Again and again we’ve been told that the retirement of Darci Kistler from City Ballet-after a career of 30 years-was the end of an era: the era of ballerinas anointed by Balanchine. When she was 16, he brought her into the company, and within months she was dancing the Swan Queen, the Sugarplum Read More
The mystery of Christopher Wheeldon deepens. Yes, he’s the most talented of the younger ballet choreographers—indeed, where’s the competition? Yes, he’s particularly good at nurturing dancers and identifying their essential qualities. Yes, he’s always intelligent, almost always interesting and rarely vulgar—I would have said never vulgar, except that the memory of An American in Paris Read More
Tuesday the 25th was not just the opening night of the New York City Ballet winter season, but also the kick-off gala for “Balanchine 100: The Centennial Celebration.” Yes, the Mayor was on hand, and Mrs. Governor Pataki, and a lot of donors and supporters and board members (I used to be one myself), and Read More
The biggest story at City Ballet this season wasn’t the Diamond Project-that was the saddest story; the biggest story was casting. An entire generation of dancers is fading or phasing out: Margaret Tracey into retirement (there’s a rumor that she mayteach;teach what?); Miranda Weese still out with a serious injury; Kyra Nichols only slowly coming Read More
