|
DAVID HALLBERG |
PLEASE excuse the blurry photos, although some come across as interesting. It might be time to invest in a better camera. My birthday IS coming up!
Maria Ricetto’s bluebird costume
Polonaise couples in ACT III
ACT III costume close up
A morphed Maria
On looking couples
Another onlooker, from the wings
Lyric Opera House
|
MATTHEW MURPHY |
(Jennifer backstage at City Center in 2006.)
Yesterday morning, the dance world awoke to devastating news; Jennifer Alexander, beloved dancer with American Ballet Theatre, had passed away in a car accident. In the hours following the news, we all struggled to make sense of something that seemed unfathomable. An event this tragic will never make sense to anyone. It brings with it the never-ending question, why?
The only thing we are sure of is that after thirteen years dancing with the company, her presence will be missed more than words can express.
Since I joined the company in 2004, I had the privilege of working alongside Jennifer in the corps. She was always an exemplary corps member and taught all of us so much. She treated her job with the utmost importance, and was a warm and loving presence in the studio. Her radiant smile, and delicate features lit up the room whenever she walked in. On stage, her professionalism and dedication showed in every single role she performed.
Her untimely passing will affect everyone differently, but it’s a reminder to all of us that life is a precious gift that we all need to cherish every moment of. Jennifer did exactly that. In the past few years, she achieved a level of happiness that made her glowing presence even more luminous. Her marriage to fellow corps member Julio Bragado-Young this past July left her happier than her friends had ever seen her.
I recently wrote about the corps of a company being likened to a well-oiled machine. We lost one of our strongest parts, and we will never be the same way again. In some ways we will move on, simply because we have to. In so many other ways we will never be able to accept this. There is no way to accept something as horrible as what has happened.
After talking with ABT, as well as Kristin and David, we all agreed that we wanted to have a place for everyone to share memories of the wonderful life that Jennifer lived. Many of you may have only seen her on stage, some of you may have known her personally; whatever your relationship to this wonderful woman, please share your memories here.
As we all try to make sense of this loss, please keep Julio and his family, as well as the Alexander’s in your thoughts and prayers.
ABT will be dedicating all of the performances of “The Nutcracker” in Washington D.C. to Jennifer’s memory.
(Jennifer in “Giselle.” Photo by Marty Sohl.)
(Jennifer and Julio in Swan Lake. Photo by Rosalie O’ Connor.
|
|
DAVID HALLBERG |
As the City Center season winded down and ABT went on a week tour to Berkeley, CA, bringing some of the rep. that we did in NYC, the dancers then embarked on a four week lay off. My travels brought me all over the country, and then to Europe for a week of preparations for an upcoming debut.
The week in Berkeley was filled not only with performing repetoire that I enjoy very much, Ballo Della Regina and Benjamin Millepied’s From Here on Out, but also all the advantages that Northern California can bring. I had a wonderful meal at Chez Panisse, hailed as one of the best restaurants in the country, and soaked up some great art, the photography especially interesting, at San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA).
Outside my house, Camelback Mountain
With the tour finished and with the reason that I don’t get home to Phoenix as often as I would like, I spent a quick 48 hours being pampered by the ‘rents’ as only ‘rents’ could do. But most importantly, seeing my BEAUTIFUL GOLDENS, as I have shared with you in past enteries.
On to Minneapolis, where I spent another 48 hours gawking at the architecturally stunning Walker Art Center, newly redone by Herzog and De Meuron, the same architects that completed the refurbishment of the De Young Museum in San Fran, as Sloan pointed out on a recent visit. I had a much anticipated meeting with a very well respected artist that might possibly turn into a future project. We shall see…
The Opera House in Amsterdam
I only stopped over in New York, to do a little laundry and re pack my bags, to go onto Amsterdam for a week. Guillaume Graffin, a former Paris Opera trained and 17 year principal/ballet master with ABT, moved to Amsterdam 2 years ago and joined the Dutch National Ballet as ballet master. When he was working over at ABT, we formed a certain bond in the studio… he having coached me in my first full length ballet with the company, Swan Lake. I have always wanted to go over there and work with him, continuing my desire to learn from him as an artist, and I finally had the free time to do so. I am going to debut Giselle in the spring, with none other than Stella Abrera, GORGEOUS dancer with the company, dancing the lead. One of Guillaume’s great roles was Albrecht in Giselle, and I found the opportunity of him passing on his expertise to a fresh Albrecht something that I couldn’t pass up.
Guillaume in Giselle
The week was an intense one, mainly just talking about the character of Albrecht, and dissecting what to portray through out the story. Guillaume is such an intuitive artist, that I can only try and absorb what he tells me ‘he did’ or chose ‘not to do’ when he was dancing the role. It will take much more preparation for the actual debut but it was really nice to break the ice with someone I respect so much.
And that leads me here… back home, working on more preparations for the Met Season, and at my computer, finally with internet service and The WInger.
|
|
DAVID HALLBERG |
Thanks to budding photographer Matt Murphy, some shots were caught as I cooled down after a puffy Ballo della Regina, this weekend. Due to injury, I filled in for two extra shows of this ballet, which gave me six ballets to dance in two days, matinee and evening performances. It was an unusual circumstance but one I took with a strong mind set that I could get through it. And I did, and now I’m home HURTING but well worth it…
Notice the shot under this, Matt shooting away in the back ground.
|
SANDI DEGEORGE |
No Picture to go with this post, but I have been terrified to try to get back to class- sooo out of shape. I haven’t stepped foot into STEPS on Broadway since I was going to PCS, and that’s a LONG time ago. So, a friend recommended Kathy Sullivan’s beginner class (I want to get in good enough shape to take from Judy Rice!) and I went last week. I could barely walk all weekend, but I went back today, and already felt better. Kathy is great for adults without much childhood training, because she really has eagle eyes about bad habits and will not let you get away with them.
Anyway, the point of this post is really what happens after my class, which is a go stare at the real dancers.. Gelsey Kirkland was subbing today, so I perched in the doorway and watched Julie Kent, Damien Woetzel, Dena Abergel (who I graduated with, but I doubt would remember me) etc.. doing beautiful adagio. I recognized some other faces, but couldn’t place names. Then changed next to Tess Reichlen in the dressing room, which will probably make you NYCB-ers laugh that this is a big deal to me. I feel like I know you guys from reading all your post. I almost introduced myself, but then I though.. hmm.. does Tess read The Winger? Another girl there was talking to Tess about Gwyneth and lunch and it made me giggle. I am so in awe of the discipline it takes to be a professional dancer. I mean, singing takes discipline too, but it is nowhere near as demanding in my opinion.
I am just amused at myself for being so enamored with the process that you guys live every day, especially after meeting fans/audience members who felt that way about what I do.
That’s all! 
| 
| Posted by David
Hallberg
So… The season has officially finished and we are now touring in California, OH sunny CA!!!
It was a busy, fulfilling season, sprinkled with some pleasant surprises, and not shy of much hard, grueling work.
Some highlights included:
1) Dancing almost my whole season with the incomparable Gillian Murphy. From Romeo, The Dream, Othello, Swan Lake to Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. It was and is always a joy to work with her.
2) Doing Sleeping Beauty with Diana Vishneva. She is in her own right, a truly individual artist, which I can only learn from.
3) Making my debut as Solar in La Bayadere… One of the hardest classical roles for the male and working with Natasha Makarova.
4) Lastly and most importantly… seeing Ferri’s farewell to the stage with ABT. An ABT farewell is like nothing else, and seeing someone like Alex retire is truly unique.
Here are just a few photos to re cap the season…
The Met on the opening. Gearing up for two months of fatigue.
A rare photo before my second performance of The Dream.
A side view of the Met with Avery Fisher straight ahead. I love the geometry of the buildings. Very 60’s..
And lastly, Ferri stands alone on the Met stage, taking her final bows, with the company in the wings.
Delicious/tag/wingmark
