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Nutcracker 2022

abatt

By abatt
in New York City Ballet

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cobweb

cobweb

Posted
Posted

Looking forward to any reports on Emma von Enck's debut as Sugarplum tonight! She and Mejia seem like a pair that will work, and look, great together. Also I guess someone must be replacing Tiler Peck as Dewdrop, but the casting sheet has not been updated. 

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bellawood

bellawood

Posted
Posted
52 minutes ago, cobweb said:

Looking forward to any reports on Emma von Enck's debut as Sugarplum tonight! She and Mejia seem like a pair that will work, and look, great together. Also I guess someone must be replacing Tiler Peck as Dewdrop, but the casting sheet has not been updated. 

I think this is Mira Nadon as Dew Drop tonight ahead of her SPF debut tomorrow --

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Jacqueline

Jacqueline

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Week 6 casting is now up and there are many interesting things to note.  I don't see a single debut, unless my eyes deceive me.  But it looks like Russell Janzen is returning, and that Bouder and Mearns are both scheduled for Sugarplum performances.  Where is Harrison Ball?  I know he was busy choreographing a piece for New Jersey Ballet earlier this month, but is he injured...or guesting elsewhere?  And finally, a Cavalier performance for Daniel Ulbricht.  

https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1670971751/Documents/Casting/NYCB_Casting_Dec_26-31_2022.pdf 

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vipa

vipa

Posted
Posted

Looks like Daniel Ulbricht gets two shots at Cavalier this season, the first being Dec. 21. I've always felt he was underutilized in general, so it's nice to see him get a few opportunities even if it is late in his career. A lot of soloists were heavily called upon this Nutcracker season, as was corps member Olivia MacKinnon. It's hard to know in Nutcracker casting what's due to  dancers' outside gigs, COVID, and various injuries, but it will be interesting to see how casting takes shape post Nutcracker. I think Nadon and Hod are on principal track, and Olivia M on her way to soloist. I'd love to see Alexa Maxwell promoted too. 

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mtthwbrehm

mtthwbrehm

Posted
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12 hours ago, vipa said:

 "I think Nadon and Hod are on principal track"

I hope you're right, especially about Hod. I watched Ms. Hod's Sugar Plum on Sunday and she was extraordinary. Her arms were expansive and expressive. Her interpretation was so grand and the audience loved it. That said, I've been extremely frustrated with her casting. Maybe I'm overlooking the schedule, but she only has two Sugar Plums this entire season, and I believe a similar number of Dewdrops (which she also excels in). After witnessing the extraordinary grand adagio I saw on Sunday, I cannot understand why she's being mostly cast in Hot Chocolate and Lead Flowers.

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BalanchineFan

BalanchineFan

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, mtthwbrehm said:

After witnessing the extraordinary grand adagio I saw on Sunday, I cannot understand why she's being mostly cast in Hot Chocolate and Lead Flowers.

Well, IIRC that’s primarily how Unity Phelan spent her Nutcrackers until recently: lots of Hot Chocolate and a few SPF and Dewdrops.
The posted schedule is just a draft. With injuries and Covid it remains to be seen how the season will actually play out. 

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canbelto

canbelto

Posted
Posted
50 minutes ago, juliebugs said:

Has Alston Macgill been dancing in the corp this Nutcracker season? I know she was out for an injury for a long time, but not sure if she's back yet. She did lead Marzipan a couple times a few years ago, but I haven't seen her cast any this year.

She’s been cast in the party scene but that’s it. 

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brokenwing

brokenwing

Posted
Posted

I don't want to be too negative about casting, as I love just about everyone who is dancing, but does anyone else feel things are a bit stale? Nutcracker used to be a moment to take a chance. The last week was always full of debuts. Having 3 soloists who have done tons of esteemed rep debut in sugar (as well as excluding soloists like LaFreniere and Miller who are clearly ready, to say nothing of exciting corps members) feels like giving us the bare minimum.

Alexandra Ansanelli debuted dewdrop on her 16th birthday and Tiler Peck was probably the same age. Kaitlyn Gilliland, Sterling Hyltin, Unity Phelan, Katie Morgan, Bouder, Fairchild, etc. were all very young corps sugars. I'm not saying that should be the standard, but shake things up once in a while! Don't let the talent rot on the vine. If it doesn't work right away, that's okay. We enjoy watching dancers grow in roles! Casting has gotten more conservative and it's something I've noticed both in Nutcracker and during the season. 

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Balletwannabe

Balletwannabe

Posted
Posted
20 minutes ago, brokenwing said:

I don't want to be too negative about casting, as I love just about everyone who is dancing, but does anyone else feel things are a bit stale? Nutcracker used to be a moment to take a chance. The last week was always full of debuts. Having 3 soloists who have done tons of esteemed rep debut in sugar (as well as excluding soloists like LaFreniere and Miller who are clearly ready, to say nothing of exciting corps members) feels like giving us the bare minimum.

Alexandra Ansanelli debuted dewdrop on her 16th birthday and Tiler Peck was probably the same age. Kaitlyn Gilliland, Sterling Hyltin, Unity Phelan, Katie Morgan, Bouder, Fairchild, etc. were all very young corps sugars. I'm not saying that should be the standard, but shake things up once in a while! Don't let the talent rot on the vine. If it doesn't work right away, that's okay. We enjoy watching dancers grow in roles! Casting has gotten more conservative and it's something I've noticed both in Nutcracker and during the season. 

I can't agree more.

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fondoffouettes

fondoffouettes

Posted
Posted (edited)

I think NYCB, like most performing arts organizations, is still very much in COVID rebound mode and defaulting to conservative choices in programming (and perhaps, in this instance, casting, as well). It may be a matter of capacity. I wonder if perhaps they've had to devote coaching resources elsewhere.

I've been disappointed in the company's rep choices since the pandemic -- it feels like there is less variety, and they've been repeating the same pieces frequently. Some of the pre-pandemic seasons felt like an embarrassment of riches by comparison. But I'll take what I can get while they are in recovery mode!

Edited by fondoffouettes
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Helene

Helene

Posted
Posted

Guesting for Nutcrackers may also be influencing casting.  Many of the younger dancers can earn money guesting with companies where they grew up/went to school unless NYCB has a contractual black-out for the second half of December.   Not all ticket buyers are raring to go after Christmas, and if sales are slower the week after, then having names might bring in more local attendees who aren't heading out to warmer climates.  I remember when that week was full of debuts, but that doesn't seem to be the case this year looking at the Sugar Plum Fairy and Dewdrop casting for the last week.

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matilda

matilda

Posted
Posted

I'm guessing they are putting more veteran principals in the last week of Nutcracker because a handful of them missed  shows the first few weeks (Mearns, Bouder, Peck...). Still, I wish they'd give LaFreniere and Miller a shot at Sugar Plum Fairy. LaFreniere does still seem like a management favorite, with all of her debuts this past year (too many to keep track of!). I think she's toward the front of the line for promotion. 

Agree about the weird lack of variety in programming. They are repeating several ballets across the season. 

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cobweb

cobweb

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, brokenwing said:

I don't want to be too negative about casting, as I love just about everyone who is dancing, but does anyone else feel things are a bit stale?

As someone who's seen and loved a ton of Nutcracker performances, I too found things stale this season. I saw two performances, the first of which was lacking in energy, excitement, and magic. The second was the Hyltin retirement, and it was much sharper all around, music included -- which I can't help but chalk up to everyone knowing it was Sterling's retirement. I'm not sure talent is rotting on the vine, since there is a massive, and very evident, generational shift going on right now. It hardly seems like people aren't getting a chance. Still it seemed surprising they couldn't find room for Miller and LaFreniere Sugarplum debuts, and perhaps one Dewdrop surprise from the corps. What I see is a strong need to shore up the female principal roster pronto, and at the same time start vigorously developing future soloists from the corps. 

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Jacqueline

Jacqueline

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Posted

I am super bummed that as an out-of-towner I can't make Nutcracker this year, but even more disheartened that the insane ticket prices keep our New York City-based contingency from being there and reporting as you do in regular spring and fall seasons -- when I hang on your every word!   I'm sure we would all have loved to hear about the Emma von Enck and Mira Nadon Sugarplum debuts. 

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matilda

matilda

Posted
Posted

Saw my one and only Nutcracker this year last night and thought Indiana Woodward as Sugar Plum Fairy was absolutely breathtaking and so musical opposite Anthony Huxley (another of my faves). I've seen her excellent Dewdrop in the past and can now say her Sugar Plum is just as good. Emily Kikta totally filled the stage as Dewdrop with her long limbs, bold attack, and killer technique. The only thing that could potentially get in the way of her getting promoted to principal might be height -- she really towers over the other dancers and there aren't many men in the company who are tall enough to partner her. But man, what dancer! Baily Jones danced Marzipan and she seems like a management favorite and must be on the soloist track. Lots of clarity and sharpness, plus a sunny demeanor, to her dancing. (Could she be a February 2023 Aurora????) Other than the children's roles, which I've seen done much better, the whole cast was wonderful. Buying Nutcracker tickets is always a gamble with casting but I feel like I hit the jackpot this time.

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Papagena

Papagena

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, matilda said:

Emily Kikta totally filled the stage as Dewdrop with her long limbs, bold attack, and killer technique. The only thing that could potentially get in the way of her getting promoted to principal might be height -- she really towers over the other dancers and there aren't many men in the company who are tall enough to partner her. But man, what dancer! 

For years I've been wondering why she hasn't been offered more starring roles (she first caught my eye as one of the four women in Mozartiana, so much so that she took my attention away from Mearns front-and-center role) - but I found out that she is 5'10! Even most ballerinas considered 'very tall' are 5'8/5'9. Maybe a lack of partners is the major roadblock to advancement in the ranks? Otherwise I can't see the holdup.  

Would love to see her in Prodigal Son, Firebird, and the Glass Pieces pas (among other things). 

Edited by Papagena
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Fernie M

Fernie M

Posted
Posted
On 12/15/2022 at 8:30 PM, Jacqueline said:

I am super bummed that as an out-of-towner I can't make Nutcracker this year, but even more disheartened that the insane ticket prices keep our New York City-based contingency from being there and reporting as you do in regular spring and fall seasons -- when I hang on your every word!   I'm sure we would all have loved to hear about the Emma von Enck and Mira Nadon Sugarplum debuts. 

For those of you interested, Davide Riccardo posted on IG some really nice footage of he and Mira Nadon dancing Cavalier/SPF this afternoon at family Saturday.

https://www.instagram.com/davidericc/?hl=en

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uptowner

uptowner

Posted
Posted
21 hours ago, abatt said:

I think Kikta is very deserving of promotion.  She and LaFreniere are essentially the inheritors of the Maria K. rep.  There are tall men in the company who can partner these ladies. 

I know at least one corps man is in the range of 6'4" or 5" (Samuel Melnikov), the new apprentice Owen Flacke is also similar height, and several others in the corps are definitely at or above 6'2". Here is to hoping that partnering won't hold Kikta back because she is phenomenal. 

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