Tonya Plank's Blog, page 41

WHEN CRITICS BECOME PART OF THE PERFORMANCE

Top photo of Glover taken from here, photo of Macaulay from here.

The other night on the stage of the Joyce Theater, tapper Savion Glover launched into a short tirade against Sir Alastair in response to this. (Leigh Witchel, the author of the Post piece linked to above made clear on his Facebook page that Glover's words were spoken onstage, during his performance).  Haha!

MISSING ARIZONA

[image error]

I haven't been to Phoenix since early 2001 and I've been getting a bit homesick for the desert. Everything seems to be reminding me of the Southwest lately – even last night's NYCB program with Melissa Barak's new ballet, Call Me Ben, set in Vegas with its Santiago Calatrava-designed desert-themed backdrops, and then Balanchine's Western Symphony with the cowboys, saloon girls and Old Tombstone-looking stage piece.

Albert Evans and cast in earlier NYCB Western Symphony production, taken from

MORE PHOTOS OF CALATRAVA'S AWESOME MIRAGE SET

[image error]

Above are a couple more photos of Peter Martins' new Mirage ballet, which I wrote about here, that better showcase Santiago Calatrava's stunning architectural set. I'd described how it closed at one point, and you can see that in the bottom photo, and I'd forgotten to mention that in the end it radiated a rainbow of color (top photo). Photos are by Paul Kolnik and are taken from Marina Harss's excellent write-up in The Faster Times.

Funny, I recently discovered The Faster Times (I know Marina ...

PETER MARTINS' NEW "MIRAGE"

[image error]

[image error]

Photos by Paul Kolnik. Top: Robert Fairchild and Kathryn Morgan under Santiago Calatrava's magnificent set; bottom: Erica Pereira and Anthony Huxley.

Earlier this week NYCB put on its last premiere of the season, artistic director Peter Martins's Mirage. The ballet is set to music by Finnish composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, which was commissioned especially for this ballet, as was another set by architect Santiago Calatrava. Before the performance Mr. Martins and Mr. Salonen were awarded Letters...

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE SEASON 7, WEEK 2

What were the judges on this week? I feel like they were playing the devil's advocate or something; I completely disagreed with practically every pronouncement they made.

1) Cristina and Pasha Paso Doble: Judges loved her. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, which means she didn't deliver to me. I thought she did all the steps right and she tried hard to make her body shaping proper (the hips need to be really far forward in PD) but her form just wasn't perfect, and next to his it was all too ...

ALBERT EVANS FAREWELL

[image error]

[image error]

Photos by Paul Kolnik (top, of Albert Evans during final curtain call, bottom with Wendy Whelan in Herman Schmerman)

Sunday afternoon longtime beloved principal with NYCBallet, Albert Evans, gave his final performance. He danced two roles he is well-known for – the pas de deux from William Forsythe's Herman Schmerman, with Wendy Whelan, whom he's often been partnered with, and Balanchine's The Four Temperaments (he danced the third variation – "Phlegmatic"). It was perfect – -a humorous...

GUEST POST ON "PUDGY PENGUIN PERUSALS"

The wonderful Kaye, who writes the charming book blog Pudgy Penguin Perusals, has a rather long write-up on my book today, for which I am immensely grateful!

I am really so grateful, beyond words, for all the bloggers who are helping me get the word out about my first book. The book blogging community is really tremendous – it's got to be the largest arts blogging community in existence – and I'm so thankful for it and for all the wonderful writers who are so willing to help a first-time...

SWAN LAKE: VERONIKA PART AND CORY STEARNS

Here are some fabulous curtain call pics from last night's Swan Lake at ABT. They're taken by the wonderful Kokyat, and were sent to me by Oberon.

[image error]

[image error]

[image error]

Thanks so much, you guys!

Veronika was divine in the role, as always. She and NYCB's Sara Mearns are most definitely my favorite Odettes. Cory replaced Marcelo Gomes as Prince Siegfried, who was out due to injury (I don't think serious; he is still listed for upcoming performances this season). So it was kind of a double replacement since Roberto...

DAY OF SLEEPING BEAUTIES: ALINA COJOCARU AND NATALIA OSIPOVA

So, I spent another Saturday at Lincoln Center, watching back-to-back Sleeping Beauties. This is probably my least favorite ballet — neither the story nor the choreography really speaks to me – but I was curious to see Alina Cojocaru in the role (it's supposed to be her best and she's was guesting for only one day from the Royal Ballet in London), and now that I'm an official Natalia Osipova fanatic, I must see her in everything she's in.

So, matinee was Cojocaru. I thought overall she was...

GOTHAM GAL ON SWALLOW

The fabulous blogger, Gotham Gal (diary-style blog about New Yorky things she does – eating out, going to various performances, reading books, etc.) has written a little review of Swallow. It's on the right-hand side-bar under "Books of the Moment." Right now it's the one listed at top. She says she "swallowed it up, no pun intended," calls it "chatty and engaging," and "a great beach read." [image error]

I'm a big fan of Gotham Gal so am really psyched! Thank you thank you Gotham Gal!