2023-2024 Season

[FayBallet]

On 8/28/2023 at 9:41 PM, uptowner said:

A post— with pictures!— of three dancers recently promoted to corps.  

https://www.nycballet.com/discover/stories/meet-the-newest-members-of-the-company

Thanks for sharing. The anecdote Grace Scheffel told about Megan Fairchild was really sweet.

[bellawood]

5 hours ago, matilda said:

Something I didn't see coming: Ashley Bouder rehearsing Emeralds, per Chun Wai Chan's Instagram stories. 

wow! Did not sense from her IG that she was really dancing again yet.

[Fernie M]

7 hours ago, matilda said:

Something I didn't see coming: Ashley Bouder rehearsing Emeralds, per Chun Wai Chan's Instagram stories. 

You can include me on that. 

[Fernie M]

Very curious and excited to see the Jewels casting.

[pirouette]

Some more rehearsal footage on KJ Takahashi's Instagram story of him and Nadon in what I think is Bourree Fantasque.

[vipa]

13 hours ago, matilda said:

Something I didn't see coming: Ashley Bouder rehearsing Emeralds, per Chun Wai Chan's Instagram stories. 

I too was surprised to see Chun Wai Chan's Insta comment about looking forward to dancing Emeralds with Bouder. Has she done Emeralds before? I remember her in Rubies. If Bouder is truly cast in this, I have to wonder if it's a comeback or a final performance.

[fondoffouettes]

1 hour ago, vipa said:

I too was surprised to see Chun Wai Chan's Insta comment about looking forward to dancing Emeralds with Bouder. Has she done Emeralds before? I remember her in Rubies. If Bouder is truly cast in this, I have to wonder if it's a comeback or a final performance.

She has danced the first ballerina in Emeralds, though I think it's been a while. My hunch is that Bouder is winding down rather than staging a comeback. Though I can also imagine NYCB allowing her to hang on for a while dancing a much-reduced repertoire. 

[BalanchineFan]

17 hours ago, pirouette said:

Some more rehearsal footage on KJ Takahashi's Instagram story of him and Nadon in what I think is Bourree Fantasque.

Fabulous pairing for that ballet! I bet it's the first movement. Did he dance the first movement for SAB workshop? I think Savannah Durham did it, but there were two casts.

11 hours ago, fondoffouettes said:

She has danced the first ballerina in Emeralds, though I think it's been a while. My hunch is that Bouder is winding down rather than staging a comeback. Though I can also imagine NYCB allowing her to hang on for a while dancing a much-reduced repertoire. 

I think it's a good role for her. Not too much jumping, IIRC.

[nanushka]

12 hours ago, fondoffouettes said:

She has danced the first ballerina in Emeralds, though I think it's been a while. My hunch is that Bouder is winding down rather than staging a comeback. Though I can also imagine NYCB allowing her to hang on for a while dancing a much-reduced repertoire. 

I hope we're not heading toward another Abi Stafford situation. They already have in common using the New York Times as their megaphone for grievances.

[matilda]

8 minutes ago, nanushka said:

I hope we're not heading toward another Abi Stafford situation. They already have in common using the New York Times as their megaphone for grievances.

Same. I'm also concerned about her appearing in roles that she can no longer do justice to. It's not really fair to the paying customers. I have my doubts that she'll be in prime Emeralds condition in three weeks, but time will tell and I look forward to hearing reviews (if her performance even happens). In terms of style, Emeralds is kind of similar to Scotch Symphony, which was not a success for her last fall. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by matilda

[abatt]

1 hour ago, matilda said:

Same. I'm also concerned about her appearing in roles that she can no longer do justice to. It's not really fair to the paying customers. I have my doubts that she'll be in prime Emeralds condition in three weeks, but time will tell and I look forward to hearing reviews (if her performance even happens). In terms of style, Emeralds is kind of similar to Scotch Symphony, which was not a success for her last fall. 

I thought it was interesting last Fall when the company cast Bouder in various roles for regular rep performances, but then removed her from the fall gala performance of the first movement of Symphony in C.  Bouder then went to Inside Edition to complain. So management felt that it was perfectly fine to put Bouder on stage for the "regular" audience, but she was deemed unworthy of appearing before the gala audience of donors and supporters.   I interpret this to mean that it is okay to let someone who is totally out of shape appear before the ordinary audience, but this was not the image they were willing to present to people who write the big checks. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by abatt

[cobweb]

I was already not looking forward to more Erica Pereira performances this season, after her extremely bland Square Dance in the spring. Now I'm in dread of Bouder as well, after seeing her last fall. I know these decisions are wrenching for management, some of whom are probably close friends with these dancers, and go way way back to the SAB dorms or earlier. But, it's part of their job not to send a dancer out onstage unless it's clear they can deliver a stellar performance for the paying audience. 

[abatt]

Cobweb's point is well taken.  J. Stafford was a contemporary of Bouder's and frequently partnered her while he was still dancing.  Also, he knows that Bouder is the type that will try to get her complaints aired in any media outlet available.  I hope these factors do not influence his decision making on casting Bouder, but I suspect they do.  I hope Bouder returns in decent shape, unlike last fall.

I also think that her days in tutu ballets and ballets that involve leotards are over for now.  Longer skirt ballets only.

Edited September 1, 2023 by abatt

[matilda]

On a similar note, I have a hunch that Tyler Angle's continued casting has a lot to do with him being one of Wendy's former partners. Supposedly he'll be dancing Emeralds this fall (would be a debut), according to a previous Instagram story from Indiana Woodward. Not the most technically difficult of roles but still strikes me as a very bad casting choice. 

In some regard, I look forward to the days when all of the former Whelan/Stafford colleagues have retired and there won't be any past loyalties to influence management decisions. 

[abatt]

Agreed.  Tyler Angle's casting has become a real problem due to weight issues.  

 

[nysusan]

2 minutes ago, abatt said:

Agreed.  Tyler Angle's casting has become a real problem due to weight issues.  

 

And baldness issues. Between the 2 I reaally just cannot ebven look att him onstage any more. Especially not in something like Diamonds or Symphony in C.

I am going to be an optimist about Bouder and hope that she has recovered from her injury and lost the weight she put on during her absence from the stage. No "out of shape" euphemisms, she put on weight and needed to take it off.

 

If she has recovered physically and lost the weight I would welcome her back and look forward to seeing her in what ever ballets she is cast in.

[cobweb]

This season especially, I am yearning to see rich, vibrant casting choices. 

16 minutes ago, nysusan said:

f she has recovered physically and lost the weight I would welcome her back and look forward to seeing her in what ever ballets she is cast in.

Agree with this about Bouder. If she can come back strong, more power to her. 

[Fernie M]

Having seen her in a month or so ago at the Lake Tahoe Dance Festival, I definitely have my doubts. But hopefully she’s been in the studio working, and getting back to NYCB dancing form. I’m quite certain no one, including herself, would like a repeat of last fall.

[coffeelover]

I attended a Q&A that Bouder was at a few weeks ago, she didn't seem to allude to retiring soon in my opinion. She also talked about food a lot, so that was sure something. 

[Rose]

That's interesting! What was the occasion? What did she talk about exactly? I'm so curious!

[coffeelover]

It was at a summer intensive. She talked a lot about how busy she is every day. She says her daughter is very good at ballet. I can’t remember if she mentioned anything else about the 23/24 season other than that she was dancing emeralds. 

[Peg]

Not sure where to raise this question about SAB but am posting here. Did anyone else see Devin Alberda’s post on X/Twitter yesterday? I’m wondering if anyone knows who at SAB he is referring to.

https://x.com/dalberda/status/1697663047974740453?s=61&t=MKfOKFa8DN0lCKuLHShGNA

in case the link doesn’t work, his text was : “Maybe firing one of Balanchine’s chosen teachers from the School of American Ballet isn’t the best way to kick off celebrating the 75th anniversary of New York City Ballet.”

[BalanchineFan]

This is entirely speculation but Susan Pilarre doesn’t seem to be listed in SAB’s current faculty. Maybe I’m just missing her name, but she definitely taught there until last spring and would qualify as chosen by Balanchine. I hope she is well. 
 

https://sab.org/faculty/

https://m.facebook.com/SABNYC/videos/30-seconds-with-suzy-pilarre/3021531621416150/

Edited September 2, 2023 by BalanchineFan

[Lcg]

Even more interesting is that Darla Hoover is no longer listed anywhere on the SAB website.

And Susan Pilarre is also no longer listed on the NYCB website.

[fondoffouettes]

20 minutes ago, Lcg said:

Even more interesting is that Darla Hoover is no longer listed anywhere on the SAB website.

And Jonathan Stafford has taken on her title of "chief of faculty," it looks like? The fact that they eliminated an executive-level position and apparently laid off a long-time faculty member makes we wonder if, sadly, these are cost-saving measures.