observations 8-14

ABT soloist Devon Teuscher is dancing the Black Swan PdD (with the 32 fouettes) three times in three days with Marcelo Gomes' tour group in Manaus that includes Gillian Murphy, Stella Abrera, Hee Seo, Arron Scott, Alex Hammoudi, Joo Won Han, and Sterling Baca. A ballerina could do a lot worse than having Marcelo and Gillian hovering over, cooking and seasoning her first Odile. And from the looks of it, the chefs have concocted quite a brew.

Here is an Instagram clip of Devon's rehearsal with Joo Won Han. She. Is. Awesome. (Great pace, too.)

ABT has such a great chance here to put a brand new Odette/Odile on the Met stage next spring who can actually do all of the steps and do them in great form. When was the last time that happened? We've been hoping for any sign of Devon's Odette or Odile for a few years now. Let's hope that ABT doesn't squander this opportunity, too.

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Patricia Wilde has been inducted into the National Museum of Dance Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs. The former Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Marquis de Cuevas, NYCB ballerina; former ABT ballet mistress and director of ABT's excellent school (eons before the McKenzie regime); and former Artistic Director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre is now 88 years old and still assists with the Balanchine rep that PBT dances.

Additionally, Joel Lobenthal's biography of Ms. Wilde was released this summer. Wilde Times: Patricia Wilde, George Balanchine and the Rise of New York City Ballet is available at Amazon.

 

 

 

Comments

[elfantgirl]

Couldn't agree more. Devon Teuscher has beautiful control and clarity. She is going to be an extraordinary swan queen.

[Haglund]

Thanks for the comment, elfantgirl.

Two words for Devon: Form Glorious.

[Zoot]

Since a lot of my recent swan sightings have been O/Os who skew gloriously Russian, I love that Devon is an unmistakably American Black Swan in the Jaffe/Murphy tradition. She has a regal bearing that makes it easy for me to visualize her as Odette as well.

What a ray of hope for ABT. Perhaps she will get a matinee next Spring. However I imagine that the abundance of short male principals poses something of a roadblock to this scenario...

[Haglund]

Maybe not, Zoot. Both Hammoudi and Forster have been readying Siggies a little bit at a time. I hope Devon gets a warm-up performance of Swan Lake in Wash DC before the Met. That would certainly warrant a trip for me.

She's the real deal.