Who says you need to leave NYC to get an amazing view of the sky?...

A handful of shots from the Fourth of July 2011, shot from the deck of the USS Intrepid (more after the jump).

Quick Notes on ABT's Swan Lake with the Unstoppable Marcelo Gomes and Polina Semionova (July 2nd evening)

So clearly I'm never going to get the long version of this review written, but I wanted to at least post the curtain call video below and share a couple of thoughts. 

What can I say about him this season that I haven't already said about the truly unstoppable Marcelo Gomes?  This Met season he went from being one of my favorite dancers, to probably my favorite dancer of all time, any genre (though Gregory Hines still comes a close 2nd).

A Chronicle of Minor Cultural and Culinary Adventures, episode 2 (June 1-July 18)

Now that the rhapsody of ballet season is over here in NYC, I thought I'd share some very brief thoughts on my other adventures over the past 7 weeks.

A tragic night at the ballet...the Mariinsky's Anna Karenina (June 14th)

So...with low expectations (based on other reviews) I went to see the Mariinsky's Anna Karenina last night at Lincoln Center. I didn't love Tolstoy's book, and I liked this ballet even less.  

Need your advice on what to see in the world of dance!

So Blogger tells me that I've got some readers checking out this blog from all over the globe - how exciting!  Since that's the case, who better than you to help me navigate the world of touring dance companies, right?  So, readers out there - for which companies, small and large, contemporary or classical, or otherwise (and which dancers) should I be on the lookout if they make their way to the eastern portion of the US? 

Farewell Reprise - An Unexpected Carreño/Kent Swan Lake (July 2nd Matinee)

I was on the bus home from a movie in Times Square on Friday night, July 1st, when my little corner of the twitterverse was buzzing with news: David Hallberg had sprained his ankle on Thursday night and so ABT had moved Marcelo Gomes from Saturday's Swan Lake matinee opposite Julie Kent to dance with Berlin State Opera guest artist Polina Semionova on Saturday evening.  I was immediately (and over-dramatically) plunged into despair, as Saturday's matinee was supposed to be my final viewing of ABT, and the beloved Gomes, until City Center in November!  But I soon learned that his replacement at the matinee would be none other than Jose Manuel Carreño, who had supposedly retired the night before.  What a gracious and wonderful gift to the audience (who I'm sure would have been sorely disappointed with any other replacement for Gomes given the uninjured options at ABT at the time).

A Gentleman's Farewell: Jose Manuel Carreno's (Almost) Final Swan Lake at ABT

I hadn’t planned to attend Jose Manuel Carreño’s farewell** to American Ballet Theatre as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake on Thursday, June 30th. But, as the date drew nearer, I found myself checking the website for tickets every day or two.  By some magic, two days before the show some orchestra tickets opened up and I didn’t think twice.  I’m so glad I was there to witness this touching send-off to such a gentleman of the ballet.

More cast changes at ABT

Looks like David Hallberg is getting some well needed time to heal his sprained ankle for The Bright Stream performances in LA later this month.  This just in from ABT:

A fairy tale told by many different authors - ABT's Cinderella (June 25th evening)

People seem to have really loved or loathed American Ballet Theatre’s production of James Kudelka’s Cinderella this season.  Based on the evening performance on Saturday, June 25^th, I’m on the fence (which probably contributed to the lateness of this review).  Overall, I liked it less than I had in previous years, but some of the things I DID like were things that had been missing in those past viewings.

This just in - more injuries at ABT

David Hallberg seems to have sprained his ankle last night in Carreno's farewell to American Ballet Theatre.

But wait, because of the injury, it wasn't Carreno's farewell after all!  To the likely horror of those who paid over $1000 a seat on craigslist or stubhub to see the historic show last night, Jose Manuel is now dancing the Saturday matinee opposite Julie Kent, and Marcelo Gomes has been moved to the evening performance with Polina Semionova.  The evening crowd should be in for QUITE a treat.  Luckily thanks to the wonder of smartphones and my ballet-impulse-buying-addiction, I was able to score a ticket to the evening performance as well!  Have to bring the real camera this time for the curtain call......

Now, do I review last night before tomorrow's matinee? Or wait to compare the two....hmmmm.....

And, for those who are keeping track, that brings the ABT male soloist/principal injury/non-performance count this met season to (to my semi-reliable knowledge):

Max Beloserkovsky - injured/hasn't danced since gala

Herman Cornejo - injured/hasn't danced since gala

Ethan Stiefel - withdrew from entire season

Roberto Bolle - no injury but only danced 4 performances

Angel Corella - no injury but only danced 2 performances

David Hallberg - sprained ankle week 7

Gennadi Saveliev - injured calf muscle week 7

Sascha Radetsky  - seemed to have some kind of injury at the beginning of the season

Anyone else wondering if one of the corps guys put some kind of voodoo curse on the higher ups?  WHAT a crazy season.  If this isn't more reason to pay attention to developing Jared Matthews, Sascha Radetsky, Eric Tamm, Alex Hammoudi and others for next season then I don't know what is!