Friday, October 26, 2012

You can help Save the New York City Ballet in Saratoga Springs.

A very productive planning meeting of Save the New York City Ballet in Saratoga Springs was held at the home of Louise Goldstein last night. The group will be giving a big push to educate all businesses about the loss of money to Saratoga Springs with the ballet being reduced to one week by spac for july 2013. In addition, petitions will be available to sign supporting the nyc ballet summer residency in Saratoga. We want to educate and raise awareness of politicians, residents, visitors, shop, hotel and restaurant owners as to what this loss would mean to the special and unique culture and brand of Saratoga Springs.

The NYC Ballet is the foremost ballet company in the world and is unique in US artistic history. Solely responsible for training its own artists and creating its own works, the New York City Ballet was the first ballet institution in the world with two permanent homes, the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York.
If you want to help please email, call, sign the petition or come to the next meeting.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Daily Gazette review of a thrilling October NYCBallet performance and world premiere at Skidmore.

Regional
DANCE REVIEW : NYC Ballet, city share the love at Skidmore
SARATOGA SPRINGS — One could say Saturday’s “Saratoga Dances II” was an exercise in mutual admiration.
New York City Ballet dancer and resident choreographer Justin Peck offered his homage to Saratoga Springs in two ballets, one of which was a world premiere. And Saratoga audiences, which have a deep and abiding love for the New York City Ballet, demonstrated their affection by packing the Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College for this rare glimpse of New York City Ballet dancers outside of the summer months.
And the dancers, and choreographers, satisfied the off-season craving with a varied program: George Balanchine’s “Apollo,” with Ask La Cour as the young god, was followed in the second half by the two Peck tributes to Saratoga Springs. The evening also featured a divine work by the chairwoman of Skidmore College’s dance department, Debra Fernandez. Finally, live music was finely played by the Hyperion String Quartet for both Fernandez’ “Swan Song” and Peck’s ballet from “Saratoga Dances I,” “The Enormous Room.”
But first and foremost, there was the world premiere — Peck’s “Yaddo Shadow.” This work, as in Peck’s “Enormous Room,” refl ected upon the life of an artist — in this case, in the studio. This duet, with Daniel Applebaum and Ashley Isaacs, has the two appearing in rehearsal — Applebaum, the choreographer who winds up Isaacs, and Isaacs, the dutiful dancer.
To Nico Muhly’s “Quiet Music,” Isaacs was putty in the hands of Applebaum, but their relationship was oddly cool. She was his instrument — but hardly his muse. As he stood back and watched her dance his steps, he looks bemused but not impassioned. Of course, it was unclear if this was Peck’s intention. If so, this was an unfl attering portrait of a dance maker.
The work was brief, however, and if felt like Peck could delve deeper into the theme of artist and his medium. Likely, he will.
Certainly, he polished his “Enormous Room,” to music by Mendelssohn. Danced by the wonderful La Cour with Applebaum and Teresa Reichlen, the dance clearly juxtaposed the wild abandon with constraint. Peck said it points to his sentiments about Saratoga Springs, where he feels free, and New York City, where he does not.
Fernandez’s “Swan Song” was a beauty. Featuring the New York City Ballet’s Abi Stafford and Andrew Scordata, along with Skidmore student dancers Alison DeFranco and Victoria Stroker, the dance brought into play the large windows at the back of the stage to a marvelous and mysterious effect. Stafford sat and looked out onto the trees, where Scordata lurked and eventually drew her out. To music by Richard Danielpour, “Swan Song” was both surprising and magical.
Finally, the evening opened with Balanchine’s iconic “Apollo.” LaCour, who does not dance the role for the New York City Ballet, took on the god of the muses with a romantic artistry not seen before. The women were terrifi c.

Friday, October 19, 2012

next meeting to save the new york city ballet at spac, 10/25.

 
The next meeting to save the new york city ballet at spac will be Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 7PM.
 
Location is 55 Railroad Place, apartment 414 in the
new Price Chopper building. Ring #414 and press the green bell symbol and take the elevator to the 4th floor.  Building entrance is at corner of Railroad Place and Division St.   One week of the greatest ballet company in the world is not enough.  Bring your good ideas for ways to raise lots of money.
for more information: email: vicpool@aol.com
                                    call:   518-683-8476