Archive for american ballet theatre
June 1, 2008 at 10:54 pm · Filed under ballet, dance, new york city ballet, dancers, media, video, podcast, SUSAN, dance and technology, abt, youtube, myspace, companies, marketing, dance companies, dance online, american ballet theatre, so you think you can dance, internet
The Arts & Music section of today’s Los Angeles Times takes a look at the growing popularity of Internet publicity among dancers and dance companies.
The YouTube video that seems to have prompted the article:
The connection between the video above and the rest of the article is, to me, a little fuzzy. Overall, though, the article is pretty neat. Especially cool is that Looseleaf recognizes certain notables, including Daniil Simkin, Rolando Sarabia, Anaheim Ballet, Grover Dale’s Answers4Dancers and, of course, New York City Ballet’s website and YouTube channel. (Congrats, Kristin!)
The full text of the article follows below for anyone who might be interested. Take a read!
My favourite quote: Asked what company co-founder and choreographer George Balanchine would have thought about the Internet, [NYCB’s General Manager Ken] Tabachnick replies, “He was an innovator. Balanchine loved change and didn’t shy away from new things. I imagine he would have loved it.”
:-)
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Recent Posts by susan kim
May 25, 2008 at 9:52 pm · Filed under dance, DAVID, metropolitan opera, david hallberg, american ballet theatre
Friday night’s Corsaire felt better than the first in some regards. It felt more free and ‘bigger’ (meaning bigger motions, gestures etc). Michele and I had a nice second act and as usual, she was fouette-ing up a storm (consecutive turns en pointe that the ballerina does usually at the end of a piece). The audience went mad for her.
(Act 1 Corsaire backdrop)
I thought I would share a little trick of the trade to you all. I’m not one to put up just a picture of a rose, but this is one Michele gave me at the end of the performance during the bows. IF and only IF the ballerina wants to give a rose to her partner, strictly optional, there is always one set on top of the bouquet for her to effortlessly pluck away… and is always indicated with a ribbon so she can pick it out.
Sometimes the flower isn’t set aside and the ballerina struggles to set one free, usually ending up in a tug of war in front of thousands. Its quite funny when that happens. She usually looks at you after as if to say… “I tried, but couldn’t set one free!”
(note the ribbon for easy plucking access)
Tricks of the trade!
On to Swan Lake this coming week.
Recent Posts by david hallberg
April 24, 2008 at 1:17 pm · Filed under dance, DAVID, american ballet theater, david hallberg, american ballet theatre
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
Recent Posts by david hallberg
March 10, 2008 at 11:34 pm · Filed under dance, DAVID, david hallberg, american ballet theatre
Sascha Radetsky has written a stellar article in this week’s Newsweek that deals with the stereotype of the male dancer, and the pre-conceived notions that surround the profession.
How do you all feel about the ’stereotype’ of the male dancer? Do they embody strength and power, or the opposite?
I personally feel that the profession has made me stronger, physically and emotionally, than any other profession would have. The dedication, discipline, and sheer strength you need, topped off with the look of ease on stage, cancels out many men. And as Sascha put it “fus[ing] dynamic movement and storytelling with the grandeur of a full live orchestra.”
How many people can say that about their jobs?
Sascha can.
© Nathan Perkel for Newsweek
Don’t Judge Me By My Tights
Being a male dancer means battling many stereotypes. But the rewards of my job are limitless.
By Sascha Radetsky | NEWSWEEK
Mar 17, 2008 Issue | Updated: 1:15 p.m. ET Mar 8, 2008
My business attire is a pair of tights. All right, there it is. I wear makeup onstage, and some of my colleagues are gay. Can we move on now? Can we leave behind the tired male-ballet-dancer stigma—that ballet is not a masculine pursuit—in order to move toward an appreciation of the athleticism and artistry involved in this line of work?
On an average day at the job, I handle lithe, lovely women, engage in duels and delight in the experience of an exotic locale. I move like a gymnast or martial artist and embody the vilest of pimps or the most chivalrous and passionate of lovers. I constantly expand the borders of my physical capabilities, and I hone my mind to a quick-learning, focused edge. Come 8 p.m., I’ll fuse dynamic movement and storytelling with the grandeur of a full live orchestra.
Yes, I’m proud of my profession. Yet I find myself slightly guarded when I tell people what I do. Like some sort of incurable blight, the male-dancer stereotype has taken root and metastasized in our cultural consciousness. Pioneers like Baryshnikov or Nureyev might have opened some minds, but their days have long passed, and despite the noble efforts of a handful of current ballet leaders to expose fresh audiences to our art form, a whole new generation looks at male dancing with skewed vision. Some of my peers are foreigners; in many other countries male dancers are held in higher esteem. I studied in Russia for a year and always marveled at the way Russians celebrated their artists, whether their medium was dance, music or the written word. But I’m American, and I want to live in my own country, as a dancer, with some respect.
The most irritating aspect of the male-dancer stereotype is the underlying insinuation that we in some way lack strength of character or a courageous spirit. Male and female, all dancers undergo strenuous training from a very young age, and constantly wrestle with injuries and fatigue. But male dancers must possess a special type of will and fortitude if they are to become professionals, for, like fish swimming upstream, we have to fight through the current of thinly veiled contempt that much of society harbors for our chosen path. In our culture, girls are encouraged to take ballet; boys receive no such endorsement, except of course from ballet teachers or exceptionally supportive parents. The boy who perseveres in dance must have a genuine hunger for it, must be uniquely motivated and dedicated, and must develop a truly thick skin.
I started taking ballet when I was 5. My open-minded parents thought it was a good way to channel my rambunctious behavior. A few years later I was hooked. I loved the physicality and, of course, the girls, but I also learned that not everyone recognized the value of dance the way I did. I don’t remember the first fight I got into for being a kid who took ballet, but I remember fighting a lot before I realized that maybe I should keep my extracurricular activities to myself. But ballet was rewarding enough to be worth a fat lip or a black eye, and I emerged from my years of dance training more focused than ever. My background is not unusual among my American colleagues—they share similar stories of discouragement, harassment and even violence. But these experiences served to harden resolve and develop courage, and I know I can always count on several of my dancer buddies for steadfast support—they got my back! Ironically, the stereotype of the sissy male dancer has given rise to a male dancer who is anything but.
It’s frustrating that I feel obliged to extol the virtues and describe the rigors of my profession. I’d just like to make it known that the path of the male dancer isn’t necessarily easy—as with any truly worthwhile endeavor—but the rewards can be limitless. I feel lucky to have discovered a vocation that has allowed me to glimpse the great depth of human potential, both physical and mental, and has given me the opportunity to bring joy to so many people in so many places. I feel there is honor in the arts, in the world of dance, in the realm of male ballet dancing.
Exposure to ballet is all that is needed to open minds, for the combination of athletic movement, ardent drama and beautiful music can instill a profound appreciation in an audience. But for you out there who still feel compelled to malign male dancers with half-truths and petty stereotypes, well, maybe we need to step outside. I’ll leave my tights on.
Radetsky lives in New York City.
© 2008
Recent Posts by david hallberg
November 6, 2007 at 12:53 am · Filed under dance, rehearsal, studio, dancers, 890 broadway, photography, american ballet theatre, photographs, MATTHEW, matthew murphy
Well it seems as if the hundreds of photos I took over the past few weeks have dwindled down to this final post offering a peek inside the ABT studios. I hope that everyone has enjoyed looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking and sharing them. After having my first taste of dance photography, I can honestly say it’s one of the more difficult things I’ve ever done.
I took so many pictures during the rehearsals for Benjamin Millipied’s new ballet “From Here On Out,” but these are the final ones I have to share. If you’re on the other side of the country (to the coast where I’ll be journeying soon), you’re in luck because this piece (as well as many other fantastic rep pieces) will be performed this week in Berkeley. PICK UP YOUR TICKETS TODAY!!!
(Isabella Boylston and Hee Seo await the arrival of the blurry boys.)
(The girls during one of the large group sections.)
(Bella and Maria Ricetto await the arrival of…)
(The amazing flying Hallberg. Seriously, this ain’t right.)
(I love this picture of Hee, even though half of her arm is missing in action.)
(Thom Forster does some partnering.)
(Where did the other girl go?!)
(Simone and Bella showing of their fifth positions.)
(One of my favorite pictures. David and Bella in a flurry of movement.)
Recent Posts by matthew
October 31, 2007 at 10:40 pm · Filed under dance, rehearsal, studio, 890 broadway, photography, american ballet theatre, MATTHEW
After a few days away from my ongoing “Inside 890″ Dateline Investigation, it’s time to resume the search (for what? I’m not sure.) Hopefully everyone will agree that these photos are more of a treat than a trick, but in case you want some real Halloween action, head over to Ranting Details, where I’ve got some fun shots of the frenzy known as New York on Halloween.
Unfortunately, the performances of Stanton Welch’s “Clear” are over, but there is still time to catch ABT at City Center before they wrap things up this Sunday. Don’t miss it!
(Blaine Hoven and Alex Hammoudi go through the beautiful adagio duet.)
(Before Xiomara joins them for a little trio. No she did not fall from the ceiling like that.)
(Another moment from the trio.)
(I’m going as Sascha for Halloween, because let’s face it…my body looks exactly like that.)
(Camo+Tatoos=Rugged Mountain Man Sascha from his Trading Card days! Of course he should have an orange vest on, or he is risking being confused with the wildlife.)
(Luis Ribagorda and Gennadi Saveliev join him in the extremely difficult trio.)
(Herman makes his dramatic entrance.)
(The boys line up.)
(Cory Stearns takes some mental notes from the side…without ever forgetting to work his cheekbones for the camera.)
(Alex taking a moment on the side.)
(Xiomara in one of her solos.)
(My favorite picture of the day.)
(A little further away in the final section of the ballet.)
Recent Posts by matthew
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