We've got everything in Manhattan including a brand new sink hole on the Upper West Side. That's right, a sink hole has developed in the middle of Manhattan as the result of flooding from a water main break last night. Unfortunately, the flooding spread into the home of Ballet Hispanico in addition to the sink hole swallowing up somebody's white BMW. The two studio floors in the company's headquarters have been destroyed and the basement where all of their costumes were kept has been flooded as well. Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro reminded us through the NY Daily News that when SuperStorm Sandy hit a few years back, their costume warehouse in New Jersey was destroyed.
This handsome company will need our help in the coming months. We'll post details for any fundraising benefits that we hear about.
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There is chatter about town that the Bolshoi Ballet will return to New York next summer with Balanchine's Jewels and that they will use guest dancers from NYCB and POB for the Emeralds section. We'll keep our ear to the ground for any sound of hooves.
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We need more details about the Ashley Bouder Project performances at Symphony Space on March 17 & 18. All we know is that the New York Jazzharmonic will accompany the dancers and that there will be a premiere of a commission by Liz Gering to a commissioned score by Miho Hazama. Send us your tips, please.
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While ABT is in Paris readying their Sleeping Beauty, it would be helpful if they would do a little wooing of Pierre Lacotte with the goal of persuading him to allow ABT to dance his wonderful Marco Spada that he set on the Bolshoi a few years back with David Hallberg in the lead. That would be a fabulous addition to the repertory.
Mes amis Parisiens – 6 September & 10 September (2:30pm) Ce sont des performances à ne pas manquer.
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Sorry about all the updates this morning, but the news just keeps coming.
The Joffrey Ballet will offer a first glimpse of its brand new Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon in a YouTube rehearsal on Thursday, September 8th at 11:30 am - we're pretty sure that's Chicago time which would be 12:30 pm in New York. Here's a link to the Joffrey's YouTube channel.
Saw this flooding on the news but can't believe Ballet Hispanico got effected, I do hope they will get the help needed to recover and will look out for your fundraising link. Speaking of Hallberg... is he returning to ABT? His name is still on their website but there is no word anywhere I see?
Posted by: Haglund Fan | August 30, 2016 at 11:47 AM
Don't know about Hallberg. I assume that he's still rehabbing.
Posted by: Haglund | August 30, 2016 at 12:16 PM
Hoping rehab is going well for him if so, and forgot to mention a thank you for the Joffrey livestream too! Will be on the lookout :)
Posted by: Haglund Fan | August 30, 2016 at 12:24 PM
You're welcome, H.F.
Hallberg would probably be astonished at the number of people who he's never met and never will meet who are wishing him a successful rehab and looking forward to his return to the stage. I keep hoping that maybe, by the grace of Terpsichore, this spring we'll finally get the Abrera/Hallberg Giselle that we were promised so long ago.
Posted by: Haglund | August 30, 2016 at 06:05 PM
That would be wonderful Haglund, indeed let's hope for the Abrera/Hallberg union, vs a Trenary/Whiteside one as I have seen the call for, since IMO neither has the emotional makings of a great Giselle/Albrecht, let's hope the grace of your Terpsichore works! :)
Posted by: Haglund Fan | August 31, 2016 at 08:26 AM
Agree, H.F.
Snap, crackle, & pop are not what I look for in Giselle and Albrecht, but rice krispies seem to be the empty carbs that some people want at every meal. Wispy not crispy is what a Giselle should be.
Now Kitri is another matter. If Cassie could manage the pyro-technical feats (as opposed to just going for the minimum requirements), she might be a fantastic Kitri. Let's hope that she's working everyday toward that goal. Everyday. Every. Day.
Let me just add that Skylar Brandt already has the technique in spades and would be an instant "go-to" for Kitri, IMO - long before Cassie.
Posted by: Haglund | August 31, 2016 at 08:48 AM
I love your analogy Haglund :))) Indeed Giselle should never be crispy! And agree about Brandt, actually I was quite shocked to not see her on the Aurora list as I enjoyed her dancing for many years.
Posted by: Haglund Fan | August 31, 2016 at 09:52 AM
Well, ABT will need 2 or 3 new Kitris next spring anyway. Maybe we'll get lucky and see both Skylar and Cassie in the role.
Posted by: Haglund | August 31, 2016 at 11:24 AM
Let's not forget our beloved Sarah first and foremost, sure hope the powers that be see her long awaited promotion through! IMO she should have gotten more than one show in Paris, but then I am crying over spilled milk. Wishing her the best of all shows there!
Posted by: Haglund Fan | August 31, 2016 at 11:41 AM
I would love Skylar to get a Kitri performance, I think she has everything needed. She's a little firecracker and the role definitely suits her. If she gets it, would it be her first lead role in a full length ballet or am I forgetting something? Well regardless, I hope she gets it.
Then again, Giselle is a role that would definitely suit Sarah and she's never gotten even remotely close to getting that role. So I wouldn't put it past ABT to make poor casting decisions yet again (I mean, it's not like they haven't done so in that last....decade?).
Posted by: Silvie | August 31, 2016 at 05:50 PM
Skylar is totally ready for Kitri. Totally. She could easily become the best Kitri in the ABT field on her first time out if they were to give her the chance. Last year she had the title role in the Golden Cockerel, and I think that was her first lead. I might be inclined to match her up with Simkin except for the fact that I saw him drop her on her face during their Chinese dance in the Nutcracker -- and I do mean, on her face.
The more I think about it, the more I want to see Skylar as Kitri next spring.
Posted by: Haglund | August 31, 2016 at 06:06 PM
The Bolshoi is in fact coming to NYC next summer, and they are performing a week (?) run of The Taming of the Shrew in addition to a segment from Jewels with NYCB and POB! The Taming of the Shrew was just broadcast in cinemas this past January, and had a great deal of success since, along with their performances in London. Good thing we still get to see them before they hit NYC running, with the opening of the cinema season this October.
Posted by: moviegirl | September 01, 2016 at 12:24 PM
Hi, moviegirl.
Thanks much for the tip which seems to be whirling around on the Unofficial Information Exchange (UIEX) as well. Have you observed a formal source for that info?
I wonder if next summer NYC will see more than just a couple of POB dancers in a gig with the Bolshoi. It's really time for them to return en pleine force!
Posted by: Haglund | September 01, 2016 at 12:37 PM
Hi, Yes, the Bolshoi publishes a beautiful brochure for their upcoming season, which you can access via pdf on their site in the press section, link here:
http://bolshoi.ru/upload/medialibrary/20c/20c115ae3172aeea15884a1c15359cbc.pdf
On page 58/59 they have the list of their New York dates, The Taming of the Shrew will be July 26 -30! And Jewels will be performed beginning July 20.
Posted by: moviegirl | September 01, 2016 at 12:51 PM
That's fabulous news, moviegirl! My fingers are crossed for a POB tour as well!
Posted by: Haglund | September 01, 2016 at 01:09 PM
I took a look at the ticket availability Sleeping Beauty. It looks as if Lane's single matinee performance is one of the best selling performances of the whole lot.
Posted by: melponeme_k | September 01, 2016 at 03:24 PM
That's good to hear.
Posted by: Haglund | September 01, 2016 at 03:54 PM