bellawood Posted November 21, 2022 Share Posted November 21, 2022 Good morning! For those of you who are interested in non-nut news, there's been a bunch of rehearsal photos of the full length Justin Peck that he's working on now on Instagram (in the main feed at his account and on Devin Alberda's, @dalberda). For those of you concerned about the under-casting from the fall season, Mira Nadon seems to have a featured role, this from her instagram stories: https://imgur.com/a/ppFGCou This looks just like the pas from Rodeo, so I am wondering if he's somehow incorporating it into the new work since it's a full length Copland? Link to comment
BalanchineFan Posted November 22, 2022 Share Posted November 22, 2022 9 hours ago, bellawood said: Good morning! For those of you who are interested in non-nut news, there's been a bunch of rehearsal photos of the full length Justin Peck that he's working on now on Instagram (in the main feed at his account and on Devin Alberda's, @dalberda). For those of you concerned about the under-casting from the fall season, Mira Nadon seems to have a featured role, this from her instagram stories: https://imgur.com/a/ppFGCou This looks just like the pas from Rodeo, so I am wondering if he's somehow incorporating it into the new work since it's a full length Copland? If so, I will really miss Amar in Rodeo. Maybe Peck is just revisiting some of the lifts from that repetoire... Link to comment
FPF Posted November 26, 2022 Share Posted November 26, 2022 Unity Phelan and Cameron Dieck got married last month. Their wedding is featured in the NYT Vows column. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/25/style/unity-phelan-cameron-dieck-wedding.html Link to comment
BalanchineFan Posted November 27, 2022 Share Posted November 27, 2022 On 11/26/2022 at 2:22 PM, FPF said: Unity Phelan and Cameron Dieck got married last month. Their wedding is featured in the NYT Vows column. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/25/style/unity-phelan-cameron-dieck-wedding.html The article is lovely. I'd love to see them on the dance floor at any wedding. NYCB also released a screen test with Unity back in August which is incredibly charming. Link to comment
California Posted January 5, 2023 Author Share Posted January 5, 2023 (edited) An update on on-line ticketing for NYCB this spring: For the last several days, I have tried unsuccessfully to buy some tickets for the spring season. I was able to pick out seats, but when I went to pay, I got a message that I was being blocked for "suspicious activity." After this happened a few times, I exchanged email with CustomerCare email at NYCB. Apparently, after the cyber-attacks at the Met last month, Koch upgraded their security and they seem to have gone overboard. She reassured me that I would be cleared after a few hours. Nope! Calling the box office didn't work either -- very long wait times, then gobbledygook and I was cut off. This morning everything worked perfectly! All the seats I had picked on Monday were still available and I have to wonder if others were having the same problem. I hope the Met has everything fixed by March when ABT tickets go on sale for their Met season. As you know, ABT uses the Met site for ticketing. Here's the story on the Met problems, if you missed this: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/14/arts/music/met-opera-cyberattack.html https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/arts/music/met-opera-cyberattack.html As if the performing arts don't have enough problems right now! UPDATE: Seems they still have some strict security in place. When I tried to log into my Friends account just now, I was immediately blocked: "suspicious activity." So, apparently, logging into their site twice in the same day is suspicious? Edited January 5, 2023 by California Link to comment
bellawood Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Wow! https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/05/arts/dance/alexei-ratmansky-new-york-city-ballet.html?searchResultPosition=1 Link to comment
Dale Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Good move. I think Ratmansky has created some of his best work for NYCB dancers. Link to comment
NinaFan Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 4 hours ago, California said: An update on on-line ticketing for NYCB this spring: For the last several days, I have tried unsuccessfully to buy some tickets for the spring season. I was able to pick out seats, but when I went to pay, I got a message that I was being blocked for "suspicious activity." After this happened a few times, I exchanged email with CustomerCare email at NYCB. Apparently, after the cyber-attacks at the Met last month, Koch upgraded their security and they seem to have gone overboard. She reassured me that I would be cleared after a few hours. Nope! Calling the box office didn't work either -- very long wait times, then gobbledygook and I was cut off. This morning everything worked perfectly! All the seats I had picked on Monday were still available and I have to wonder if others were having the same problem. I hope the Met has everything fixed by March when ABT tickets go on sale for their Met season. As you know, ABT uses the Met site for ticketing. Here's the story on the Met problems, if you missed this: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/14/arts/music/met-opera-cyberattack.html https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/arts/music/met-opera-cyberattack.html As if the performing arts don't have enough problems right now! Thank you for posting! I missed the articles and had no idea! Link to comment
NinaFan Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Excellent news about Ratmansky joining NYCB! Link to comment
FPF Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Yes, this is fantastic news about Ratmansky. Looking forward to seeing more of his work at NYCB. Link to comment
vipa Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 17 hours ago, FPF said: Yes, this is fantastic news about Ratmansky. Looking forward to seeing more of his work at NYCB. I noticed that many NYCB dancers shared the happy news on their IG accounts. Link to comment
abatt Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 (edited) NYCB has been hiring a lot of modern dance choreographers who have limited knowledge and understanding of ballet. In my opinion many of those works have been unsuccessful and not worth NYCB's expenditure of resources. Even if you don't care for some of Ratmansky's works, at least they will utilize the ballet idiom in a sophisticated manner. I think Ratmansky was being rather diplomatic in explaining his departure from ABT. As an example, when ABT presented a second cast of his The Seasons in the Fall at the Koch, there was one ballerina who had a difficult role and was obviously out of her depth in performing the very difficult choreography. Ratmansky will not encounter such issues at NYCB ,where the depth of talent at every level is astonishing. The company has a seemingly endless pipeline of remarkable talent right now. It makes complete sense that he would sign on with NYCB. I can think of at least one NYCB dancer who is not celebrating the hiring of Ratmansky for the next 5 years. Edited January 6, 2023 by abatt Link to comment
Balletwannabe Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 3 minutes ago, abatt said: NYCB has been hiring a lot of modern dance choreographers who have limited knowledge and understanding of ballet. In my opinion many of those works have been unsuccessful and not worth NYCB's expenditure of resources. Even if you don't care for some of Ratmansky's works, at least they will utilize the ballet idiom in a sophisticated manner. I think Ratmansky was being rather diplomatic in explaining his departure from ABT. As an example, when ABT presented a second cast of his The Seasons in the Fall at the Koch, there was one ballerina who had a difficult role and was obviously out of her depth in performing the very difficult choreograph. Ratmansky will not encounter such issues at NYCB ,where the depth of talent at every level is astonishing. The company has a seemingly endless pipeline of remarkable talent right now. It makes complete sense that he would sign on with NYCB. I can think of at least one NYCB dancer who is not celebrating the hiring of Ratmansky for the next 5 years. A principal female? I remember one arguing with him on Facebook. Link to comment
Helene Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 There is no one in the ballet world over whom every single dancer would be cheering. If dancers have expressed unhappiness with Ratmansky in public-facing social media or other official news, it's fine to discuss here. Link to comment
matilda Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 (edited) I believe Ratmansky's last commercially successful ABT premiere was Whipped Cream, which came out in 2017 and has had mixed success in subsequent runs. "The Seasons," "Harlequinade," "Of Love and Rage" were well-received by critics but did did not on their own draw big crowds. Notice how Harlequinade has not returned since 2018. Of Love and Rage appears to have been a financial flop based on attendance last spring (though I thought it was a wonderful ballet). Plus, the company is in the midst of a big turnover in artistic management. There are some wonderful rising dancers in the ABT corps but it's true that the talent pipeline is not as rich as at NYCB. All things that could have contributed to his decision to leave. Edited January 6, 2023 by matilda Link to comment
abatt Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 I was referencing Bouder, who has publicly complained that Ratmansky "body shamed" her. Link to comment
California Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 42 minutes ago, matilda said: I believe Ratmansky's last commercially successful ABT premiere was Whipped Cream, which came out in 2017 and has had mixed success in subsequent runs. "The Seasons," "Harlequinade," "Of Love and Rage" were well-received by critics but did did not on their own draw big crowds. Notice how Harlequinade has not returned since 2018. Of Love and Rage appears to have been a financial flop based on attendance last spring (though I thought it was a wonderful ballet). Plus, the company is in the midst of a big turnover in artistic management. There are some wonderful rising dancers in the ABT corps but it's true that the talent pipeline is not as rich as at NYCB. All things that could have contributed to his decision to leave. Looking at the complete list of Ratmansky's work for ABT, I'm struck by how few returned as box office successes: https://www.abt.org/people/alexei-ratmansky/?type=archive The Golden Cockerel was a one-season wonder in 2016. It's been a long time since Sleeping Beauty debuted in 2015. The Tempest (Ugh!). I loved Symphony #9, but it hasn't returned either. His Nutcracker might be the most enduring long-term on that list. Link to comment
Helene Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 Did ABT do their own production of The Golden Cockerel? I saw it in Copenhage, as it was made for Royal Danish Ballet and featured Thomas Lund, just before her retired. Link to comment
abatt Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 9 minutes ago, Helene said: Did ABT do their own production of The Golden Cockerel? I saw it in Copenhage, as it was made for Royal Danish Ballet and featured Thomas Lund, just before her retired. No. ABT shared the production with Royal Danish. Link to comment
BalanchineFan Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 2 hours ago, California said: Looking at the complete list of Ratmansky's work for ABT, I'm struck by how few returned as box office successes: https://www.abt.org/people/alexei-ratmansky/?type=archive The Golden Cockerel was a one-season wonder in 2016. It's been a long time since Sleeping Beauty debuted in 2015. The Tempest (Ugh!). I loved Symphony #9, but it hasn't returned either. His Nutcracker might be the most enduring long-term on that list. Are ballets typically "box office successes"? Or is that a way of looking at full lengths? I saw The Golden Cockerel at ABT, what a mess. I think Ratmansky at NYCB is a huge get for them, for their dancers, and for him as well. I still don't really like his aesthetic. But maybe I'll like the next ballet. Link to comment
abatt Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/arts/dance/alexei-ratmansky-city-ballet.html Terrific article about Ratmansky and NyCB. Link to comment
California Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 1 hour ago, abatt said: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/arts/dance/alexei-ratmansky-city-ballet.html Terrific article about Ratmansky and NyCB. I was most intrigued by this in the article: Here is another hope: That City Ballet will replace his [Martins'] version of “Swan Lake” with Ratmansky’s. It glows, it’s urgent and its pathos and fantasy doesn’t feel so removed from the present moment. Link to comment
abatt Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 It appears to me that NYCB is trying to purge as much Martins work as possible. I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually pick up Ratmansky's SL. When Stafford took over he indicated an intention to keep certain Martins works, like Fearful Symmetries and Barber Violin Concerto. These works are superior to a lot of the new works which have been commissioned, in my opinion. However, I doubt NYCB will dance those works again. Link to comment
abatt Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 I just received an email from NYCB with a trailer for the new Peck work. Copland Dance Episodes | New York City Ballet (nycballet.com) It didn't make me want to see the work at all. There was a lot of emoting and crouching and hand holding. How about a clip with actual dancing? Who are the two dancers featured in this clip. Link to comment
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