More Ballet Quibbles and Bits

SAB's Holiday Showcase by Advanced Students

Because I usually work as a volunteer at School of American Ballet on Thursday afternoons, on the Thursday before the holiday break in December I was lucky enough to be included in the audience of staff and faculty for SAB's Advanced Division students' performance of variations they had learned during the fall.  It included all of the advanced students who were physically able (injuries and flu had taken a toll) performing variations from 'Raymonda Variations', 'La Source', 'Agon', 'Stars and Stripes', 'Donizetti Variations', 'Symphonie Concertante' (all by Balanchine), 'Russian Seasons' (by Alexei Ratmansky) and probably several others that I can't recall.  These were performed by groups of three, four or five students -- or in the case of 'Symphonie Concertante' by the entire class of D girls.

These were all introduced by members of the faculty – Kay Mazzo, Suki Schorer, Susan Pillare, Arch Higgins and Jock Soto.  Ms. Pillare seemed particularly intent on pushing for a revival of ‘Symphonie Concertante’ – perhaps on the SAB workshops program.

The program concluded with two couples each performing the entire Sugarplum pas de deux from Balanchine's 'Nutcracker' -- including the solo variations.  To say that all of these performances were exceptional is an understatement -- but it will do.

SAB's Capstone Program for Advanced Students

The School of American Ballet started a program last year for advanced students who are probably in their final year at the school.  They are identified as 'Capstone' students.  While all of them probably yearn for an apprenticeship with New York City Ballet there are a limited number of opportunities there each year -- dictated by retirements, injuries, but most of all by budget constraints.

The program which was started last year prepares these students to take the next steps in their lives.  Just before the holiday break posters created in group research projects by Capstone students were posted in the main hall of the School.  They covered companies that will be auditioning dancers at the School this winter -- Los Angeles Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, the Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Washington Ballet and one or two other companies -- highlighting interesting things about their cities, their repertory, their SAB alumni, their directors (sometimes also SAB alumni), their performance schedules -- whatever these teenagers think their fellow students should know before their auditions during the winter.

These youngsters have received wonderful ballet training at SAB.  Now they're also preparing for the next step -- whether it's into coveted apprenticeships at NYC Ballet, into the wider world of dance or on to some other option.  Take a look at the impressive list of professional dance opportunities that the School's alumni have taken in the last five years here:

https://sab.org/winterterm/career_planning/recent_professional_employmentp.php 

Nutcracker Debuts:

On the NYC Ballet facebook page, they announced a record number of twelve debuts in the performance of 'George Balanchine's The Nutcracker' on Sunday, December 28th:

https://www.facebook.com/nycballet/photos/a.194499540528.254487.112319735528/10155004814490529/?type=1&theater

Brian Siebert wrote about some of them in the 1/2/2015 NY Times.

The long run of 'The Nutcracker' and the large number of featured roles gives the company an opportunity to showcase promising  members of the corps -- only one of the dozen is a soloist.

Kennedy Center Honors Segment on Pat McBride: 

On December 30th, CBS aired the 2014 The Kennedy Center Honors.  One of the honorees this year was Patricia McBride, a favorite NYC Ballet ballerina who danced with the company from 1959 to 1989 -- 28 years as a principal.  Among the roles George Balanchine created roles for her are 'Jewels' (Rubies); 'Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet' (2nd movement); 'Who Cares?' (The Man I Love & Fascinatin' Rhythm); 'Harlequinade' (Columbine); 'Divertimento from Le Baiser de la Fee'; and 'Coppelia'.  Jerome Robbins memorably cast her in 'Dances at a Gathering' (girl in pink); 'In the Night'; 'Goldberg Variations'; 'The Four Seasons' (Fall); and others.  Among her partners were Edward Villella, Helgi Tomasson, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Peter Martins.

After leaving NYC Ballet, McBride and her husband, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, have become artistic directors of the Charlotte Ballet & School and the Chautauqua Institute School of Dance (summer program).  

The segment saluting McBride in the Honors program was produced by Damian Woetzel, another well-known former NYCB principal dancer, who is Artistic Director of the Vail International Dance Festival, among many other roles.

Christine Baranski introducing the Patricia McBride segment of the Kennedy Center Honors.

Christine Baranski, a star of the CBS show 'The Good Wife' introduced the biographical film on McBride with eloquence and class.  Following the film, Tiler Peck (NYCB principal) danced 'Fascinatin' Rhythm' from 'Who Cares?'; Lauren Lovette (NYCB soloist) and Jeffrey Cirio (Boston Ballet principal) danced part of the 'Rubies' pas de deux; Misty Copeland (ABT soloist) danced a variation from Balanchine's 'Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux'; Tiler Peck and Jared Angle (NYCB principals) danced a pas de deux from 'Dances at a Gathering'; and Alessandra James, Anna Gerberich, Sarah Hayes Harkins, and Pete Walker (Charlotte Ballet dancers) led off 'I Got Rhythm', the finale from 'Who Cares?' with all of the other dancers joining in for the ending.

Misty Copeland (ABT), Alessandra James (Charlotte Ballet), Jeffrey Cirio (Boston Ballet), Pete Walker (Charlotte Ballet), Anna Gerberich (Charlotte Ballet), Tiler Peck (NYCB), Sarah Hayes Harkins (Charlotte Ballet), Jared Angle (NYCB), and Lauren Lovette (NYCB) backstage at Kennedy Center Opera House.  Photo from Jeffrey Cirio

Tiler was in Broadway babe mode for 'Who Cares?' -- a little too much pizzazz for me, but probably just right for the CBS audience.  

Lauren Lovette and Jeffrey Cirio in the pas de deux from 'Rubies'.

Lauren and Jeffrey looked great together and danced with supreme assurance in the snippet from 'Rubies'.  Misty danced with confidence and style in the female variation from the Tschaikovsky pdd.  Jared and Tiler were wonderful in the Robbins snippet.  The four dancers from Charlotte looked grand in 'Who Cares?' which provided a great finale for the McBride segment.

Now, if the Kennedy Center Honors/CBS producers and editors could just have been induced to film this segment with fewer close-ups, less chopping off of feet, and without cutting away to the First Lady looking bored, it would have been a totally splendid tribute to a truly great American prima ballerina.

Among the audience 'reaction' shots we spotted Heather Watts and Damian Woetzel and Lauren Lovette's swain, Chase Finlay (NYCB principal).  And here's a glamorous shot of Ms. Lovette in the Kennedy Center lobby before or after the show.

Lauren Lovette in the lobby of the Kennedy Center in Washington for the Kennedy Center Honors.

Look for a longer post about Patricia McBride's outstanding career at New York City Ballet coming soon.

New Role at SAB for Jon Stafford  

I just learned that in addition to his post-performing career as a ballet master at NYC Ballet and a faculty member at the School of American Ballet, Jon Stafford will be advising SAB's 'capstone' students (see above) on their professional careers.  Not only is Jon a recent (and relatively young) retiree from the company and a trusted SAB teacher, but he also has wide connections with dancers and directors throughout the dance world which can help the 'capstoners' in making smart career moves.

Apprentices Going from SAB to NYC Ballet 

At least three School of American Ballet apprentices --  Jacqueline Bologna, Laine Habony and Mimi Staker -- have been given contracts with New York City Ballet following the completion of 'The Nutcracker' season on January 3rd.  And another student -- Miriam Miller -- was named an apprentice by Peter Martins just before the start of the company's Winter Season on January 20th.

Halloween Open House at the School of American Ballet

The School of American Ballet holds an open house for members of its Association (donors) every year on Halloween.  Most students in the Advanced Division (and a few faculty members and accompanists) dress in costume for the occasion.  Association members are invited to observe classes from 10:30am to 4pm.
  
I arrived around 11:15am and was able to look in on the three classes in progress:

• Suki Schorer was teaching the D women's class in Studio. Suki, of course, is a legend and always seems to inspire her students with her attention to detail and extensive knowledge of Balanchine technique.  She has been on the School's faculty since 1972, but was already a well-respected guest teacher at SAB by the mid-60's.

D Women's Class with Suki Schorer front and center,
 plus two Metrocards, a Sailor, a Greek Goddess and a Pig-in-a-Blanket in the front row.
Photo from SAB Facebook page

• Jonathan Stafford was teaching the C-2 girls in Studio 4.  Jon is a more recent addition to the SAB faculty (2007) and I had not seen him teaching a girls class before.  He offers lots of corrections and encouragement and knows the technique from many years of performing at NYCB and training at SAB and earlier at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary, a legendary teacher of students who have moved on to SAB and then to careers with New York City Ballet.

C2 Women including (seated) Glinda and Dorothy from Oz, 3 Pop Tarts (front row standing), 2 'Do Not Disturb' in nighties (center of second row standing), a Ladybug and a Captain Hook among others.
Photo from SAB Facebook page

  

• Darci Kistler was teaching the C-1 girls in Studio 5.  As Balanchine's last ballerina, Darci is also carrying on his tradition.  She was teaching the C-1 girls a very difficult section of the Dewdrop solo from Balanchine's 'The Nutcracker'.  Darci would stop after each student performed and make corrections.  You could see each of them improve as they repeated the passage incorporating Darci's suggestions.

C1 Girls Class with 2 Rabbits, 2 Cats, Wonder Woman, a Witch, and a Footballer in the crowd.
Photo from SAB Facebook page

All three are amazing teachers and I'm sorry that I couldn't see all of their classes from start to finish. 

At noon, I moved back to Studio 1 to watch Jock Soto teach the Advanced Men.  It was a smaller group than usual, and I learned later that several of these students were participating in the New York Choreographic Institute program up on the seventh floor.

Jock was in fine form, offering something for the students and something for the observers.  He gave the class a very fast combination at the barre that involved legs and arms moving on different beats two six-count phrases.  None of the students seemed to get it right, but Jock's point was that choreographers and composers can throw these things at dancers and expect them to learn them quickly.  On center combinations he urged them to use the whole space -- even chasing some across the floor.  In order to illustrate taking off from a tight fifth position on double tours he used four men to surround the 'victim' (my word not Jock's).  Jock's classes are never dull.

From the Advanced Men's Class -- Mr. B's Cat (Mourka), a Convict/Mummy and a Construction Worker.
Photo from SAB Facebook page

Following a half hour break for brownies in the Student Lounge (for the adults, not the students), we were treated to an Adagio Class taught by Darci Kistler and Jock Soto for the Advanced Men with D Women from 2pm to 3pm and with C2 Women from 3pm to 4pm.  They were teaching both groups the opening section of the Sugarplum's grand pas de deux from Balanchine's 'The Nutcracker'.  Last year at the 2013 Halloween Open House, I had watched Darci and Jock teach a different passage from the same pas de deux.  It's amazing how much insight these studio deconstructions provide when I see actual performances at NYC Ballet.

D Women and Advanced Men in Adagio Class with a couple of Top Guns on the left, a Baby in a diaper with a giant pacifier (right of center).  Photo from SAB Facebook page

More photos of the students in their Halloween costumes are on the SAB Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152463363738870.1073741848.36603863869&type=1

Jonathan Stafford Farewell Performance in 'Jewels'

SUNDAY MATINEE, MAY 25, 3:00 PM

JEWELS

JONATHAN STAFFORD FAREWELL PERFORMANCE

(Guest Conductor: Kessels)

EMERALDS: Bouder, Ramasar, A. Stafford, J. Stafford, Pereira, Carmena, Laracey 

RUBIES: Hyltin, Veyette, Reichlen [Solo Pianist: Grant] 

DIAMONDS: Mearns, J. Stafford 

We attended the first performance of 'Jewels' in April, 1967.  The performances of its original cast are the after-images against which I judge all of the performances that we've seen in the intervening 47 years -- not only by NYC Ballet, but also by Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, the Maryinsky Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet.

Balanchine with his 'Jewels' ballerinas: (clockwise from lower left) Suzanne Farrell (Diamonds);
Mimi Paul & Violette Verdy (Emeralds); and Patricia McBride (Rubies).
McBride's puffy ruffled skirt was jettisoned after the initial performances.

In fact, we also saw Sara Mearns and Jonathan Stafford make their debuts in 'Diamonds' in 2008.  This past January at a NYC Ballet seminar, we heard the four retiring principals (Ringer, Taylor, Marcovici, and Stafford) talk about their careers and their future plans.  The moderator, Tyler Angle, asked them each to pick a word about their career and explain it.  Jon chose the word 'proud' and explained how proud he was when he and Sara finished their joint debut in 'Diamonds' after working so hard to realize it.  I remember noting at the time that they looked thrilled, even triumphant, at having scaled this particular peak of the Balanchine repertory together.

Jonathan Stafford and Sara Mearns in Balanchine's 'Diamonds', 
(NYC Ballet has used this dramatic photo by Paul Kolnik in their advertising this Spring)

Due to debilitating injuries, Jon Stafford has had a rather stop-and-go performing career at NYCB.  He received his early training at Marcia Dale Weary's Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, then came to the School of American Ballet in 1997.  He was named an apprentice at NYCB in October, 1998 and joined the company's corps de ballet in February, 1999; advanced to soloist in March, 2006, and to principal in May, 2007.   Jon began teaching at SAB in 2006.  He now teaches intermediate and advanced men's classes and beginning adagio classes when his performing schedule permits.  Upon his retirement from performing, Jon will become a ballet master at the company and continue to be on the SAB faculty.
  
Jon is a tall, elegant dancer and an attentive partner.  His stage presence is somewhat stiff and formal, often lacking fluency and personal charisma, but Jon can be close to ideal in certain Balanchine cavalier roles.  His first important principal role was as the 'walking' cavalier in 'Emeralds' and one of his outstanding personal successes was in 'Diamonds' with Sara Mearns.

On Sunday afternoon, Jon danced the 'walking' cavalier (created for Francisco Moncion) in 'Emeralds' with his younger sister, Abi (in the role created for Mimi Paul).  Although they looked very comfortable dancing together they have only rarely been paired at NYC Ballet.  For me, some of their steps looked too robotic, lacking the subtle interior pulse that the best performances of these roles convey and that is clearly heard in Faure's hushed, almost mystical music.

Jonathan and Abi Stafford in 'Emeralds', photo by  Julieta Cervantes for NY Times

Ashley Bouder and Amar Ramasar danced the 'Emeralds' roles created for Violette Verdy and Conrad Ludlow.  Both Ashley and Amar successfully tamed their more flamboyant instincts and danced their parts with sensitivity and nuance.  Ashley used her arms and hands to project the depth, mystery and musicality with which Verdy had imbued the role.  Amar was an attentive partner, but also a musically sensitive soloist.  He grins a bit too much when the music is livelier, which dissipates the overall solemnity that should permeates the piece. 

Ashley Laracey, Erica Pereira and Antonio Carmena danced the pas de trois (created for Suki Schorer, Sara Leland and John Prinz) with a nice airiness.  Antonio is a bit too solid to fit my ideal (Prinz was a tall, slender dancer), but he does have the lightness and precisely etched technique required.

Erica Pereira, Antonio Carmena, and Ashley Laracey in the 'Emeralds' pas de trois,
 photo by Andrea Mohin for the NY Times

The music for 'Emeralds' is from Gabriel Faure's incidental music for 'Pelleas et Melisande' and 'Shylock'. In 1976 Balanchine added an additional pas de deux (to the 'Nocturne' from 'Shylock') and the final pas de sept (to 'La Mort de Melisande' from 'Pelleas et Melisande') to the original choreography. In some performances the intricate and stately finale can seem anticlimactic, but on Sunday it was spell-binding -- beautifully danced by all seven dancers while the audience seemed to collectively hold its breath.

A recent pas de sept cast including (front) Ashley Bouder, Jared Angle, Jon Stafford, Sara Mearns,
(back) Ashley Laracey, Antonio Carmena, Erica Pereira, photo by Andrea Mohin for the NY Times

It's interesting to note that six of the ten women in the 'Emeralds' corps are apprentices from the School of American Ballet.  They looked lovely and danced the simple corps passages with novice solemnity and unity. 


On Sunday, Sterling Hyltin, Andrew Veyette, and Teresa Reichlen danced the roles created by Patricia McBride, Edward Villella, and Patricia Neary in 'Rubies'.  The music for 'Rubies' is Stravinsky's 'Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra' with Cameron Grant as the piano soloist.  It is one of Stravinsky's jazziest and most approachable scores and inspired Balanchine to choreograph a lively 'American' piece filled with his version of bathing beauties, pin-up girls and jocks.

At this point, Tess Reichlen virtually owns the role created by Patricia Neary as the tall, enigmatic siren.  Her technical control of the difficult balances, soaring jetes and assorted exotic moves is astonishing and she dares to be witty, flirty, sensuous and aloof.

Teresa Reichlen with corps women in 'Rubies', photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet
(I'd swear that this was Photo-Shopped, if we hadn't just seen Tess do it live)

Hyltin and Veyette are less persuasive in the McBride and Villella roles.  Sterling's technique has improved tremendously since she first burst on to our radar as Juliet in Peter Martins' 'Romeo+Juliet', but McBride made this role more angular and spiky than Sterling manages.  No one any longer bends her knee slightly the way McBride did when she swung her leg forward with knee nearly touching forehead and then back so toe nearly touched the back of her head -- which always struck me as one of the role's signatures -- or crumples rag-doll limp into her partners arms the way McBride did.  Sterling performs the role like a slightly inebriated southern sorority girl, never achieving McBride's mix of control and abandon.

Andrew Veyette and Sterling Hyltin in 'Rubies', photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Like Villella, Veyette is a jock.  Balanchine made this role a slightly tongue-in-cheek tribute to Villella's prowess as a college baseball player and championship boxer.  Veyette came to ballet via gymnastics and his dancing is always athletic and usually vital.  On Sunday though, he seemed a little off his game and slightly preoccupied -- not fully invested in this role that can seem such a delightful romp with jogging, mimed rope skipping and chases by the four corps men.

Teresa Reichlen with corps (including Messrs. Schumacher, Villalobos and Laurent) in 'Rubies',
photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The work of the four corps men (Ippolito, Laurent, Schumacher, and Villalobos) was vibrant and joyous throughout.  Their interaction with the disdainful Reichlen was especially fun to watch.

Balanchine set 'Diamonds' to the last four movements of Tschaikovsky's 'Symphony #3 in D Major (he deemed the first movement 'undanceable').  On Sunday afternoon, the fourth movement (Scherzo: allegro vivo) -- with its swirling bravura variations for the lead couple and eight demi-soloists -- was also omitted, probably in deference to Jon Stafford's having earlier danced a leading role in 'Emeralds' as well.  I believe that there are some previous precedenst for eliminating or truncating this section. 

'Diamonds' was Balanchine's tribute to the Imperial Russian ballet of his youth.  The ballet's first movement (Alla tedesca: allegro moderato e semplice) for 12 corps women and two demi-soloists is filled with diamond patterns and often lacks a sense of urgency or purpose.  The two demi-soloist women drift on and off stage, while the corps women form various pretty configurations to a gentle waltz tempo.  Basically, it feels like the warm-up to the main event.  

The principal couple have an extended pas de deux (Andante eligiaco) which makes allusions to the encounter between Odette and Prince Siegfried in the second act of 'Swan Lake', the vision scene in 'Sleeping Beauty', and even moments in 'Raymonda' -- all works that Balanchine knew from St. Petersburg.  It was created for Suzanne Farrell and Jacques d'Amboise, although it is more closely associated with Farrell and Peter Martins.  Martins began dancing with NYC Ballet as a guest artist in 1967 and became a principal in 1970.  One critic suggested that d'Amboise presented Farrell like a proud father at his daughter's debut, while Martins treated her as a consort fit for a royal prince.

Peter Martins and Suzanne Farrell in 'Diamonds', photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Jon Stafford presented Sara Mearns on Sunday afternoon with both pride and deference.  As Balanchine intended this adagio is all about the ballerina (Farrell, the 'elusive muse') and Sara looks splendid with Jon's support and guidance.  Jon seemed appropriately enthralled, dropping to one knee at the end to kiss Sara's hand.

Jon Stafford and Sara Mearns in 'Diamonds', photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Moving from the pas de deux directly to the finale (Finale: allegro fuoco: tempo di polacca) brought the entire cast of 12 corps couples and four demi-soloist couples onto the stage for the grand polonaise followed by the long, hierarchical tribute to the principal couple.  Jon lifted Sara in a triumphant series of split jumps before they led the ensemble forward first in a slow, stately unison wave and then again in a swift, showy surge -- Jon dropped to one knee in a final tribute to Sara Mearns, his final ballerina.

Jonathan Stafford holding the mystery envelope during final ovation, photo by McClure
(behind Jon from left Ashley Laracey, Russell Janzen, Peter Martins, Sara Mearns)

The applause was thunderous, there were several traditional curtain calls including three in front of the curtain.  Then the curtain rose on the entire company; bouquets of roses were presented by each of the company's principals -- women then men -- then single roses from the female soloists; a bouquet and a mysterious envelope from Peter Martins; and finally a bouquet from Jon's fiancee, soloist Brittany Pollack (they'll be married in August); then streamers and confetti and bouquets tossed on stage from the audience.  Jon made two or three additional bows before the golden curtain -- a self-effacing, courteous cavalier acknowledging his many admirers -- before disappearing behind it to begin the next chapter of his dance life.

Quibbles & Bits:

The orchestra, conducted by yet another 'guest conductor', Koen Kessels, sounded best in the Faure music for 'Emeralds'.  The Stravinsky music for 'Rubies' was enlivened by the piano soloist, Cameron Grant, but was otherwise wan and predictable.  The Tschaikovsky music for 'Diamonds' was a disaster and certainly contributed to the enervating affect of the first section.  Orchestra balances were way off in both the Stravinsky and the Tschaikovsky -- often bass heavy and lacking vibrancy from inner voices.  Where's the new music director?  In my opinion, this was another failed audition.

I was offended that in the corps of 'Diamonds', two wonderful young multi-racial dancers, Silas Farley and Olivia Boisson, were paired.  Silas is the tallest man in the corps and should have been paired with the tallest woman, Emily Kitka (who he danced with as demi-soloists in 'Who Cares?' in SAB workshop performances).  Olivia -- neither short nor tall -- would look well with any number of partners (she's a gorgeous woman).  Enough of the 'separate, but equal' casting policy!  It's offensive and out of line -- let's go for color-blind casting from now on -- 2014 is the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.