Does anyone know if Molly Smolen has left SF Ballet? If so, does anyone know where she has gone? Thanks!

Smolen is married to SFB principal dancer Tiit Helimets; she is no longer listed on the company roster. Sorry, don't know what she's doing now.

Peggy

If anything comes up in the press or there is a company announcement, we'll be sure to link to it here.

She has her own website, which unfortunately has not been updated.

From a recent article Blood, Sweat, and Tutus, on injuries and the injured at SFB, this excerpt about a need for a replacement dancer when Tina LeBlanc "snapped her ACL in front of an audience of 3,300 at the 2007 finale of "Don Quixote" shows that Molly Smolen was already off the roster a year ago. I remember an earlier article in which Molly was interviewed where she spoke of how hard it was for her to be separated from Tiit as he worked at SFB and she freelanced, mostly on the east coast, waiting until SFB could hire her. I was so happy when she finally got her principal dancer contract. It seems it lasted for only a year -- am I right?

You may be right about her being off the roster last year, although she was listed in the booklets that are given out at performances as a principal who joined in 2006. Also, she danced with her husband during the New Works Festival in Caniparoli's Ibsen's House.

There used to be some YouTube video of her in, I believe, Sleeping Beauty. Just a brief clip, but she looked like an interesting dancer. I'm sorry not to have seen her.

Peggy

It's a zippy example of what I always think of as the "42nd Street Phenomenon," but the phrase "suit up" really gave me the giggles.

Tiit has posted 27 videos on youtube, almost all of Molly and himself. The early ones of her as a teenager are remarkable.

Tiit and Molly videos

Marga: You're very right about that. It's especially interesting to see how mature she seems. Dancers at that age, no matter how gifted, often look slightly uncoordinated, as if all the body parts haven't quite learned how to work together yet. Little of that here; makes me even sorrier not to have seen her last season.

Peggy

When Molly and Tiit were with BRB we were able to enjoy her as a very gifted classical dancer with an enormous stage presence. She was truly awesome in Ashton's Five Waltzes in the manner of Isadora Duncan. She has a real depth of acting ability from extremely naughty harlot to very moving and young Juliet in MacMillan's R&J. We miss them both very much and it was great to see Tiit again recently in a short excerpt from Apollo at Desmond Kelly's gala.

I watched the video before I read Peggy's post. My thoughts about coordination were identical to what Peggy wrote. I was deeply attracted to the grace and apparent maturity of her upper body and epaulement. This was a real (and very lovely) performance, not just a reenactment of learned steps, which is what you often see even in highly talented adolescents. Watching her, I thought: This is the kind of dancer I follow with my eyes and pay attention to, even in an ensemble.

I saw her in Five Waltzes when BRB participated in the mini-Ashton Festival in New York a few summers ago, and "awesome" is a perfect description. I truly admired her ability to convey what must have been Duncan's complete lack of inhibition.

Molly's Giselle is the lightest I have ever seen. She infuses each of her roles with the right characterization to bring you right into the story. Watch her Aurora, for another stunning example. It's unembellished, as originally intended, absolutely appropriate to the age and stature of the character, and perfectly performed, with simple beauty, musicality, precision, and the regal bearing of a princess.

My daughter was dancing with the Estonian National Ballet when Smolen and Helimets guested there, and told me how incredible it was to watch her on stage.

Molly Smolen's Giselle Act II

Molly Smolen's Aurora Act II variation

Thanks for all your responses - I remember taking class with Molly when she was quite young, and it was obvious that she was a prodigious talent. Not in a fireworks-and-schmaltz way, but in a thoughtful and mature one. I hope that resurfaces soon.

Not sure if this is OK to say because I do not have it directly from Ms Smolen but a friend of mine who is a member of SFB says she is retired and starting law school.

Thanks. Glebb -- you are certainly allowed!

From Molly and Tiit's website, I linked to reviews from earlier this year, 2008. It shows that Molly Smolen was still ON the roster. Since the article "Blood, Sweat, and Tutus" was written last month, the author of it was referring to her present status, not her status at the time of the anecdote. I am sorry if I misled anyone with my initial interpretation of the article. The article confused me by referring to her as a former principal when recounting an incident from 2007.

Here's a reference to Molly's performance as Myrtha at the War Memorial from February 21st, 2008:


There are also several mentions of her as Nora in reviews of "Ibsen's House".

glebb's post about Molly is interesting. She is one of those "smart" ballerinas we like to talk about when called upon to defend the art. Whatever she does, she is great, and I wish her everything wonderful.

Thanks for those links, Marga -- her Giselle has a beautiful creamy jump, it's so lovely; and her Aurora, as you say, is everythhing she shouldbe -- warm, reserved, generous, lovely. I love the way she uses herwrists in hte violin solo, very "Russian." And she has thatwonderful gift of stillness.

We did not see her much here. i reviewed her first appearance in the Nutcracker for danceviewtimes http://danceviewtimes.com/2007/Winter/01/californianuts.html
and her appearance in the gala in Ashton's "5 waltzes in hte manner of Isadora Duncan" -- but I saw her VERY rarely during her stay on the roster. I remember watching her in class- effortless technique, uncanny softness.... but never had enough chance to get a good look at her..

Hope things go well for her.

What a well-considered review you wrote, Paul Parish! I like the words and phrases you review with. Thank you for the link.

Referring back to the Giselle excerpt on youtube, Smolen's foot, first the right then the left, in Act II Giselle, as she jump-floats supported by Helimets is, as you say, creamy, buttery, ....strongly pliant... articulating the wispy, yet forceful, nature of the Wili she has become. The use of the foot is one of her fortés. Her arabesque leg during that sequence is a perfectly-timed wonder, too. One can "see" the air stream she is floating on!

A video posted by Helimet which Marga did not mention is the pdd from Giselle Act II. Smolen may be the most seamless I've ever seen, magnificent and poetic. Helimets' videos include enough to give a sense of Somlen's range. Her Giselle is ethereal, her Fille notably earthy, her Vision scene Aurora aloof but more weighted than the Giselle and Aurora's Wedding pas radiantly regal.

I'm sorry I saw so little of her in live performance, but grateful to have seen her at all.

If she's half as effective a lawyer as a ballerina, she'll have no trouble finding clients.

There's also a dreamy quality to the Act I Giselle. Watching the 2 of them dance on that small stage, with only a few village girls, is enthralling. Giselles, even fine ones, to emote a bit too much in the village scene. In this clip, Smolen conveys character by the subtleties of dance alone. I love that kind of artistic restraint.

I hope that Tiit knows how much those videos are appreciated. Somehow, I just can’t bring myself to log onto YouTube and post a response along the lines of “OMG dude, she is like so totally awesome!!!!!” to express my admiration for Molly’s artistry.

Peggy

Smolen was scheduled to dance in August 9 at the Gala of International Ballet Stars of Ballet Tech Cincinnati, along with Helimets. ( And a little , while browsing Smolen, i also discovered that Hayna Gutierrez and Miguel Angel Blanco, Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami Principals, were scheduled to be there too...I had started wondering what these two were doing...)
http://www.ballettechcincinnati.org/2007-2...ASTgala2008.htm

I checked with SFB to see if there was an official response - the company did confirm that she is not returning, but doesn't know her future plans.

Not sure if this is OK to say because I do not have it directly from Ms Smolen but a friend of mine who is a member of SFB says she is retired and starting law school.

Just seen this thread, hope she is doing well at law school. I saw Molly Smollen dance Swan Lake with BRB, it was THE best Odette/Odile I have ever seen & I've 16 years worth of Royal Ballet, Kirov & other companies to compare hers with. Her musicality & technical abilities were remarkable as was her interpretation of the dual role & its a memory that will stay with me a long time.