2023-2024 Season

[abatt]

I think Miriam Miller deserves to be in the mix for promotion to principal. 

[Brook703]

My favorite for some time has been Alston Macgill and I think she deserves promotion to soloist.

[FPF]

1 hour ago, Helene said:

How was Von Enck's promotion announced?  Was it onstage?  In front of the curtain? And/or in an Instagram story, YouTube video (I don't see one), etc.?

The website hasn't been updated, there's no press release on the site, and there are no announcements by the company or her on Instagram (regular, not sure about Stories), Facebook, or twitter.  She last posted on Instagram about a week ago, and in the last 24 hours, two people have congratulated her on her promotion, a private account and former NYCB dancer Sandra Zigars, in reply to it.

This is wonderful news that NYCB could and should be jumping on.

It's on the NYCB Facebook page now.

[Helene]

Thank you  @FPF

[BalanchineFan]

2 hours ago, FPF said:

It's on the NYCB Facebook page now.

https://www.instagram.com/stories/nycballet/3370174478687067358/

NYCB also has it in their IG Stories. It's kind of buried, but I've seen NYCB's official announcement of Emma von Enck's promotion to principal a few times.

Edited May 17 by BalanchineFan

[Kathleen O'Connell]

Congrats to Emma Von Enck! She absolutely lights up the stage and her dancing is just a sheer delight to witness—it's a welcome and well deserved promotion.

 

[FPF]

She's also now listed as a principal on the NYCB webpage, although it's out of alphabetical order. And she was also apparently promoted to principal 3 months before joining the corps.

Edited May 17 by FPF
More info

[volcanohunter]

9 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

They had the 4th Ring closed at last Sunday’s DAAG/BSQ program. Imo, they need to keep doing things like the Solange Knowles commission, not abandon it. 

It's closed for Contemporary Choreography I as well, though for Contemporary Choreography II, All Stravinsky and "Classic" NYCB II not even the third ring is open. Only Midsummer Night's Dream is selling well. I'm not in the least bit surprised.

I flew across the continent to see part of the winter season. The spring season programs could not have compelled me to board a plane. Evidently a lot of people on the ground think similarly. "The Future" choreographic path is a tough one to chart.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

I think Gilbert Bolden III is more than ready for a promotion to principal, not the least because he takes center stage like he was born to be there.

[abatt]

It's going to be much harder now for a tall woman to reach principal.  They already have LaFreniere, Nadon, Phelan.  Their soubrette principals are ageing out.  Bouder is pretty much don except in her own mind, and Fairchild is now late in  her career.  Tiler Peck is now  around 35, I think.  Emma certainly deserves this, but she also fills a need.   

[vipa]

30 minutes ago, abatt said:

It's going to be much harder now for a tall woman to reach principal.  They already have LaFreniere, Nadon, Phelan.  Their soubrette principals are ageing out.  Bouder is pretty much don except in her own mind, and Fairchild is now late in  her career.  Tiler Peck is now  around 35, I think.  Emma certainly deserves this, but she also fills a need.   

I agree, and although Fairchild still looks great, she has already retired at least one role, and there will probably be more to come. The needs of the company and rep play a big part in promotions.

[cobweb]

48 minutes ago, abatt said:

It's going to be much harder now for a tall woman to reach principal.  They already have LaFreniere, Nadon, Phelan.

For tall women, of course there's also Mearns. Of the current women principals, the tallest is LaFreniere. Not sure how the others stack up, I don't think of either Phelan or Nadon as particularly tall, more like medium-tall. In any case, surely both Kowroski and Reichlen were at least as tall as LaFreniere, and they found plenty of roles for both of them plus Mearns at the same time. It would be such a shame not to see Kikta get to blossom as a principal. I agree Miriam Miller is dancing extremely well, but she is even taller than Kikta if that's a consideration, and she can be bland whereas Kikta never is. 

Hard to believe Tiler Peck could be 35! I see she joined the company in 2005, and I heard she was 15 or 16 at the time (although maybe she was that young when actually an apprentice?) It seems that makes her 34-35. And Sara Mearns joined in 2004, so she must be about 37. 

Also, agree with @deanofdance above about Dominika Afanasenkov's potential versatility, versus taller (Corti) or shorter (Macgill) dancers. I believe Ava Sautter is on the taller side. 

[abatt]

Right.  Forgot to mention Mearns on the tall roster.  She seems to be cutting back on roles and appearances at NYCB in recent years. In particular, she has missed Nutcracker season for at least the past two years. 

Speaking of Mearns, she will be the Artist in Residence at NY City Center next season and will curate and appear in a  program of performances in April 2025.  She will also be  a participant in Fall For Dance.  Info is on the City Center website. 

[bellawood]

Just got back from tonight’s performance, a very enjoyable evening (more than I expected considering the program). Everyone in Pictures danced like their life depended on it, incredibly big, daring, in the moment. I thought to myself that Alexei Ratmansky must be in the building and in fact he was — spotted at the second interval chatting with Sascha Radetsky and Stella Abrera. Mira continues to absolutely astonish and delight. Newly minted principal EVE made the Tiler sections her own. And I thought that Alexa Maxwell was beautiful in the Wendy role. 
 

Red Angels is not much but I’ve always enjoyed the fierce strutting and the red unitards. There were a bunch of double feature castings tonight — Mira in Pictures and Red Angels, EVE and KJ in Pictures and the (completely forgettable) Play Time, and Adrian DW in Red Angels and Glass Pieces (double unitard duty). I don’t remember the last time there was so much overlap.

Not going to belabor the fact that the best part of Play Time are the Swarovski’d costumes; Ava Sautter danced the Unity role and was good. 
 

Glass Pieces was very good as well; who can deny the joy of the last movement?

Random notes re: men’s hair: Alec Knight’s hair is now full on ‘70s Peter Martins, and Joe Gordon looked like he hadn’t bothered to comb it after a shower. Joe, if you read this, please invest in some hairspray!

[deanofdance]

Just a few thoughts on last night’s performance:

1) Pictures — I do wish I could warm up to Ratmansky’s work as a whole — but this ballet has never really added up for me.  
2) Red Angels — I was excited to see this dance on the program when the seasons were announced last year (and happy for my husband — the program also includes his favorite, “Glass Pieces”) — as it just seemed to me to be this idiosyncratic, funky ballet that comes and goes and if you blink, you missed an opportunity to reacquaint yourself with Ulysses Dove.  And how I have warmed up to Red Angels — I now think it’s a real underrated gem from a choreographer who had something new and vibrant to show us (and who unfortunately passed away just 2 years after Red Angels in 1996).  And I think with the right dancers this piece can really explode — it has this innate force and eroticism in its choreography (and costumes — those red unitards are nearly transparent!) that lies there waiting for the right dancers to latch on to and fly with.  And that right dancer is Mira — who last night shone brighter than her 3 dance mates — she has the wing span, the supernatural speed and flexibility, the enormous capacity to consume space, the inherent sensuality and theatricality — OMG, the fecundity of her qualities — and they have a chance to be displayed in this 12 minute surprise wonder of a work. Also, a huge shoutout to the the violinist, Mary Rowell!  
3) Play Time — being positive — the best thing about this ballet is how it brings in newcomers to NYCB — the couple next to us — it was their first time to NYCB and they came because of Solange (the power of Beyoncé!) — and they enjoyed the whole evening so much that they said they will come again — and bring their children!
4) Glass Pieces — Unity and Adrian — watching them was like meditation — they made it look so easy — they didn’t even appear to breathe — but just move together beautifully in sync with each other and the music.  Lovelier.

 

Edited May 19 by deanofdance

[abatt]

Maxwell and Angle were able to pull off the complex exit lift that was a problem on Tuesday in Pictures. Except for Play Time, this was a strong program.  I'm not sure why they felt the need to make this program 2 1/2 hours long.  They could have easily dropped Play Time and sent the crowd home happy with a 2 hour show.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

19 hours ago, bellawood said:

Alec Knight’s hair is now full on ‘70s Peter Martins,

And it looks great! (If you squint, he looks like Ib Anderson.) I'm ready for a revival of 70s danseur hair—time to ditch those shellacked pompadours we've endured for too many decades.

[deanofdance]

@Kathleen O'Connell I agree with the revival of the 70’s danseur hair!  Having grown up in the 70’s — I do think that decade had the best everything — music, film, fashion, and most importantly  — hair — not to mention ballet dancers!

Edited May 20 by deanofdance

[KikiRVA]

2 hours ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

And it looks great! (If you squint, he looks like Ib Anderson.) I'm ready for a revival of 70s danseur hair—time to ditch those shellacked pompadours we've endured for too many decades.

You have to admit that Jovani Furlan looks pretty sexy with his pomp…

[deanofdance]

Just a few thoughts on this afternoon’s performance:

1) Law of Mosaics - I thought DAAG was the never ending ballet — but that honor now goes to LOM — My Lord, did this ballet seem to go on and on and on.  It seemed twice as long than when I saw it earlier in the week — but thrice as bad.  
2) This Bitter Earth — the artistic ember that was growing in Unity is now a small flame — it’s there radiating.  There was real emotion between her and Andy — a connection — they were so attuned to each other — and playing out a drama.  Eloquence. 
3) Love Letter — Today’s performance was a bit different — it seems that Takahashi danced one of Taylor’s solos — I mean, there was KJ dancing a long solo on stage with choreography that I don’t recall him doing before — but since he moves so differently than Taylor, it didn’t register until later that he must have been given one of Taylor’s solos.  KJ was wonderful — giving butch realness (kidding, but you know what I mean!).  I kept looking at Olivia Bell — who with her movement was shouting out that in a just world, she would be dancing Quinn Starner’s role.  But Ballet is like Life — it isn’t fair (well, not all the time).

[BalanchineFan]

11 hours ago, deanofdance said:

Just a few thoughts on this afternoon’s performance:

2) This Bitter Earth — the artistic ember that was growing in Unity is now a small flame — it’s there radiating.  There was real emotion between her and Andy — a connection — they were so attuned to each other — and playing out a drama.  Eloquence. 
3) Love Letter — Today’s performance was a bit different — it seems that Takahashi danced one of Taylor’s solos — I mean, there was KJ dancing a long solo on stage with choreography that I don’t recall him doing before — but since he moves so differently than Taylor, it didn’t register until later that he must have been given one of Taylor’s solos.  KJ was wonderful — giving butch realness (kidding, but you know what I mean!).  I kept looking at Olivia Bell — who with her movement was shouting out that in a just world, she would be dancing Quinn Starner’s role.  But Ballet is like Life — it isn’t fair (well, not all the time).

Jonathan Fahoury debuted in Love Letter, Taylor Stanley didn't dance it in its premiere season. (I think Stanley was busy with Copeland Dances, or something), so I don't see how KJ could have danced one of Taylor's solos. The piece always featured a large number of dancers. I agree Olivia Bell looked great in it, and I think, in time, she'll have a larger role in many ballets.

I think Love Letter looks better the more I get to know it. It's possible the lighting was brightened up in a few places. The dancing is stellar all around. The duet between Ruby Lister and Naomi Corti still shines, KJ is amazing, Quinn Starner equally so. Did anyone else remember that KJ and Quinn had a ppd together in their SAB workshop, whenever that was?

[deanofdance]

@BalanchineFan I think you’re right — the more I think about KJ dancing one of Taylor’s solo’s yesterday afternoon, the more far-fetched it seems to me now.  It’s just that yesterday’s performance gave me much more of KJ and much less of Taylor. 

Edited May 20 by deanofdance

[Kathleen O'Connell]

I think @deanofdance and I will have to (respectfully!) agree to disagree re Law of Mosaics, which I've seen four times and absolutely adore, and This Bitter Earth which I've seen four times too many and definitely don't adore. I'd have preferred to have ditched This Bitter Earth in exchange for ALL of Herman Schmerman, but of course one's mileage may vary ...

This Bitter Earth irks me for the same reason that much of Wheeldon's work irks me: he seems determined to strip ballerinas of their agency. The female lead is variously swirled across the stage, toted hither and thither, or held in a vice grip. When she's released to dance on her own, she invariably mirrors the male lead's steps. Worst of all, there's a moment when he rather forcibly grabs her arms and choreographs them for her. (It occurs at about 4:55 in the video here.) IMO, it's pretty, but only on the surface. 

By contrast, the other three ballets on the program (Law of Mosaics, Herman Schmerman Pas de Deux, and Love Letter on Shuffle) all cut their women loose. 

Anyway, here's Tiler and Tyler in Herman Schmerman and here's Ruby Lister in Law of Mosaics. I wish there were a video of Miriam Miller's long solo, danced to silence, during which she gets to thwack the stage as loud as she might like with her toe shoes or Sara Mearns' beautiful barefoot solo during which she cycles through many of the mime gestures from (I think) Sleeping Beauty. Or Gilbert Bolden's rock solid, sky high pencheés. (Sign him up for the Rubies Tall Girl! 😉)

[deanofdance]

@Kathleen O'ConnellI see your point of view and enjoyed reading your post.  And I do agree that Gilbert should be cast as the Tall Girl in Rubies!  😉

Edited May 21 by deanofdance

[BalanchineFan]

I enjoy This Bitter Earth, but I don't have to look at the video to recognize that everything you say about it, @Kathleen O'Connell is true. Many of the Wheeldon ppd are like that.

Herman Schmerman, by contrast, has so much more going on. Competition and camaraderie among the dancers, surprises, rather than one idea drawn out like an exhalation. It's enlightening to hear Tyler Angle talk about Forsyth's approach. Thanks for the links.

I love the clips of Law of Mosaics, but I'm still finding my way in that work, and I am a modern dancer. I find myself just watching the dancers and their bodies and the shapes they all make, coming together, moving apart. Mearns and Bolden seem to have a ppd rhythm going at one point, where they gesture to the other after their solos.