abatt Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Roman Mejia was replaced in the Saturday Matinee. He was replaced by Coll in the Gold role. Anyone know why. By the way , I saw the Sat matinee and I'm pretty sure that Coll was doing the modified version of Gold that Davide Riccardo did the other night. I also noticed that in the final sequence of her variation in the Wedding section, our Lilac fairy Gerrity omitted the final step where she has to spin and go down to one knee. That particular step has been a problem for a lot of the Lilacs, but she performed it well during her debut last week. Since the motif of the Lilac and the fairies going down to one knee is a motif in the ballet's choreography, I found that change a bit disappointing, I don't know if it was planned or it was a performance error. Link to comment
Fernie M Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Ashley Hod will not be dancing this spring due to minor ankle surgery. Information on her IG posts. https://www.instagram.com/p/CpINhwDun_R/ Link to comment
MarzipanShepherdess Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 12 hours ago, canbelto said: According to NYCB's IG stories, Marika Anderson retired tonight after her performance of Carabosse. She also performed the Queen earlier in the run in the cast I saw. It struck me that I’d never seen someone do that role so emotively and maternally! She really brought what is often a pretty wooden promenading role some life and color. Brava Marika! Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 40 minutes ago, MarzipanShepherdess said: She also performed the Queen earlier in the run in the cast I saw. It struck me that I’d never seen someone do that role so emotively and maternally! She really brought what is often a pretty wooden promenading role some life and color. Brava Marika! Her Queen mom was completely different than anyone else. Full of warm and totally devoided of the much favored aloofness and plasticity. Even with funny accents here and there. When she fell asleep she didn't go all elongated and stretchy. She just collapsed as if she was drunk. I loved it.🤣 Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, abatt said: I also noticed that in the final sequence of her variation in the Wedding section, our Lilac fairy Gerrity omitted the final step where she has to spin and go down to one knee. That particular step has been a problem for a lot of the Lilacs, but she performed it well during her debut last week. Since the motif of the Lilac and the fairies going down to one knee is a motif in the ballet's choreography, I found that change a bit disappointing, I don't know if it was planned or it was a performance error. You are right. A very tricky step that everyone seems having problems with. It is a super fast turn and down, so quite hard to keep balance. I notice some of the best ending variations are those in which Martins keeps the final beat for a certain arm movement instead of a final turn to pose or jump to pose. Keeping the last bar as an extra for arms gives the performers time to safely place themselves and then a dramatic "ta da!" with arms. Best examples...Prince Desiree's sólo after the vision fairies leave the stage. Rapid chainee turns to pose on knee AND then final bar with arms crossed on chest. Or Bluebird, with sequence of Entrechat sixes to knee TO THEN a final flip of his wings. Poor Lilac has to turn, go down on knee and pose in ONE movement. Edited February 26, 2023 by cubanmiamiboy Link to comment
cobweb Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 I look forward to any reports from the matinee... hoping for a more polished performance from LaFreniere and Walker. Link to comment
canbelto Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Mary Elizabeth Sell says she's 7 months pregnant! She danced the Countess during this run: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpJKv_2vaFe/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Link to comment
pirouette Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Ashley Hod just posted on her Instagram story that Mira Nadon, Emilie Gerrity, Isabella LaFreniere, and Roman Mejia have been promoted to principal dancers! Link to comment
vipa Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 10 minutes ago, pirouette said: Ashley Hod just posted on her Instagram story that Mira Nadon, Emilie Gerrity, Isabella LaFreniere, and Roman Mejia have been promoted to principal dancers! Thanks for the post @pirouette. The instagram story is very cute. Congrats to all. I admit I'm a little sad that it isn't happening for Ashley Laracey, but that was a long shot. Now I'm hoping to hear about a couple of promotions to soloist - Maxwell and Takahashi, maybe Link to comment
BalanchineFan Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 7 hours ago, abatt said: Roman Mejia was replaced in the Saturday Matinee. He was replaced by Coll in the Gold role. Anyone know why. Mejia danced Bluebird ppd today, so no, I have no idea why he would be replaced Saturday. He was fabulous. The crowd went wild. I liked LaFreniere as Aurora. Some of the story gets lost or flattened out. I can see why you wouldn't want to play too young or skittish if you're trying to calm your nerves for those balances. It may be a house of Balanchine thing, or just being new in the role. The Rose Adagio was solid technically and she seemed freer once the balances had gone well. Peter Walker really moved me in the Vision scene. He has the bearing of a prince and the intense, searching aspect of the character is strong. He had a bit of trouble landing his jumps in the Wedding, but no matter. The fish dives were great. The way they do it (at least today) it's almost like he gets her in the dive in penché arabesque then she lifts her bottom leg. It was fully danced and exciting. It's a tall cast, with Christina Clark as the Queen and Emily Kikta as Lilac Fairy. They work well together. Emma Von Enck is great in Puss & Boots. Alexa Maxwell really shone. She's had an amazing winter season, preceded by an amazing fall and spring. The jewels section isn't great. I agree with whoever was questioning the choreography. I think it would be hard to make a huge impact with what they're given. Davide Riccardo danced Gold well, aside from a little bobble ending his last turn. He is so beautiful to watch. Lands his jumps like butter. Silent. The jesters killed it. Brought the house down. Excellent timing, in canon, unison, everything. It's been a season with lots and lots of debuts. It's exciting, after years of seeing the same five or six ballerinas do everything. Link to comment
Helene Posted February 26, 2023 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Congratulations to them all Link to comment
Fernie M Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 39 minutes ago, pirouette said: Ashley Hod just posted on her Instagram story that Mira Nadon, Emilie Gerrity, Isabella LaFreniere, and Roman Mejia have been promoted to principal dancers! Thank you for posting! So exciting!! Very thrilled for all. Certainly deserved. Link to comment
nanushka Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Gia Kourlas has the story: Quote Early Sunday evening, just after New York City Ballet’s final performance of the season, four soloists received the kind of postseason gift every dancer dreams of: Emilie Gerrity, Isabella LaFreniere, Roman Mejia and Mira Nadon were elevated to the rank of principal dancer. They learned of their promotions onstage after the curtain fell on “The Sleeping Beauty,” receiving the news from Jonathan Stafford, the company’s artistic director, and Wendy Whelan, its associate artistic director. During that ballet’s two-week run, and throughout the winter season, they had all made important debuts, including originating roles in the premiere of Justin Peck’s evening-length “Copland Dance Episodes.” Link to comment
pirouette Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Now that space in the soloist roster has opened up, they definitely need to promote Alexa Maxwell to soloist. It would be egregious and an insult to her not to. I was also holding out my hopes for Laracey, but sadly suspected it wouldn't happen. I personally loved her Lilac. Any other predictions for soloists and when they would announce them? Link to comment
MarzipanShepherdess Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Agree with you @pirouette that Alexa really deserves to move up! She’s overdue. Baily Jones and India Bradley seem like other likely candidates. KJ Takahashi has only been in the corps a year and half, but seems like he’s on track to move up to soloist already. Link to comment
vipa Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Looking at the current soloist ranks for the woman, as they stand with the new promotions. Sarah Adams, Ashley Hod (announced on insta she'd miss spring season for surgery), Emily Kikta, Ashley Laracey, Miriam Miller, Emma Von Enck and four women who are cast somewhat infrequently: LeCrone, Pazoquin, Pereira and Pollack. Let me know if I'm missing someone. Interestingly Alexa Maxwell danced more soloists roles that some of the current soloists in the fall and winter seasons. Link to comment
KikiRVA Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 (edited) Does anyone know off hand the last time a person so young as Nadon (21) was promoted to principal? Extraordinary and well-deserved. After Marika’s retirement, the most senior corps members are now Devon Alberda, Mary Elizabeth Sell (happily pregnant!) and Jenelle Manzi, all made apprentices around the same time in 2005. They are all wonderful dancers and hopefully have more years ahead of them in the company if they want to stay. I long hoped for a promotion for Alberda, but I suspect that door has closed. Mercifully the current leadership is allowing his talents as a photographer to shine. Edited February 27, 2023 by KikiRVA Link to comment
cobweb Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Maxwell is insanely overdue for promotion. I want to keep meaghan Dutton O’Hara in the mix, I would love to see more of her. Riccardo is also glaringly obvious - why wait? Can’t help being disappointed about Laracey and Kikta. Why aren’t my favorites also management favorites? 3 minutes ago, KikiRVA said: Does anyone know off hand the last time a person so young as Nadon (21) was promoted to principal? Probably Tiler Peck? Link to comment
canbelto Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Suzanne Farrell was 20 when she was promoted to principal, so was Gelsey Kirkland. Patricia McBride was only 19. Of the current crop, Megan was 21 when she was promoted, Tiler was 20, Sterling Hyltin (now retired) was only 22. Link to comment
jeff-sh Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 9 minutes ago, KikiRVA said: Does anyone know off hand the last time a person so young as Nadon (21) was promoted to principal? based on this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darci_Kistler Kistler was promoted to (NYCB) soloist in 1981 and principal dancer in 1982, the youngest ever at 17 years. Link to comment
bellawood Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 abatt was right on the money in terms of announcement timing! as for youngest recent-ish promotions, I think besides Tiler, Megan was 20 and Maria was probably 21 or 22. Sara was a little older, no? have to think kikta/von enck are in the next possible group; I would think Gilbert Bolden might be promoted to soloist rather soon also. Link to comment
abatt Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 I think Miller and Kikta must be disappointed. Link to comment
cobweb Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 I am disappointed, very, about Kikta!! Link to comment
Jacqueline Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Me too! And kind of surprised that bumps from corps to soloist didn't happen too. It's time for many of them, most especially Maxwell. And just based on casting and workload, Olivia MacKinnon and I'm sure others like Riccardo and Takahashi. Link to comment
vipa Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 10 minutes ago, cobweb said: I am disappointed, very, about Kikta!! Me too about Kikta. I also think it's strange there were no promotions to soloist. Given casting I thought Maxwell was a sure thing with Oliva McKinnon close behind. Among other things, Maxwell was second cast principal in Copeland Episodes, doing the Tiler Peck role. Link to comment
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