tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31608159303668327222024-03-14T08:15:08.133-04:00Reflections of a ballerinerd and other storiesReflections of a ballerinerd and other storiesrachelmarchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05511285151867930956noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-48472186761503707962017-02-23T16:40:00.003-05:002017-02-23T17:11:26.934-05:00Boston Ballet.....getting ready.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">So it's been almost 3 years since I
blogged....I found it was dampening my enjoyment of the ballet to critique and
complain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot has changed since then,
but not all for the better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><br />Since
then, my dream came true when American Ballet Theatre finally (finally!)
promoted the beautiful and gracious <b>Stella Abrera</b> to principal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then, <b>Yuriko Kajiya</b> and <b>Jared</b>
<b>Matthews</b> are now winning the west down in Houston. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>Maria Riccetto</b> was just nominated for a
Benois for her work down in Uruguay. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>Cedar
Lake</b> is no more (the saddest news of all), but at least <b>Ebony Williams</b>
is killing it dancing with Beyoncé.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">But
also in this time away, ABT has also promoted and given many performances to
other newer principals I can't bear to watch. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In many cases I'd rather watch a corps member
do a lead role than these dancers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
makes me sad and wistful for 2005-2007 when ABT was a shining cosmos of near
perfection. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Times have changed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Honestly,
that actually helped with my decision to escape New York City and venture back
north. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's been about six months now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I
miss the Joyce Theater and Lincoln Center. I miss City Center and Alvin Ailey. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss all the international theater companies
coming through. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss ABT - well, some
of the company anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very few touring
companies up here in New England. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Boston
Ballet</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">'s <b><i>Le
Corsaire</i></b> came too soon after my move, so I skipped it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn't ready to let new dancers into my
heart. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I may never be ready, actually,
as I've only seen one performance of <i>Corsaire</i> since the a-ma-zing night <b>Ethan
Stiefel</b> retired. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can't imagine any
four principals ever coming close to that night.) The upcoming presentation by <b>Boston
Ballet</b> (Forsythe/Artifact) doesn't tempt me much, so I'm waiting for the
Kylián/Wings of Wax program at the end of March to venture into new waters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've already got tickets to see their <b>Sleeping
Beauty</b> in April though, and then hoping to make it to New York for at least
a couple of ABT performances. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Haglund
would say, the Stella Acela is ready and waiting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as long as <b>Alessandra Ferri</b>
continues to dance, I will continue to find a way to be there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">I
know a little about Boston Ballet, and grew up watching their Nutcracker, but
not enough yet to have any opinion. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone have any thoughts to share?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Shall
I be a ballerinerd once again? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0Boston, MA, USA42.3600825 -71.0588801000000141.984348999999995 -71.704327100000015 42.735816 -70.4134331tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-16487706682278535912014-04-20T11:16:00.000-04:002014-04-20T11:18:52.129-04:00Burying the lead....again<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unsurprising in the scope of American Ballet Theatre's lackluster support of its soloists...buried at the very bottom of a <a href="http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=475" target="_blank">short press release</a> on Denis Matvienko's injury and guest artist replacements for Met season is the news that ABT's own wonderful <b><span style="color: #0c343d;">Jared Matthews</span></b> will finally get to dance Albrecht in New York opposite Xiomara Reyes' <i>Giselle</i> on Thursday, June 19th. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nowhere does the release mention that Jared has already performed beautifully opposite Paloma Herrera, Hee Seo and his best partner, Yuriko Kajiya, in Minneapolis, Chicago and Korea. Nowhere does it mention the mature and gorgeous Mariinsky Gala performance he just completed with Veronika Part (see Haglund's Heel for the link to the video).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jared is a strong, thoughtful dancer and a sensitive, dedicated partner. He should not be overlooked in ABT's roster simply because he doesn't have a twitter or youtube campaign of shameless (or frightening) self-promotion or because he brings realism rather than hammy overacting to the stage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He's also dancing two performances in <i>Coppelia</i> this season, but my money is already bet on his Albrecht. If he lifts Reyes like I saw him lift Kajiya in Act II in Chicago in 2012, it will take your breath away. (I hadn't seen lifts like that since Ferri/Bolle in the <i>Manon</i> pdd during Ferri's final ABT season.) <b><span style="color: #741b47;">Go see him!!</span></b> Show ABT your support of the home team.</span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-55168279740725689942013-08-01T12:58:00.000-04:002013-08-01T12:59:24.920-04:00Departures from ABT...<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So ABT finally updated its website and along with a few previously-known departures there are some other faces missing today:</span><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Irina Dvorovenko</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - retired in June, still gorgeous and a wonderful actress. Here's hoping she keeps popping up on the New York stage.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Natalia Osipova</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - not sure what the official story is here, but I for one thank the Royal Ballet for spiriting her across the pond. It's probably too much to hope for that she won't be guesting next season and real opportunities will finally go to Stella, Sarah and Yuriko, but I'll keep my fingers crossed anyway. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Simone Messmer</b> - we knew it was coming, but it doesn't make her understandable move to San Francisco any less sad for New York audiences. I suspect she will be especially missed during the fall repertory season.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Roddy Doble</b> - don't have any official word on this but a while back I'd heard he was off to the Boston Ballet for better growth opportunities. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mikhail Ilyin</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Vitali Krauchenka</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Renata Pavam</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyone know anything about these departures? Vitali in particular I thought was dancing quite well this Met season....</span></div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-8296541567482507672013-06-28T10:26:00.000-04:002013-06-28T16:18:26.394-04:00Let him lead. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Working 15 hour days doesn't leave much room for ballet blogging. But <b>Jared Matthews</b> was such a wonderful leading man in his debut Aminta in ABT's <i><b>Sylvia</b></i> Wednesday night, I'd be remiss if I didn't shout it to the blogosphere before his newly scheduled second performance at the Saturday matinee with <b>Gillian Murphy</b>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wish I didn't have alternate plans, because I think Murphy's sizzle will bring even more out of him than the oddly, sporadically sluggish <b>Paloma Herrera</b> did on Wednesday night.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So often cast in secondary roles, it might be easy to forget how gorgeous Jared's <a href="http://www.abt.org/education/dictionary/terms/abilities.html" target="_blank">epaulement</a> can be. The openness of his shoulders and the beautiful lines he made during the difficult act I Ashtonian solo gave me a little jolt of excitement that this was going to be a great performance. (I found out later that he hadn't had a chance to rehearse in costume, which may have been a little tight in the shoulders, making the effort even more praiseworthy.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">David LaMarche's conducting always seems a little slow to me, and Wednesday night was no exception, so that Sylvia's troupe seemed a little off the rhythm, but generally the corps was in fine form as well. The standouts for me were the unbelievably undercast<b> Yuriko Kajiya, </b>the eternally graceful <b>Nicole Graniero</b> and the adorably charismatic <b>Courtney Lavine</b>. <b>Leann Underwood</b> made for a gorgeous Diana, and <b>Sascha Radetsky</b> seemed to have the most fun in years out there DANCING as Orion. We so rarely get to see him really dance. He's still got it. Maybe he'll get a lead role in <i>Clear</i> this fall so we can see him how he should be seen. Out front.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Paloma Herrera</b> was a fine Sylvia, but at times she seemed to be marking the arm movements a little, and not really punching the accents of the wonderful score so full of punchy accents. I also thought I noticed the absence of the missed Georgina Parkinson in many of the ladies' performances. There was a little less Ashton in our Ashton this time around. Herrera's best moments came in Orion's den, in the sparkly turquoise and green costume that was the most flattering of the night, with the most sparkle in her step. She was also lovely in the grand pas, but I have to admit Jared was so powerful and commanding a partner that I was focused more on him than her. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unlike some imports ABT keeps shoving down our throats, Jared Matthews is an intelligent and thoughtful dancer, who understands the importance of being well rounded. While I think maybe he used to sacrifice his own spotlight to be such a great partner, he's now finding more and more a way to grab command of the stage in his solo moments, without sacrificing his devotion to his ballerinas. You'll never see a missed lift, sloppy turn or scared ballerina when Jared is the cavalier. His jumps have also acquired a ton of loft this season, and his arabesques, once a little stuck, are beautiful as well. No wonder he got a standing ovation.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you can, go check out Saturday's matinee - I think it will be a great one. I wish I could write more, and more specifically, but alas, I'm already late for work.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[UPDATE - Kicking myself for forgetting to mention how superb <b>Sarah Lane</b> and <b>Joey Gorak</b> were as the goats. The most relaxed and kick-ass I've seen Sarah since her lead in Upper Room. More of that please!] </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Side note </b></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- as I was watching Herrera, my mind wandered more than once to ponder what an Abrera or Kajiya <i>Sylvia</i> would look like. And my mind liked what it saw. Let these home-grown soloists dance. Let them all lead!)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-90368476812601742282013-05-14T10:57:00.001-04:002013-05-14T11:20:18.786-04:00Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet at the Joyce (Friday, May 10, 2013)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet</b> is one of my favorite companies around. They are consistently the most rehearsed, most athletic, committed and talented crews I have the pleasure of watching. The majority of their pieces are well costumed and expertly lit, and always have a loud signature.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the 2012 repertoire at the Joyce did not quite live up, in my opinion, to the programin 2011, this year was a vast improvement over the uneven offering of odes to despair and anxiety of 2012. I wish I had been able to see the other cast as well, but what I saw definitely told me Cedar Lake is back on track and almost as strong as ever (with a few exceptions in their female roster I will explain below).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first piece, <b>Jiri Kylian's</b> <i>Indigo Rose</i>, suited the company wonderfully. Originally set on Nederlands Dance Theater II in 1998, this ballet is new to Cedar Lake's repertoire in 2013. The piece begins with a series of solos, leading into groupings, with each dancer in different colors. A diagonal sheet across the stage then allows dancing in front and interesting vignettes in shadow - the most memorable, if kitschy of which is an effect where a tiny man is dancing beneath a woman's legs en seconde. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New company addition and SYTYCD alum, <b>Billy Bell </b>(in olive in the video), opened the piece with an exclamation point (and danced the tiny man in the aforementioned vignette - his shadow is distinctive). His stage presence, controlled flexibility and clean technique made everyone around me take notice and there was quite a bit of excited chatter every time he came back on stage. He has some of the most beautiful lines I've seen - he actually reminded me of an edgier David Hallberg in some ways - although I find the shapes Bell can make with his limbs and his intensity in many respects more interesting.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Indigo Rose</i> also showcased some of my other favorite Cedar Lake dancers, including <b>Jon Bond</b> (in red), the towering, muscular and graceful <b>Joaquim de Santana</b>, the ever-engaging <b>Vania Doutel Vaz</b> (in red) and the company's most exciting female, <b>Ebony Williams </b>(in brown). My main regret for the evening is that Ms. Williams was not used more. She's a powerhouse of talent and lithe muscularity, and in my opinion, walking proof of how urgently the ballet world needs to start showcasing its marvelous African-American ballerinas.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second selection was <i>Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue</i> by Crystal Pite. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friday's cast consisted of <b>Jason Kittleberger, Joseph Kudera, Navarra Novy-Williams, Matthew Rich </b>and <b>Acacia Schachte</b>. The men were definitely the stronger dancers in this selection - while Ms. Novy-Williams is an adorable little blonde (the girl in green in the Indigo Rose video), she doesn't quite have the brute strength and presence I have come to expect from Cedar Lake. I found myself missing alum <b>Harumi Terayama</b> terribly by this point in the program. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Otherwise, I really enjoyed the interactions among the cast in this offering - there was somewhat too much repetition in the choreography, but the costumes worked and the music was interesting, and the overlap and intersection of the duets worked. I also particularly enjoyed the lighting by <b>Jim French</b> in this piece - not really clear in the video but some of the spotlights were moved by the cast into different positions in the arc to light various duets from different angles. (Production value like this really makes me want to take ABT's Kevin McKenzie by the shoulders and shake him into realizing that this is the type of simple innovation that is sorely needed on his larger stage to get patrons excited - not uninvested, arrogant dancer imports.) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As usual, the weakest link in this piece for me was Cedar Lake's de facto principal ballerina, <b>Acacia Schachte</b>. While she is one of the most committed and fittest dancers I've ever seen, I almost cringe every time I watch her dance. Worse in the last piece on the program, which I will address below, I have a real problem with the constant hunched roundness of her shoulders and the broken lines she makes by constantly over-exaggerating turned-in ankles and hyperextended limbs. It's to the point that she makes me squirm - she makes me think of a skeleton with broken joints - an unnatural, gollum-esque style of movement that, while unique, consistently pulls me out of the larger piece and the choreography to make me wish that any other dancer (ahem, Ebony Williams) were dancing in her stead. (In the video above, she is the female with the short bobbed hair - the video is dark but the angular feet and hunch are there).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The final piece was <i>Horizons</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>by <b>Adonis Foniadakis</b>. While I was pulled in by the minor keyed, frantic music, the costumes, especially on the men, in this ballet were particularly unflattering.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found myself daydreaming over and over again trying to imagine the dance re-set with the dancers in black shorts/leotards or even in their rehearsal clothes. These industrial gray and maroon uniforms looked like rejects from 1990s sci-fi movies, perhaps on a sad, mining planet. It takes a lot to make the gloriously musical <b>Joaquim de Santana</b> look un-sexy but this costume did the trick. That said - his ending of the piece - throwing himself across and onto the stage as if a man possessed with no thought of his safety was really something to see. <b>Jon Bond</b> was again terrific in this ballet. The women let me down a little, <b>Jin Young Won </b>and <b>Navarra Novy-Williams</b> were too sweet - the urgency of the choreography felt a little short on them (again I wished <b>Ebony Williams </b>and </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vania Doutel Vaz</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> had been cast in their stead. The exception was <b>Ida Saki</b> who really matched the required musicality (and had the best costume)). Especially interesting were points in the program where there were two couples dancing at once, and not altogether to the same choreography - although there were points of intersection. Situated in different lighting and at different levels, my eye didn't know quite where to look - whom to watch. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were some less successful moments in this piece - involving what sounds like a yoga DVD instructor telling the dancers to take a breath or lie down, which they don't actually do....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, after a long stint in this grey world, <b>Acacia Schachte</b> came back out in a gauzy nude dress for a duet on a bright red carpet in the rain. The concept was good - but the execution was, for me, almost painful. The male lead - who unfortunately I cannot name (it might have been Joseph Kudra, but I can't confirm) was fantastic. Supportive and strong, he did everything he could to make the pas de deux work. Ms. Schachte, however fully committed to the moment she was, did not make one attractive position in the entire movement. Her hands were crumpled, shoulders exaggeratedly hunched, ankles neither flexed nor pointed, neck tensed....I don't even want to remember it enough to write about it. I'm fully prepared for the possibility that choreographers love her and purposefully cast her in these leads and tell her to exaggerate, but it definitely makes me want to get up and leave. If I had known she'd be dancing two leads in this program I may well have chosen to attend a different night - that's how much I do not enjoy watching her. (Note that Schachte is not in this movement in the video above - that seems to be Jin Young Won. She's not my favorite but it's monumentally better in shape than the live version Schachte gave me, albeit without the intensity that is Schachte's strongest appeal.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, this was a more balanced program than last year - where the final pieces on the program really let me down - but here there was still a little of that because of the weakness of the art design. I felt like this piece wound up last solely because of the rain effect, but really wasn't as strong as the two that preceded it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cedar Lake is always worth the trip - and I do plan to continue to seek out their shows - but I will likely be calling ahead to make sure I go on a night when Williams or Doutel Vaz is the leading lady.</span></div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-47134508271008042152013-04-10T14:16:00.002-04:002013-04-10T14:16:14.052-04:00Dance Theatre of Harlem in NY this week<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So with all the focus on ABT going to the Kennedy Center this week I totally forgot that <b>Dance Theatre of Harlem</b> is performing at the Rose Theatre (Jazz at Lincoln Center) starting tonight in NYC. Well luckily that pesky facebook feed reminded me and I'm definitely going to check it out this weekend. You should too!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://dthny.businesscatalyst.com/company/ny-season</span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-85023208564014454952013-04-09T12:58:00.002-04:002013-04-09T13:03:26.126-04:00And the open spots go to....Denis Matvienko<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">When Haglund </span><a href="http://haglundsheel.typepad.com/haglunds_heel/2013/04/changes-afoot-in-met-and-dc-casting.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">reported last week</span></a><span style="color: #444444;"> that </span><b style="color: #444444;">David Hallberg</b><span style="color: #444444;"> had been pulled from a few spots opposite </span><b style="color: #444444;">Gillian Murphy</b><span style="color: #444444;"> in<i> Don Quixote</i> and <i>Le Corsaire</i> at ABT's met season, I had a strong feeling that McKenzie was making room for last year's guest partner for Murphy - </span><b><span style="color: blue;">Denis Matvienko</span></b><span style="color: #444444;">. And when news broke this morning that he got "fired in Kiev", I was sure. And yes, he's now in fact showing up in the ABT calendar in all three spots, with the open <i>DonQ</i> with <b>Semionova</b> going to the odder choice of <b>Cory Stearns</b>. Oh well, I guess home-town soloist Sascha Radetsky was too much to hope for. At least I liked Matvienko with Murphy last year - here's hoping he brings a little more oomph to New York this time around.</span></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-55021009668907687322013-01-04T16:57:00.002-05:002013-01-04T16:58:48.757-05:00Some relieving ABT updated Met season casting<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the wake of the news earlier this week that a number of the open principal roles for American Ballet Theatre's spring season at the Met went to visiting male dancers from the Royal Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet, as wonderful as they may prove to be, I was getting less and less optimistic about the future of some of ABT's homegrown dancers. However, in some happy turn of events some additional casting went up on the website today that made me take a big sigh of relief:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. In addition to his already scheduled debut in<i> Swan Lake</i> and repeat performance as <i>Romeo</i>, recent soloist <b>Alex Hammoudi</b> picked up the remaining open spot as</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Prince Desire</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to <b>Gillian Murphy's</b> <i>Sleeping Beauty</i>. Congrats Alex! If the strength in his balance proves to be as strong as his acting last season we should be in for a treat this season.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <b>Julie Kent</b> and <b>Marcelo Gomes</b> got slotted in for the open <i>Swan Lake</i> Saturday matinee. (While Julie's black swan isn't what it was, and she has better-suited roles in her, it's just a huge relief that this spot didn't go to the bouncing, hammy Osipova, or a second performance to the bullish Isabella Boylston.) Julie's white swan is still tender and touching, and it's ALWAYS a great thing to see Marcelo's Siegfried whenever opportunity presents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Almost-veteran soloist <b>Jared Matthews</b>, who seemed vexingly left out of Met casting until now (though i hope/expect him to pick up meaty roles in a <i>Month in the Country</i> and the new Ratmansky pieces), finally got slotted in to a Lankendem spot in <i>Le Corsaire</i> and in a very welcome and surprising turn, will be dancing the lead opposite <b>Paloma Herrera's</b> <i>Sylvia</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Recent-Boston-Ballet-import <b>James Whiteside</b> will be dancing <i>Swan Lake</i> with <b>Gillian Murphy</b> this year - an odd choice in my opinion but I'm open to being proven wrong. It's been a while since Gillian was well matched - so any opportunity to find her a useful partner would be a positive step in my opinion. He'll also be dancing <i>Romeo </i>opposite <b>Paloma Herrera</b> - I can't picture it but again I'm open to being surprised.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Now, if only underused FEMALE soloists such as <b>Stella Abrera</b> and <b>Yuriko Kajiya</b> would get such opportunities I might be tempted to donate to ABT again...)</span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-83665745664031157882012-11-29T20:22:00.002-05:002012-11-29T20:23:04.349-05:00Apparently all it takes to be a principal at ABT is a twitter account and a trampoline<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
So Daniil Simkin was <a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/american-ballet-theater-dancer-daniil-simkin-promoted-to-principal/?ref=dance" target="_blank">promoted to principal dancer</a> at American Ballet Theatre today. I know many of you out there simply love him (and you may not want to continue reading this post), but for me, he borders on unwatchable in anything other than a gala solo, and even then I wouldn't pay just to see it.</div>
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I'm not surprised, but still extremely disheartened that the powers that be felt it fitting to promote to principal a dancer who is arguably the weakest partner in the entire company. I hold my breath every time he goes into a lift or assisted turn, as I'm sure do his battle-weary partners. (Poor Sarah Lane). Of all the things to be weak at, it's incomprehensible to me that Simkin does not take the initiative to improve his skills and learn directly from two of the world's strongest partners, Marcelo Gomes and Roberto Bolle (and I've heard this to be the case from sources who would know). He's clearly self-motivated enough to be the leading ballet dancer tweeter and media master, so why not this?</div>
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He frustrates me more for his bravado and lack of respect for his ballerinas than for his dancing itself, though to quote a knowledgeable balletomane friend of mine, this promotion is "really rather disgusting. Especially after City Center, where he killed Stars & Stripes, and not in a good way." Changing choreography to add more gasp-inducing jumps is one thing, but doing it when the lifts are shaky and the assisted turns painful to watch is just unforgivable. In one performance of The Leaves are Fading, I even saw Mr. Simkin fail
to lift Stella Abrera the mere 6 - 9 inches off the ground in an easy
lift. Her feet didn't seem to leave the floor. Get the basics right and THEN add your flare. For example, I don't personally love watching Ivan Vasiliev either, but that is because of his arms mostly, and I have a good deal of respect for him as he seems to be a devoted and attentive partner and willing to learn. And did anyone complain that Ethan Stiefel's jumps as Ali in Le Corsaire were ever too low or unexciting? Based on his farewell performance I can't imagine that would be the case. However, Stiefel had control and exceptional partnering in his bag of tricks as well. Make the jumps mean something. Ballet isn't the trampoline competition at the Olympics.</div>
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Ironically, this promotion was announced minutes after ABT called me to request my annual donation. Luckily, I had put them off for now, and unless something drastically wonderful happens with the empty casting spots for Met season, they won't be getting any money out of me this donation season. And by wonderful I mean meaty principal casting for Stella Abrera, Yuriko Kajiya, Misty Copeland, Jared Matthews and Joey Gorak.</div>
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What I love about ballet is the artistry, the emotion and the human achievement. Herman Cornejo's entrechats in Symphony #9 at City Center were artistic, gasp inducing, and still didn't break the spell of the wall between the stage and the audience. Until Mr. Simkin learns that kind of control and commitment, I will continue to be reluctant to ever pay to watch him dance. And if ABT remains on this course, I worry that they will just rename it "Ardani's Bouncing Tiggers" and forgo subtlety, coaching and artistry all together.</div>
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My only hope at the moment is the scheduled Hammoudi/Seo Swan Lake this summer. And the rest of Ratmansky's Shostakovitch tribute.</div>
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TTFN.</div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-71403840884121953352012-11-21T12:35:00.000-05:002012-11-21T12:36:48.730-05:00Some sights that caught my eye<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally uploaded a few recent photos to my portfolio - thought I'd share a handful. Hope you like them!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-49848777788688434832012-10-27T14:53:00.000-04:002012-10-27T15:24:29.328-04:00The best and worst of ABT at City Center (October 2012)<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I was absolutely intending to blog about all seven performances of ABT at City Center last week, but I've worked 80+ hours this week and haven't yet had the time to organize all the many thoughts into prose. So, I thought I'd share some "awards" (most of which were run by and agreed to by my friend and comrade-in-madness for my ballet marathon week). So here goes (after the jump):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most commitment and sheer sparkle: </span><b style="color: #444444;">Polina Semionova</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Ratmansky's Symphony #9 / The Leaves are Fading), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Cory Stearns</b><span style="color: #444444;"> and </span><b style="color: #444444;">Veronika Part </b><span style="color: #444444;">(The Moor's Pavane)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most sassy performances: </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>Craig Salstein</b> (Symphony #9 / Rodeo), <b>Luciana Paris</b> (In the Upper Room)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most Oscar-worthy acting: </span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marian Butler</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (Rodeo)</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, <b>Roman Zhurbin</b> (Rodeo / The Moor's Pavane), </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cory Stearns</b><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(The Moor's Pavane)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most evidently having a blast on stage: </span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><b style="color: #444444;">Jared Matthews</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes / Rodeo / Symphony #9 / In The Upper Room), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Sascha Radetsky</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (In The Upper Room), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Sarah Lane</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (In The Upper Room)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most attention-commanding performances: </span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><b style="color: #444444;">Joey Gorak</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Skylar Brandt </b><span style="color: #444444;">and</span><b style="color: #444444;"> Nicole Graniero</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (In the Upper Room), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Cory Stearns</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (The Moor's Pavane), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Herman Cornejo</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Symphony #9)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Best musicality: </span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><b style="color: #444444;">Jared Matthews</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Yuriko Kajiya</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Roman Zhurbin</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (The Moor's Pavane), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Kristi Boone</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (The Leaves are Fading), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Joey Gorak</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Marion Butler</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Rodeo), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Marcelo Gomes</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (The Leaves are Fading), </span></span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Skylar Brandt </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Nicole Graniero</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (In the Upper Room)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most standout corps performances: </span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><b style="color: #444444;">Adrienne Schulte</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes / Symphony #9 / The Leaves are Fading), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Skylar Brandt</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Symphony #9 / Rodeo / In The Upper Room), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Arron Scott</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (In The Upper Room / Rodeo / Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most visibly matured since last season: </span><b style="color: #444444;">Calvin Royal</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Finally showing principal level chops:</span> <b style="color: #444444;">Cory Stearns</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (The Moor's Pavane / In The Upper Room)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most imaginable to dance a role in the future: </span><b style="color: #444444;">Gray Davis</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Conrad), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Joey Gorak</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Basilio)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Best lifts:</span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><b style="color: #444444;">Marcelo Gomes</b><span style="color: #444444;"> and </span><b style="color: #444444;">Julie Kent </b><span style="color: #444444;">(The Leaves are Fading), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Marcelo Gomes</b><span style="color: #444444;"> and </span><b style="color: #444444;">Polina Semionova</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Symphony #9), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Eric Tamm</b><span style="color: #444444;"> and </span><b style="color: #444444;">Nicole Graniero</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (In The Upper Room), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Gray Davis</b><span style="color: #444444;">, </span><b style="color: #444444;">Thomas Forster</b><span style="color: #444444;">, </span><b style="color: #444444;">Roddy Doble</b><span style="color: #444444;"> and </span><b style="color: #444444;">Calvin Royal</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (lifting </span><b style="color: #444444;">Herman Cornejo</b><span style="color: #444444;"> in Symphony #9)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Best partnering of Veronika Part I've ever seen: </span><b style="color: #444444;">Roberto Bolle</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Symphony #9)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best legit tap dancing</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: <b>Craig Salstein</b> (Rodeo)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most insanely attention-grabbing abs (had to be said):</span> <b style="color: #444444;">Sascha Radetsky</b><span style="color: #444444;">, runner up: </span><b style="color: #444444;">Roddy Doble </b><span style="color: #444444;">(both In The Upper Room)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Least believable as having no game: </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sascha Radetsky</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (Rodeo)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Best comeback after a fiasco: </span><b style="color: #444444;">Alexei Ratmansky</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (Symphony #9, following up Firebird)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Most welcome additions to ABT fall season:</span><span style="color: #444444;"> <b>Roberto Bolle</b> and <b>Polina Semionova</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most deserving of having been in the first cast rather than the second: </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marian Butler</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (Rodeo), </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Yuriko Kajiya</b> (Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes), <b>Sarah Lane</b> (In The Upper Room) *</span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sarah was so great with Herman Cornejo last year, she was really the only thing glaringly missing from making the first performance of In The Upper Room the best I'd ever seen. </i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="color: red;"><b>Absolute best Upper Room "Bomb Squad" <u>EVER</u></b>:</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nicole Graniero</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Skylar Brandt</b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><u>And the not so good news:</u></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Most underused at City Center:</span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><b style="color: #444444;">Christine Shevchenko</b><span style="color: #444444;">, </span><b style="color: #444444;">Courtney Lavine</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most cast below skill level: </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>Stella Abrera</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Most missed: </span><span style="color: blue;"> </span><b style="color: #444444;">Misty Copeland</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most competently lovely yet instantly forgettable:</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>Hee Seo</b> (The Leaves are Fading / Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes), <b>Stephanie Williams</b> (Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Partners deserving of hazard pay: </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>Sarah Lane</b> (partnered by Daniil Simkin in The Leaves are Fading / Stars and Stripes / In the Upper Room), <b>Roberto Bolle</b> (partnering Hee Seo in The Leaves are Fading), and <b>Herman Cornejo</b> (partnering Isabella Boylston in In The Upper Room)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Most needing more oomph: </span><b style="color: #444444;">Thomas Forster</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (The Moor's Pavane / Symphony #9), </span><b style="color: #444444;">Hee Seo</b><span style="color: #444444;"> </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(The Leaves are Fading / Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes), </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabella Boylston</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (In The Upper Room)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most desperately needing of being locked in a room with Marcelo Gomes and Roberto Bolle for an intervention on how to partner a ballerina: </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>Daniil Simkin</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Least musical:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>Isabella Boylston</b> (first performance of Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes (second was much better), In The Upper Room) (*<i>positive mention to Melanie Hamrick for not coming close to winning this one for the first time in a couple of years!)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Most perplexing use of swan arms in contemporary choreography: </span><b style="color: #444444;"> Isabella Boylston</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (In The Upper Room), </span><b style="color: #444444;">James Whiteside</b><span style="color: #444444;"> (</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes / In The Upper Room)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Most violations for unnecessarily changing choreography:</span><span style="color: #444444;"> <b>Daniil Simkin</b> (Stars and Stripes)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Casting that should have been: </span><b style="color: #444444;">Yuriko Kajiya</b><span style="color: #444444;"> and either </span><b style="color: #444444;">Joey Gorak</b><span style="color: #444444;"> or </span><b style="color: #444444;">Jared Matthews</b><span style="color: #444444;"> in Stars and Stripes</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Other thoughts? Standouts that I missed? Let me know in the comments below.</b></span></div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-70036786042253469902012-09-12T18:20:00.001-04:002012-10-27T15:17:55.510-04:00ABT City Center (and Bard) Casting - thoughts?<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">So the bulk of the American Ballet Theatre </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">fall season casting for City Center just went up <a href="http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx" target="_blank">online</a>. Thoughts? Gripes? Cheers? </span><br />
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<b><i>Here it is:</i></b></div>
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<b>The Moor's Pavane</b></div>
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Gomes/Stearns/Part/Kent - 10/17, 10/20 eve</div>
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Zhurbin/Forster/Messmer/Reyes - 10/19 mat</div>
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<b>New Ratmansky</b></div>
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Semionova/Gomes - 10/18, 10/20 mat</div>
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Part/Bolle - 10/19 eve, 10/20 eve</div>
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<b>The Leaves Are Fading</b> (full)</div>
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Seo/Bolle - 10/18</div>
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Kent/Gomes - 10/19 mat</div>
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<b>The Leaves Are Fading </b>(pas de deux) </div>
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Reyes/Stearns - 10/19 eve</div>
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<b>Cruel World pas de deux</b></div>
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Kent/Gomes - 10/16 gala</div>
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<b>Stars and Stripes pas de deux</b></div>
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Lane/Simkin - 10/16 gala, 10/19 eve (we KNEW that was coming, right?)<b> </b></div>
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<b>Rodeo</b></div>
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Reyes/Radetsky/Matthews/Boyd - 10/16 gala, 10/20 mat</div>
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Butler/Salstein/Zhurbin/Post - 10/18 (yay! Marian Butler is BACK! She first stole my heart in this very role.)</div>
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<b>Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes</b> </div>
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Company - 10/16 gala, 10/17, 10/19 eve, 10/20 mat</div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>In the Upper Room</b> </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Company - 10/17, 10/19 mat, 10/19 eve, 10/20 eve</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(*though I would bet like last year Radetsky and Stearns alternately will lead the stomper men, no? <b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #a64d79;">UPDATE 9/27:</b><span style="color: #a64d79;"> It looks like Daniil Simkin and Sarah Lane are doing the lead bombers in one cast, so the question becomes: will Herman Cornejo be dancing the other cast? And with whom, since last year he and Sarah Lane were phenomenal together??<br /><br />Also I heard from a reliable source that the Nicole Graniero/Skylar Brandt bomber team will be dancing first cast this season - and are determined to be even more perfect than last year. That's going to be some sight to behold!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(I wish they'd take the time to post the ITUR and DTMOWTE casting as well, but they never post those larger group numbers beforehand, sigh.)</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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**<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Herman Cornejo is missing completely from the casting posted, so I'm hoping it's just because he's leading in DTMOWTE and ITUR. Soloists Stella Abrera, Alex Hammoudi, Isabella Boylston, Kristi Boone and Yuriko Kajiya are also annoyingly missing entirely from the listed lead roles. New soloist James Whiteside has both DTMOWTE and ITUR listed in his rep experience so I wonder if we'll see him for the first time in both of those ballets?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bard casting went up as well, for those interested - same link as above.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #0b5394;">So - what do YOU think???</b></span><br />
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-80016705782974931272012-09-10T10:54:00.000-04:002012-09-10T10:54:20.119-04:00Don't let Aspen Santa Fe get lost in your October plans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HXplxujid6Y/UE394jX18vI/AAAAAAAAAL4/9qIj5Q2kizw/s1600/IMG_0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HXplxujid6Y/UE394jX18vI/AAAAAAAAAL4/9qIj5Q2kizw/s400/IMG_0685.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a lot of great dance and classical music events happening the week of October 16th-21st in New York City, including the pitifully short ABT fall "season" at City Center. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nevertheless, please don't let that week go by without catching <a href="http://www.aspensantafeballet.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #274e13;">Aspen Santa Fe Ballet</span></b></a> at the <a href="http://www.joyce.org/performancestickets/calendar_detail.php?event=461&theater=1" target="_blank">Joyce Theater</a>. The last time they were in town, they knocked me out with their athletic grace, strong technique and confidence - and presented some of the most interesting contemporary ballet choreography and clean execution I had seen in quite a while. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-41271517784994295312012-08-28T19:00:00.005-04:002012-08-28T19:00:56.085-04:00Some overdue (sigh) and under-elaborated applause<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
So I totally fell down on the job blogging during ABT Met season...and pretty much about everything fun I've done since. Lots of notes, thoughts, floating around in my brain that still need to get put down on "paper"...hopefully I'll be struck with some inspiration soon. Sometimes I have a nagging feeling that blogging about life takes the life out of my experiences, and I just don't want to share. I'll be seeing every ABT performance at City Center in October (I got a little swept up in the moment when my friend suggested that insanity) - so I'm hoping to be back up and running before then.</div>
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<i style="color: #0b5394;">A few under-elaborated thoughts to tide you over - 10+ </i><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">positive things that have stayed with me now almost 8 weeks removed from ABT Met season 2012:</span></i></div>
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<b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">1.</span> Alex Hammoudi</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'s </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Romeo </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">debut. Alex really stepped up his acting in every role this year - but none so clearly as </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Romeo, </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">which for me was the most honest and really believable characterization of this role I have seen to date (including performances by Bolle, Hallberg and Gomes). While Alex may still need to clean up a couple of fawn-like, long-legged stumblings and put a little more height into his lifts, I really look forward to seeing him repeat this role next year. Now if only ABT would cast </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yuriko Kajiya</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> as his </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Juliet</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, my happiness would be complete. (It would be a perfect next step from her </span><u style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://rachelmarch.blogspot.com/2012/05/a-little-love-letter-to-ballet.html" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">fantastic <i>Giselle</i> debut</a></u><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, which only Chicago and Korean audiences have yet been privileged to witness).</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><b style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></b><br style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">2. </span>Arron Scott</b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">,</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> doing pretty much everything. His </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mercutio </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">is for me now second only to the brilliant </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Herman Cornejo</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. He's not quite as threatening as Cornejo but the dagger-like, clean lines of his legs and his masculine swagger are perfection. Arron's performance, together with Hammoudi's </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Romeo </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Joey Gorak</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'s </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Benvolio</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, is a delightful and 100% believable trio of friends and contemporaries. As </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Birbanto </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">in </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Le Corsaire</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, Scott was a charming villain and again his legs and execution left me giddy. His <i>Bronze Idol</i> in <i>La Bayadere</i> was twice the most powerfully statute-like I've ever seen (in a good way) and completely averted my tendency to yawn or roll my eyes at that point in the ballet. Why Arron hasn't been promoted to fill the soloist vacancy left by Carlos Lopez last year is incomprehensible - especially since he is dancing most of the same roles, and better.</span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><b style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. </span></b><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Julie Kent</b><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">is still a damn fine actress and a beautiful, strong ballerina. Her portrayal of </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tatiana</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> in </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Onegin</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> was my favorite (Vishneva's, while technically brilliant, was too downright morose from start to finish) and Kent is still one of the best I've ever seen at successfully embodying characters of different ages. And her young </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tatiana </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">was completely distinct from her Act I </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Giselle </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and her </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Juliette</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. (Ok, the pas de deux with Bolle were nowhere near as gasp-inspiring as that of Vishneva and Gomes, but I still enjoyed the entire Kent/Bolle performance as a whole more than the joyless, unsympathetic portrayals by Gomes and Vishneva).</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. </span></b><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gillian Murphy</b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #444444;">still hasn't mastered subtlety, but her </span></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Medora</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> in </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Le Corsaire</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> is a force of nature worthy of raucous applause. I'm sure it didn't hurt that she was dancing opposite the unparalleled </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marcelo Gomes</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> and her retiring-fiance</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Ethan Stiefel</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (two of my three favorite male dancers of all time), but if only she could dance every role as well as the July 7th performance of </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Medora</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I'd be much much more of a fan. I will say I also enjoyed her </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Titania</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> in </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Dream</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> more than I could have hoped - she's quite believable in a way that I suspect has to do with her old-Hollywood looks and style matching quite well with Ashton's 1964 choreography and Britishness.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">5/6. </span></b><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skylar Brandt </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and </span><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Devon Teuscher</b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #444444;">seem to be still swiftly on the rise. I wish Skylar would have some pas de deux/trois opportunities so we can really see her solid brilliance shine, and all Devon needs at this point is to find her smile - her technique (her long arms in particular) suggest to me that she just maybe could be ABT's next great American ballerina, if she can just find a way to let some joy and vulnerable emotion through on stage</span>.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7. </b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Similarly, </span><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gray Davis</b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #444444;">caught my attention all season - although young, he has a powerful masculinity on stage without any of the clunkiness or bulkiness that often accompany that description. Fingers crossed we get to see more of Gray in larger roles, and SOON. I suspect he has a world-class </span><i style="color: #444444;">Conrad</i><span style="color: #444444;"> in him when the time comes.</span></span></div>
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<b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">8. </span></b><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sarah Smith</b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="color: #444444;">stepping out as a lovely, solid leader from within the corps. Sarah
has always been a pleasant dancer to watch, but this season I noticed
her strength, sharpness and overall confidence take a big leap forward.
Well done, Sarah!</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"> </span></b></div>
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<b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">9/10. </span></b><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Herman Cornejo</b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #444444;">and </span></span><b style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Maria Riccetto</b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #444444;">were a delightful storybook pair in Ratmansky's new </span></span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Firebird</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, and about the only thing worth watching in the whole ballet. I'm glad Maria went out on a strong note - and hoping her fans in Uruguay send us some youtube clips of her overdue principal performances over the years to come. I really never get to see enough of Herman, since he is too often cast opposite the one-or-two-note Xiomara Reyes and lately also the over-performing Natalia Osipova, but when I do, I'm always so impressed at his grace and internal fire. For me he has a particular talent for having the angle of his gaze always in the right place for both the choreography and the character. At least at City Center I imagine we'll get a repeat of the Cornejo-</span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sarah Lane</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> lead bombers in </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In The Upper Room</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> - which was my favorite pairing in any ballet last fall.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;">A few other memorable standout moments - </span><b style="color: #3d85c6;">Courtney Lavine</b><span style="color: #444444;"> as the most believably birdlike of the firebird flock; </span><b style="color: #3d85c6;">Jeff Golladay</b><span style="color: #444444;">'s start-to-finish strong farewell season, especially as the </span><i style="color: #444444;">Head Fakir</i><span style="color: #444444;"> in </span><i style="color: #444444;">La Bayadere</i><span style="color: #444444;">; the full-force return to the Met stage of </span><b style="color: #3d85c6;">Adrienne Schulte</b><span style="color: #444444;">; <b style="color: #3d85c6;">Roman Zhurbin</b>'s coming of age as </span><i style="color: #444444;">Prince Gremin</i><span style="color: #444444;"> in </span><i style="color: #444444;">Onegin</i><span style="color: #444444;">; </span><b style="color: #3d85c6;">Stella Abrera</b><span style="color: #444444;">'s</span><i style="color: #444444;"> </i><span style="color: #444444;">show-stealing </span><i style="color: #444444;">Gamzatti </i><span style="color: #444444;">in</span><i style="color: #444444;"> La Bayadere</i><span style="color: #444444;">; and the happy return of the much missed </span><b style="color: #3d85c6;">Renata Pavam</b><i style="color: #444444;">.</i></div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-69263678396189725932012-07-06T13:09:00.004-04:002012-07-06T16:23:23.816-04:00It's about damn time.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Curtain Call for Seo/Hammoudi <br />Romeo and Juliet, June 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">American Ballet Theatre has FINALLY promoted </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alex Hammoudi to soloist, and as long-expected, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hee Seo to principal.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations to both!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the </span><a href="http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=410" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">link</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to the official announcement.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">Hammoudi's Romeo debut earlier this season was really touching - he'll need to clean up a few of the steps, but his acting far exceeded expectations and was one of the most honest and romantic performances I've seen in a long time. So proud of him!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll keep my thoughts on ABT's chronic highway robbery of Stella Abrera (mostly) to myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-13442958157788557732012-06-25T15:43:00.000-04:002012-06-25T15:47:12.136-04:00Way to bury the lead....<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Yes, I have been quite delinquent in blogging about the American Ballet Theatre performances I've seen the past few weeks. I'll get there - still forming my thoughts a bit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">HOWEVER, in case anyone missed it buried at the end of the <b><a href="http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=407" target="_blank">exciting Ratmansky/ShostakovichABT news item</a></b> today (3 new 1-act ballets), ABT's NY City Center "season" has been reduced from the shameful six days last fall to now only FIVE days this year (October 16th-20th). And, it's the same week the wonderful Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is coming to the Joyce Theater.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">How I miss the 2-3 week fall seasons that ABT used to do when I first moved to NYC not that long ago. That's where so many of ABT's non-principal, non-guest artists have their chance to shine - and where ABT gets to show off its contemporary strengths. Is Kevin McKenzie just not a fan of this genre of ballet? Because without it, in my opinion ABT's relevance is greatly weakened, and so many of its dancers wasted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">City Center is where I first came to love dancers like <b>Stella Abrera, Marian Butler, Alex Hammoudi, Nicole Graniero, Skylar Brandt, Kristi Boone</b>, and so many more. City Center is where I fully appreciate the talents of <b>Gillian Murphy</b>, and further fall in love with <b>Marcelo Gomes, Julie Kent, Simone Messmer, Misty Copeland</b> and <b>Herman Cornejo</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I understand that City Center is an expensive theater for ABT - but there have to be better solutions than limiting the run to 5 days. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Well, just another reason ABT is making me sad in 2012, I guess.</span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-51249042035928121302012-06-05T11:49:00.004-04:002012-06-05T12:50:41.729-04:00What Fools These Mortals Be (ABT La Bayadere, May 26, 2012 Matinee)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No matter how many times I see American Ballet Theatre's production of <i>La Bayadere</i>, I still don't love it (more on that below) as a whole even though there are perennially wonderful and unique elements. Also on the plus side, each performance seems to have different highlights, each dancer brings something different to each of the lead roles. And, like in this performance, when someone brings something special to one the non-dancing character roles - it can become a more balanced, slightly more credible story.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Gillian Murphy</b>'s<b> </b>portrayal of Nikiya, the poor jilted temple dancer, exceeded my expectations. She was particularly effective in the opening scenes at the temple, where with her hair in a long braid and a glittering costume she looked the most beautiful I've ever seen her on stage. The unusual, Asian-inspired arm movements particularly suited her in a way that avoided my usual complaint with Gillian's performances - I often find her upper body to be stiff and her neck visibly straining. But in the opening temple dances and pas de deux<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> with guest artist </span>Denis Matvienko</span>'s<b> </b>Solor, she successfully evoked a tragic (if somewhat pathetic) heroine. Was I moved by her acting? No. But I enjoyed her performance in the way that I enjoy her in <i>Fall River Legend </i>or <i>Pillar of Fire.</i> She never seems to really let herself <u>feel</u> her characters in the way that Alessandra Ferri, Stella Abrera or Jared Matthews seem to, but she successfully executes the choreography of the emoti</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">ons. For me, Gillian continues to resemble a movie musicals star of the 1940s and 1950s - she doesn't give you realism, but the drama and glamour are generally there, as well as some of the most solid pirouettes and </span><img src="http://www.abt.org/education/dictionary/resources/dot_clear.gif" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">impressive chaînés around. I found her less believable in the later Act I scenes opposite Simone Messmer's Gamzatti - Gillian was not as sympathetic as Nikiya really needs to be to make me care about the story. But her technique was solid in Act II Kingdom of the Shades</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, and her leaps gorgeous in the Act III wedding scene.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Denis Matvienko</b>'s Solor was an interesting experience for me. In some ways he has a similar look and masculine attitude on stage as Ethan Stiefel, but with less of a sparkle in his eyes. My one planned guest artist exception this season, I've enjoyed Matvienko when I've seen him on previous occasions in other venues, and I enjoyed him at this performance. He didn't wow me, but I enjoyed him. He has a lovely quality on stage relating to the women around him - I wish Gillian had let go a little more and really joined him in the honest emotion he was giving off. Although you could see this was a new partnership, I felt Matvienko really held up his end and gave us a balanced leading couple (which is not always the case for me when I see Gillian perform). His </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">jetés en manège</span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> were beautiful and I particularly enjoy the shapes he makes with his arms. Like Marcelo Gomes or Jared Matthews, his arms added to his performance and made each movement more beautiful, rather than getting in the way. I also appreciated some of the little details Matvienko brought - certain moments when he would look or interact with Gamzatti during Nikiya's solo in Act I were quite poignant. </span></span></div>
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simone Messmer</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'s New York debut of </span>Gamzatti<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> was equally successful. Although not nearly as heartbreaking as Stella </span>Abrera's<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> version of the unloved princess, Simone was cool and regal without being too bitchy. She had the perfect entitled air about her. Usually a favorite of mine in contemporary works, I was the tiniest bit skeptical about seeing her dance a principal classical role, but I left impressed. One of her diagonal solo sequences was slowed down to an uncomfortable point - whether by mutual decision or by a momentary brain fog by </span>Ormsby<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Wilkins I don't know - but generally she was strong and commanding. Her attitude positions were particularly attractive. She doesn't have the presence Stella has, but like Murphy she has a classic, almost retro feel to her dancing that made the whole principal cast seem very well matched. Her pas </span>de<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>deux<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> with </span>Matvienko<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> was also quite strong (it looked to me like she was enjoying taking full advantage of dancing with a more experienced partner than she is usually given). The one negative for me was that Simone continues to have a bad habit of separating her ring and pinky fingers on both hands, and she seems to have relatively short fingers, so it has the effect of cutting off the line of her arm rather than extending it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My favorite part of Simone's performance was actually the result of something external. </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alex Hammoudi</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'s portrayal of her father, the </span>Radjah<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, was absolutely perfect, and brought a usually background character deliciously into the plot in a way I haven't seen before. </span>Hammoudi's<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>Radjah<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> was regal and arrogant, and although he played him old enough to credibly be her father, he had a younger, more powerful air than I've seen from other dancers in the role. </span>Hammoudi's<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>Radjah<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> was fearsome, a force to be reckoned with. Because of this, and because Simone's character was so well suited to his, I could see exactly how </span>Gamzatti<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> became who she is. When </span>Hammoudi<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> whispers to the servant to get the flower basket with the snakes - it seems that it is his idea that </span>Gamzatti<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> agrees with, rather than her idea with her impotent little father wrapped around her finger as in other performances. This also helped the plot with regard to </span>Solor's<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> powerlessness to resist marrying </span>Gamzatti<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> instead of </span>Nikiya<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. This performance is making me salivate in the hopes </span>ABT<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> will cast </span>Hammoudi<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> as Tybalt in </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Romeo and Juliet</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> - (though I'm excited to see his Romeo as well if I can).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Act I d'Jampe dancers were better today than on Wednesday, with <b>Sarah Smith</b> again the clear standout - reminding me of Kristi Boone or Marian Butler's command in past viewings. In particular the d'Jampe dancers' alternating attitude jumps were in sync and well done. The temple dancers in were also particularly lovely - <b>Adrienne Schulte</b> and <b>Courtney Lavine</b> in particular. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The pas d'action corps were not quite as well matched in this performance - the four tall girls seemed to have some issues compared to the four shorter ones - they were a little stiff and too varied in style, and Nicola Curry continues to dance on the down movement instead of the up. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Alexei Agoudine</b> was a terrific head fakir - who ever is coaching this role this season deserves some credit, as both he and Jeff Golladay gave my favorite executions of this role to date. He was a longer, lankier fakir, with gorgeous extended leg lines. I also noticed one of the "underling" fakirs, which I'm pretty sure was <b>Joseph Gorak</b> because of the height and extension of his jumps. He stood out initially for being much smaller than the other fakirs but once he took flight was eye catching.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Arron Scott</b> gave a repeat of his terrific Bronze Idol, perhaps a tad less sharp than on Wednesday but still near perfect.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As much as I enjoyed Matvienko, I did secretly wish they would have cast Gillian opposite Sascha Radetsky - whom I've yet to see this season. The times I've seen the two of them paired have been my favorite performances from them both, and Gillian seems to relate to him better than all of her other partners, on a more real level. Sigh. More unfilled wishes by ABT this season.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, all that being said.....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The more times I see <i>La Bayadere</i>, the more I realize it is a ballet entirely devoid of a real hero or heroine. Although the three main characters have a lot in common with many other famous ballet characters, I'm always left mostly ambivalent at the end, no matter how expertly danced. Almost more of a parable than a tragic love story, <i>La Bayadere</i> could almost benefit from an epilogue, something like a parent finishing a bedtime story to a young prince or princess, or one of the characters waking up to show us the whole ballet was a dream. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In many ways, <i>La Bayadere</i> shares its main love story with <i>Giselle </i>or </span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Swan Lake</i></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>.</i> A dashing aristocrat falls in love with the wrong woman: a temple dancer, a peasant, a girl transfigured into a swan. But, alas, the dashing young man can't marry his beloved: he is compelled, or already engaged, or bamboozled to marry the princess. Then the heartbroken jilted girl dies: killed by a snake, a heart condition or suicide. The real difference is what comes next. In <i>Giselle</i>, the heroine's spirit saves Albrecht from his own guilt and Myrtha's vengeful band of Willis. In <i>Swan Lake</i>, Siegfried's guilt leads him to follow Odette right off that rock and plunge to his watery death below. But in <i>La Bayadere</i>, Nikiya gets bit by a snake right in front of him and Solor's answer is to walk off with his betrothed princess and then hit the opium pipe, hallucinate, and cause death and destruction by continuing to have visions of Nikiya during his wedding. He doesn't stand up for himself pretty much, ever. Also, while death by snake-bite may have been a disproportionate response, but let's not forget that Nikiya did go after Gamzatti, the Radjah's daughter, with a knife. If she had succeeded, would she really have been a worthy bride-heroine? </span></span></div>
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</div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-64997910167555216682012-05-29T13:20:00.001-04:002012-05-29T13:20:13.771-04:00The End of the World as We Know It: Cedar Lake at the Joyce (Saturday, May 19, 2012 evening)<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet</b> is one of my favorite companies out there, with some of the most athletic-yet-graceful dancers I have ever seen and a multicultural ensemble that always strikes me as a microcosm of humanity. Usually boundary-pushing, neither of the two programs presented at the Joyce this May offered the same exceptional alternating savagery, solemnity and whimsy of the past programs I've seen from Cedar Lake, but the wonderful Cedar Lake dancers, and the always stellar Cedar Lake artistic design team, still managed to deliver some moments not soon to be forgotten. Program A, which I saw the evening of Saturday, May 19th, skipped the whimsy entirely and went straight for the solemnity. It seemed as though someone wanted to warn the audience of something - but I wasn't sure what.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The standout of the first week's program was by far <i><a href="http://vimeo.com/clcb/violetkidclip" target="_blank"><b>Violet Kid</b></a></i>, choreographed by Hofesh Schecter. At once tribal and futuristic, this is a long, pleasant assault on the senses that almost seems to combine ballet, krumping, modern dance and even elements of aboriginal movement. At the performance I saw, more so than in the clip linked above, the unison and uniformity of mood and gaze of the fourteen Cedar Lake dancers was remarkable. Whether the choreographer's intention or not, the towering <b>Joaquim de Santana</b> was a standout, commanding his inexhaustible resistance army and keeping the rhythm and fervor flowing. And while <i>Violet Kid</i> is not a narrative piece, there was a story, a society, an event, clearly underpinning the visual experience. I found my mind racing through books I've read and movies I'd seen looking for the right context as if through a Rolodex - but although there was definitely something familiar to my imagination, Schecter's creation is a new story which left me wanting to discover more, to know who these characters are, the circumstances that led them to these moments, and the events that would follow. (I was left a little confused by the string trio playing only part of the music live in a raised corner of the stage, and only sometimes visible; I don't think it added anything to the experience, especially since the driving force of the score was recorded percussion)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After an uncomfortably long intermission, second up was <i><b><a href="http://vimeo.com/2983823" target="_blank">Annonciation</a></b></i>, a duet featuring the company's apparent principal, <b>Acacia Schachte</b>, and my personal favorite, <b>Harumi Terayama</b>. I admit, I might have enjoyed this piece more had I not read the program notes to know it was a Christian-themed exploration. Perhaps as a</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">n abstract contemporary piece for two strong women, I would have been able to project my own assumptions onto the relationship and been more receptive to the slow, repetitive and surprisingly unemotional choreography</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. Set to alternating ambient noise and classical music, Angelin Preljocaj's <i>Annociation </i>was for me not the easiest piece to watch. Perhaps an attempt by artistic director Benoit-Swan Pouffer to give the audience a break after the incessant energy of <i>Violet Kid</i>, instead, this piece made me feel a little like my high-speed motor boat had stalled in the middle of a lake and was taking on water. No fault of Schachte and Terayama - who executed the slow, tension filled choreography and difficult floor work with almost inhuman core strength and focus - for me this was not the right piece to follow <i>Violet Kid</i> on the program. (I found myself longing instead for the whimsy of<i> <b><a href="http://vimeo.com/2984196" target="_blank">Sunday, Again</a></b></i>, my favorite piece from past seasons.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a result, I think the final piece of the evening, <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/05/17/arts/17cedar/17cedar-articleLarge.jpg" target="_blank"><b><i>Grace Engine</i></b></a> choreographed by Chrystal Pite, was less enjoyable than it could have been. Had it been the opening piece, I actually think I would have enjoyed this Matrix-meets-Gattica-meets-Fringe shadow-world of unisex business suits and atmospheric lighting, including some that eerily resembled prison-yard watch lights. Another piece for a large ensemble, this time a world of rushing, frustrated functionaries or corporate cogs, <i>Grace Engine</i> drew me in but took me nowhere. <b>Jon Bond </b>had a number standout solo moments - and again <b>Joaquim de Santana</b> came to the forefront with his graceful yet forceful presence. <i>Grace Engine</i> seemed almost like a prequel to <i>Violet Kid -</i> one could imagine some apocalyptic movie where this dark, uniform world with some of the same twitching and throbbing could somehow give rise to the more creature-like urgency and unfocused gazes of the streetwear-clad band in the first piece. I suspect that if the program had been reversed, it would have given the audience a more satisfying sense of beginning and end. Both pieces actually lacked resolution - but whereas <i>Grace Engine</i>'s ending was abrupt, one could imagine that the dancing band of rebels in <i>Violet Kid</i> would keep moving until some external element came </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">dramatically </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">to change their reality. Both gave us a bleak view of the future, but there was also something hopeful in <i>Violet Kid</i> that was missing in <i>Grace Engine</i>.</span></div>
</div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-66842696123471269782012-05-24T18:06:00.000-04:002012-06-05T10:59:13.952-04:00Bridesmaids (ABT La Bayadere, May 23, 2012)<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
Thanks to a stroke of luck and no will to resist the desire to see <b>Stella Abrera</b>'s only Gamzatti this season (and <b>Jeff Golladay</b>'s last soloist role on the Met stage), I impulsively raced up to Lincoln Center, hit the box office with 7 minutes to spare and settled myself into a fabulous center orchestra seat for American Ballet Theatre's <i>La Bayadere</i>. Never one of my favorites, <i>La Bayadere</i> is lighter on plot than most and doesn't boast the richest of scores. As a result, I've never seen a full principal cast bring it entirely to life, and this viewing was no exception. It did, however, have its moments. And most of those were delivered by Stella Abrera.</div>
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As Nikiya, the jilted temple dancer, <b>Paloma Herrera</b> gave a solid but underwhelming and somewhat lagging performance, in part due to a lack of chemistry with her Solor, danced proficiently by <b>Cory Stearns</b>. Usually a stronger actor than all-around dancer, the still young and developing Stearns seemed uneasy with the character and underplayed him, so that the effect was to lose the entire weight of any relationship between Nikiya and Solor. Had I not read the program notes or known the story, I would not really have known these two were in love until the Kingdom of the Shades. There are really only seven plot points in the ballet: Solor and Nikiya are in love, the High Brahmin loves Nikiya, Solor agrees to marry Gamzatti, Gamzatti tries to bribe and then indirectly kills Nikiya, Solor dreams of Nikiya, Solor and Gamzatti's wedding rains down destruction and kills everyone. Without feeling the depth of the love affair, the rest of the plot really suffers. (Also, in my opinion, the hat worn by Solor throughout the ballet does no favors for any of the usually gorgeous men of ABT.)<br />
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Nevertheless, <b>Roman Zhurbin</b> as the High Brahmin and <b>Stella Abrera</b> as Gamzatti did pretty much everything they could to hold up their ends of the plot. Consistently the best character dancers at ABT, both Roman and Stella were phenomenal and I'm really looking forward to seeing Roman in a principal dancing role opposite Misty Copeland and Herman Cornejo in Ratmansky's <i>Firebird</i> in a couple of weeks. Stella, of course, is the eternal bridesmaid of ABT since injury vaporized her chance to debut as Giselle a few years ago. Her principal roles seem to be fewer and farther between (and stuck at weekday matinees), while her beauty, skill and confidence seem as strong as ever. Hers was the first Gamzatti that I pitied - she had the flashing eyes, poise, steely resolve and desperation of Vivian Leigh's war-hardened Scarlett O'Hara. The subtle angle changes of her head and arms brought Gamzatti's motivations leaping off the stage. And all this before she even danced the breathtaking tutu-ed variations at the end of Act I. Stella was present, sharp and simply gorgeous, and well partnered by Stearns. (Although I did catch of glimpse of <b>Alex Hammoudi</b> in the pas d'action nearby, and found myself imagining an Abrera/Hammoudi Nikiya/Solor for a second or two). There was a feistiness in Stella throughout the performance - so much so that her expression during the curtain call made me wonder if the unwanted, unappreciated Gamzatti speaks a little louder through Stella than any artistic director in his right mind should let be the case. While her fans already see her as a principal in deed if not in name, ABT needs to give Stella real opportunities to prove herself as a leading lady. Why she is relegated to playing every jealous, jilted bridesmaid in the repertoire when she'd be such a glorious, romantic, tragic bride continues to baffle me completely. No one breaks your heart again and again quite like Stella. No one commands attention quite like Stella. Why are the audience and the other dancers the only ones that see it? </div>
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Corps veteran <b>Jeff Golladay</b>
was wonderful as the head Fakir - his over-fire jumps were the highest
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his performance rivaled anyone else I've seen in the part. Similarly,
the underused <b>Arron Scott</b> danced the Bronze Idol beautifully; he
really captured the essence and lines of a god-statue come to life. His
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The highlight of <i>La Bayadere </i>is always the breathtaking corps of Shades in Act II. <b>Gemma Bond</b> was a skilled leader, but I admit my eye was more drawn to <b>Skylar Brandt</b> as the ladies made their way through the interminable arabesques down to the front. Having such a terrific center view, I was impressed at how perfectly aligned the Shades remained throughout Act II - in particular the diagonal V of double arabesques framing Nikiya in one of her re-entrances was perfection. I was especially impressed because today's cast included most, if maybe all, of this year's new additions to the corps. The soloist variations were well executed by <b>Maria Riccetto, Luciana Paris and Misty Copeland</b>, but I continue to find the choreography of these sections to be ill-fitted to the music. I don't know whether it is the coaching at ABT or the choreography itself, but I'm always a little puzzled at these solos.</div>
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The Act I d'Jampe dancers didn't fare quite as well as the Shades, despite being well-fronted by <b>Luciana Voltolini</b> and a standout <b>Sarah Smith</b>. The d'Jampe corps seemed under-rehearsed and while their dancing was relatively in synch, the angles of their scarves never matched, giving a muddled and messy effect. The corps women made amends with cleaner unison and sharper feet in the Act III candle dance, which had some unexpected and much appreciated oomph to it - it's not the most exciting of moments in this not-so-exciting ballet. <b>Skylar Brandt</b> and <b>Nicole Graniero</b> also again showed gorgeous, almost inhuman unison in their Act I small group variations. These two are somewhat of a miracle of nature and should continue to be paired and highlighted at every opportunity.</div>
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I would be remiss if I didn't mention that while I was unmoved by <b>Cory Stearns</b>' acting on this occasion, I was pleasantly surprised at the height and solidity of some of his overhead lifts, and the growing gravitas of his solo variations. Unfortunately for Cory, he's in the company of Marcelo Gomes and David Hallberg who have some of the most beautiful grand jetes I've witnessed, and so Cory's grand jetes, and in particular those en manege, stood out as lacking sharpness and I saw a few bends of the knees in the air. I can only hope he (or any of the other men of ABT) is not being overtly or covertly encouraged to sacrifice line for height to keep pace with the unattractively tigger-esque guesting Ivan Vasiliev. If ABT's great men of the past two decades teach the current crop nothing else, it should be that greatness is found in individuality. Gomes, Carreno, Stiefel, Bocca, Corella, Cornejo - none of these dancers is at all like the others. But the crowds appreciate(d) and love them all.</div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-8672083208511995932012-05-19T17:30:00.000-04:002012-08-28T18:22:31.980-04:00A little love letter to the ballet.<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of use who love ballet, it can be so hard to understand why the rest of the world doesn't see what we see, can't feel what we feel. How do most people not experience the same overpowering physical exhilaration we feel when merely sitting and watching, yes <u>watching</u>, a ballet dancer living their dream on stage? The freedom when technique meets ability meets passion in just one human being on the stage ripples out into the audience and fills every muscle, every cell in my body with energy and implausible possibility.
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps this what other people feel when watching athletes like Michael Phelps, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Nastia Liukin or Dara Torres. But while I root for these athletes and love to watch them strive, the feeling I get as a spectator is so different than watching ballet. I feel nerves and hopes <u>for</u> these athletes, I feel the stress of pretending my will as a spectator can help them win, but still I don't feel their work <u>with</u> them. But </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when I watch <b>Marcelo Gomes</b> in an abstract contemporary piece (or almost anything really), or <b>Alessandra Ferri</b> as <i>Manon</i>, or <b>Julie Kent</b>'s sheer strength during the endless, countless overhead lifts in <i>Lady of the Camellias</i>, or <b>Ethan Stiefel</b> as Albrecht in <i>Giselle</i>, or <b>Simone Messmer</b> in this November's Volpi pas de deux, or <b>Stella Abrera</b> in <i>Meadow</i> or as Emilia in <i>Othello</i>, or <b>Ulyana Lopatkina</b> as <i>Giselle</i>, or <b>Michael Trusnovec</b> from Paul Taylor Dance, or so many more....I can't explain how but I think I get just a little bit of what they must be feeling while flying or turning, while forcing extreme tension into their limbs to make the tiniest moves important, while living so inside the music that it appears to be emanating out of their bodies rather than the orchestra pit, while letting everything go, to make the biggest leaps soar.
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, inversely, I do admit that once you've seen ballet greatness, anything less can become difficult to watch. Even my most elementary-skilled adult body aches watching and willing lesser dancers try to push past their limitations, or even great dancers fighting to play the wrong part. My sedentary spectator muscles seem to scream at me to let them go and help lift the struggling dancers on the stage.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, add to all this the personal element of watching certain dancers, in a certain company, mature on stage over time and the emotional experience of attending the ballet can on a very rare occasion become almost overpowering. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been almost two months now since I flew out to Chicago to see <b>Yuriko Kajiya</b> and <b>Jared Matthews</b> of American Ballet Theatre debut in <i>Giselle</i>, and I've been completely unable to write about it. It's almost as if I was afraid sharing what I felt at this special performance would somehow detract from my strong memory of the experience. I haven't wanted to blog - it was too intimate an experience. I'm even unable to bring myself to attend this week's performances of <i>Giselle</i> at the Met, because I'm not ready for other dancers to cloud the lingering images still in my mind.
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DkPAZz-xfh0/T7f_AuS2NoI/AAAAAAAAALM/Q7_PF1lVJNs/s1600/IMG_0094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DkPAZz-xfh0/T7f_AuS2NoI/AAAAAAAAALM/Q7_PF1lVJNs/s320/IMG_0094.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth is, my emotional response to this debut performance was so surprisingly personal, that I'm still unable to give a lengthy, linear review of the performance. So, please forgive me that I can only give you some snapshots. <b>Yuriko </b><b>Kajiya</b>'s diagonal hops en pointe in Act I were sharp and joyful and travelled, really travelled to fill the space on the stage. Not always an easy thing for a ballerina of her tiny stature. In her mad scene I saw <u>real</u> tears in her eyes, and the way she repeatedly slumped to the floor felt more than choreography. Many ballerinas dance the end of Act I so beautifully it could break one's dramatic little heart, but Yuriko showed also an honesty I was not expecting. By the time of her entrance in Act II, and the whirling grand pirouettes, there were tears in <u>my</u> eyes. I was so proud of the corps of Wilis who were so much closer to perfect unison than I'd ever seen them before. I was so proud of Yuriko, in the languid arabesques penchees. I was breathless at the overhead dead-press lifts by <b>Jared Matthews</b>, and the seeming eternity before he tenderly set Yuriko back lightly on the earth. I even forgot for a minute or two that Albrecht is supposed to be exhausted from Myrtha's torment by the end, and let myself worry for Jared as he seemed to suffer and leave every ounce of Albrecht's energy on the stage in the diagonal brises.
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still remember last year's <b>Vishneva/Gomes</b> <i>Giselle</i> as one of the most thrilling performances I've ever experienced. And before that, there was a <b>Kent/Stiefel</b> <i>Giselle</i> that left my skin humming for at least two days. But somehow, this first, this little out-of-town debut <b>Kajiya/Matthews</b> <i>Giselle</i> was so much more special. It was neither the most technically skilled nor the best acted performance I've seen to date - but what it did have, what New York audiences will mostly be robbed of this year, is that hopeful glimmer of promise - the shadowed tentacles of truly great <i>Giselle's</i> by this pair of dancers that will surely develop as they have opportunities to perform it again and again, and with other partners. There was a longing, a need to dance that we rarely get to see during Met season at ABT. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A gaggle of sorority girls in the row behind me were rolling in tears halfway through Act II.
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Stella Abrera </b>singed the stage with this fire the few seasons before she was so unjustly injured and lost her <i>Giselle</i>. I expect <b>Misty Copeland</b> will smolder in this way as the <i>Firebird</i> in a few weeks time. You can almost see smoke coming from <b>Alex Hammoudi </b>just standing there so ridiculously stuck </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">still </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in those ensemble corps costumes. I expect all of the dancers of <b>Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet</b> to blaze with urgency tonight and next weekend at the Joyce Theater.
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If only we could show the rest of the world THESE performances, these bare examples of human capability mixed with skill and desire, maybe, just maybe, a few more open-minded souls would feel a glimmer of what we feel, we loving spectators of the ballet.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-84868708062130563542012-02-03T16:09:00.000-05:002012-02-27T13:04:29.053-05:00More ABT Soloists Shining....but why always outside NYC!!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2012 could finally (hopefully!) be the breakout year for ABT's Jared Matthews. First we have his upcoming debut as Albrecht in Chicago to look forward to, as well as his Lensky in the opening night of Onegin at the MET in June, and now he's gotten a(nother) nice mention in the press - this time from in the Washington Post for his performance in "Black Tuesday" at the Kennedy Center. </span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;">"[Black Tuesday's] crowning moment, however, is a male solo performed to the song 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?’ that ranks among the most piercing and poetic in the canon. Here is the trademark Taylor hero: the overlooked everyman, in this case a World War I veteran, whose musical weariness and unforced grace deliver a moral blow to an inattentive society. It was danced with beautiful simplicity Tuesday by Jared Matthews, a talent to watch."</span></i></div>
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The real question is why Daniil Simkin (instead of Matthews) shared this role with the fantastic Herman Cornejo back at NY City Center this fall. I can think of no one with acting abilities better suited in ABT's current ranks than Matthews to fill the role originated by the passionate Ethan Stiefel back in 2001. Can you?</div>
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Well done Jared!</div>
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And....on another note - reports broke today that Sarah Lane will finally be dancing Odette/Odile. In Spain, with Corella Ballet. (and maybe if we're really lucky, in Detroit later this spring?) Thank you, Angel!</div>
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If ABT doesn't put these wonderful soloists on stage in full length roles in New York City during Met Season 2013 (and not just one matinee a season) - McKenzie will have finally and utterly broken my heart. And the hearts of many others I know.</div>
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</span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-9151413285339622492012-01-15T15:03:00.001-05:002012-02-27T13:05:18.673-05:00Have love for ABT soloists....will travel.<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">So while time and money cruelly prevented me from traveling to New Zealand this fall to see </span><b style="color: #444444;">Stella Abrera</b><span style="color: #444444;">'s much-praised debut season as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty with Ethan's Stiefel's Royal New Zealand Ballet...when I heard that American Ballet Theatre had scheduled soloists </span><b style="color: #444444;">Yuriko Kajiya</b><span style="color: #444444;"> and </span><b style="color: #444444;">Jared Matthews</b><span style="color: #444444;"> for their first (and arguably overdue) Giselle, I knew I was going no matter where it would be. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">March 25th. Chicago. Be there. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In related news, when ABT came asking for my subscription renewal, I politely explained that while I absolutely love ABT, and anyone who knows me will tell you no less, I subscribe to see (and donate to support) ABT dancers - not guest artists - and so would be holding off on buying any tickets until the schedule is more set closer to the performance dates. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to see <b>Misty Copeland</b>. I want to see <b>Stella Abrera</b> (who frustratingly is scheduled for large roles currently only on Wednesday matinees at Met). I want to see J<b>ared Matthews, Yuriko Kajiya, Herman Cornejo, Sascha Radetsky, Simone Messmer, Joseph Gorak, Arron Scott, Brittany deGrofft, Christine Shevchenko, Adrienne Schulte, Nicole Graniero, Julio-Bragado Young, Alex Hammoudi, Gray Davis, Roddy Doble, Roman Zhurbin, Eric Tamm, Sarah Lane</b>.....and all of the other hard working, dedicated, beautiful dancers ABT has selected and trained year after year. If the powers that be think these dancers are not ready - the powers have no one to blame but themselves. Give these dancers the opportunities and more coaching and they will give every ounce of their determination and energy to be ready. To be more than ready. To fly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want the dancers to be inspired, to have opportunities to grow and mature before our eyes. I want to show them we support them - and for them to have their turns to inspire us. I want to see artistry and emotion, rather than flashy jumps (to the extent they are accompanied by lackluster partnering and hammy acting). I want ABT to </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bring back the longer fall season which highlights both the amazing contemporary power of so many of these dancers, and gives more of the company real opportunities to shine.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dancers like <b>Marcelo Gomes</b> were not created in a day; he was given the chances to push himself along the way. The younger dancers of ABT deserve no less.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>So this Met season, and around the country and around the world - I encourage you all to go see and support ABT, and as many times as you can afford....but perhaps pay a little more attention to the casting this year, and try to support the company dancers rather than the guest principals. You may be surprised at how much their fire will inspire you and win your hearts. They will not disappoint.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me....if <b>Sarah Lane</b> should finally get her full length debut during the US tour...I for one will be doing my utmost to be there. If <b>Misty Copeland</b> wasn't scheduled for Firebird at Met season, you can bet I would be flying out to California to see that too.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only thing I can really do to make my feelings heard is put my money where my mouth is. And so, this year, and until a change is made, I will.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">American Ballet Theatre's Friday night offering at City Center was the most uneven of the three performances I attended, and the most confusing. But one thing became clear, even in the surreal moments when technical difficulties resulted in the stage (and much of the audience) completely obscured by fog for at least one movement of Twyla Tharp's <i><a href="http://www.abt.org/performances/performance_display.asp?Event_ID=281&Date_ID=1279" target="_blank">In The Upper Room</a></i>. The unformed rumblings in my mind from Wednesday turned up the volume and took form: soloists <b><a href="http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=71" target="_blank">Simone Messmer</a>, <a href="http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=103" target="_blank">Sarah Lane</a></b> and <a href="http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=56" target="_blank"><b>Misty Copeland</b></a> are READY to lead. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The evening began with Paul Taylor's <i><b><a href="http://www.abt.org/images/db_images/layout/city/btmessmer1ff.jpg" target="_blank">Black Tuesday</a></b></i>. Immediately I felt that this piece worked much better as an ending, as on Wednesday's program, than an opening number. It's relaxed style felt somehow abrupt, and isn't strong enough to draw the audience in as an opener. In fact, the crowd near me seemed a little bored until the last section While parts of this cast were stellar - namely <b>Herman Cornejo</b> in the final solo, </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Brother Can You Spare a Dime </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">and <b>Simone Messmer</b> in the heart-wrenching </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">The Boulevard of Broken Dreams</i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">, some of the other casting choices were less successful. <b>Calvin Royal</b> and <b>Luis Ribagorda</b> showed their youth in the opening <i>Underneath the Arches</i> and it was a little too smiley instead of embracing the right character of the piece. Although I have great hopes for Royal's future with the company, the pair of them seemed to be thinking really hard during the whole piece. <b>Karen Uphoff</b> and <b>Daniel Mantei</b> were unfortunately awkward in their duet <i>There's No Depression in Love</i>. <b>Kelly Boyd</b> was thankfully delightful as the pregnant woman in <i>Sittin' on a Rubbish Can</i>, and seemed to have more command of the choreography than Nicola Curry had on Wednesday. <b>Roman Zhurbin</b> was right out of Guys and Dolls in the saucy quartet <i>Are You Making Any Money</i>, and maybe even a little more credible (a little less innocently comical) than Craig Salstein had been. Of his ladies, my eye was drawn in particular to the beautiful <b>Jennifer Whalen.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">From the first note of <b>Simone Messmer's</b> solo, </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">The Boulevard of Broken Dreams,</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> I felt like I was watching a different production (in a great way)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">. The maturity, honesty and emotion Messmer brought to this tragic moment was real. Interestingly, the sharp and striking Messmer shares all three of these characteristics with the fantastically fluid Stella Abrera, but yet creates a completely different effect and aspect on stage. Both are wonderful and unique. Messmer left me wishing that she had had a more mature cast around her to elevate the rest of the piece (but for Cornejo) to the same level of real emotion. The</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">contemporaneously</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> masculine and vulnerable <b>Herman Cornejo</b> escalated the urgent isolation that began in Messmer's solo to a feverish pitch that reached me in my seat. (I note that Taylor interrupts these two pieces with the intervening comical </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">street urchin danced well by the sharp and sprightly <b>Nicole Graniero</b> in (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><i>I Went Hunting) and the Big Bad Wolf Was Dead - </i>who maybe had just a tad less fire in her eyes than Gemma Bond had on Wednesday). </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Nevertheless, while <i>Black Tuesday</i> gives the audience a heavily joyful and entertaining romp through the depression era, Taylor's choreography in Messmer's and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Cornejo's solos</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> delivers a harder message of pain, longing and needs for hope and help that lay at the root of the American depression experience.</span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Second on Friday's program was young choreographer Demis Volpi's premiere piece for the company, </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10100498662483214" target="_blank"><b>Private Light</b>.</a> </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">I had seen an excerpt of the main solo and pas de deux at Works + Process at the Guggenheim a few weeks before, and from that had been very excited to see this new work. However, the reviews I'd been reading from earlier in the week were not as enthusiastic, so I came out of intermission with some hesitation. Danced to an assembly of solo guitar music played masterfully on stage by musician Christian Kiss (yes, that's his name), </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Private Light</i><b style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; line-height: 21px;"> </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">is at once both wonderful and disappointing</span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">. </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">On one hand, the lead roles danced in this cast by soloist </span><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Misty Copeland</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> and shirtless corps member </span><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Alexandre Hammoudi</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">, were well thought-out and expertly executed. Copeland gave a wonderful portrayal of a young woman in conflict between her own independence and the strong pull of her passionate and sometimes brutish partner. Some reviewers found this character weak and overpowered, but for me, Volpi gives a voice to the romantic confusion of the younger generations coming of age in this sensory-overloading era. The angular and sometimes frantic arm movements of Copeland are somehow no less graceful than a classical ballet. Hammoudi's partnering was perhaps the strongest and most mature I've seen from him ever. He definitely stepped firmly into the leading man's shoes here.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">While the solo and pas de deux were tension-filled and engaging, unfortunately much of the rest of the piece lacked editing. The opening bit featuring the five couples moving only their heads back and forth (comically "kissing") goes on WAYYYY too long and Volpi's need for a few too many repetitions of other choreographic moments flows through most of the rest of his choreography as well. Whether he needed more weeks to develop the piece or simply a way to cut down some of the excess music I'm not sure. The other MAJOR problem was the solo by <b>Blaine Hoven</b> to Isaac Albeniz's famous tension-filled "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEfFbuT3I6A" target="_blank">Leyenda</a>". The sharp, difficult choreography was almost completely lost on Hoven, who has seemed throughout the week to be perhaps out of shape and out of breath. It was almost uncomfortable to watch the sometimes wonderful Hoven struggle and fight with his brain and body to keep up with the urgency of the music. My main regret of the week was that I missed the first cast of this piece starring Simone Messmer and Cory Stearns as the leads and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2011/11/10/arts/ABT.html" target="_blank">Joseph Gorak</a> in Hoven's role. A much more Hallberg-esque dancer, I think Volpi's demands would have been met much more successfully by the precise Gorak. One other note: t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">he roaring audience seemed to appreciate </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Private Light</i><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 21px;"> </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">much more than I had expected given the earlier reviews.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Last on the evening's bill was Twyla Tharp's perennial favorite of smoke, sneakers and crimson pointe shoes, <i><b><a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/11/10/arts/JP-ABT1/JP-ABT1-articleLarge.jpg" target="_blank">In The Upper Room</a></b>. </i>Or at least, for about five minutes after the curtain went up after the second intermission, that is what the dancers may have been dancing. The audience, however, would have little witness to this, since all but about two feet at the front of the stage was obscured by a thick white fog that slowly travelled its way into the orchestra and blinded all in attendance. After a few minutes, you could hear clapping and yelling from the mezzanine and finally an angry yell to "start over!". I couldn't help but giggle, as many around me in the audience seemed to have no idea what was going on (didn't they know we were supposed to be able to see the dancers?) Finally, after what must have seemed to the dancers to be an eternity, the music stopped, the curtain came down and the vents opened. Several audience members in my section left at this point - perhaps made ill by the smoke, or perhaps just not interested in the piece. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">When the curtain came back up after fogpocalypse, there was perhaps a little too little haze on the stage, but the radiant <b>Simone Messmer and Luciana Paris</b> triumphantly returned in their baggy jumpsuits and sneakers to lead the brave cast through the exhausting and exhilarating nine movements of choreography. Their fellow "stompers" <b>Cory Stearns, Roddy Doble, Jared Matthews </b>and <b>Devon Teuscher</b> (and sometimes stomper/sometimes bomber <b>Katie Williams</b>) put forth a truly valiant effort, working seamlessly through a number of visible missteps and clearly refusing be vanquished by the lost adrenaline of repeating so much of the beginning. The "bombers" (who had not had to dance through the haze in the opening movements), were fantastic throughout. Led by <b>Herman Cornejo</b> and a dazzling <b>Sarah Lane</b>, the more classical bombers electrified the audience. <b>Nicole Graniero </b>and <b>Skylar Brandt</b> were almost picture perfect in their unison and so alike in size and movement that a more perfect pair might be hard to find in the world of ballet. <b>Eric Tamm</b> and <b>Joseph Gorak</b> turned and leaped with abandon and all of the energy left in their tanks. I'll leave more detail to the review of Saturday's performance by the same cast under better circumstances, but cannot omit to mention that the solo work and partnering by Lane and Cornejo were truly masterful and electric. Lane in particular has never danced (to my eyes) with more freedom and confidence. By miles.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">The audience jumped to its feet after the final note, shouting in appreciation of these dedicated, talented, indefatigable dancers and the beautiful Philip Glass score and Tharp choreography. I can think of only a few occasions where I have been prouder of these dancers (only two of which on the entire program, Cornejo and Stearns, deemed worthy by McKenzie of the rank of principal). Soloists Messmer, Lane and Copeland made me forget entirely that principals Gillian Murphy, Paloma Herrera, Julie Kent, Veronika Part and Xiomara Reyes made no appearance on Friday night. In fact, I think I enjoyed each individual piece more than I would have if any of those more seasoned ballerinas had been on the program. </span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">The program itself made no sense to me as a whole - there was not even a thread of commonality of theme or style among the three ballets - but individually I appreciated each offering in its own way.</span></span></span></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-44239358162082002702011-11-21T08:17:00.001-05:002012-06-01T14:11:51.391-04:00Victory to the Home Team: ABT at City Center (Wednesday, November 9, 2011)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Say what you will about Kevin McKenzie’s increasingly lackluster programming choices, there was something exciting about November 9th's repertory program by American Ballet Theatre. I left with such a jolt of electricity that I couldn’t fall asleep until well after 4 am. Notwithstanding some turnover in the ranks since ABT did longer fall seasons in 2006 and 2007, Wednesday night was a return to the well-rehearsed, passionate, joyful and exceptionally strong group of dancers I remembered from City Center seasons past. This night showed some rumblings of something I couldn't quite yet put into words - something that would become a loud and clear statement by some of the dancers later in the week.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The evening started off with a welcome reprisal of Ratmansky's <a href="http://www.abt.org/education/archive/ballets/seven_sonatas.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Seven Sonatas</b></i></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, a white ballet danced by three rotating couples to Scarlatti sonatas played live on stage by a solo pianist. I first saw this ballet performed at Avery Fisher Hall in 2009, by the same original cast but one: soloist Yuriko Kajiya was moved up into the spot left vacant by the radiant Stella Abrera (off this City Center season most deservedly dancing Aurora with the Royal New Zealand Ballet).
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The standout of this cast was by far principal </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Herman Cornejo</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, returned from sitting out last Met season with an injury (and one of only eight of ABT's principal dancers performing at City Center). The powerfully calm, joyful and sensitive display by Cornejo made me realize that it has been quite a long time since I've seen him dance in a featured role, especially a classical one. And it also made me realize just how much I had missed him. His double cabrioles were unsurprisingly high and sharp, and his rotating partnering of all three women was strong and giving. I was especially moved by his sense of connection both the piece and each of the women; more so than any dancer in either cast I saw, Cornejo's eyes seemed transfixed always in the exact right spot - whether wistfully outside the planes of the stage or engagingly at his partner.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Corps member </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alex Hammoudi</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, whose promotion to soloist is starting to seem long overdue, also had a mostly strong night. In particular when partnered with Yuriko Kajiya in the earlier sections he showed a growing level of maturity and I thought the pair had a stronger, more present, connection with each other than I've seen either of them have with other dancers. (I had heard that their Nutcracker last year was one of the best, and I look forward to trekking out to BAM to see it this December.) I've said it before, but Hammoudi has gorgeous long limbs and the shapes he creates with his body when he is in a featured role sometimes almost make me want to stop and take a picture with my mind. He does still need a little more grounding in his movements, some weight to his transitional steps - every once and a while he still looks a bit weak when moving in plie - but his partnering is growing stronger quickly. He was also clearly more comfortable with Kajiya than in his duet with Julie Kent, where he looked a little less mature and you could see him thinking rather than just dancing freely as a 50/50 partnership as I saw in his briefer moments with Kajiya. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">F</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or her part, </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yuriko Kajiya</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> came out with a lot of command, especially, in the exuberance of the first sonata and in her somber duet with </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gennadi Saveliev</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, though in the latter she brought a much different feel than the more emotive and fluid Stella Abrera in performances past. Kajiya continues to have some of the most striking arm positions I've seen, and she was so strong and confident in the pas de deux that I had to keep reminding myself to even look at Saveliev. Unfortunately, I sometimes have the same feeling when I see Kajiya dance with her most practiced partner, the wonderful Jared Matthews; as much as I adore him, sometimes it seems as if she's dancing and her partner becomes almost more of a prop. As I mentioned above, I did not get this at all when she danced with Hammoudi, somehow a much more equal feeling partnering, but I fear that since Hammoudi is quite tall and Kajiya one of the smallest and lightest in the company, we won't get to see them together that often. </span></span></div>
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Later in the ballet, the more quietly confident <b>Julie Kent</b> really came to the forefront. Although sometimes Kent doesn’t have as much variety in styles these days as other dancers, she's always so lovely that for me it's always a pleasure to watch her dance. <b>Xiomara Reyes</b> rounded out the cast of six, but although her movements were energetic I often found myself distracted trying to figure out what she was looking at. Wistful looked more like she was counting the overhead lights, and the rest of the time I wondered if she had been transported off to some storybook harvest festival or even dancing Titania from time to time.</div>
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The second offering of the evening was my first full-length viewing of Merce Cunningham's <i><a href="http://www.abt.org/images/db_images/events/duetsherreratamm1gs.jpg" target="_blank"><b>Duets</b></a></i>. Set to a percussive score by John Cage, it is my understanding that this piece was intentionally made separate from the music, and the dancers initially rehearsed it as such. As someone who loves when music seems to be coming out of the dancers themselves, this was a bit strange to me at first. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the piece (though more so on Saturday). The first duet, danced by principals <b>Gillian Murphy</b> and <b>Cory Stearns,</b> was for me the most forgettable of the six. Stearns came out strong, but I found Murphy extremely unsuited to this type of dance and her costume extremely unflattering. Perhaps if she had been allowed to dance with her hair down the modern Cunningham steps would have looked less awkward on her. Principal <b>Paloma Herrera</b> and corps member <b>Eric Tamm</b> were very strong and Herrera gave probably my favorite performance of the piece. Immediately I remembered her in fall seasons past - how I wish McKenzie would find more modern work for her at Met season. Her lines and curves were picture perfect and inspiring, even in their abstraction. <b>Veronika Part</b> and corps member <b>Vitali Krauchenka</b> left me cold - while Part had the strength and lines right, her eyes were vacant (as often) and nothing made sense to me in this duet - I didn't understand the relationship between the pair (which became clear when I saw the other casting on Saturday). <b>Julie Kent</b> and <b>Jared Matthews</b> were the most balletic-without-being-wrong and the most sure footed partnership of the six. Matthews in particular danced with a lot of maturity opposite Kent, as he had opposite Vishneva in <b>Thais</b> in 2010. The most exciting duet for me was the perhaps less refined pairing of corps members <b>Sean Stewart</b> and <b>Adrienne Schulte</b>, who came out with the most attack and connection of any of the pairs. Until this season Stewart had seemed somewhat stoic to me - a lovely dancer without a lot of persona. I recently learned that he has a strong contemporary background and boy did it show at City Center, beginning here. I don't know enough about Cunningham to know if perhaps Stewart and Schulte were maybe a little too animated, but their more human and honest connection spoke loudly to me as a viewer. They were also saddled with horrendous lime and mustard costumes. The sixth duet, danced by corps members <b>Devon Teuscher </b>and <b>Luis Ribagorda</b> was unfortunately right out of whatever Bournonville countryside Xiomara Reyes had landed in during Seven Sonatas. It didn't help matters that I had seen Craig Salstein and Isabella Boylston rehearse this duet at Works + Process at the Guggenheim. Ribagorda in particular had such an open and puffed out chest that it was almost comical to watch the pair as a result. But, I liked the piece more than I expected to, though didn't yet love it. Call me old fashioned, but I like the music to inform the dance, not compete with it. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Duets was followed by the wonderful <b>Marcelo Gomes</b> and the lovely <b>Maria Riccetto</b> in Twyla Tharp's odd showy little number <i>Known By Heart ("Junk") </i>duet. To be honest, I don't remember much about the piece other than Marcelo masterfully pushing the boundaries of horizontal and vertical space to the tune of steel drums. His performance quality takes any program to a higher level of energy, commitment and talent. There was even one jete which was concrete proof that he's been dancing along side Vasiliev on the Kings of Dance tour - the height was huge!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last on the program was Paul Taylor's 2001 work set to depression-era recordings, <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.abt.org/images/db_images/layout/city/btmessmer1ff.jpg" target="_blank">Black Tuesday</a>. </i>Although most of the individual performances were good, I found this piece a bit underwhelming. I shouldn't have been so surprised, I suppose, since <i><b>Company B</b> </i>also leaves me wanting more. <b>Gemma Bond</b> was immediately captivating as the street urchin ((</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I Went Hunting) and the Big Bad Wolf Was Dead</i>) - though I immediately knew it must have been Marian Butler who premiered this role in 2001 (and it was). <b>Sean Stewart</b> and <b>Julio Bragado-Young</b> were adorably snappy in <i>Underneath the Arches</i><b><i>.</i> </b> <b>Gray Davis</b> continued to show growth and potential in his partnering, though could have used a little more abandon maybe. <b>Craig Salstein</b> was (of course) wonderful wooing his three less-than-virtuous ladies in <i>Are You Making Any Money?</i> <b>Alex Hammoudi</b> and <b>Luciana Paris</b> weren't quite suited to this style - though their battements were terrific, Luciana sometimes has a little too much oompf for her partners going into lifts and they both seemed to lose a little steam trying to keep a little too much control. <b>Nicola Curry</b> was funny but I lost the dancer in her long solo as a pregnant unwed woman, and she doesn't get enough spring in her sautes. The highlight by far was <b>Misty Copeland</b> in her tragic solo, <i>The Boulevard of Broken Dreams</i> - she's never looked better than she has this fall. Hers was the only vignette that packed any punch - the power and commitment to a character and choreography that you might see in a Gene Kelly number. <b>Daniil Simkin </b>sadly lacked that same punch in the climax of the piece, <i>Brother Can You Spare a Dime</i>, although his competition-dancer style was at least a little less prominent than in past viewings. His cause wasn't helped by the fact I'd heard the story about Ethan Stiefel's powerful performance of this role in September 2001 - I wanted it to live up to that moment in my head.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, my head was buzzing after this lineup. It had been SO very long since I'd seen some of these corps members and soloists dance in featured roles. I hadn't forgotten how much I love them, but I had forgotten the degree to which their talent has been underused and shuffled under a big wig or flouncy skirt these past few years. Although I did miss Stella Abrera (and Sascha Radetsky who, as luck would have it, didn't dance the nights I went), this company of dancers felt so much more cohesive, so much more a unit, than in the past two met seasons of guest principals, talented as they may be, soaking up so much of the spotlight. This feeling would only grow as the week went on. More to come.....</span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3160815930366832722.post-48492169202895711072011-10-14T19:09:00.000-04:002012-01-15T15:06:23.610-05:00ABT's Nutcracker: A Small Plea<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>As much as I, too, usually go for performances starring the glorious Marcelo Gomes, Herman Cornejo or the other ABT principals, I'm sending out this little plea into the blogosphere:</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're planning to see American Ballet Theatre's Nutcracker by Ratmansky this season at BAM or The Kennedy Center (<i>and you SHOULD!</i>), <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">PLEASE</span></b> opt for the shows starring soloists <b><a href="http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=67">Yuriko Kajiya</a></b>, <b><a href="http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=44">Maria Riccetto</a></b> or <b><a href="http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=103">Sarah Lane</a></b>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven't seen them before, each of these ladies will win your hearts with her sparkle, presence and grace. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's show ABT we all love and support their home-grown talent, and the continuing influx of guest artists with slavic last names is not needed (especially to the almost complete exclusion of opportunities for the existing soloists not named Seo or Boylston). </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cheers, and a sincere thanks to those of you who do hear my plea and go out and support these beautiful ballerinas this Winter!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(Click <a href="http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx?startdate=12/1/2011">here</a> for the link to the December 2011 ABT calendar with casting)</i></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02357214571077348810noreply@blogger.com1