Haglund's Heel

Bad form in ballet

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. 

The artist cries, "They’ve done this to me. I didn’t fall out of shape, lose technique, get injured, grow older, become distracted, or start coasting because of my own doing. It was their fault.” 

 

The therapist says, “Life certainly should not be this unfair to you. Stand up for yourself. You’re strong enough to do that. That will be $200. Let’s continue our sessions three times per week.” 

 

The artist exclaims, “I feel so much better after our sessions. I’m empowered!” 

 

The therapist baits, “Of course you are empowered - that will be another $50 - assert yourself. Blow your horn. Go after what you want.” 

 

The artist asks, “Blow my horn? You mean, create a kerfuffle?” 

 

The therapist says, “If that’s what you need to do. Actually, I hate to say this, but - your time’s up for today.”

 

The surprised artist whines, “My time’s up?”

 

The therapist says, “Yes, I’m afraid so.”

 

Oh, good lord, what is there to say about these few obnoxious, over-entitled dancers who think that life owes them fairness and that they have every right to cat-scratch anyone who gets in their way. In the past few weeks, we have seen such ugliness from artists who we once admired for their dancing. They can’t currently dance, so they have to find some other way to grab the spotlight. It is and always has been a matter of grabbing the spotlight - any way they can get it.

 

In a week when a new brightly talented soloist stepped in to carry all of the performances of Firebird because other artists were injured, did the injured artists offer support and encouragement? Hell, no. Instead, they resorted to microaggressions by posting pictures of themselves as the Firebird on Instagram to remind everyone that they are the true owners of role and to try to dim enthusiasm for the debuting dancer. One injured artist, in particular, posted a mugshot of herself in Firebird headgear with a menacing expression, purportedly to convey unhappiness about the political climate, when in fact she wanted everyone to know how pissed off she was at not being the center of attention on stage as the Firebird.

 

In a week when the brilliance of the Balanchine/Stravinsky collaboration is being celebrated at NYCB, an injured dancer reaches out to the New York Times to convey how he is uncomfortable with the choreography and with playing the role it requires. Imagine this scenario. The veteran line worker at the Pringles factory in Podunk walks into the supervisor’s office and says, “You know, I’m not comfortable making Pringles any more. They are full of fat, sodium, and artificial ingredients. They can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer if people eat them. And, they can be addictive. I’m just not comfortable making these Pringles any more. What should we do, Boss?” We imagine that certain NYCB dancers would answer that Pringles manufacturing should be halted or the recipe should be changed. In their world, their sanctimony is just as important as their saut de chat.

 

In a week when New York City Ballet’s artistry has soared under its new leadership and new generation of dancers, a retired artist whose dancing should have required her to retire years earlier decided to air her gossipy, Page Six type family drama in The New York Times where the catchline All the news that’s fit to print has become All the views that are fit to skip. At her final performance, the complaining dancer's conditioning and technical level were mediocre. Regardless of the number of years that she may have chalked up as a dancer, she did not at that moment possess the qualifying skills to stand on New York City Ballet’s stage. But she was determined to celebrate herself, and New York City Ballet generously allowed her to do so even if it made the audience cringe.

 

What dancers do best is dance. We admire them so much when they present their best feet forward. Microaggressions, self-pity, ugly anger that can’t mask the underlying selfishness, and striking out at those who made their careers possible is damaging way beyond their chosen words. The end of a career should not come as a brutal fight to the finish line or an “I’ll die on this hill before giving it up” battle. Class counts for a lot. Every dancer should remember that.

 

Class counts.

 

NYCB Firebird Red is her color

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.

 

 

NYC Ballet Spring Season Week 2The Soloists Have Taken Over the Franchise

. . . or so it seems.

 

Last week’s second installation of the Masters at Work program was masterful to the fourth power. Brilliant choreography, magnificent selection of music, dazzling dancing, and dynamic conducting made the four performances of Divertimento No. 15, Afternoon of a Faun, Allegro Brillante, and The Four Temperaments the life-affirming experiences that we can only count on New York City Ballet to deliver.

 

First the music. Of course we’re looking forward to the Stravinsky Festival this week and next. And we always love the Tschaikovsky programs when they are scheduled. But last week’s musical honey fest of Mozart, Debussy, Tschaikovsky, and Hindemith was the bees’ knees. All those light, sunny violins in Divertimento, the poetic flutes in Faun, the piano that raced to a Derby finish in Allegro Brillante, and the forceful pondering of the strings in 4Ts with the answering piano were an uplifting musical offering that produced much joy in the soul. Conductor Clotilde Otranto fed the dancers everything they needed in order to perform brilliantly in each piece. She just seems to know how to take the performance to its highest level.

 

Both principal casts of women in Divertimento No. 15 were sublime, elegant beauties who favored the heirloom rose by the same name. The costumes are probably Haglund’s most favorite costumes in all of ballet: pale yellow bodices atop cream tutus with little blue bows. The mere sight of them brings on happiness and optimism.

 

The always polished Sara Adams danced the first variation in both casts with a sophisticated stylishness. Her low port de bras presentation of small développés to the floor possessed a modesty that one doesn’t often find in other Balanchine choreography. Ashley Hod and Erica Periera alternated in the Second Variation; both were lovely and in complete control of the challenging turn combinations. Ashley Laracey and Unity Phelan made poetry out of the Third Variation’s tendues to the front-point back with sweeping port de bras in opposition. Emilie Gerrity and Emily Kikta each boldly danced the Fourth Variation that required grander developpes and a series of pirouettes where the passe preparation was turned-in instead of turned-out. At all four performances, Indiana Woodward beamed brilliantly in the Sixth Variation with her racing piques, prickly point walking, a beautiful diagonal of en dedans/en dehors pirouettes.

 

Except for some musical confusion at the very first performance, all of the men were sensational as well. Principals Joseph Gordon and Peter Walker were equally commanding in their lead variations. It has been so satisfying to watch each of these dancers, who began as wet-behind-the-ears rather skinny corps men not so many years ago, develop into confident, gallant, powerful partners as principal dancers. Their variations included phrases familiar to us from what the ladies had danced, but they were of course done in a more weighted, powered manner.

 

Daniel Applebaum & Sebastian Villarini-Velez and Harrison Coll & Aaron Sanz danced the very challenging Theme at alternate performances. The corps de ballet, except for the first performance, were picture perfect and beautiful in their white and blue tutus.

 

Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun was performed at alternating performances by Sterling Hyltin & Adrian Danchig-Waring and Unity Phelan & Christopher Grant. The pairs had different interpretations of the ballet but each of their performances captivated the viewer. In his role debut, Adrian communicated the narcissism that compelled the dancer to continually gaze at himself in the mirror. While we don’t know for sure, we guess that this was a challenge for the seemingly humble being who focuses on his art without inviting the self to interfere unduly. In a highly individual interpretation, Christopher Grant fixated his eyes on Unity in astonishment and wonder at the beauty of the being who entered his life for this brief interlude. It was as though he was in the middle of a wild dream and he just let it carry him wherever it wanted to go. At bows, he expressed relief and flashed a smile — this guy has a million dollar grill that he all but hides from us.

 

Sterling and Unity chose different interpretations for their roles. Unity’s was more typical of what we see: a beautiful woman, somewhat aloof and distant, intermittently communicative — more of a dreamy vision than a real person. Sterling, on the other hand, was a woman who was very real and present as compared to Adrian’s dream-like quality. Both interpretations were enjoyable.

 

We’re grateful for having had the opportunity to see Tiler Peck in four performances of Allegro Brillante in one week: two opposite Roman Mejia and two opposite Tyler Angle. She seemed in much better, less fragile condition than over the winter season, which is good to see. Sometimes the arabesque drooped a bit but plenty of times it was strong and clear. She delivered great speed and lovely turns although she chose to opt out of triple pirouettes on a couple of occasions.

 

What Roman lacks in line, he makes up for with energy and excitement. Allegro Brillante is the closest he will get to Don Q at NYCB. So why not throw the head and hair in the downstage corner when the opportunity presents itself? We’re not really complaining. He did a fine job and performed with his signature fire and fury. His partnering is much improved, but he still has a ways to go to match Tyler Angle’s skills which are still supreme.

 

The Four Temperaments was absolutely thrilling at each performance. Both casts of Sanguinic — Ashley Hod with Peter Walker and Emilie Gerrity with Gilbert Bolden — tussled magnificently. The Sanguinista Guerrillas (Lauren Collett, Gabriella Domini, Quinn Starner, Rommie Tomasini) wore take-no-prisoners expressions as they marched ferociously behind Ms. Sanguinic.

 

Amar Ramasar signed off on Phlegmatic with a huge performance. One sensed how he savored every moment like he was trying to store away treasure for safekeeping. A well deserved solo curtain bow sent the loving audience into a tizzy. 

 

Emily Kikta’s Choleric shot out of a cannon to land mid-stage and then she used her powerful limbs to gun down everything in her way. This lady was angry, no two ways about it. We were glad that she got it out of her system in time to deliver such beauty at the next performance in Divertimento No. 15. It has been such a pleasure to see this artist finally unleashed. Haglund still remembers when Peter Martins introduced her to us almost ten years ago in Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet. She had joined the corps the prior summer and made such an entrance and impression in the ballet that we simply could not stop thinking about her and looking forward to her every performance. She has shone spectacularly in every role she has danced. 

 

Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, Alexander McQueen’s pale yellow crystal embellished sandal, is bestowed upon Emily Kikta for her bold, beautiful dancing in Divertimento No. 15 and in Choleric.

 

 

 

Jacques' Place -- Be there on May 5 @ 5:00 p.m.

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

 

NYCB 4/21 Breakout performances

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.

Ashley Hod and Miriam Miller as the Russian Girl and Dark Angel in Serenade, respectively, gave huge “We’ve arrived as new trustees” debuts in Balanchine’s seminal work, arguably, his ballet most recognized and most revered the world over. What a nice change it was to see the Russian Girl performed by a taller dancer who possesses beautiful length and an airy, effortless jump. Both will serve Ashley well when she someday rules the Waltz role. Miriam’s expansive stretch of the legs and lyrical port de bras seemed like her simple but natural response to the music. It was driving her to dance bigger than we’ve ever seen her dance before. Each dancer displayed a perfectly measured emotional response to the music with no artifice or exaggeration.

 

Taylor Stanley’s scrupulous lines and attentiveness were much appreciated in his debut as the cavalier to Sara Mearns’ Waltz Girl. But that aside, there is just something about this performer that draws the eyes to him whenever he is on stage. 

 

A word about the Corps de Ballet — they were lovely as always but need an infusion of taller dancers to replace those who have been promoted. We worry a bit about how the tall end of the line of ladies in white is going to look in Symphony in Three Movements without Miller, LaFreniere, Kikta, Nadon, and Hod. Hopefully there are some new trees growing in SAB who we’ll see soon.

 

It’s easy to understand and appreciate how certain featured corps roles are handed out based on seniority. However, when dancers lose the requisite level of fitness, for whatever reason, they shouldn’t be spotlighted until they recover. There is no such thing as “pleasingly" plump in the NYCB corps de ballet. No amount of hyperextending the elbows or sly side grins can mask when a dancer needs to take steps to regain fitness. Similarly, when principal dancers can no longer meet the allegro requirements of any role or can’t locate their fifth positions, it’s time to find another role to dance. NYCB should not ask the audience to pay money to see Balanchine’s great works danced in a submarginal manner. 

 

A partial cast change helped sustain The Goldberg Variations on Thursday night. Indiana Woodward with Chun Wai Chan, Isabella LaFreniere with Adrian Danchig-Waring, and Sterling Hyltin with Amar Ramasar anchored Part II with a fresh, individual approach. Amar is dancing as well as ever. It’s going to be tough to say farewell next month.

 

One of the biggest differences in the company since the change in directorship has been how superbly prepared debuting dancers have been. Those signs of learning a principal role over lunch to perform it that night seem to have disappeared. New soloists and principals are being developed with great care and attention to detail. They are technically ready for their new roles and possess the self-confidence to imprint them with their individuality. 

 

Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, Tom Ford’s locked-up & holding the key blue stiletto, is bestowed upon Ashley Hod and Miriam Miller for their stunningly successful debuts in Serenade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYC Ballet Spring Season blooms

New York City Ballet’s spring season couldn’t come soon enough. The ruby jewels of Damrosch Park are in pre-burst — a few seem more ready than others to get their show going. We just have to be patient; the whole place will be in glorious bloom in a few days - outside and in.

 

On this first night Artistic Director Jon Stafford delivered a pre-curtain tribute to Dr. William Hamilton, the company’s longtime orthopedist who passed away recently. His innovative care for dancers saved and prolonged many careers the world over and blazed the trail for all of dance medicine. Dr. Hamilton’s wife Linda, a former dancer with the New York City Ballet, attended the performance.

 

Stafford noted that also attending the evening's performance were Alexei Ratmansky, Max Beloserkovsky, and Irina Dvorovenko, all formerly of Ukraine. The New York City Ballet Orchestra dedicated to the people of Ukraine a performance of Myroslav Skoryk’s Melody for String Orchestra, a beautiful three and a half minute string composition that is folk-inspired and cinematic.

 

The program of Balanchine’s Serenade and Robbins’ The Goldberg Variations didn’t build to the high-energy finish that we would have preferred but it was lovely nevertheless. 

 

As the Waltz Girl in Serenade, Sterling Hyltin combined serenity with soaring joy. We enjoyed how she pulled the phrases nearly past the point of no return only to snap the momentum to always catch up to the music. We enjoyed it the first and perhaps the second time, but when it re-appeared over and over again, it began to seem planned rather than spontaneous. Adrian Danchig-Waring’s partnering was gallant and gracious.

 

Megan LeCrone’s Dark Angel danced with enormous sweep and bravely held on for dear life to her arabesque as Preston Chamblee tried to rotate her around twice. Preston easily managed the other taxing partnering, rapid catches, and lifts.

 

Erica Pereira flew through the Russian Girl variations effortlessly. The only thing she needs is a little bit of extra stage light thrown on her to help the audience appreciate her beautiful dancing.  

 

The Serenade Corps de Ballet, as always, carried this ballet although we missed seeing the majesty of some of our favorite sequoias on the stage: Kikta, LaFreniere, Hod, Durham. Mira Nadon and Christina Clark were the beautiful pillars at this performance. We imagine that Ratmansky caught glimpse of Christina Clark standing downstage and thought to himself how he might use all of that Zakharova stuff she has going for her — maybe in the Kowroski/Zakharova role in Russian Seasons or perhaps in the adagio section of Concerto DSCH. Attach her to Samuel Melnikov and just let them dance for us like we know they can. When Serenade comes to the stage, we always look for Mimi Staker and Alexa Maxwell as well. Their eloquence and grace always look so effortless.

 

Robbins' The Goldberg Variations, set to Bach's theme and variations from 1742, is long. Nearly an hour and a half. It has thematic structure. It has musicality. It has invention. And re-invention - the two men seated on the floor stretching their limbs and feet as a reminder of the upcoming Afternoon of a Faun. It uses a lot of dancers. It challenges the dancers. But to what end? That was hard to answer at the end of the night. The pure pleasure of the piece was Susan Walters' piano virtuosity.

 

Emilie Gerrity and Ashley Laracey with their endless lines and flawless form held this ballet afloat from start to finish. One might have thought that the choreographer made this whole ballet to highlight their musicality and seamless execution of ballet phraseology. Emilie needed almost no preparation to launch herself into jetes like a deer. Ashley’s sweeping movements with lingering phrasing caught the moment like willow branches catching the breeze. 

 

Daniel Applebaum, Jovani Furlan, Aaron Sanz, and Sebastian Villarini-Velez were high-spirited in the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink choreography. 

 

Tiler Peck and Joseph Gordon came out hungry in Part II of the ballet. Both were season-ready with striking allegro and pinpoint perfect pirouettes. Unity Phelan and Taylor Stanley were mesmerizing in their pas de deux. Sara Mearns and Tyler Angle completed the principal cast: she - dancing with a lovely sense of restraint; he - struggling with the batterie and finding fifth position but enjoying the challenge nonetheless.

 

Of course it didn’t go unnoticed that there was something going on in this ballet having to do with the relationship between the structure and formalities of classical ballet and those of the contemporary ballet movement as it was in the early 1970s. But it took a long time to make its point. 

 

Our first H.H. Pump Bump Award of the Spring Season, a metallic and jeweled phoenix-winged stiletto, is bestowed upon Emilie Gerrity and Ashley Laracey for their engaging performances in The Goldberg Variations.

 

 

 

Congratulations –

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!

NYCB takes a deep breath

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.

 

Truth be told --

-- 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.

 

 

 

 

NYCB 2/2 - A brilliant reminder of what is really brilliant

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.