On a thread about Dances at a Gathering, so many people posted about Delia Peters, whom they'd loved as the girl in green "though she was only a corps dancer" -- it made me think -- the corps dancer we all love as if they were a principal should be a topic of its own.

I'll start if off --I can think of 4 or 5 right off the bat in San Francisco -- but i hope others will join in

I'll start with Kim Davy, who isn't here any more.... but in Symphony in C, in the last movement, there's this tiny moment where 2 girls run forward from the back, doing hte first port de bras as they go, and make a huge circle and run back to the back, before the next big section begins --

Kim was the girl stage center left, and she made this one of the HIGHLIGHTS of the entire ballet -- it's just a run, but the phrase is kind of like a drumroll -- it announces that something even MORE wonderful than everything so far is ABOUT TO HAPPEN, and she made it like a cascade of pearls.......

And there was Askia Swift, also gone -- to Ailey? -- wonderfully musical, always, in everything. He wsa especially thrilling in Val Caniparoli's Lambarena, the plastique in the jumps was amazing, and the part of the body that initiated the movement -- it's a character ballet, with lots of Senegalese movement fused with ballet -- was always extremely clear -- his ribs were so expressive.....

And Chidozie Nzerem, who's also African American - -still with SFB, and a wonderfully answerable dancer-- when he was young, he was rather rigidly classical -- he was one of Larissa Sklyanskaya's greatest students, and his clarity and power were so noble and so Russian -- I saw him do the barrel turns from Corsaire at the student show, it was like the young Nureyev -- He's a wonderful character dancer -- as a guest at the Nutcracker party he steals he show, the character has been so thought through -- and of course, as the black face at the party, he does stand out..... But he does nothing to grab focus; he just is responsible for what you see. I LOVE that. As the tuba in Robbins fanfare.... He understands the vaudeville side of the role; he's a scream. And in d'Amboise's role in Western Symphony, again he understands the relation of the creature he’s presenting to antecedents in American popular theater and he uses all the tradition -- he's got some black shtick, he's got some cowboy shtick, he's got his Russian tricks, he's got his sweet danseur noble deference (as he ducks under her leg, well, that's what a cavalier would do, the lady's the man, its SO SWEET).... And with Leslie Young (who's Chinese American), they really look like the old wild west, where such racial mixing on an absolutely equal basis was a real possibility, maybe the first place in the world......

Not to mention Sara Sessions, the TALL GIRL in everything who was never out of the corps and in everything, a wonderful dancer, supple of spine, in modern stuff (Lar Lubovitch' has his corps BE the storm in Othello -- kind of an awful ballet as a whole, but with so MANY redeeming features, and she was fantastic), perfect in Agon, feet like arrows, wonderful elance.... perfect as the Wili center left in the back row, very fine in "Company B" -- and now the poster girl for ballet.co (here's the link to her interview.... http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/y...ra_sessions.htm)

And that's just a start.....

I absolutely agree about Chidozie Nzerem...when is Tomasson going to promote him?

I was quite fond of Lindy Mandradjieff, and am glad she's getting some good roles at NYCB.

Also Eliane Munier and Alice LuAn Lewitzke, neither of whom is with the company anymore. Also Blanca Como Rosella, Yolonda Jordan, Marisa Lopez, Justin McMillan and Alex Ketley.

Can't forget Amanda Schull, of Center Stage fame, or Dalene Bramer, the cutest White Cat I ever saw.

A contemporary of Peters was Bettijane Sills. She had a majestic and imperious appearance onstage. I was at a performance where the corps seemed to go into a case of mass amnesia, and phumphered around, looking for the counts, and Sills seemed single-handedly to put them all back on track. New boys to the company were often put with her to make sure that they had a partner with a firm grasp of what was going on. One of them was a very young Robert Weiss. It was in Balanchine's Don Quixote.

Priceless, Mel -- what a great story!!!

Sarah sessions had to do thatone night when Lucia Lacarra was ballerina in Agon - - Lacarra looked great , but her timing was hers alone, and Sarah (among others -- I think Askia was in that cast) had to make everybody else look like they had a clue; there was some pretty big thrashing going on, and since hte energy was so high ,and that's so appropriate for Agon, it wasn't a BAD performance.... but htey sure weren't together....

and yes, Ballet Nut.... Lindy Mandradjieff !!!

reminds me, Elizabeth Miner, who IS still here, is an exquisite dancer.....

And Blanca Como was the best thing at the gala -- the way she danced Norwegian Moods was completely enchanting, so soft, but with an edge to her timing that took my breath away... A marvellous creature...

A big break for her...

At NYCB I'd vote for Elizabeth Walker and Amanda Edge

Paul, you can edit your message using the little "edit" icon...

I don't see POB performances that often, so I'm not very familiar with the corps de ballet dancers (all the more as the company is really big and some of them don't dance much). And also it is difficult to know if the "sujets" should be counted in the corps de ballet or as soloists (as they perform both kinds of roles). But well, among the oldest dancers of the company, I have a fondness for the sujet Jean-Marie Didière, in his early 40s now, and who dances many of the "bad guys" in all classical ballets, and also roles like "Don Quixote". He has so much stage presence and is very good at mime... And he was especially bright in Kader Belarbi's "Hurlevent" last season. Among the coryphée, Vincent Cordier is a tall dancer with a beautiful line, and for example he looked great recently in the corps de ballet of "Diamonds" in the Polonaise part. Also there are quite a lot of very good and reliable female sujets (one can really feel the difference when they're there or when there are only less experiences coryphees and quadrilles) like the joyful small Sandrine Marache, Nathalie Aubin and her beautiful feet, the very charming and graceful Miteki Kudo, Laure Muret who was so funny as the "girls with glasses" in Robbins' "The Concert"...

Delia Peters -- of course
Nina Fedorova
Cheryl Ware
Wilhelmina Frankfurt
Rachel Ruther --- oh, wait, nevermind. Old habits die hard.

I'm going to move this into the Dancers forum so that more people will see it.

There are so many corps de ballet dancers I adore in Paris! My really favourite ones are Isabelle Ciaravola, who has a beautiful line and very long legs, Guillaume Charlot, who according to a famous french critic, is a future prince with a perfect style (but I'm afraid he's too old now to become Premier Danseur). There are also Nathalie Aubin, Fanny Fiat, Miteki Kudo, Christophe Duquenne, Emmanuel Thibault (no one understands why he isn't promoted), Yann Saiz,who has danced a few times with Elisabeth Platel (Raymonda, Midsummer's Night Dream...), Nicolas Paul and Stéphane Phavorin. These are all sujets, it is easier to get to know how they dance since they dance some more important roles as well as being corps de ballet. Otherwise, I would also say I like Alexandra Cardinale, Aurore Cordellier and Matthieu Ganio.

Aesha Ash.

Paul love, that was Clara Blanco in Norweigan Moods.

Blanca Como left the company a while back -perhaps now a 'civilian.' I recall her being interviewed a while back and not having pleasant things to say about life in the dance world.

At SFB Michelle Wilson and Jennifer Blake were two of my "corps" favorites.

B

Mr Johnson --

How great to see you write about BJ Sills. She is teaching at SUNY Purchase (and has a well-deserved, fabulous reputation). And - we have been lucky enough to see some of her choreography done locally. Talented in many different ways, I wish we knew her when she was dancing

Brioche, I have to thank you -- not just for setting me right about the Blancas, but for reminding me of Jennifer Blake. I was thinking of her when I made the post, but couldn't remember her name. Michelle Wilson was a lovely dancer, too -- but I was never there on a night when she took my breath away. Jennifer Blake, however, on a regular basis would come onstage like a comet -- in Ballo della Regina -- do you remember that? -- she was the girl with the grands jete/pas de chats, and she entered flying -- I believe this was also a role Wilhelmina Frankfurt danced, but maybe my memory has slipped again.

Misty Copeland, a star in the making.

Korbes and Bouder unquestionably,

Aesha Ash and I've started to grow
quite fond of Eva Natanya and Saskia
Beskow

Yes, pville, but Korbes and Bouder are not likely corps lifers. ;)

For me, the huge gaping hole remains in every role danced by Renee Estopinal. Tall, dark and pretty, she exuded sophistication, elegance and glamour and a certain girl-next-door accessibility and warmth. She was also modest, discussed as an indispensible characteristic on another thread. She never fussed over anything at a time when City's dancers tended to be very mannered.

Among her most notable roles were the Agon first pas de trois, demi in Third Movement Bizet (stage left), the Theme in Goldberg, and -- here's the vacuum -- Who Cares?, the Somebody Loves Me Section (the female quintet), where her status as a first among equals (the lady in the middle) really has not been matched by any of her successors. I know I am asking for a lot, but hey . . . can't help it.


As friends have heard me whine many a time, I miss Renee!!!

Me too Carbro! I couldn't agree with you more about Renee Estopinal. Do you know anything of what she is up to now?

back in 1996 ( i believe ) PNB came to nyc and performed at city center... i cant tell you how the principals danced.. i was too busy watching Gavin Larsen (now dancing in Alberta Ballet)

at ABT, Carrie Peterson - i saw her dance a "friend" in Coppelia when she was 14 and i was 11 back at her studio in NJ. My mother and i were amazed at her, such talent!! and on top of that shes a genuinly nice girl!

Another unforgettable Estopinal role: the lead in the Ricercata section of Episodes. Her musicality and unfussy dignity were perfect for this part, and for years after she retired, when watching this ballet, I would mentally edit out the dancer onstage and replace her with Renée. Later, Maria Calegari gave a breathtaking performance in that role, but it's Renée's that sticks in my mind.

Yes, Ari. Definitely the Riccercata. Also the Chaconne pas de trois.

Oh, I miss Renee.

I remember Estopinal, Frankfurt and Susan Freedman in the pas de quatre in Harlequinade. All dark haired beauties - but who was the fourth?

I also have to nominate Sean Savoye and Tracy Bennett. Bennett and Castelli were frequently paired in Agon, Div #15 and 4 Ts.

And Marjorie Spohn, such a creamy smooth way of dancing.

Susan Freedman was stunning. I remember her elegant and fresh beauty especially in the ensemble of 'Serenade'. Gorgeous everything about her, attacking pique turns.

Marjorie Spohn, another fair, beautiful, perfect Balanchine type body.

Could it be Victoria Hall, liebs? Was she not part of that foursome in 'Mozartiana'.


Those women had a sophistication that I miss.

I believe the lovely Victoria Hall was in Mozartiana's original foursome but left the company not too long after its premiere. She was replaced by (if that's the word) (no, the role was recast with) Nina Fedorova.

In Harlequinade, Nina had the role of the Statue-Come-to-Life, so that quartet would not have included her. Hmmm.:confused:

Garielle Whittle? I'm thinking Phlegmatic, where she had membership in that foursome.

Susan Freedman was also wonderful as one of the sisters in Prodigal Son. She actually reacted to what was happening onstage (as opposed to the other sister, Carole Divet, who just stood there like she was waiting for a bus), and in the final scene added to the pathos with her compassion for the Prodigal.

I think Fedorova was in the original cast of Mozartiana. It's in Balanchine's 'Mozartiana': The Making of a Masterpiece by Robert Maiorano. Balanchine was fond of her and in the book there's a nice bit about him complimenting her on her attitude turn and marking her name on the score at that point in the pas de quatre.
I always thought of Fedorova as the blonde Suzanne Farrell. What ever happened to her?

just want to say: what a lovely idea for a topic.

This topic is very nice,but it is only suitable for the New York City Ballet and the North American companies because their repertoires are mostly Balanchine,and he is the only choreographer who really gives attention to the corps de ballet,not counting the more recent choreographers of course.This does not work as well with European companies whose repertoires are not based on Balanchine,as can be seen from this thread where memorable corps dancers are all from the NYCB.Petipa,Macmillan,Cranko,Ashton,Bournonville do not shed so much light on the corps de ballet.That said,these dancers must be true artists because they shine onstage,even if they are only Girl No. 14 from the left.In the Royal I admire Sian Murphy,Lauren Cuthbertson,Christina Arestis,Kristen Mcnally,and Natasha Oughtred.In the Paris Opera:Alexandra Cardinal,who is one of the most beautiful woman dancing,and Veronique Doisneau,Juliette Gernez,and Aurore Cordellier.In the Stuttgart I like Katarzina Kozielska,and Vanessa Valdueza Tauroni who have to dance in the star-centric Cranko repertoire and still stand-out.

Lovebird, you can trust me that Alexandra could tell you upwards of 100 stories about the Royal Danish Ballet alone that would illustrate that corps dancers are considered important artists in other companies and with other choreographers. Of course I love Balanchine, but every one of the choreographers you name also have the same sort of attention to the corps we New Yorkers are speaking about, it's just not in the way we've grown used to with Balanchine and perhaps not in the ballets we've gotten to see here. For example, in Martins' adaptation of Sleeping Beauty, Saskia Beskow was able to squeeze every last drop of theater out of the truncated countess role. I don't think it's her Balanchine experience that taught her to do that, it was her Danish training and her own natural gifts.

Although, Leigh, Lovebird does have a point.

Many of us remember the casting policy under Balanchine: almost every corps dancer had one or two roles that allowed him or her a few spotlight moments.

Much as I think all good springs from Mr. B, good casting, institutional thinking and cultivation of the entire company wasn't his invention. I'm certainly not saying this to knock Balanchine - but really, other choreographers and ballet masters did that as well.

No, but it's a matter of degree.

I have never seen -- at ABT or in NYCB under Martins -- the spreading of the wealth over as wide a swath as was the case at City in the 70s. That's all.

Oh, and it wasn't always good.

I think, though, that the Americacentrism of the thread so far is a function of who's posted to it. We have a lot of input from NYC people and from San Francisco, but only Estelle has chimed in from France, and we haven't heard anything from Britain or elsewhere. Just knowing human nature, there must be corps favorites in many companies that we just don't hear about.

Mel, don't forget that there also was a post from su-lian from Paris!

By the way, I also think that Balanchine's works are not the only ones which enable the audience to see the corps de ballet dancers. In some Petipa works for example, there are quite a lor of pas de quatre, pas de six, etc. which can be an opportunity to see some corps de ballet dancers...

Oops! You're right, Estelle, my apologies to su-lian!

But how about it, other venues? There have to be artists in the corps who attract the public's affections. Maybe they're headed for the upper reaches, or maybe they've just been in the corps forever, but for some reason, the public finds them, and gives them love. Any stories?

Cleopatra Williams is a favorite here.

My favourite one are at POB Fanny Fiat, Muriel Zusperreguy, Isabelle Ciaravola, Christophe Duquenne, Hervé Courtain who was soloist with Boston Ballet last season, Stéphane Bullion just passed sujet. I love as Estelle Jean-Marie Didiere who is a wonderful actor and when he dance, was a really good dancer. I love also Julien Meyzindi, Bruno Bouché, Sébastien Bertaud, Dorothée Gilbert, Juliette Gernez.

When SFB went to Paris two years ago, I appreciate in corps Michael Eaton, Chidorie Nzerem, a black dancer who was now in Harlem dance theater and whom I forget unfortunately the name :confused: . It was more difficult to recognize girl and to put a name on their face but I remember of Dalene Bremer in Othello as well as ? Lewitzke as Bianca always in Otello, !

That would be Ikolo Griffin. I agree about him, and Eaton.

Just curious, why a for Lewitzke? Did you have problems with her?

Actually I had mentioned only corps de ballet dancers who are unlikely to be promoted, given their ages... But among the younger ones, there are quite a lot of dancers that I like a lot, and especially Fanny Fiat and Dorothée Gilbert.

SFB: Jaime Castilla

POB: Myriam-Ould Braham (asbolutely lovely in the classics), Dorothee Gilbert, and I'm also looking forward to Mathilde Froustey...

Hamburg Ballet: Helene Bouchet, Yukichi Hattori

NYCB: Carla Korbes

Royal Ballet: I am looking forward to seeing Yu-Hui Choe

I post a because I change my sentence and forget to delete it. I write before I don't recognize women face and I write what someone else write and I think oh yes I recognize two girls who was good, sorry for this

no need to apologize, I was just curious...Lewitzke certainly is a recognizable Bianca, though, isn't she...that hair!

Lewitzke is a thrilling dancer..... just standing there, she's a knockout....

rumor has it that Mark MOrris walked into the studio one day, saw Lewitzke wearing a black long-sleeved leotard and black wrap-around skirt (tights and pointe shoes of course) for class, and decided that that's how the women should be dressed for his new ballet, A Garden...... I don't know that it's true, but I'd like to believe it; I love the ballet, HATE those costumes, and only such a story could explain why they're wearing such school-wear.... Lewitzke would look stage-worthy in anything.

She had a great role in the second-cast of Liebeslieder Walzer, alternating with Maffre (staged by Karin von Aroldingen ); it was a noble performance....

Ah, yes...Lewitzke in Liebeslider...yummy. What a cast: Berman, Allemann, Diana, too.

I like Korbes and Bouder too, even if they ARE about to get promoted [one hopes...]. ;)

A corps dancer who I loved to watch (she has left, unfortunately) was Rosalie O'Connor of ABT. She was such a wonderful actress, and in small featured roles like Bathilde or the Ayah in Bayadere could bring a character to life. Her nurse was so evil and so slinking and so obsequious, without any scenery chewing. I still get shivers remembering the Rajah (Graffin) stalking over to her in the Bethrothal scene and her glee in giving poor Nikiya the basket. She was wonderful in Lilac Garden as the girl in white who cried, as well. I remember sitting with someone who had seen years of ballet and tended to be NOT impressed with today's dancers, sitting bolt upright and saying "Who was that?" when O'Connor gave Caroline her cloak. She was able to convey such a sense of sympathy and understanding in a small gesture.

Watching Diamonds this afternoon, I again found myself enjoying Gwyneth Muller, this time as one of the demisoloists. She reminded me, for the first time, of Renee Estopinal (although they look nothing alike) for the simplicity and directness of her dancing, her warmth and her recently acquired sophisticated mien. I've come to treasure her.

This thread has been dormant for a long time. We've had lots of new corps dancers come go -- sometimes to soloist level or beyond. Anybody else want to add?

Yes! I have two new favorites: Lauren King and Rachel Piskin -- they are like rays of pure sunshine. I just love to watch them dance.

I used to watch Lauren in class at the American Theater Dance Workshop, school of the Eglevsky Ballet and as a child performer with the Eglevsky. She was about 12 years old when I first saw her. If ever anyone had a perfect body and facility for ballet, she did. I've seen her only once as a member of the corps de ballet at NYCB (since I live in Canada), but I mainly watched her, since I "knew" her. So nice that she's gotten a mention in this thread. I, too, love her dancing.

There are so many corps girls at NYCB right now that draw the eye. Kathryn Morgan barley even fits in this category, she is a principal in waiting. Muller, King and Piskin for sure but I also find myself watching Ashley Laracy and Glenn Keenan all the time. Both were lovely in Emeralds yesterday afternoon and I think it was Keenan who did double duty also poping up in Diamonds. And Erica Pereira, my goodness she's extraordinary.

Over at ABT I always notice the lovely & elegant Zhong-Jing Fang, the sweet yet forthright presence of Anne Milewski and the lightness and delicacy of Renata Pavam, and this season I've also started to notice Jessica Saund. Among the men I've been had my eye on Grant Delong and Alexander Hammoudi for a few seasons now and of course Simone Messmer and Blaine Hoven are ripe for promotion.

And during the Kirov City Center season I was captivated by Svetlana Ivanova, Elena Androsova and Maria Shirinkina. Wish they were local so I could watch their progression!

NBoC's Elena Lobsanova. A pure love of dance is evident in her in even the smallest roles. She has such a lovely and sweet on-stage personality, and her movements are expressed with a rare sense of calm and clarity. She's still quite young, and I'm sure she will be a star one day! I can already imagine her being a wonderful Odette, Juliet, or Aurora...

It's interesting for me to read this thread from the beginning, having been in Paris and London in April. Among the POB dancers mentioned here that I saw in soloist and principal roles in the Four Temperaments, Artifact Suite/Raymonda program are Fiat (whom I loved), Ould-Braham, Phavorin, Froustey, Thibault, and Gilbert. I was also very impressed by Cuthbertson at Royal Ballet.

Among others mentioned, I completely agree about Lewitzke; I was lucky to have seen her in one of the "Liebeslieder" performances. And about Renee Estopinal, a first among equals in many, many ballets.

Rosalie O'Connor is now taking spine-tingling and sensitive ballet photographs.

I once took my first boyfriend in NYC to see what was my first "Nutcracker". He loved all of the leotard ballets, but was allergic to tutus and rhinestones. It was a matinee, and he spend the first 1.5 parts of the ballet whining about the noise kids around us were making. Until Susan Freedman appeared as Coffee. That shut him up quickly enough, but I think at that moment he was lost forever I've never seen a Coffee that matched her.

Two of my all-time favorite corps members at PNB retired with tonight's "8 Encores" program: Kara Zimmerman and Rebecca Johnston. They are irreplaceable.