observations 7/19

ABT's Fall Season just might satisfy Haglund's white tutu tooth.

Etudes and Ballet Imperial, along with The Dream, On the Dnipro (sic) (isn't it Dnieper?), Piano Concerto #1, and Petit Mort sound like a fabulous season. Basically, this is what we want.

Etudes hasn't been danced by ABT in 15 years -- why? It's a favorite the world over. Expecting a stunning technical display from Devon Teuscher!

Below is a video of the Mariinsky in a miraculous finale of Etudes. Tereshkina, Sarafanov, Shklyarov. Look at the height of the back legs on those men in their jumps -- principals and corps. They're killing it, and Sarafanov is simply unmatched. And Tereshkina is a goddess in pointe shoes. However, it does seem that some of the corps have difficulty jumping down instead of jumping up on the diagonals. Still and all, a standard setting finale.

Let's go let's go let's go Bell, Curly, Ishchuk, and Frenette!!

 

Tickets on sale September 6th.

 

Comments

[Jeannette]

I’m with you, Haglund: ETUDES and BALLET IMPERIAL with the classical designs by Ter-Arutunian!!!!! YES!!!!!!!

[Allie Kenney]

I believe Ballet Imperial is done at NYCB as Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 and NYCB is in fact doing it in their fall season, so this will be one of those rare opportunities to see both over a relatively short time span and compare.

[Solor]

I believe they are using the Ukranian name for Ratmansky's ballet.

[Haglund]

Thanks for the clarification, Solor.

Looking forward to seeing the beautiful cherry blossoms again. Have never been able to warm up to the particular Prokofiev score used because it seems so unsuited for dance.

Hopefully, Eric Tamm will get to reprise his principal role of Olga's fiance.

[Haglund]

Jeannette, yes those Ter-Arutunian designs are beeeeaauutiful!

We all should closely monitor certain I-gram accounts to see who is diligently working toward those 8 consecutive double tours and the challenging little battu combinations from Etudes. There's no reason why every single man in ABT shouldn't be able to do 8 consecutive double tours. Every one of them is talented enough; they just need to realize it and put in the daily work.

[Erich Yetter]

Wonderful insights, Haglund, as usual. I can't believe you chose the exact clip (out of all the Etudes clips out there) that I show my Dance History class as an example of how the classical ballet
vocabulary is thrilling in itself!! (this clip and the Tiler Peck/Andrew Veyette Allegro Brillante).

[Dreamer]

I am puzzled by the name change from Dnieper to Dnipro. Both are correct. None of the spellings is more Ukrainian than the other. Besides Dnipro can be confused with a town called Dnipro, plus Ratmansky doesn't speak Ukrainian anyway.

[Haglund]

Not to confuse things, but there are also accepted spellings of Dnepr and Dnyapro. The title change may have a socio-political genesis which is fine. Just don't change the cherry blossoms.

However, I'm not sure that liberties should be taken with the title spelling of Prokofiev's score which seems to be On the Dnieper or Ha Днепре which is literally On Dnepre.

I don't care. I just want to see the cherry blossoms again.

[Georgiann]

I haven't seen any promotion announcement for ABT dancers yet. Since quite a few people were promoted last year, I'm not expecting a lot of changes, although I hope at least a few will move up.

[Haglund]

Don't have a clue as to when the next promotions will come through. I was surprised, though, that we did not see more retirements. Looking forward to seeing who arrives from the Studio Co. Takumi Miyake seems like a safe bet -- not tall but lots of spark.

[Georgiann]

Maybe the retirements will be next year. I questioned that too, Haglund because at least a handful of dancers have aged beyond the 40 mark.

[Haglund]

True, Georgiann. Aged beyond 40 AND are not dancing up to previous levels AND are not reliable with respect to injuries AND are not adding any new artistry to their performances AND are not dancing as well or as freshly as their colleagues moving up the ranks. Principal, soloist, and corps are not tenured positions.

Leontyne Price: "You should always know when you're shifting gears in life. You should leave your era; it should never leave you."

[Solor]

Or, as Adelaide (Martha Scott) says in "The Turning Point," after her insensitive remark to Emma Jacklin (Anne Bancroft) at the post-gala dinner: "Even Emma has to move on - like all the rest of us."

[Haglund]

True, Solor.

[Rachel Perez]

ITA with all of you that there are dancers that probably need to be announcing their retirements, but I am sympathetic to this particular (2022-2024) time period because so many of them lost what they probably planned on being their last years to canceled seasons, and, at least for ABT, they couldn't foresee the shortened Met season where they might dance 4 times in the whole season (and yes, I know in prior seasons, it's not like they were dancing 12 times). I know one must play the hand that they are dealt, but ugh..... COVID.

The only current principal I've heard speak about retirement is Misty who suggests it'll come in the next Met season with Juliet, as she also said she doesn't think she'll be back to the big, technical roles like O/O.

[Haglund]

Hi, Rachel. True what you say, but Misty's career was never stage-made. It was media-made and curated with feigned controversy. I would think it would be demoralizing to company members to see her waltz in after a four or five year absence (of doing nothing) and expect accolades and bouquets and applause, and an unearned lead as Juliet -- all in the name of self-promotion and keeping her tired name in the news. Neither Hallberg nor Abrera had the luxury of a farewell performance. Not sure why Misty would think that she deserves one.

[Jeannette]

The Vail Festival’s NOW: PREMIERES night will be livestreamed for free. Lots of NYCB and ABT dancers there. Tonight. 9:30pm eastern.
https://vaildance.org/event/now-premieres-2023/

[Haglund]

Thanks, Jeannette!

[Jeannette]

Haglund, the direct YouTube link to the Vail NOW: PREMIERES is up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrrDAMOTfXw

[Haglund]

THANKS!

[Jeannette]

The Vail premieres concert was fantastic. The link remains open for viewing through 14 August.
Program, with titles of works on the order performed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrrDAMOTfXw

[Haglund]

Thanks, Jeannette. I wasn't able to watch it last evening. Glad to know that it will be available for a week.

[Jeannette]

Jeffrey Cirio at the start of the gorgeous Abraham/Bach piece is alone worth watching this show!

Enjoy!

[angelica]

I was so sad when Jeffrey Cirio left ABT to return to Boston Ballet. He was definitely unappreciated by McK.
As for those double tours, Haglund, please add Jake Roxander to the list. I realize that he is very new, but seeing him only in the SL pas de trois (I had to miss his Mercutio, alas), I thought This guy is a principal straight out of the gate.

[Haglund]

So far, I haven't observed anyone practicing their eight consecutive double tours or that grueling petit allegro combination. One of the big challenges of Etudes is maintaining the stamina required by the allegro without dragging down the tempo. No sign of anyone working on that either. Sigh.

[angelica]

I think they're all wiped out from their truncated Met season and the ridiculous amount of time spent on Like Water for Chocolate. All except Brandt, who never stops moving.

[Haglund]

Probably. I think Brandt and Teuscher may be the only principal women who possess the bold virtuosity with classic form to pull off Etudes. Misseldine would shine in it also. I think I recall reading where Teuscher said that she had to learn the males' solos at her local ballet school because they didn't have enough boys to cover them. Well...maybe we can call on her to dance all three principal parts in her performances if the men can't get the double tours, petit allegro, and arabesque legs above 90 degrees in their jumps. I'm voting for Frenette, Ishchuk, Curley, Klein, de la Nuez, Roxander, Robare, Pogossian to join Bell and Camargo who are really the only two principal men qualified to lead Etudes. Cornejo, of course, could blast through it but it be a suicide mission at this stage of his career.

[Jeannette]

Back to Vail. I see that a “secret angel” has posted Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia in Balanchine’s rare Divertimento Brillante from his Glinkaiana (1967), created for MacBride and Villella. Watch while it’s up on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQupj3Tt-oE&pp=ygUTaGFpZWZmIGRpdmVydGltZW50bw%3D%3D

[Haglund]

Thanks, Jeannette! What a beautiful piece, and so superbly danced. I wonder why this pdd isn't in the rep list on NYCB's website rather than just embedding mention of the music in the notes for Glinkiana -- which I cannot recall ever seeing, other than the portion of it that became Valse Fantaisie.

[Jeannette]

Isn’t it, Haglund? Perhaps it’s because NYCB never presented it as a stand-alone piece (similar to the Polka & Jota portions)? Only the Valse Fantasie portion remained in the rep.

There’s a bit of the Divert Brillante in the “Villella - Man Who Dances” docum (at the 5:03 mark of this portion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz_BcX4dqag )

but not the full piece, as we now have.

P.s. The Jota Aragonesa may have looked like the Igor Moiseyev piece, of which Balanchine was aware: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIE6Za6J84w&pp=ygUXSm90YSBBcmFnb25lc2EgbW9pc2V5ZXY%3D
It was a large corps piece led by Melissa Hayden. Imagine that.

The Polka in B-flat was never staged by another choreographer or filmed, that I know. It’s a popular children’s piano piece in Russia, with this tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrJ953KViJk&pp=ygUWR2xpbmthIFBvbGthIGluIEIgZmxhdA%3D%3D

I’d rather see a revived full Glikiana than, say, a Gustav Le Gray no. 1 or such.

[angelica]

Hi Haglund, It seems that none of the corps guys are practicing their double tours because, according to an unmentionable web forum, ABT is on vacation for the next four weeks. That's no excuse, of course, but as I mentioned earlier, everyone is just totally flaked out from LWFC.

[Solor]

"No excuse" - that there should be vacation time? What company works 52 weeks each year? And how do we know these dancers aren't working on their own time?

[Jeannette]

Some ABTers are touring…both Hurlin & Bell just toured Japan with the group led by Peck and Mejia! Of course, we’ve already pegged Bell as a leader of ETUDES in the fall.

Japan group here, for those who have Instagram access:
https://www.instagram.com/aran_bell/

[Rachel Perez]

Casting announced today for ABT fall!

[Haglund]

Thanks for the heads-up, Rachel. Smart move on the part of ABT to announce early -- even before NYCB gets its first week of casting up.

[Jeannette]

Is there an easy way - such as a straight list or grid - to see the casting? ABT’s initial email is a mess. NYCB’s casting is much easier to read - a simple list.

[Rachel Perez]

October 18th is going to be a doozy of a cast!

[Haglund]

Jeannette, you have to toggle over each performance to see casting. Not the best way, but 😵‍💫...