Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×
Support Ballet Alert! Year Round through the Amazon Affiliates Program by Clicking Here to Order from Amazon.com
2024 Ballet Talk Fundraiser -- Our Goal is $1500, with $345 to Go, Just Over 25% to Go

2023-2024 Season

abatt

By abatt
in New York City Ballet

Recommended Posts

volcanohunter

volcanohunter

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Fernie M said:

Just looked on the National Ballet of Canada website and as of right now, only three shows have sold out sections. Two of those shows are with Mearns. 

That section has a very limited number of seats, like the parterre ring at the Met, only smaller (128 seats, including a few reserved for company brass). There are no more than three unsold grand ring seats for any performance. It always sells out first.

The orchestra section tells a different story.

Edited by volcanohunter
Link to comment
cobweb

cobweb

Posted
Posted

Just in from a mixed bag of a program. This was my second viewing of Bourree Fantasque. I can't warm up to it. There were some terrific performances -- Gerrity and Bolden, Nadon, E. Von Enck, all wonderful. But I find it a minor piece that has no real identity. I keep thinking there must be some theme that I'm missing. I wouldn't avoid seeing it again, as there is a lot of good dancing, but this will never be high on my list. Note about Bolden, he is dancing like a principal. So is E. Von Enck, but we already knew that. 

Then Steadfast Tin Soldier. Ulbricht gave it his all. I focused on him and that brought some interest. I have no idea what this piece is doing on this program. 

Errante. Nadon, wow. If ever there was a piece that absolutely requires the right dancer, this is it. I would like to see Mearns too. 

Symphony in C brought up the rear and ended the evening with a much-needed bang of brilliance. Thank goodness I'm not in charge of promotions because I would not have promoted Emilie Gerrity, but here she is all aglow and commanding. Chun Wai Chan is a star. Jules Mabie gave it his all as one of the demisoloists, looking elegant and absolutely committed. The first movement is one of my favorite Balanchine pieces, and this was a beautiful performance. Then came Unity and Alec Knight. I know that some others like them in this and I may be coming around to it. Mostly I enjoy the beauty of the formations onstage. I especially love the demisoloist couples here, like the flat-footed arabesques penchee near the end. Also the "swan lake moment" near the end when the three men emerge from the wings and "awaken" their women. After all this sobriety, the third movement comes in with a burst of joy. KJ Takahashi hangs in the air, presents himself with the utmost finesse, and is making a hard-to-resist case for himself as principal. Fourth movement, Alston Macgill has an irresistible energy and it's great to see Troy Schumacher back in form. 

It was great to see @Jacqueline at intermission. Enjoy your trip and let us know how you find DAAG and BSQ tomorrow!

Link to comment
California

California

Posted
Posted

I'm only in town for a few days but saw the mixed bill Tuesday. I was intrigued that moments in the third movement of Bourree Fantasque reminded me of La Valse, including bits of the music, the sense of celebration before doom, and the large double circle at one point. Curious, I looked up La Valse on the Balanchine Trust and they note some interesting connections:

"Emmanuel Chabrier’s Trois Valses Romantiques was another inspiration for Ravel. (In 1932 Balanchine had used Chabrier’s music for Cotillion, a thematic predecessor of La Valse, with its flirtations, underlying hints of doom, and demonic circle of dancers at the end.) "

https://www.balanchine.com/Ballet/la-valse

Did others notice that occasional feeling of familiarity?

(Like others here, I wouldn't go out of my way to see this again, but it's interesting to consider its place in Balanchine history.)

Link to comment
deanofdance

deanofdance

Posted
Posted (edited)

A few thoughts on tonight’s performance — my fourth time seeing this program (what can I say, I adore the Bizet, it’s life’s antidepressant) — but numerous viewings of the same program at NYCB has it rewards — and tonight’s rewards were a harvest:

1)BF — I didn’t think it would, but this ballet has grown on me — I find the music third rate, but the choreography is confectionary and Busby Berkeley-esque — and this combo is a lot of fun.  But the real joy was seeing how a couple of dancers — Emily and Victor — grew and developed in a span of 4 performances.  Tonight Emily had a lushness to her dancing, a growing regal quality — I sensed that she was finally feeling confident and settled ( no longer apologizing that she is not Sara Mearns or Tiler Peck) in choreography that fit her well.  And Victor looked sharp with Emma, and much calmer than on opening night when he partnered Alexa and had a mishap early on.  But I admired the way that with every night he grew in confidence and got steadier and now is now ready for more. 

2) Errante — talk about growth and development!  I wonder what Suzanne told Mira — because each subsequent performance has been better than the one before.  And then I remembered a line from an interview Suzanne gave — “You can’t rehearse a performance.  What I rehearsed are options.”  And on stage tonight it seemed as if Mira was dancing as if she had all the options in the world — such an astounding interplay of control and then abandonment, of thought and then the seduction.  It was the performance of the young season so far.  Enchantment.

3)The Bizet — I see Alec and even Unity as young in terms of their artistic growth — and while they have a ways to go before they reach their artistic peaks — I don’t think they could have danced the second movement better than they did tonight.  Gaining and maintaining confidence isn’t as easy as one thinks — and gaining and maintaining artistry is a delicate mystery — so I don’t want to jinx them, especially Unity — but she seems on more solid footing now — Godspeed.   And Baily Jones — what a buttery quality she has to her movement, and a wonderful epaulement — and she pairs well with Takahashi — who seems to have gained a couple of inches on his jumps.  And last but not least — the Corp.  Bountiful.

Edited by deanofdance
Link to comment
Jacqueline

Jacqueline

Posted
Posted

i was at last night's performance as well.  It was my first time seeing BF and Steadfast. To echo Cobweb, for me, there's really no "point of view" to BF.  It was fun, frothy, and kind of like "having dessert first" while waiting for the main course -- Symphony in C.  There were definitely many fine performances (Gil Bolden was riveting and Emma von Enck always brings a special verve to the stage) but the piece itself felt largely forgettable.  I agree with others who think "Steadfast" needs to go back in the vault, but I don't think anyone could have performed it better than Fairchild and Ulbricht.

I saw the ballet formerly known as "Tzigane" many years ago in Los Angeles, performed by Suzanne Farrell's company. I don't have any remaining impression of that performance, but I will remember Mira's "Errante" forever. She seems fully in her own world but brings the audience in -- lucky us.  Symphony in C sent me home elated.  Chun Wai Chan is a treasure, so elegant and refined, and I thought he and Gerrity were great in the first movement, secure and expansive. I enjoyed Phelan and Knight in the second movement, and found unexpected emotion and depth there.  And the demis and corps looked exquisite. Can't say much more about the finale than what others have already said -- but I would watch it over and over again to see everyone executing the beautiful choreography in unison with speed, energy, grace and joy in equal measure.

Link to comment
vipa

vipa

Posted
Posted

 I see that Megan LeCrone is cast in Symphony in 3. She said on social media that she is fully recovered from an injury. That explains her absence from the stage.

Link to comment
Jacqueline

Jacqueline

Posted
Posted

Last night's performance was one for the ages -- at least in the point of view of this out-of-towner who isn't at NYCB often enough.  The entire DAAG cast really delivered and held the audience in their thrall.  Unity was dreamy as the mauve girl and really owned the role, and I thought she and Adrian D-W (whom I'd like to see a lot more often) made an excellent pair. Tyler Angle looked great both in his solos and his duet with Roman.  In her brief appearance as the green girl, Mira seemed like she was reveling in the memory of her brilliant performance the night prior in "Errante" -- as well she should. Unlike others, I felt Megan brought plenty of energy and sparkle as apricot girl.  Andres Z. was fine as brick boy, but what if instead, they paired Megan with a more "seasoned" dancer like Daniel Ulbricht?  Overall, there were too many great moments (including the "throws") to mention and it all just kept building.

This was the first time I've seen Brahms-Schoenberg. I loved the first and fourth movements watching Emily K. command the stage and then Sara bring the evening to a close with her wild abandon and huge smile. I might need to see the second and third movements a few more times -- and maybe with different casts -- to fully appreciate them. The corps in the third -- making lovely formations in pink clouds of tulle  -- was more striking to me than anything else.

Link to comment
abatt

abatt

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

I sitll remember Kyra Nichols as girl in pink in DAAG.  I think Tiler Peck has now achieved the same level of greatness in the pink role, which she has been doing for quite some time.  

Edited by abatt
Link to comment
Novice123

Novice123

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, Papagena said:

Maybe the least important problem in the world right now. 
 

And what should ballet dancer post right now?  Shoes?  Tutus?  2024 Election, shooting of puppies, protests?  

Link to comment
abatt

abatt

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Her outbursts on social media based on hearsay really need to stop.  Once a paragon of strength, she has turned into a weepy and pathetic victim. 

Interested in any reports on tonight's show. 

Link to comment
Papagena

Papagena

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Novice123 said:

And what should ballet dancer post right now?  Shoes?  Tutus?  2024 Election, shooting of puppies, protests?  

Yes those are 100% the only options outside of airing perceived injustices on IG in order to get your echo chamber riled up.

Link to comment
vipa

vipa

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, abatt said:

Her outbursts on social media based on hearsay really need to stop. 

It's sad  IMO.  This query to the "dance community" is designed to stir up trouble, and push people to take sides. Airing grievances on social media is rarely a path to solving problems. On another note, when I saw her dance recently she was far from at the level of a NYCB principal. She seems to not realize that.

Link to comment
BalanchineFan

BalanchineFan

Posted
Posted (edited)
22 hours ago, abatt said:

I sitll remember Kyra Nichols as girl in pink in DAAG.  I think Tiler Peck has now achieved the same level of greatness in the pink role, which she has been doing for quite some time.  

Have you seen Indiana Woodward as Pink this season? I thought she was sublime, different but equal to Tiler Peck.

Edited by BalanchineFan
Link to comment
BalanchineFan

BalanchineFan

Posted
Posted (edited)

Tastes change over time and I wonder if any posters have noticed their own changing tastes? I wonder if there are things you never thought you'd enjoy on a ballet stage that you have now become accustomed to, or outright enjoy?

Flexed feet? Bald men? Bare legs? Dancers of color? Different body types? Atonal music? I'm sure there are many, many other things...

When I first saw ballet it seemed, to me, old fashioned, prissy, static...bending towards the figurine on top of a music box. NYCB was never like that. It was energetic, athletic, forward pushing, avant garde, at times. I love this company!

I'm not currently one who likes watching overweight ballet dancers (in modern dance there's a different, more diverse standard which I do enjoy), but I wonder if that is something that will change in me over time. I've become more used to pictures of overweight clothing and fitness models. Lululemon is one of many brands using a wide variety of body types for their models, and as someone with a larger frame, it's nice to see. 

Ballet has frequently gone through revolutions in what is considered "appropriate." Tschaikovsky's orchestral music was originally deemed unfit for ballet: Swan Lake = inappropriate! Unballetic! Revolutionary!!! Stravinsky's Sacre du Printemps created a scandalous sensation at its premiere. Looking at pictures of 1900's ballerinas, none were as thin as what we became accustomed to under Balanchine. In fact Balanchine's dancers were called stick figures in the early days. Many audiences and critics didn't like the thinness. I'm just wondering what other posters think of themselves in this arena.

I often feel a well of concern watching super thin, super young, flexible Russian dancers and ice skaters  and wonder if they are being mistreated or exploited. The stories of what young gymnasts endured (Olga Korbut, Nadia Comaneci) are also very troubling in this regard.

I suppose my reflections, my questions are partly prompted by seeing Ashley Bouder in DAAG last weekend. This rep is a sensible, rational choice for her. She can still perform it well, no lifts, no big pointe work displays. So many things have opened up in ballet. Is this different somehow? Is this the last bastion of (my own) prejudice?

Edited by BalanchineFan
Link to comment
matilda

matilda

Posted
Posted

To the inquiry above, I think there is a big difference between being not-stick-thin and being "out of shape." There are at least a few dancers at NYCB who wouldn't make it in Russia because of their body types, and might not even have been favored at NYCB in a different era. But they are still "in shape."

Out of shape means the dancer has put on excess weight that is inhibiting their movement and partnering abilities and, to put it bluntly, looks bad on a ballet stage. 

Link to comment
cobweb

cobweb

Posted
Posted
On 5/2/2024 at 8:19 AM, Jacqueline said:

The corps in the third -- making lovely formations in pink clouds of tulle  -- was more striking to me than anything else.

Thanks for this report, Jacqueline! I also love the corps in the third movement. That is my favorite section of the whole ballet. 

Link to comment
abatt

abatt

Posted
  • Author
Posted
20 minutes ago, matilda said:

To the inquiry above, I think there is a big difference between being not-stick-thin and being "out of shape." There are at least a few dancers at NYCB who wouldn't make it in Russia because of their body types, and might not even have been favored at NYCB in a different era. But they are still "in shape."

Out of shape means the dancer has put on excess weight that is inhibiting their movement and partnering abilities and, to put it bluntly, looks bad on a ballet stage. 

Honestly, when Bouder first came on stage in DAAG the first thing I thought about was how heavy and thick her arms looked.  This distracted me from her dancing initially.  It was a small role, and I thought she performed it well.   It does not appear that she has made much progress over the past two years in getting back into shape.  There are not many roles which are as simplistic and less demanding than Green in DAAG.  So the question is what exactly are they going to do with her going forward.  

 

On a separate note, I have to commend Tyler Angle, who seems to have lost some of the excess weight and has danced well this season. 

Link to comment
SaraBW

SaraBW

Posted
Posted (edited)

Longtime lurker, first time poster: I do appreciate the willingness to evaluate our prejudices about various aesthetics as ballet evolves. I remember when Sara Mearns first came on the scene. I really disliked her "look." Her broad, high shoulders/short neck, in particular, bothered me a lot. As I watched her perform, I fell in love with her style and musicality and now I'm a onboard to see anything she does. I was so used to the "typical" Balanchine look that I almost didn't give her a chance. And I don't mind seeing dancers who are bigger than what has been the super-skinny (often unhealthy) norm for so long. I just want to see beautiful technique and artistry. If that isn't there, then the dancer's body becomes a distraction. It's such a fine line to walk, especially for dancers whose bodies don't fit the "ideal," and I absolutely appreciate that. With Ashley Bouder, it just seems so clear that it's time for retirement, that her body just isn't going to be capable anymore of what it once was, and that's rough to watch. Her Instagram post last night made my heart hurt - it definitely won't endear her to her colleagues and reinforces the impression that she's not ready to exit the stage with grace. I can't imagine how hard it is for a dancer who's had so much success to transition to the next phase. I feel for her.

Edited by SaraBW
grammar and spelling
Link to comment
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...