Grr. I won't be here for it.
http://www.symphonyspace.org/genres/eventP...d=3&eventId=612
It's free.
Full Version: Wall to Wall Balanchine
I'm going to try my darndest to get down to the city for this. I've heard about the wall-to-wall events for years but this is the first time I've ever attempted to attend one. Does anyone have experience? How long have you had to wait? Are there any strategies to make it through? 12 hours straight.... I don't think I'd last that long. Can't imagine that it will be easy to get in. Do I need to become a member of Symphony Space to even have a chance of seating? At $50, I guess would probably spend that for a ticket...
Amy, what is your $50 ticket for? The event is free. Or is that the parking ticket you plan on getting? 
BW, I think Amy is referring to the cost of membership in Symphony Space at the Friends level. Members are supposed to receive priority seating.
Aha. Thank you Farrell Fan. 
Are NYC parking tickets as cheap as $50? I might consider! No, I'll probably be driving around looking for a spot for hours... probably the night before.... or else I'll park further downtown and subway up. But I wonder when the schedule for the wall-to-wall event gets posted. I'd like to see Renard again.
Try parking on Riverside Drive - it's free if you can find a spot. 
Thanks for the recommendation. I've always avoided parking parkside because of the increased break-in risk... but maybe since I don't have either xenon lights or airbags and my mileage is way way way way up there, I shouldn't be concerned. What is the deal these days on break-ins in NYC? I remember when it was pretty rampant... although perhaps not so rampant as that decade when because of overcrowded prisons, no one went to jail for grand auto theft and there were gang wars on the upper west side about car stealing turf. If you walk along Riverside Drive, do you see much broken window glass on the street these days? Or is that mostly a thing of the past?
Well, I'm not a regular up there however I've attended performances in the last two years at Symphony Space and gotten spots on side streets right nearby with narry a hint of a problem - airbags and even Xenons now! I suppose if you park on the street you take your chances - but I always do my best to find a spot before parting with $20 or so for a lot. Must be my Scottish ancestry. :grinning:
I suppose if you park on the street you take your chances - but I always do my best to find a spot before parting with $20 or so for a lot. Must be my Scottish ancestry. :grinning:
Here's the schedule (wow!)
Symphony Space Commemorates Balanchine Centennial with Wall to Wall Marathon Extravaganza
QUOTE
Schedule:
11:00 am-2:00 pm
“First a School”
In keeping with Balanchine’s famous dictum, the day kicks off with Suki Schorer’s master class featuring School of American Ballet students
New York City Ballet Education Department: Balanchine the Balletmaster
Ellen Sorrin leads a lecture-demonstration with students from the School of American Ballet performing excerpts from Agon, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™
Meet Balanchine on Film
Merrill Brockway, interviewed by Barbara Horgan, presents clips from his Balanchine documentary
Balanchine and Diaghilev
Lynn Garafola speaks about Balanchine’s connection to the famed director of the Ballets Russes and shares rare photos of both
2:00 pm-5:00 pm
Balanchine Up Close
Robert Gottlieb interviews Barbara Horgan, Balanchine’s longtime assistant and friend as well as Trustee-General Director of The Balanchine Trust
From the Balanchine Archives: Part I
Nancy Reynolds introduces a film montage of coaching sessions, including: Alicia Markova coaching Song of the Nightingale, Frederic Franklin coaching The Bride’s solo from the first version of Le Baiser de la Fee, Maria Tallchief coaching Orpheus, and Todd Bolender coaching The Four Temperaments
A live coaching session follows the screening, as Maria Tallchief coaches New York City Ballet dancer Maria Kowroski in Firebird
Balanchine Hollywood Film Clips
John Goberman presents clips of Balanchine choreography from Hollywood movies of the 1930s and 1940s
Panel Discussion on Balanchine and Stravinsky
Elizabeth Kendall moderates a discussion on Balanchine and Stravinsky with panelists Charles Joseph and Jonathan Sheffer and featuring Dance Theatre of Harlem’s live performance of the Agon pas de deux
Clive Barnes Introduces
Clive Barnes introduces performances by New York City Ballet dancers
Balanchine’s Company: New York City Ballet
Clive Barnes hosts a panel discussion with Peter Martins, Edward Bigelow, Violette Verdy, Maria Calegari and Bart Cook
5:00 pm-8:00 pm
From the Balanchine Archives: Part II
Nancy Reynolds introduces a film montage of coaching sessions, including: Melissa Hayden coaching Donizetti Variations, Allegra Kent coaching Bugaku, Alicia Alonso coaching Theme and Variations, Helgi Thomassen coaching Divertimento/Baiser, and Suzanne Farrell coaching Movements
A live coaching session follows the screening, as Melissa Hayden coaches New York City Ballet dancers Alexandra Ansanelli and Charles Askegard in Stars and Stripes
Designing for Balanchine
David Hays gives an illustrated talk on the experience of designing thirty-seven ballets for Balanchine
Balanchine and Kirstein
Anna Kisselgoff moderates a panel discussion with Edward Bigelow, Martin Duberman and Nancy Reynolds on the legendary partnership between Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein
Memories of Balanchine
Maria Tallchief, Allegra Kent and Edward Villella read from their own memoirs, hosted by Robert Gottlieb. Maria Tucci will read from the memoirs of Alexandra Danilova, Rochelle Owens will read from the memoirs of Tamara Geva
Balanchine on Tchaikovsky
Simon Volkov reads from his interviews with Balanchine
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™: The Sugar Plum Fairy
Filmmaker Virginia Brooks introduces footage of Jennie Somogyi’s original audition for The Nutcracker, followed by Ms. Somogyi performing a segment from the ballet
8:00 pm-11:00 pm
Dancing at the Speed of Balanchine
Merrill Ashley discusses the athletic demands made on Balanchine dancers, illustrated with video of Ballo della Regina
Kansas City Ballet Presents Renard
Todd Bolender introduces dancers from Kansas City Ballet performing Renard, a piece not seen in New York since its premiere in the late 1940s
Coming to Lincoln Center!
Jacques d’Amboise introduces video of the New York State Theatre’s opening night, including video excerpts from Stars and Stripes and an intermission interview with Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein, Richard Rodgers, architect Phillip Johnson and himself
Selections from Union Jack
Dancers from the New York City Ballet perform selections from Union Jack
Dance Theatre of Harlem: Excerpts from The Four Temperaments
Dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem perform excerpts from The Four Temperaments
Who Cares?
New York City Ballet dancers perform Gershwin’s Who Cares?
Dance Theatre of Harlem: Apollo
Dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem perform the New York City premiere of the company’s new production of the complete work, including the birth of Apollo
11:00 am-2:00 pm
“First a School”
In keeping with Balanchine’s famous dictum, the day kicks off with Suki Schorer’s master class featuring School of American Ballet students
New York City Ballet Education Department: Balanchine the Balletmaster
Ellen Sorrin leads a lecture-demonstration with students from the School of American Ballet performing excerpts from Agon, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue and George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™
Meet Balanchine on Film
Merrill Brockway, interviewed by Barbara Horgan, presents clips from his Balanchine documentary
Balanchine and Diaghilev
Lynn Garafola speaks about Balanchine’s connection to the famed director of the Ballets Russes and shares rare photos of both
2:00 pm-5:00 pm
Balanchine Up Close
Robert Gottlieb interviews Barbara Horgan, Balanchine’s longtime assistant and friend as well as Trustee-General Director of The Balanchine Trust
From the Balanchine Archives: Part I
Nancy Reynolds introduces a film montage of coaching sessions, including: Alicia Markova coaching Song of the Nightingale, Frederic Franklin coaching The Bride’s solo from the first version of Le Baiser de la Fee, Maria Tallchief coaching Orpheus, and Todd Bolender coaching The Four Temperaments
A live coaching session follows the screening, as Maria Tallchief coaches New York City Ballet dancer Maria Kowroski in Firebird
Balanchine Hollywood Film Clips
John Goberman presents clips of Balanchine choreography from Hollywood movies of the 1930s and 1940s
Panel Discussion on Balanchine and Stravinsky
Elizabeth Kendall moderates a discussion on Balanchine and Stravinsky with panelists Charles Joseph and Jonathan Sheffer and featuring Dance Theatre of Harlem’s live performance of the Agon pas de deux
Clive Barnes Introduces
Clive Barnes introduces performances by New York City Ballet dancers
Balanchine’s Company: New York City Ballet
Clive Barnes hosts a panel discussion with Peter Martins, Edward Bigelow, Violette Verdy, Maria Calegari and Bart Cook
5:00 pm-8:00 pm
From the Balanchine Archives: Part II
Nancy Reynolds introduces a film montage of coaching sessions, including: Melissa Hayden coaching Donizetti Variations, Allegra Kent coaching Bugaku, Alicia Alonso coaching Theme and Variations, Helgi Thomassen coaching Divertimento/Baiser, and Suzanne Farrell coaching Movements
A live coaching session follows the screening, as Melissa Hayden coaches New York City Ballet dancers Alexandra Ansanelli and Charles Askegard in Stars and Stripes
Designing for Balanchine
David Hays gives an illustrated talk on the experience of designing thirty-seven ballets for Balanchine
Balanchine and Kirstein
Anna Kisselgoff moderates a panel discussion with Edward Bigelow, Martin Duberman and Nancy Reynolds on the legendary partnership between Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein
Memories of Balanchine
Maria Tallchief, Allegra Kent and Edward Villella read from their own memoirs, hosted by Robert Gottlieb. Maria Tucci will read from the memoirs of Alexandra Danilova, Rochelle Owens will read from the memoirs of Tamara Geva
Balanchine on Tchaikovsky
Simon Volkov reads from his interviews with Balanchine
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™: The Sugar Plum Fairy
Filmmaker Virginia Brooks introduces footage of Jennie Somogyi’s original audition for The Nutcracker, followed by Ms. Somogyi performing a segment from the ballet
8:00 pm-11:00 pm
Dancing at the Speed of Balanchine
Merrill Ashley discusses the athletic demands made on Balanchine dancers, illustrated with video of Ballo della Regina
Kansas City Ballet Presents Renard
Todd Bolender introduces dancers from Kansas City Ballet performing Renard, a piece not seen in New York since its premiere in the late 1940s
Coming to Lincoln Center!
Jacques d’Amboise introduces video of the New York State Theatre’s opening night, including video excerpts from Stars and Stripes and an intermission interview with Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein, Richard Rodgers, architect Phillip Johnson and himself
Selections from Union Jack
Dancers from the New York City Ballet perform selections from Union Jack
Dance Theatre of Harlem: Excerpts from The Four Temperaments
Dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem perform excerpts from The Four Temperaments
Who Cares?
New York City Ballet dancers perform Gershwin’s Who Cares?
Dance Theatre of Harlem: Apollo
Dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem perform the New York City premiere of the company’s new production of the complete work, including the birth of Apollo
Symphony Space Commemorates Balanchine Centennial with Wall to Wall Marathon Extravaganza
Argh. This sounds wonderful. Couldn't they move it a week later?
Sounds like a dream 
For those of us unfortunately unable to attend, does anyone know if any or all of it will be filmed for posterity and future viewing?
For those of us unfortunately unable to attend, does anyone know if any or all of it will be filmed for posterity and future viewing?
Can anybody tell me how this thing is going to work. I would be willing to put up $50 for a membership to Symphony Space just to have priority on getting in. However, this looks like it is going to attract a large crowd. Will you have to show up at midnight to get in at 11 in the morning? What happens if more people show up than they have space for? Are you just tough out of luck until someone leaves during the day? Do you stand in line and wait all day?
And if you leave your seat to "use the facilities", do you lose it and have to stand in line again? Have no Ballet Alertniks ever attended a wall-to-wall? I think they're usually musical events, but still... ?
I'm going to call them on Friday because this is really freakin' me out!! 
Seriously, it all looks great so I am worried about getting in etc... I'll call.
Seriously, it all looks great so I am worried about getting in etc... I'll call.
I spoke to a representitive of Symphony Space, who said that there hasn't been a problem with seating. Some wall-to-walls have larger attendance than some others, but getting in is not a problem (although she said that might change if a program is very popular, it just hasn't happened yet). However, once the event starts, there is less certainty because people leave, people come in so it's hard to judge. And there is no holding seats for a friend who has gone to the bathroom for 4 hours.
We may all be in a panic that is not necessary. I hope anyway. I was frustrated that the Guggenheim events were sold out before I even knew they were occurring. However, there were series of lectures at the Donnell Library which were free and barely filled the relatively small Bruno Walter Auditorium. They were reputable speakers-- Garafola on Balanchine in Paris, Nancy Reynolds on Balanchine in the 40s and Joseph on Stravinsky and Balanchine. Maybe 200 seats. When NYCB ballet has one of their seminars it may fill the orchestra and possible some of the first ring. I guess that may be less than a 1,000 seats. Those are the best crowd estimates I can come up with.
Boy, the last time I was in that theater I was a student and saw The Wild Bunch. Go figure.
Boy, the last time I was in that theater I was a student and saw The Wild Bunch. Go figure.
Amy I'm going to try to make it too. I only want to see the live performances, do I need to get there several hours before 8pm?
MJ
MJ
MJ,
I imagine if you call Symphony Space by 1pm or 2pm, they should have a good sense of how early you would need to be there to get in by 8pm...
I'd like to do the whole thing (if I can work out childcare conundrums) ... I hope Suki's wearing a mic for the master class... ditto Maria Tallchief coaching Maria Kosrowski in Firebird!! Watching Tallchief draw herself up to demonstrate what she wants makes me wish I had seen her in her prime... It's almost an exposition on stage presence alone... what makes a dancer magnetic when they can no longer draw on technical tricks (e.g. high extension)... [it always amazes me how sometimes young dancers can be boring inspite of incredible technical feats]
I imagine if you call Symphony Space by 1pm or 2pm, they should have a good sense of how early you would need to be there to get in by 8pm...
I'd like to do the whole thing (if I can work out childcare conundrums) ... I hope Suki's wearing a mic for the master class... ditto Maria Tallchief coaching Maria Kosrowski in Firebird!! Watching Tallchief draw herself up to demonstrate what she wants makes me wish I had seen her in her prime... It's almost an exposition on stage presence alone... what makes a dancer magnetic when they can no longer draw on technical tricks (e.g. high extension)... [it always amazes me how sometimes young dancers can be boring inspite of incredible technical feats]
I've split off comments on the actual event onto its own thread here
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