Program and Casting Subject to Change
* First time in role
+ Guest Artist
# SAB Student

JANUARY 18-23, 2005
TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 18 AT 7:30PM [Quinn]
Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3:
    Elegy: KÖRBES, la COUR*
    Waltz: TINSLEY*, J. ANGLE*
    Scherzo: BOUDER, GOLD
    Theme: SYLVE, ASKEGARD
Intermission
Stravinsky Violin Concerto: ANSANELLI, MARTINS, WHELAN, SOTO [Delmoni]
Intermission
Carnival of the Animals: LITHGOW+, KAYALI, ASKEGARD, NICHOLS, FAYETTE, TAYLOR, RUTHERFORD, BARAK, HIGGINS, REDPATH [Grant, Walters]

WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 19 AT 8:00PM [Quinn]
The Goldberg Variations:
    Theme: REICHLEN*, FOWLER*
    1st Sect.: BOUDER*, HANNA*, J. ANGLE, TAYLOR*, HIGGINS, DE LUZ*
    2nd Sect.: WHELAN, EVANS, KOWROSKI*, NEAL, WEESE, BOAL [Grant]
Intermission
Carnival of the Animals: LITHGOW+, KAYALI, ASKEGARD, NICHOLS, FAYETTE, KÖRBES, RUTHERFORD, BARAK, HIGGINS, REDPATH [Grant, Walters]

THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 20 AT 8:00PM [Kaplow]
The Goldberg Variations:
    Theme: REICHLEN, FOWLER
    1st Sect.: BOUDER, HANNA, J. ANGLE, TAYLOR, HIGGINS, DE LUZ
    2nd Sect.: WHELAN, EVANS, KOWROSKI, NEAL, WEESE, BOAL [Grant]
Intermission
Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3:
    Elegy: KÖRBES, la COUR
    Waltz: TINSLEY, J. ANGLE
    Scherzo: BOUDER, GOLD
    Theme: SYLVE, ASKEGARD

FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 21 AT 8:00PM [Quinn]
Divertimento No. 15: FAIRCHILD, TAYLOR, RUTHERFORD, BOUDER, WEESE, NEAL, J. ANGLE, HIGGINS
Intermission
Polyphonia: WHELAN, WEESE, ANSANELLI, TINSLEY, SOTO, LIANG, HALL, FOWLER [Moverman, Walters]
Intermission
Stravinsky Violin Concerto: ANSANELLI, HÜBBE, SYLVE, EVANS [Delmoni]

SATURDAY MATINEE, JANUARY 22 AT 2:00PM
La Source: RINGER, NEAL, BOUDER
Intermission
Agon: WHELAN, SOTO, BOAL, TINSLEY, HANSON, REICHLEN*, HANNA, FOWLER
Intermission
Cortège Hongrois: SYLVE, MARTINS, KEENAN*, RIGGINS*, BARAK*, LIANG*

SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 22 AT 8:00PM
Square Dance: TAYLOR, MARTINS
Intermission
Octet: BOUDER, KISTLER, MILLEPIED, HANNA
Intermission
After the Rain* (New Wheeldon): WHELAN*, SYLVE*, KOWROSKI*, SOTO*, LIANG*, la COUR* [Moverman, Moredock]

SUNDAY MATINEE, JANUARY 23 AT 3:00PM
Stravinsky Violin Concerto: ANSANELLI, HÜBBE, WHELAN, SOTO [Delmoni]
Intermission
Octet: BOUDER, KISTLER, MILLEPIED, HANNA
Intermission
Cortège Hongrois: SYLVE, MARTINS, KEENAN, RIGGINS, BARAK, LIANG

New NY Times chief dance critic John Rockwell's first NYCB review. The bad news is that Sebastian Marcovici is hurt again - it seems that he's been struggling with injuries or illness quite frequently in the last year. One hopes he heals quickly and fully.

More

There are great advantages to 18 inches of new snow on a Saturday night in New York. A lot of people are unwilling to go out in it, and it creates a lot of vacancies in orchestra prime and the lower tiers. The union ushers at the New York State Theater last night were unusually tolerant towards those of us who tried to exploit opportunity, and my friend and I found ourselves in first tier sides seats for an evening of Octet (Martins), After the Rain (Wheeldon premiere) and Square Dance (Balanchine).

The entire evening's choreography relied solely on strings and piano. It's asking a bit much of an audience to hold on for two hours of strings and piano. I don't think it matters who the choreographers are, it's difficult. The problem was compounded last evening with the similar costume choices. Pastel leotards and chiffon type skirts for the women and unitards or uni-colors for the men.

Octet was interesting for the first five minutes of saute arabesques. There is some intricate floor partnering that borrows liberally from Balanchine, but there is basically not much for the dancers to do other than a lot of frenetic entrances and exits, and of course, saute arabesques. It looked very much like one collection of classroom steps after another. Darci Kistler looked quite lovely, but again, it was mostly floor posing and pique arabesques for her. Ashley Bouder had a short variation, which appeared unrelated to whatever else we had seen. She was, of course, fast, but again her steps looked classroom.

After the Rain, Wheeldon's world premiere, left me with the feeling that I had seen only part of it. It was inventive, gratefully challenging for the dancers, and showed off the expressiveness of Maria Kowroski who was not the lead. Part I of this piece was for three couples, costumed in rain-gray, who engaged in some very creative tangling. Part II was Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto in a sensual pas with Whelan now stripped to a rose/flesh colored leotard which emphasized her ultra-thin, "scary-thin" as my friend said, torso. Sometimes it is very difficult to pay attention to Whelan's dancing when she is costumed in a leotard, because her thinness will make one gasp. There is nothing pretty about that extreme, and even at NYCB there is nothing fashionable about it. Thin arms and legs are a requirement; seeing each rib, the sternum, vertebrae and the outline of organs interferes with the visual art as much as, or more, than extra pounds.

Square Dance leads were Janie Taylor and Nilas Martins. Taylor's physical similarities to Kistler are apparent. It was amusing to see Martin's wife in the first dance, Nilas' half brother (Ask la Cour) featured in the second dance, and Martins' son in the third dancing with a woman who looks somewhat like Martins' wife.

I'm going to make a point to see more of Nilas Martins this season. There is a sincerity and generosity to his movement that communicates his love for what he's doing. Last night he constantly communicated with his eyes to the other dancers. It had a tremendous effect in that it loosened everyone else up. And as we know, it's easier to move fast when you're relaxed. So Square Dance was pretty good. Martins didn't let the speed keep him from being elegant. Ms. Taylor, however, looked like she was rushing for a train. Energy and purpose, but not much entertainment.

I wish it could be a happier review, but again I think the overall problem was programing.

LOL! I thought NYC folks, especially ballet fans, were of a hardy ilk.

Are the ushers at State Theater really that intolerant? I must be their worst audience member then -- it's not uncommon for me to change seats, mainly to try out different vantage points but admittedly also sometimes because I get stuck in the wrong section talking to people when the lights go down... without warning... ahem...

just heard Joaquin De Luz had been promoted a Principal Dancer

I posted this on the wrong thread, but yes, de Luz and a bunch of others were promoted....

Greetings
With heavy snow in New York also came a blizzard of promotions....
To principal: Megan Fairchild, Ashley Bouder, Janie Taylor, Stephen Hanna, Joaquin de Luz
To soloist: Tess Reichlen, Daniel Ullbricht, Adam Hendrickson
Congratulations to all!
I am especially happy for Adam Hendrickson, who has been gracing the stage with his superb dancing and acting. He was as wonderful as Dr. Coppelius as he was in 'Interplay', and not often that you find a dancer with such diverse talents. Reichlen is also another dancer that has been long in the corps and has sparkled in many roles.
Ulbricht has stood out since he first joined the company - or actually earlier, since he first caught the critics' eyes while dancing a regular role with the company when he was still just a student at SAB.
Taylor and de Luz were probably the obvious promotions to principal, and both have clearly shown that they are of principal rank.
Joining NYCB appears to have pushed de Luz's career in all the right directions. de Luz was hardly ignored at ABT, but with so many short, talented dancers and a much smaller repertory, there were only so many chances & roles for him to dance. At NYCB he's had the chance to do a myriad of new roles, and by all accounts, his dancing has improved as he's had the chance to delve into the NYCB repertory.
Hanna, Bouder and Fairchild were all just recently promoted to soloist, so this may be one of the speediest series of corps to principal promotions in recent NYCB history. (Off the top of my head, I remember that Damian Woetzel was promoted to soloist and principal in the same year back in 1989)
It would be interesting to compare promotion 'schedules' with other companies. Women generally are promoted at younger ages, but they physically mature earlier and so generally join companies at a younger age then their male colleagues.
But, over at ABT, it always seems that promotions to soloist and then to principal dancer come several years apart, and new soloists are often well into their twenties.
At the Royal Danish Ballet, things are a bit different since dancers usually join the company as 16 year old apprentices and perform until the pension age of 40, but it seems that usually promotions to soloist come between 22 and 25, and then those destined for principal status are further promoted within a few more years. There are exceptions - principal dancer Peter Bo Bendixen was in the company for 12 years prior to being promoted to principal dancer.
Finally, one has to wonder if this many promotions may hint at more retirements in the coming years...
Not counting Boal and Soto, that will make 11 male principals and 13 female principals, which is a lot, even for NYCB. But, looking forward, Nichols, Kistler, Hübbe, Martins, Evans and Woetzel, are all probably much closer to the end of the performing careers than the beginning. And I believe that Millepied, Hanna, Marcovici and de Luz are the only male principals less than 30, and all but Hanna at least 28.
Congratulations again to all of the dancers and I hope they have many more happy and healthy years of dancing!
Kate
------------------------------------------------------------------------

asting for the last week of January.... it's nice to see Damian Woetzel back on the cast list as he's been absent from stage since early in the 'Nutcracker' run. Not sure whether it was because of injuries/illness or due to other committments, but it's worth seeing Woetzel in 'Prodigal Son' , for at 37, he's probably in the twilight of his career with NYCB.

Another must see is Nikojal Hübbe, fresh from dancing at the opening of the new Opera House in Copenhagen, in the title role of 'Apollo'.

TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 25 AT 7:30PM [Kaplow]
The Goldberg Variations:
    Theme: REICHLEN, FOWLER
    1st Sect.: BOUDER, HANNA, J. ANGLE, TAYLOR, HIGGINS, HENDRICKSON
    2nd Sect.: WHELAN, EVANS, KOWROSKI, NEAL, WEESE, BOAL [Grant]
Intermission
Agon: WHELAN, SOTO, BOAL, TINSLEY, HANSON, REICHLEN, HANNA, FOWLER

WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 26 AT 8:00PM
Prodigal Son: WOETZEL, KOWROSKI, FAYETTE, GOLBIN, ABERGEL, CARMENA, FROMAN
Intermission
After the Rain: WHELAN, SYLVE, KOWROSKI, SOTO, LIANG, la COUR [Moverman, Moredock]
Intermission
Who Cares?: MARTINS, WEESE, ANSANELLI, TAYLOR [Chelton]

THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 27 AT 8:00PM [Quinn]
Apollo: HÜBBE, WHELAN, SYLVE, WEESE
Intermission
Orpheus:
    Eurydice: KISTLER
    Orpheus: MARTINS
    Dark Angel: ASKEGARD
    Bacchantes: BAR
    Apollo: J. STAFFORD
    Satyr: HENDRICKSON
    Pluto: SETH
Intermission
Agon: KOWROSKI, EVANS, LIANG*, KROHN*, BAR*, SYLVE, HANNA, FOWLER

FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 28 AT 8:00PM [Gemignani+]
The Goldberg Variations:
    Theme: REICHLEN, FOWLER
    1st Sect.: BOUDER, HANNA, J. ANGLE, TAYLOR, HIGGINS, DE LUZ
    2nd Sect.: WHELAN, EVANS, KOWROSKI, NEAL, WEESE, BOAL [Grant]
Intermission
West Side Story Suite: MILLEPIED, SOTO, HÜBBE, ARTHURS, RINGER, EDGE

SATURDAY MATINEE, JANUARY 29 AT 2:00PM
Prodigal Son: WOETZEL, KOWROSKI, FAYETTE, GOLBIN, ABERGEL, CARMENA, FROMAN
Intermission
Octet: BOUDER, KISTLER, MILLEPIED, HANNA
Intermission
Who Cares?: MARTINS, WEESE, ANSANELLI, TAYLOR[Chelton]

SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 29 AT 8:00PM
La Source: RINGER, NEAL, BOUDER
Intermission
Eros Piano: ANSANELLI, TAYLOR*, HÜBBE [Moredock]
Intermission
Octet: BOUDER, KISTLER, MILLEPIED, HANNA
Intermission
West Side Story Suite: MILLEPIED, SOTO, HÜBBE, ARTHURS, RINGER, EDGE

SUNDAY MATINEE, JANUARY 30 AT 3:00PM
After the Rain: WHELAN, SYLVE, KOWROSKI, SOTO, LIANG, la COUR [Moverman, Moredock]
Intermission
Orpheus:
    Eurydice: KISTLER
    Orpheus: MARTINS
    Dark Angel: ASKEGARD
    Bacchantes: BAR
    Apollo: J. STAFFORD
    Satyr: HENDRICKSON
    Pluto: SETH
Intermission
Who Cares?: NEAL, RINGER, ANSANELLI, BOUDER [McDill]

The NY Times reports of Wheeldon's new ballet, which is perhaps a farewell gift to Jock Soto...

More

Jennifer Dunning reviews the Saturday afternoon performance, confirming the promotions of Stephen Hanna, Ashley Bouder, Janie Taylor and Teresa Reichlen. Confirmation of the other promotions awaits updating of the NYCB website, which usually takes place midday EST.

More

more

<small>[ 31 January 2005, 12:45 PM: Message edited by: kurinuku ]</small>

The official press release on the promotions

For Immediate Release - January 22, 2005

NEW YORK CITY BALLET PROMOTES EIGHT DANCERS

Ashley Bouder, Megan Fairchild, Janie Taylor, Joaquin De Luz and Stephen Hanna Named Principal Dancers

Teresa Reichlen, Adam Hendrickson and Daniel Ulbricht Promoted to Soloist

New York City Ballet announced today that soloists Ashley Bouder, Megan Fairchild, Janie Taylor, Joaquin De Luz and Stephen Hanna have been promoted to principal dancers, and corps de ballet members Teresa Reichlen, Adam Hendrickson and Daniel Ulbricht have been promoted to soloists.

The promotions were announced on the anniversary of NYCB co-founder George Balanchine’s birth (January 22, 1904), which also marks the company’s annual New Combinations Evening, an annual tribute to Mr. Balanchine’s birthday featuring the presentation of world premiere ballets. All of the promotions are effective immediately.

Ashley Bouder was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and began her ballet training at the age of six at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet with Marcia Dale Weary. After attending the 1999 Summer Program at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, she was invited by SAB to continue her training during the Winter Session. Ms. Bouder was named an apprentice with New York City Ballet in June 2000 and became a member of the corps de ballet that October. She was promoted to the rank of soloist in February 2004. At the SAB, Ms. Bouder was the Mae L. Wien Award recipient for 2000 and was NYCB’s Janice Levin Dancer Honoree for 2002-2003 season.

Megan Fairchild was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and began her dance training at the age of four, studying with Judy Levitre at Dance Concepts in Sandy, Utah; with Karen Chatterton at the Academy of Ballet Arts, also in Sandy; and at the Ballet West Conservatory in Salt Lake City with Sharee Lane, Deborah Dobson, and Maureen Laird. While at the Ballet West Conservatory, Ms. Fairchild was also a Ballet West trainee. Ms. Fairchild entered the School of American Ballet in the fall of 2000. In November 2001, Ms. Fairchild became an apprentice with New York City Ballet, and in October 2002 she joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. Ms. Fairchild was promoted to the rank of soloist in February 2004. At SAB, Ms. Fairchild was the 2001 recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award.

Janie Taylor was born in Houston, Texas, where she began her ballet training at age four. At age 12, she moved to New Orleans and trained at the Giacobbe Academy of Dance. She entered the School of American Ballet full time in the fall of 1995. In June 1998, Ms. Taylor received the Mae L. Wien Award at the SAB Annual Workshop and was invited to become an apprentice with New York City Ballet. A month later, Ms. Taylor became a member of NYCB’s corps de ballet. She was promoted to the rank of soloist in February 2001.

Joaquin De Luz was born in Madrid and received his training at the Victor Ullate School of Ballet. He danced with the Victor Ullate Ballet Company from 1992 until 1995. In March 1996, Mr. De Luz won the Gold Medal at the Second Nureyev International Ballet Competition in Budapest, Hungary, and in August of that year, he joined the Pennsylvania Ballet as a soloist. Mr. De Luz joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in 1997 and was promoted to soloist in 1998. He joined New York City Ballet as a soloist in 2003.

Stephen Hanna was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He entered the School of American Ballet in the fall of 1992. Mr. Hanna became an apprentice with New York City Ballet in 1997, and later that year he joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. Mr. Hanna was promoted to the rank of soloist in February 2004.

Teresa Reichlen was born in Clifton, Virginia. She began her dance training at the age of 10 at the Russell School of Ballet with Thomas and Illona Russell, Mary Rogers, and Margaret McGarry. In 1999, Ms. Reichlen studied at the summer program of the School of American Ballet, and she entered SAB full time in the fall of the same year. In October 2000, Ms. Reichlen became an apprentice with New York City Ballet, and in October 2001 she joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. Ms. Reichlen is NYCB’s Janice Levin Dancer Honoree for the 2004/2005 season.

Adam Hendrickson was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and began his ballet training at the age of six with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. In 1996, he received the Rudolf Nureyev Scholarship and was invited to continue his studies at the winter session of the School of American Ballet. In the spring of 1998 he became an apprentice with New York City Ballet, and in the summer of 1998, Mr. Hendrickson became a member of the corps de ballet.

Daniel Ulbricht was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and began his dance training at the age of 11 at the Judith Lee Johnson Studio of Dance, studying with Lenny Holmes. He also studied at Les Jeunes Danseurs with Javier Dubraq and attended the Chautauqua Summer Dance Program, training with Jean Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride. In 1999, Mr. Ulbricht was invited by the School of American Ballet to continue his training during their Winter Program. In December 2000, he became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and in November 2001 he joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet.

Next week has some tantazlizing tidbits:

* Damian Woetzel in 'West Side Story' and 'Stars & Stripes'

* Daniel Ulbricht making his NYCB debut as the head of the men's regiment in 'Stars & Stripes', a role he danced in the 2000 SAB Workshop.

*Sofiane Syle've debut in 'Stars and Stripes'

* An orchestra's worth of role debuts in 'Fanfare'

*Kyra Nichols and Nikolaj Hübbe (not together) in Mozartiana

FEBRUARY 1-6, 2005
TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 1 AT 7:30PM
Prodigal Son: BOAL, KISTLER, FAYETTE, GOLBIN, ABERGEL, SUOZZI, HENDRICKSON
Intermission
After the Rain: WHELAN, SYLVE, KOWROSKI, SOTO, LIANG, la COUR [Moverman, Moredock]
Intermission
Who Cares?: NEAL, RINGER, ANSANELLI, BOUDER [McDill]

WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2 AT 8:00PM
Mozartiana: NICHOLS, NEAL, GOLD
Intermission
Thou Swell: KISTLER, RINGER, TAYLOR, KOWROSKI, SOTO, FAYETTE, MARTINS, ASKEGARD
Intermission
West Side Story Suite: MILLEPIED, FAYETTE, WOETZEL, ARTHURS, RINGER, LABEAN*

THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 3 AT 8:00PM
Mozartiana: WHELAN, HÜBBE, GOLD
Intermission
Thou Swell: KISTLER, RINGER, TAYLOR, KOWROSKI, SOTO, FAYETTE, MARTINS, ASKEGARD
Intermission
The Four Seasons:
Janus: FOWLER
Winter: VEYETTE, BOUDER, CARMENA, SUOZZI
Spring: HANSON, RINGER, NEAL
Summer: MEARNS*, RUTHERFORD, FAYETTE
Fall: SETH, WEESE, MILLEPIED, ULBRICHT

FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 4 AT 8:00PM
Fanfare:
Piccolo: KEENAN*
Flutes: HYLTIN*, PAZCOGUIN*
Oboe: ARTHURS
Violas: RUTHERFORD, J. ANGLE
Harp: REICHLEN*
Celli: RICARD*, BESKOW*, KROHN
Major Domo: LOWENSTEIN+
Clarinets: TINSLEY*, LIANG*
Bassoons: FOWLER, FROMAN
Double Bass: la COUR*
Tuba: ULBRICHT*
Trumpets: CARMENA, HENDRICKSON
Percussion: SUOZZI*, GOLD, RAMASAR*
Pause
Liturgy: WHELAN, SOTO
Intermission
Orpheus:
Eurydice: KISTLER
Orpheus: MARTINS
Dark Angel: ASKEGARD
Bacchantes: BAR
Apollo: J. STAFFORD
Satyr: HENDRICKSON
Pluto: SETH
Intermission
The Four Seasons:
Janus: FOWLER
Winter: VEYETTE, BOUDER, CARMENA, SUOZZI
Spring: HANSON, RINGER, NEAL
Summer: MEARNS, RUTHERFORD, FAYETTE
Fall: SETH, WEESE, MILLEPIED, ULBRICHT

SATURDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 5 AT 2:00PM
Fanfare:
Piccolo: KEENAN
Flutes: HYLTIN, PAZCOGUIN
Oboe: ARTHURS
Violas: RUTHERFORD, J. ANGLE
Harp: REICHLEN
Celli: RICARD, BESKOW, KROHN
Major Domo: LOWENSTEIN+
Clarinets: TINSLEY, LIANG
Bassoons: FOWLER, FROMAN
Double Bass: la COUR
Tuba: ULBRICHT
Trumpets: CARMENA, HENDRICKSON
Percussion: SUOZZI, GOLD, RAMASAR
Intermission
Concerto for Two Solo Pianos: ANSANELLI, la COUR*, RAMASAR [Grant, Moredock]
Intermission
Stars and Stripes: SYLVE*, ASKEGARD, BOUDER, BAR, GOLD

SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 5 AT 8:00PM
Agon: KOWROSKI, EVANS, LIANG, KROHN, BAR, SYLVE, HANNA, FOWLER
Intermission
Prodigal Son: BOAL, KISTLER, FAYETTE, GOLBIN, ABERGEL, SUOZZI, HENDRICKSON
Intermission
Stars and Stripes: ANSANELLI, WOETZEL, TINSLEY, HANSON, ULBRICHT*

SUNDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 6 AT 3:00PM
Eros Piano: ANSANELLI, TAYLOR, HÜBBE [Moredock]
Pause
Apollo: BOAL, BORREE, BOUDER, RUTHERFORD
Intermission
Concerto for Two Solo Pianos: ANSANELLI, la COUR, RAMASAR [Grant, Moredock]
West Side Story Suite: MILLEPIED, FAYETTE, WOETZEL, ARTHURS, RINGER, LABEAN

<small>[ 26 January 2005, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: ksneds ]</small>