Spotted: NYCB’s Winter Season Poster
December 30, 2007
Yesterday, while walking near Union Square, I saw New York City Ballet‘s poster for the winter season. It’s a sleek, elegant, black and white of Abi Stafford, NYCB’s newest principal. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me (I was grocery shopping, so I hardly needed another heavy item to schlep around). But luckily the Winger‘s Kristin Sloan posted a photo of the poster, which she spotted in the East Village. Check it out here.
Christmas Eve in California
December 25, 2007
I’m back in California to visit friends and family for the holidays. I don’t celebrate Christmas, and I’ve always found that the 24th and 25th are fun days to go visit my favorite places, which will be quite deserted, and enjoy some time for myself. This afternoon I took a nice solo hike along North Salmon Creek Beach, where I took this shot. What Northern California beaches lack in warmth, they certainly make up for in beauty. Happy Holidays, everyone!
Dancers in the Gap Holiday 2007 Ad
December 24, 2007
This year’s Gap holiday ads featured a variety of actors and models – as always – and two dancers! Greta Hodgkinson of the National Ballet of Canada and Roberto Bolle of Teatro La Scala in Milan are featured in two photographs, which I’ve seen in many Gap store windows around the city, as well as in magazines. I’ve never seen either of them perform, nor do I know anything about their dance careers. But they look great in the photographs, and I’m glad that the Gap decided to feature some dancers along with the actors and models. It must have been fun for Hodgkinson and Bolle to do those lifts in comfy sweaters and scarves, rather than in leotards or tutus, as I’m sure they’re used to. Here’s an article about Hodgkinson’s experience with the photo shoot.
Subway Ceramics
December 21, 2007
Ever notice the tile art in the New York City subways? There are some phenomenal murals along the 6 train, particularly at 59th street. There’s a platform below the locals where you can switch to the 4 and 5 where every wall is covered in colorful tile. Also worth checking out are the “eyes” at 86th Street on the 4/5/6, the deep sea scenes at the Houston stop on the 1 and the greek-ish figures at the Lincoln Center stop, also along the 1 train.
The Road to Ballerina Land
December 19, 2007
This weekend’s Times had an article about life in the corps de ballet of a company. Here’s an excerpt:
“Aficionados like to talent-scout among the corps, but otherwise no one thinks much about the dancers who, year in and year out, make up that necessary body.”
The more I see ballet, the more I enjoy watching the corps, as an ensemble as well as individual dancers that each contributes something unique to the whole. And it’s incredibly gratifying to watch a corps dancer get more and more featured roles, and perhaps a promotion (Tyler Angle of NYCB was just promoted to soloist, and after watching him for several years dance in both corps and principal roles, I feel that his promotion is well deserved). Although it’s hard not to watch a favorite principal when he or she is front and center, I appreciate and respect the corps for their hard work and indispensable role in the production of a ballet and the life of a company.
