A very interesting New York Times interview with Edward Villella about the performances next week
Dancing for Mr. B, and Everything After

Merde, Eddie!!

Based on what I have seen in the last two years....

starting Wednesday, January 21st

Be There Or Be Square !! ( Big Smile Intended !! )

(from New York, NY) It's a fine article, but I can still quibble: IIRC, the photographer's name has always been given on MCB publications (programs and publicity), including some I happen to have brought with me and which I just checked, as Joe Gato, not Joe Gates. Will The Times regret the error?

Jack, I look forward to seeing you at City Center. Some of us meet in the outer lobby during intermissions (by the ticket booths). See you there?
Susan

(from New York, NY) Okay, nysusan, unless I get involved in something inside, as I definitely will Saturday evening when some big Florida supporters of the company are throwing a bash on the mezzanine. As I revert to my old impressions of NYC, though, as a town just flooded with people, I wonder whether we each know how to recognize the other, although, as I continue to think about this, I also remember what the circle of friends I developed here "in the old days" told me, namely, I don't look like a New Yorker. More like a certain Scotsman, actually, as I've been told more recently.

(from New York, NY) Actually, in this below-freezing weather, there must be a better meeting place for BTers!

Anyway, the company opened in the New York City Center with Symphony in Three Movements, led by Jennifer Kronenberg and Jeremy Cox. This is the city I used to see about forty performances of Balanchine's company a year in, although not in this theatre, and I suppose the familiarity of the surroundings otherwise put me in a frame of mind to expect what I saw in those days, and so what I heard seemed maybe a little bit slow and what I saw on stage looked a little bit crowded. (Of course, Balanchine made Symphony in Three Movements in 1972, having moved from this theatre to the New York Sate Theatre with its larger stage in 1964.) Those are my quibbles with this performance, the rest was just so good: You know how we are more critical of a color photo than of a black and white one? How we have issues with it because it's closer to reality? This performance was close to the reality of what Symphony in Three Movements is for me, having seen it many times supervised by its maker. As it went pulsing along, something from the recent interviews of Villella about the cost of producing here came into the back of my mind. Around two-thirds through the first movement, I thought, This company looks like a million bucks!

(On the street after the performance, one of my professional dance-writer friends of long, extensive experience in New York told one of the dancers, "I haven't seen classical dancing that good in a long, long time", and suggested the company would be welcome on a regular basis. This person sees a lot of dance in the course of her career.)

Whatever I heard, I saw; it was not always obvious, (to someone who practices suspension of disbelief in the theatre) exactly what the causal relationship was between what I heard and what I saw. They were united, and it was right. It helped that it was far better lit than anything I have ever seen in the Broward CPA. This is New York! (I will say, since the music was recorded, that the company gets better sound in the BCPA, especially at the bass end of the spectrum.) And at the end, the applause was so sustained, I thought Symphony Three, as we used to call it in the old days, was going to get an unprecedented curtain call for the three lead couples. It didn't, but I had a sense that this audience knew when it saw a good thing. This is New York!

La Valse featured Deanna Seay as the Girl in White, as I had hoped, although that moment of revulsion, when she throws the black flower of death away from her, seemed perfunctory this time. But otherwise, such as her throwing her upper body back as she dies in death's arms, she was truly tragic, and the culmination of the whole eerie spell of the ballet.

In the Upper Room is a dance I'm getting a little tired of, as we have been saying on another thread, although I am still happy to see my favorites when they appear, Catoya in her unassuming sharpness, Seay with her silken phrasing; these dancers give the piece focus for me -- except when they're both active onstage!

The dance was just a foot dance at first, with everyone onstage in white footgear and too much smoke to see their gray-clad bodies. No alarms went off though, and pretty soon we could see as we were supposed to. At the end, the crowd, especially behind me in the orchestra seats, cheered and stood, and Twyla Tharp and then Edward Villella came out for applause with the Room cast. Villella kissed Tharp on the forehead; as the line moved forward at one point, Tharp threw an arm around Alex Wong. Although I saw a number of people dressing for the cold at the end of the second intermission (after La Valse), the audience was overall pretty enthusiastic.

Bravo Eddie.!!

I really enjoyed Sym 3 and La Valse, was less enthusiastic about In The Upper Room which is strange - I have always loved it and enjoyed it when I saw MCB do it in Ft Lauderdale (even with the fire alarms!) but tonight it seemed a little flat. Ms. Tharp came onstage at the end with Villella & Co and she seemed happy - so maybe it was just me.

Sym 3 looked very fresh and bracing on the smaller CC stage - especially the 1st and last movements. MCB seems to take more leeway with individual interpretations than I'm used to seeing - Kronenberg & Cox danced the main roles & her attitude was much more playful than what I recall at NYCB. Of course, I only remember Whelan in the role so that may account for some of the difference and that’s fine with me. I think any individual role is open to an artist’s unique interpretation as long as the style and overriding dance principles are respected - and I felt that they were. The arms are much more classical than NYCB's ever were (in my experience) but they do not sacrifice speed, attack, edge or energy to allow for the greater emphasis on epaulment which is what often bothers me when I see Balanchine performed by anyone but NYCB. This company dances with great energy and a great sense of engagement with the choreography and it’s a pleasure to watch.

It was good to see Catoya as the main “Ballerina Bomber” in the Tharp and she is also listed for the opening movement of Sym C - but I was hoping to see more of her!

In case anyone’s interested - here’s the casting for the principle roles for the run:

Sym 3: Kronenberg/Cox, Albertson/Wong, P.Delgado/Dufaur

La Valse: Seay/Guerra, Cox (Death)

Upper Room: Kronenberg, J Delgado, Wong, Cox, Baker , Albertson (stompers) Carranza, P Delgado, Catoya (Bomb Squad), Bramaz, Dafaur, Guerra

Square Dance: J. Delgado (Albertson on Sun), Cox

Rubies: Kronenberg/Penteado, Spiridonakos (Noelle on Sun)

Sym C: Catoya/Penteado, Wu/Guerra, J Delgado/ Wong, P Delgado/Cox

When I saw Catoya do the ppd in Symphony in 3 Movements a few years ago in Miami, she was positively kittenish and adorable, which I found strange. Whelan, Watts, Leland and others I've seen at NYCB were more serious and other worldly, which I prefer. It seems a better reflection of the music.

Sara Leland was fairly upbeat in Symphony 3 in Mr. B's day, IIRC, though hardly kittenish. The second movement is, of course, quite a gentle contrast to the overwhelming energy of the "outer" movements. Nobody looked very stern or frowning in the old days; that would lay too much of something else on the ballet, I think. Speaking of laying something on it, Cox seemed a little "stiff" in the sense of correct or proper in his movements, with Kronenberg. In particular, he gazed at her fixedly, instead of the more usual relaxed and varying regard. Cox has a lot of dance power, and sometimes giving something everything he's got is too much.

P.S. Yesterday afternoon I visited the Whitney museum for the Calder show, and afterward happened on an interesting little photograph in the Andy Warhol exhibit on 5M: A 1963 photo booth (like in bus stations of the time) shot of Edward Villella. People into movement might also enjoy the moving sculpture in the Calder show; those intrigued by drawings made with a single line might enjoy his wire sculpture. Stravinsky was among Calder's admirers; I don't know about Balanchine. He's long been a favorite of mine (not to bracket myself with Stravinsky, or anything!).

Just back from this evening's performance, and I was happy again. Such vivid, clear classical dancing. Such good lighting! You could see the dancing really well. Also, I was closer to the stage than I can sit in the Broward CPA and still see the stage, not look up to it.

Jeanette Delgado's dancing in Square Dance in particular stopped the show; the applause was so determined they could not continue, and she deserved it. I was happier with Cox too, both in this and in the last movement of Symphony in C, but the star of C and of the evening, for me and for the man in front of me, was "the girl in the first movement", Mary Carmen Catoya: "If she'd do something else, I'd come back and see her," he said. "What amplitude, musicality, and scale." "First moment to last?" I ventured. "First moment to last," he agreed. (I thought of saying that he should have seen Catoya's two Tchaikovsky Piano concerto No. 2s last weekend, but then I thought it might be a little cruel...)

Rubies, the ballet that hooked me on Balanchine-ballet in the late 60's, had the requisite brilliance most of the way through, though I thought the pas de deux had some soggy spots. I saw quite a lot of the original cast, and that is quite a high standard; this company comes much closer than any other I've seen in many years, in the entire Jewels "suite". (I'm not looking for an imitation; the performances years ago didn't look like an imitation of anything.)

Wu's performance in Symphony in C was quite admirable, a further advance for her, but...

I was there too last night. Jeanette Delgado was incredible in Square Dance. Breathtaking speed, goregeous footwork and warmth that glowed and radiated throughout the theater. I've seen this ballet many times at NYCB, but last night's MCB performance was the best performance of the lead female role I have ever seen.

Thanks, Jack, and others, for making this alive to those of us who can't be there.

Alistair Macaulay in this morning's Times, writes a wonderful tribute to the company, without mentioning individual performances. Macaulay is that rare Times chief critics who actually spends time -- and thought -- watching key regional companies regularly, and therefore becoming familiar with their style, rep, and dancers. He knows MCB, as he knows several other companies outside New York. Good for him!

Here's an interesting quote from the article:
"Much to learn" -- imagine, the chief dance critic of the nation's most influential paper admits that he has things to learn and WANTS to learn more. Wonderful!

It's great that the MCB dancers can be seen by some of their peers in New York. I hope that the MCB dancers also get some time (and free tickets) to watch their NYCB fellow-dancers as well.

I'll add my bravas too for Jeanette Delgado in Square Dance. Fantastic! Strong as heck technically, but also warmly womanly with a bright, big smile. She was the star of the evening for me, as she made everything look so easy and fun, while most of the (many) ballet dancers in the audience knew just how difficult her part was. Btw, Jeanette also danced the (jumper lead) third movement of Sym in C, just as fully. Wow!

For me, Janie Taylor's Square Dance at NYCB was my ideal. She's done this wonderful ballet approximately 2-3 times, I saw 2. However, J. Delgado gave an amazing, new flavor with her bold style. I'd run to see either lead again, any night.

Jeremy Cox was also very good, and interesting, but he took many liberties with the choreography in his solo of Square Dance that I didn't like.

Must point out Michael Sean Breeden in demi-soloist parts of Square Dance and Sym in C. I had always admired him and his dancing while he attended SAB. Still an elegant, poetic, handsome dancer with polish, I was so happy to see that Michael was getting a good share of demanding Balanchine ballets to learn/dance/enjoy!

Agreed that Jeanette Delgado was superb in Square Dance; I too, think that she's the best female lead I've seen in that role (I wonder why Ashley doesn't dance it over at NYCB? She would be amazing too, I think). Nikolaj Hubbe remains the best male lead I've seen in Square Dance. I also agree that the star of Symphony in C was Catoya, I couldn't take my eyes off her, she was just gorgeous. I thought that she would be a much better choice for the Adagio. Wu looked to be a bit too nervous and fragile, and very unsteady during that key moment when the dancer has to touch her head to her knee. Catoya has the amplitude to really bring the Adagio to life. I was a little disappointed with the Rubies performance, I must admit. None of the leads were as good as what I've seen at NYCB, and the partnering looked a little rough to me. I will say that the corps throughout the evening were fantastic, every step clearly etched and very musical. Would that NYCB danced Balanchine as clearly and as joyfully.

Dittos to that, I am enjoying every word here! Could someone address the size of the house? In New York are opening nights the big attendance performances or is it the weekend shows?

After Delgado's fantastic performance last night, my husband and I also discussed that A. Bouder would be great in Square Dance. Unfortunately, I guess she can't do every role in the rep. (Too bad!) I don't recall ever seeing Janie Taylor in Square Dance. I agree that Hubbe was a great interpreter of the male solo, but I also think Boal did an outstanding job in that role too. Last night's male lead was nowhere near their level. I though the lead couple in Rubies was very good, but not outstanding. The weakest link for me in Rubies was the lady who performed the "Tall Girl" role. She needed to use her legs like darting daggers. She was too soft and introverted. Also, she didn't have the high level of flexibility that is needed to make this role the eye-popper that it can and should be. I liked all the leads in Symphony in C except the second adagio movement. The partnering was shaky and there were lots of little bobbles that destroyed the beauty of this section. I hope the company returns to NYC soon, but I have a feeling that probably won't happen due to economic reasons.

From today's LINKS thread, here's the Macaulay review from the NY Times. Thanks, dirac!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/arts/dan...m.html?ref=arts

Here's Leigh Witchel, in Danceviewtimes, reviewing the program with Symphony in C, La Valse, and Upper Room.
http://www.danceviewtimes.com/2009/01/the-visitors-.html

I've selected a mixed-message response to In the Upper Room, because it isn't Balanchine and because so many of us have seen it somewhere in the world:


And: Thomas Phillips, also in DVT, reviewing the program with Square Dance, Rubies, and Symphony in C.
http://www.danceviewtimes.com/2009/01/brin...back-home-.html



This kind of reviewing, even when it's leavened with some doubts and/or suggestions, must be wonderful for Villella and for the MCB dancers. We have good enough dance writers in south Florida, but they don't get to see enough and they don't have the basis for comparing and evaluating that writers like Witchel and Phillips -- not to mention Macaulay !!! -- have. Close attention from the New York dance press, especially the top end, is a major honor all by itself.

I'm so happy to hear about Jeanette's success. She has become such a force in the Company, and is looking so alive and happy in her dancing!...As I said earlier, she is my first choice as Kitri...
PLEASE, EDDIE, GIVE US A DELGADO/SARABIA D.Q!!!

Here is another review from the New York Post.
Swoon over Miami

Friday 23rd Wednesday night was eye-popping but tonight was riveting. Part of the reason was that I had a first-row center seat in the first balcony (called here the Grand Tier) instead of row M in the Orchestra; from here I could even see their makeup as such, and the perspiration down the front of Kronenberg's leotard at the end, not the only resemblance to Leland of years ago.

But a major part of the reason was that what may have been opening-night nerves had settled, and the dancers looked like they might have realized the audience likes them.

So Symphony in Three Movements was all happy, smiley? Hah! These dancers are too serious and too smart about what they do for that. Expressions were mildly serious, as the ballet seems to me to require, with some positive regard for each other emerging in the tenderest part of the pas de deux, toward the end. More important, the dancing, if anything, seemed stronger and more vivid than Wednesday, more focused and energized, if that was possible.

You know the diagonal line of white corps which opens (and closes) the first movement? They extend an arm upward, and then a progressive change in pose makes its way down the line, from the back toward the front. This change begins with a deliberate yet not exaggerated turning around of the raised hand that can typify the whole evening, right from the first move we see: Clarity within a natural, easy flow. It gives their dancing life and beauty.

I thought Jeremy Cox's sterness of attitude toward his partner in the pas de deux much softened and improved, but if anything I found it effective in La Valse, where it could be taken as Death's hypnotic dominance of the Girl in White, although this novel approach didn't produce the deep chill I got from Francisco Moncion decades ago.

It was the first role I saw Moncion in, and he moved like a stiff old man. I knew he was the oldest one in Balanchine's company, and I thought it was nice of Mr. B. to give him something he could still do. Of course, he was replaced in due course by a much younger dancer -- who moved like a stiff old man. Aha! So maybe something has ben omitted from Cox's coaching, and in time this role will acquire more of its former power. (Meanwhile the story is carried to its conclusion.)

From closer range, La Valse also seemed more vivid. I will report, though, that while an old friend from the Balanchine days thought "the ensemble was like what City Ballet used to be, but I'm less impressed with her [Seay]." "Small?" I asked, and my friend agreed. Personally, I have learned to pay closer attention to Seay because of the rewards I get when I do.

Houses Thursday and Friday I sat in the lower balcony, and Thursday the rear third had only some people in the first rows, with some more Friday, but I couldn't see downstairs. Wednesday I sat in the Orchestra, which was pretty full right to the back, but I couldn't see upstairs.

Jack, thanks for your fine reviews.

bart, thanks so much for citing these two articles. I particularly like Tom Phillips very interesting and complimentary review.

Since you are a very committed MCB observer, I would like to ask you a question. He makes one statement that I would like to get your or anybody's opinion on.

He says that the company, "....is clearly taking Balanchine in a new direction, Russian neo-classicism with a Latin flair."

I can kind of understand the "Latin Flair", but "New Direction"...."Russian Neo-Classicism" I don't visualize at the moment.

PS--If he possibly means, what I have felt is, a more pronounced and very fine element of 'refinement' in the MCB dancing style, then I can understand this wording.

In any case--Congratulations and 'Rock On' !--Miami City Ballet !

From ALASTAIR MACAULAY A Young, Lively Crew From Florida Steps Up and Takes Flight

earlier Macaulay review: His observation that "the whole stage space is lighted up by the human body" recalled for me Edwin Denby's observation sixty years ago or so that Balanchine's choreography has the quality of "luminous spacing". And his remark about this company's "high-density visibility" is most telling, I think.

As for NYCB and ABT dancers in the audience, there were also, as might be expected, retired NYCB dancers of Villella's generation also in attendance, although, having said that, I'm not sure our rules allow me to post their names, nor those of the critics I recognized in the theatre.

Update: Macaulay says, "orchestral accompaniment... is being threatened by the current slump..." We were told last weekend in Fort Lauderdale that that weekend was the last one with an orchestra, for now.

"You heard the scores more clearly for watching." And of course the other side of the truth he speaks is that, as I noticed anyway, we see the dance more vividly for listening, even with the loss of clarity in the recorded sound tracks he points out.

As to Upper Room, as I said previously on the thread discussing the Florida performances, I'm getting a little much of that, so I thought in advance I might be one of the early leavers from this program; but last night I had such a good view of two of my top favorites in the company, Mary Carmen Catoya and Deanna Seay,I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

Seay in particular, and not unusually, looks like her part was made on her, and Catoya's genuine grin coming and going quite naturally in different parts, especially where two boys practically throw her around, made it evident how much she enjoyed those bits; I thought I could see why, too, and that added some extrinsic enjoyment to seeing this ballet, about which I have reservations like those Macaulay gives.

It seems a little contrived to me, although it's hard for me to imagine what would result if a choreographer were to try to apply the method of making what the composer tells them to, when the music ("or whatever it is", as Robert Gottlieb put it in a review of something danced to Glass, IIRC) is Philip Glass's mathematical score. But then, great choreography illuminates its music, as Macaulay says, and I don't think I am going far beyond him to complain that it doesn't happen in Upper Room.

Saturday matinee, January 24 The company having "settled in" and "found their space", as someone put it to me in the theatre, they're continuing to do what they do, and it seemed more of a shame that this afternoon was the last of Program A. Watching it, I thought, If they were here longer, how high could they take this? They are more and more into it.

In La Valse, I also saw some of the "stiff old man" in Cox's Death, especially when he's partnering Seay, but if there were more, earlier, it would be more effective.

And I love to see how Catoya loves what she does in Upper Room.

I was happy to have the chance to read Macaulay's piece, kindly Linked by iwatchthecorps. It's rare for a NY reviewer to become as familiar with the indvidual dancers of a regional company has he has become with MCB.

On the whole, I think Macaulay's comments are very much on target. Also -- and more important, to me at least -- Macaulay is giving me new ideas about a company whose dancers I've come to know fairly well (on stage) and feel about almost as though there were my own children.

Jeanette Delgado is the big "growth" story of the past 2 seasons. She was always a firecracker but has developed a much greater range than I would ever have imagined. Her technical control become more and more astonishing, though never at the price of losing emotional involvement and engagement with her fellow dancers the audience. She serves the choreography with passion. It's a real and rare thrill to have the chance to watch a talented dancer in the process of becoming a serious artist.

I'm delighted that Mary Carmen Catoya has gotten such good reviews. Macaulay is right on target in noticing a certain "guarded" quality in some of her dancing. When she lets that go -- as she did in Emeralds last year, and in Upper Room this year -- she can be as astonishing as anyone in American ballet. She, more than anyone, is now the company's "prima ballerina."

Macaulay's reservations about the wonderful Jennifer Kronenberg, whom he's praised highly in the past, made me think he may have been trying to tell her: "You're a beautiful dancer, but it's time to stop coasting and start growing again." The NY press's silence about Alex Wong, the companies best jumper, may be a way of saying the same thing. I'd love to see both of them back on an upward trajectory as artists once more.. It can happen.

His comment on Haiyan Wu's dancing is, unfortunately, quite true of her current dancing. She was a medalllist at Jackson not all that long ago but has not developed beyond that brilliant early start, for whatever reason. Her most satisfying dancing in several years has been in a short but fairly inconsequential pdd of Wheeldon's, Liturgy. I hope she's not forgotten as Villella and the rest of the MCB staff concentrate on developing the potential of so many other promising youngsters.

Jeremy Cox, I think, deserves more attention and understanding than he sometimes gets from audiences and critics. He's a versastile and fascinating dancer who can do anything, but not always the way you expect it. He's also the male dancer I most look forward to seeing on stage: he's so full of depth and surprises. Macaulay nails his unique value: "Mr. Cox -- dancing in five of six ballets, perhaps the hardest worker of a hard-working company -- is a true stylist in each." I wish NYC had had the chance to see him in Mercuric Tidings.

Macaulay goes out of his way to praise Patricia Delgado, Jeanette's older sister -- " ... she can catch the audience's heart from her first entry and hold it." I confess that I have not experienced this myself. Not yet anyway. But I really respect Macaulay. So I'll be looking at Patricia closely and with hope when MCB dances Don Quixote.

I'll also be looking with renewed interest at Yang Zou. Macaulay writes: "I am haunted by Yang Zou (who partnered Patricia Delgado) in the long-phrased solo [from "La Valse"] where, again and again, he turns, then kneels and swirls his upper body in a helpless continuum, giving us a first image of the ballroom's fatal vortex." Zou is a lovely and increasingly confident dancer. It's clear he deserves more attention.

These years watching MCB closely has shown me that dancers can grow in surprising ways. It's also showing me that audiences -- me in particular -- can grow, too. There's a collaboration that develops between "fan" and "company." When that process works well, both sides benefit.

Just a quick comment to endorse Macaulay's review of the second program right across the board -- I was there, too, of course, and I'm very impressed and glad that his points are "spot on" and all he said is in fine perspective: He emphasizes what needs to be emphasized. I'm not sure what his writing time is; more than the hour and a half The New York Times once allowed its drama critics, but to this deliberate fellow his speed is impressive, too.

As for Wong, not even knowing about the press silence bart refers to, I ran in to him at a reception last night and... Whoops! That was private conversation, I can't post that! Let's just say that when I saw his air turns and other tricks in Fox Trot last weekend I thought, Oh, the company whizz kid! But then I saw him here in Symphony in C and I thought, Miami City Ballet boy. Does everything!

And now I'm going to run to the theatre for the last performance, all too soon. But hey, it's ben six, instead of four, like in Broward!

Jack, I hope I didn't give the impression that there was a conspiracy of silence. It's just that the press focused its attentions elsewhere. Wong is super-talented. I wrote about him a lot on BT when he first arrived. But not recently. He should be moving into -- and/or being groomed for -- larger and more complex (even deeper) solo roles.

Yep...same here. I've praised Wong in every single performance I've seen of him. Well no...not true...I really didn't write a word on The Fox Trot, in which he tossed some nice turns and jumps.

Just saw the New York Post review, haven't even read it yet, but I'd like to point out that while Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg is the girl in the photo, as far as I can tell, it was Deanna Seay who danced the role of The Girl in White in New York. Tsk!

The papers and web sites run the pictures they're provided, and they were not provided pictures of the actual casts that danced.

Thanks for the peek behind the scenes in publishing, Leigh.

This is an interesting review in the Observer. I believe this picture is also from the archives.
Villella's Heroic Homecoming: Miami Burnishes Balanchine

A glowing review, indeed. Thanks, cahill. I should add that it's by Nancy Dalva.

Apologies for posting so late, but better late than . . .

On Jan 21, Leonard Lopate interviewed Edward Villella on WNYC radio. The 11+ minute interview is here as an audio stream/download. You can also view about three minutes of it as video.

Actually the photo is current, shot by a photographer shooting for The Miami Herald to accompany reviews of MCBallet's New York City Center season. The Observer went to some pains to acquire it, bless their hearts. While many papers do use only provided photos, others use a mix of their own and provided (New York Times), favoring their own whenever possible. If companies do not hold photo shoots (frequently part of a final dress rehearsal), obviously there won't be current photos.

Oh. I wrote the review (for those who don't know my old nom de web.)

Aha! And is that the City Center stage then, Nanatchka? If so, I think it might be the only picture of it published so far. It strikes me as very apt that it shows MCB's magnificent ensemble; while Balanchine-trained ballet-watchers in New York expressed reservations about some principals in some roles, IIRC they've written (or spoken, in the case of personal contacts) only praise for the corps. "Like City Ballet -- I mean, in the old days!" was typical. "In the old days", a few corps members I met would complain, "Nobody knows who we are," and MCB's corps may feel the same way, but the reception these performances got from an audience who knows and appreciates the dancing it sees should buoy them up. They deserve to be.