FPF Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 As per ABT email, all have been promoted to soloist. Congratulations to all of them! Link to comment
aurora Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 American Ballet Theatre 2024 Dancer Promotions We are thrilled to announce this year's promotions! Jarod Curley, Carlos Gonzalez, and Jake Roxander have been promoted to the rank of Soloist. The promotions, announced today by ABT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe, are effective immediately. Read the dancers' bios below and catch them during our upcoming 2024 Summer season at the Metropolitan Opera House from June 18–July 22! https://www.abt.org/2024-promotions-announced/ Link to comment
abatt Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Those three promotions are well deserved. Now let's find some good roles for these guys, and not the usual peasant pas. I may be in the minority, but I don't think Coker has demonstrated soloist quality work. Link to comment
MoMo Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Happy for the three promotions, which are deserved. Patrick Frenette needed to be promoted as well, in my opinion. Link to comment
balletlover08 Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Huge congratulations! All very well deserved. I think Roxander and Curley will both go far. When I saw Curley dance Von Rothbart at Kennedy Center he was amazing! Great acting and comedic timing. Everyone, also just loved him in the audience. I hope Takumi Miyaki also dances more Demi-soloist roles soon as I saw him as Neapolitan (next to Gonzalez I believe) and he was amazing! Great jumps and turns. I think there may be some future soloist promotions for the women also so perhaps Coker will be promoted there. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Hallelujah!!!! Congratulations to all three! Have to admit, my heart aches for Zimmi Coker, overlooked yet again, but there may not be room for another female soloist as there are quite a few. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 Amazing news!! Yes, let’s cast these guys in some new and big roles. I think Coker is more than ready. I feel so bad that she was overlooked again, but there may not room right now. Link to comment
matilda Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 I agree that Coker should be pushed up to soloist, probably Fanqi Li too among the women. I don't think either is any less talented than, say, Betsy McBride or Breanne Granlund, both of whom McKenzie promoted retiring. Or Luciana Paris, Katherine Williams, or Zhongjing Fang for that matter. Patrick Frenette has indicated via Instagram that he'll be dancing in Woolf Works, so maybe he's on the promotion track for the next round. Link to comment
Kamicos Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 1 hour ago, abatt said: Those three promotions are well deserved. Now let's find some good roles for these guys, and not the usual peasant pas. I may be in the minority, but I don't think Coker has demonstrated soloist quality work. I’m a tad surprised at this. Coker has barely done anything else but soloist and principal roles for the last 3 seasons before her injury, which is almost fully healed. She has more than proven her readiness many times over, IMO. Link to comment
abatt Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 McKenzie promoted a lot of people on his way out the door, some of whom are highly questionable. I'm referencing the soloist and principal level here. I'm glad Jaffe has not followed that example. Link to comment
Barbara Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 2 hours ago, MoMo said: Happy for the three promotions, which are deserved. Patrick Frenette needed to be promoted as well, in my opinion. Momo, I very much agree with you about Frenette and probably Andris Ischkuk (sp?) too imo. Link to comment
MoMo Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 1 hour ago, Barbara said: Momo, I very much agree with you about Frenette and probably Andris Ischkuk (sp?) too imo. Yes. Also agree with you on Andrei. Link to comment
DPell Posted March 13 Share Posted March 13 A well deserved congratulations to all three. Link to comment
Dale Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 Other news: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE WELCOMES BARRY HUGHSON AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEW YORK, NY (March 14, 2024) – American Ballet Theatre and Andrew Barth, Chairman of the Board of Governing Trustees, are delighted to announce Barry Hughson's appointment as the Company's new Executive Director, effective July 1, 2024. Hughson, known for his transformative leadership within the arts sector, joins ABT with an impressive track record from his previous tenure at The National Ballet of Canada, where he was pivotal in strengthening the company’s financial foundations and international stature. Hughson’s career is distinguished by his commitment to the arts, demonstrated through his strategic leadership roles at some of the most respected ballet companies, including the Boston Ballet and Atlanta Ballet. His achievements encompass a broad range of initiatives to expand audience engagement, enhance financial health, and foster artistic collaboration. At The National Ballet of Canada, he led significant projects that elevated the company’s profile and ensured its sustainability, underscoring his ability to merge artistic vision with operational excellence. Andrew Barth expressed his enthusiasm for Hughson’s appointment, emphasizing the alignment of his experience with ABT’s mission: “It is a great honor to welcome Barry Hughson to ABT. His commitment to the arts and his visionary leadership are exactly what ABT needs as we move forward. Barry's ability to balance artistic excellence with operational acumen promises an exciting new chapter for our beloved institution.” Susan Jaffe, Artistic Director, shared her anticipation of collaborating with Hughson: “What a profound honor it is for me to work alongside Barry as we chart ABT's future. His leadership and dedication to the arts will undoubtedly enrich our Company, furthering our commitment to excellence and innovation.” Barry Hughson shared his vision for ABT’s future: “ABT is an American treasure and holds an important place in dance history. It is a profound honor to help navigate post-pandemic challenges, pursue opportunities for growth, and protect a Company that I have loved from the time I was a young ballet student dreaming big dreams. I look forward to working with the exceptional team at ABT, Andrew Barth, and Susan Jaffe to continue the legacy of excellence and to introduce our remarkable artists to wider audiences. Together, we will write the next chapter in the storied history of this remarkable Company.” With Hughson, the Company looks forward to continuing its tradition of excellence and innovation in the world of ballet. For more details about Barry Hughson's professional journey and vision for American Ballet Theatre, please visit abt.org. ABOUT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE American Ballet Theatre is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 U.S. states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT’s repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America's National Ballet Company®. Link to comment
fondoffouettes Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 Their link to learn more about Barry Hughson and his vision for ABT just goes to ABT's homepage. And there's nothing more about him and his vision if you go to the ABT News page, either. Great job, ABT. Link to comment
aurora Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 23 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said: Their link to learn more about Barry Hughson and his vision for ABT just goes to ABT's homepage. And there's nothing more about him and his vision if you go to the ABT News page, either. Great job, ABT. https://www.abt.org/the-company/leadership/ Link to comment
California Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 Here's his bio from National Ballet of Canada, his current appointment: https://national.ballet.ca/Meet/Leadership-and-Artistic-Staff/Leadership/Barry-Hughson? Link to comment
its the mom Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 Seventh executive leadership role of his career. Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 (edited) He's in his tenth season with the National Ballet of Canada, and as far as I know, at least up until Covid-19, the company was posting budget surpluses every year. Edited March 14 by volcanohunter Link to comment
vagansmom Posted March 14 Share Posted March 14 ABT is lucky to have Barry. I've followed his career since he was a teenager. Barry has always been an organizational leader. He commits 100% and has a great record as executive director. He is also a wonderful human being. Link to comment
FauxPas Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 I think that being injured is a hindrance to promotion and that was what probably sidelined Zimmi Coker this time around. However, Katharine Williams is retiring and Luciana Paris and Zhong-Jing Fang (sadly) are near (or past) retirement age. So there is room to advance. Link to comment
Kamicos Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 48 minutes ago, FauxPas said: I think that being injured is a hindrance to promotion and that was what probably sidelined Zimmi Coker this time around. However, Katharine Williams is retiring and Luciana Paris and Zhong-Jing Fang (sadly) are near (or past) retirement age. So there is room to advance. Agreed. It just pains me to think that yet another deserving dancer is left behind. KM undeservedly, sidelined so many over his tenure or, worse, promoted them almost past their prime. Link to comment
MoMo Posted March 16 Share Posted March 16 3 hours ago, Kamicos said: Agreed. It just pains me to think that yet another deserving dancer is left behind. KM undeservedly, sidelined so many over his tenure or, worse, promoted them almost past their prime. And Soloist Blaine Hoven seldom is cast anymore. So that means that Patrick Frenette, Andrei Ischuck (sp) and other Corps. men will be cast in semi soloist roles, at Corps. salary/structure. Link to comment
Papagena Posted March 16 Share Posted March 16 (edited) 22 hours ago, FauxPas said: I think that being injured is a hindrance to promotion and that was what probably sidelined Zimmi Coker this time around. However, Katharine Williams is retiring and Luciana Paris and Zhong-Jing Fang (sadly) are near (or past) retirement age. So there is room to advance. This - Coker and another female corps member will probably be promoted together when Paris or Fang are out, and use this summer season to work out any post injury issues. Also ballet promotions are not dissimilar to promotions in any company or corporation, where they are not just based on someone deserving something, but also very much on need. With the women's ranks so packed, there just isn't room or need for another female soloist at the moment. The three men who were promoted were imo, the right choice and very much needed. They each cover a specific niche that ABT was sorely missing (Curley the tall danseur noble, Roxander the long-awaited star who fills the Siimkin void, Gonzales a reliable all-around asset who has a naturally warm and likable leading or secondary man presence). Promoting 5 men doesn't seem reasonable from a budget perspective. I'm still shocked Murphy did not opt to retire this year. Since Copeland is not retiring this year, 2024 would have given Murphy her the starring retirement treatment. That would also push Misseldine up and free up more space amongst the soloists. Edited March 16 by Papagena Link to comment
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