Over & out on ABT's season

The dramatic effect of Team Haglund Bantcho-Bantchevsky-ing over the Met Opera’s balcony railing at the conclusion of Veronika Part’s farewell performance today was muted probably as a result of the extra probiotics we all gulped down this past week to insure our gentle, air-cushioned landing. Apologies to the folks in Rows S and T for the special whiff, but come on, those rows have smelled worse things over the years.

What a performance! Our Veronika managed the unheard of today. She turned Balanchine’s Mozartiana into a worthy closer for a repertory program and she did it with resounding authority —  she and Blaine Hoven, that is, who all season, but especially today, established himself as a more complete and watchable dancer in major roles than most of the true principal men. When Blaine puts on the classical white tights, it’s like Clark Kent taking off his glasses to become Superman - mild mannered, man of steel, champion of the oppressed ballerina. We’re sure that he knew that he did a good job today, a hard job, an important job; it’s too bad he’ll never know just how good he was, because he’ll never get to watch his performance. 

But oh, Veronika was glorious and determined to give her best. Such luscious musicality combined with tickling details – she was pure joy to watch. We’re going to miss that wingspan, her beautiful face, and those impossibly gorgeous curved legs and feet. Veronika with the help of Balanchine (and Blaine) made the rest of the program look like tacky junk that wouldn’t even be good enough for Kmart. Normally we would say we loved the Ratmansky Nutcracker PdD, but even it had problems today: a grade-school equivalent of the Grigorovich lift, and Hee Seo watered down the final pirouette which can be spectacular if the ballerina will extend her leg out and around. It was not to be today. Such wussing at the end of the season...

Comment overheard from an old lady to her friend after the dance AfterEffect with James Whiteside, “I wish we were watching Robert Fairchild.” There ya go... That pretty much said it all.

The “farewell” part of the afternoon was hardly full of the love and honor which ABT mentioned in the Playbill. McKenzie, instead of delivering the final salute with a bouquet, rushed out first and tried to get away from Veronika as quickly as possible. There were some loud boos clearly for McKenzie from the front part of the orchestra — the expensive seats — and he seemed to notice them. It’s a shame they didn’t continue. My goodness, opera fans are so much more vocal than ballet fans when it comes to expressing contempt. Honestly, ABT might not care what the poor balletomanes in the balcony and dress circle think, but it should care when people in expensive seats boo. The entire “celebration” lasted fewer than ten minutes and actually began by truncating the usual bows for the repertory piece. All in all, a very shoddy send-off for ABT’s most classical ballerina, and one who possesses a unique type of artistry that doesn’t come along in every generation.

We wish Veronika well. We hope that she will find opportunities from companies who have more knowledgeable, more civil directors. In her spare time, we hope that she will begin to pen out a book that details some of the mismanagement which she endured while at ABT. She’s not a ballerina who could be described in any sense of the words ready for retirement. She’s still better than all of ABT’s principals in many significant ways. ABT wants its dancers to do cartwheels; the audience wants to see ballet. ABT’s director doesn’t know the difference. And that’s how we end the season...

From the House of Borgezie, our First Position Pump Bump Award for Veronika:

 

 

Comments

[LLF]

The rest of the afternoon's tedious program vanished as soon as Part and Hoven took over the stage. What a great team! I'll remember this performance always. That makeshift and rushed sendoff was hardly worthy of a distinguished principal dancer. Veronika was so gracious to all, but it appears the AD has little regard for anyone but himself. Both Hoven and especially Marcelo Gomes were the real class acts in the farewell, both treating her with kindness and the respect due an honored colleague. Their humanity truly was a welcome sight.

[B]

(Edited version)

Hi Haglund,

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make this afternoon's performance. Glad I could read about it on your blog. Sadly, Veronika says this was her final time dancing on stage--ever. She posted this on her Instagram account: "Last performance.. I'll never go to any stage ever again. Saying goodbye to that art from (form)."

Hopefully, she will change her mind and be open to guest artist opportunities in the future.

Posted by: B | July 09, 2017 at 02:12 AM

[Deborah Broide]

I thought Veronika was glorious and beautiful in Mozartiana yesterday. Having seen Suzanne in the 1981 premiere, I always come to this ballet with the baggage of ridiculously high standards:) But, of course, Veronika was superb in it. And I agree about Blaine Hoven -- he was excellent, and a most gracious partner for Veronika.

That said, I do hope Veronika reconsiders her decision -- announced on her Instagram account last night -- about totally retiring from the stage (and "the art"). The idea of never seeing Veronika dance again is just too awful for words.

Most especially I want to thank you, H., for your always great reviews and commentary during the spring ballet season here in NYC. I will look forward to reading your pieces about the upcoming "Jewels" at Lincoln Center in a couple of weeks (I can't wait, and will be seeing multiple performances).. And thankfully, our NYCB fall season is less than two months away (and speaking of NYCB, I'm off to SPAC in a few days to see NYCB there, too), followed by ABT's fall season at the NY State, too. We're so lucky here!

[Haglund]

That's very sad to hear. Hopefully, Veronika will reconsider. As she and Kolpakova hugged, it seemed another big fissure in the Vaganova tradition was breaking open. I believe that Veronika's beloved teacher, Inna Zubkovskaya, was the Odette/Odile to Semenov's Siegfried (Mr. Kopakova) when the Kirov made its first visit to New York.

ABT should have certainly granted her another year, a farewell in Swan Lake, and pleaded with her to pass on some of what she knows to a few of its dancers in the corps who might be potential Odettes/Odiles.

I truly hope that McKenzie gets a good taste of his own shabby, shoddy treatment of Veronika real soon.

[yukionna]

Veronika's departure was a crummy way to conclude what has otherwise been a thrilling season. Christine getting two Kitris and two Medoras, Sarah getting two Giselles, an Odette/Odile and creating Princess Praline, Devon getting an Odette/Odile, and Skylar getting two Medoras. I thought that signaled that things in ABT were going to be different.

[Nadine]

Check out Craig Salstein lietrally giving a "Grand Allegro" with cartwheels (then grand jete) on the last day of ABT's company class...no joke.

[Haglund]

There ya go...

[Elizabeth]

Thank you Haglund for another insightful review. ABT does not have a dancer that can interpret the roles that Veronica is best suited to in the way that she did. They will have a huge void that will be difficult to fill. it seems that the Bolshoi is following suit and forcing retirements on some of their great principals.

[Marta]

Haglund, your eloquent review is much appreciated. It is some compensation for all of us who couldn't attend Part's last performance at ABT. Now this fresh hell that she will never dance again is really casting a shadow! As Elizabeth and others have said, Part is unique and the most purely classical dancer at ABT. I'll be going to ABT a lot less often. Thanks again.

[nanushka]

Here is some Russian-language coverage of Veronika's departure from ABT, including some quotes from Veronika herself:

http://www.balletinsider.com/archive/history/7887

One quote that seems particularly interesting is this, run through Google Translate:

"At first it was promised to me that I would be partially engaged in some ballets next season, then left only "Swan Lake", and later just was deprived of everything, fired with nothing," said the ballerina. "I was unnecessary."

[Haglund]

Thanks, nanushka. I was busy preparing a post about it when your comment came in. This totally disgraceful treatment of Veronika by McKenzie and ABT. She needs a lawyer.

[fondoffouettes]

I'm still reeling from Part's departure. Even the idea of McKenize whittling down her future season to just one Swan Lake makes me sick. Not only is it terrible treatment toward an artist who has given so much, but what effect is this going to have on company culture? Getting rid of guest artists has been a big boon to the company, but showing such disregard for time-honored artists is going to send an awful message to younger dancers.

Just look at how well Kowroski seems to have been treated by NYCB throughout her relatively difficult return from maternity leave and subsequent injury. A senior-ranking ballerina deserves respect!

Again, just really demoralized over this whole debacle. I want to see Veronika emerge triumphant in some way...not sure how that would be.

[Haglund]

FoF, I share your misery. I understand that Veronika has been given the names of attorneys who might be able to help her if she calls them. Let's hope she does. As Kevin McKenzie knows well - the employee who neglects to look after her own rights is the best type of employee to have.

Potentially, Veronika has the power to take McKenzie down and change how directors deal with employees on the verge of receiving protection from age discrimination. If she chooses not to apply herself to help herself; then, there's nothing anyone can do.