She's wonderful. And beautiful.
And by the way she says exactly what I've been saying about dancers and weight loss and Black Swan...training that hard naturally makes you thin - and if you're too thin/don't eat you just can't do it anymore.
Showing posts with label nycb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nycb. Show all posts
Monday, December 13, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Upcoming: NYCB Wellness Workshop
As a dancer recovering from a serious injury, and an almost-certified New York City Ballet Workout instructor, I'm really looking forward to this:
A one-day series of interactive presentations focusing on the care and healing of the dancer’s extraordinary instrument of art—the body.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
10 AM – 6 PM
New York City Ballet Rehearsal Studios
Samuel B. & David Rose Building, 8th Fl.
70 Lincoln Center Plaza
Registration open to students, professional dancers, parents, teachers, and administrators.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
First White House Dance Event
This must've been so exciting for all who danced. Last winter just around Christmas week the Obamas had a small group of Rockettes perform for them privately and it was SO thrilling for our entire show! It was a first for them. I was a little disappointed they didn't want a ballerina bear to grace their presence, too. Haha!
It's nice that they honored Judith Jamison. Because I'm always taking class at Ailey I see her in passing on occasion and she is so statuesque. Actually the day I went to the Ailey PR office to see my Times article for the first time in print I ran into her, literally. I look like a student in the school and I was on the office floor where they're not allowed so she was like, "What are you doing up here?" but friendly. I explained who I was there to see and she let me in. Haha that's my big Judith Jamison story. It was the icing on the cake at the time.
Watch the archived video above :)
Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy, take from here
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Teaching and NYCB Workout Certification
One of my projects for the summer has been working towards getting certified to teach The New York City Ballet Workout. I really enjoy teaching and I've been wanting to do more to build up that part of my resume, so this was a great opportunity.
I applied and was accepted last summer to the teacher training program at NYCB, but for financial & timing reasons I wasn't able to participate. This year, thanks to a generous friend, I've been able to start the certification process. Back in August I completed a training weekend at NYCB's gorgeous studios. What an enriching experience! Teachers from literally all over the world (Croatia, Japan...) came for the weekend to learn the format and technical requirements of the dance workout class and tips for improving teaching skills. I learned so much in just two days!
I've been teaching for most of my life, starting when I was very young at my family's dance studio helping demonstrate for the even younger students. I grew up watching my mother and grandmother run a dance school, teaching all ages and levels. I guess through osmosis those skills translated to me a little bit - when I graduated from The Rock School one of my favorite teachers there told me "someday you're going to be a great teacher." At the time I took that as a gigantic insult, haha. All I wanted her to say was that I was "going to be a great dancer," not a teacher. She went on to explain that I "knew so much" and could analyze things, which only now I find value in.
Since then I helped teach primary level students at Ballet Academy East where I got more hands on experience correcting and adjusting young dancers. From there I taught (and choreographed) for a NYC public high school class one semester. Then this summer I began teaching open classes for a new donation-based organization - which has been such fun! I do feel like I have a lot of information to share that has been ingrained in me from my many wonderful teachers. Now with this potential NYCB Workout certification I'll have even more to back me up.
After the training weekend I completed a written exam, and now the last step is the practical exam: teaching a class of my own. I'll be teaching Sunday 9/5 from 2:30-4pm, so if anyone out there is free, please come! :) Free class, what could be better?
Sunday, May 4, 2008
procrastination
Tomorrow is the last day of the semester and I have two big papers due by noon...both of which I must finish tonight!
I spent most of the day avoiding this moment where I finally have to sit down and work, haha. I had rehearsal early, and then went straight to NY State Theater for NYCB's all Robbins program. I'm writing a real review for ExploreDance but...
Fancy Free is one of my favorite ballets, and it was so good today! Marcelo Gomes from ABT was guesting and it was so fun and...free, hah. Dybbuk followed, but it was SO long and dull compared to the first one. Janie Taylor was beautiful though. West Side Story Suite finished the program with the same cast I saw do it a few months ago. So good.
Then I went to dinner with a friend I haven't seen in a long time...this has been a week of reminiscing, haha. I've heard from a few people I haven't talked to in years, and I literally ran into 2 others today between the theater and dinner. The dance world is so small, haha.
Okay, off to FINALLY do work. Hopefully tomorrow I can post about being done for the semester!
I spent most of the day avoiding this moment where I finally have to sit down and work, haha. I had rehearsal early, and then went straight to NY State Theater for NYCB's all Robbins program. I'm writing a real review for ExploreDance but...
Fancy Free is one of my favorite ballets, and it was so good today! Marcelo Gomes from ABT was guesting and it was so fun and...free, hah. Dybbuk followed, but it was SO long and dull compared to the first one. Janie Taylor was beautiful though. West Side Story Suite finished the program with the same cast I saw do it a few months ago. So good.
Then I went to dinner with a friend I haven't seen in a long time...this has been a week of reminiscing, haha. I've heard from a few people I haven't talked to in years, and I literally ran into 2 others today between the theater and dinner. The dance world is so small, haha.
Okay, off to FINALLY do work. Hopefully tomorrow I can post about being done for the semester!
New School at Ailey
Yesterday I got to see the New School's spring dance performance, made up of works from a number of good choreographers. I went with some fellow bloggers (thanks to Philip for inviting me) and it was a nice program.
My favorite piece was Take's, whose company I saw rehearse last week. It was so beautiful, and again, watching his movement makes me want to get up and dance. I'm looking forward to seeing his full company perform soon.
I don't have time to write about the rest of the performance, but read Philip's post on it here.
I'm off to see NYCB this afternoon, my first for their spring season. Fun!
Big stuff happening this coming week...blogging should be amusing...i'll keep you posted (pun intended).
My favorite piece was Take's, whose company I saw rehearse last week. It was so beautiful, and again, watching his movement makes me want to get up and dance. I'm looking forward to seeing his full company perform soon.
I don't have time to write about the rest of the performance, but read Philip's post on it here.
I'm off to see NYCB this afternoon, my first for their spring season. Fun!
Big stuff happening this coming week...blogging should be amusing...i'll keep you posted (pun intended).
Friday, May 2, 2008
let's be critical
From a dancer's stand point, I can't believe today's review of NYCB from Macaulay!
Read it here.
He bashes all of the wonderful dancers but pretends to sugar coat it by giving a half compliment first, before tearing them apart. Is that necessary?
"Wendy Whelan’s upper body was a nightmare of inelegance..."
"Daniel Ulbricht, whose amazing elevation and spruce timing often excite, just as his unrefined line often dismays..."
"Tiler Peck...is so bold and strong that I wish she didn’t also seem hard-boiled..."
He goes on with naming and criticizing like 5 other dancers in the space of one review.
I feel like this kind of critical response should be reserved for the artistic director and ballet masters, not for the general public's reading. It's getting personal and it's fine if he feels that way and even if some of his arguments are valid, detailing such things in print is just like a child running off a list of annoyances about his friends. You know he'll keep going back with a smiling face and pretend nothing happened, so why bother hurting them publicly like that? If it's to "help the art form improve by criticizing it" that's all well and good, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty like that, just tell them in person in a rehearsal rather than subjecting the few of us left who read dance criticism to a petty bashing.
Rant over :)
Read it here.
He bashes all of the wonderful dancers but pretends to sugar coat it by giving a half compliment first, before tearing them apart. Is that necessary?
"Wendy Whelan’s upper body was a nightmare of inelegance..."
"Daniel Ulbricht, whose amazing elevation and spruce timing often excite, just as his unrefined line often dismays..."
"Tiler Peck...is so bold and strong that I wish she didn’t also seem hard-boiled..."
He goes on with naming and criticizing like 5 other dancers in the space of one review.
I feel like this kind of critical response should be reserved for the artistic director and ballet masters, not for the general public's reading. It's getting personal and it's fine if he feels that way and even if some of his arguments are valid, detailing such things in print is just like a child running off a list of annoyances about his friends. You know he'll keep going back with a smiling face and pretend nothing happened, so why bother hurting them publicly like that? If it's to "help the art form improve by criticizing it" that's all well and good, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty like that, just tell them in person in a rehearsal rather than subjecting the few of us left who read dance criticism to a petty bashing.
Rant over :)
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Peter Martins sighting
Just back from seeing 'Dance at Dicapo' where Nilas Martins & Company performed...full review to come in a little while (writing as we speak...)
Granted it was his son's performance, but I was still surprised to see Peter Martins in the audience. Maybe I shouldn't have been. But being a relatively small theater and small performance (especially compared to his company, NYCB)...nice to see support! It was a full house, anyway.
Review to come.
Granted it was his son's performance, but I was still surprised to see Peter Martins in the audience. Maybe I shouldn't have been. But being a relatively small theater and small performance (especially compared to his company, NYCB)...nice to see support! It was a full house, anyway.
Review to come.
Monday, February 25, 2008
in the wings books
This morning at Barnes & Noble I finally had a chance to pick up a copy of the new behind the scenes at NYCB photo book "In the Wings" by corps de ballet member Kyle Froman. I had heard all about it when it came out recently, but had yet to see the wonderful pictures everyone spoke about. It really is a great book with some interesting pictures...I recognized lots of dancers in the backgrounds.
What was ironic about coming across the book today was that I went there to have my coffee and work on MY book proposal, which is an assignment for grad school. Basically I was given the task of thinking up any possible book I would want to publish and putting details together. Honestly I've been wanting to get myself to write a proposal for a while now and just haven't had the time or opportunity to do so, and now that it's required I figured I'd put some real effort into it so I might be able to use it one day for real.
The irony: I named my prospective book "In the Wings." Haha. It was subconciously tucked away somewhere in mind and it's a pretty common cliche kind of title for a dance related thing, but I didn't think anything of it until I realized there's already a book with that name. Stupid me, haha.
So now I need a new title. But basically my "book" is about the insides of the ballet world, and it would potentially be broken up into 3 parts. I don't want to give away details in case some day it comes into fruition (haha) but it's fun to think this stuff up. I really should take them time to actually write it...someday.
It would be nice if there were a bigger market for dance titles, though. That's the problem.
Anyways thought I'd share that for now, since I spent most of the morning working on it (after saying goodbye to my family who were visiting for yesterday's performance). I'm off to the New Yorker in a bit, and then class later. Some interesting stuff coming up this week...details to come (and Vishneva review to come).
What was ironic about coming across the book today was that I went there to have my coffee and work on MY book proposal, which is an assignment for grad school. Basically I was given the task of thinking up any possible book I would want to publish and putting details together. Honestly I've been wanting to get myself to write a proposal for a while now and just haven't had the time or opportunity to do so, and now that it's required I figured I'd put some real effort into it so I might be able to use it one day for real.
The irony: I named my prospective book "In the Wings." Haha. It was subconciously tucked away somewhere in mind and it's a pretty common cliche kind of title for a dance related thing, but I didn't think anything of it until I realized there's already a book with that name. Stupid me, haha.
So now I need a new title. But basically my "book" is about the insides of the ballet world, and it would potentially be broken up into 3 parts. I don't want to give away details in case some day it comes into fruition (haha) but it's fun to think this stuff up. I really should take them time to actually write it...someday.
It would be nice if there were a bigger market for dance titles, though. That's the problem.
Anyways thought I'd share that for now, since I spent most of the morning working on it (after saying goodbye to my family who were visiting for yesterday's performance). I'm off to the New Yorker in a bit, and then class later. Some interesting stuff coming up this week...details to come (and Vishneva review to come).
Friday, February 22, 2008
dance news roundup 2/22
Lately I've been getting press releases and hearing news things that I haven't been able to keep up with...so I think a new installment to this blog will be a weekly (or so) dance news roundup of interesting things going on in the dance world.
Let it be noted that I do not call myself a news blog, nor do I make an attempt to cover EVERYthing that's going on in dance. As much as I'd love to do that, I don't have the time - and until blogging starts paying somehow (aha) this is the best I can do...just to share some information...
*MORPHOSES, Christopher Wheeldon's company, was recently honored by The South Bank Show Awards, "one of Great Britains most prestigious awards for arts and culture." For their inaugural season at Sadler's Wells last fall, the company was named
Company winner of the Dance category. In addition, the Laurence Olivier
Awards announced that Wendy Whelan has been nominated for a 2008 award for
Outstanding Achievement in Dance for her performance in Christopher Wheeldon's "Fools Paradise." Looks like the company is well on its way to success!
*NYCB recently launched a YouTube channel, thanks to the enterprising Kristin Sloan. It will feature interviews and behind the scenes coverage, similar to Kristin's videos for Romeo + Juliet last spring. They already have an intro video up, along with preview clips from their Winter Season. Kristin certainly is opening up the dance world for all to see!
*Also see Philip's account of last night's NYCB performance (mine will come soon on ExploreDance..promise!)
*Richmond Ballet (where I have a friend who is an apprentice!) is visiting New York to present 3 NYC premieres by Jessica Lang, with a Q&A with the choreographer to follow the one-night-only performance. The program is part of Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts' "New Work / New York" series, which "supports multidisciplinary artists in the creation of works that receive their New York and/or world premiere at Brooklyn Center."
I'm not able to make it, but it sounds like it's definitely worth seeing. Too bad it's only one night...
Richmond Ballet: Works by Jessica Lang at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College
2900 Campus Road, Brooklyn
Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 8pm; Tickets $25
*Check out some Irish dance also at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts World Stages program in March...just in time for St. Patty's day, haha. They're an 8 member brother-sister act from Canada...
Leahy at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
Walt Whitman Theatre
Friday, March 7, 8PM
Tickets: $40, $25.
Online orders: BrooklynCenterOnline.org
Box Office: (718) 951-4500
*ABT recently concluded a 5 day long Alumni Teacher Training program, the first of several series in effort to codify the American ballet curriculum for young dancers. My teacher participated, along with 60-odd other company alumni.
More news etc to come soon...let me know if we like this little news addition, or if it's boring, or what?
Let it be noted that I do not call myself a news blog, nor do I make an attempt to cover EVERYthing that's going on in dance. As much as I'd love to do that, I don't have the time - and until blogging starts paying somehow (aha) this is the best I can do...just to share some information...
*MORPHOSES, Christopher Wheeldon's company, was recently honored by The South Bank Show Awards, "one of Great Britains most prestigious awards for arts and culture." For their inaugural season at Sadler's Wells last fall, the company was named
Company winner of the Dance category. In addition, the Laurence Olivier
Awards announced that Wendy Whelan has been nominated for a 2008 award for
Outstanding Achievement in Dance for her performance in Christopher Wheeldon's "Fools Paradise." Looks like the company is well on its way to success!
*NYCB recently launched a YouTube channel, thanks to the enterprising Kristin Sloan. It will feature interviews and behind the scenes coverage, similar to Kristin's videos for Romeo + Juliet last spring. They already have an intro video up, along with preview clips from their Winter Season. Kristin certainly is opening up the dance world for all to see!
*Also see Philip's account of last night's NYCB performance (mine will come soon on ExploreDance..promise!)
*Richmond Ballet (where I have a friend who is an apprentice!) is visiting New York to present 3 NYC premieres by Jessica Lang, with a Q&A with the choreographer to follow the one-night-only performance. The program is part of Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts' "New Work / New York" series, which "supports multidisciplinary artists in the creation of works that receive their New York and/or world premiere at Brooklyn Center."
I'm not able to make it, but it sounds like it's definitely worth seeing. Too bad it's only one night...
Richmond Ballet: Works by Jessica Lang at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College
2900 Campus Road, Brooklyn
Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 8pm; Tickets $25
*Check out some Irish dance also at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts World Stages program in March...just in time for St. Patty's day, haha. They're an 8 member brother-sister act from Canada...
Leahy at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
Walt Whitman Theatre
Friday, March 7, 8PM
Tickets: $40, $25.
Online orders: BrooklynCenterOnline.org
Box Office: (718) 951-4500
*ABT recently concluded a 5 day long Alumni Teacher Training program, the first of several series in effort to codify the American ballet curriculum for young dancers. My teacher participated, along with 60-odd other company alumni.
More news etc to come soon...let me know if we like this little news addition, or if it's boring, or what?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
play it cool at nycb
Just got home from seeing NYCB's American Songs and Dances program, which concluded with West Side Story Suite and Robbie Fairchild *singing* Cool from the famous West Side story score. As I've always been a fan of the film version and was reinspired by the stage version when I saw Chita Rivera do an excerpt in her brief Broadway engagement 2 years ago, I was so excited when I saw it on NYCB's program...and it made me want to dance!
Formal review to come on ExploreDance, but this and the rest of tonight's works were really different from the traditional evening at the ballet. It was all very Broadway-esque. Of course all the dancing was great.
I ran into Evan and Philip sitting a few rows in front of me in the orchestra, and we chatted and people watched during both intermissions.
As we walked out late (3 hour long program...sheesh) Evan and I ran into a huge crowd staring up to the sky over Broadway. At first we could only see them looking up, but the sky and everything was blocked by State Theater. When we finally got out by the (boarded up) fountain we saw what was going on...the lunar eclipse! Haha cool. But it was definitely a funny sight to see a huge pack of ballet-goers staring up...it was like what, is there a fire, or someone jumping off a building, or what? It actually reminded me of when I was in this press picture thing for Dancing with the Stars where we all had to look up to the photographer atop Avery Fisher Hall. haha
It was a nice night.
Right before running to Lincoln Center I rehearsed with my friend to embark on the process of making audition videos, as I mentioned earlier. She had found a ballet coach to work with but neither of us knew exactly who it was, and when we met tonight it turned out to be a teacher I had a few days back in my early Boston days! Small world! It was nice to have a different pair of eyes on my variation (gamzatti from la bayadere...performance this sunday :) but I'm finding some contradictions between different versions I've learned and what I should be doing. I guess it's all in the interpretation of the choreography...I like working in depth on this thing though, as I don't really get the time or chance to do that much nowadays.
Okay, it's definitely almost bed time...busy day at The New Yorker tomorrow. Keep a lookout for my NYCB review on ExploreDance.
Formal review to come on ExploreDance, but this and the rest of tonight's works were really different from the traditional evening at the ballet. It was all very Broadway-esque. Of course all the dancing was great.
I ran into Evan and Philip sitting a few rows in front of me in the orchestra, and we chatted and people watched during both intermissions.
As we walked out late (3 hour long program...sheesh) Evan and I ran into a huge crowd staring up to the sky over Broadway. At first we could only see them looking up, but the sky and everything was blocked by State Theater. When we finally got out by the (boarded up) fountain we saw what was going on...the lunar eclipse! Haha cool. But it was definitely a funny sight to see a huge pack of ballet-goers staring up...it was like what, is there a fire, or someone jumping off a building, or what? It actually reminded me of when I was in this press picture thing for Dancing with the Stars where we all had to look up to the photographer atop Avery Fisher Hall. haha
It was a nice night.
Right before running to Lincoln Center I rehearsed with my friend to embark on the process of making audition videos, as I mentioned earlier. She had found a ballet coach to work with but neither of us knew exactly who it was, and when we met tonight it turned out to be a teacher I had a few days back in my early Boston days! Small world! It was nice to have a different pair of eyes on my variation (gamzatti from la bayadere...performance this sunday :) but I'm finding some contradictions between different versions I've learned and what I should be doing. I guess it's all in the interpretation of the choreography...I like working in depth on this thing though, as I don't really get the time or chance to do that much nowadays.
Okay, it's definitely almost bed time...busy day at The New Yorker tomorrow. Keep a lookout for my NYCB review on ExploreDance.
busy day
Today has been a day similar to the many I had last semester where I have a million places to be at the same time and everything seems to be happening at once. Luckily I thrive of this, but it's been a little stressful.
Earlier a friend and I rented a studio to rehearse our variations for this weekend's little performance since our normal teacher/coach has been away the past few days. I'm glad we did it, but it's kind of hard to get stuff done when you don't have someone there yelling at you, haha. My teacher yells a lot...but in a good way :)
After that I had an interview for a paid internship at this one magazine...it sounds like a great opportunity, but it's full time which is a little daunting to me at this point. We'll see what happens.
Tonight I'm rehearsing with ANOTHER friend because we're trying to get it together to make audition videos to send to companies. I haven't made time to do this the past 3 audition seasons, haha, so I definitely have to now. We're working on it...
Then I'm going to see New York City Ballet tonight for the last time this season. I'm excited to see their West Side Story Suite...they sing! Review to come on ExploreDance later this week.
That's all for now...
Earlier a friend and I rented a studio to rehearse our variations for this weekend's little performance since our normal teacher/coach has been away the past few days. I'm glad we did it, but it's kind of hard to get stuff done when you don't have someone there yelling at you, haha. My teacher yells a lot...but in a good way :)
After that I had an interview for a paid internship at this one magazine...it sounds like a great opportunity, but it's full time which is a little daunting to me at this point. We'll see what happens.
Tonight I'm rehearsing with ANOTHER friend because we're trying to get it together to make audition videos to send to companies. I haven't made time to do this the past 3 audition seasons, haha, so I definitely have to now. We're working on it...
Then I'm going to see New York City Ballet tonight for the last time this season. I'm excited to see their West Side Story Suite...they sing! Review to come on ExploreDance later this week.
That's all for now...
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
great Dane
Much of the talk around the dance blogosphere today is about Nikolaj Hubbe, a New York City Ballet principal dancer who will be retiring from the company this week to take on the role of director of the Royal Danish Ballet, the company where he first made it big.
Apprently there was an interview/q&a with him last night that I so sadly missed, but Philip and Tonya wrote quite a bit about it...
I thought it would be fitting to mention my memory of working with Nikolaj at BAE 2 years ago. For our Studio Showing he came to set parts of Bournonville's "Napoli" on us...and it was SO much fun!
(me in "Napoli")
First of all, that ballet is great. I had learned one of the little variations from it back at Rock a few years before, but the whole tarantella scene and everything that we did is so wonderful. The excerpts we did included this, a pas de six, and a few variations. Even though it's supposed to be the same six dancers who are featured in the tarantella, Nikolaj broke it up into sections so that each of the 20-some people in our version of it got a chance to shine. My part was with a kid who is now at PNB, and we were both kind of shy...apparently we were supposed to be the couple who were "married"...at one point Nikolaj wanted us to make eye contact or something and neither of us could do it and get the steps at the same time, so he stopped the whole rehearsal and did the combination with me alone, all the while laughing and yelling "look at me like you love me!"
It was his incredible energy, zest for movement, and charismatic humor that made working with him so memorable and fun. I know all of the other BAE dancers had many laughs during those rehearsals, and I think we'd all agree he was one of the best guest teachers we had! What an honor it was to work with him on a Bournonville piece, for which he is known and for which he will move on to with his directorship of Royal Danish Ballet.
I saw him last week in "Square Dance" and not only was I amazed by his dancing (of course) but I felt quite lucky to say that I had once been in a studio with him laughing and learning. I think that's the beauty of dancing in New York...getting those opportunities.
He will be missed by many when he retires on Sunday!
Apprently there was an interview/q&a with him last night that I so sadly missed, but Philip and Tonya wrote quite a bit about it...
I thought it would be fitting to mention my memory of working with Nikolaj at BAE 2 years ago. For our Studio Showing he came to set parts of Bournonville's "Napoli" on us...and it was SO much fun!
(me in "Napoli")
First of all, that ballet is great. I had learned one of the little variations from it back at Rock a few years before, but the whole tarantella scene and everything that we did is so wonderful. The excerpts we did included this, a pas de six, and a few variations. Even though it's supposed to be the same six dancers who are featured in the tarantella, Nikolaj broke it up into sections so that each of the 20-some people in our version of it got a chance to shine. My part was with a kid who is now at PNB, and we were both kind of shy...apparently we were supposed to be the couple who were "married"...at one point Nikolaj wanted us to make eye contact or something and neither of us could do it and get the steps at the same time, so he stopped the whole rehearsal and did the combination with me alone, all the while laughing and yelling "look at me like you love me!"
It was his incredible energy, zest for movement, and charismatic humor that made working with him so memorable and fun. I know all of the other BAE dancers had many laughs during those rehearsals, and I think we'd all agree he was one of the best guest teachers we had! What an honor it was to work with him on a Bournonville piece, for which he is known and for which he will move on to with his directorship of Royal Danish Ballet.
I saw him last week in "Square Dance" and not only was I amazed by his dancing (of course) but I felt quite lucky to say that I had once been in a studio with him laughing and learning. I think that's the beauty of dancing in New York...getting those opportunities.
He will be missed by many when he retires on Sunday!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
NYCB Traditions Review
Wow, this past week has been a little crazy. I know, I say that all the time...and the truth is, it always seems to get a little more crazy each week. Something new comes up or more work is added or whatever...
Anyways I FINALLY got to finish my review of NYCB's performance last Sunday of Prodigal Son, etc etc. It should be up on ExploreDance soon, but see below...
Something new this week: I'm starting to choreograph for this group of NYC public high school kids. It's a long story how I got the opportunity and I promise to write about it soon, but starting Wednesday I have to put together a piece for 30-odd students who haven't had much dance training...some of whom are almost the same age as me! It should be an interesting experience...I'll post about it as it happens.
Anyway...the review:
New York City Ballet has already had a whirlwind Winter Season, and it has only just begun. The “Traditions” program on Sunday, January 27 was one of the best I’ve seen in some time now. The three ballets, all dating back to some of the earlier days of the company, showed off the technique and improvement of young talent.
Opening with Balanchine’s “Square Dance” seemed appropriate in following the theme of “Traditions.” The neo-classical style that epitomizes Balanchine’s ideas for American ballet makes this piece stand out. With choreography influenced by folk dance moves, the dance features sections for just the males, just the females, and various united sections. Sunday’s cast was led by the charming Megan Fairchild, filling in for Abi Stafford, and the demanding Nikolaj Hubbe, who will retire from the company on February 10. Between Fairchild’s sparkling footwork and Hubbe’s expansive presence, the stage was livelier than any traditional square dance.
The following work exemplified another side of Balanchine’s mastery. “Prodigal Son” is a story ballet based on the biblical parable and was originally made for Segei Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes in 1929. Debuting in the lead roles on Sunday were Daniel Ulbricht and Teresa Reichlen as the Siren.
Ulbricht wowed the audience the moment he stepped onstage. Though he is quite short compared to other dancers of his rank, his first jump reached a height few others achieve. A gasp from seemingly the entire New York State Theater audience proved his ability to grasp attention, but it is more than tricks that make an artist successful in such a role. He truly commanded emotion in the final scene of the ballet, as he struggled, pain and suffering read loud through his body, to attain the embrace of his father, played by the noble Johnathan Stafford. Ulbricht’s touching inhabitance of the role was only partially met by Riechlen, who danced the Siren role with a lovely, sultry quality but did not own it as strongly as her petite partner.
The program concluded with an entirely different mood in Jerome Robbins’ “The Four Seasons.” More of an amusing spectacle than either the clean ballet or deep story that preceded, the piece is filled with bright, creative costumes and interesting lighting.
“Winter” is a cutesy number for the corps de ballet girls, joined by a fluttering Sterling Hyltin and her two partners, Sean Suozzi and Christian Tworzyanski. “Spring” is a much calmer section, led by an elegant pas de deux performed by Sara Mearns and Jared Angle. In a still different tone, “Summer” gives the impression of intense heat. Rebecca Krohn stood out for her technique, but it would be interesting to see her in a more upbeat role to see her play more to the audience. The final season, “Fall” was a rather showy rendition for Ashley Bouder and Benjamin Millipied. Bouder’s double fouettes were impressive, and her confidence onstage ran wild in the role. Antonio Carmena’s lead part was reminiscent of Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and his playful character was enjoyable.
The colorful finale of the ballet culminated an afternoon of outstanding dancing. After seeing this program it is no secret why the New York City Ballet’s Tradition has continued year after year.
Anyways I FINALLY got to finish my review of NYCB's performance last Sunday of Prodigal Son, etc etc. It should be up on ExploreDance soon, but see below...
Something new this week: I'm starting to choreograph for this group of NYC public high school kids. It's a long story how I got the opportunity and I promise to write about it soon, but starting Wednesday I have to put together a piece for 30-odd students who haven't had much dance training...some of whom are almost the same age as me! It should be an interesting experience...I'll post about it as it happens.
Anyway...the review:
New York City Ballet has already had a whirlwind Winter Season, and it has only just begun. The “Traditions” program on Sunday, January 27 was one of the best I’ve seen in some time now. The three ballets, all dating back to some of the earlier days of the company, showed off the technique and improvement of young talent.
Opening with Balanchine’s “Square Dance” seemed appropriate in following the theme of “Traditions.” The neo-classical style that epitomizes Balanchine’s ideas for American ballet makes this piece stand out. With choreography influenced by folk dance moves, the dance features sections for just the males, just the females, and various united sections. Sunday’s cast was led by the charming Megan Fairchild, filling in for Abi Stafford, and the demanding Nikolaj Hubbe, who will retire from the company on February 10. Between Fairchild’s sparkling footwork and Hubbe’s expansive presence, the stage was livelier than any traditional square dance.
The following work exemplified another side of Balanchine’s mastery. “Prodigal Son” is a story ballet based on the biblical parable and was originally made for Segei Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes in 1929. Debuting in the lead roles on Sunday were Daniel Ulbricht and Teresa Reichlen as the Siren.
Ulbricht wowed the audience the moment he stepped onstage. Though he is quite short compared to other dancers of his rank, his first jump reached a height few others achieve. A gasp from seemingly the entire New York State Theater audience proved his ability to grasp attention, but it is more than tricks that make an artist successful in such a role. He truly commanded emotion in the final scene of the ballet, as he struggled, pain and suffering read loud through his body, to attain the embrace of his father, played by the noble Johnathan Stafford. Ulbricht’s touching inhabitance of the role was only partially met by Riechlen, who danced the Siren role with a lovely, sultry quality but did not own it as strongly as her petite partner.
The program concluded with an entirely different mood in Jerome Robbins’ “The Four Seasons.” More of an amusing spectacle than either the clean ballet or deep story that preceded, the piece is filled with bright, creative costumes and interesting lighting.
“Winter” is a cutesy number for the corps de ballet girls, joined by a fluttering Sterling Hyltin and her two partners, Sean Suozzi and Christian Tworzyanski. “Spring” is a much calmer section, led by an elegant pas de deux performed by Sara Mearns and Jared Angle. In a still different tone, “Summer” gives the impression of intense heat. Rebecca Krohn stood out for her technique, but it would be interesting to see her in a more upbeat role to see her play more to the audience. The final season, “Fall” was a rather showy rendition for Ashley Bouder and Benjamin Millipied. Bouder’s double fouettes were impressive, and her confidence onstage ran wild in the role. Antonio Carmena’s lead part was reminiscent of Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and his playful character was enjoyable.
The colorful finale of the ballet culminated an afternoon of outstanding dancing. After seeing this program it is no secret why the New York City Ballet’s Tradition has continued year after year.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
NYCB = so good!
New York City Ballet was SOOO good today. It was probably the best program I've seen in a long time. As I read through who was dancing I couldn't wait for the next thing to come...it was all soo good!
Real review to come on ExploreDance soon.
The program was Square Dance, Prodigal Son (Daniel Ulbricht's debut..amazing), and Four Seasons. They all looked like so much fun to dance! All wonderful
During intermission I met up with the other dance bloggers to say hi. It was quite quick, but it was nice just to see each other and comment on the performance. Thanks to Philip who set it all up :)
Anyways, time to prepare for a busy week ahead...
If you subscribe to movmnt mag, it is supposed to be mailed out this week so look out for my article!
Also have lots of writing to do this week, on top of starting spring classes for grad school (actually started last week, but work is due this week), working again with RKBallet, etc etc.
Real review to come on ExploreDance soon.
The program was Square Dance, Prodigal Son (Daniel Ulbricht's debut..amazing), and Four Seasons. They all looked like so much fun to dance! All wonderful
During intermission I met up with the other dance bloggers to say hi. It was quite quick, but it was nice just to see each other and comment on the performance. Thanks to Philip who set it all up :)
Anyways, time to prepare for a busy week ahead...
If you subscribe to movmnt mag, it is supposed to be mailed out this week so look out for my article!
Also have lots of writing to do this week, on top of starting spring classes for grad school (actually started last week, but work is due this week), working again with RKBallet, etc etc.
off to nycb...
What a busy weekend this has been...
I'm heading to see NYCB again this afternoon, along with the blogger meetup :)
I think I've been to more performances in the last month than I've been to in the past 2 years combined! Haha it's good that way, though!
I'm heading to see NYCB again this afternoon, along with the blogger meetup :)
I think I've been to more performances in the last month than I've been to in the past 2 years combined! Haha it's good that way, though!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Blogger/Reader Meetup @ NYCB 1/27
Calling all blog readers!
As a follow up to the blogger meetup event hosted by Cedar Lake, some of the fun other bloggers I met are planning another get together, including any readers who want to join us!
It will be this Sunday, 1/27 at New York City Ballet's matinee performance. Philip has organized it so we'll meet during the second intermission on the Promenade (1st Ring Level) east end near the giant statue where the info table and gift shop are located. It will be right after Daniel Ulbricht's debut in Prodigal Sun, which should be amazing. He took class once or twice with us last year and he's pretty much incredible.
I'm reviewing the performance for ExploreDance and am definitely looking forward to it, and to meeting up with bloggers!
So, readers, if you're in town and happen to have tickets to that performance, please join us! OR you can buy $20 fourth ring tickets online here
Hope to see some of you there...
PS- let me know if you're coming so I know to look out for readers and not just bloggers :)
As a follow up to the blogger meetup event hosted by Cedar Lake, some of the fun other bloggers I met are planning another get together, including any readers who want to join us!
It will be this Sunday, 1/27 at New York City Ballet's matinee performance. Philip has organized it so we'll meet during the second intermission on the Promenade (1st Ring Level) east end near the giant statue where the info table and gift shop are located. It will be right after Daniel Ulbricht's debut in Prodigal Sun, which should be amazing. He took class once or twice with us last year and he's pretty much incredible.
I'm reviewing the performance for ExploreDance and am definitely looking forward to it, and to meeting up with bloggers!
So, readers, if you're in town and happen to have tickets to that performance, please join us! OR you can buy $20 fourth ring tickets online here
Hope to see some of you there...
PS- let me know if you're coming so I know to look out for readers and not just bloggers :)
Monday, January 21, 2008
more on NYCB reception
I'm not really in a writing mood tonight...
But check out Robert's take on the NYCB reception I reviewed and posted about. Here's his rundown of the reception, and another ExploreDance writer's review. Interesting how a single performance or piece of art can have such different interpretations by people sitting right near each other.
Anyways, today was long and tiring. Oh Mondays...
But check out Robert's take on the NYCB reception I reviewed and posted about. Here's his rundown of the reception, and another ExploreDance writer's review. Interesting how a single performance or piece of art can have such different interpretations by people sitting right near each other.
Anyways, today was long and tiring. Oh Mondays...
Sunday, January 20, 2008
NYCB R+J review posted
My review of New York City Ballet's Romeo + Juliet is up on ExploreDance.com, so check it out. This one was kind of hard to write because I had a lot to say and couldn't really make an overall positive or negative decision on it. Hm.
Anyways, here's a photo of another ExploreDance writer, our editor Robert, and I at the reception before performance on Tuesday. What a nice night.
Anyways, here's a photo of another ExploreDance writer, our editor Robert, and I at the reception before performance on Tuesday. What a nice night.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
NYCB reception & R+J
Tonight I had the priveledge of attending the Society in C reception at New York City Ballet's performance of Romeo & Juliet. I'm reviewing it for ExploreDance (will post real review soon) and got to go with Robert and my friend Yasmine.
What a nice night. I'm not great at the whole mix and mingling thing, but it was nice to be around other dance supporters and everything. In the last few weeks I've come across a whole new range of people interested in dance and it's so nice to see that! Some of the dancers were at the party too, including Daniel Ulbricht (who taught class once as a guest at BAE...) who spoke about behind the scenes stuff a bit.
The performance itself was good. The dancing was beautiful, of course, but I really wasn't a fan of the costumes.
I'll leave it at that for now...full review to come in a day or two, plus photo of us at the reception. I love being able to have the opportunity to go to these kinds of things!
What a nice night. I'm not great at the whole mix and mingling thing, but it was nice to be around other dance supporters and everything. In the last few weeks I've come across a whole new range of people interested in dance and it's so nice to see that! Some of the dancers were at the party too, including Daniel Ulbricht (who taught class once as a guest at BAE...) who spoke about behind the scenes stuff a bit.
The performance itself was good. The dancing was beautiful, of course, but I really wasn't a fan of the costumes.
I'll leave it at that for now...full review to come in a day or two, plus photo of us at the reception. I love being able to have the opportunity to go to these kinds of things!
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