Helene Posted April 15, 2022 Share Posted April 15, 2022 It is true that various company staff members are either members on the site, because as Admins, we see more info than is public, or are reading without having signed up, the latter because they let me know when they are displeased or to send over some facts. A few have used real names on the site, others have stated that they are administrators in the public-facing "Connection to/Interest in ballet" in their profiles, and, while it's not public-facing information who they are, we know that someone in that location (also public-facing in the profile) is on the staff (or was when they signed up) of a company in that place. But, ultimately, the bottom line is that unless ballet professionals state something in an official way, including on public-facing social media, that they read us, we can't discuss it publicly on Ballet Alert! While we don't always get what we want, and few ballet professionals will jeopardize their careers with what they post on social media, we used to get nearly nothing, because the mainstream media controlled what was printed/pixilated, who got asked, and what was left after editing. We know so, so much more from what dancers and companies "do" share, which has made our jobs here so much easier. And I can't get enough of Franadian's videos of her son. Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted April 15, 2022 Share Posted April 15, 2022 And here's another (shocking, in my opinion) departure: Ben Freemantle https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYhWIGv6EQ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Link to comment
pherank Posted April 15, 2022 Author Share Posted April 15, 2022 44 minutes ago, PeggyTulle said: And here's another (shocking, in my opinion) departure: Ben Freemantle https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYhWIGv6EQ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Yeah, this hurts. We don't want to be losing the young generation of principals. I'm going to guess that Keesler and Freemantle are going to NYC together. I'm wondering which dancers will be around for next season - that apparently Tomasson programed. I think there's supposed to be a small new works festival too. Link to comment
pherank Posted May 3, 2022 Author Share Posted May 3, 2022 (edited) Nikisha Fogo is in NYC for orthopedic surgery on her Achilles tendon area (ganglion cyst): https://www.instagram.com/stories/nikishafogo/2829591861048799306/ Edited May 3, 2022 by pherank Link to comment
pherank Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 Nikisha's surgery is over, and we hope for a full recovery: (I spy Hilary Hahn in the comment section - maybe she occasionally finds the time to go to the ballet?) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdTagqFuIIU/ Link to comment
Helene Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 Hilary Hahn has always been a well-rounded and curious person. At the beginning of her career, when it wasn't so common, she had her own website that was more like a blog, where she wrote about all of the things she did in the places where she was performing, complete with her own photographs. Link to comment
pherank Posted May 13, 2022 Author Share Posted May 13, 2022 Angelo Greco just had some minor surgery done - he seems unconcerned, so far, so hopefully this really is minor: Ready to get back to it 💪😁🎭!!! I planned this surgery right after the season, like this I would have the time to recover during the summer 😎 Everything went well, just need it a clean up in my ankle 😉 🦶 Let’s do it 😊!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/CdgmHSaPv_R/ Link to comment
pherank Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 Madison Keesler may be back in town already - she's moderating a discussion for the SF Dance Film Festival: "Tomorrow, Sunday May 15th, I will be moderating an in-person Q&A for @sfdancefilmfest! The program will begin by watching the enchanting “Swan Lake” by @balletpreljocaj. Following the screening we will hear from Angelin Preljocaj himself via video and I will conclude the evening by interviewing our special guests, @misakuranaga and Pierre Vilanoba!" https://www.instagram.com/p/CdjMEWNPVms/ Link to comment
pherank Posted May 16, 2022 Author Share Posted May 16, 2022 Question: what were the last 2022 programs danced by Froustey and Tan? Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 On 5/16/2022 at 4:23 PM, pherank said: Question: what were the last 2022 programs danced by Froustey and Tan? Tan: Program 5 - The Fifth Season & Magrittomania, Program 6 - Prism Froustey: Program 5 - The Fifth Season (I believe one performance only) Link to comment
pherank Posted May 18, 2022 Author Share Posted May 18, 2022 27 minutes ago, sf_herminator said: Tan: Program 5 - The Fifth Season & Magrittomania, Program 6 - Prism Froustey: Program 5 - The Fifth Season (I believe one performance only) Thank you. Mathilde must have some level of injury then. In the past she would post about these kinds of things, but I think she's too busy with motherhood to bother. Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 (edited) On 5/15/2022 at 6:53 PM, pherank said: Madison Keesler may be back in town already - she's moderating a discussion for the SF Dance Film Festival: "Tomorrow, Sunday May 15th, I will be moderating an in-person Q&A for @sfdancefilmfest! The program will begin by watching the enchanting “Swan Lake” by @balletpreljocaj. Following the screening we will hear from Angelin Preljocaj himself via video and I will conclude the evening by interviewing our special guests, @misakuranaga and Pierre Vilanoba!" https://www.instagram.com/p/CdjMEWNPVms/ I attended this screening and Anita Paciotti moderated the discussion. Madison posted in her IG stories which I will link here (but because the availability of IG stories is only about 24 hours then the applicable post might be gone by the time others navigate to this link). https://www.instagram.com/stories/madisonkeesler/2840527996713393615/. The work is a reimagining of Swan Lake for the current times. It is a compelling work and also very contemporary. Some of the moves were really amazing. This is not the Swan Lake you are all familiar with, but definitely worth watching. There was a short video message from Angelin Proljocaj preceding the film (he had planned to be in attendance, but ultimately was unable to come in person). Tthere is a longer interview on the SFDFF site home page: https://sfdancefilmfest.org It is also posted to YouTube: One additional tidbit: Pierre noted that very early in his career at Paris Opera Ballet that he had worked with Angelin Peljocaj, around 1994. Edited May 19, 2022 by sf_herminator Link to comment
pherank Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 Madison Keesler records emptying her locker at SFB and returning her pointe shoe locker key: https://www.instagram.com/p/CeApu8jAFfb/ Link to comment
pherank Posted July 10, 2022 Author Share Posted July 10, 2022 Looks like dancers of SFB (including ex-company member Ben Freemantle) danced Wheeldon's Finale Finale in Cancun, Mexico a few days ago: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfk4Nr2LVNJ/ https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfk88pQrTv6/ Link to comment
Royal Blue Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 (edited) In response to the question "WHAT BALLET OR ROLE WOULD YOU LIKE TO DANCE BUT HAVEN'T YET AND WHY?" Sasha De Sola's reply on the San Francisco Ballet website partly reads: "I love the concept of Afternoon of a Faun and I feel like there is so much beauty and truth intertwined in the work that I would love to interpret it." Our views here are in complete accord! That she and I may have different notions on what this "beauty and truth" precisely consists of is both immaterial and understandable in this instance. Crucially, the concept of Afternoon of a Faun engenders contemplation of vital issues: it, therefore, confers on this ballet the power and potential to stay permanently in the mind of certain dancers and audience members alike. That is the crux of the matter. Particularly given her opinion, this principal dancer deserves the opportunity to perform in this work. In truth, it would be fascinating to know the performance history of this Robbins ballet by all major American and European ballet companies. While its allotted number of performances —as with every important ballet— should be judicious, Afternoon of a Faun should nonetheless be a fixture in the repertoire of the greatest companies. Edited July 20, 2022 by Royal Blue Link to comment
pherank Posted July 23, 2022 Author Share Posted July 23, 2022 It seems that Mathilde Froustey continues to be stuck in France while waiting for her US visa to be granted: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgUheXDoZoV/ Link to comment
Josette Posted July 23, 2022 Share Posted July 23, 2022 The casting for Starry Nights on August 5 and 6, 2022, at Frost Amphitheater, Stanford University, is posted on SFB's website. I am attending on Saturday night. It is a lovely setting. Jasmine Jimison is back after dancing with Boston Ballet. She was listed as a SFB soloist last season. https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/ I. 7 FOR EIGHT WanTing Zhao, Aaron Robison Norika Matsuyama, Cavan Conley Ellen Rose Hummel, Max Cauthorn Jasmine Jimison, Lonnie Weeks II. IN THE NIGHT Elizabeth Powell, Joseph Walsh Sasha Mukhamedov, Tiit Helimets Yuan Yuan Tan, Luke Ingham III. BLAKE WORKS I Sasha De Sola, Julia Rowe Wei Wang, Max Cauthorn, Joseph Walsh Link to comment
pherank Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 13 hours ago, Josette said: The casting for Starry Nights on August 5 and 6, 2022, at Frost Amphitheater, Stanford University, is posted on SFB's website. I am attending on Saturday night. It is a lovely setting. Jasmine Jimison is back after dancing with Boston Ballet. She was listed as a SFB soloist last season. https://www.sfballet.org/tickets/casting/ Lucky you - enjoy. Glad to hear Jasmine Jimison is back. Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted July 24, 2022 Share Posted July 24, 2022 13 hours ago, pherank said: Glad to hear Jasmine Jimison is back. Agreed! Link to comment
pherank Posted August 10, 2022 Author Share Posted August 10, 2022 Jasmine Jimison posted a tribute to the people of Boston Ballet (who helped her out in a tough situation): https://www.instagram.com/p/CehQLqyvAMN/ Link to comment
Helene Posted August 16, 2022 Share Posted August 16, 2022 From Frances Chung, this made me all kinds of happy: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChTLKaUAP3I/ Link to comment
pherank Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Helene said: From Frances Chung, this made me all kinds of happy: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChTLKaUAP3I/ Froustey's son turned 1 just a few days ago, as well: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChHr-IhIluJ/ It's hard to believe its only been one year - they grow so fast. Edited August 16, 2022 by pherank Link to comment
pherank Posted August 21, 2022 Author Share Posted August 21, 2022 (edited) There is a new Fjord Review article online about Isaac Hernandez: Inspiration in MexicoIsaac Hernandez’s “Despertares” Brings Ballet to New Heights 'The master classes were just one part of “Despertares Impulsa,” a two-day program which also included auditions for the Royal Ballet School (the first time the acclaimed school has come to Mexico) and a youth conference with Hernandez called “Living with Purpose”—all offered free of charge. Despertares Impulsa, now in its third edition, is organized by Hernandez and his family’s production company, Soul Arts Productions. In Mexico City later that week, Hernandez headlined the 9th Despertares gala performance at the National Auditorium featuring a star-studded line up which included his brother, Esteban Hernandez; Misa Kuranaga; Brooklyn Mack; Michaela DePrince; Chyrstyn Fentroy; and Mayara Magri, among others.' Edited August 21, 2022 by pherank Link to comment
pherank Posted August 24, 2022 Author Share Posted August 24, 2022 The TAN project - SFB dancers created a "fake tanning oil commercial with Bob Fosse choreography": https://www.instagram.com/p/Chc_dFZjkNI/ Dancers: Tyla Steinbach, Lizzy Powell, Aaron Robison, Madison Keesler, Jahna Frantziskonis, John-Paul Simoens, Angelo Greco, Luca Ferro, Nathaniel Remez, Esteban Cuadrado, Gabriela Gonzalez, Thamires Chuvas, Lonnie Weeks, Benjamin Freemantle, Wanting Zhao, Joseph Walsh and Kimberly Marie Olivier Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 14 hours ago, pherank said: The TAN project - SFB dancers created a "fake tanning oil commercial with Bob Fosse choreography": https://www.instagram.com/p/Chc_dFZjkNI/ Dancers: Tyla Steinbach, Lizzy Powell, Aaron Robison, Madison Keesler, Jahna Frantziskonis, John-Paul Simoens, Angelo Greco, Luca Ferro, Nathaniel Remez, Esteban Cuadrado, Gabriela Gonzalez, Thamires Chuvas, Lonnie Weeks, Benjamin Freemantle, Wanting Zhao, Joseph Walsh and Kimberly Marie Olivier A missed opportunity, I think, for a cameo by Yuan Yuan Tan. Link to comment
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