abatt Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Yes, great timing. Hope they can settle in time for the KC engagement. Link to comment
Buddy Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 I do too, Abatt. I was going to add this last night but my computer wouldn't let me: My memories from the NYC Swan Lake two summers ago would make Devon Teuscher a must see ! Link to comment
stuben Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 On 2/7/2024 at 10:55 AM, MarzipanShepherdess said: AGMA just posted on Instagram that ABT's artists have authorized a strike, with 95% of the artists voting in favor. Good timing what with the sold-out KC run of Swan Lake, which the post mentions is now in jeopardy. Hoping for a speedy and just resolution for the dancers! I wonder what is going to happen to the DC shows since it seems a strike is imminent based on these articles that AGMA has been posting, looks like word is spreading. I wish the dancers and stage managers good luck and management understands without them the stage will be empty! I did what the dancers have asked audiences to do, I called and told them I would not purchase any tickets to their shows until their management agreed to put the money where it is most needed - dancers and stage managers! I hope more of us here will do likewise - to support this effort. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/american-ballet-theatre-dancers-and-stage-managers-voted-to-strike https://dailyfreepress.com/2024/02/14/let-us-not-forget-what-we-live-for/ Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 3 hours ago, stuben said: I wonder what is going to happen to the DC shows since it seems a strike is imminent based on these articles that AGMA has been posting, looks like word is spreading. I wish the dancers and stage managers good luck and management understands without them the stage will be empty! I did what the dancers have asked audiences to do, I called and told them I would not purchase any tickets to their shows until their management agreed to put the money where it is most needed - dancers and stage managers! I hope more of us here will do likewise - to support this effort. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/american-ballet-theatre-dancers-and-stage-managers-voted-to-strike https://dailyfreepress.com/2024/02/14/let-us-not-forget-what-we-live-for/ Thank you, stuben, for posting these links. The teen vogue article is especially eye opening. Quotes from dancers Basmagy and Williams and a few anonymous dancers were both informative and disturbing to read. Anyone who wants more information about what is at stake and what the dancers have been dealing with should read this. Link to comment
stuben Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 15 minutes ago, ABT Fan said: Thank you, stuben, for posting these links. The teen vogue article is especially eye opening. Quotes from dancers Basmagy and Williams and a few anonymous dancers were both informative and disturbing to read. Anyone who wants more information about what is at stake and what the dancers have been dealing with should read this. Indeed disturbing and I would think this should be an embarrassment to the upper management and even the board! I also just saw this on Dance Edit (not sure if anyone subscribes to this) and in the same breath Dance Edit announced the $60M that SFB just received! Now why can't ABT have a generous board like the West Coast?! And if they do get significant funding then they should realize without dancers or stage managers there would be nobody on stage! Link to comment
California Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 1 hour ago, stuben said: Now why can't ABT have a generous board like the West Coast?! And if they do get significant funding then they should realize without dancers or stage managers there would be nobody on stage! David Koch was a major benefactor for ABT, but he died in 2019. He left a widow and two children, but I never see their names on the major donors lists at ABT (or NYCB). Link to comment
Becki Lee Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Is Katie Williams leaving?! Katie’s Instagram Link to comment
California Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 14 minutes ago, Becki Lee said: Is Katie Williams leaving?! Katie’s Instagram Williams was in the corps for 10 years and has been a soloist for 6. At a certain point, people must come to the conclusion that they will never make principal or become a star and it's time to think about what comes next. https://www.abt.org/people/katherine-williams/?type=performer Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Gosh, this is surprising and sad news. I was so fond of her dancing. She’s been a strong and reliable dancer for many years and I thought she had at least a handful left. But, she must be ready for another chapter now (I hope it’s her decision). Frankly, I’d rather see a few other long time soloists leave instead. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted February 17 Share Posted February 17 Here’s a clip of Misseldine’s first studio run through of Act II. Her port de bras are exquisite. Whoever gets to see her in DC, you’re so lucky. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3dxkSRgmiX/?igsh=MXJqdTYyY3RmdWJsaA== Link to comment
balletlover08 Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 On 2/17/2024 at 5:11 PM, ABT Fan said: Here’s a clip of Misseldine’s first studio run through of Act II. Her port de bras are exquisite. Whoever gets to see her in DC, you’re so lucky. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3dxkSRgmiX/?igsh=MXJqdTYyY3RmdWJsaA== She uses her neck and side profile so beautifully! I like her interpretation of Odette so far, and I can't wait to see it fully on Friday. I will report back afterwards! Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 3 hours ago, balletlover08 said: She uses her neck and side profile so beautifully! I like her interpretation of Odette so far, and I can't wait to see it fully on Friday. I will report back afterwards! Yes, please! Look forward to your thoughts. Link to comment
YouOverThere Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 (edited) The KC will be selling standing room (according to a box office attendant), though only after all returned tickets are resold. I lucked into a free ticket (a seat, not standing room) for opening night. Na-na-na-Na-na. Isabella Boylston nailed the fouettes. Edited February 22 by YouOverThere Link to comment
lacdescygnes Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 I was there last night as well. Surprised (pleasantly) to see James Whiteside in the audience. Very solid show overall. The corps looked great, especially Lauren Post. It was my first time seeing Daniel Camargo and he didn't disappoint - beautiful clean lines, good jumps and he conveyed the emotion of Siegfried well. I wish I could say the same thing about Isabella Boylston - technically she's strong, yes she nailed the fouettés, but she is neither musical nor a particularly good actress so her performance was quite blank. Costumes and sets are luxurious and always a treat to see. Ballroom scene was especially nice, although I found Jose Sebastian more campy than scary as purple Rothbart. Nice to get a glimpse of Jake Roxander in Neapolitan. Link to comment
Tapfan Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 5 hours ago, lacdescygnes said: I was there last night as well. Surprised (pleasantly) to see James Whiteside in the audience. Very solid show overall. The corps looked great, especially Lauren Post. It was my first time seeing Daniel Camargo and he didn't disappoint - beautiful clean lines, good jumps and he conveyed the emotion of Siegfried well. I wish I could say the same thing about Isabella Boylston - technically she's strong, yes she nailed the fouettés, but she is neither musical nor a particularly good actress so her performance was quite blank. Costumes and sets are luxurious and always a treat to see. Ballroom scene was especially nice, although I found Jose Sebastian more campy than scary as purple Rothbart. Nice to get a glimpse of Jake Roxander in Neapolitan. Did Roxander perform Neopolitan with Takumi Miyake? They both have lovely, clean technique and explosive jumps which should complement each other nicely. Link to comment
lacdescygnes Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 1 hour ago, Tapfan said: Did Roxander perform Neopolitan with Takumi Miyake? They both have lovely, clean technique and explosive jumps which should complement each other nicely. Yes. They were very well matched. Link to comment
MoMo Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 13 minutes ago, lacdescygnes said: Yes. They were very well matched. Jake posted their rehearsal on his Instagram. They looked great. And Takumi is just an apprentice! Marvelous, high jumps! Link to comment
nysusan Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 On 2/20/2024 at 6:30 PM, balletlover08 said: She uses her neck and side profile so beautifully! I like her interpretation of Odette so far, and I can't wait to see it fully on Friday. I will report back afterwards! On 2/20/2024 at 9:33 PM, ABT Fan said: Yes, please! Look forward to your thoughts. So do I. They have the casting online in the digital program and what a cast for tomorrow's matinee! Bell with Misseldine, Curley as VR and Crispino/Gonzales in the Neopolitan. Can't wait to hear what you think of it. Link to comment
YouOverThere Posted February 23 Author Share Posted February 23 (edited) 3 takeaways from the Thursday performance: - Devon Teuscher is a near-perfect Odette/Odile. - If Jake Roxander learns to jump any higher, he's going to need a parachute. - The Devon Teuscher/Joo Won Ahn pairing is less than ideal. Edited February 23 by YouOverThere Link to comment
abatt Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 8 hours ago, YouOverThere said: 3 takeaways from the Thursday performance: - Devon Teuscher is a near-perfect Odette/Odile. - If Jake Roxander learns to jump any higher, he's going to need a parachute. - The Devon Teuscher/Joo Won Ahn pairing is less than ideal. Ahn is a disappointment regardless of who he is paired with. Link to comment
matilda Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 This phenomenon has been discussed at length here, but ABT has an unfortunate pattern of pairing great ballerinas with not-so-great (or past their prime) male principals, or vice versa. It's been mentioned that Cassandra Trenary is rehearsing Kitri per her Instagram, in the ABT studios. Of course this could be for an upcoming guest performance, but it's very possible the ballet will be back at the Met in 2025. Not many prime Basilios to choose from if so. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 44 minutes ago, matilda said:It's been mentioned that Cassandra Trenary is rehearsing Kitri per her Instagram, in the ABT studios. Of course this could be for an upcoming guest performance, but it's very possible the ballet will be back at the Met in 2025. Not many prime Basilios to choose from if so. If she’s getting ready for next year she could be paired with Roxander who will (should!) at least be a soloist by then. Link to comment
Caballetfan Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 1 hour ago, matilda said: This phenomenon has been discussed at length here, but ABT has an unfortunate pattern of pairing great ballerinas with not-so-great (or past their prime) male principals, or vice versa. It's been mentioned that Cassandra Trenary is rehearsing Kitri per her Instagram, in the ABT studios. Of course this could be for an upcoming guest performance, but it's very possible the ballet will be back at the Met in 2025. Not many prime Basilios to choose from if so. Agree about the lackluster male principals and uneven parter dynamic! See also the Schevchenko/Royal pairing… Trenary did a similar thing with Swan Lake (I.e., rehearsing O/O in the studio in anticipation of landing her first O/O, and posting on socials for us all to speculate, ha) a while back before SL was announced - can’t remember which run/season that was. And then after she didn’t get cast she stopped rehearsing it. Wonder if this is a similar situation for DQ… Link to comment
DPell Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 (edited) Was anyone at Misseldine’s debut? Edited February 24 by DPell Link to comment
LIslandArts Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 I attended tonight’s show—Seo/Stearns, Sebastian for Von Rothbart, McBride Lall and Frenette for the pas de trois. A marvelous show all around, as I was grateful to watch ABT at the Kennedy Center after these unpleasantries with their contract negations & AGMA. The company seems rejuvenated and fresh from the last time I saw Swan Lake at the Met. The corps was precise and the character dances in the third act were particularly better. More vigor and prominence. Stearns was noble and princely as ever, Seo was the pristine swan queen she always has been (though her Black Swan will always be a tad weaker than other ABT ballerinas). Being said, it’s no overstatement when I say tonight’s show belongs to Frenette. His Benno continues to improve every time I see him. His partnering of his ladies Betsy & Erica (a beautiful pairing! Natural radiance and lovely technique) reminded me of a young Robert Hill. This man is a PRINCE, one of true quality this company has been missing. Nothing held him back, and the stage itself belonged to him every time he graced it. My guest & I were in awe during the intermission, and many others as well. His promotion to soloist has been long overdue, but I dare say tonight he earned his eventual principal spot as well. I have not seen Takumi Miyake live before, only recently discovering him from a trending video of his Royal Ballet School showcase of Raymonda. Another exemplary young man in the company! Susan Jaffe certainly has her hands full of talent, and I only hope she manages them better than Kevin did. Also, I find the stark white of the ladies’ swan tutus to be off putting and too cold. There are many warm tones and hues to Zack Brown’s production and the cold stark white doesn’t fit. Are these new costumes, or my deteriorating eyesight?! Needless to say it was a fantastic evening and I look very forward to seeing the company in a few weeks in Costa Mesa. Link to comment
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