And so it begins… the 2014-2015 season of ballet is coming up, literally just a few months away which means two things: pre-ticket sales, and promotions. Okay, so if you don’t know the ballet calendar it goes something like the following, it kind of mirrors the academic school year:
2014 September – November (Fall/Winter Season)
2014 December – (Nutcracker Season)
2015 January – Mid March (Audition Season, for those who are going to summer programs or looking to join a company.)
2015 January – May (Spring Season)
2015 June – August (Summer Programs for those who are still students, and off season for those in a company, or touring season)
A large company will go through 8-20 different programs a season, a regional company may go through 4 programs. A program is basically a run of a ballet, like a mini show. For example: Nutcracker is a program which might run from November-December and have various casts.
Now, to the actual post… the 2014-2015 season has been announced across the board and well there are some pretty awesome things planned across the world in terms of ballet. American Ballet Theatre, also known as ABT is celebrating their 75 anniversary. For those NYCB (New York City Ballet) fans, a huge season is planned with tons of new premiers, as well as the retiring of the legendary Wendy Whelan. Oregon Ballet Theatre hits their 25th anniversary. Paris Opera Ballet is staging a massive repertory, like always. This time under Natalie Portman’s baby daddy Benjamin Millepied as director of dance…. If you haven’t purchased your season tickets, now is the time to do it, as they are discounted greatly.
Now it is time for the rant…. This was all started because Royal Ballet, that is housed at Covent Garden in London, released their promotions list, and to my surprise on the new hires… Natalia Osipova. Don’t get me wrong, I love her. She is a beast. She is crazy talented and beautiful. I just saw her and Ivan at OCPAC. Super beautiful… BUUUUUT really Royal Ballet? There are so many talented individuals in your company who have been waiting to be promoted… my personal favorite Yuhui Choe, and I am just not saying this because she is Korean. And yes, I was totally rooting for Hee Seo at ABT. Regardless, Royal Ballet, that holds their nose in the air to most ballet pedagogies, who prides themselves on being a part of tradition just sold out… The hiring of ballet superstars isn’t to increase the artists creativity, the reality is, it is to increase revenue sales (which I get, I am a business man). I am not blaming anyone in particular, aka the board, the politics within the company, I am actually blaming the artistic director… It is sad that an artistic director doesn’t have faith in their company members to be brilliant enough to fill seats. Shame on you. Kevin McKenzie at ABT, I have been over you since I was like 12. Now Royal Ballet’s fresh from 2012, Kevin O’Hare… that is just so depressing. Boo on you. I am totally bashing Royal Ballet right now because their lack of faith in their company members. This in turn goes into my praise to artistic director’s at Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and I hope they make bigger Ballet Arizona. It is sad to think that in order to become a principal dancer you will have to change companies. Whether this is to step down a little and go to a smaller company, or to “trade” companies like a baseball player. How can you cultivate talent, and grow as an artist if you are never given the chance to prove yourself. And when you do get that chance, if you are torn apart by a critic, your chance will be shot to hell? (aka Sascha Redetsky, Jared Mathews, Stella Abrera, Kristi Boone, okay so maybe all of the older soloists at ABT..)
3 responses to “The 2014-2015 season… well the ballet season…”
Do you think this is why there were a few promotions at ABT this season? One happens to be an old classmate of mine. I was surprised that Boyleston was promoted after not a single critic that I read, myself included, enjoyed her Gamzatti. I’m happy that Roman is finally beinf moved up to soloist, after dancing featured or principal roles for years. I love your writing by the way, it’s readable, informative, educated, and opinionated- a rare combination! your fan- jess from Bodies Never Lie
Thank you for commenting, and thank you for the gracious comments. To address the ABT issues, yes. It is why Irina and Maxim left. Isabella Boyleston is actually a phenomenal dancer, and as she may not be a gamzatti, she is definitely an odette. (Please read my type casting post to understand.) If you are talking about new promotions, specifically addressing Christine, her promotion was well deserved, and she did need to learn how to be in the corps. When doing the competition track, you are only taught now to carry a variation, not an entire ballet, nor how to understand the corps’ relationship to the principal leads. In edition, I actually know both women you are referencing and have followed their careers since we were young. Christine is definitely going to become a principal in the next five years, but to be a principal a certain maturity is needed… you have to carry an entire ballet, not just a 1 and a half minute variation. I will post more about ranks etc. soon! Thanks for the comments.
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