectacular performance in Agon, she has left us with unforgettable performances.

 

 

 

 

Edited by abatt
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cobweb

cobweb

Posted
Posted (edited)

Last night was terrific. It was great to see Kowroski and Ramasar in a black and white ballet once again. I have a deep appreciation of Tyler Angle's dancing over the years, but given how gingerly he's been dancing, it was the right thing to sub in Amar - he looked great Seeing them together felt like "old times" again - that being 5 or so years ago. It got me musing on the passage of time and change of generations. Kowroski is heading out, Unity's time is here. We have to enjoy the times we're living in. During the pandemic, when I didn't know when (or even at times I wondered if) we would see NYCB again, I felt glad that I had spent the time, and the money, to indulge in as many performances as I did. Since 2011, when I first discovered NYCB, I have made it a priority (and made some sacrifices) to see pretty much everything I felt drawn to, and the only things I can remember regretting that I missed were a performance of Union Jack (had an opera ticket that night), and Ashley Laracey in Scotch Symphony (pre-planned trip out of town before casting was announced). The memories buoyed me up during the lockdown, and I want to refill the memory bank with what I can take in now.  

Anyway, back to last night. For me, the highlight of the season so far was Tiler Peck in Other Dances. She inhabits the music so fully and naturally, with heart-melting softness, radiance, and exquisite attention to every little detail. She also looked extremely pretty in the lavender dress. 

I didn't love After the Rain. Like abatt, I see this as a role for someone with long limbs, and there was no chemistry between Lovette and Chamblee. He was inscrutable. 

In Agon, Huxley was beautiful, better than ever. Ashley Hod has incredible limbs, but I was more drawn to Sara Adams, who looked excellent, and has a liveliness and inner light that drew my eye.

Edited by cobweb
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canbelto

canbelto

Posted
Posted

Lauren Lovette has some interesting things to say about her retirement:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUzoPWZrsGa/

Quote

I am ready to be challenged in fresh ways in a place I feel more valued as an artist and inspired as a ballerina. To put work into the next decade of my dancing in a more mentally healthy environment and to learn some unfounded skills of refinement for my craft.

I’m ready to stand at another threshold with a desire to remember that lesson I stated earlier on never quitting on dreams, and to persist through whatever comes my way next. 💪🏼

The next chapter of life begins tomorrow and today is simply for feeling EVERYTHING that has been gained and lost in this first phase of my journey as an artist.

Thank you to every single person who has followed and supported me through this wild ride up until this point! I can’t wait to mark a new day on a brand new page with all of you. Stay tuned on some projects I have been cooking up this summer ❤️‍🔥 Love to all of you and see you on the stage today!

 

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canbelto

canbelto

Posted
Posted (edited)

On nycballet's website she had this to say. She has glowing things to say about Martins:

Quote

 

Who has been an important influence or inspiration to you as a performer?

The largest inspiration and mentor of my career would have to have been Peter Martins. His guidance and mentorship throughout my performance career as well as his being the first champion of my choreographic journey will live with me for the rest of my time in this industry.

What are your favorite roles to perform onstage?

My favorite roles that I have had the honor of performing on this stage have been Jerome Robbins’ The Cage and Dances at a Gathering (Pink girl); George Balanchine’s Rubies, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet (2nd Movement), and Liebeslieder Walzer; and Christopher Wheeldon’s DGV: Danse à Grand Vitesse and This Bitter Earth.

Was there a pivotal moment in your career that helped shape who you are today?

A pivotal moment in my career was the year that my boss Peter Martin’s promoted me to principal dancer in 2015, and asked me to choreograph my first ballet for the Company in the same year. I had just undergone some really challenging personal heartbreaks, and needed surgery on my ankle that I couldn’t put off any longer… Peter promoted me two weeks after my surgery while I was still hobbling around on crutches, and something about that belief gave me the absolutely necessary courage to keep moving forward with my life. Dance has been a career, yes, but it has also been my family for almost 10 years now, and for that I hold such deep gratitude for this institution, art form, and audience.

What are you looking forward to about this next phase in your life/career?

I am most looking forward to traveling and fighting my own beliefs about what I am capable of achieving. I look forward to learning how to push myself further as both a performer and a choreographer by taking on projects that push my personal, physical, and mental limits. I love meeting artists and have started my own non-profit to keep pushing the artform forward in ways that feel personal and deeply honest for me. I work with a production company now and am thrilled to be able to have a hand in not just the final product onstage, but every step of the process on the way to that curtain rising.

Do you have any special words of wisdom or helpful hints to share with dancers who are either new to the art form or to the Company?

My words of wisdom for the generation that is coming in new to this artform is to remember that your path is your own, and its twists and turns create a pattern as unique as your own fingerprint. The truth that you carry within your bones is where your dance originates… It is the answer to every nervous show, stressful rehearsal, disappointing casting sheet, and heartbreak in the field. We all have something to dance about inside of us and that is why I have absolutely loved and continue to love what I do…

Now pointe your feet!

 

I did notice that whether by design or not, she was cast less and less when Jon and Wendy came onboard. Now, she had a bunch of choreography projects and whatnot, but she didn't actually dance much.

Edited by canbelto
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BalanchineFan

BalanchineFan

Posted
Posted (edited)
56 minutes ago, dirac said:

I think it's plain Lovette's less-than-glowing comments referred to the current administration. The gratitude to Martins is obviously deeply felt.

To me, It seems like oversimplification to assume Lovette is talking about a particular person or administration prompting her retirement from NYCB. In her conversations with Megan Fairchild and on IG, Lovette often talked about trying to find her own path, not judging herself, finding and nurturing her own mode of expression. She's also talked about how she has struggled with body image, perfectionism and the idea that she has to be super skinny and flat chested to perform. The artistic pursuits may not easily align with a large ballet company with its own artistic mission, and the other issues abound in the ballet world in general. Also, if she wants to choreograph more, NYCB has too many performances for her to easily do that without running herself ragged. She talked about treasuring the time she spent improvising in her studio in NJ during the pandemic. I think she must have realized how much that could sustain her artistically. I can't wait to see what she does next. She put together an evening of her own work this July, Why it Matters, with sponsorship from Chanel. She has a non-profit. Maybe she'll start her own company.

Edited by BalanchineFan
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