In the New York Times, Claudia LaRocco reviews the "New Combinations" program from Thursday, January 22, 2009:

NY Times

Robert Johnson reviews the same program in the New Jersey Star-Ledger:

NJ Star-Ledger

Deborah Jowitt in the Village Voice:

Village Voice

In the New York Times, Alastair Macaulay reviews a quadruple bill -- subtitled "Founding Choreographers" -- of works by Balanchine ("Monumentum pro Gesualdo," "Movements for Piano and Orchestra," and "Stars and Stripes") and Robbins ("Dances at a Gathering") presented on Tuesday, January 27, 2009:

NY Times

In the New York Times, Gia Kourlas reviews the "Early Music Masters" program: "Divertimento No. 15" (Balanchine/Mozart), "Stabat Mater" (Martins/Pergolesi), and "Brahms/Handel" (Tharp/Robbins to Brahms' Handel Variations).

NY Times

Darci Kistler will retire next year: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/arts/ ... 5ball.html


Sad to say, I think she's long past retiring gracefully - I haven't seen the company recently, but even a few years ago, I found her dancing limited and though that she was most frequently cast in roles that were no longer appropriate.

It's too bad because she is such a talented and elegant dancer. However, judging by comments here and elsewhere, too many people are going to remember her by the fading performances of the last five years rather than the glorious ones of her earlier days.

I do think it must be hard, especially for the women, at NYCB, because perhaps the most of any company, the repertory offers little in the way of character roles for a mature dancer. Thus a ballerina who has much left to offer artistically, but because of injuries/age is fading technically, doesn't have an easy way to transition out.

And I think the artistic staff hasn't always been honest and/or helpful in making casting decisions. I saw Kistler in a number of roles that she simply wasn't capable of doing technically, and once in the last few years of her career when she'd returned from maternity leave (I think), I saw Kyra Nichols as Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream when it was painfully clear there was no way she could do all the choreography. From the beginning of the pas de deux, you could tell the jumps to shoulder sits were not going to happen.

I think the best examples of well timed retirements were Margaret Tracey, Peter Boal and especially Damian Woetzel. They all were still well capable when they retired, so my memories are of strong, capable dancers.

I heartily agree. There is at least one ballerina in San Francisco who is facing this same dilemma. It's so painful to watch.

I hope they give Ms. Kistler a nice send off and don't have her just slink off the stage like an injured cat.

Alastair Macaulay reviews the "20th Century Music Masters" program (Robbins/Bernstein "West Side Story Suite;" Balanchine/Stravinsky "Violin Concerto" and Balanchine/Ravel "La Valse") in the New York Times:

NY Times

In the New York Times, Alastair Macaulay reviews the triple bill presented on Friday, February 6, 2009: "Tradition and Innovation" (Balanchine's "Concerto Barocco" and "Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3" and Mauro Bigonzetti's "Oltremare").

NY Times

Adrian Danchig-Waring has been promoted to soloist!

New York City Ballet announced today that Adrian Danchig-Waring has been promoted to soloist.

Danchig-Waring was born in San Francisco, California, and began his dance training at the age of 11 at Dance Theatre Seven with David Roxander. He entered the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, in the fall of 2001. Danchig-Waring became an apprentice with NYCB in October 2002 and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in June 2003.

Since joining NYCB, Danchig-Waring has danced featured roles in numerous works, including George Balanchine’s Agon, Divertimento No. 15, The Four Temperaments, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (Cavalier), Orpheus, and Symphony in Three Movements; Jerome Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering, I’m Old Fashioned, and Glass Pieces; and Peter Martins’ Fearful Symmetries, Les Gentilhommes, Swan Lake (Benno), and Romeo + Juliet (Paris, Benvolio).

Danchig-Waring has originated featured roles in Douglas Lee’s Lifecasting, Christopher Wheeldon’s Rococo Variations, and Christopher d’Amboise’s Tribute, and the NYCB premieres of Eliot Feld’s Backchat and A Stair Dance.

In the New York Times, Alastair Macaulay reviews the "Short Stories" program (Balanchine's "Swan Lake," "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue," and Sean Lavery's "Romeo and Juliet").

NY Times

In the New Jersey Star-Ledger, Robert Johnson reviews the "21st Century Movement" program, including the premiere of Melissa Barak's "Simple Symphony," and other works by Peter Martins, Jorma Elo and Christopher Wheeldon.

Star-Ledger

In the New York Times, Alastair Macaulay appears to have liked Melissa Barak's new work on the 21st Century Movement" program:

NY Times

Leigh Witchel reviews the "21st Century Movement" program in the New York Post:

NY Post

Gia Kourlas reviews the "Founding Choreographers II" program (Balanchine: "Ballo della Regina" and "Davidsbundlertanze;" Robbins: "Glass Pieces") from Wednesday, February 18, 2009 in the New York Times:

NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/arts/ ... 1&ref=arts


Wow - even NYCB is laying off dancers. I wonder if this might cause the AGMA tp start rethinking their strict line on contracts as other non-dance unions have started doing across the country. Perhaps if each soloist and principal had taken a bit of a pay cut (which I suspect would not unduly affect most of them) there would be enough funds to keep a few more corps members in jobs. Or perhaps if

Other news... Kyle Froman - who was likely the most senior male corps member - has retired to pursue photography full time.

So, that's probably one of the 'non-renewed' contracts.

Kate