Sophoife

My favourite photo there @Dawnstar is the one of Rubies, with Isobelle Dashwood towering over Brett Chynoweth (no, it's not an optical illusion). Also of course Callum Linnane, who when he was still in the school I picked as a future principal; John Neumeier agreed with me as he cast him as Vaslav in Nijinsky in only his second year with the company. Casting information and the lack thereof is a continuing shame and irritation at AusBallet. If anyone has questions about who was who, please ask one of us 🇦🇺 or of course @Bluebird who's been watching the company regularly for quite some time 😘

Oh good!

If the man in the pdt was red-headed it was Drew Hedditch, in which case the two women should be Larissa Kiyoto-Ward and Katherine Sonnekus. HTH.

Oh @Dawnstar NO!! Understandable that you wouldn't have expected it though, as the men's elite is always the last road race of Worlds but for some unknown reason this year is a whole week before the women's race! Also, I have at least two friends here who'll also sympathise. Happily however, given your alternative preoccupation, you'll be able to avoid spoilers for the race until you watch the replay 😘

Thanks @Bluebird for the question and @DD Driver for answering it! I was indeed a leetle premature about Dana Stephensen - she has danced her last Australian show but yes, London is her final appearance. It's just that my list was entirely of senior men! On a positive note, I hope everyone with tickets to the ROH AusBallet performances a) gets to the theatre (grr rail unions v rail operators) and b) enjoys the shows! Do take note of Yuumi Yamada (she's teeny tiny weeny, you can't miss her) and Drew Hedditch (red hair) in Everywhere We Go.

This thread is a shining example of why I love this forum. So many helpful, detailed answers, and all in a generous spirit (perfect for The Nutcracker)! Kudos to all xx

What really amuses me is that when they had to come up with a suitable-sounding international ballet competition for the Aussie TV "teen drama" Dance Academy, they couldn't use an existing one, so called their Genée-copy comp "The Fonteyn" 😂 There must be some fans at the RAD.

@Emeralds I do so agree with you re a third cast, but for some unknown-to-me reason what's been posted is what's been posted. Have a look at the Sydney casting for Jewels (which was performed in repertory with the contemporary Identity mixed bill) and the Melbourne casting for Jewels, where it was performed as its own season. They make interesting reading. As far as principals acting as cover for less-senior dancers, I'm sorry that what I said came across that way because it wasn't what I meant to say 😳 I think what I was trying to say was that, as they'd danced a few performances already in Australia, in case of injury or illness at least Azoury and Harris were available and present. It never even crossed my mind that they might end up replacing a corps member or a soloist 😂 - clearly I wasn't thinking coherently, sorry!

Not at this company, no. There has been a change in artistic director, and he inherited all the principals except Callum Linnane and Sharni Spencer (and was responsible for hiring Joseph Caley). I'd regard dancers such as Amber Scott, Guo Chengwu, Ako Kondo as senior principals purely based on time in role. All the 2018-19 promotees have really only danced as principals for 2-3 years now, and Azoury also took six months off to take the lead role in An American in Paris. If we look at that list I compiled, there are a number of dancers who have been elevated to senior artist by the "new" AD (Nathan Brook, Rina Nemoto, Imogen Chapman, Jill Ōgai). Since Covid and the change in AD, the company has lost principals Ty King-Wall, Kevin Jackson, Adam Bull and Andrew Killian, plus senior artists Cris Martino, Dana Stephensen and Chris Rodgers-Wilson. Martino particularly could have been a dynamic principal (not to mention sexy for 100% of the audience 🤣), but he chose to retire really quite young. Long-winded way of saying that casting under the current AD appears to be more ability- and suitability-based than seniority-based, and that's not a bad thing IMHO.

The Sphere piece in the first video @Odyssey looks as if it was always intended to be performed in a downpour! So clever! I must say, these galas are a wonderful night out. Bolle himself is smart enough to know that dancers such as Antonio Casalinho and Timofej Andrijashenko can safely be put in charge of pyrotechnics, while he himself excels at showing off his six (eight?) pack and pecs, while enhancing all his partners' abilities.

Well, injury/illness cover for Jewels, too 😉 This would, unless the company tours overseas again next year, almost certainly be Amy Harris' last tour. Dimity Azoury, as did Amy, definitely danced in Jewels in Melbourne - oh, I've just remembered, she did Emeralds with Chris Rodgers-Wilson, who has of course retired. Chris said to me after the show (which started at 6:30pm), "Never touched her in my life until 6:30 tonight!" 🤣 I think he was scheduled to have danced that show with Amber Scott.

Typical then! For once the website casting has some detail 😂

It's also interesting that the Tall Girl role in Rubies is not listed - what was the source of your post @The Sitter In? Because TAB's website does list Tall Girl, being Isobelle Dashwood for performances 1, 3 and 5, and Belle Urwin for performances 2 and 4. With regard to "top man", with the retirement of Adam Bull, there are now only four male principals at AusBallet: Caley (principal 2011), Guo Chengwu (principal 2013), Brett Chynoweth (principal 2018), and Callum Linnane (principal 2022). Caley clearly has more experience than any of the others. On stage, he also appears physically more robust! Chynoweth is relatively short, and Chen and Linnane are more tall and slim if you see what I mean. Nathan Brook is IMHO being groomed to be the next male principal. Tall, and a good partner. Marcus Morelli brilliant dancer, less good a partner, quite short. Jarryd Madden tallish, good partner, probably not principal material however much I personally like him. Jake Mangakahia tall, good partner, I don't see in him the spark that makes a principal. Mason Lovegrove I'm completely on the fence about. Rina Nemoto had the same Paris-based Japanese training as Yuhui Choe. Imogen Chapman has the potential. Jill Ōgai really really good at more contemporary stuff. Grace Carroll - she's a baby but clearly on a trajectory. Isobelle Dashwood is a wonderfully tall, elegant dancer, and Belle Urwin I did enjoy when I saw her as Tall Girl in Melbourne. Soloists named, in order of joining the company: Amy Harris - principal 2018 - joined 2002 (Mrs Jarryd Madden with two children) Sharni Spencer - principal 2022 - joined 2008 Jarryd Madden - senior artist 2017 - joined 2008 (Mr Amy Harris with two children) Guo Chengwu - principal 2013 - joined 2008 (Mr Ako Kondo with one baby) Dimity Azoury - principal 2019 - joined 2008 Brett Chynoweth - principal 2018 - joined 2009 Ako Kondo - principal 2015 - joined 2010 (Mrs Guo Chengwu with one baby) Rina Nemoto - senior artist 2022 - RB PdL 2009, TAB 2011 Imogen Chapman - senior artist 2022 - RBUS 2010, Scottish Ballet, TAB 2011 Jake Mangakahia - soloist 2018 - joined 2011 (took 2014-15 out to serve his Mormon mission) Benedicte Bemet (favourite of @Bluebird) - principal 2019 - joined 2012 Jill Ōgai - senior artist 2022 - joined 2012 Marcus Morelli - senior artist 2018 - joined 2014 Callum Linnane - principal 2022 - joined 2015 Nathan Brook - senior artist 2022 - joined 2016 after 1 year Qld Ballet young artist, 1 year QB corps Mason Lovegrove - soloist 2022 - joined 2016 Isobelle Dashwood - soloist 2021 - joined 2016 Belle Urwin - corps de ballet - joined 2020 Grace Carroll - corps de ballet - joined 2021 - daughter of surfing legend Tom Carroll No Amber Scott, currently the most experienced female principal (joined 2001, principal 2011). No Robyn Hendricks (joined 2005, principal 2016) - baby is 5-6 months old, I am told she hopes to be back for Swan Lake.

Carlos Alcaraz might be the new king of Centre Court, but in the crowd were not only the next king of the UK of GB and NI and the future king of the UK of GB and NI, but the current King of Spain. Annabel Croft waffling a lot though. I could not be happier about this win, and now even though it's after four in the morning I'm hanging around for the ladies' doubles final. C'mon Storm Hunter (yes that's her real name, she was née Sanders) and Elise Mertens!

...while I'm hoping it's Australia. 2017 the last time.

I don't know about that, but under David McAllister (for whatever reason, I don't know) the company rarely employed anyone not trained in Australia (including Japanese, New Zealand, and Chinese nationals who trained here), with the exception of a few Australians trained in the UK, Rina Nemoto who trained privately in Paris (exact same as Yuhui Choe) then was a Prix de Lausanne dancer at the Royal Ballet for a year, George-Murray Nightingale (Hammond, ENBS, ENB, National Ballet of Romania, Ballet Vlaanderen), and Yosvani Ramos 🤣 Under David Hallberg we have Brits Joseph Caley (BRB, ENB) and Elijah Trevitt (RBS), Americans Henry Berlin (SAB) and Misha Barkidjija (NBoC School, Vaganova, Mariinsky), Russian Maxim Zenin (Vaganova, Mariinsky): five new overseas-trained dancers, plus Nemoto and Nightingale, 10% of the company, which is the largest proportion of non-locally trained dancers in probably 35 years. There are 76 dancers currently listed but that includes the six leaving. Mid-year leavers this year are not going elsewhere but retiring, unlike for example Jessica Fyfe who went to Stuttgart (about to start at Scottish Ballet), Richard House to Sarasota, and Cameron Hunter to Berlin. I'd say so. I think Hallberg has the wider outlook that the company lacked somewhat in the 2010s. On the down side, we are losing experienced artists and I hope not all of the new hires will be straight out of ballet school.

Quite the clear-out at AusBallet this weekend. Following principal artist Adam Bull's retirement a couple of weeks ago, tonight no less than six experienced company members appear for the last time in Melbourne. Some of you may see some of them in London. Farewell to senior artist Dana Stephenson, mother of three, joint winner of the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award (TBDA) way back in 2010, with a smile that always lit the stage. Saddest of farewells to the divine senior artist Chris Rodgers-Wilson, who is embarking on a new chapter as a photographer. He won the TBDA in 2013, after RBS upper school, BRB for four years, then joining AusBallet in 2011. Beautiful dancer, lovely partner, shone to me particularly as Jack in Wheeldon's Alice, with Lauren Cuthbertson; Franz to Miwako Kubota's Swanhilda, specially in her final show; Levin in Anna Karenina who gets the most beautiful solo of the whole ballet; Camille inThe Merry Widow - so debonair; Romeo in the Cranko version; and a really touching Bottom in The Dream in 2015. Retiring just in time not to do Bottom again, in November this year! Soloist Jacqueline Clark who is an RBS upper school alumna, 2006 I think, and danced with the Royal Ballet 2009-2015 before coming "home", is another hanging up her pointe shoes. Coryphées Lisa Craig, Corey Herbert and Coco Mathieson are also leaving. I shall particularly miss Coco Mathieson in the more contemporary repertoire. Corey Herbert is getting married and embarking on new adventures with her husband. She was one of the company members who took leave to perform in the ensemble of and as a lead cover in An American in Paris on its Australian leg.

I am utterly shocked that Don Q standing will be £26, especially given that there are some standing places with, directly in front of them, high stools whose occupiers (through no fault of their own) completely block the view. With opera that would be okay-ish, but with ballet?! I had one of these places for my second Sleeping Beauty and the usher told me to go and find his boss to get relocated. Which I did and which worked out brilliantly, but OMG. I'm going to email the ROH myself on this count.

I have to say, if I'd been in the UK this summer, I'd have leaped at this...is there an age restriction? 🤭

At 182cm, Sangeun Lee is 5'11⅔" At 5'10", Isobelle Dashwood of AusBallet is 177.8cm The trailer in the email, I have been informed, is not specific to the livestream performance (yes, shocker, this from the company that published a DVD of the Graeme Murphy Swan Lake with Adam Bull and Amber Scott on the cover, but Robert Curran and Madeleine Eastoe actually dancing - "because Adam and Amber did the publicity photoshoot the year before" - I kid you not). Ako Kondo and Brett Chynoweth are dancing the Diamonds principal couple, just not on the livestream as it stands at the moment.

My guess there, @Angela, is that Balanchine was envious of Cranko's ability to tell a story. My long-held and often-expressed strong opinion is that Balanchine should never have been allowed to make "story ballets" - an opinion I was shocked to have challenged by my viewing of his Prodigal Son in Denver, Colorado in April. Then I reminded myself (a) it was a very early Balanchine ballet (1929) and (b) I was watching a friend in his retirement performance, and I breathed again 😂

Well, @Geoff I was in Italy the night of the coronation, but I was lucky enough to chat with Kristen McNally after the first Beauty I saw and I commented that the David McAllister production for AusBallet has a final apotheosis, much like the Royal Ballet's Cinderella, and that this [the Royal's] Beauty needed a glitter shower to top it off. Miss McNally's response: "Ooh, I love a glitter shower, me!" Then again the Queen's costume had almost sufficient glitter on its own.

Wonderful appreciation @NiniGabriel and thank you for posting. I have enduring memories of, for example, The Lady and the Fool, Onegin, Pineapple Poll, and Romeo and Juliet. AusBallet's 25th anniversary gala in 1987 was the last time Lady and the Fool in any form was seen here. Indelible memory of the artistry of Marilyn Jones OBE (47 at the time), her husband Garth Welch AM (51), and the inimitable Ray Powell (62) as La Capricciosa, Moondog and Bootface respectively. Pineapple Poll with its Gilbert and Sullivan story, and its Arthur Sullivan medley of music, is a joyful experience but, again, hasn't been seen here since about 1980. Romeo and Juliet was remounted by AusBallet in 2022 and was so beautifully danced. I'd last seen it in Stuttgart in 2017 with Elisa Badenes and David Moore, and apart from the really long Girlfriends/Bridesmaids dance (how stupid are they to think she could stay asleep during that?), I love it. After a long Cranko hiatus, Onegin was brought back in 2012 and some dancers really amazed and impressed me with their characterisations. It's no wonder that after the Paris Opéra Ballet première in 2009 both Isabelle Ciaravola (Tatiana) and Mathias Heymann (Lensky) were named étoile. I would very much like to see live The Taming of the Shrew and Initials R.B.M.E. but I'm pretty sure AusBallet will not do either!

Delayed cinemacast in Australia this weekend just gone, with a final screening coming on Wednesday. Stunning Bluebird from Joseph Sissens, and Matthew Ball and Yasmine Naghdi a beautiful partnership. It was quite different from when I saw her as Natalia Osipova's replacement with Reece Clarke in May, which of course is because she and he had never done a full-length together before and she and Mr Ball have experience as a partnership. Kristen McNally a fantastic Carabosse and Mayara Magri a really lovely Lilac Fairy. Still think the final scene needs a glitter shower.

I was in Melbourne for AusBallet's Identity programme anyway so seized the opportunity of seeing the delayed cinemacast of Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty on Sunday afternoon. Thanks so much to the two groups of people who felt it appropriate to chat throughout. When reminded they were being disrespectful, not to mention rude, one group apologised and shut up, the other's reaction was astonishment "but we're in a cinema!" Yes honey and the rest of the audience doesn't want or need to hear you! This group (older women) continued to chat throughout, and I was particularly unimpressed by their comments on Joseph Sissens' locs and the skin-toned tights and shoes elsewhere. Friday night in the balcony at the live ballet a woman behind me felt it appropriate to place her booted feet between the two seats in front of her, on the arm rest where my left arm already was. Shocked at being kicked (which was what it felt like) I grabbed her toes and pushed back. Hard. At interval she was all "what's your problem?" 😳 Her companion apologised and said if she'd realised at the time what the other woman was doing she'd have stopped her.