Nutcracker 2023

[ABT Fan]

30 minutes ago, cassieallison said:

I saw on Tiler Peck's insta that she's only doing 2 Dewdrops and 1 Sugarplum all season. I know they allow principals to guest, but shouldn't thee first duty be to the company?

I don't know her guesting schedule, but since her father passed away a few weeks ago it's possible she wants to spend as much as time as possible in CA with the rest of her family during the holidays.

[Tapfan]

On 11/22/2023 at 9:58 AM, Fernie M said:

Just happened to glance, week three casting is up. Debut of Bradley as Dewdrop! I am quite certain she’s going to be exquisite in this. Wish I could see it.

What a shockingly pleasant surprise.

[Papagena]

1 hour ago, cassieallison said:

I saw on Tiler Peck's insta that she's only doing 2 Dewdrops and 1 Sugarplum all season. I know they allow principals to guest, but shouldn't thee first duty be to the company?

I believe that it's acknowledged and accepted amongst NYCB management that in-demand principals use this time to make some extra $$ in paid appearances elsewhere, thus opening space for debuts, soloists and corps members testing out principal roles. I think the trend of top company primas guesting at smaller regional companies is great. It shares the wealth of talent we are privileged to have in counties where it is not as abundant. 

It's not like ABT, where principals get a very limited number of performances, and thus ABT dancers sort of need these shows in a way NYCB dancers do not.   

I think there was quote from Martins or someone else high in the ranks about how it's expected that principals are leaving to guest in other Nutcrackers - not sure where I read this, however. 

Edited November 26, 2023 by Papagena

[matilda]

2 hours ago, cassieallison said:

I saw on Tiler Peck's insta that she's only doing 2 Dewdrops and 1 Sugarplum all season. I know they allow principals to guest, but shouldn't thee first duty be to the company?

When did she post that? I only see this post and nothing from her latest stories. Are you sure she didn't mean that those are the only performances that have been announced so far? The dancers never post their schedules (or even know them for that matter) until the two-week-before-performance timeframe.  

[Helene]

She has a link in the Instagram bio to her upcoming schedule, which lists three performances:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ljmlTBTrbSTgbMl2zZwLwucKfEER95OtLsjiQ3P714s/edit?pli=1

which would be a good thing to track as the season goes on.

As @matilda posted, the schedules for the rest of the season aren't out yet.  Some dancers don't post anything until the official dates are up.

However, sometimes dancers do know what they are rehearsing and will be cast in at some point, even if they don't know the dates, and have posted photos and hints/details to their social media.  Also, in some companies -- confirmed through Q&A's -- dancers discuss offers they've had to guest at other companies and seek/get permission pretty far in advance, because they need to be able to sign contracts, or not.   Often there are articles in local newspapers, which are posted in our Links forum, that announce the guests before those dates appear on the official home company cast lists.  But the dancers know, at least, when they are *not* dancing.

Nutcracker season is rife with these, because it's not just an opportunity for dancers to make extra money: there are many dancers who guest at their former schools' productions.  Pre-pandemic, many of these were the weekend or two weekends before Christmas, depending on when the holiday falls.  I havven't followed closely to see if this has changed.  (I'll be watching online.)

Unlike local pre-professional school based independent companies, even big ones like Goh Balllet, which rely on guests, big company Nutcracker sales aren't as sensitive to specific dancers, as the market goes way beyond company followers to families who will buy tickets when it's convenient to go and tourists, who generally will either buy before casting comes out to be sure to have tickets or will take their chances when they get there.  And if they get tickets, changes are great that they will see many great performances, no matter what the ranks of the cast.

[BalanchineFan]

On 11/26/2023 at 3:40 PM, cassieallison said:

I saw on Tiler Peck's insta that she's only doing 2 Dewdrops and 1 Sugarplum all season. I know they allow principals to guest, but shouldn't thee first duty be to the company?

Most Nutcracker audiences don’t care about casting, buy tickets in August or September and couldn’t tell you who danced SPF or Dewdrop if their lives depended on it. Since principals can make a lot of money guesting they often get time off to guest during Nutcracker. 

I think it’s an excellent practice for NYCB, where the Nutcracker season is 50-60 performances long. It allows for debuts at NYCB and helps promote ballet across the country, increasing the smaller companies’ star power and earning power. 

And NYCB has a deep bench!

The quote is from a NY Times article, 2015. Peter Martins. 

Edited November 27, 2023 by BalanchineFan

[DPell]

Chun Wai Chan and Tiler Peck will be guesting in Connecticut Ballet’s Nutcracker at The Palace Theatre in Stamford December 16 at 2 & 6 PM. https://www.instagram.com/p/C0KAcWXsrSt/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[BalanchineFan]

On 11/26/2023 at 5:21 PM, Papagena said:

I believe that it's acknowledged and accepted amongst NYCB management that in-demand principals use this time to make some extra $$ in paid appearances elsewhere, thus opening space for debuts, 

I think there was quote from Martins or someone else high in the ranks about how it's expected that principals are leaving to guest in other Nutcrackers - not sure where I read this, however. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/24/arts/dance/the-nutcracker-gives-young-dancers-a-spotlight-role.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
‘The Nutcracker’ Gives Young Dancers a Spotlight Role

Edited November 28, 2023 by BalanchineFan

[tutu]

Has Alexa Maxwell done a turn as SPF yet?  I’d love to see her in the role.

[cobweb]

13 minutes ago, tutu said:

Has Alexa Maxwell done a turn as SPF yet?  I’d love to see her in the role.

I was wondering the same! Also, has she done Dewdrop? I can see her being wonderful in both. 

[abatt]

Looking at her bio, Maxwell has not done Dewdrop or SPF.

Edited November 28, 2023 by abatt

[BalanchineFan]

I think she has a Dewdrop scheduled, tho. No, sorry, it’s Coffee. I’d love to see her dance that too!

[Fleurfairy]

The lack of dynamic casting for Nutcracker under Stafford/Whelan is truly perplexing. What is there to lose by trying some promising corps dancers in SPF/Dewdrop/Cavalier? Most of the audience just wants to have an evening at the ballet with their kids and could care less who is cast and the NYCB diehards would love to see some up and comers given the opportunities. 

[matilda]

Well, in a strange twist of events, someone from Dance Theatre of Harlem is guesting as Dewdrop for at least two shows: https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1701273326/Documents/Casting/NYCB_Casting_Dec_12-17_2023.pdf

I don't understand the logic of this when there are so many talented corps ladies ready for bigger things. Are they testing her out as a potential recruitment? 

[cobweb]

6 minutes ago, matilda said:

Well, in a strange twist of events, someone from Dance Theatre of Harlem is guesting as Dewdrop for at least two shows: https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1701273326/Documents/Casting/NYCB_Casting_Dec_12-17_2023.pdf

I don't understand the logic of this when there are so many talented corps ladies ready for bigger things. Are they testing her out as a potential recruitment? 

How odd! Has this ever been done before, to anyone's memory? I does seem disappointing, when there are so many corps ladies already who we would love to see as Dewdrop. 

[FPF]

This is apparently part of the 75th anniversary celebration. Here is an article about this and a number of other guest artists who will be appearing with NYCB this year: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Terrence-Mann-More-to-Join-New-York-City-Ballets-75th-Anniversary-Performances-20231128

[abatt]

Very perplexing.  Martins used to invite guest artists, but they were famous stars from major ballet companies.  I might have seen the LaFr./Bolden Nut, but I have no interest in seeing an unknown Dew who is not even part of the company.  

This caught my eye from the above press release, though:

The 2024 Spring Season will feature Gillian Murphy and Aran Bell from American Ballet Theatre who will perform Jerome Robbins’ Other Dances.  

 

I'm there!

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by abatt

[bingham]

19 minutes ago, abatt said:

Very perplexing.  Martins used to invite guest artists, but they were famous stars from major ballet companies.  I might have seen the LaFr./Bolden Nut, but I have no interest in seeing an unknown Dew who is not even part of the company.  

This caught my eye from the above press release, though:

The 2024 Spring Season will feature Gillian Murphy and Aran Bell from American Ballet Theatre who will perform Jerome Robbins’ Other Dances.  

 

I'm there!

 

I hope NYCB won’t keep Aran for good…

[Helene]

Thank you for the link, FPF.  I didn’t know that Ashton Edward’s was performing.  

For the 1993 Balanchine Celebration, Martins invited Elizabeth Loscavio from San Francisco Ballet (Who Cares?) and Patricia Barker (Apollo) from Pacific Northwest Ballet from the US Children of Balanchine companies.  My apologies if I’ve forgotten someone. Edited to add: Ronald Perry from Dance Theatre of Harlem (Who cares?)  and Jeremy Collins of ABT — I’d forgotten the men! That was a four-part celebration, with lunch and dinner and desert in between, and I don’t think that kind of marathon has been repeated, hence distributed guesting this season.

Also, PNB’s Noelani Pantastico and Lucien Postlewaite guested with NYCB in one movement of a Balanchine ballet, maybe Brahms Schoenberg? Since it was before Pantastico left to dance with Maillot, that might have been a 50th or 55th Anniversary guest performance. (I think she was in Monte Carlo for the 60th). Surely there have been other examples over the years of planned invitations, aside from Royal Danish Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, and Paris Opera Ballet dancers.

[FauxPas]

Circa 1993, right after having a huge success in the unsuccessful "The Red Shoes" musical on Broadway, National Ballet of Canada ballerina Margaret Illmann (Australian born) was invited to dance "The Red Shoes" ballet by Lar Lubovitch (excerpted from the show) at NYCB.  Illmann also stayed to dance "Symphony in C".  She didn't stay after that season.

Edited November 29, 2023 by FauxPas

[cobweb]

1 hour ago, abatt said:

The 2024 Spring Season will feature Gillian Murphy and Aran Bell from American Ballet Theatre who will perform Jerome Robbins’ Other Dances.  

 

Wow, I missed that. Not sure how I feel about this. I like the NYCB dancers I know and love! Why do we need these guest artists when we already have an entire company of great dancers? On the other hand, Chun Wai Chan and Jovani Furlan have turned out to be thrilling additions to the company. For the guest Dewdrop, best case scenario is that she's really, really good. But how about the following as Dewdrop: Corti, MT MacKinnon, Afanasenkov, Sautter, Collett, or getting into very new corps members, Allegra Inch? 

[abatt]

46 minutes ago, bingham said:

I hope NYCB won’t keep Aran for good…

I hope they do.  Bell is scheduled for only two lead roles in the ABT spring schedule.  He would develop much more by having more opportunities to perform.  I hope he jumps ship and goes to NYCB.

[matilda]

33 minutes ago, abatt said:

I hope they do.  Bell is scheduled for only two lead roles in the ABT spring schedule.  He would develop much more by having more opportunities to perform.  I hope he jumps ship and goes to NYCB.

While that would be a massive loss for ABT given their weak male roster, and Bell is so good in those big classics, I agree that he would really shine at NYCB. Just imagine what a great partner he could be for tall ballerinas like Mearns, Nadon, and LaFreniere, and in virtuoso classical ballets like T&V, Diamonds, Symphony in C, Stars and Stripes, Tchaikovsky pas de Deux...

[mille-feuille]

37 minutes ago, abatt said:

I hope they do.  Bell is scheduled for only two lead roles in the ABT spring schedule.  He would develop much more by having more opportunities to perform.  I hope he jumps ship and goes to NYCB.

Hear, hear!

[Fernie M]

1 hour ago, cobweb said:

Wow, I missed that. Not sure how I feel about this. I like the NYCB dancers I know and love! Why do we need these guest artists when we already have an entire company of great dancers? On the other hand, Chun Wai Chan and Jovani Furlan have turned out to be thrilling additions to the company. For the guest Dewdrop, best case scenario is that she's really, really good. But how about the following as Dewdrop: Corti, MT MacKinnon, Afanasenkov, Sautter, Collett, or getting into very new corps members, Allegra Inch? 

Agree completely RE Dewdrop casting (guest). so many talented dancers in the company, and they don’t seem to be giving them the opportunity to dance these roles. I was surprised Nadon is not dancing SPF/Dew more. Perhaps she’s guesting somewhere.