Sir Paul at the Ballet
Meeting Paul McCartney—that’s a tale worth telling. But meeting the Beatles star while half-dressed in an unfinished ballet costume by McCartney’s designer daughter, Stella? That’s a tale only New York City Ballet principal Robert Fairchild can tell.
Fairchild is one of the stars of Ocean’s Kingdom, a new ballet premiering at NYCB in September, with music and original story by Sir Paul and choreography by Peter Martins. “It was totally surreal, to put it mildly,” says Fairchild of his impromptu first meeting with McCartney. “I was standing there basically naked in the costume shop with Stella, and in walks Paul, and Peter says to him, ‘Hey, here’s your prince!’”
In the ballet, Fairchild’s character, the brother of an earthly king, falls in love with a princess from an undersea kingdom (played by Sara Mearns). “The two worlds aren’t exactly friendly with each other,” Fairchild explains. “It’s very Romeo and Juliet. Nobody wants us to be together—but it’s true love.”
To convey the dramatic plotline, McCartney has composed a score that Fairchild describes as varied and theatrical. “It’s big and changeable and grand. You can imagine it as a soundtrack for a movie,” he says. But it won’t make Beatles fans feel like fish out of water (pun very much intended). “There are a few hints in the score that let you know it’s by Paul McCartney,” Fairchild says. “In the part we rehearsed today, I kept hearing the beat of ‘Eleanor Rigby.’” —Margaret Fuhrer
Bringing Paris to the Pillow
The Paris Opéra Ballet hasn’t performed in the U.S. for more than a decade. But while fans will have to wait until the troupe’s North American tour next summer to see the full company, Jacob’s Pillow is offering a sneak peek at some of its most talented dancers this August. 3e Étage, a seven-year-old ensemble made up of top POB dancers, will present an intimate program at the Pillow, with repertoire ranging from William Forsythe’s Limb’s Theorem to the offbeat me2, choreographed by 3e Étage’s artistic director, Samuel Murez.
The group is named after the third floor of the Palais Garnier, where all of the dancers began their training at the Paris Opéra Ballet School, and its philosophy reflects that feeling of freshness. “We started this company to show a different side of us,” says Ludmila Pagliero, a POB première danseuse who will dance with 3e Étage at the Pillow. “Even when we perform outside of the Opéra, we’re always asked to bring classical pas de deux, the standards. The idea with 3e Étage is to reimagine that gala model.”
It’s fun for the dancers to break out of the big-company box. “We love the history and the tradition at POB,” Pagliero says, “but sometimes we have less-conventional thoughts in our heads, too.” —MF
Kudelka’s Man In Black at Cincinnati Ballet
Cincinnati Ballet’s New Works program is usually a place for on-the-rise choreographers to test their wings. But this fall there’s a well-established name in the lineup: James Kudelka, whose Man In Black will make its Cincinnati premiere.
Kudelka choreographed Man, set to the music of Johnny Cash, for BalletMet Columbus’ American Legends program last year. (It was there that CB artistic director Victoria Morgan saw—and admired—the ballet.)
“Last year, having recently seen the film Walk the Line, I was very open to
listening to Cash, and eventually I felt I had a deep understanding of him,” Kudelka says. You won’t hear any familiar prison tunes in Man, however. Instead, Kudelka found a personal connection to Cash’s later covers. “Two of the songs I use were written by Canadian performers I know from my youth, Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson,” Kudelka says. “I find Cash’s gravelly performances of these pieces moving and elegiac.” The resulting ballet—like Cash’s music—is quiet and poetic, with a country twang. Kudelka is “delighted to see the work live on” at CB. —MF
Black and White Swans at Carolina Ballet
Robert Weiss, artistic director of Carolina Ballet, is no fan of the film Black Swan. “I think it’s a disservice to ballet,” he says. “Every bad cliché is exaggerated.”
So why does CB’s 2011–12 season open this fall with “Black and White Swan,” featuring both of Petipa’s iconic pas de deux, with a promotional blurb that explicitly references the film? “The plus side of the movie is that it has a lot of new people thinking about ballet,” he says. “And my dancers have never done the Petipa pas. So I thought, Let’s give them a shot and get these new ballet fans into the theater. Let’s take advantage of the publicity we get when we get it.”
One of the CB ballerinas tackling the iconic choreography is Jan Burkhard, a newly minted principal who will dance the Black Swan pas—but hasn’t yet seen Black Swan. “It’s on my to-do list!” she says. “But I’ve been dreaming of dancing this pas de deux my whole life.” Is she nervous about living up to movie-based expectations? “I think the pressure of the choreography is scarier!” —MF
Merry Widow Comes to Tulsa
In September, Tulsa Ballet will present the Oklahoma premiere of Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow—a moment artistic director Marcello Angelini has long awaited. “About 10 years ago, I saw La Scala Ballet perform it in Milan,” he remembers. “I asked Ronald if we could do it, but at that point our company was too small. This year we reached the threshold number of dancers, and I immediately called Ronald and said, ‘It’s time!’”
Angelini isn’t the only one who feels this is the right moment for Merry Widow, which had recent runs at the Joffrey Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. “I think directors are looking for full-length ballets that create a unique world,” Angelini says. In Widow’s case, that world is turn-of-the-century Paris, where high-society widow Hanna Glawari is romanced by the dapper Count Danilo. It’s a funny, frothy, crowd-pleasing tale. “Some new story ballets haven’t been successful,” Angelini says. “But in Widow, everything clicks: the music, the costumes, the story.” —MF
Coming Soon to a Movie Theater Near You
Ballet in Cinema, which beams ballet performances from around the world into theaters across the U.S.—often in real time—has packed its 2011–12 schedule full of all kinds of goodies. Particularly noteworthy is its November 20 broadcast of the Bolshoi’s Sleeping Beauty, live from the grand reopening of the historic Bolshoi Theatre. You can compare the Russian and British takes on the Petipa classic when The Royal Ballet’s Beauty hits cinemas the following month (starring golden boy Sergei Polunin). For schedules and participating theaters, visit balletincinema.com. —MF
Q&A - The Bolshoi’s Sergei Filin
For all its high-wattage stars, the Bolshoi Ballet can still be laid low by internal politics. In March, a fresh scandal left it without a replacement for departing artistic director Yuri Burlaka. Former principal Sergei Filin, who had been at the helm of Moscow’s Stanislavsky Ballet, stepped in at the eleventh hour. He spoke to Pointe’s Laura Cappelle about the Bolshoi’s unique challenges at a momentous time for the company: Its historical stage, closed for restoration since 2005, is set to reopen this fall. (See live broadcast information at left.)
Pointe: What’s been most difficult about your transition from the Stanislavsky to the Bolshoi?
Sergei Filin: The feeling that I was abandoning people who had worked so hard for me. But the Bolshoi is my home.
PT: What lies ahead for you in the next few months?
SF: My first season will be tough, because no one can tell what surprises await us when we move back to the old stage. The main goal will be to transfer our large-scale ballets there quickly. But we’re lucky that, alongside the “old” stage, we’re able to keep the new, smaller stage we perform on at the moment, so from next year on I want to have workshops and new works staged there.
PT: What are your plans in terms of repertoire?
SF: I’m keen to have in-demand choreographers stage productions specifically for our young dancers. We’ve already started to work with Wayne McGregor. Another task will be to commission full-length narrative ballets. We have a lot of great literary works that haven’t been captured by contemporary choreographers.
PT: Do you want to open up the Bolshoi to new influences?
SF: I do. I’d like to develop closer ties with other ballet companies, to invite foreign teachers and choreographers to do master classes. We must be an open company.
PT: You’ve said that Bolshoi dancers are too involved in outside activities, whether it’s politics or guesting abroad. Will you exercise stricter control?
SF: My biggest goal is to bring back discipline and to foster a good working atmosphere. I'm willing to tell each dancer what his or her schedule will be for the season, for example, but I would like to get the same kind of information from them.
PT: You held public auditions for the very first time in June.
SF: Yes, I would love to have the best dancers in the world join us. They don’t need to speak Russian already, but they do need to be very well-trained and to know our repertoire.
Hot Ticket Giveaways
Pacific Northwest Ballet kicks off its 2011–12 season with an all–Christopher Wheeldon bill that includes After the Rain pas de deux and Polyphonia. We’re giving away two tickets to the Friday, September 23, performance.
Houston Ballet premieres a new staging of Giselle this fall, paired with Stanton Welch’s Indigo. We’re giving away two tickets to the matinee on Saturday, October 1. —MF
Latest Posts
Jan 26, 2021
Gregory Batardon, Courtesy Prix de Lausanne
The 2021 Prix de Lausanne Prepares for a Year Like No Other
In an ordinary year, early February marks an exciting time in the ballet world: the return of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne competition. But this is no ordinary year, so this is no ordinary Prix. Due to the pandemic, the 2021 edition will run from January 31 to February 7, completely via video.
<p>Rather than travel to Switzerland to perform in person, the 78 carefully selected<a href="https://www.prixdelausanne.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Selected-candidates-list_PDL2021_4.pdf" target="_blank"> candidates</a> (including 11 Americans), who hail from 20 countries, will submit prerecorded videos of classical and contemporary variations and classwork in hopes of winning scholarships or apprentice contracts to top-tier international academies and companies. Their work will be viewed by a panel of nine ballet luminaries, chaired by Basel Ballet director and head choreographer Richard Wherlock.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNTQzNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTc5NjQ4MH0.4jjeb9nIVIdcINWLBsvMjHZCsAf0kuKtJrrezidr0HE/img.jpg?width=980" id="96881" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6ef822e9c2e648778402643acd9963e3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="A female Asian ballet student in a black leotard and white tutu practices her port de bras in front of a mirror backstage." data-width="2500" data-height="1667" />
A competitor from the 2020 Prix de Lausanne practices backstage.
Gregory Batardon, Courtesy Prix de Lausanne
<p>The jury members, who will meet in a hotel ballroom in Lausanne while maintaining social distancing, will watch the performances via video and judge them live. Sticking to the normal Prix de Lausanne schedule, they'll narrow the group down to 20 finalists by the end of the week, and view their variations anew during the finals on February 6. Fans around the world can follow the competition all week through a livestream on Prix de Lausanne's website and on Arte Concert.</p><p>"We've been changing our plan since last April," says Prix de Lausanne artistic and executive director Kathryn Bradney. "We were hoping that the situation would get better and candidates could come to Lausanne, but of course that isn't the case." Bradney's team has been working to make sure that this newly fashioned version of the Prix runs as smoothly as possible, since the ultimate goal is to match young talent with partner schools and companies. "We're doing a huge effort to put our partners in contact with the dancers," says Bradney, who worked to develop a private networking app aimed to facilitate connections. "This way the dancers won't miss out on the year, and can get a possible offer starting August or September of 2021."</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNTQxNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTA5NDcxNX0.pZLbSA-5TPpdW04aWOkj59uL0EzOKC5OBYSBZZ18Y18/img.jpg?width=980" id="dff8e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a9649df1f12b965de7f7ac5aef469eef" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Kathryn Bradney, a middle-aged white woman with brown, bobbed hair and wearing a black velvet top, offers a small smile to the camera while touching the brown velvet scarf draped around her shoulders." data-width="1181" data-height="1229" />
Prix de Lausanne artistic and executive director Kathryn Bradney
Anne-Laure Lechat and Amélie Blanc, Courtesy Prix de Lausanne
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<p>To help place the candidates on equal footing despite the huge variety of circumstances they're currently living and training under, the Prix de Lausanne supplied them each with funds to rent space and film their variations. And in lieu of the full week of on-site classes and coaching the jury usually has access to, the dancers will submit just 10 minutes of classwork. "It's five minutes of barre and five minutes of center," says Bradney. "But they'll use their teachers' exercises, so they're actually comfortable with what they're doing. It shows them at their best." And since December, competitors have also had access to prerecorded Zoom master classes and contemporary coaching sessions, designed to expose them to different teachers and approaches.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNTQ4MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTMzMjUyNH0.C5tasXe9WVwOFNMoECygYjIqf3uN2syKRYnGXvz4S6Y/img.jpg?width=980" id="4cbdf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ca12b6a0f4ad19bb00a66348d105cb97" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="In front of a blue backdrop on a brightly lit stage, a large group of teenage male and female dancers in various costumes stand casually facing an unknown speaker and clap their hands with excitement." data-width="2500" data-height="1667" />
Finalists from the 2020 Prix de Lausanne
Rodrigo Buas, Courtesy Prix de Lausanne
<p>Despite all of the changes, the Prix de Lausanne is thriving. This year marks the inaugural Young Creation Award, a choreographic competition open to dancemakers ages 14 to 20. The two winners, chosen from a pool of five preselected finalists, will choreograph solos for the repertoire of contemporary variations available to Prix competitors in 2022. And this year, the Prix de Lausanne saw the highest number of applicants in its 49-year history: 399 dancers from 43 countries. "The level is really high," says Bradney. "I can see the dancers' determination despite the lockdowns. Dancers want to dance anyways, and they've been working from home and keeping in shape. It's been really inspiring."</p><p><em>Watch the Prix de Lausanne live from January 31 to February 6 at </em><a href="https://www.prixdelausanne.org/" target="_blank"><em>prixdelausanne.org</em></a><em> and on </em><a href="https://www.arte.tv/en/arte-concert/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Arte Concert</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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Jan 20, 2021
Courtesy ABC
Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Alicia Mae Holloway Talks About Her Time on ABC's “The Bachelor”
Bunheads tuning in to the season premiere of ABC's "The Bachelor" on January 4 may have recognized a familiar face: Dance Theatre of Harlem's Alicia Mae Holloway, literally bourréeing out of a limousine to greet bachelor Matt James. While Holloway unfortunately didn't get a rose that night, she did thoroughly enjoy being the long-running reality franchise's first professional-ballerina contestant, as she told Pointe in a recent Zoom call.
<p><strong>Have you always been a fan of "The Bachelor"?</strong></p><p>My friends would watch it back when I was a student at the School of American Ballet. I watched one episode and was like, "What is this?! Why would people do this?!" A few years later, I started Colton Underwood's season because I was feeling really left out in my group chats. I binged the whole season and became obsessed.</p><p><strong>How did you get cast?</strong></p><p>One of my best friends (Jacqueline Bologna, of New York City Ballet) told me to apply. I wasn't sure but filled out the online application anyway—and promptly forgot about it. One day, I got a random call from L.A. The voicemail said, "Hey Alicia, this is so-and-so from ABC's 'The Bachelor,' and we're really interested in you." It all happened from there!<strong></strong></p><p><strong>During the audition process, did you emphasize your career and identity as a ballerina?</strong></p><p>Absolutely.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUwNTU5Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjU0ODMwMX0.jGySkrMM7mC3vymgfM1-SXTLNRvk0bLJmJHgxipF9wQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="ffb7d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="876f53f09fda81a19d53494f719a0279" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="In New York's Times Square, an African American ballerina in a black long-sleeved shirt and white tutu performs a large jet\u00e9 with her left leg bent and nearly kicking her head." data-width="3276" data-height="3767" />
Alicia Mae Holloway
Renee Choi, Courtesy Holloway
<p><strong>Did you have any misgivings about going on the show, like whether the ballet world would view you differently?</strong></p><p>That was at the forefront of my mind throughout this whole process. I'd read articles about people who lost their jobs and couldn't find another one after coming off the show. That was my main concern, because my career has always been first and is always going to be first. But I felt in my heart that this was something I really wanted to do. I decided that if people don't want to work with me because I did something I wanted to do, that's on them and they're missing out on me.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Were you concerned about taking time off from Dance Theatre of Harlem?</strong></p><p>At DTH we tour 16 to 18 weeks out of the year. Obviously, we can't do that now due to COVID-19, so we've been doing virtual classes and workshops. The company got to go to Kaatsbaan in the fall, which looked amazing—I obviously was not there. Basically, I realized that now was the time to go on "The Bachelor" if I was ever going to do it. We just got back to work in the studio last week, so I think the timing all happened perfectly.</p>
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<p><strong>Did you feel any kind of pressure to represent ballerinas—and ballerinas of color—on national television?</strong></p><p>Arthur Mitchell, who founded DTH, said something once that stuck with me: "Cinderella doesn't walk into the ball. She arrives." What that says to me is, you have to present yourself in the best way possible all the time. You always have to be the best version of yourself and present yourself with the most class and integrity. I do want to be a role model and uphold my reputation, because I never had a professional ballerina who looked like me to look up to when I was young.</p><p><strong>How did you plan to keep up your technique and stamina while on the show?</strong></p><p>Before I left, I made a promise to myself and to my boss that I'd give myself daily ballet class. I wrote down at-home workouts and my favorite pointe exercises, and I brought two pairs of pointe shoes: one newer and a more dead pair for building my strength with.</p>
<p><strong>You got a lot of screen time in the premiere episode (watch it <a href="https://abc.com/shows/the-bachelor/episode-guide/season-25/01-week-1" target="_blank">here</a>), prepping your pointe shoes and dancing around the resort.</strong></p><p>Yeah, I was shocked by how much they ended up showing! I just wanted to showcase my real daily life as a dancer.</p><p><strong>Did you pre-choreograph that (amazing) exit from the limo?</strong></p><p>It literally came to me in the moment. At first I thought I might do a grand jeté, but immediately realized the dress was not made for it!</p><p><strong>How did the other women react when they learned you're a ballet dancer?</strong></p><p>Honestly, they were so kind. Everybody went, "Oh, my gosh, I've never met a real-life ballerina!" There weren't any ignorant or awkward questions. It was validating to get such a positive response.</p>
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<p><strong>Understandably, there were a few tears in your interview after the rose ceremony. What was going through your mind when you realized your "Bachelor" journey was over?</strong></p><p>There were a lot of emotions. To viewers, the night seems short, but it is <em>long</em>—and I'm an emotional person. What got me through was reminding myself that everything happens for a reason. I was very upset that I didn't get to speak to Matt because we have things in common. He went to Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, I went to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. He lives in New York, I live in New York. He has a white mom and a Black dad, I have a white mom and a Black dad. I was obviously sad when I left, but I do feel like Mrs. James could be in that amazing, intelligent, badass group of women. I left feeling that Matt was in good hands.</p><p><strong>Has the show changed your life at all?</strong></p><p>My Instagram following went up, and I've gotten more offers to do photo shoots and stuff like that. I shot my first music video in December. The reaction from the dance world has honestly been nothing but great. I really thought people would throw shade, but everybody has been so supportive. I've gotten a lot of messages from people who were mad I was voted off. <em>[Laughs]</em></p><p><strong>What have you been up to since the show?</strong></p><p>Life has been great overall, though I didn't get to work with DTH from the end of September until January 4. I was a little bored at first, in part because I couldn't go on social media in case people figured out I got eliminated. So I kept myself busy and created routines, because I thrive when I have a set schedule. I taught at SAB for a week back in the fall, and I taught a lot in Pennsylvania and in West Virginia, where I'm from. I'm now back in New York and ready to return to the studio with DTH.</p><p><strong>What advice do you have for other ballet dancers who are presented with an opportunity like this?</strong></p><p>If your gut is telling you to do it, go for it. Life is short! If you can make it work while keeping your dance career your number-one priority, then I would highly recommend going for an unconventional, once-in-a-lifetime chance.</p>
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Jan 20, 2021
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Ask Amy: How Can I Make the Most of Performance Opportunities in a Pandemic?
My school is connected to a professional company that operates on a show-to-show basis. Students can audition for company performances when they're 15. My 15th birthday is in February, and I think that our directors are choosing people to participate in virtual performances based off of whether they have performed with the company before. This was supposed to be my big first year with the company, but COVID-19 has changed that. How do I make it known that I want to participate? Do you think I should wait until things are more normal? —Lila
<p>There's no question that the coronavirus pandemic has forced companies to make adjustments to their seasons and rosters. But even if your local company is only working with dancers who've performed with them before for their upcoming show, there's no harm in letting them know that you'd love to be considered. You'll be within the age requirements, plus you attend the affiliated school and have a history with the organization. Why not see if it's a possibility?</p><p>Since you are still a student, I would first speak with your teachers. Remind them that you'll be turning 15 and eligible for the company's spring performance. They can best direct you on how to convey your interest to the artistic staff, since they understand the culture and structure of the organization. For instance, they may prefer to speak to artistic staff on your behalf, or they might suggest that you email the company manager (the person who typically filters audition applications for the director). Or, they may tell you to contact a member of the company's artistic staff. An email is probably best if you don't work with the director or ballet masters frequently, but this is a better question for your teachers.</p>
<p>Once you have established what the proper channels are, think about what you want to say. Keep it honest and professional: that you've grown up dancing at the school and watching the company and would love to audition for the spring virtual performance. If you know anything about the choreographer or the work that is being performed, say what you admire about it. Acknowledge that spots might be limited because of COVID-19, and that you would be willing to be an understudy. (Understudying is an important stepping-stone: You can learn so much from being in rehearsals with the company, even virtually, and being prepared to go in for someone will make a strong impression.) You may also want to include a video link of your dancing if the director isn't familiar with it. They may or may not offer you a position, but they'll at least know how you feel and that you're serious enough to make it known.</p>
<p>And if it doesn't work out this year? Take heart—you are still young, and there will be more opportunities once the pandemic passes. If you have ambitions to dance professionally, this will be good practice for preparing cover letters for company auditions in the future.</p><p><em></em><em>Have a question? Send it to </em>Pointe<em> editor and former dancer Amy Brandt at <a href="mailto:askamy@dancemedia.com" target="_blank">askamy@dancemedia.com</a>.</em></p>
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