That’s funny about Veronika, you guys — I mean, I think she’s tall and large-boned, kind of like Marcelo, but I didn’t see an ounce of fat on her! But I didn’t know she had lost weight either…

she used to be heavier. She’s gotten thinner and thinner the last few seasons. Personally I thought her weight looked fabulous 2 years ago. However given the dearth of strong tall men at ABT, her weight loss is probably wise given her height.
It makes her more marketable–or at least more partnerable. ABTs men are just not very tall on the whole, and those who are, like David are both overworked already, and still need (sorry David) to build up strength a bit.

See her Swan Lake!!

Gillian is so magnificent and powerful and beautiful by herself that she doesn’t really need other dancers with her on stage except to partner her or to briefly interact with as was the case with R&J and Swan Lake. For me, she is breathtaking b/c I so relate to her inner strength. That chick is physically strong; she almost wrestled my ABT photo book right out of my hands b/c she didn’t want me to smudge her signature. It was a sweet gesture, but it took a while for me to realize that that’s why she kept tugging on the book. She just looked at me with these wise eyes without saying a word until it clicked what was happening. Introverts have that kind of power and intuition. She never really spoke, she just kind of keenly watched me the same way I wanted to just stare at her. That is how I feel about her on stage; I just want to stare and get absorbed into her world. To many people, she appears withdrawn and cold, but I can assure you she isn’t, and I just intuitively know this about her. Her strength and beauty lies below the surface but shines out in her dancing. That is why she is my favorite Swan and Juliet; however, having said this, I do not know how will her artistic quality translates across the variety of roles that ABT dances. One of the problems I’ve seen with most ballet companies is putting certain dancers who have weaknesses into roles that do not seem suitable for them. Gillian has no visible weaknesses in her dancing, she’s a virtuoso, but I don’t know how her acting is b/c I’m too blinded by her body to pay attention to it.

I love your idea of alternating ballets night by night – I hate the block programming but I guess it makes sense for them economically and that seems to be the bottom line for ABT at this point (thus the need to strip Sleeping Beauty of the last act divertissements, eviscerate the last act of Swan lake etc). Not all ballet companies use block programing – when I was in Vienna I noticed that they mix it up with performances of each ballet staggered through out the season and alternating with Opera. So, if I had more time and money I could have seen their Swan Lake, Onegin (ballet) and Netrebko singing Manon all in one weekend! Maybe this type of programming is more typical of a company like the one in Vienna that alternates with the Opera night by night, instead of ballet season following Opera season. I also wish ABT would change their policy of having every principal dancer dancing every role (or at least most of them dancing most roles). Just as I think Aurora isn’t an ideal role for Part, I also think many of ABT’s other ballerinas are forced into roles that aren’t ideal for them.

And regarding a remake – Solor with a male Bayadere/female Gamzetti was exactly what I was thinking about – but I’d like to see that from Bourne or Morris – not from ABT. I really like their Bayadere the way it is

It’s always fun hearing descriptions of people you know and seeing how they are percieved by others.

First, here is the link to Joaquin Cortez’s appearance on DWTS. Second, I don’t like Ethan Stiefel for his acting per se, although he was credible in “Center Stage/CS,” he’s just an incredibly fine dancer with beautiful legs and feet. If you freeze/pause him dancing the finale in “CS”, his body is always in a straight line. David Hallberg looks completely different from Ethan, but he, too, creates a beautiful line w/his arched feet when he dances. Both are light on there feet, too. David looked great as Romeo b/c when he gets into certain positions, his long legs and arms just make him look so good and very different than Herman or Angel. Ethan is freakin’ sexy as hell and cool, but you would have to watch Center Stage, read an interview with him or listen to him talk about ballet to get this impression of him. In real-life, you’d probably be half in love with the guy. There is nothing effeminant about him; he’s just an all American guy. In “CS” Julie Kent did an outstanding acting job and was so natural.

Now with Angel, Herman and Marcelo, I think it is some sort of Latin thing that they have going on. None of them is alike but they all exude such passion that seems so natural to them and is very down to earth. I loved meeting Angel, who is the sweetest guy, and Herman. Those two just treated me like I was this beautiful and important person, and they did the same for everyone else, too. Come to thing of it, Carmen, Xiomara and Paloma were really sweet like that, too. It definitely has to be a cultural thing where they just embrace people naturally. Matt, David, Julie, Gillian and various caucasion corps members were all nice enough but were not open and embracing the way the Latin dancers were; instead, they were friendly but decidedly reserved. This reservation is what separate their artistry (less down to earth and more ethereal) for me from the Latin dancers (down to earth, passionate, realistic) in R&J specifically. I’m only referring to R&J. I loved Marcelo as Rothbart in Swan Lake for the exact same reasons; he had a human quality or vulnerability to his badness. Okay, enough said.

Best

Delirium, I felt the same thing about Jose when I saw him in Sinatra Suites last fall. His partnering seemed really labored. I heard he had had some back problems so I can imagine that would make lifts really difficult. I hope he isn’t getting tired and slowing down… I have one ticket right now for SL, but offhand don’t know which ballerina is dancing the lead; if it’s not Veronika, I’ll definitely try to get a ticket to see her!

I’m going out of town for two weeks so I am sad at the scheduling because this means I’ll miss David’s dream debut which is a bummer. I’ll only just make it back for the last Beauty!

As far as tonight–well. I posted about it on ballettalk but i kind of thought Carreno was horrible. Not in his solos, but his partnering was so labored…it looked like he was struggling and out of shape. Nina was good, but not Nina–her arabesques were low and with a bent leg(?!), she flubbed the arabesque turns with the scarf (and she is a spectacular turner, which Part is not). I mean when gomes lifts Veronika (TALL!!) as if she weighs nothing, and carreno struggles to get Nina (TINY!) up in the air, thats a bit scary. And disappointing.

On the upside. Irina looked FABULOUS as Gamzatti. I much prefered her to WIles. So imperious, and yet you got the sense she too really loved Solor.

same cast for the bronze idol. which was too bad. I thought Lopez was very good but I would have liked to see someone else.