The 2013-2014 has been announced, and the season book released - some thoughts on the program and departures.

It appears that Tina Højlund has indeed retired - she is not listed in the new season's book. I do hope she has or will get a special on stage send off as she is one of the company's great treasures. Otherwise there do not seem to be any departures (at least determined by the publication date of the book) other than Shelby Elsbree who left in March.

The guest companies this year in the Mariinsky (!!) and DDT. The year's program, unfortunately, seems to show the effects of cut budgets and trying to lure people in with full length ballets. Only one real mixed bill other than the Corpus evenings, which is a shame because the company has done some wonderful mixed bills and can attract top choreographers. And while I think the Balanchine & Naharin are great for the company, Grand Pas Classique is questionable. There are enough classic pdd in the full lengths, and the company really doesn't have any dancers whose niche is 'Gorsky 'show off''. I'd have rather seen another neoclassical or modernish choreographer represented such as Wheeldon or Forsythe or MacGregor etc.

Program

Regular Audience Productions

Interregnum - performance by Corpus, a company made up of RDB dancers
Come Fly Away - full evening production by Twlya Tharp (I assume based on the musical of the same name)
Dance to Go - (mixed bill): Symphony in Three Movements, Minus 7, Grand Pas Classique
242 Years in Tights: an evening dedicated to the character dancers, with members of Corpus
Nutcracker - Balanchine version
Napoli - Hübbe's production
Manon
La Bayadere
Twelth Night - choreography by Hübbe for aspirants and young corps dancers
Same, Same But Different - full evening production by Corpus with guest artists


Children's Productions
Fabelmagerum - ballet choreographed by dancer Esther Lee Wilkson for children