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New York City Ballet's long awaited return to Britain after 16 years is finally here! Their flying visit opens tomorrow with a matinee (some tickets still available at several price ranges from £38 to £75 ; a few returns for tomorrow night and Friday night currently available at the time of typing). There's already some discussion of the programme - consisting of Rotunda by Justin Peck, Duo Concertant by Balanchine, Gustave le Gray no 1 by Pam Tanowitz and Love Letter (On Shuffle) by Kyle Abraham - on the News thread and NYCB Winter Season 2024 thread but for future searches and to avoid confusion with the discussions about New York performances I've started this one here. Merde to all the dancers, musicians and staff coming and looking forward to meeting the new talents and seeing familiar faces! Also looking forward to reading members' reactions after watching our visitors from across the Atlantic.

I’m back in NYC for yesterday’s premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s first creation as Artist in Residence: SOLITUDE, to two short pieces of Mahler symphonies (a funerary march to Symph 1 and the lyrical adagietto from Symph 5). The curtain rises on a darkly miserable street, a father holding the hand of his perished young son. Corps dancers as Spirits of Death move about the duo…joined by amazing soloists such as Sarah Mearns in blueish silk as a bright angel and Mira Nadon, in jet black, as a dark spirit. Their partners Takahashi and Chan were equally impressive. As the grieving father, Joseph Gordon completed the ballet with a fluid solo, wishing for a restful finale in the future (and who knows when that may be?). Needless to say, as a lyrical poem on Russia’s tragic assault on Ukraine, this is a far cry from Harlequinade. Not a Har-Dee-Har moment. Large standing ovation to the company & its creators, Ratmansky bowing in his sneakers outfit…not waving a Ukrainian flag this time…it wasn’t needed. p.s. But we were treated to cookies decorated with the 🇺🇦 flag in the First Tier promenade.

Good to see this: People on this forum have often expressed their disappointment at not being able to see NYCB and/or Balanchine, so it's good to have the opportunity.

Hi all, Excitingly I'm off to New York in May, and needless to say will be taking out a second mortgage on my legs to see NYCB perform while I'm in town. Only problem is, I want to see three performances. While I'm sorting out the whole not-having-won-the-National-Lottery-yet issue with Camelot I can't really plump for top seats for all three, so does anyone have any suggestions for a decent balance of good seats at the David H. Koch Theater that don't cost the earth? I'd also welcome tips for fun things to do while in NYC! Oh, and if we have any members on the forum in NY who fancy meeting up and saying hello, I'll be flying solo and am always up for meeting fellow balletomane forumites. Thanks!

2021 DIGITAL SEASON Just announced today, New York City Ballet is creating several new works and special programs for digital release this winter and spring. Following is an overview of this exciting programming with more on our winter activities below. All performance streams and Inside NYCB presentations will be available free of charge. Visit our website for complete details and The New York Times for additional coverage. FEB 23 - MAR 18 Three Sides of Balanchine We’re kicking off an array of programming with a three-week series exploring the narrative, classical, and neoclassical aspects of George Balanchine’s choreography as represented by Prodigal Son, Theme and Variations, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto, a group of works spanning more than 40 years of creation. Scroll down for the schedule of events, including virtual workshops and onstage presentations. MAR 9 A Parting Pas de Trois This year’s virtual version of the Company’s Annual Luncheon fundraising event will honor three NYCB principal dancers who will retire during the 21-22 performance season. During the program, Maria Kowroski, Ask la Cour, and Gonzalo Garcia will each perform an excerpt from a work closely associated with their NYCB careers and participate in a conversation with NYCB Board Member Donya Archer Bommer, which will also feature performance clips from the dancers’ repertory. Event tickets starting at $350 are available online; for more information, please contact NYCB Special Events at specialevents@nycballet.com. APR 8-22 Kyle Abraham World Premiere Choreographer Kyle Abraham returns to premiere his third creation for NYCB, beginning with a three-week COVID-compliant residency bubble at the Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, NY. Subsequently, his new work will be filmed onstage at the David H. Koch Theater and digitally released in early spring. MAY 6-20 Spring Gala featuring Justin Peck World Premiere NYCB's first-ever virtual gala will take place May 5, highlighted by a world premiere from NYCB Resident Choreographer Justin Peck, who is creating a solo for Principal Dancer Anthony Huxley to a string quartet arrangement of Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, along with excerpts of ballets by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins newly filmed for the occasion. The gala program will be digitally released on May 6 and available to view free of charge for two weeks. Gala tickets, including an opportunity to mingle with Company artists online, start at $2,500; for more information, please contact NYCB Special Events at specialevents@nycballet.com. INSIDE NYCB: TUESDAYS AT 8 PM Inside NYCB presentations corresponding with each week's featured ballet will release on three consecutive Tuesdays, starting with Prodigal Son on February 23. Principal Dancer Russell Janzen hosts these onstage rehearsal sessions and conversations with NYCB artists and repertory directors, offering unique access and insights into each work. These events will be available to stream for nine days after airing. PERFORMANCE STREAMS: THURSDAYS AT 8 PM Performance streams of complete ballets begin February 25 with Prodigal Son, a narrative work from 1929. The following two weeks will feature the virtuosic 1947 showpiece Theme and Variations on March 4 and Balanchine’s 1972 neoclassical masterpiece Stravinsky Violin Concerto on March 11. These streams will be available for one week after they air. Access both the Inside NYCB presentations and performance streams on YouTube and our website as of their respective 8 PM airings. New episodes arrive beginning Monday, February 22, exploring Prodigal Son, Theme and Variations, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto as part of the Three Sides of Balanchine series. But you don't have to wait – binge a variety of chats before the next episodes are released. For the practical minded .... There might be some interest in the activities below ... WINTER VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS Warm up with movement workshops for participants of all ages and ability levels. Dancers from across the Company's roster lead these lively classes, which are livestreamed via Zoom. Tickets are available now. FEB 22 – MAR 8 Ballet Essentials Online for Teens and Adults of All Levels These hour-long, open-level workshops every Monday at 6:30 PM EST include a ballet warm-up, choreography inspired by Company repertory, and an interactive Q&A with the hosting dancer. Tickets: $0, $10, and $15 FEB 24 – MAR 10 Signature Steps for Experienced Teens and Adults For intermediate- to advanced-level teen and adult dancers, these one-hour sessions every Wednesday at 6:30 PM EST feature a barre and abridged center work exploring George Balanchine's signature aesthetic. Tickets: $30 FEB 25 – MAR 11 Access Workshops for Teens and Adults with Disabilities Movers of all ability levels are invited to join a different Company dancer each week at these hour-long workshops every Thursday at 6 PM EST. Attendees will be led in a warm-up and choreography inspired by NYCB's repertory, with modifications and movement options offered for all. Tickets: $0 and $15 FEB 27 – MAR 13 Ballet Breaks for Children (Ages 3-8) Get your tiny dancer moving with these 30-minute sessions each Saturday at 11 AM EST. Our young fans will explore basic ballet concepts and learn a new dance together each week. Tickets: $0, $8, $12 FEB 27 – MAR 13 Access Workshops for Children with Disabilities Lively movement workshops designed especially for children with disabilities, these 45-minute sessions every Saturday at 12 PM EST include modifications and movement options to accommodate all little movers. Tickets: $0 and $10 Ticket sales for a series of spring virtual workshops, running May 3-22, will open at a later time.

I am a subscriber for the very interesting Interview series/website "The Talks". Subscription is for free, and they have lots of interviews with artists of all kind, so I recommend to check their site out. Today, I got the link to an interview with Tiler Peck. What made me gasp is the following she said about becoming a dancer: "I think the hard work definitely paid off. My grandmother drove me three hours to dance and three hours back from age six to age 11. I would do my school work in the car on the way there and then get home at like 11 o'clock at night, five days a week for many years." Grandmother...hats off to you!❤️ Link: https://the-talks.com/interview/tiler-peck/

The Allegro Youtube link is here. What a way to start the day. A defining reason for a 72 hour smile .... (Well, for me at any rate )

NEW YORK CITY BALLET As New York City Ballet continues to prioritize the health and well-being of our patrons, artists, staff, and the community at large, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Spring Season in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. While we are deeply saddened that the Company’s artistry will not be seen on stage this spring, the current pandemic has left us with no other choice. The cancellation will include all performances and events, including the May 7 Spring Gala, as well as the Company’s public programming, which includes Workshops, Inside NYCB, and Family Saturdays. We will be reaching out to all spring ticket holders with further instructions shortly. As a result of the Spring Season cancellation, NYCB projects a loss of approximately $8 million through June 30 alone. We will need the support of our audiences and patrons more than ever, as the impact of this crisis on the wellbeing of our company of 100 dancers, 62 musicians, and over 200 administrative and theater staff will be significant. We have established a special Relief Fund to ensure the Company’s future and offer immediate support to our NYCB family during this challenging time. We hope you will consider making a gift to the Relief Fund today. MAKE A GIFT TO NYCB'S RELIEF FUND We are grateful for your dedication to the Company – our incredible artists, iconic repertory, and commitment to new work – and we look forward to the time when we can return to the stage and share the beauty and joy of NYCB with audiences of all ages. Katherine E. Brown Executive Director Jonathan Stafford Artistic Director Wendy Whelan Associate Artistic Director

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/28/arts/dance/in-city-ballet-shake-up-one-dancer-out-and-two-suspended.html

For those interested in reading it, I've written a review of the NYCB performance I saw last night. I left the show feeling a bit ambiguous, appreciative of their technical abilities and at the same time lacking an emotional response to what I saw.

I had the fortune of being in New York to see two of NYCB's programs and I wrote reviews on both of them - Jewels and All Balanchine. I would love to hear your opinions, especially about Symphony in C because it's a ballet that I wanted to like but just didn't. Do I give it another chance?

New York City Center, as part of its 75th anniversary, has announced a series of events throughout the coming year. I noticed from October 31 until November 4 a series of performances dedicated to Balanchine - the City Center Years (City Ballet were resident at City Center for 15 or 16 years before moving to State and Balanchine created many works for the company on that stage). There are several participating companies listed including the Royal Ballet (others include, as well as NYCB, Paris, Joffrey, Miami and the Mariinsky). As the Royal are due to be performing Mayerling and Bayadere at the opera house that week, I assume that the Royal's participation must be limited to a couple of dancers sent over to perform, say, a pas de deux. Does anyone with a greater knowledge of the company know what the intentions are? It's only five days of performances, but it looks potentially very interesting.

This is an update of a previous topic but I'm starting a new one as the title of the first one focused on the possible participation of ENB, which is not now taking place; will moderators amend it if necessary. The website of La Seine Musicale, the venue for the Paris summer dance festival this year, now lists the companies and ballets to be performed in June. Programme 1: June 25-27 Programme 2 : June 28-30 Miami City Ballet :In the Night : Miami City Ballet : In the Night NYCB : Dances at a Gathering :Pacific North West : Opus 19/The Dreamer Joffrey: Interplay : Miami City Ballet :Other Dances NYCB : Suite of Dances : Perm Opera Ballet Theatre :Four Seasons So ENB will not be involved. But at least they are doing The Cage at Sadler's Wells whereas the Royal are not doing any Robbins this season, not even Fancy Free in the Bernstein triple. At the same venue, July 3-7, Pacific North West will be presenting 2 programmes of ballets by contemporary choreographers including Pite, Jessica Lang, Forsythe, Millepied, Tharp

Long shot I know... but I find myself in possession of two tickets to the opening night of NYCB's winter season on Tuesday, which I can sadly no longer attend. Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at 7:30 PM Venue: David H. Koch Theater Programme: ALL BALANCHINE NO. 1 Apollo: Chase Finlay, Sterling Hyltin, Ashley Bouder, Lauren Lovette Mozartiana: Maria Kowroski, Tyler Angle, Daniel Ulbricht Cortège Hongrois: Sara Mearns, Russell Janzen, Lauren King, Emilie Gerrity, Savannah Lowery, Ask la Cour Seats: 2nd ring, D17 and D15 Tickets can be picked up at the Box Office on the night and are $80 each. If anyone would be interested, or knows anyone in NY who might be, please let me know! Thanks

Paris Opera Ballet and The Bolshoi are to collaborate with New York City Ballet in 5 performances next summer, 20-23 July 2017, to celebrate 50 years of Balanchine's trilogy Jewels. POB will dance Emeralds, NYCB Rubies and the Bolshoi Diamonds. Later in the run NYCB and the Bolshoi will swap. Each company will use it's own costumes, so Lacroix for POB, Karinska for NYCB and Zaitseva for The Bolshoi. Should be a fantastic treat to see this!! http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/30/arts/dance/celebrating-balanchines-jewels-with-an-international-flair.html?smid=tw-nytimesarts&smtyp=cur

It has been reported in Paris that the performances already announced for New York of 3 national companies performing the three ballets of Jewels, will be reprised in September, opening the Paris season with Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet and the Bolshoi respectively dancing Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds

NYCB start their residence at the Theatre Chatelet in Paris this week. The Principal castings have been announced as follows:- Week 1 https://www.nycballet.com/NYCB/media/NYCBMediaLibrary/PDFs/Press/Casting/NYCB-Casting_Paris-June-28-July-2-2016_062216.pdf Week 2 https://www.nycballet.com/NYCB/media/NYCBMediaLibrary/PDFs/Press/Casting/NYCB-Casting_Paris-July-4-9-2016.pdf Week 3 https://www.nycballet.com/NYCB/media/NYCBMediaLibrary/PDFs/Press/Casting/NYCB-Casting_Paris-July-11-16-2016_062216.pdf If anyone is going perhaps you can comment here. I am seeing 3 performances.