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So my friend and I attended the gala last Sunday. The house was sold out. They had some printed programs available and posters, as well as little glas sculptures, and little cakes "for free" but we were asked to make a little donation (and we did of course). After a wonderful introduction to the project, done my Alexander Shpak (demi soloist Staatsballett Berlin) a brief speech from the Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev and a PR person from Stroer company (they provided the many posters and advertising displays in Berlin), the ambitious program began. It consisted of contemporary pieces only, see pictures (taken from my program booklet). My favorite pieces were Le Parc (Salenko/Walter), Body and Soul, the Dust Duet and Pacopepepluto, the latter with 3 almost naked male dancers, dancing to Dean Martin songs 😉, which lifted the mood among the audience a bit. Overall, the evening brought rather dark/grave pieces to the stage. All were excellent dancers, as you can see from the program. I was a bit disappointed about "Infra", performed by Matthew Ball and Mayara Magri. My friend pointed out that Ball was merely in a supporting role rather than having a decent solo part. Also, In the middle .." will always be the "Guillem piece" for me. I missed tension and the kind of cold passion from Yolanda Correa which is so essential for this piece, in my opinion. I loved Body and Soul, a kind of "aggressive dialogue" between the 2 dancers from POB, Juliette Hilaire and Caroline Osmont. Bravo! This is the first Crystal Pite piece I saw live, and now I'm looking forward even more to next season, when Staatsballett Berlin will performher "Angel's Atlas". The Dust duet was indeed very moving, so wonderful and heartbreaking performed by Erina Takahashi and James Streeter and brought me to tears. But I do think that it was important to know a bit about the story of this ballet. After the intermission, the pieces were less impressing. And unfortunately, the piece "Les adieux", danced by Iana Salenko and her husband Marian Walter, a new creation by Eric Gauthier, was a bit "too much" in its plot. In the end, Iana Salenko buried her husband in military outfit under an Ukrainian flag. Ah well. All donations (tickets and the aforementioned programs etc) went to support Ukrainian children who lost loved ones, one or even both parents. When all dancers came onstage for the bows, there was a strong feeling of solidarity and unity and support, between dancers and audience. Well done, little yet sooo strong Iana Salenko and Alexander Shpak. It was the second gala supporting Ukraine, last year they had "cooked" the program within 4 weeks right after theRussian invasion had begun. It was pure classical then. They promised to try and do a third gala, and I hope it will be a mixed program then.

I was there. Will write a little report soon. It had A LOT of coverage in the news, which was good for the cause.💛💙

What are actually the qualities a dancer must have in order to become principal dancer? Excellent technique is obvious. But isn't there much more to it. Has a dancer at age 19, 20, 21 developped enough artistic maturity in their performance?

@Emeralds Iana Salenko recently did a short Q&A on instagram for her upcoming gala here in Berlin. She said she will do Giselle and Sleeping Beauty here (the only remaining classics for the new season). So that gives a lot of opportunities for guest performances. My impression is that they stay in Berlin, as long as she is listed as full-time (not guesting) principal with Staatsballett Berlin. It's a secure job, and since she's been with this company for such a long time, employment law is certainly in her favor.

Hats off to King Charles who speaks in front of German Parliament right now, switching between German and English (in large parts in German!) Mentioning past, present and future. Also, I like his references to Humor. Welcome, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla. https://www.youtube.com/live/084fo4xDKYM?feature=share

Some more info on the programme: The world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition - YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX (YAGP) – returns to Lincoln Center, New York City for the first time since before the covid pandemic to host its 2023 Stars of Today Meets the Stars of Tomorrow Gala. The Gala kicks off YAGP’s 25th Anniversary season, with a program that features the World Premiere of Reflective Response #1, danced by Michaela Mabinty DePrince*, choreographed by My’Kal Stromile, both from Boston Ballet. Accompanying the piece is 15-year-old prodigy singer Paloma Dineli Chesky and Grammy Award-nominated pianist David Chesky, performing live. In his New York debut, Jacopo Tissi (La Scala Ballet) will dance the U.S. Premiere of a solo excerpt from the ballet, The Ninth Wave, choreographed by Bryan Arias. Tissi will also dance Le Corsaire Act II pas de deux with Christine Shevchenko* (American Ballet Theatre). Jun Masuda* (Tulsa Ballet) and Shale Wagman* (Bavarian State Ballet, New York debut), will dance the U.S. Premiere of Hungarian Dances, and Wagman will join Evelina Godunova (Berlin State Ballet, New York debut) for a pas de deux from Flames of Paris. Tiler Peck (New York City Ballet) and Roman Mejia (New York City Ballet) will perform a pas de deux from George Balanchine’s Tarantella, Constantine Allen* (Dutch National Ballet) will perform 5 Tango’s choreographed by the legendary Hans van Manen, and Chloe Misseldine* (American Ballet Theatre) will perform William Tell. Claudia Mota and Allen will perform the iconic pas de deux from Le Parc by Angelin Prejlocaj. Israeli choreographers, Ohad Naharin and Sharon Eyal, will present rarely seen works performed by YAGP International Contemporary Dance Ensemble (ICE), made up of 35 dancers, spanning 15 countries. Dancers from around the world auditioned for ICE, then flew to Israel in December 2022 to rehearse with the ballet masters. 18 dancers from the ensemble will perform excerpts from OCD Love and Decadance at the Gala. Sharing a stage with these ballet superstars are YAGP’s 2023 competition winners (stars of tomorrow), dancing contemporary and classical ballet favorites. These talented young dancers (ages 9 - 19) will dance in front of top ballet school directors and company heads in hopes of scholarships and job opportunities. 18 year-old Yeva Hrytsak will dance the Lilac Fairy Variation from Sleeping Beauty. Hrytsak is from Ukraine and now trains with American Ballet Theatre JKO School, made possible by a generous grant from the Howard G. Buffet Foundation to support YAGP’s Ukraine relief efforts. When the war on Ukraine began, YAGP worked quickly to relocate dance students from Ukraine and place them in YAGP partner schools in Europe and the United States to safely continue their dance training. To date, YAGP’s Ukraine Relief campaign has put over 200 dancers on a path to a professional career in dance. For more information, see YAGP’s Founder Larissa Saveliev on CBS 60 Minutes. Proceeds from the Gala benefit YAGP’s Ukraine efforts as well as dance scholarships and education.

Last Year in April, Iana Salenko and Alexandr Shpak from Staatsballett Berlin initiated a Benefiz Gala in favor of victims of the war in Ukraine. They promised they would come back. This time, the gala collects money especially for kids who lost their parents. So here they are again with an impressive program, mostly contemporary works but what a lineup! To name a few: Juliette Hilaire, Caroline Osmont Matthew Ball, Mayara Magri Iana Salenko, Marian Walter Erina Takahashi, James Streeter Yolanda Correa, Alejandro Virelles More Info here: https://linktr.ee/balletforlife?fbclid=PAAaarQIQz9cV17ZrA1mDIm_EgJPxk3BAWqdHiuAD6AKTSLJm3-qiCmOoiLiQ Since my foot is better I can happily go with a friend and will write a report then. I look especially forward to see "In the middle somewhat elevated", danced by Correa and Virelles. I hope they rock it.

Woah. I'm already a Fan of the new (marketing) team at Staatsballett Berlin. A brochure, consisting of 148 pages about the new season and the people involved and all workshops and work with Kids, all events for friends circle etc in ONE brochure... FINALLY. I am excited. I assume it's a concession to the new AD Spuck, because stuff like this never happened before. (For example, I fought like mad for years to get at least a mentioning of the Staatsballett Website in the Staatsoper House brochure. And I'm just an audience member/friend. I know how difficult it was for Ballet mgmt because the dancers always complained and were unhappy about the ignorance.) So at least YAY for this Marketing accomplishment!! Download here, brochure is in English and German: https://issuu.com/staatsballett.berlin/docs/eps51_sbb_sz_publikation_23_24_pdf_digital_issuu_r?fbclid=PAAaaq1opgVfqQ1DO11h8zzDjP5_IcQdrfjrTaoPyKkb4HctRzxE8YqoYrq7M

What a wonderful project💙💛. A real way to help where he actually can.

Here's the link to the press release, if you download the whole zip file, you get the English Version too. With all info on New pieces and dates, choreographers and dancers. https://www.staatsballett-berlin.de/de/presse/mitteilungen/28-03-2023/185

@moderators: I got permission to post these photos from the Les Hivernales de la danse hosts. With request to post the links to Website and Instagram page.

Anne Jung and Samuel Young-Wright Chloe Albaret Photos: Gregory Bartadon website: www.leshivernales.be Instagram page : https://www.instagram.com/leshivernalesliege/

Here are some pictures from the gala event: (Photos: Gregory Bartadon) Shale Wagman Xander Parish Ines Mcintosh and Thomas Docquir Iana Salenko and Xander Parish website www.leshivernales.be Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/leshivernalesliege/

And these dancers already joined this season from Zurich: G. Duchevet A. Degroeve W. Hoeyberghs T. Just G. Susman D. Thorne

Ummmm....let's wait for official news.

Removing Ratmansky's name reminds me so much of all the "don't say it but we know it" situations in former East Germany. I thought these times were over...well not in Russia, as we see. It's paternalism and taking the usually well informed Russian ballet audience for a fool.

Yes and sorry I had his Name wrong (Roman, not Jan), it was laate last night 🙈 As for Biel Figueredo, maybe there was an issue with his passport, because he posted a picture of himself in costume for yesterday's "ONE of a kind" premiere in Stuttgart. 🙄

Congratulations to Mackenzie Brown (Stuttgart) and Daichi Ikarashi (RB) and Jan Nowitzky (Stuttgart, choreographer prize) on winning the Erik Bruhn prize 2023💐💐💐

And as VOD for later, if I'm correct... thank you🙏

I have been asked by the Prix/gala team to make a slight correction about this competition and gala: "Just want to correct a little misunderstanding I’ve read. The Gala “Les Hivernales de la Danse” is indeed at its 11th edition. But for the contest “Prix des Hivernales”, it was the second edition ! Could you please correct this little part?" What I do here with pleasure!❤️

@Angela yes indeed. So sad, I hope he's getting better.

Update regarding dancers/performers and tickets is here: https://yagp.org/25-anniversay-kick-off-gala-performance/ -Evelina Godunova and Shale Wagman will perform Vasili Vainonen's "Flames of Paris" PDD -Jun Masuda and Shale Wagman will perform Marco Goecke's "Hungarian Dance no. 1" (J. Brahms) Hello, I need again your help. I posted a link to YAGP'S Facebook Page but just noticed they deleted it (and made a new post for the same subject). This is the correct link https://fb.watch/jrkdlk-2vB/

Oh wow. Hope he is not injured or still suffering from Covid. I cross my fingers for Mackenzie Brown.❤️