I just noticed that some casting is up at the ABT website for the October Bard performance.

Thanks, vipa

October 2
New Ratmansky Work
J. Kent
X. Reyes
S. Abrera
A. Hammoudi
H. Cornejo
G. Saveliev

New Barton Work
Company

Other Dances
Cast to be announced

New Millepied Work
I. Boylston
M. Gomes


October 3, M
New Ratmansky Work
H. Seo
S. Lane
Y. Kajiya
J. Matthews
J. Phillips
C. Lopez

New Barton Work
Company

Some Assembly Required
I. Boylston
I. Stappas

New Millepied Work
S. Abrera
C. Stearns


October 3, E
J. Kent
X. Reyes
S. Abrera
A. Hammoudi
H. Cornejo
G. Saveliev

New Barton Work
Company

Some Assembly Required
J. Matthews
M. Riccetto

New Millepied Work
I. Boylston
M. Gomes


October 4, M
New Ratmansky Work
H. Seo
S. Lane
Y. Kajiya
J. Matthews
J. Phillips
C. Lopez

New Barton Work
Company

Other Dances
Cast to be announced

New Millepied Work
S. Abrera
C. Stearns


Check ABT's calendar for updates and changes and, it's safe to guess, the Avery Fisher casting coming soon.

Interesting that Simkin isn't up there yet.

My thoughts exactly!

Casting for Avery Fisher season:

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S
FALL SEASON AT AVERY FISHER HALL,
OCTOBER 7-10, 2009

Opening Night to be Highlighted by the New York City Premieres of New Works by Alexei Ratmansky, Aszure Barton and Benjamin Millepied



Casting for American Ballet Theatre’s 2009 Fall Season at Avery Fisher Hall was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. The engagement marks the Company’s first appearance at Avery Fisher Hall.

The Opening Night Gala performance at 6:30 P.M. will feature the debut of David Hallberg in a new work by Alexei Ratmansky. The six-member opening night ensemble also includes Julie Kent, Xiomara Reyes, Stella Abrera, Herman Cornejo and Gennadi Saveliev. Set to Domenico Scarlatti’s Keyboard Sonatas, the new Ratmansky ballet will receive its World Premiere at the Richard B. Fisher Center’s Sosnoff Theater at Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, New York on October 2, 2009. Costumes for Ratmansky’s new work are by Holly Hynes and lighting is by Brad Fields.

A new work by Aszure Barton, set to Maurice Ravel’s Violin Sonata in G, will also receive its New York City premiere on Opening Night, October 7. The new Barton ballet features costumes by Yannik Larivée and lighting by Brad Fields.

Isabella Boylston and Marcelo Gomes will lead the opening night cast of the New York City Premiere of a new work by Benjamin Millepied. Set to music by composer David Lang, the new ballet features costumes by Karen Young and lighting by Brad Fields. The new ballets by Aszure Barton and Benjamin Millepied will receive their World Premieres at the Richard B. Fisher Center’s Sosnoff Theater at Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, New York on October 2, 2009.

American Ballet Theatre’s Opening Night will also feature a performance by Veronika Part in Michel Fokine’s The Dying Swan. Set to music from Charles Camille Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals, The Dying Swan was created by Fokine for Anna Pavlova and given its World Premiere in 1905 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Isabella Boylston and Isaac Stappas will make their New York City debuts in the Revival Premiere of Clark Tippet’s Some Assembly Required at the Friday, October 9 matinee, at 2:00 P.M. Maria Riccetto and Jared Matthews will make their New York City debuts in the roles on Saturday evening, October 10.

Superfund Asset Management, Inc. is the sponsor of American Ballet Theatre’s Fall Gala at Avery Fisher Hall. Saks Fifth Avenue is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre's Costume Fund. J.P. Morgan is the leading corporate sponsor of Make a Ballet. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. Northern Trust is the leading underwriter of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onnasis School at American Ballet Theatre. The 2009 Fall Season is also made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. ABT acknowledges The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund for its generous support of the 2009 Avery Fisher Hall season.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s Fall season at Avery Fisher Hall, priced $20-$135, are available at Avery Fisher Hall’s box office at 212-721-6500. Avery Fisher Hall is located at the northern end of the Lincoln Center Plaza, at the corner of Broadway and 65th Street. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.abt.org <http://www.abt.org> .



AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

Avery Fisher Hall 2009

Wed. Eve., Oct. 7, 6:30 P.M. GALA PROGRAM

NEW RATMANSKY (New York City Premiere) – Kent, Reyes,
Abrera, Hallberg*, Cornejo, Saveliev

NEW BARTON (New York City Premiere) - Company

THE DYING SWAN - Part

NEW MILLEPIED (New York City Premiere) – Boylston, Gomes

Thurs. Eve., Oct 8. , 7:30 P.M. NEW RATMANSKY – Seo+, Lane+, Kajiya+, Matthews+, Phillips+,

Lopez+

NEW BARTON - Company

OTHER DANCES – TBA

NEW MILLEPIED – Boylston, Gomes


Fri.. Mat., Oct. 9, 2 P.M. NEW RATMANSKY – Shevchenko*, Reyes, Abrera,
Hammoudi+, Cornejo, Saveliev

NEW BARTON - Company

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED – Boylston+, Stappas+

NEW MILLEPIED – Abrera+, Stearns+

Fri. Eve., Oct. 9, 8 P.M. NEW RATMANSKY – Kent, Reyes, Abrera, Hallberg, Cornejo,
Saveliev

OTHER DANCES – TBA

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED – Boylston, Stappas

NEW MILLEPIED – Abrera, Stearns

Sat. Mat., Oct. 10, 2 P.M. NEW RATMANSKY – Seo, Lane, Kajiya, Matthews, Phillips,
Lopez

NEW BARTON - Company

OTHER DANCES - TBA

NEW MILLEPIED – Boylston, Gomes

Sat. Eve., Oct. 10, 8 P.M. NEW RATMANSKY – Kent, Reyes, Abrera, Hallberg, Cornejo,
Saveliev

NEW BARTON - Company

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED – Riccetto+, Matthews+

NEW MILLEPIED – Boylston, Gomes

*Editors please note: First time in a role

Wed. Eve., Oct. 7 –Hallberg in New Ratmansky

Fri. Mat., Oct. 9 – Shevchenko in New Ratmansky

+Editors please note: First time in a role in New York City

Thurs. Oct. 8 – Seo, Lane, Kajiya, Matthews, Phillips, Lopez in New Ratmansky;

Fri. Mat., Oct 9 – Hammoudi in New Ratmansky; Boylston, Stappas in Some Assembly Required;
Abrera, Stearns in New Millepied

Sat. Eve., Oct. 10 – Riccetto, Matthews in Some Assembly Required

Part in Dying Swan!! That makes it worth the price of admission even if all the new works turn out to be awful. Yippie. Please Please give Part an opportunity to perform Other Dances too. Does anyone else find it odd that Paloma, Gillian and Michelle are not listed for any roles. I thought they were appearing with the company at Avery Fisher.

Respectfully disagree about Dying Swan. I think it quite strange that it is thrown into the program. I really don't want to see it with Part or anyone. On the other hand Part in Other Dances would be intriguing.

I too wonder about Paloma, Gillian & Michelle. Are they not there? Why would Reyes be there and not the others?

I hate the listing of a cast as "company." Couldn't they please say who is dancing even if it is 8 or 10 or 12 people.

Looks like good opportunities for Boylston. Good for her. I have loved her in some things and found her not quite up to the task in others, but definitely a talented young lady - one to watch.

Interesting -- Shevchenko joined the corps only during the summer of last year.

http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=179

Yes, I was excited to see Shevchenko on that cast list! She's young and new and I've only seen her on video (clips from her performances at the Moscow Ballet Competition, where she took the gold medal), but from what I can tell she's a potential star. Incredibly strong technique and a certain regality and elegance that belies her age.

Casting is up for Other Dances at Bard and at Avery. Casts are Part/Gomes and Murphy/Halberg.

Won't it be a bit exhausting for Gomes to do Other Dances and Everything Doesn't Happen at Once (New Millepied Work) back to back Oct. 2nd?

Why would it be more exhausting than a Romeo, Basilio or Albrecht?

When I checked last night, October 4's "Other Dances" at Bart was Murphy/Hallberg, and I bought a ticket. However, by this morning, the same performance is indicated to be Murphy/Gomes

This is so frustrating! I've had my Oct 4th Bard tickets for a long time hoping for a Hallberg performance and was delighted to see the casting for Other Dances. After waiting so long to post the Other Dances casting and then to change it overnight - why??? Of course I'm never sad to see Gomes!

I of course don't know the reasons, but here are one possibility:

Switching to Gomes gives Gomes another performance, which may be helpful in maintaining Gomes' involvement at a more meaningful level this fall when Hallberg is getting some many prominent performances during this period. Hallberg is already the male lead in the "first team" of the new Ratmansky work, and has several Avery Fisher performances of that. Hallberg also has several "Other Dances" performances at Avery Fisher.

Gomes "only" (relative to Hallberg) has the danseur role in some of the new Millepied work's performances and his role in "Other Dances" this fall at the ABT. (I appreciate Gomes was the lead danseur in the On The Dnieper piece, the last new Ratmansky but Hallberg was also featured in that piece in the fiance role. Note I am not suggesting competitiveness between Gomes and Hallberg, but noting the above just as a matter of maintaining equilibrium between two leading ABT "younger" principals.)

I appreciate that Hallberg and Gomes each have an abundance of riches when it comes to being cast in various ABT performances, in contrast to somebody like, Cornejo, who only appears as the second-listed danseur role in the new Ratmansky work, behind the featured Hallberg. But I think Hallberg deserves this prominence! (As does Gomes, not that Cornejo doesn't.)

I just noticed that the title of every work which ABT is doing at Bard and AFH (exc. Dying Swan @ gala) refers, at least obliquely, to quantity: Seven Sonatas (Ratmansky), One of Three (Barton), Other Dances, and Everything Doesn't Happen at Once (Millepied).

I wonder how those theme programmers at NYCB would have titled this one!

How about SOME Assembly Required?????

My bad! Thanks for that, Richard.

You can COUNT on a good time at ABT.

The Fall 2009 ABT "On Point" leaflet contains some observations from the three choreos about their respective premiere works for the ABT fall season and the impact of the Avery Fisher venue. Not sure if this has been described before, but just in case it has not been...

Ratmansky: "I envision the ballet as a chamber piece for four to six dancers. When considering music for a ballet, something must click. I was inspired to use the music of Domenico Scarlatti from a favorite recording of several of the composer's sonatas by Vladimir Horowitz. The simple stage setting -- no stage curtain -- will affect the ballet, but I hope for the better. On the other hand, there may be less theatrical 'magic' without sets; on the other hand, the relationship between the music, choreography, dancers, and audience is direct and more immediate. Holly Hynes, with whom I've previously worked, will design the costumes for the ballet."

Millepied: "Avery Fisher's particular stage dimensions will definitely affect the construction of the ballet. The work is planned for 24 dancers; I imagine their movement on stage in architectural terms. Similarly, the costumes by Karen Young will be modern in sensibility, and will have a graphic, architectural quality. Lighting will define the dance sapce [Brad Fields is creating the lighting design for the three premieres]. [Foregoing brackets in original]. The three pieces by David Lang -- Stick Figure, Short Fall, and Cheating, Lying, Stealing -- will be played live by a small group of musicians. I heard Lang's music for the first time in 2006 at performances of a dance work by Edouard Lock at the Paris Opera. Since then, I have been listening to his music, hoping to use it in a ballet. I am a bit fan."

A Barton: "I have worked in many different environments, including my own site-specific installtions. Avery Fisher's stage -- narrow at back, wider down front -- is a piece of the puzzle. It will be good to think of the ballet in less symmetrical terms, and working on that stage as with other aspects of the project -- dancers, the Company -- will all be new. Everything will factor in. I have chosen 11 dancers because I feel the physical setting for the piece will necessarily be a little irregular. Their roles are all equal. The violinist and pianist who perform the Ravel are also a part of the scene. I love the idea of having them on stage. Costumes for this piece are by Yannick Larivee, a stage designed based in Toronto and a incredibly gifted artist."

The leaflet includes a beautiful cover shot with Hee Seo and Marcelo Gomes in James Kudelka's Desir. The shot shows Gomes lifting Seo, who has her toes beautifully pointed. They are both clad in shades of evocative purple, and, to a lesser extent, burgundy, and the lighting is appropriate. There are various promo articles, including a piece on Part's promotion to principal, and a sweet picture from the Nina A farwell.

The same picture is on the table of conents page of the October/November 2009 "Pointe" magazine. Furthermore, Hee Seo solo is on the cover of the Pointe magazine, in a radiant photo and with the caption "A Prima is Born. ABT's Radiant Seo". Some aspects of the article in the magazine:

-- Kevin McKenzie says: "Beyond her ballet-friendly physique, she has a point of view and sensitivity that leads her towards roles like La Sylphide and Juliet."

-- The article companies Seo to a young Natalia Makarova, because of the "plasticity of her body", with "all movement emanating from a supple spine and technique that spellbinds with its combination of tensile strength, lightness and fluidity". The article says Seo "has a dramatic quality that radiates from her soul."

-- She says John Meehan, the then director of ABT II, "was like a dad to me".

-- In 2008, she had "sharp pains in her back (doctors never delivered a definitive diagnosis)".

-- Seo says of C Stearns: "If you really understand and know him, you have to love him".

-- The article says: "Seo speculates that some of her ability to inhabit dramatic roles stems from her own experience. 'Because I left home when I was so young, I never could be childish. I had to be an adult. I had to grow up.'"

Accompanying the Seo article is a half-page piece on Cory Stearns, subtitled "The Other Side of the Partnership". Stearns is quoted as saying, in the general context of their collaboration on Romeo & Juliet: "Hee and I have a natural chemistry. What I love about her is how she feels the role; she doesn't overthink it. I'm trying to adapt right along with her, to be a 16-year-old Italian boy."

Recent article from NY Observer on Benjamin Millepied: http://ow.ly/s5b8

Quote:
Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once features music by David Lang, the co-founder of Bang on a Can who won a Pulitzer Prize for music last year. Mr. Millepied approached him about using his music months ago, and after meeting Mr. Millepied, Mr. Lang was eager to help. “He’s incredibly friendly, a pleasure to be around,” Mr. Lang said. “And he’s beautiful.” Mr. Millepied has a soccer player’s lean, compact body, a finely chiseled jaw and large, blue eyes, bearing a faint resemblance to Jude Law. An abstract tattoo runs up the left side of his stomach, inspired by the Bauhaus painter Oskar Schlemmer. When he smiles, which is often, you get the sense that he is confiding in you—a secret maybe, an insider’s joke.

ABT couldn’t afford to commission a new score, so Mr. Millepied chose three works Mr. Lang had already composed—“Cheating, Lying, Stealing,” “Stick Figure” and “Short Fall.” Taken together, the music balances a wintery, emotional tenderness with heavy propulsive rhythms. Urban and modern, it is a strange if entirely welcome choice for ABT, often criticized for its focus on fusty period fairy tales.

“I think Ben’s being courageous, bringing my music into the ballet,” Mr. Lang said. Kevin McKenzie, the artistic director of ABT who commissioned Mr. Millepied, agreed: “I’ve been following him for a while now and I thought that, if nothing else, this guy is daring.”
Endquote

The article also mentions that Millepied recently vacationed to the Caribbean with his girlfriend Isabella Boylston. Such fun ballet news! It is a big season for Miss Boylston, and I look forward to seeing her confront the pressure. I've enjoyed what I've seen so far.

DeCoster -- I didn't know until I read your post that Boylston is dating Millepied. I don't like to sound cynical, but I can't believe that that had nothing to do with the lead pair in Millepied's new work being Bolyston and Gomes. Especially when a principal like M Wiles, who normally participated in prior years' City Center performances, has no stated role in the Avery Fisher programs this year.

Ms. Boylston also danced in Ben's small company (they were at the Joyce earlier this year). And there is an alternative cast to his new ballet (check out the ABT website).
Choreographers have always had their favorites and their muses. Sometimes there might be a romantic involvement; most of the time (I'm guessing) there isn't. Ms. Boylston is a very talented up and coming ABT corps member; it's nice that she's getting
a piece created on her (boyfriend or not).
I'm attending Wednesday night and Sat. afternoon and am really looking forward to it.

DeborahB:

I wasn't saying I Bolyston isn't talented (I really haven't decided that, for myself). I was just saying that the cynic in me would think that her status as B Millepied's girlfriend was probably not irrelevant. How she got her role in his ABT work and whether she is talented aren't necessarily connected.

I'm aware there is another cast for the work, but, when your danseur is Gomes, and the other pair is Abrera/Stearns, you kind of know you are the "first team" pair for the work. Also, when you perform the work six times, as compared to the alternate team's three times, when combining Bart and Avery Fisher performances, you are doing pretty well. When there are two teams, it's obvious which is the "first team". Just take the Ramantsky work. Do you think the "first team" has Hee Seo/J Mathews leading it, or Julie Kent/David Hallberg?

Isabella and Benjamin have been a couple for years. They've worked together A LOT as dancer and choreographer. Of course, there's reason for him to use her in his pieces. But he has the integrity to not put a dancer in the lead who isn't deserving of the role, even if the dancer happens to be his longtime girlfriend. And Isabella has the integrity to not accept a lead role she can't carry off extremely well. It is an exciting time of premieres for Isabella (Clark Tippet's revival premiere as well as Millepied's). I am certainly thrilled for her.

Btw, there's a gorgeous picture of her and Isaac Stappas on ABT's homepage:
ABT

Ambonnay,
Agreed -- Ms. Boylston and Mr. Gomes are the first team. So what?
Again, Ben chose whom he wanted to dance his ballet. In fact, there are many corps and soloists -- both at NYCB and ABT -- (and surely many other companies) that are as good, if not better, than the principals. In fact, this is how it's been for the 30 plus years that I've been attending ballet in NYC (many times a week when the various companies are in season).
Feel free to be cynical (is is your right) though.
That said, I'd rather see Hee Seo -- whom I adore -- than almost any female dancer at ABT. I only wish that David Hallberg was dancing Ratmansky's ballet with her.
To each his/her own.

I agree with Marga. In fact, Ben did not use a previous girlfriend (also a ballet dancer and before Isabella) in earlier pieces. This says to me that
he is extremely confident in Isabella.

One note: I'm not sure it's appropropriate to talk about the personal lives of dancers. Moderators?

I always felt sorry for the first string football player whose father is the coach and even if that player is the best player there are always those who questions the coach's decision,(it is only natural) or even the Ballet Mistress of a small company whose daughter or son is so deserving of a lead role but the whispers of nepotism is always in the air. I have no doubt that Isabella is going to shine, but Im sure she expects some backlash. This will probably make her even better.... Having put my two cents in, Has ANYONE seen the performances yet? Any thoughts? Dying to hear something. I wish I could be there!!!

Ben and Isabella have acknowledged (and discussed aspects of) their relationship on public panels, so it is not "unofficial news", and TimeOut New York notes that they are a couple (here, in paragraph 4). So it meets BalletTalk's standard.

By the time the company was ready to announce casting, its artistic staff knew that Isabella would be a lead dancer in Ben's ballet. Obviously, they would not have cast her in Some Assembly if they didn't think she deserved both roles.

DeborahB:

To be clear, what I meant by making the observation that Boylston and Gomes are the first team is to indicate that I don't understand what weight your prior indication that there is an alternate team should be accorded. Obviously, it's desirable to be on any team of a work like this. And it is obviously better to be on the first team than to have the same role on the second team, all other things being equal.

Also to be clear, I'm not saying Bolyston is necessarily not deserving. Just observing that I personally find it difficult to believe, as cynical as I am, that her being Millepied's girlfriend is IRRELEVANT (ie has no relevance, not even a de minimis one) to her choice as first team ballerina. It should be noted that Bolyston might (?) not be the only one who is deserving. Nor is she necessarily the most deserving, however qualitative and subjective that assesment may be.

Agreed, giving a deserving corps member an opportunity is wonderful. Being a deserving corps member who is in a relationship with a choreographer gives you an advantage over other deserving corps (or even soloist) dancers.

One could reply that Suzanne Farrell was not the only dancer who could've danced her roles, nor was she the most deserving one. The miscarriage of ballet justice in that part of dance history would have left the ballet world so much poorer in memorable moments, indeed, in a memorable era. On the practical side, lots of dancers' noses were out of joint, and Farrell suffered socially because of it. It's just one of those ballet things (or opera things, or theatre things, or.....)

Marga, I know you have history with Isabelle and are a fan. I agree that she is very talented. That said, to compare her with Suzanne and by implication Ben M. with Balanchine is a little far fetched.

That said I hope Isabelle isn't suffering socially from being cast in a principal role, and I hope she does well. I just think the Suzanne comparison is really premature.

I can agree with you to a point. After all, when Suzanne started (and I was there from the beginning, watching), she wasn't "all that" yet! At least, not to the public. I do agree that there is no comparison to Balanchine - by the time he was 32 he had choreographed and presented quite a body of work already. But I wasn't really comparing Millepied to Balanchine, nor was I putting Isabella up there with the legend Suzanne Farrell has become.

This thread simply made me think of choreographers and their muses and what is right and what is wrong and how there is no right and wrong in this situation. I used the most recognizable example. I could've referred to Karen Kain, for instance, who rose to prominence because Rudy chose her to dance with, but many, many people have no knowledge of Karen and her Canadian triumphs.

Most companies in the world, both major and minor, could offer examples from their own history to illustrate my point.

The Suzanne Farrell example is interesting -- of course she has achieved a lot, and part of that may have been due to the opportunities she got. And the audience has benefited from her growth as a result of those opportunities. However, who is to say that, had Farrell not gotten the roles she had, some other ballerina who did not actually get an opportunity would not have developed and done something wonderful (and distinctive) as well?

It is sad, but generally intrinsic to the current organization of ballet companies, that opportunities are limited for everybody, particularly for members of the corps de ballet. It is also sad that dancers have a limited timeframe to try and achieve things.

Ambonnay --

Not to belabor the point (which I feel like we are doing now), but Ben chose Ms. Boylston to be in the first cast -- girlfriend or not.
He feels she can handle the work (and certainly I do too). I'm sorry, but I have trouble with your term, "deserving." Each and every dancer at both ABT and NYCB (as well as other companies)
-- as far as I'm concerned -- is deserving of a major role created on them. The caveat here is that they must be able to handle it.
From what I've seen of Ms. Boylston, I bet she'll be wonderful.

DeborahB:

I'm sorry, but, so I understand, how would you know that, assuming you are not Millepied and he has not communicated this particular point to you?

Also, I wouldn't agree with you that "[e]ach and every dancer ... at ABT" deserves to have a "major role created for them". Assuming you mean a major role created by a choreographer who is at least a little known in such capacity.

I was led to this review of the Oct. 2 (Friday) performance by twitter (I'm "nurturing"):



ABT at Bard review

There seems to be at least one cast change. According to the NYTimes ad Salstein is instead of Phillips, in new Ratmansky - probably dancing with Lane. I was kind of looking forward to Phllips. Anyone else notice other changes?

In the Millepied piece it was Leann Underwood in for Stella Abrera. I'm also going Friday evening at AFH and wonder if Stella will be replaced again.

I attended the evening performance on Saturday, October 3rd at Bard College. It’s difficult for me, after one viewing, to give much of a comprehensive, intelligent review of the evening, as I was taking in so many new works. I will try, instead, to give you a general impression of what I saw, highlighting some of the outstanding performances. Please excuse my writing; I’m doing this at work.

I arrived at the theater early to see Stella Abrera marking choreography on the stage. My, she is beautiful! With no stage curtains, one of the unusual pleasures of the Bard experience was watching the dancers warm-up before each piece.

Seven Sonatas, the new Ratmansky work, was danced by Abrera, Kent, and Reyes and Saveliev, Hammodi, and Cornejo. The dancers were paired respectively as listed, although Kent and Abrera seemed to switch partners frequently. There were also two pas de trois sections. This piece was the most classical of the evening, in the sense that the dancers retained turnout and what I consider “ballet arms” throughout. The music was fast, fast, fast, but the dancers all brought their allegro A-game, and even the extra long ones (Abrera and Hammoudi) kept up. Cornejo and Reyes are such joyous, buoyant dancers, and they move together beautifully. They really lit up the stage. Julie Kent showed impeccable footwork, but I found myself wishing she would open her shoulders more and lift her face (I was in the balcony). There was something a bit tentative about her performance. Ratmansky’s choreography is wonderfully musical, and I enjoy how he uses less frequently seen petit allegro steps. This piece seemed understated compared to the rest of the program, and thus, I think, received a more tepid audience reaction. There were moments that maybe lacked rehearsal, and sloppy arms from the men, but I am eager to see Seven Sonatas again.

Next up was One of Three, which featured a trio and later a slew of men in black suits, interacting first with Gillian Murphy, then Misty Copeland, and finally Paloma Herrara. Whereas Seven Sonatas exemplified subtly, lightness, and happy couplings, One of Three showed us dancers exhibiting flashy extensions, rugged male ensemble work, and sometimes jaunting confrontations. Gillian appeared in striking long white ankle-length gown with a slit down one side. The gown appeared restricting, but somehow accommodated her ear-splitting developes. Gillian exhibited great control and sexiness, and Cory Stearns partnered her well. I wish I had the words to better describe Barton’s choreography. There was definitely some hip-hop influence where the movements would abruptly halt then the flow would start again (pop ‘n lock?). Misty came out all spunk and fire, in a black, high-neck, sleeveless number. Her movements featured an abrupt flexing of the feet and falling back on the heels, which accentuated her sort of long feet and hyper-extended legs. It looked pretty crazy. She was partnered by Simkin briefly, and just as I thought “Wow, look at him handle Misty” something went awry and he either dropped her or she slipped. There were a few seconds of audience gasp and awkwardness before they got it together. Still, despite the snafu, their interaction was interesting and unexpected. Paloma was the last woman to appear and she seemed the most at ease with the contractions and flow of the choreography. Paloma is not one of my favorites, and I avoid her in the full-lengths, but she seems to really excel in more contemporary choreography.

After a brief pause came Some Assembly Required. This pas-de-deux exhibited some unusual and challenging partnering. Jared Matthews doesn’t have much bulk to him, but his strength (for example, lowering Maria to the floor slowly while lying on his back) was undeniable throughout. The couple is entwined for much of the dance. There is flirtation, conflict, sex (almost), acceptance, and forgiveness going on. Nothing looks too easy. The message? Love is work.

I sat in my seat and watched the onstage goings-on during the second intermission. Stage hands quickly appeared with long sheets of white Mylar which they flattened and taped to create a large white square covering most of the stage. When they were done Marcelo came out. Hooray! At that point I decided to scamper down to the orchestra to gawk from the edge of the stage (I wasn’t the only one). Soon the stage was full of dancers. I was amazed as Maria came out so quickly with her hair put up and a different costume. I was happy to see the regal, captivating Kristi Boone and some of my other favorites. Daniil looks like a porcelain doll, up close in his stage makeup. As I stood there I noticed Benjamin Millepied right behind me, seated in the front row, all bearded, skinny, and serious. The lights dimmed, and I scampered quickly up the aisle and up the stairs to my proper seat. Thankfully it’s a small theater!

Everything Doesn’t Happen at Once was next. Isabella Boylston was listed opposite Gomes in the casting on the website, but she was substituted (on stage and in the program) by Stella Abrera. No complaints here. This was really a great night for Stella (her picture, mid-leap, even graced the program cover), and I know her many fans on this board will be delighted to see her getting some nice opportunities. In the beginning, Blaine Hoven seemed to gather the dance as a sort of leader of the tribe. There was so much going on in this piece, solos, couple-work, and a big ensemble finale. It was high energy and fast paced, except for the slow sensuous Gomes/Abrera pas de deux, which seemed to be performed almost entirely in plie. David Lang’s minimalist music fueled the driving pace, except in this pas de deux section where it was so slow, pounding, and dissonant, it finally started to turn me off. Simkin stole the show in this one. Millepied uses the silences in the music to punctuate huge moments in the dance. At one point Simkin catapulted himself through the air only to be caught on-high by a group of men, freezing with pinpoint precision in the perfect moment of silence. He did the same thing back the other way, perfect again, the audience gasping. He began a third attempt but as he starts to jump toward the awaiting group (women this time) he shirks; the audience laughs. Simkins subsequent solo sent the audience wild again. I’ve never seen anyone turn like him. I lose count of pirouettes after 6 or 7 revolutions. And he finishes slowly, on demi pointe, with a low developé a la seconde. Simkin also performed a series of these insane tour jetés where he lays out his body, almost parallel to the floor, and elevates his legs above that, all while covering so much aerial space. It looks like he’s being propelled by strings . . . or magic. I should also mention that Simkin partnered Gemma Bond in this one, and they suited each other wonderfully, (despite an excessive level of elfin blondeness). Seriously, though, I hope to see more of them together. I’m sure if you asked the audience, they would have pegged Simkin as the featured dancer, as opposed to Gomes (whose perfectly controlled turns and strong partnering also deserve mention). The piece ends--after a crazy, criss-crossing, ensemble segment with all dancers on stage--with Simikin front and center revolving in one of his endless pirouettes as the panel of light on him dims.
I was captivated by EDHAO. (So was my partner, who remarked that football didn't cross his mind once during the last piece.) The level of movement when the entire ensemble was onstage was visceral and powerful, perhaps exacerbated by the small theater. The simple, modern black costumes against the white floor meant nothing got missed, and despite all the crossing intersections and big movements performed by 24 dancers in a small space, the formations and connections were spot-on. I appreciated the lighting, as well. Textures and patterns were occasionally projected on the white surface, (echoing the repetitive, patterned feel of the music). But these effects were not distracting, and the stage wasn’t plagued by the dimness that seems to accompany so many contemporary ballets.
I wonder if the critics will find this piece a bit gimmicky. I wonder if NYC audiences will have the same reaction as the Bard crowd (standing ovation/ lots of cheers). I wonder if Simkin will dance this role in every performance.

I do hope the Bard/ ABT relationship continues. It was a lovely day trip. We took a leisurely drive, spent the afternoon at the FDR home and presidential library, and enjoyed the foliage in the Hudson River Valley, where the reds and oranges (much like the ABT stars) pop out earlier up there than down here.

I love the end of your sentence - the part I italicized in your post. What a great comparison.

Thank you SO much for your comprehensive review. I was at Bard last year so could picture the auditorium/theatre and your moving around in it during intermission. I really enjoyed your detailed account of Millepied's ballet, especially the description of Daniil's dancing. I wish I could've seen it! Your review helped me visualize the whole evening's performance. Kudos.

Decoster, that was a very impressive and detailed review. i'll be looking forward for your future reviews. I'm so glad that Stella is back after her long recovery period.

That was a killer review. Thanks Decoster. I felt as if I was almost there and more so, that I want to see what you saw. I'm set to see the rehearsal on Wednesday afternoon. Now, I'm doubly excited. You did it!

I may have an extra pass for the Wedsnesday afternoon (1pm) ABT rehearsal. If interested PM or email me. I've offered it to an old friend but have not heard back.

Thank you so much DeCoster!

Gee, thanks for the kind words on my sloppy (but heartfelt) review.
I've really enjoyed visiting this board since I joined. I find not only keen insights on the company, but more importantly, a historical perspective on ballet that helps me put things in context.

There is a six-minute Behind-The-Scene rehearsal video of A Ratmansky's " Seven Sonatas" in ABT-Facebook.

And also one each for the new Barton ballet and the new Millepied ballet.