Chloe Misseldine

[Buddy]

“One Enchanted Evening"

Chloe Misseldine

American Ballet Theatre

MRR  July 4, 2023 — Ballet Alert!

“Chloe Misseldine at 21 has authority and presence beyond her years:  she seems straight out of an Elizabethan court.  The power of her stance, eyes, and simple outstretch of an arm give her a mystical elegance.  Her interpretation isn't especially detailed, yet, but already she shows just the tiniest sense of vulnerability in an otherwise cold, imperious aura, making you wonder of the Myrtha before her betrayal.  I had no problem with her bourrees; however, she suffered somewhat jittery penchees and jagged transitions of her epaulement, perhaps due to the fast tempo.  Her solo with the grand jetes was largely excellent with clean entrechat six and less clean six de voile.  The manege of saut de basque were like a gust of wind bursting around the stage.  Much as I was concerned for the age/experience gap of Teuscher and Misseldine, I had no reason to, and Misseldine had no problem commanding her wilis.  Already convinced she would have a major career based on her pas de trois last year, I found today's performance just as auspicious.”

https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/47588-abt-giselle-met-2023/

Myrtha

 

The most Personality I’ve ever seen in a Lausanne competition.

More comments hopefully on the way.

Thanks very much to Balletlover08 (Ballet Alert!) for mentioning her to me.

Edited March 3 by Buddy
"Myrtha" added,

[California]

5 hours ago, Buddy said:

Chloe Misseldine at 21 has authority and presence beyond her years: ...

 

Thanks for this. Very smart of Jaffe to pair Misseldine (now 22) with Aran Bell (now 25) for her first Swan Lake. I'm thinking this could be a partnership for a generation, rather than having her learn this with someone on the verge of retirement. 

[Buddy]

Thanks, California. I’d like to get back to your comment and the Swan Lake performance at another time.

Hi, MRR (from Houston), if you happen to read this. One of the things that you wrote in the quote above has stopped me in my tracks. That sounds sort of Texan, doesn’t it ?  😊

You wrote:

“Her interpretation isn't especially detailed, yet, but already she shows just the tiniest sense of vulnerability in an otherwise cold, imperious aura, making you wonder of the Myrtha before her betrayal.”

This brings me back to the very beginning of my ballet history (as a fan). Somewhere in a summary of the first Giselle video that I ever saw, someone says something to effect that at the end when the Wilis have left one person remains behind. I thought that it was Myrtha. Having seen her kneel to the rising sun, and not having been sure of her departure (she’s the last to leave), I thought that she had been won over by Giselle’s goodness. She remains behind with Giselle. I’ve not thought about it for a long time, but I still love this idea.

You’ve suggested that Chloe Misseldine is capable of lovely nuancing. I would guess that she is also. I’ve seen what I consider to be sympathetic interpretations of Gamzatti (La Baydere) and loveable Odiles (Swan Lake). I look forward to seeing what she could do with these and others.

Added:  Looking at the Myrtha rehearsal video posted above, I can see a touching softening of motion, highlighting and facial expression.

 

Edited March 4 by Buddy
"Added"

[Buddy]

Balletlover08, who discovered Chloe Misseldine for me yesterday, which sent me at the speed of light to start this topic, had this and much more to say about her Swan Lake debut.    

“Both Chloe and Aran received tons of well deserved applause and Chloe looked almost overwhelmed by it all at the curtain call. What a magnificent debut and I have no regrets about traveling to see it. It fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine to see Swan Lake in person so I am extremely satisfied. I am hoping to get to the Met in future seasons, if every cast danced like this I would see Swan Lake yearly.”(Feb. 24)

Also,Hippolyta:

“I attended Chloe Misseldine’s debut this afternoon. She was stunning. The sold out theatre was absolutely rapt during the Act II pas de deux with Aran Bell and then broke into wild applause at the end. Her performance had emotional nuance, beautiful phrasing and line (gorgeous arms and back), and was technically assured. She and Bell were terrific together. It was a star turn.”

And Theo:

“As Hippolyta mentioned earlier in this thread, "She was stunning. The sold out theatre was absolutely rapt during the Act II pas de deux with Aran Bell and then broke into wild applause at the end. " There was a lot of enthusiastic  applause throughout the performance and everybody around me, myself included just kept whispering "wow".  I found her performance nuanced and her interpretation to be honest,  very well acted, and beautifully  danced.   She is the whole package.

She was heading out for a walk as we were going into our hotel. I could not help but say hello and tell her how magnificent we thought she was.  She was so genuinely grateful and gracious.  I think I started to gush a little, but she returned it.  She said that she had a great time on stage and that she was so grateful for the support of the people who come to see the performances.  What a lovely, lovely, person.”

All the Ballet Alert! reviews can be seen here. Really hope to write about one of her Swan Lakes myself someday.

https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/47889-abt-swan-lake-at-kennedy-center-2024/page/3/#comment-452095

Added: Speaking of gushing about her, Theo, I haven’t even started yet and I’ve only seen a handful of videos clips and comments.

Edited March 4 by Buddy
"Added" added

[mille-feuille]

She is perhaps my favorite ABT lady! I can't wait to see her dance O/O in New York. 💖🦢

[Buddy]

49 minutes ago, mille-feuille said:

She is perhaps my favorite ABT lady! I can't wait to see her dance O/O in New York. 💖🦢

Why ? — Maybe this will help explain.

The power of her stance, eyes, and simple outstretch of an arm give her a mystical elegance. (MRR)

Her performance had emotional nuance, beautiful phrasing and line (gorgeous arms and back), and was technically assured. (Hippolyta)  

I found her performance nuanced and her interpretation to be honest, very well acted, and beautifully danced. She is the whole package. (Theo)

The lifts in the pas de deux were magnificent, she seemed to float in the air for an extended time, heard lots of gasps in the audience and they also did supported pirouettes that seemed ages long. Also, Chloe has great arabesques, she really knows how to make them a moment and essentially freezes at the pinnacle. Cast her immediately in anything that requires lots of arabesques. Being tall, she has beautiful lines and a great port de bras. I didn't notice too many broken wrist moments but I might have been too far to see clearly. (Balletlover08)

Enchanting combination of reaching out and focussing with wonderfully statuesque positioning. (much in agreement with MRR)  Also highly impressed with her beautiful ‘spin-arounds’ in attitude as seen in the second video above (1:15 and 1:30) (Me)

With her polished technique, expressive visage and seemingly endless classical lines, Misseldine exudes elegance both onstage and in the studio. (Point Magazine)

Edited March 4 by Buddy
added second sentence to my description

[balletlover08]

1 hour ago, mille-feuille said:

She is perhaps my favorite ABT lady! I can't wait to see her dance O/O in New York. 💖🦢

Oh it's going to be such a treat for you! She was amazing in her O/O debut at Kennedy Center. 

Also, she posts quite a lot on stories/reels so you can get a real feel for her dancing. I'm curious to see more swan lake snippets and Tatiana ones as she rehearses for them. 

I think it would be fun to speculate what principal roles she will dance next. I'm guessing Juliet (there should be one spot opening up soon from Gillian). 

[Buddy]

Thanks, Balletlover08, for the added video suggestions. Glancing through, I’ve had some glimpses of something that I think is quite wonderful. It might relate to what Theo wrote:  “I found her performance nuanced and her interpretation to be honest….”  It’s probably a natural gift that can’t be taught. It’s her ability to create a heartwarming, Totally Natural Reality, especially in her portrayals, that’s never been seen before in ballet. 

 

 

 

Edited March 4 by Buddy

[theo]

16 hours ago, Buddy said:

Added: Speaking of gushing about her, Theo, I haven’t even started yet and I’ve only seen a handful of videos clips and comments.

Buddy, I look forward to reading what you write about Chloe and I agree with Balletlover08, it will be fun to speculate on new roles for her.  I think she would be a lovely Juliet! I think that role is a must for her.

[Buddy]

Thanks, Theo.

In further regard to her ability to present ‘heartwarming, Totally Natural Reality’, I think that you can get a glimpse of it here. About a third of the way into the video she’s lifted forward by her partner. From here until the point where she’s set down and gives sort of a forced smile, I think that you might be able to sense it most.

https://www.instagram.com/chloemisseldine/reel/C1ScHNPgfT8/

It relates to this comment by Marina Harss that I’ve posted before.

“I was even more surprised by how moved I was by the final piece on the program, Wheeldon’s The Two of Us, for Sara Mearns and David Hallberg….I’ve never seen a more sincere, open-hearted, grounded work from Wheeldon. Or such natural performances from these dancers, particularly Hallberg.”

I felt that this performance reached a new level of natural honesty and is a quality that all performers and creators should strive for. Although it’s now a distant memory, I would say that Cloe Misseldine is possibly capable of going even beyond this performance.

[Buddy]

I just got back and went to the Instagram clip in the previous post. It’s so lovely.

What made me write again are the little children in the background. They’re always a reality check. There’s one slightly older girl in a striped costume who appears about halfway sitting on a large box. She seems spellbound by the performance. I don’t know which I love more, her just sitting there or Chloe Misseldine’s dancing. She was probably just like this young girl a few years earlier. For me, the young girl’s rapt attention is a wonderful confirmation of the beauty in this performance.

[Buddy]

To follow up for a moment on my previous post, it seems to me that a little child lives naturally in a fantasy world, one of beautiful wonder. It’s also one very much their own, their primary focus. Our adult beauty is a learned beauty to a certain extent, very valid but somewhat different.

At least one comment that I’ve read about Cloe Misseldine says that she has an artistry and maturity beyond her age. [ It was MRR (first quote in this topic), “Chloe Misseldine at 21 has authority and presence beyond her years"]  Theo’s comment gives an insight:

“She was heading out for a walk as we were going into our hotel. I could not help but say hello and tell her how magnificent we thought she was.  She was so genuinely grateful and gracious. I think I started to gush a little, but she returned it. She said that she had a great time on stage and that she was so grateful for the support of the people who come to see the performances. What a lovely, lovely, person.”

She’s already a great artist and, in a sense, still a lovely child. When I first attended a Mariinsky reception I was touched with how young many of these remarkable artists actually were.

The young girl that I mentioned in my previous post isn’t the only child backstage who’s attention is caught and sustained, not an easy feat. This beautiful performance, to some extent, is bringing their dreamworld to life. A beautiful fairytale princess (and prince) is actually coming into view before their very eyes. How wonderful it must be !  Cloe Misseldine seems to be an artist that can make this happen.

When we see great artists, who are also still children in a way, this is something to be valued and encouraged. It’s also something to keep in mind when we create and observe great art  —

the child’s world of heartwarming wonder.

And, probably, the more we can live in that world the better.  😊

 

Edited March 5 by Buddy
last sentence added

[theo]

Chloe just posted a few really nice photos from her Swan Lake performance on her Instagram.  It brought me right back there. She really was magnificent!  

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4HUiwKgAz0/?img_index=4

[MRR]

Thanks for starting this thread, Buddy.

I first saw Chloe in the Swan Lake pas de trois at the MET: July 5th, 2022.  During the two minutes of her solo, I made a snap judgment that she was going to have a "big" career and whenever she danced Odette/Odile, I would be there.  Missed the D.C. debut as tickets had already sold out, but I am determined to catch her performance in NY.

I wrote this at the time:

Quote

Chloe Misseldine was luminous; her variation one of the best parts of the whole evening.  Each step seemed to bring her joy, with fleeting footwork and extra revolutions in pirouettes that seemed to come out of nowhere.  She has potential to go very far. 

Edited March 6 by MRR