ABT Met Season 2023

[nysusan]

1 hour ago, stuben said:

 As far as I am concerned this isn't the "world-class" ballet company it used to be, especially with so many companies nationally and internationally doing such wonderful work.

57 minutes ago, abatt said:

Yes.  That's why I doubt they will ever resume an 8 week season at the Met. They don't have an impressive roster anymore.  

 

 

Agreed. Looking back on the great seasons and incredible dancers I saw at ABT from the early seventies through maybe 5 years ago - its really sad how far ABT has fallen

[NinaFan]

7 hours ago, nysusan said:

Agreed. Looking back on the great seasons and incredible dancers I saw at ABT from the early seventies through maybe 5 years ago - its really sad how far ABT has fallen

I too agree.   ABT is no longer the company it once was, let alone a world class company. 

The spring season used to be thrilling week after week with mind boggling casting making it difficult to decide which performances were an absolute must.  And in those instances it was not unusual to attend five performances of the same program in a given week.  But that has not been the case for years since I’m unable to find the same level of dancing, let alone the gorgeous partnerships they once cultivated. 

That being said, I still look forward to ABT’s spring season, however I just don’t go as often. 

Thank goodness NYCB still continues to hold their own with a roster of outstanding dancers from corps to principal.  There was a time when the same could be said for ABT.  Perhaps we’ll see some changes under Susan Jaffe’s leadership. 

 

[Papagena]

18 hours ago, NinaFan said:

The spring season used to be thrilling week after week with mind boggling casting making it difficult to decide which performances were an absolute must.  And in those instances it was not unusual to attend five performances of the same program in a given week.  But that has not been the case for years since I’m unable to find the same level of dancing, let alone the gorgeous partnerships they once cultivated. 

 

Yes, the thrill is gone. One year I saw 4 Onegins ... Onegin! Not the greatest ballet in itself, but every performance was pure gold with a ridiculous amount of talent stacked in all roles. 

I'm hoping Jaffe pulls off what McKenzie did in his earlier years with the company and more - back then nobody really believed in the artistic resurrection of ABT either so perhaps there is hope. 

 

[abatt]

If they stick with the policy of only hiring out of their own school pipeline, I don't have much hope.  They need an infusion of talent at the principal level.  There are now many people at the principal level who, in my opinion, should not be there.  Until there is some movement at the top through retirements or otherwise, there is not much hope.  Hiring Carmago was a great addition, but they need a lot more to get back on track.  I doubt they have the funds to hire major international artists and still continue paying all of their current roster principals too.  Also Jaffe may be drinking the same Kool Aid as McKenzie in believing that moving from all international artists to none is the proper approach.  I know that the ABT dancers are now quite happy that hiring from outside the company has been reduced to almost nothing (except for Camargo),  but to what degree will this ultimately backfire in terms of revenue.

Personally, I used to have a ridiculous number of subscriptions during the late 90s forward.  I now have one subscription.  I suspect their subscriber numbers have plummeted.  Maybe when/if Misty returns the numbers will increase. 

 

[AB'sMom]

But the thing is, they aren’t really coming through the school pipeline. The studio company is largely made up of dancers recruited from YAGP, Prix de Lausanne and other pre-professional schools, like Royal Ballet School. It’s rare for a student to have spent even a year at the JKO school before joining the studio company.

[attitudebalance]

Do you think it would even be possible to offload some of the underperforming dancers at Principal level to make way for new talent (can think of at least 5 i personally wouldnt renew....)? It sort of seems an almost unspoken rule that once named to principal, its a guaranteed job until the dancer decides to retire with any deviation leading to backlash / media attention (see Abbi Stafford at NYCB)...there are so many dancers at soloist and even corps level within the company itself id prefer to see than some of the principals....

[abatt]

Herrera, Reyes and Part were, if their interviews are to be believed, forced to leave before they wanted to or expected to retire.   So forcing people (principals)  out is not unheard of.

Does Jaffe want to start out like Corella, dropping people who are not impressive to "remake" the company as soon as their contracts are up?   I guess we shall see.

 

[NinaFan]

2 minutes ago, abatt said:

Does Jaffe want to start out like Corella, dropping people who are not impressive to "remake" the company as soon as their contracts are up?   I guess we shall see.

 

I was just thinking the same thing.....

[nysusan]

Just now, NinaFan said:

I was just thinking the same thing.....

 

3 minutes ago, abatt said:

Does Jaffe want to start out like Corella, dropping people who are not impressive to "remake" the company as soon as their contracts are up?   I guess we shall see.

 

If only!  One can always hope for change, but nothing in any of Jaffe's interviews indicates to me that she would move in that direction. And don't get me started on her vision of future rep. I'm already earmarking $s I used to spend on ABT on travel to see other companies.

Wherever ABT's dancers are coming from, with a very few exceptions their current principal dancers are nowhere near the talent level of their past dancers.

 

Lets exempt Cornejo, who is truly a great dancer, albeit at the end of his career. Even dancers I like, like Brandt, Shevchenko and Forster are nowhere near the level of Ferri, Annalishvili, Vishneva, Cojocaru, Simkin, Gomes, Stiefel, Carreno, Corella etc.

 

I saw Brandt give one truly great Giselle (at the State) but none of her performances that I've seen since have been at the same level. Camargo is great, Bell has been wonderful and looks like he may have the potential to develop into a great dancer. Hurlin, Misseldine and Curley also show potential. But the rest of ABT's principals? No.

 

The current dancers may be happy that ABT no longer hires international stars but the ABT audience is not. I base this on my feelings & those of my many ballet going friends as well as the rows and rows of empty seats at the Met. Attendance was down last year and in the last couple of pre-pandemic years. Sales are very sluggish so far for this season not just for LWFC but for all of their programs.

[abatt]

I consider ABT more like a very good regional company now, not an internationally renowned company as it once was.  There are a few exceptions, but not many.

The loss of Ratmansky to NYCB only reinforced the idea that ABT is no longer an "A" list ballet company.

[volcanohunter]

1 hour ago, nysusan said:

The current dancers may be happy that ABT no longer hires international stars but the ABT audience is not. I base this on my feelings & those of my many ballet going friends as well as the rows and rows of empty seats at the Met. Attendance was down last year and in the last couple of pre-pandemic years. Sales are very sluggish so far for this season not just for LWFC but for all of their programs.

This is true for many performing arts organizations and venues. How often does New York City Ballet close off not just the fourth ring, but also the third? There have been press stories about how poor Metropolitan Opera ticket sales have been this season. It was offering rush seats for the premiere of a new production on New Year's Eve. I have seen this in others cities as well. Audiences have been shrinking for years, and many people who had been attending haven't come back post-lockdowns.  For some the cancellation of 2020-21 seasons was a "nightmare." Others discovered they could get by in life without theater outings.

Personally, the last time I encountered sold-out houses was with the National Ballet of Canada's new production of Swan Lake, whose premiere had been delayed by two years. And it had nothing to do with casting, which was, as always, announced very late, after most tickets had already been sold.

[attitudebalance]

hmmm you have to wonder if its ticket prices and the ubiquitous cost of living crisis? theres a price for everything...

[ABT Fan]

3 hours ago, abatt said:

Herrera, Reyes and Part were, if their interviews are to be believed, forced to leave before they wanted to or expected to retire.   So forcing people (principals)  out is not unheard of.

Does Jaffe want to start out like Corella, dropping people who are not impressive to "remake" the company as soon as their contracts are up?   I guess we shall see.

 

There are also a handful of soloists who have been underperforming for years now. While I'm no fan of the slash-and-burn method when new management comes in, it's past time for certain dancers to move on and make room for talented corps dancers to finally be promoted. A few of those soloists are near retirement age anyway. 

[Helene]

There are different kinds of contract terms.  I don't know what ABT's contract says, but in some companies, there are protections for dancers who've been with the company for X years.  It should be highly unusual if a hiring committee and/or Board didn't ask a potential AD what they had planned for the current roster.

Jaffe was an important part of ABT as an institution, which is very different from Corella at PA Ballet.

Dancers can perform differently for different AD's, and have different motivation.  McKenzie was there for a long, long time.  ABT is a workplace, like any other ballet company, and people often audition for new bosses, regardless of the work they do.

I don't expect things to shake out immediately.

[volcanohunter]

1 hour ago, Helene said:

Jaffe was an important part of ABT as an institution, which is very different from Corella at PA Ballet.

Jaffe also went through the fraught process of deciding when to retire after a very long tenure as principal, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if she were very sensitive to the dancers facing the same issue.

[Kamicos]

On 5/16/2023 at 3:31 PM, nysusan said:

ABT website has been updated. It’s Brandt/Gonzalez on the 26th and I am buying a ticket!

…and Zimmi Coker as Gertrudis!!! 

[FauxPas]

On 5/18/2023 at 4:17 PM, abatt said:

Herrera, Reyes and Part were, if their interviews are to be believed, forced to leave before they wanted to or expected to retire.   So forcing people (principals)  out is not unheard of.

Does Jaffe want to start out like Corella, dropping people who are not impressive to "remake" the company as soon as their contracts are up?   I guess we shall see.

 

Add Sarah Lane to the list of those who departed before they wanted to.  Marcelo Gomes also left but evidently due to a "situation".  I find it sad that Stella Abrera, Sarah Lane, Marcelo and David Hallberg did not get retirement performances.  At least Part, Herrera and Reyes did.

Looking at the roster:  

Principal Ballerinas: 

Gillian Murphy:  Over forty.  A genuine company star.  I found her technique more than acceptable in "Swan Lake" last summer.  Notice she has dropped Kitri in "Don Quixote".  I think Gillian should be allowed to reduce her repertory to what she can still do well and retire on her own terms.

Isabella Boylston: I know she isn't universally liked.  Sometimes I don't like her, many times I like her a lot.  Boylston is very much an all rounder.  Her artistry has been criticized but her dancing ability hasn't.  She may be the kind of dancer who improves with maturity.  Still I think she is not one to drop from the roster.

Misty Copeland:  She turned 40 in September 2022.  When she returns for the 2023 Fall season, she will be 41 and hasn't danced a classical ballet since the Nutcracker in December 2019.  Had a baby.

Misty is a star - however that happened it is a fact and the public knows who she is and wants to see her and see ballet because that is what Misty dances.  I don't think she will hang around longer than she needs to - she has made a lot of money.  She can take her genuine talent to many other places than dancing another Juliet or Odette/Odile at ABT.  Misty has options other ballerinas don't have.  Her long hiatus from classical ballet could go either way - she could either be totally out of shape and unable to dance classical ballet.  Or the four year hiatus has allowed long lasting chronic injuries to finally heal up and if she works hard with a good coach she could come back strong as ever - or stronger.  But she really no longer needs ABT - she could start her own dance company and tour with "Misty and Friends" dancing what she can do well.  I wish her well wherever she decides to go but hope at this point that she would redirect her energies away from standard classical ballet and into new works.

Christine Schevchenko:  Also an all-rounder and a very strong dancer.  She waited too long for leading roles and I wish her many years as a principal dancer.  

Skylar Brandt:  Somewhat similar situation as Schevchenko - Ratmansky gave them both chances in his "Shostakovich Trilogy" which saved them from being sidelined in the corps.  She has all the technique in the world but needs more time as a principal ballerina to develop commensurate artistry.  Both Schevchenko and Misty had to wait a long time to dance principal roles.  Then came the COVID-19 two year hiatus and they both lost out on important new roles - Brandt was to dance Aurora.  I think they are all catching up.  They haven't been dancing these roles since they were in their early twenties like they would in any other company.

Hee Seo:  Seo is 37 years old.  She is one I would consider not extending her contract.  However, ABT has the option of just phasing her out by pulling ballets from her like "Swan Lake", "Sleeping Beauty" and certainly "Don Quixote" and then let her go when she hits forty.  I don't know if Jaffe was stuck with dancers for 2022-2023 since their contracts were renewed by McKenzie before his retirement or Jaffe and McKenzie discussed which dancers to rehire and which to drop.  It looks like everyone got rehired.  Also Hee Seo in the Met casting is still getting opening night "Giselle" with Stearns and has two "Swan Lakes".  So possibly Jaffe likes her.  I think her moment as the prima ballerina assoluta successor to Julie Kent has come and gone.  Give her a few more seasons with less to do then a farewell as Juliet and call it a day.

Catherine Hurlin:  One success story from the JKO School.  Definitely a comer.  They are giving her roles like "Swan Lake" and "Giselle" and I think she has what it takes.

Devon Teuscher:  Devon is 34 years-old.  I don't think Jaffe will get rid of her.  I find her generally solid.  Not crazy about the stiff back and limited arabesque.  I think she has done wonderful things with ABT especially in some of the contemporary premieres - Ratmansky works, etc.  I  heard on this board that her "Swan Lake" was wonderful last season.  Not sure I want to see her as Juliet (I don't love the ballet) but she seems a good element without being a star.

Cassandra Trenary:  Trenary's early Auroras in the Ratmansky production promised great things.  However, she seemed to not deliver on her early promise and McKenzie sidelined her casting recently, almost demoting her back to soloist. 

I did like much of the Juliet debut last summer but have seen much better.  Didn't like her Giselle AT ALL.  She guests a lot with contemporary companies.  I am not sure about her future.  Cassie needs to score in another classical role and kill in a major contemporary work.  Maybe "Like Water for Chocolate" will do the trick.  She needs to start capitalizing on her potential or leave and become a freelancer.  I can't think what should be done with her - I think she needs to define herself at ABT.

Male Principals:

Cory Stearns:  Cory seems to be aging out and prone to injury.  I think he would be wise to retire in 2024.  Cory was another bland dancer in classical full-lengths who could shine in smaller scale works like "Fancy Free".

Herman Cornejo:  What Susan said.  He is a superstar.  He did too many years in "Peasant Pas de Deux" and "Swan Lake Act I Pas de Trois" purgatory.  Took him years to get "Giselle", "Le Corsaire" or "Don Quixote"  The "Dream Team" of the 1990's and aughts really delayed his promotion.  Let him dance principal roles as long as he wants to and can.

James Whiteside:  You may not like him but he is another all-rounder and quite unique.  He is an imaginative and individual dancer and can deliver a star performance.  I don't like him in danseur noble or princely roles and prefer him in parts that exploit his offbeat nature.  But he is interesting which several others ARE NOT.

Daniel Camargo:  Like NYSusan and Abatt said - a great acquisition and his genuine dramatic acting talent makes him a good fit for ABT's repertory.

Thomas Forster:  I do like him, once again ABT kept him in the corps too long and he is nearing the end of his career.  He seemed to dance very well last summer.  I think he deserves the less than five years he has left.

Calvin Royal III:  This is sort of a Michele Wiles situation - I loved Wiles as a soloist but never liked her as a principal ballerina.  Ditto Royal,  Don't hate him but would prefer to see other dancers in his roles.  I find his feet kind of big and inflexible.

Joo Won Ahn:  Boring dancer.  Should have had a few years being tried out as a soloist in leading roles and then dropped.  I don't mind cold, dramatically stiff dancers if they are strong technicians.  However, Ahn really dropped the ball in the tricky male lead role in "Theme and Variations" last year.  Technically limited and can't act?  No.

Aran Bell:  Like Hurlin a rising star and he has made the most of his opportunities.  I would like to see him get cast more with Hurlin but there are many situations now at ABT where a dancer you like is always cast with a dancer you don't like.

Roman Zhurbin:  I think that he is a wonderful artist and am delighted he got promoted to principal as a character dancer.  However, I think it was a spot for a male principal that might have been filled by a bright young star.  No complaints about Roman though.  I love him onstage.

This post is long already.  I'll go over the soloists in another posting.

Edited May 23, 2023 by FauxPas

[Tapfan]

ABT's Studio company is packed with strong, versatile, dancers. 

[cobweb]

 

2 hours ago, FauxPas said:

I'll go over the soloists in another posting.

Thank you for your critique of the principal roster, FauxPas! I look forward to hearing your analysis of the soloists. Perhaps also any corps that you find noteworthy?

[volcanohunter]

3 hours ago, FauxPas said:

I find it sad that Stella Abrera, Marcelo and David Hallberg did not get retirement performances. 

Gomes left under a cloud, but he hasn't retired. I know that ABT has held farewell performances for dancers who continued performing elsewhere, but it is a somewhat peculiar practice. 

Hallberg's dancing days were undone by very long stretches of injury and lockdowns. The last 10 years of his performing career were a rocky series of fits and starts, and I understand why at some point he just had to move on.

[stuben]

19 hours ago, FauxPas said:

Catherine Hurlin:  One success story from the JKO School.  Definitely a comer.  They are giving her roles like "Swan Lake" and "Giselle" and I think she has what it takes.

 

19 hours ago, FauxPas said:

Aran Bell:  Like Hurlin a rising star and he has made the most of his opportunities.  I would like to see him get cast more with Hurlin but there are many situations now at ABT where a dancer you like is always cast with a dancer you don't like.

 

Thanks for taking the time to give us your in-depth analysis FauxPas 😊 As much as I agree with the Hurlin and Bell analysis, IMHO, I have to say that they have still much to learn to get to the Herrara, Part, Gomes, Bolle levels. I agree they are comers and wonderful with their "techniques" and partnering, however, I don't feel they are anywhere near the emotional, or dramatic presence as those during the Golden Age of ABT. The problem, as I see it, lies with the lack of coaching right now, with Irina at 90 (as of this week per all the birthday wishes on social media) even with McKerrow and Gardner. Certainly coaching in technique is good to have but perhaps the need for more coaching in the dramatic capabilities. The all-around dancer is what makes the likes of Simkin so well-loved. It may be that in a rush to get these JKO kids moved in and up before they are fully trained, as an all-around dancer, without the proper coaching isn't helping the company in the end as a whole.

[FauxPas]

On 5/22/2023 at 5:04 PM, cobweb said:

 

Thank you for your critique of the principal roster, FauxPas! I look forward to hearing your analysis of the soloists. Perhaps also any corps that you find noteworthy?

There is a lot of talent coming up in the ranks.  Soloist slots opened up because three or four years ago Kevin McKenzie promoted a bunch of long time soloists (few of them that young) to principal.  I think we can all agree that some of them should have remained soloists.  Then the pandemic hit and everyone's career was put on hold - for two years.  Not good if you are a new principal or soloist who waited over ten years and is now sitting on your tuchus watching the time go by and opportunities lost in what is a very short career.  Everyone has been negatively impacted by the sudden promotions out of nowhere with little experience or coaching behind them as well as the enforced hiatus.  Also the lack of decent coaching is a continuing, egregious problem at ABT and it impacts everyone at every level of the company.

Female Soloists:

Breanne Granlund:  Promoted last season.  What I saw of her I liked a lot.  She shows intelligence and sensitivity and could be another versatile all-rounder as competent in Petipa as Tharp, Tudor, et al.  Too soon to make any solid judgments but she got off to a good start, got herself noticed and I hope she keeps going in the same direction.

Chloe Misseldine:  I see the star quality.  I am glad they moved FAST on her since, face it, new talent and blood is DESPERATELY needed.  I think Chloe came along at the right time.  She is the type and she has the support from ABT and her mother to make good on her promise quickly.

SunMi Park:  She is definitely a bright light onstage and her technique is excellent.  Again she got promoted practically immediately after joining the corps.  I am glad to see some people move quickly up ranks rather than stall permanently in the corps - I think we can name many we wish had been promoted quicker and given opportunities who just faded away.  Or into other avenues like Gemma Bond.

Zhong-Jing Fang:  We were all raving about Fang two decades ago.  She was given a shot in "Symphonic Variations" and was exquisite.  Then she was stalled in the corps going nowhere for over a decade.  Then time, injuries and promotions left open slots unfilled at the soloist level and Fang was one of the few with the goods to step in.  And she was as lovely as we all knew she would be who had been following her for years.  However, it was late.  She also took time off to have a baby.  As the Queen of the Dryads in "Don Quixote" she struggled with the Italian fouettés.  They waited too long - too busy keeping Stella Abrera back and pushing Hee Seo forward.  I wish Fang would get one Giselle before she is retired but that may be a ship that sailed as well.  Give her a year or two and then let her decide when to leave.

Betsy McBride:  Betsy was a principal dancer at Texas Ballet Theater until 2015, when she joined ABT in the corps.   She has a bright personality, some stage presence and solid technique.  Not sure if she is principal material but she is a very positive presence in the company.  Keep shining that light.

Katherine Williams:  A lovely dancer with not a lot of personality but a beautiful technique.  Rather reliable and capable.  Probably not principal material but I am always pleased to see her name in the program.

Luciana Paris:  Over 40, also had a kid.  Hasn't been dancing on pointe much last few seasons.  Looked dreadful last season when she was put on in a classical ballerina role as the female soloist in the Peasant PDD in "Giselle".  Promoted to soloist practically at the age most corps members retire.  Seems to be working at the JKO School according to other members of this board.  She does have a lot of temperament and personality onstage.  I think she is a tricky proposition right now as there may not be a lot of repertory for her.  Again I see retirement sooner than later.  Maybe she can segue into character roles like Berthe and just keep on that way in cameos.  Maybe this should be her last season and then go behind the scenes.

Male Soloists:

Blaine Hoven:  Blaine is 37 years-old now.  He joined the studio company in 2003 and then went into the corps in 2004.  He was promoted to soloist in 2016.  He has been really up and down the last several years.  He has had a few seasons (pre-pandemic) where he looked out of shape and uninterested.  He has also gotten back into shape and form in recent years.  Last season at the Met, he was a bit uneven with some sloppy landings but otherwise looked okay.  There is a shortage of experienced male soloist (and principal) dancers.  Blaine's experience and knowledge of the repertoire needs to count for something.  I would see how his body holds up for a season or two and then it will be time for retirement.

Gabe Stone-Shayer:  Gabe also has been up and down and last season looked down - uninterested, sloppy, weird dyed hair and just not all there.  He also seems to be exploring other avenues than classical ballet.  I suspect he feels/felt that he was stuck in a plateau by McKenzie who wasn't interested in developing or promoting him.  Took a long time to make it to soloist.  Of course that attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy:  they won't promote you or give you opportunities if you aren't delivering or seem like you are just doing the minimum to get by.  Gabe is at a crossroads and hopefully Susan Jaffe will find creative solutions and opportunities to get him more into the game and fully utilizing his great talent.

Joseph Gorak:  A sad case.  Joe, it breaks my heart but you may need to go.  You are a lovely solo dancer but you couldn't even lift the smallest ballerina in the company, Sarah Lane, in "Theme and Variations".  No upper body strength and your partnering has room for improvement.  He has been tried out in leads for years and just hasn't risen to the occasion - mainly due to partnering issues.  Gorak is 33 years-old and has been with the company since 2009, soloist since 2014.  If it was going to happen, it would have happened by now.  He was used much less than usual in the 2022 Met season.

Sung Woo Han:  What little I saw of him in Spring/Summer 2022, I was very impressed with.  I know nothing about him but I want to see more - which I cannot say about many other dancers at ABT.  Someone to watch and I am glad his promotion will create opportunities to see more of him.

Not a very strong group, several near retirement age or past it.  Then freshly promoted kids just out of the corps.  Of the females, only Chloe Misseldine shows star quality.

Corps Dancers:

We have been talking about a bunch of them.  We have our favorites.

Of the Men:  

Jarod Curley - versatile, dances big and strong, can do character roles and classical dancing in various styles.  Very much an MVP last season.  I think he is next in line to make soloist.

Luigi Crispino - beautiful line and physical grace.  A little androgynous in manner but beautiful to look at.  Gorgeous training.  Give him more.

Jonathan Klein - totally looked like a soloist on the rise as Mercutio last season at the Met.  Physically beautiful.  Definitely should be promoted almost immediately.  More please - much, much more.

Carlos Gonzalez and Tyler Maloney were already being given leads and major opportunities by Alexei Ratmansky.  Then both got severe injuries and have been out a long time.  Both seem to be recovered.  Both are also prime candidates for promotion, especially Gonzalez who is more of the premier danseur type physically.  Maloney is more demi-caractere.

Two dancers who had a shot a decade or more ago, left to go into real estate and came back in the corps:  Eric Tamm was being marked for bigger things at ABT.  He was dancing leads in Balanchine ballets.  Then started the real estate business with Ribagorda and left the business.  Recently came back.  Ribagorda came back earlier to stay close to his wife, Sarah Lane.  Both Ribagorda and Tamm had lots of stage charisma, good looks and classical dancing ability.  I think it is too late for both of them and it would have been better if they stayed in the company.  Tamm in particular was going places when he left.

Patrick Frenette - finally getting some soloist roles and looking wonderful in them.  Again - more please.  He is totally the danseur noble type and would be (has been?) adorable as Benvolio and eventually could be Romeo.  Keep the soloist parts coming ABT.

Jake Roxander and Cameron McCune both danced Neapolitan in the "Swan Lake" Act III divertissements last season.  Both looked great and very much potential soloists.  Roxander is very new, McCune more experienced and older.  Both very handsome and well-built.  McCune is heavily into fitness.  I think both have great potential.

Jose Sebastian is now veteran corps and has been given lots of solo parts including Purple Pimp Rothbart in SL.  He seems capable and ready for more.

Cy Doherty is very new, just out of the Studio Company.  Very tall and expressive onstage, he really impressed me in the mime role of Don Quixote in the full Don Q last season.  I honestly thought he was an old retired dancer or actor hired for the role - one of the best I've seen.  He looks very promising and should be given both soloist and mime roles like Prince Gremin in "Onegin" if that ever comes back.  Tybalt in R&J.  And I want to see more of his classical dancing.

Melvin Lawovi was striking in some contemporary works last season and then was just thrown away.  Wasn't given enough to do.  He should not be cast aside because he isn't conventional looking.  He has an interesting way of moving and great individuality but may be a tricky fit in a mainly classical ballet company.  We need to see more of him.  Use your minds and find stuff for him, ABT.

Elwince Magbitang is clearly being groomed to take over the demi-caractere bravura solos like the Bronze Idol in Bayadere (not like the complete ballet will show up any time soon).

Kento Sumitani also caught my eye with his strong technique.

The Women:

Zimmi Coker - we all love her and she is a bright light.  Let's hope she gets many more roles and a promotion.

Erica Lall - a real joy of dance comes through with her.

Paulina Waski - seems to be shuttling between Boston Ballet and ABT.  She has been given solos.  Last season she seemed a bit tired and fragile.  Definitely a beauty ready to take flight.  Needs careful coaching and support.

Léa Fleytoux - another beauty I could see soaring in bigger roles.  She also sparkles onstage like Zimmi Coker.  More please.

Fangqi Li caught my eye often last Spring.  She needs more stage time.  Let's see her develop.

Scout Forsythe - she seems to be doing great stuff as a freelancer outside of the company.  I have seen her in just a few bit parts.  There is more stuff on the internet on her YouTube and Instagram that suggest she has a lot of potential as a classical ballerina.  They need a tall ballerina with authority.  I say start grooming her for bigger things.  She has been mostly in the ensemble corps.

In the studio company new apprentice Elisabeth Beyer seems a very, very accomplished ballerina already but that is from seeing YouTube and Instagram clips online.  A candidate for a Chloe Misseldine overnight rise to stardom.  

Edited May 27, 2023 by FauxPas

[lacdescygnes]

2 hours ago, stuben said:

 

Thanks for taking the time to give us your in-depth analysis FauxPas 😊 As much as I agree with the Hurlin and Bell analysis, IMHO, I have to say that they have still much to learn to get to the Herrara, Part, Gomes, Bolle levels. I agree they are comers and wonderful with their "techniques" and partnering, however, I don't feel they are anywhere near the emotional, or dramatic presence as those during the Golden Age of ABT. The problem, as I see it, lies with the lack of coaching right now, with Irina at 90 (as of this week per all the birthday wishes on social media) even with McKerrow and Gardner. Certainly coaching in technique is good to have but perhaps the need for more coaching in the dramatic capabilities. The all-around dancer is what makes the likes of Simkin so well-loved. It may be that in a rush to get these JKO kids moved in and up before they are fully trained, as an all-around dancer, without the proper coaching isn't helping the company in the end as a whole.

Bell had great presence as Romeo when I saw him at the Kennedy Center this season. He's not Bolle (no one is!) but his acting was very good and his youth really worked in his favor. Devon Teuscher was a bit of a cold fish as Juliet, so I give him extra credit!

[lacdescygnes]

and thank you FauxPas for the detailed analysis - I agree with most of what you said!

I'm looking forward to what the next generation has to offer.

I do find it surprising that ABT has not been able to take advantage of some of the Western dancers that had to leave Russia coming back "on the market" so to speak. But I guess they have a full roster and no funds left!

[FauxPas]

My feeling about Teuscher as Juliet is that she is also rather tall, mature and womanly to be playing an adolescent on the cusp of teenaged.  And they kept Sarah Lane away from that dream role even after she coached it with Alessandra Ferri using grant money she had been awarded...  Also this is another situation where a dancer I like - Aran Bell - is paired with a partner I think is miscast or isn't to my taste.  For example, I want to see Aran Bell as Siegfried but he is paired with Hee Seo.

I think that first ABT needs to rehire Daniil Simkin.  Xander Parish was not universally well-regarded when he toured with the Mariinsky and he is also pushing 40 (37 years-old).  Jacopo Tissi is a better bet being 28 but he seems happy at La Scala.  Let him come as a guest but maybe after a few of the home team get injured?  I think Francois Alu would be interesting to see but he is kind of beefy and bald and unconventional.  I was very taken with the American born conductor Gavriel Heine (New Jersey native!) and would love to see him come on as a staff conductor at ABT.  I have been raving about Joseph Gatti but he has shown no interest in being part of a big ballet company and is not young and is sort of demi-caractere.  It is too late for Fabrice Calmels who is over forty now and is moving into business in the tech industry.

Edited May 23, 2023 by FauxPas