Maybe it’s their therapists’ fault. The oh-so-sensitive artists run off to therapy to make the case how they feel victimized by the employer, society, or the world.
Maybe it’s their therapists’ fault. The oh-so-sensitive artists run off to therapy to make the case how they feel victimized by the employer, society, or the world.
Posted on May 08, 2022 at 09:21 AM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (22)
Haglund's phone was ringing off the hook at the beginning of the week with calls from Weidman, Michigan. The Incredible Dr. Pol was being a nuisance.
"Haglund, can you please get me tickets to Isabella LaFreniere's Firebird? I need to see this!"
"Like I told you yesterday, Dr. Pol, a lot of people have been asking and I'm tapped out. Can I suggest that you contact Ms. LaFreniere directly?"
"The first time I saw her I knew that Michigan had produced another avian miracle who could eventually fly as high as our Maria Kowroski from Grand Rapids. These Firebirds are a rare sight up here - almost as rare as the Sirens who can charm the winds off the Lakes."
"Both are Pure Michigan, Dr. Pol, but I'm still tapped out."
"Okay, I'll call Maria. She owes me from when I consulted on a wing repair back in the day."
We can't confirm whether Dr. Pol has yet made it to Isabella's Firebird, but we can confirm that her first two performances were indeed miraculous. Red is her color. Rare is her quality. Her entrance, a simple arrival and pose on pointe, was breathtakingly beautiful. There she stood under the spotlight, still as could be yet storing up the energy she would need to take flight if a predator suddenly appeared. And then came Ivan -- Jared Angle on the first night and Amar Ramasar on the second night, each debuting as was Isabella in the role of the Firebird.
Unlike the Firebird who can't resist dramatizing the character as Odette or the other Firebird who fashions herself as the bold huntress from Sylvia, this Firebird possessed a palette of colors in her interpretation that emphasized avian beauty and ease of flight. Her slightly exaggerated nervous stress at encountering Ivan and the almost immediate comfort in his caring arms was light with a touch of humor - this Firebird could have come from a fairy tale in the Little Golden Books Collection. Wondrous, brave, resplendent in line and carriage, she jumped effortlessly as though lifted by the winds, not pushed by power. Isabella's brightly painted Firebird elevated this fantastical production to new heights.
Both Jared and Amar projected the benevolence of Ivan while providing Isabella with their superb partnering skills. Emilie Gerrity and Miriam Miller shared the role of Ivan's Bride. Each increased the prominence of this role through the breadth and musicality of their dancing. And oh, oh, oh that Kastchei and his subjects -- one of whom nearly flattened Amar with the force of a horizontal body slam against his gut. It's hard not to admit that what brings the crowds out for the Firebird are its production values and Stravinsky's storytelling ability. The Chagall scenery and costume designs from 1945 are after nearly 80 years still spectacularly imaginative. That level of art is a treasure.
Preceding the Firebird was Balanchine's Symphony in Three Movements. The first performance didn't have the energy that we expected, likely due to the stress of so many late substitutions, but things certainly did pick up on the second night. Emma Von Enck, in a debut as the first pink leotard out on stage chasing after Troy Schumacher, pumped the je ne sais quois into this role that has been mostly missing. Even when this dancer is standing perfectly still, she is crackling with energy. Emilie Gerrity and Ashley Laracey completed the triptych each displaying sharply articulated lines and expansiveness. The Pas de Deux by Ashley and Taylor Stanley was beautiful for its warmth of rapport and the artists' sinewy interweaving arms. The corps de ballet was not as interesting as when there was a definitive slope in heights among the ladies in white. There are now just two tall dancers anchoring the downstage end with a muddling of heights moving upstage. Among the ladies in black leotards, Olivia MacKinnon caught our eye for her new confidence and very stretched lines. However, another of that crew continually had such a pained look on her face that we thought she might be going through intense labor without anesthesia.
The program also included a musical introduction of Stravinsky's Fireworks played powerfully by the New York City Ballet Orchestra. Why hasn't this orchestra had a date at Carnegie Hall? The Met Opera Orchestra plays there. The New York Phil plays there. Other local orchestras play there. Haglund was thinking about this a lot during last week's honey fest of Mozart, Debussy, Tschaikovsky and Hindemith.
Following the brief Fireworks, Justin Peck's Scherzo Fantastique received an energized performance by Brittany Pollack, Harrison Coll, Miriam Miller, and KJ Takahashi.
Our H.H. Pump Bump Award is bestowed upon Isabella LaFreniere for her magnificent and radiant performances of the Firebird. We can't wait for the next two this week.
Posted on May 06, 2022 at 11:10 AM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (8)
Posted on May 04, 2022 at 05:37 PM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (3)
May 5th is the day.
That controversial "corner" of West 64th and Broadway -- controversial because some claim the "corner" doesn't exist -- will be formally co-named in honor of Jacques d'Amboise. The festivities start at 5:00 p.m. on the Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center. There will be a performance by Jacques' National Dance Institute kids.
Everyone be there or be square. Dancers should put a half-second pause on self-gratifying Instagram posts to post about this ceremony and encourage everyone to come. And then post a reminder. And then another reminder. And then show up.
Gale Brewer wants you to come. Nobody turns down Gale Brewer in this town:
On Thursday, 5/5 at 5 pm, join me and the National Dance Institute (NDI) at a ceremony co-naming the corner of West 64th and Broadway in honor of Jacques d'Amboise—ballet star, choreographer, arts educator and NDI’s beloved founder. The ceremony will be on Lincoln Center’s Josie Robertson Plaza and include a brief performance by NDI students.
Martha Swope captured all the great ones, didn't she? However, she definitely would have wanted to click-away on the brand new Faun who debuted tonight. More about that later, but wow...
Borrowed from the New York Public Library's Digital Collections
Posted on April 28, 2022 at 11:23 PM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (3)
Several thrilling debuts hit the stage on Thursday night at New York City Ballet. Although this was the same program as opening night, it felt more celebratory, if not victorious. Even the audience was up to the challenge more than on Tuesday. Overheard from two elderly men who were monopolizing the water fountain during intermission: "We have to hydrate for The Goldberg Variations.” Yes, indeed, and isn’t that automatic water fountain at the orchestra level the cat’s whiskers! You just stand in front of it and it squirts into your mouth.
Posted on April 23, 2022 at 12:40 PM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (8)
Posted on April 20, 2022 at 06:25 PM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (5)
to Harrison Ball, Peter Walker, and Jovani Furlan who have been promoted to Principal Dancers at New York City Ballet. Well-deserved by all. Last night in Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, we noticed how compelling Walker's eyes are when he looks up toward the lights. He and Miriam Miller gave a superb performance full of wit, sex appeal, and cabaret charisma.
We're disappointed that Chun Wai Chan wasn't also promoted given his stellar contributions over the last six months. Considering the time of the pandemic shutdown, he hasn't had much less stage time than Jovani Furlan who joined the company in August 2019. We have to have confidence that the artistic management will move him up much sooner than later.
The company needs to promote more dancers to principal, and we need to hear about more principal retirements. But today's announcement was good news, indeed.
Congratulations to all!
Posted on February 26, 2022 at 09:37 PM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (2)
This Winter season New York City Ballet took its deepest breath in the past four years. But it had nothing to do with relaxation technique or trying to calm some errant stress response. Rather, we witnessed the company's life blood return to its proper 100% oxygenated level. We're talking, of course, about its Balanchine repertory.
Night after night we were treated to outstanding performances by blossoming artists who possessed the confidence to offer very individual interpretations of roles that they were dancing for the first time or nearly so. Night after night, we saw gems polished to their brightest gleam. These were not jittery debuts by dancers thrown into roles at the last minute. Rather, we saw meticulously prepared artists confidently announcing that they were now in charge of securing and displaying the company's most important treasures.
Indiana Woodward as the Russian Girl in Serenade was like a whirlwind whipping up leaves. Oddly, she made us think of her in roles that have never been associated with New York City Ballet: Giselle, Cinderella, Kitri.
Sara Adams and Harrison Ball restored a simple yet stylish elegance to Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux which has often suffered from a hard-sell approach to its famously difficult steps. Unity Phelan and Jovani Furlan were similarly inclined in the same dance although they didn't enjoy the same level of coordination and harmony as Adams and Ball.
The depth of rapport between Ashley Laracey and Taylor Stanley in Sonatine was so palpable that the pas de deux seemed like it could have been central to a full length ballet. Their quiet energy and spontaneous responses to one another enticed us to become absorbed with their story -- even if there was no story. Ashley's dancing was beautifully expressive and full of life, and we so hope to see this artist in more major ballerina roles such as the 2nd movement in Symphony in C and in Diamonds.
The Four Temperaments acquired a new mood: the Imperative mood. We don't know when we have ever seen such a major restorative overhaul of a ballet as we saw with this ballet this season. The debuting performances were so commanding that they dominated each bill in which they appeared. Emily Kikta and Mira Nadon, masterful and authoritative in Choleric, wielded their limbs like weaponry. Ashley Hod and Isabella LaFreniere, powerfully impulsive and unpredictable as Sanguinic, chased down their curiosities while their outstanding partners, Peter Walker and Gilbert Bolden, attempted to keep them on track.
The performances by Emma Von Enck and Anthony Huxley in Jerome Robbins' Andantino were simply intoxicating. She, with the most elegant elbows and delicate wrists, will surely someday be a transcendent Aurora. And Huxley has found a partner whose smile he cannot resist.
The Black Swan Pas de Deux, a version by Peter Martins after Petipa's original, revealed just how valuable having the right instrument is in order for the ballerina to be convincing in this role. We saw the beginnings of three very capable and determined Odiles. Unity Phelan surprised with her calm, convincing deceit and powerful Italian pas de chats near the end, but technical security eluded her. Joseph Gordon added little to either the drama or to the anticipated technical spectacle. Isabella LaFreniere stunned with her perfect placement and ability to organize everything like she had magnets in her shoes that always got her to the perfect place. But an early misstep, dreadfully slow tempi, and a conductor's misguided efforts to try to help by slowing down even more sent her performance off-track. The performance was not disappointing to us, though it may have been to her, but we were disappointed not to have seen her get a second chance in the run. Her Siegfried, Peter Walker, showed superb partnering skills and delivered sky-bound grand jetes. (Wish we could soon see him as Phlegmatic.)
When Mira Nadon entered the back of the stage as Odile with Chun Wai Chan as Siegfried, our first thought was "She gets it. She just gets who this character is and what she must deliver." Odile's smug confidence, her sense of worldly control, her sociopathic charms were revealed in every step of that entrance. And then she delivered in spades -- so fully prepared and completely in control that we weren't quite sure that we should believe our eyes. Nadon has been studying her Odiles and has put together a composite of evils of Betty Davis, Uma Thurman, and Margaret Hamilton. We could imagine her pushing the sniveling Siggie down the stairs, administering a 5-point palm exploding heart attack from Kill Bill, and then making off with his little dog, too. Evil, but utterly captivating and glamorous. Slow, powerful extensions; rapid fire allegro; and dangerously risky turns were this Odile's pocket change. When she entered the stage for her fouettes, she entered from the middle wing and actually began them at or a little forward of the middle of the stage -- a very gutsy decision by any ballerina. She whipped through the turns with all the joyful menace and guiltless aggression that we remember in Ananiashvili. The final bailout was our Odile at her most reckless. This one was strictly dangerous.
Poor Siegfried -- he had no chance. Not even his own magnificent turns and soaring leaps could protect him from this deadly darling. Chan played the clueless prince to a T. "What's happening here?" his face asked. "Isn't she wonderful? Or isn't she?" His portrayal was the fully rounded character that we remember from a few years ago when we saw his Siegfried debut with Yuriko Kajiya at Houston Ballet -- only better.
Tiler Peck and Jovani Furlan were the fourth couple to dance Black Swan Pas de Deux. Tiler thrilled with the fouettes and all other spins but could not risk making the arabesque or attitude lines of her past. Her performances were quite careful in that respect, and it seemed like Furlan was concerned, if not nervous, about making sure that Tiler did not take her lines too far. His own grand allegro was okay but not as spectacular as either Chan's or Walker's and he did not cultivate the character as well. But all in all, his performance was nice to watch.
So many grand performances these past two weeks, but alas, only one Pump Bump Award to bestow. We have been particularly impressed with the growth of Harrison Ball in a variety of roles. (We still want to see him as Melancholic.) There is real maturity in his dancing along with a new joy. We hope that he will be rewarded sooner than later for his accomplishments. Meanwhile, even as we're distracted by other important worldly matters, we want to bestow this H.H. Pump Bump Award on Harrison Ball.
Posted on February 25, 2022 at 06:58 PM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (0)
-- these new Ruthless Rubies Tall Girls are the poison we all want to gulp down.
NYCB finished off its All Balanchine program of Mozartiana, Rubies, and La Valse last week with such strength of programing and performance that it felt like the company has suddenly launched itself into a new era of brilliance led by intensely talented interpreters of Balanchine's masterpieces.
Good lord, Miss Mira. Of course, she's the "experienced" one, having debuted in the Tall Girl role pre-pandemic. Mira Nadon along with Emily Kikta and Isabella LaFreniere who shared the role over the run were a terrifying trio of talent, charisma, confidence, and salesmanship. They elevated this role to the primary role in the ballet -- not an easy thing to do when Sterling Hyltin and Roman Mejia were absolutely killing the PdD with their own high voltage. What a perfectly cast duo those two were! Sterling with her delicate, wire whisk-thin limbs whipped through the choreography like a star chef whipping up a meringue. And there was hungry Roman Mejia, totally ready to take it all like he'd been preparing for this feast his whole life. It's hard to see how NYCB could do any better with Rubies than we saw this season.
Mozartiana, with the cast of Tiler Peck, Harrison Ball, and Troy Schumacher was also extraordinary. The Gigue as danced by Troy was lively, crystal clear, musically interesting, and very well received by the audience. While Tiler offered rich and imaginative musical phrasing and interpreted the role with the perfect combination of wit and soulfulness, the lack of flexibility in her instrument was evident. The iconic ending where she stretches her head and neck over the back of her partner's was not achieved as it should have been. However, Harrison Ball was a revelation. His dancing looked not only Danish inspired, but Danish born. We saw Ball's extraordinary carriage, clinically consummate partnering, authority, blistering businesslike allegro, finesse, and understated beauty in the dancing some 50 years ago of Peter Martins. Ball's brilliant performance was an exceptional and startling reminder of past greatness. We worry, though. As much as we love seeing Ball dance at this extraordinarily high level, we know that it often comes with great cost. We hope that this dancer will be able to intelligently moderate his intensity so that we may enjoy his dancing for many years to come.
Last evening's performance of Serenade was simply beautiful. Again, Sterling Hyltin was perfection technically, musically, and theatrically. Erica Periera, in one of her best roles as the Russian Girl flew through the allegro with infectious joy. She needs to, and seems to be trying, to dance a bit more like Sterling. Emilie Gerrity as the Dark Angel was sublime with a beautiful arabesque line that sang from the tips of her fingers to the tips of her toes. Amar Ramasar and Aaron Sanz carried their partnering duties with elegance.
Andantino, Jerome Robbins' PdD set to the Second Movement of Tschaikovsky's First Piano Concerto was like a breeze of fresh air as danced by Indiana Woodward and Gonzalo Garcia. This year, Indiana's lines have become longer and more elegant. The impact on the beauty of her innate musicality has been evident. Simply gorgeous. She made Haglund love this PdD anew.
Balanchine's Swan Lake was quite another story. It is, hands down, the worst production in a major company. The version is a 1-act distillation of the stories contained within the 2nd and 4th acts of what we generally see in the world of classical ballet. It is perfunctory and as history has recorded, was created by Balanchine in a deal that allowed him to create other more modern ballets at NY City Center. While there are interesting corps patterns for the black-costumed swans, the meat & potato roles of this ballet (Odette and Sigfried) are so lacking in choreographic poetry and artistry that no degree of indulgence in blatant emotionalism or superficial theatrical arm waving will ever make this an acceptable production of Swan Lake. Even the scenery looked amateurish with the stalactites "growing" from the ceiling but also blowing back and forth from the breeze in the theater. Get us outta here. Never again. (Exactly what we said the last time.)
The H.H. Pump Bump Award is bestowed upon Indiana Woodward for her Andantino last evening. Just coming into her own as a new principal, she is nevertheless making us excited for what is to come.
Posted on February 12, 2022 at 12:25 PM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (9)
Punxsutawney Phil seems to disappoint us in more years than not, doesn't he? No matter. We know that the first sign of spring around here is when the darned circus finally packs up to leave town and returns Damrosch Park to the citizenry. After a day of wearing around a hangdog expression from the groundhog's betrayal of spring, we slushed our way up to New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center and noticed the circus dis-assemblage operation in full swing at Damrosch Park. What a mood lifter! We hope the circus folks leave our place broom-swept clean.
It was another fabulous night of Balanchine programing with new casts and important debuts in a bill that included Mozartiana, Rubies, and La Valse.
We never cease to be amazed when we see Russell Janzen move those mile-long legs of his at high speed. In Mozartiana, his batterie appeared effortless and squeaky clean -- all of it absolutely gorgeous. He did those quick degages en cloche that switch direction marvelously. Have his legs grown even longer?
Sara Mearns was lovely. We've never been a fan of her gothic makeup and black-like lipstick, but there was much to be admired foot- and leg-wise. We noticed her feet were particularly soft and supple. When they came together on pointe, they were cleanly side-against-side that revealed a lovely arching of the soles. We rather liked her change in moods during each section of the ballet, too. At times, however, we did ask ourselves "Was that arabesque or grand battement?"
Daniel Ulbricht delivered another brilliant Gigue. We always make a little bet with ourselves over whether he'll get the series of swivel turns perfect. They always look like Xerox copies of one another. His attentive Menuet Muses were Marika Anderson, Christina Clark, Meaghan Dutton-O'Hara, and Emily Kikta.
Were we ever happy to see our favorite Clotilde Otranto climb up on the podium to conduct Stravinsky's Capriccio for Balanchine's Rubies! She and pianist Stephen Gosling made this ballet zip along with great speed and energy.
Of course, this night we were treated to two important debuts. Isabella LaFreniere as the Tall Girl and Tiler Peck who danced opposite Anthony Huxley. LaFreniere blasted onto the stage with the pyrotechnic charge of Roman candles on the Fourth of July. So secure, so excited, so ready to give us everything that she could give. Just an amazing, amazing debut.
Tiler Peck's debut in Rubies was fine. Of course, she killed the steps and turns wondrously. But the role didn't suit her as well as we had hoped it would - at least not yet. We found the costume very unflattering to her thigh lines and waistline. And we didn't find anything harmonizing in her pairing with Huxley. This might have been a fabulous role for Tiler ten years ago, but perhaps that opportunity has passed. Huxley was brilliant but we think that a ballerina who possesses quiet tease would be a better match and partner for him in this particular ballet.
La Valse received a thrilling performance from Sterling Hyltin and Taylor Stanley. Boy, did he ever set her off theatrically. She just let go like we can't ever recall seeing before. It was an inspiring, highly dramatic and forcefully danced performance from both artists.
The duos were also particularly fine: Megan LeCrone with Peter Walker, Mimi Staker with Kennard Henson, and Olivia MacKinnon with Alec Knight. Knight seems to have transformed his deportment into one that demands to be noticed. He was sharp, elegant, confident, and when dancing really stole more of our glances than perhaps was fair to everyone else.
We're not going to pass up any of these Balanchine programs. They are too valuable a life experience to miss.
Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, flames of heiress, is bestowed upon Isabella LaFreniere for her blistering hot debut as the Tall Girl in Rubies.
Posted on February 03, 2022 at 04:10 PM in New York City Ballet | Permalink | Comments (5)