2023-2024 Season

[dirac]

Hello, LittleGhost! Delighted that you decided to delurk and I hope someone answers your question. Please take a minute to introduce yourself in our Welcome forum!

[cobweb]

1 hour ago, LittleGhost said:

I was wondering if anyone could share a report on how Olivia Boisson did in the Garner piece. It seems like she took over a major role from Indiana Woodward and I would love to hear how it went as I find her to  be an incredibly lovely and underused dancer. Thank you!

Hello Little Ghost and welcome! I too enjoy Olivia Boisson, a dancer with elegance, polish, and maturity. I did not see the Garner piece, but I look forward to hearing any reports. 

[nanran3]

I saw Ashley Bouder's post as well, where she complains that management told the audience not to clap. That makes no sense. I wonder if what she meant was that Wendy or Jonathan from the downstage curtain waved other dancers forward for a bow and shortchanged her? I don't know, but honestly I feel enough is enough. Either you are able to dance the rep and you look good doing it, or gracefully plan your retirement and go out with everyone wishing you well and remembering you in a good light. What does she gain by doing all this? Also, she has a husband and daughter, a great education, is interested in Political Science etc...life has so much to offer. I get it that it's hard to move on from this amazing career, but honestly, we all have to move through changes and loss in life. That's part of the deal here on Earth. Don't demean your career by a disgruntled ending... Just my thoughts...

[BalanchineFan]

I thought Olivia Boisson looked lovely. I’ve been noticing her more this season but I can’t remember in which ballets. 

I didn’t think Boisson’s role in Underneath was particularly big, however. It’s difficult to imagine it being choreographed on a principal, especially since the ballet has no principal women. Miriam Miller is the one I would call a lead. (Though somehow I don’t have a strong memory of Emma von Enck, who is in my program, either).

Are you certain your info is correct?

[LittleGhost]

1 hour ago, BalanchineFan said:

I thought Olivia Boisson looked lovely. I’ve been noticing her more this season but I can’t remember in which ballets. 

I didn’t think Boisson’s role in Underneath was particularly big, however. It’s difficult to imagine it being choreographed on a principal, especially since the ballet has no principal women. Miriam Miller is the one I would call a lead. (Though somehow I don’t have a strong memory of Emma von Enck, who is in my program, either).

Are you certain your info is correct?

Hmm, interesting. I am going off the casting information given here: https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1714512759/NYCB_Casting_April_30-May_5_2024_lobby240430.pdf

 

Either way happy to hear she has been looking good throughout the season :)

[Kathleen O'Connell]

11 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

I didn’t think Boisson’s role in Underneath was particularly big, however.

Even though everyone in the cast did a lot of dancing—and there was definitely a lot of dancing—and quite a few dancers got their moment in the spotlight, it's not the kind of ballet that has "big" roles in, say, the Symphony in C sense of a big role. Since I'm a longtime Boisson fan I was watching her closely; she was indeed assured, elegant (as is her wont), and lovely, but it didn't seem like a role that was made on Woodward. I'm not saying just anyone could dance it, but it certainly doesn't require Woodward.

I don't really remember anything about Von Enck's role either! And, to be clear, this is not a knock on Von Enck: the standout dancers were standouts more for the opportunities they were given rather than their dancing per se, because everyone danced very, very well. I think Corti, M. T. MacKinnon, and Sheffel among the women and Bolden and Chan among the men got particularly memorable stage time. 

An aside: M. T. MacKinnon has really impressed me this season; she looked great in In Creases too. I hope we get to see more of her. And more of Boisson, too.

[cobweb]

Week 5 casting is up. There is an (almost) all-new cast of Glass Pieces, debuting Ava Sautter and Aaron Sanz. Exciting for her! I just may have to see that...

[vipa]

10 hours ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

Even though everyone in the cast did a lot of dancing—and there was definitely a lot of dancing—and quite a few dancers got their moment in the spotlight, it's not the kind of ballet that has "big" roles in, say, the Symphony in C sense of a big role. Since I'm a longtime Boisson fan I was watching her closely; she was indeed assured, elegant (as is her wont), and lovely, but it didn't seem like a role that was made on Woodward. I'm not saying just anyone could dance it, but it certainly doesn't require Woodward.

I agree with what others have said about the dancers in this ballet. Miriam Miller's role was the most noteworthy. I noticed Chun Wei Chan because of a small solo section in the beginning and Emma VE for her precision. Even in Emma Von Enck's case, a section she posted on instagarm, for some reason, looked much more impressive to me out of context on instagram, than it did in the ballet. https://www.instagram.com/p/C6qpkASAbrg/

[bellawood]

9 hours ago, cobweb said:

Week 5 casting is up. There is an (almost) all-new cast of Glass Pieces, debuting Ava Sautter and Aaron Sanz. Exciting for her! I just may have to see that...

Also Murphy/Bell as guests doing Other Dances! I used to covet Aran Bell for NYCB before the arrival of Chun Wei Chan. 

[Pepino23]

Olivia Boisson last night was quite lovely to watch. So much so that my husband asked me who she was when watching the Garner piece. The piece overall fell short for me. It started out well, I appreciated the lighting, the set, and I really enjoyed the music. The last section where the costume change occurs just didn’t do it. It seemed like the piece was doing a nice build and then she ran out of time to finish it. It was a shame because I appreciated her not being a modern choreographer who knows nothing about ballet. You could tell she has ballet training and it didn’t give to me (at the beginning) the desperate-trying-too-hard feel I often get with new works lately. I agree though what was said that this piece wasn’t necessarily a “Woodward exclusive” piece and her not dancing wasn’t drastically noticed. I do wonder why she pulled out of a lot this season. Olivia Boisson and Olivia Bell both stood out to me as having really lovely solid and consistent technique. I would love to see more of them!! Underutilized in my book. There was an apprentice in the new piece named Mia. To me honest I didn’t notice her, but good for her to be cast in a new piece!
 

 In Creases I had originally seen Houston Ballet dancers do it, and I have to admit I preferred it with NYCB dancers. There was just a sharper quality to the dancing. It will never be my favorite piece, but I can appreciate that it is a marathon to dance and can also say that it really shows impressive abilities for up and coming corps dancers. Preston as others said was looking great! A new assurance in his dancing. Maybe it was always there and he was being miscast before? Regardless I very much enjoyed seeing him! I find that the pianos onstage don’t have as loud of a sound as I would like. I feel like the dancing would be magnified if the sound quality was too  

Dig the Say to me had no depth. Only showing off what Mejia and Peck can do, which don’t get me wrong was amazing! But I wish you could have put all those bells and whistles into a piece with more meat to it. I did enjoy the guest quartet though! Mejia is superhuman to me. I desperately wish for him to have a lead in one of the classics that isn’t Nutcracker. Maybe Franz in Coppelia this fall? He is more than ready to carry a full length ballet. I wish he could almost guest at ABT for a show  

In Rubies, Megan looked great and Mira did as well. I was surprised by Anthony. I don’t particularly love him in Rubies, but it was really nice to see him actually smiling on stage and looking like he was having fun! I still prefer any section of Jewels to be done as a whole rather than an individual piece. I feel like it loses some of its wow factor because part of the fun is the contrast between it and Emeralds/Diamonds. I continue to be less than impressed with India Bradley. And boy do I try to really watch her to see if I’m missing what everybody else sees. Even as a corps in Rubies, she has no depth to her dancing, she is little more than long limbs. Yes she has a beautiful line because of the length that she has. But she is unable to control it and to me it just looks like awkward flailing. I’m not at all pleased that she has been cast in Red Angels. 
 

I did enjoy the See the Music beforehand, anything to help explain even a little insight into Stravinsky. (I’m sure it’s a very unpopular opinion but, with the exception of Firebird, I find Stravinsky to just be a cacophony of sounds that is really hard to get into.)

[deanofdance]

Just a few thoughts on last night’s performance:

1) Rubies — Another quality (yes, another one!)  of Mira’s that I noticed was the languid ease with which she can dance — you feel her dance power/energy emanating from her but tonight there appeared to be such an effortless, artless quality to her dancing — as if she just woke up at 4 pm, had a bubble bath, some tea, went to the studio, put on her toe shoes and — voila — comes on stage and is — well, like no other dancer.  Also, I do enjoy the sensual quality she brings to the tall girl — she’s a young Garbo with a dash of Merle Oberon AND Ava Gardner — I think the sensual quality she can bring to her dancing is natural to her, easily accessible.   Also, I usually sit on the far left side of the theater, but tonight was sitting on the far right — so got a full view of her bows at curtain call — even her bows are stunningly beautiful. 
2) In Creases — Again was pulled in by this dance and the 8 dancers — again all 8 were outstanding and moving with such energy and expansiveness.  Watching them I was thinking about what it is about NYCB that I love so much and why I prefer to be close to the stage versus farther back — and how certain dancers can enter one’s head, and then from there, a select few can enter one’s heart.  Watching Preston and Dominika dance last night — I can sense that they are entering my head — they are dancing with such individuality, grace, and calm authority — and I sense that they have such potential as artists that we have yet to see.  Perhaps, this is one of the many, many reasons why I love NYCB.
 

Edited May 9 by deanofdance

[California]

Ashley Bouder just posted on Instagram Stories. As those can't be linked and are only available for 24 hours, I'll just post the text of one slide:

"Normalize ending friendships with people who still support people who have hurt you."

Make of it what you will. I don't have a clue who/what she's talking about and really don't care.

[Helene]

Do not discuss the discussion or each other.

[abatt]

4 hours ago, California said:

Ashley Bouder just posted on Instagram Stories. As those can't be linked and are only available for 24 hours, I'll just post the text of one slide:

"Normalize ending friendships with people who still support people who have hurt you."

Make of it what you will. I don't have a clue who/what she's talking about and really don't care.

Thanks for my only laugh out loud moment of the day California.  

 

Saw tonight's program.  Gustav le Gray by Tanowitz is making my list of 10 worst ballets I've ever seen at NYCB. Call Me Ben still occupies the first place, though.  All that talent on stage performing dull choreography in hideous costumes. 

Peck and Mejia were sublime in Other Dances.  The all new cast of Rabbit was great.  Maxwell and Coll were riveting in their quiet pas.  Emma VE was daring and fearless in her technically dazzling performance.  Miller and Chan were impressive as well.

I have no patience for Interplay and its  cute adolescents, but it was well performed. 

 

 

 

[mille-feuille]

1 hour ago, abatt said:

Gustav le Gray by Tanowitz is making my list of 10 worst ballets I've ever seen at NYCB. Call Me Ben still occupies the first place, though.  All that talent on stage performing dull choreography in hideous costumes.

Haha! Call Me Ben was truly terrible. My top City Ballet stinker is definitely Bartok Ballet.

I'm curious to see if my opinion of Red Angels will have improved since the accursed Here/Now festival. I remember sneaking a peek at the phone of the girl sitting next to me after seeing it one evening. Her text message read: "It's a bad night at the ballet..."

[matilda]

I was also there last night. I like Interplay for its jazzy music and technical tricks, and it has a very 1950s feel that reminds me of old movies. Alston MacGill as the pink girl was a standout and looks ready for so much more. Victor Abreu (blue) has improved his partnering since opening-night Bourrée Fantasque -- lovely dancer but I have yet to see him land a clean double tour. 

Other Dances.... nearly cried! Tiler Peck looked as amazing as ever. Yesterday she posted this Instagram post saying: 

"I truly cannot put into words the joy I feel getting to perform this incredible piece, Other Dances. Not many dancers get the chance to dance this role and I do not take that lightly.
When I had the opportunity to work with the one and only @mishabaryshnikov123 on it, he told me it was all about coloring and letting the music take you away. It was an incredible experience working with such a luminary and one of the ballet’s original dancers. I will be channeling all of the wisdom he passed on to me in my performance tonight!"

Well, she definitely conveyed all of that! And Mejia wasn't so bad either  This performance alone was worth the ticket.

I hated Gustav and will avoid it in the future should it ever come back (hopefully never). I get what Pam Tanowitz is doing -- "deconstructing " -- but now I've seen two of her ballets and that's enough. Maybe in a more avant-garde setting or in the context of a college thesis performance this would work for me, but not at Lincoln Center. Felt like the ballet equivalent of a short contemporary piece tacked onto the beginning of a classical-music concert by a composition PhD who "knows" music but can't seem to create anything listenable. 

Year of the Rabbit, from 2012, remains one of Justin Peck's best works. Very creative corps formations and exciting choreography for the leads. It was a little disappointing watching this knowing that he never evolved much beyond this early style though. The only thing this work suffers from is mediocre music, but the score is listenable and pleasant enough. Von Enck was amazingly energetic and precise in the Ashley Bouder role, but Maxwell and Chan were also standouts. 

The house was very undersold -- more so than usual. 

Edited May 9 by matilda

[abatt]

6 hours ago, mille-feuille said:

Haha! Call Me Ben was truly terrible. My top City Ballet stinker is definitely Bartok Ballet.

I'm curious to see if my opinion of Red Angels will have improved since the accursed Here/Now festival. I remember sneaking a peek at the phone of the girl sitting next to me after seeing it one evening. Her text message read: "It's a bad night at the ballet..."

LOL.  Bartok Ballet is also in my top 10 list.   We have similar taste, apparently.

[abatt]

41 minutes ago, matilda said:

I

Year of the Rabbit, from 2012, remains one of Justin Peck's best works. Very creative corps formations and exciting choreography for the leads. It was a little disappointing watching this knowing that he never evolved much beyond this early style though.

I think Rabbit was so successful in terms of the quality of choreography because Peck had a lot of time to work on it and revise it, if I remember correctly.   As he became more popular, it seems like he has less time to devote to each work.  That may be a big part of the problem.  

[deanofdance]

A few thoughts on last night’s performance:

1) Interplay: the energy emanating from these 8 dancers was pulsating.  The dance begins with the 4 male dancers — all young bucks — bounding across the stage, all seemingly moving for the joy of it — and to see these 4 young men dance with such elan — is to see them coming into their own — especially Victor - who has been maturing before our eyes this past year.  Then comes the 4 women led (in a way) by Alston — the fire cracker, the hummingbird — and they dance as if this were for Olympic gold.  It was interesting to see these 8 dancers (7 corp and 1 soloist) as it mirrored In Creases, which also had 7 corp and 1 soloist — and how hungry these young dancers are for opportunity, and  how each rises to the occasion in this hyper competitive world of ballet — and the audience is the winner.   After tonight, I think Interplay should only be cast with corp dancers — it’s in the spirit of the choreography.  After the end of the ballet, when all 8 are standing gasping for breath — a sweet moment happens — Victor crosses the stage to shake hands and thank pianist Hanna Kim — and he has the biggest smile on his face — he just beams.  
2) Other Dances: Oddly, the weak link in this was Tiler Peck (gasp! — I know).  At first, she’s looking at the top of her game, playing with the music as is her wont — but it didn’t build further — and I wondered if it was the choreography’s doing, that it doesn’t give her enough.   Also, a tad annoying — there’s a bit of the Bolshoi in Interplay — the dancers bow after every solo.

3)Year of the Rabbit: I loved this ballet when it premiered in 2012 — and am I huge Peck fan — but it honestly felt like a new different ballet to me — the music seemed new — as well as most of the choreography (of course I remember the sliding women across the stage).  And what an interesting ballet it happens to be — and to think Peck was 25 when he did this!  Emma and Miriam and Chan and Takahashi shine — but the surprise eye opener was the pas de deux with Alexa and Harrison — an unexpected level of sublime beauty. 
 

Edited May 12 by deanofdance

[Kathleen O'Connell]

8 hours ago, mille-feuille said:

Call Me Ben was truly terrible. My top City Ballet stinker is definitely Bartok Ballet.

 I think I'll reserve the top honor for Boris Eifman's Musagète . Call Me Ben was bad, but misguided bad, not diseased-at-its-core bad.

I happen to like all of the Tanowitz works in NYCB's rep and buy tickets to see them whenever they're programed. I vastly prefer them to any Peter Martins ballet, all of which could be scrubbed from the rep without undue effect, IMO. 

Edited May 9 by Kathleen O'Connell

[BalanchineFan]

8 hours ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

16 hours ago, mille-feuille said:

Call Me Ben was truly terrible. My top City Ballet stinker is definitely Bartok Ballet.

 I think I'll reserve the top honor for Boris Eifman's Musagète . Call Me Ben was bad, but misguided bad, not diseased-at-its-core bad.

I happen to like all of the Tanowitz works in NYCB's rep and buy tickets to see them whenever they're programed. I vastly prefer them to any Peter Martins ballet, all of which could be scrubbed from the rep without undue effect, IMO. 

I agree about liking Tanowitz and wishing NYCB would divest of all Martins’ ballets. 
 

Which ballet was it where they wore Calvin Klein underwear and all the women had their hair down? I’m not sure that is my ultimate clinker, but I found it embarrassing to watch. Like I’d wandered into someone’s room while they were getting dressed. 

[Kathleen O'Connell]

1 hour ago, BalanchineFan said:

Which ballet was it where they wore Calvin Klein underwear and all the women had their hair down?

I don't remember an actual ballet like that, but there was a video campaign featuring Calvin Klein designs that I might classify as athleisure wear.

[BalanchineFan]

I was thinking of Unframed! Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. I think it’s the two piece attire that embarrassed me  and the hair down. It’s really like underwear, not dance clothing  

Unframed

Though I like the ad you posted, @Kathleen O'Connell Lots of dancing and swirly costumes.

 

[Kathleen O'Connell]

34 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

I was thinking of Unframed! Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa.

Here's a video about the creation of the costumes—which are very different at the beginning of the ballet—featuring designer Rosie Assoulin, choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Marc Happel. 

The costumes for Paul Taylor's Brief Encounters have a similar vibe, although the dancers are dressed that way right from the start. The Taylor dancers really do look like they're dancing in their (very utilitarian) underwear. Assoulin's costumes, with their white waistbands, look a bit more like athletic attire to me—especially the women's, which aren't all that dissimilar from what elite marathon runners wear. I'm less troubled by them than by the babydoll is-it-a-nightie-or-is-it-a-slip that Martins' Juliet has to skitter around in while everyone else remains fully clothed. 

Hmmm ... now that I think about it, I may need to add Martins' Swan Lake and Romeo+Juliet to the list of NYCB art crimes. 

[FauxPas]

28 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

Hm less troubled by them than by the babydoll is-it-a-nightie-or-is-it-a-slip that Martins' Juliet has to skitter around in while everyone else remains fully clothed. 

Hmmm... Now that I think about it, I may need to add Martins' Swan Lake and Romeo+Juliet to the list of NYCB art crimes. 

Now that Alexei Ratmansky is a resident choreographer at NYCB, perhaps he can create his own versions for the company.  The crayola Per Kirkeby sets and costumes could be sent to the New Jersey landfill.