American Ballet Theatre's press announcement of the 2011 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

ABT Spring 2011

Better get your Stiefel fix in during this Met Season, because he's headed to NZ!

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1010/S ... rector.htm

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE TO PERFORM IN MOSCOW,
MARCH 29-31, 2010

American Ballet Theatre will perform in Moscow, March 29-31, 2011 at the new

stage of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia. The tour was announced today by

ABT Executive Director Rachel Moore.

American Ballet Theatre’s performances in Moscow are part of the annual

Mstislav Rostropovich Week Festival and mark the Company’s first appearance in the

Russian capital city since 1960. In celebration of the birthday of the late cellist Mstislav

Rostropovich, the Festival has specially commissioned a new work to be choreographed

by Benjamin Millepied. The new Millepied work will receive its New York debut during

the Company’s 2011 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Additional repertory for American Ballet Theatre’s performances in Moscow

include George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Alexei Ratmansky’s Seven Sonatas

and Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free.

American Ballet Theatre’s 2010-2011 tour season includes engagements in

Havana, Cuba, Brooklyn, New York, Washington, D.C., London, New York City,

Los Angeles, California and Tokyo, Japan. For more information on American Ballet

Theatre, please visit our website at www.abt.org.

-30-

GILLIAN MURPHY AND ETHAN STIEFEL TO APPEAR ON

GOSSIP GIRL, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8 ON THE CW

American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancers Gillian Murphy and Ethan Stiefel

will make a cameo appearance on the CW’s hit television series Gossip Girl on

November 8, 2010. The episode, which was filmed in September, features Ms. Murphy

and Mr. Stiefel as guests at a fictional ballet gala at Lincoln Center.

Gossip Girl airs at 9:00 P.M. EST on The CW Network.

2011 SUMMER INTENSIVE NATIONAL AUDITION TOUR ANNOUNCED

22 City Audition Tour for ABT Summer Intensive and Collegiate Program
to Begin January 8, 2011

American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive National Audition Tour will kick off

January 8, 2011 in Austin, Texas and Denver, Colorado, and will visit a total of 22 cities through

February 13, 2011. Intermediate and advanced students, ages 9 to 24, are invited to audition for

ABT’s New York, Collegiate and satellite Summer Intensives, and the Young Dancer Summer

Workshop.

American Ballet Theatre’s 2011 Summer Intensive programs will be held in five

locations nationwide: New York City (June 27 – July 29), Detroit, Michigan (June 27 – July 22),

Tuscaloosa, Alabama (June 27 – July 16), Austin, Texas (July 10 – August 5), and Orange County,

California (August 1 – August 19).

participating dancers.

Under the supervision of American Ballet Theatre’s Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie

and Summer Intensive Artistic Director Melissa Allen Bowman, ABT Summer Intensives focus

on developing well-rounded dancers through exposure to a wide variety of disciplines and ABT’s

artists, history, and repertory, with an emphasis on classical ballet technique and key elements of

ABT’s National Training Curriculum. ABT faculty for the Summer Intensive includes

Wes Chapman, Artistic Director of ABT II, and Franco De Vita, Principal of the Jacqueline

Kennedy Onassis School at ABT, as well as renowned ABT alumni and faculty including Ethan

Brown, Leslie Browne, Robert LaFosse, Deirdre Carberry, Melissa Hale-Coyle, Olga Dvorovenko,

Alaine Haubert, Yan Chen, Warren Conover, Ted Kivitt, Brian Reeder, Amy Rose, Rosanna

Seravalli and Lupe Serrano.

American Ballet Theatre’s Collegiate Summer Intensive will be held at ABT’s New York

headquarters, June 6-24, 2011. This specialized program, designed for students ages 17 to 24,

Each site will offer ABT training tailored to the needs of will include daily technique in ballet, and will focus on ABT repertory, pointe work, partnering,

modern dance, composition, and choreography. College credit options are available. Applicants

for the Collegiate Summer Intensive may audition at any of the Summer Intensive audition sites or

by video.

Under the direction of Franco De Vita, the Young Dancer Summer Workshop will take

place at ABT’s New York studios August 1-12, 2011. The program educates young dancers, ages

9-11, in ballet technique and related topics including nutrition, ballet terminology, classroom and

rehearsal etiquette, and injury prevention.

Auditions for ABT’s Summer Intensives are open to all male and female students who

have achieved intermediate or advanced levels of ballet training. Applicants for the Collegiate

Summer Intensive may also audition at any of the audition sites. Applicants for the Young Dancer

Summer Workshop may audition at select sites. Students can audition by video for all programs.

For more information on any of the Summer Intensives, please visit http://www.abt.org/education/

summerintensive.asp.

Freed of London is the exclusive sponsor of the ABT National Audition Tour. Scünci is

the Official Hair Accessory of the ABT Summer Intensive.

My ABT Wish List [I know that this post doesn't belong here, but couldn't find a better place.] This is what happens when it's New Years Day and I delude myself into thinking that I have nothing better to do. Maybe it'll prompt some comments.

Recognizing that ABT’s schedule probably is set at least a year or two in advance, and further recognizing that no one has asked me to do this (and, after they read it, will probably wish that I hadn't), below is a list of ballets that ABT has performed in the past that I would like to see revived (of course, I haven't included anything choreographed by Baryshnikov), and another list of ballets that either have been produced by other companies and might be available, or concepts (based on film, literary works, etc.) that have seeped into the crevaces of my mind. And I haven't given any consideration to obtaining and paying for the rights to existing ballets, or to the difficulty of creating and producing any ‘from-scratch’ production. The list does not include changes in casting of ballets already regularly performed, since...been there, done that.

Previously performed by ABT (and in no particularl order)

The Taming of the Shrew. Although I missed it somehow when ABT did Shrew, I thought that John Cranko’s work was delightfully engaging when I saw the Stuttgart perform it in New York, and it would be a welcome change from the usual. Among others, I can see Gillian Murphy, Paloma Herrera, or Isabella Boylston as Bianca; Herman Cornejo, Marcelo Gomes, or Ethan Stiefel as Petruchio.

Miss Julie. I can’t believe that ABT last performed Birgit Cullberg’s Miss Julie roughly 25 years or so ago, when I last saw it. I must have missed a more recent revival. But it’s still been a long time. They’ve got dancers who can do the passion and venom. I can see Murphy, Herrera, Julie Kent (after seeing what she could do with Juliet), or Stella Abrera dancing the lead; with Ethan Stiefel or Marcelo Gomes as the Butler (though I doubt that any of them could erase my memory of Cynthia Gregory and Fernando Bujones).

Carmen (Petit). I can envision Herrera, Veronika Part, Misty Copeland (as I’ve previously written, a stretch for her, but I think she could do it), Maria Riccetto (also a stretch for her). But I think many others could also pull it off.

The Moor’s Pavane. This fantastic Jose Limon work was on the first ABT program I ever saw – and, to my knowledge, hasn’t been back in the rep since. Marcelo Gomes or Herman Cornejo as the Moor (Othello); Sarah Lane, or Hee Seo as His Wife (Desdemona); Cornejo or Angel Corella or Craig Salstein or Gennadi Saveliev or Daniil Simkin as His Friend (Iago) (though I have a hard time seeing anyone dance it other than Dennis Nahat); and Herrera or Stella Abrera or Michelle Wiles or Simone Messmer or Boylston as His Friend’s Wife (Emilia).

Mayerling. OK. You couldn’t do Manon this year because you’re doing Lady of the Camellias. So why didn’t you do Mayerling? [I don’t’ recall with certainty whether ABT did this before, or if I saw it with the Royal. If they didn’t, it goes into the next section. They should.]

Onegin. Speaking of Manon, why not Cranko’s Onegin?

Tudor’s Romeo & Juliet. If there’s a year when ABT decides not to do MacMillan’s masterwork, like this year, why not do Tudor’s version? I remember liking it when I saw it, pre-MacMillan, at City Center many moons ago.

Fall River Legend. If it’s too soon to do Jardin aux Lilas again (it’s never too soon), why not Lizzie Borden? [Although seeing someone other than Sallie Wilson might prove problematic.]

Etudes. This crowd-pleaser by Harold Lander has been out of the rep for too long.

Billy the Kid. This piece by Eugene Loring has also been out of the rep (to my knowledge) for too long. It may look dated, but it’s important.

Rodeo. I know this was done fairly recently, but it was also on the first ballet program I ever saw, and I go into withdrawal if I don't see it for more than a year. And I know that neither Christine Sarry nor Erica Cornejo is around to do it, but how about Marian Butler?

Intermezzo. Speaking of Christine Sarry…I didn’t see this piece done by ABT, but I remember it from Eliot Feld’s company (Eliot Feld Ballet), and I recall liking it a lot. It’s been much too long since we’ve seen any ‘classic’ Eliot Feld since he moved on to other things. Harbinger, which I think ABT also did, would be great to see again also.

Push Comes to Shove. This Tharp piece is too much fun not to see more frequently.

Sinfonietta. Jiri Kylian’s creations, at least his early ones, should not be absent from New York for as long as they've has been. ABT has done this piece before, and done it well. The stagecraft alone is worth the price of admission.

Diversion of Angels. ABT didn’t do this with a great deal of success, as I recall. But I’d love to see them try this Graham piece again anyway.

Flower Festival in Genzano. Another that I didn’t see ABT dance (though I think when they did it, it was just the pas de deux, and maybe only for a studio or school performance). But if they haven’t done the full length, they should. It’s been too long since the RDB has been here, and, although no one does Bournonville like the Danes, based on La Sylphide, ABT dancers could do a good job with it.

Daydreams

Pan’s Labyrinth. I saw this film as a ballet while I was watching it, strange as that may seem. It’s got everything (except maybe humor). If some genius choreographer could somehow successfully translate it into a ballet,….

Alice in Wonderland – I know that other companies have tried this, and I don’t know if any of those productions were any good. But a good production of Alice would be great fun to see – and would sell tickets.

The Wizard of Oz – I’m not sure, but I think this has been attempted by another company. See Alice.

Peter Pan – See Alice.

Gone With the Wind – I can’t believe that this hasn’t been done – so it probably has been done. A new dramatic ballet would be welcome. And a good version would be boffo too.

Dr. Zhivago – See Gone.

The Tempest. See Gone.

Moulin Rouge. A ballet version of the Baz Luhrmann movie. See Gone.

The Rite of Spring. I know ABT did a version by Glenn Tetley. Maybe a new and improved version?

Astarte. If The Joffrey’s not doing it anymore, or even if they are, try to get it. I’m sure it’s way too dated, but what a kick. Could include it in a ‘time capsule’ or ‘baby boomer’ evening.

Speaking of The Joffrey, could you steal Suite Saint-Saens? Fantastic Arpino ballet.

A Beatle Ballet. Why not? [Tell me some company's already done it.] Some of the Beatles songs lend themselves to ballet, others would be a stretch, but it might be interesting, and it certainly would be fun. Something, She Loves You, Octopus’s Garden, Norwegian Wood, Eleanor Rigby, Penny Lane, Do You Want to Know a Secret, Lady Madonna, Hey Jude, Let It Be. Another piece for a baby boomer evening.

Short Stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer. A group of three or four in an evening. Yiddish Seasons. Give it to Ratmansky.
. .
Love in the Time of Cholera. Marcelo Gomes as Javier Bardem. Can’t wait.

The Joy Luck Club. [No, I’m not thinking a season at the U.N.] Amy Tan’s novel was beautifully transferred to film; perhaps it could be a ballet also.

Lost Horizon. The concept of a Shangri-La is sort of built in to many Romantic ballets. So why not the real McCoy?

Avatar. I see blue people. Dancing. A can’t miss. Even I could choreograph this. [right]. But good luck getting the rights until the next millennium.

I encourage adding and subtracting, and yelling and screaming. Happy New Year.

Interesting thoughts...



The full length version of Flower Festival is LONG lost - I don't think there are any living dancers who would have seen it, let alone danced in it. The pdd is the only remaining choreography. I think ABT last did the pdd when Bruhn was around, though NYCB has done it in the last season or two. I suspect ABT would be hesitant to bring it back given the lack of Danish connections in the last decade or two - the company has not had any Danish dancers or ballet masters in quite some time. Honestly though, I don't think it would sell well with the NYC ballet audiences because the virtuosity is rather subtle.



I seem to remember that this particular Cranko ballet was not terribly popular in NY. I've never seen it, but ABT may think it's too risky to bring back when you've got to fill seats to survive.



I don't think anyone but the Royal performs this ballet. And it would be quite expensive to acquire given the extensive sets and the need for extensive rehearsals. It would be fascinating to see at ABT, but again, I think that it'd likely fall flat with NYC crowds who aren't familiar with the history. We Americans, unfortunately, are very under-educated when it comes to history.


I'm pretty sure ABT has done Onegin in the last decade. This actually might be realistic in the next few years - probably wasn't in the last few years since Jane Bourne and Reid Anderson (who I think are the only repetiteurs for this ballet) were busy working on Onegin with RDB, then NBoC. It does take a lot of sets and costumes, so if ABT doesn't have - or can't borrow - sets or costumes it might be out of financial range for the near future.



We can dream. I just don't see ABT doing two different versions. That said, does anyone do the Tudor version these days? I think it was actually made for the RDB, but that company has long shifted to Neumeier's production.


[/quote][/quote]

Christopher Wheeldon's version for the Royal Ballet debuts soon, and then will be transferred to the NBoC. So, unless ABT gets the rights to that - and they seem to have had little luck with Wheeldon lately - it's not going to be a reality in the near future.

Re: Most of your comments -- it's a wish list, not a reality list. Didn't know about Alice, but doesn't surprise me (that a company other than ABT is doing it). ABTs risk-aversion is understandable, but unfortunate.

I don't know what happened with Shrew when ABT did it, but it was a hit with the Stuttgart.

You're absolute right about Flower Festival. I meant Napoli (I think the RDB did one act of Napoli in nyc) -- though I'd like to see the Flower Festival PDD again too (I remember seeing it with the RDB in ny).

But I disagree with your comment about nyc audiences. I think nyc ballet audiences, minus the tourists who flock to the Met in the late Spring/Summer, are very sophisticated compared to other parts of the country. Whether tickets for it would sell in this economy is debatable, but from where I sat, the Royal's production of Mayerling did well in nyc. And whether 'history' appeals depends on a number of factors. Boring history won't sell. But I think a passionate love story would, regardless of whether the audience is familiar with the particular characters. As would spectacle. The Bolshoi had no problem with Spartacus or Ivan the Terrible (yes, I know, that was then, and that was the Bolshoi). And do you think, if someone choreographed a decent version (or any version, for that matter) that audiences wouldn't flock to see a ballet of Caesar/Antony and Cleopatra? I think New York ballet audiences demand quality (and stars - but that's a different issue), regardless of whether a ballet is based on fiction or fact.

Yes, I did see that it was a wish list... and who amongst us hasn't sat through ABT's umpteenth production of R&J or Swan Lake (shudders), and wished that the company would be more creative in programming. They've got such wonderful dancers, but often seeminglysuch pedestrian tastes in ballet.

To be fair, ABT has a lot of constraints, and has to go for the ballets that will suck in the crowds, and thus the $$$$. My understanding is that like NYC Opera at State Theatre (and also NBoC at the Four Seasons Centre), ABT has to essentially rent the theatre from the resident company (Met Opera). As a result, they have a lot less influence over ticket prices, and I've even heard that they have to hand over a percentage of sales from the gift tables/boutiques. Plus, the company does a fair bit of touring, which is rarely ever a money earner, so they're doubly dependent on the Met Season to balance their books. Which is why they were so enthusiastic about doing a Nutcracker in NYC. (Which, I'm guessing broke even, though they may have taken a hit from the blizzard - probably didn't sell out for a few performances and may have incurred some additional cost getting the dancers out to Brooklyn).

I certainly think that NYC ballet crowds are among the most educated in the US, if not the world. But, given that the theatres hold 1500+ people, how many of those - on average - are really your well educated ballet goer? I'm not sure, but I'd guess a good percentage of those at each ABT performance are not regular attendees, and/or go only to see the popular story ballets. And ballets like Taming of the Shrew and Mayerling are not well known to the average ballet goer. Certainly, I've enjoyed Mayerling - though I've only ever seen it on DVD - but your average US ballet goer won't have the faintest idea about the history involved, and it's a bit tricky because it is NOT a ballet for children. And to fill all those seats, ABT depends not a little on families. To program 7-10 days of Mayerling would be to exclude a potential sources of ticket income for a good chunk of the season. Which may also be why Onegin isn't programmed very often.

Also, and I don't blame ABT for this, since they have to find their niche to bring in the $$, the company depends more heavily, in terms of drawing attention and fans, on star dancers rather than star repertoire. They advertise casting months in advance - a risky proposition, since injury is so common place in the dance world. But that means they have to program well in advance to ensure that they have the right guest dancers and the right dancers for the roles (and enough extras to cover if a certain dancer(s) renegs on a contract or is injured/ill. Plus, when you have people (like the Japanese fans I remember) who come from long distances to see their favorite dancers/company, they want to see those dancers in the big bravura roles. People don't want to come all the way to NYC to see Angel Corella or Herman Cornejo is some light-on-the-dancing role or taking a back seat to a ballerina. (Unless, perhaps she's Part or Vishneva etc.). As opposed to NYCB where you tend to choose the rep, and in a 5-7 day period can see most of the principals/soloists in a variety of roles, rather than just one performance (or maybe two) of the same ballet in a week.

In anycase, though I'm not as familiar with ABT dancers these days, I think the next year will be an interesting one for the company. It's a time of transition and the next couple of years will determine whether the next generation can carry the company. And whether they will carry it in the same direction or somewhere new. It may also be a period when the company may start considering a change at the top - McKenzie won't want the burden forever and some fresh thinking is hardly a bad thing for such a company.

As to the dancers - the company is actually a bit thin at the top, particular among the men. Corella is clearly being eased out of a prime position, Stiefel will be departing this year or at least very rarely around given the distance to NZ, Carreno is retiring, Beloserkovsky has been much injured, and neither Gomes nor Cornejo are that young anymore. And Bolle seems to have made it clear that ABT is not among his priorities, given his very odd late withdrawal last year. Kent, I assume is probably retiring soon, Vishneva is still really a guest, Murphy may be less present since she is moving to New Zealand with Stiefel, and none of the other principal women are younger than late 20s, I believe.

Even among the soloists, the men are a tad thin, at least in terms of talent for the future. Saveliev is near the end of his career, Radetsky, Salstein and Lopez are top-notch, solid soloists, but I doubt any will ever get the principal nod. Which leaves Simkin and Stearns as the faces of the future. I can see Stearns making a big name for himself, though it can take a while for someone to mature as an artist and a partner. Simkin, I've never seen perform, but my understanding is that he's not that tall, or at least on the slight side. And brought up on the big bravura stuff. So the jury may (and correct me if I'm wrong) still be out on whether he has the goods to develop into a dance-theatre-artist and a solid partner for other than the tiny ballerinas. (His past rep is almost all solo bravura roles, with this coming year providing his first roles with any substantial partnering).

The male corps is chock full of old hands -faces that date back to my days (at least 7 years ago), but I often wonder how many of those guys were neglected in the years when ABT was importing male soloists and principals at the drop of the hat. Sean Stewart was/is probably the central example of this - he was a such a talent, but left the company for many years after seemingly being ignored in the corps. The company certainly, though, has been more attentive on the female side (though WHY is Stella Abrera still a soloist?!).

Anyway, I wish the company the best for the upcoming tour and Met Seasons. This summer, with the change in NYCB's calender, will really give ABT a chance to perform without competition at Lincoln Center. However they are overlapping with the Royal Danish Ballet, which on a rare US tour, may draw a lot of the crowds and attention over to the State Theatre. I think ABT will have their best successes with Bright Stream, Coppelia, Lade of the Camellias and the new Ratmansky & Wheeldons, though Coppelia, I believe, is the same time at RDB will be around.

Pursuant to the "thin at the top" discussion, Marina Harss reports on a press release from ABT stating that Polina Semionova, a principal dancer at the Berlin State Opera Ballet, will perform Kitri in "Don Quixote" and Odette/Odile in "Swan Lake," both partnered by David Hallberg in May and July, respectively.

The Faster Times

The PR:

POLINA SEMIONOVA TO APPEAR AS GUEST ARTIST
WITH AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE FOR 2011 SPRING SEASON AT
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

Polina Semionova, a principal dancer with Berlin State Opera Ballet, will

debut as a Guest Artist with American Ballet Theatre for the 2011 Metropolitan Opera

House season, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. With ABT,

Semionova will perform Kitri in Don Quixote at the matinee on Saturday, May 21,

opposite David Hallberg as Basilio, and the dual role of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake on

Saturday evening, July 2, opposite Hallberg as Prince Siegfried.

Born in Moscow, Semionova studied at the Bolshoi Ballet School before

joining the Berlin State Opera Ballet as the company’s youngest principal dancer. Her

repertoire with Berlin State Opera Ballet includes Odette-Odile in Swan Lake, Nikiya in

La Bayadère, Marie in The Nutcracker, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty,

Swanilda in Coppélia, Kitri in Don Quixote, the title roles in Giselle and Manon, Tatiana

in John Cranko’s Onegin, Sieglinde and Brünhilde in Maurice Bejart’s Ring um den Ring,

Juliet in John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet and the title roles in Roland Petit’s Carmen and

Sir Frederick Ashton’s Sylvia. She has performed principal roles in Jerome Robbins’

Afternoon of a Faun, George Balanchine’s Ballet Imperial, Apollo (Terpsichore),

Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, and Diamonds pas de deux,

William Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude and Jirí Kylián’s Return to the

Strange Land. She has also appeared in works by Mauro Bigonzetti, Renato Zanella,

Uwe Scholz and Christian Spuck.

Semionova created the title role in Vladimir Malakhov’s Cinderella and

Creativity in Bigonzetti’s Caravaggio. She has appeared as a guest artist with English

National Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, Teatro alla Scala, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Zurich Ballet,

the Mariinsky Ballet and Bolshoi Ballet.



Semionova’s awards include a gold medal at the Moscow International Ballet

Competition (2001), First Prize at the Vaganova-Prix Ballet Competition in St. Petersburg,

the Junior Prize at the Nagoya International Ballet Competition (2002), Daphne Prize

(2004), German Critics Choice Award (2005) and the Dance Open Award (2010).

CORY STEARNS PROMOTED TO PRINCIPAL DANCER
WITH AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE

Cory Stearns has been promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer with
American Ballet Theatre. The promotion, which becomes effective immediately, was
announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

A native of Long Island, New York, Cory Stearns began his classical training
at Seiskaya Ballet with Mme. Valia Seiskaya. At 15, he participated in the Youth
America Grand Prix and was offered a full scholarship to The Royal Ballet School in
London. During his training, Stearns performed in Madrid, Moscow, Milan and
Germany. His repertory included principal roles in Mark Annear’s Mendelssohn
Concerto, Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto, Kirk Peterson’s Eyes That Gently Touch,
Robert Hill’s Piano Concerto #2 and Barry Moreland’s Fearful Symmetries. In March
2004, Stearns appeared with Kylie Minogue in her music video Chocolate. Upon
graduating, with honors, from The Royal Ballet School, he received, for the second year,
the Dame Ruth Railton Award for excellence in dance.

Stearns joined American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company (now ABT II) in
September 2004, the main Company as an apprentice in January 2005 and became a
member of the corps de ballet in January 2006. He was appointed a Soloist in January
2009. His repertory with the Company includes The Awakening Pas de Deux, Solor in
La Bayadère, Conrad in Le Corsaire, Basilio in Don Quixote, Oberon in The Dream,
Her Lover in Jardin aux Lilas, Armand Duval in Lady of the Camellias, The Prince in
The Nutcracker, Romeo and Paris in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Désiré in The Sleeping
Beauty, Prince Siegfried and von Rothbart (Act III) in Swan Lake, James in La Sylphide,
Orion and Apollo in Sylvia, leading roles in Allegro Brillante, Études and Everything
Doesn’t Happen at Once, and roles in The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Citizen, Drink To
Me Only With Thine Eyes, The Leaves Are Fading, Overgrown Path and Rabbit and
Rogue. Stearns created roles in From Here On Out and One of Three.
Stearns was the recipient of the 2009 Erik Bruhn Prize for best male dancer.

Some ABT Superguests this year will be Alina Cojocaru, Natalia Osipova and Polina Semionova along with the usual superlist of ABT regulars--another good case for moving to NYC.

Bravo ABT !

I'm not sure it's so good, Buddy. Don't get me wrong - as I've written in reviews many times,Osipova's a world-class dancer who will continue to get even better in coming years, and it's no surprise that she's back. And I've pushed to have ABT bring Cojocaru to NY more frequently than once every six to eight years or so (and complained about that just last season), and voila. [I'm sure it's been in the works for awhile, but I had no idea.] I didn't know who Semionova is, but since reading of her signing I've checked her out, and I'm salivating already. I'm sure, from what I've seen online, that she'll be great, New York will love her, and her ABT Met performances will sell out (the question is not whether I should line up for standing room, but whether I should bring a sleeping bag and camp out a night or two before each of her performances).

But that's not the point. I wrote awhile back that ABT is like the New York Yankees of ballet. If they don't have what they need, they buy it. While that's not necessarily a bad thing (I like being able to see The Best), I'd also like to see ABT do a better job of nurturing home-grown talent and promoting from within. Opportunities for soloists to perform lead roles are, at best, rare, and virtually non-existent for corps dancers. I'm aware that perhaps the strings are beginning to loosen, and that Yuriko Kajiya, Hee Seo, Stella Abrera and Maria Riccetto are getting some opportunites (each getting a single lead in a single matinee performance). But any such opportunities become even more rare when ABT invites guests to dance lead roles in order to sell tickets (or, for the other side of the argument, to present The Best), and if recent history is an indication of the future, these one-shot matinee opportunities will remain one-shot opportunties.

Years ago, ABT actually nurtured and promoted corps dancers to soloists, and solists to principals. Some advancement was relatively meteoric, some took a longer period of time. But such development happened - in front of our eyes. We don't see that anymore, and I don't think it's because the talent isn't there - it's because nurturing and developing is far less important now than selling tickets. And the end result of all this is more importing of talent, because the necessary development (and accompanying public acceptance and enthusiasm) never happens...and tickets need to be sold.

Hi balletomaniac. Good to hear from you as usual.

You are much more familiar with ABT than I am, so I really appreciate your point of view. I also would hope that the soloists and corps members get as much of a chance for exposure and advancement as possible and that this is accomplished in a balanced manner that you and other lovers of ABT feel is fair to everybody.

I can speak for myself for the moment. I love to see 'stars' and they get me and others into the theater to begin with, which is probably a good thing for everyone. Once in the theater we have a chance to see a lot more than that and this can increase our appreciation for everyone performing.

One quick example. I went to see an ABT "Giselle" specifically to view Veronika Part as Myrtha. I loved her as usual, but turned out to be absolutely blown-away by what I thought was one of the best Giselles that I've ever seen (!) performed by Irina Dvorovenko.

So let's see what the future offers and hope that everyone benefits.