ABT Fall 2023

[California]

9 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

A nice bonus: I was seated directly behind Roxander's parents, younger brother and extended family (they all look alike!) and it was so wonderful to see (and hear!) their excitement!

Has anyone seen Jake's brother, Ashton Roxander, a principal at Philadelphia Ballet? https://philadelphiaballet.org/dancers/ashton-roxander/

I'm wondering if this would be worth a trip to Philadelphia while we wait for the Met 2024 season!

[cobweb]

1 minute ago, California said:

Has anyone seen Jake's brother, Ashton Roxander, a principal at Philadelphia Ballet? https://philadelphiaballet.org/dancers/ashton-roxander/

I'm wondering if this would be worth a trip to Philadelphia while we wait for the Met 2024 season!

I have not seen Philadelphia Ballet in several years, but my interest in Jake got me interested in Ashton, which got me to the Philadelphia Ballet website, and now I envision a ballet day trip or two this year! 

[MRR]

Saw Ashton entering the theater and for a moment thought Jake wasn't dancing!  They are about 5 years apart but look so alike.  

[California]

1 hour ago, cobweb said:

I have not seen Philadelphia Ballet in several years, but my interest in Jake got me interested in Ashton, which got me to the Philadelphia Ballet website, and now I envision a ballet day trip or two this year! 

Please give us a full report on Ashton. I have to assume Corella is paying attention to the buzz! I haven't visited recently, but saw several programs in Philadelphia pre-COVID and the company is definitely worth seeing. Full-out productions of the classics. 

[abatt]

I couldn't decide initially whether Hurlin was making errors in the fouettes or adding difficulty by inserting small jumps.  As this continued it became apparent that this was entirely intentional, and that she was adding small jumps into the fouette sequence.  I don't recall every seeing anyone do this.  Pretty amazing.  

And Roxander.  Whew.  Brilliant.  More please. 

I have to believe that given all the training that went into Etudes it will make an appearance again at ABT sooner rather than later.  

Can't decide if I liked Han better than Ahn.  Han's spins seemed more controlled and centered than Ahn's.   Han is not a virtuoso, but a solid classical dancer. 

 

 

[cobweb]

6 minutes ago, abatt said:

I have to believe that given all the training that went into Etudes it will make an appearance again at ABT sooner rather than later.  

I am only seeing it once this time around, but would love if it came back soon. 

[MRR]

1 hour ago, abatt said:

I couldn't decide initially whether Hurlin was making errors in the fouettes or adding difficulty by inserting small jumps.  As this continued it became apparent that this was entirely intentional, and that she was adding small jumps into the fouette sequence.  I don't recall every seeing anyone do this.  Pretty amazing.  

Agnes Letestu performed this same sequence.  Video for reference:

 

[abatt]

Yes, that video captures precisely what Hurlin did with the fouettes.  Thanks for posting.

Does anyone know whether Jake Roxander trained at all within the ABT schooling system- ie JKO School- or is he solely a product of the training of his parents.  I recall reading that he spent some time in training in Philadelphia Ballet, but I may be confused with his brother Ashton. 

Where ever he came from, I for one am GRATEFUL that he is with ABT.  One of the few glimmers of hope for ABT's male roster. 

Edited October 21, 2023 by abatt

[ABT Fan]

33 minutes ago, abatt said:

Yes, that video captures precisely what Hurlin did with the fouettes.  Thanks for posting.

Does anyone know whether Jake Roxander trained at all within the ABT schooling system- ie JKO School- or is he solely a product of the training of his parents.  I recall reading that he spent some time in training in Philadelphia Ballet, but I may be confused with his brother Ashton. 

Where ever he came from, I for one am GRATEFUL that he is with ABT.  One of the few glimmers of hope for ABT's male roster. 

Roxander trained at ABTs school for one summer intensive and before joining their Studio Company was part of PA Ballet II. 
https://www.abt.org/people/jake-roxander/?type=performer

I am also beyond thrilled that he’s with ABT. There is no doubt that whenever promotions are announced he’ll be made a soloist. His virtuoso technique is incredible, but his intelligence, charisma and stage presence is astonishing in someone so young and inexperienced (one year in the corps!). 

[TheAccidentalBalletomane]

Super excited about last night (Friday).  Friends I spoke to have remarked that last night was stronger, overall, as compared to opening night.  I really enjoyed all three ballets.   I hope Roxander will work hard on his partnering, which understandably needs growth.I have always admired the way Herman enhances his partners with gracious modesty.  As Herman is closer to retirement I hope Jaffe sees what others have said in this thread that Brandt and Roxander could be very strong match for story ballets.  They are both supremely gifted technically and matched in terms of height.  Loved the corps dancing last night, loved Christine, Skylar (always a personal favorite - some of her leaps were wow and incredibly fast spins and blurring footwork),  The double pas work of the 4 leads in PC 1  looked incredibly difficult and seemed very precise.  Roxander is already a  star; and Hurlin was great in Etudes and also loved Trenary in PM.   I wish there were more male up and comers, ABT does have Bell and now Roxander.  I also feel that Royal is improving from when he was initially promoted.  Thanks everyone, you are all so knowledgeable, I learn so much from this site. 

[cobweb]

Looking at ticket availability for next week, I wonder, does ABT ever do like NYCB does and open the 4th ring if sales are sufficient? One of the nights I'm looking at is pretty well sold, and I'm wondering if it's worth waiting to see if the 4th ring opens up, with its presumably more affordable tickets. 

[abatt]

I noticed people sitting in the 4th ring on Friday night. 

[aurora]

1 hour ago, cobweb said:

Looking at ticket availability for next week, I wonder, does ABT ever do like NYCB does and open the 4th ring if sales are sufficient? One of the nights I'm looking at is pretty well sold, and I'm wondering if it's worth waiting to see if the 4th ring opens up, with its presumably more affordable tickets. 

I'm in the 4th ring for the Gala (although that probably is different than a normal night in that regard)

[MarzipanShepherdess]

Went to today's Piano Concerto/Petite Mort/Etudes matinee. Very much prefer this as a program to what we've gotten in recent seasons past (please let the Jessica Lang ballets of yore be mothballed!) Thank you, Susan Jaffe.

Etudes: This can be such a fun ballet, though I had mixed feelings about how ABT danced it today. Devon was wonderful, totally in command  Her turns were astonishing! Etudes is obviously one big over-stuffed extravaganza of tricksy technique, but I thought Devon also brought some real delicacy and poetry to the more restrained Romantic section. In lesser hands it could have been a "wake me up when the jetés start" moment, but she made it really compelling. This is a great showcase for her and I left with elevated appreciation for both her technique and how lyrical she can be.

On one hand, I respect Herman Cornejo for taking on such a grueling and exposing debut 20+ years into his ABT career. Very brave! However, even though he brought the brio and charisma he always does, the technical demands of this are beyond what he can excel at today. It's such a shame Cornejo didn't get to dance this during his technical peak, he would have been incredible. I admired what he did in the context of where he is in his career now (to be fair, Joo Won Ahn didn't seem fully up to Etudes' demands either and he must be at least ten years younger) but felt disappointed as I couldn't help recall how much more thrilling the ballet's climax was when I saw Royal Danish Ballet perform it a decade or so ago on a US tour. 

Petite Mort: My first time seeing this and I liked it a lot. I enjoyed its sensuality and wit and stagecraft (though the ending feels quite abrupt to me). James Whiteside was wonderful and very skilled and attentive in his partnering of Fangqi Li. She looked just gorgeous, such fluidity and beautiful extension. 

Piano Concerto #1: Love the choreography, which is full of clever little unexpected moments. Catherine Hurlin seemed quite tentative at the beginning and gained confidence as the performance went on, it was as though she suddenly remembered how much she can do and went and did it (very well). I liked her with Jarod Curley. Hurlin, once she got going, was the highlight for me. Just coming off of seeing a lot of City Ballet, I couldn't help but feel aware of how much more compelling as a whole City Ballet looks in this kind of choreography. I know Ratmansky choreographed this for ABT, but many of the dancers didn't look fully at home in it: not dancing full out.

Edited October 21, 2023 by MarzipanShepherdess
more on Piano Concerto #1

[cobweb]

I look forward to any reports from tonight's performance. I have a feeling that Roxander's debut as Puck is going to "break the internet," ballet-wise. 

[ABT Fan]

2 hours ago, cobweb said:

I look forward to any reports from tonight's performance. I have a feeling that Roxander's debut as Puck is going to "break the internet," ballet-wise. 

Same! Although I think his debut in Etudes nearly did just that. I really wish I could be there.

Edited October 22, 2023 by ABT Fan

[California]

7 hours ago, cobweb said:

Looking at ticket availability for next week, I wonder, does ABT ever do like NYCB does and open the 4th ring if sales are sufficient? One of the nights I'm looking at is pretty well sold, and I'm wondering if it's worth waiting to see if the 4th ring opens up, with its presumably more affordable tickets. 

Lots of people in the 4th ring Saturday night.

[ABT Fan]

The suspense is killing me! 😂 How was Roxander’s Puck tonight? 

[California]

12 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

How was Roxander’s Puck tonight? 

Roxander's Puck was everything you'd expect, and more. His height, extension, speed, versatility, presence - stunning throughout. I'm sure all would agree who saw him.

I'm starting to wonder what's next -- he hasn't shown us much partnering yet, a skill he will obviously need to carry the full-length ballets.  But it's thrilling to have somebody we can't wait to see again, no matter what it is.

Let me add that James Whiteside had a very good day - Petite Mort at the matinee and Ballet Imperial in the evening, partnering Boylston. He looks confident, strong, and happy. I hope he has several good years left after his horrible on-stage accident in December 2021.

Ballet Imperial looks stuffy and old-fashioned after seeing NYCB's Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 -- you can see why Balanchine wanted to update it. Still, it's full of regal, challenging choreography to a great piece of music and very much worth seeing. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by California

[MRR]

Deleted: review below

Edited October 22, 2023 by MRR

[MRR]

So I'll bite on Saturday evening:

For one reason or another, I have never seen Ballet Imperial. Not live, not on video, not as Tchaikovsky Concerto no. 2. So any thoughts have no reference point to NYCB or any other company.

ABT presents the grand, original, capital R Russian, ballet where the audience might as well be in a bygone era, sitting at the Palace of the Czars. Blue drapes, chandeliers, a snowy backdrop of the Neva, and opulent tutus of blue for the corps (light blue demis), peachy red for the soloist and white for the principal. Call this stuffy or dated, but the curtain opening to two diagonals of corps men and women standing proudly as they face one another was breathtaking. Mr. B certainly knew how to open a ballet.

The principal ballerina role is a monster and Isabella appeared nervous at the start. The preparations for steps had more adjustments than optimal, and her pained ballerina expression looked, well, actually pained. The presence of James was just what she needed; appearing to relax gradually into the pas de deux and finishing with triumph once the fouettes were checked off, solid singles with a rather floppy foot into a clean double. She has an excellent jump and can make an impact with a manege or entrechat six, and there are moments of beautiful line. Her petite allegro was great; port de bras far less so. This had to have been an intimidating task, performing a role danced by Mearns and Peck a mere two weeks prior, and in the House of Balanchine no less. Boylston looked determined, and the potential for an excellent performance is there, but up close the concentration and effort behind the steps were evident despite having great physical qualities.

James Whiteside is in an old Balanchine Cavalier role (T&V excepted) where the man is there to look handsome and support the woman. He has a somewhat shallow, brittle plie, but his technique was quite good in the batterie and pirouettes. Tours to knee were finished clean but all cheated on preparation by a 1/4 turn. His demeanor is stoic and partnering sound, giving Boylston the necessary security to get through the ballet.

Skylar has uncanny balance and gyroscopic ability, and she gives the soloist role plenty of glow. Some might find her excessive smiling overdone, but there's not much else to convey in this ballet, and she never lets her performance down for a second. The one weakness was her ballon in a role that requires it: the entrechat six thinly sketched with not much amplitude.

The corps women have quite the juggernaut and looked strong and cohesive, relative to other ABT ballets. Colleen Neary who staged the work came out for the curtain call.

The Dream was obviously The Moment for Jake Roxander, with a debut all you would expect and more. His entrance with blurred pirouettes stopping on a dime set the tone for a master class throughout the evening, and we were treated to a Puck as memorable (if not necessarily better) than Cornejo in his prime. His bounding split jumps in the Scherzo were my favorite part, hovering in the air. Each sequence, and there were many, garnered applause, before a deafening ovation at curtain call.

Will write more thoughts on Gillian and Daniel after today's matinee.

[Rick]

9 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

The suspense is killing me! 😂 How was Roxander’s Puck tonight? 

Absolutely astonishing. I completely forgot about Camargo when Roxander was on stage. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Rick
Typo!

[ABT Fan]

11 hours ago, California said:

Roxander's Puck was everything you'd expect, and more. His height, extension, speed, versatility, presence - stunning throughout. I'm sure all would agree who saw him.

I'm starting to wonder what's next -- he hasn't shown us much partnering yet, a skill he will obviously need to carry the full-length ballets.  But it's thrilling to have somebody we can't wait to see again, no matter what it is.

Thank you, and thanks to MRR and Rick for your thoughts on Roxander's Puck. No surprises, just wish I could see it! 😩

What is next for him - great question - and agree he needs more roles that require partnering. They're doing Giselle in China in a few weeks where I'm sure he'll reprise the peasant pas a few times. He's only done Harlequin in Nutcracker and he could easily do the Chinese dance which has some partnering. Swan Lake is coming up in February and I hope he'll get a Benno debut. He will need experience in roles such as these, though less glamorous than Etudes and Puck. From there we'll have to see what Jaffe programs for the next Met season. I wonder if she'll dust off more classics or bring back some ballets that we haven't seen in years. Besides the obvious (Basilio, Albrecht - in the future...) I can easily see him in Cinderella, La Fille, even T&V. He's killing everything that's being thrown at him now so I wouldn't be surprised if we see another big debut then.

[California]

8 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Thank you, and thanks to MRR and Rick for your thoughts on Roxander's Puck. No surprises, just wish I could see it! 😩

What is next for him - great question - and agree he needs more roles that require partnering. They're doing Giselle in China in a few weeks where I'm sure he'll reprise the peasant pas a few times. He's only done Harlequin in Nutcracker and he could easily do the Chinese dance which has some partnering. Swan Lake is coming up in February and I hope he'll get a Benno debut. He will need experience in roles such as these, though less glamorous than Etudes and Puck. From there we'll have to see what Jaffe programs for the next Met season. I wonder if she'll dust off more classics or bring back some ballets that we haven't seen in years. Besides the obvious (Basilio, Albrecht - in the future...) I can easily see him in Cinderella, La Fille, even T&V. He's killing everything that's being thrown at him now so I wouldn't be surprised if we see another big debut then.

I'm hoping for Onegin or Manon next summer at the Met. The secondary roles of Lensky or Lescaut might be possibilities for Roxander. Simkin also does Lensky and would be very welcome as a guest. I wonder how much partnering he learned in the studio company.

[matilda]

Of course Roxander needs, and will acquire, more experience in partnering, but I found his partnering mostly solid in Piano Concerto and Etudes the other night given his lack of experience and the difficulty of the roles. 

Not so long ago, Roman Mejia popped onto the scene at NYCB as a young technical whiz, was given some difficult partnering challenges early on (with a few fumbles, like in his debut of Allegro Brillante), but he's improved drastically in that area in a relatively short span of time. 

Roxander is clearly a hard worker and seems ambitious so I'm confident he'll continue honing his partnering skills. He has great potential partners in Brandt and Coker in particular. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by matilda