Bruce Wall

Have written a PM. Would love this ticket.

Just a brief note to say that last night Tiler Peck and - my, oh, my - Roman Mejia (in his case a chip BEYOND his father's old block) - personified balletic excitement. Of course the crowd went wild. Peck was as ever luxuriant in her phrasing with an almost regal control. This afternoon in the same slot will see the glorious Indiana Woodward and Joe Gordon in the Donizetti Variations. What a STAR he has become. He was, of course, always talented but NOW! One of the most thrilling things - evident is so much of the NYCB fare - is to see the NYCB men in canon. It is a sight and sound to behold. They land silently (unlike the ensembles and soloists in many other companies - and this largely thanks methinks to the training that Stanley Williams so stunningly began at Balanchine's invitation). They are always in respect of the music - and in total unison. The strength of their stealth is palpable and is always met with a potent roar from the admiring crowd.

Hi Dawnstar, Not entirely certain how best to answer your questions. What I will say - and will leave off here as I am very busy I fear with my work - is that ALL of the choreography in Tiler's programme - short of that in the piece she does with Dorrance which, of course, will be tap influenced - will be CENTRED on BALLET. The creative artists you mention associated with the Covent Garden teams all hail from a rooting in contemporary dance. That certainly will be a key difference. Again, that too may not be to your taste. I really can't tell but I, for one, would be willing to take the punt. The artform - even ballet - has to move on. If it doesn't it will I fear perish.

Downstar, you can see the piece - or at least sections of it - that Tiler choreographed at Vail last season online I believe. With the core of this team of dancers I don't think you would be disappointed - but then I don't know your tastes. Certainly anything remotely like Mayerling it wil NOT be - it will be pure dance in a very NYC way. Have you enjoyed the Forsythe that you've seen ENB do? You may, of course, feel that this not to your taste. Certainly it will be diverse - so nothing will last too terribly long - and I have always found Tiler Peck in the things she has produced has very good taste - much as when she herself dances - even if today - given all the injury she has suffered - it doesn't have that devil-may-care sheen it once did. To my eyes it remains supreme. In my book, she is a class act. I will attach the link that Sheila above referred to from Balanchine's Who Cares? - If you don't find this 'nice and enjoyable' then Tiler's may very well not be the programme for you. Here is the music for Tiler's ballet - You can sample that too: (although it may not be fair to the dance just sharing the music at this stage.) Tiler is actually dancing the Allegro Brillante that ChrisG mentions tonight, tomorrow night and at the Sunday matinee. I will be at all and simply can't wait. Plus she is dancing with Mejia which is a thrill unto itself. Again, he will be joining her as part of the team at Sadler's Wells.

To ADD to what Sheila said - MIRA NADON - is I think a name you won't forget easily. On Tuesday night in the opening programme of the NYCB winter season she replaced Sara Mearns in the Stravinsky Violin Concerto and WHOLLY NAILED IT IN A HISTORIC FASHION. So impressed were the State Theater audience that they wouldn't stop clapping after she completed the first Aria. That pair HAD to take a second stage bow - which almost NEVER happens at NYCB. She happily is coming with Tiler to London for her programme at Sadler's Wells. Roman Mejia danced supremely last night in Valse-Fantaisie opposite the divine Indiana Woodward - and he, too, is appearing at Sadler's Wells. Very young KJ Takahashi was presented with the Janice Levin Award before the start of the opening on Tuesday and dedicated it to his brother who has epilepsy who he quoted as his inspiration. It was very moving. He danced stunningly over the last two nights in Donizetti Variations with first Megan Fairchild (gloriously renewed after both her Broadway stint and motherhood x2) and (last night) the ever miraculously fast-of-flight Tiler Peck herself. A BIG PLUS: If you've NOT seen Jovani Furlan - that too is another reason to attend. Think Frola in his regard and I promise you won't be disappointed.

How exciting - and good on her - as that is smack dab (2pm) in the middle of her NYCB day off - and she will be dancing her Auroras around that time!

Don't forget Balanchine's enticing Harlequinade - which, itself, was the full deal ... Then, of course, there was HIS Don Q - but that was a completely different kettle of fish. People might be interested in this enervating Podcast on the new Peck - which has a considerable number of performances in the coming NYCB Winter Season - All based in and around 'Copland Episodes'. It does sound luscious - balletically and musically - especially as the first 'episode' is Peck's already established 'Rodeo' which - at least in my book - must surely rank as one of the balletic masterworks of the first part of the 21st Century. Certainly it is a thing of great joy. This piece will be the first full-length abstract work in NYCB's canon since Jewels. If the rest of it is as good as Peck's first chunk and Balanchine's inspirational turn --- my, oh my .... Stay tuned ... and ALL fingers crossed. https://podcast.nycballet.com/episode-76-new-combinations-copland-dance-episodes

Here is the announcement from NYCB - RATMANSKY NAMED ARTIST IN RESIDENCE Ratmansky's Pictures at an Exhibition premiered in 2014 and will be on stage this spring. From everyone at New York City Ballet, we hope you are enjoying a happy and safe new year. New York City Ballet is excited to announce the appointment of Alexei Ratmansky as the Company's Artist in Residence, beginning August, 2023. Widely regarded as one of the world's greatest living choreographers, Ratmansky joins the Company's artistic leadership alongside Jonathan Stafford, Wendy Whelan, and Justin Peck. Ratmansky has created six acclaimed works for NYCB: Russian Seasons (2006), Concerto DSCH (2008), Namouna, A Grand Divertissement (2010), Pictures at an Exhibition (2014), Odessa (2017), and Voices (2020). Ratmansky's newest work for NYCB will premiere during the 2024 Winter Season as part of NYCB's 75th Anniversary Season. Please join us in celebrating this historic appointment and we invite you to read more about the announcement in The New York Times here.

Source How wonderful. A match well made surely. For me, Ratmansky's best work has always been that with NYCB. Moreover in the LBC interview he, himself, said that this had always been a personal career goal of his. Huge congratulations to him on achieving it. The time, methinks, is very right.

Finnish National Ballet has Justin Peck's sunny Heatscape on tap here: - (pull though to 21.00) https://oopperabaletti.fi/en/stage24/world-wide-dance-heatscape-earthborn-recording/

Just to say that - unlike the rail service today - everything ran smoothly for me in the Friends booking today for which I was most grateful.

This ALL sounds MOST exciting.

NYCB Principal dancer Tiler Peck will come with her ‘friends’ to Sadler’s Wells in London in the spring. She will present the European premiere of Turn It Out with Tiler Peck & Friends on Thursday 9 – Saturday 11 March 2023. Peck has assembled many of today’s most exciting dancers in an exciting programme. Originally conceived for New York City Center’s Artists at the Center series, the programme includes Peck’s own Thousandth Orange, set to live music by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw, Alonzo King’s pas de deux Swift Arrow, Time Spell – a collaboration between long-time friend and tap dancer Michelle Dorrance alongside Jillian Meyers. The programme closes with The Barre Project, Blake Works II, which was originally created for film and hosted by Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage and produced by CLI Studios with music by James Blake. The project marked the first creative partnership between Peck and choreographer William Forsythe and now will be performed live. Featuring performances by:India Bradley, Michelle Dorrance, Jovani Furlan, Christopher Grant, Lex Ishimoto, Lauren Lovette, Brooklyn Mack, Aaron Marcellus, Roman Mejia, Jillian Meyers, Mira Nadon, Tiler Peck, K.J. Takahashi, Byron Tittle, and Penelope Wendtlandt. Turn It Out with Tiler Peck & Friends Sadler’s Wells, EC1 Thursday 9 – Saturday 11 March 2023

NYPL Lincoln Center has -- for so, so long - been a treasured organisation. I remember so, so many programmes from the 70's onwards. It has certainly been a crucial part of my dance education for which I am so, so very grateful - and all at no charge. It is for this reason I have left them resources in my will. They are a TRUE role model in so, so many ways.

Wonder - if there is a sort term shortage of O/O's for ENB in January - if they might invite Jurgita Dronina back to guest. She (a) knows/has danced the production; (b) would certainly know senior ENB company members; (c) has danced with Frola (and indeed Emma Hawes) in Canada and (d) said - on leaving - that she hoped there might be occasion for a guest return to the Company. Also I think she left ENB on good terms, going back to her prime NBoC commitment for understandable family reasons. I would suggest Lauretta Summerscales - but don't entirely know where she might lie on the latter scale.

This is a loss. No question. It will be interesting to see what projects he does pursue ... and what future collaborations - assuming they happen with the POB - might come about in the future.

I bet you anything they open the standing when general booking opens. The same situation arose with the Coliseum when they swore over a bible that the balcony would not be opened for the Ukrainian Giselle ... and then, of course, later it did - even while there were seats elsewhere. It makes sense from their perspective certainly in that people wanting standing today may - due to lack of availability - buy a seat. Still, in the end - the VERY end - I'm sure they'll want to see EVERY penny to count. .... but that's just my hunch.

Thanks so for the video of the For Four, Anna. It brings back such vivid memories of seeing both Stiefel and Corella dancing with their original companies (NYCB and ABT) as teenagers. Much as had been the case with Darci Kistler (then in the hands of Balanchine in his final stretch), Stiefel - then so young - seemed to be thrown by Peter Martins literally into everything and it was so thrilling to see him tackle - with those stunningly fleet feet - each aspect so freshly. Corella had been in the same class in Spain with Victor Ullate as Tamara Rojo. Puts the longevity of her performing career into vivid perspective somehow!

[RE 'Dispatch'] - The titters were I think intentional. It was, I thought, very witty. I have a feeling that Baryshnikov - who it seems was in the audience - would have loved this. Won't be surprised if it doesn't very soon show up at his Arts Center. It's rare that you get satire in ballet - and this one was blessedly oh, so specifically balletic - so deeply rooted and certainly laser sharp in terms of overall formal structures. The humourous interplay with so many fascinating quotations/penetrating takes from Cunningham, Forsythe - but most especially Tudor and Balanchine - (including the sit out - which so made me giggle) - was stunning in the extreme and it blessedly didn't overstay its welcome. Both dancers excelled - but I thought Bracewell a revelation. How I would love to see him tackle the last movement of the Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, say, or - hopefully soon at this address - the final PDD of Agon - or certainly to see the two of them do Duo Concertant on a bill. One added comment - How glorious to see James Hay back in such breath-taking shape. There can't have been too many other dancers whose stunning lyrical line - always wafting THROUGH the music - is consistently pinpointed by such a miraculous port de bras. Such a gift for us all.

Here is Dutch National Ballet - with Company Class and Smirnova and Caixeta in rehearsal for Sleeping Beauty ...

Does this also mean the sympathy tube strike on 10th November is off as well? Anyone know?

The creative working rehearsal by Ratmansky was totally potent ... and Shale Wagman in class .... One word: WOW!!!! I am SO hugely looking forward to attending the rep week in April and feeding on even more of his insightful genius. This young lad has grown into the fully formed world class artist we always knew he would. So, SO much to look forward to.

As I have enjoyed some of the programmes he has done and ... erm ... he certainly was - steady that is ... as a dancer ...

A steady pair of hands certainly.

So much to enjoy in the Cecchetti Society Centenary Gala - It was lovely to see the petit allegro interweaved in the demonstrations -- knowing one is not getting an abundance otherwise in pieces on current ROH view. Then the main meal commenced - so many highlights, James Hay was SPECTACULAR in the Florestan/Florimund variation, Bracewell was oh, so brilliant in his two pieces - the second leading a wonderfully lyrical Hayward in the main Rhapsody adagio, then the blisteringly brilliant Nunes PDD for Brandon Lawrence and the ever glorious Tzu-Chao and Joe Sissens - surely now the cherry on top of everyone's current cake - was simply sizzling in the Bluebird PDD. NO INTERVAL TOO which made the overall impact all that much more potent. Bless the organisers for this gift.