It was fantastic.
Except for: the one girl who was half a step faster than everyone in the opening act, the principal of the New York City Ballet showing visible signs of strain / shaking at several points, and the really short girl who didn't realize she was supposed to be a gymnast and not a ballerina. "But everyone can do whatever they want despite their body type!" LIES. Visually, it doesn't work with the lines. Cruel, cruel, cruel, I seem, but it's true. Ballet is nor your dance, sistah.
But especially: the principal Daniel Ulbricht who winked as he was exiting stage left during Stars & Stripes. That man was such a ham and had a personality that burst forth. I was really impressed with him. (I think my little tears at the beginning were during his first few moments on stage.) Also, Wendy Whelan who did a more modern pas de deux that was incredible. She is so fluid that I understand why she was kept separate from everyone else, because the hometown hero (the shaky principle) looked like a novice compared to her. She reminded me of Julie Kent, who is an American Ballet Theatre principal, aka Kathleen Donahue in Center Stage. Finally, I loooved that I recognized the pas de deux section in Stars and Stripes because it's TOTALLY in a scene in Center Stage - where Jodie goes to watch Cooper backstage and he's dressed up like a soldier? I could remember some of the choreography (Balanchine) and I learned tonight that they use the same costumes every single time they do that performance. So the outfits in Center Stage were identical to the ones in the performance tonight. Balanchine worked with this costumer, Karinska, and they have kept all of her designs. So cool.
It was really a great experience and I hope I'll make it to a few more performances at the Koger center! (Romeo and Juliet is coming up soon, I think, but its the Columbia City Ballet instead.)
Windy Whelan:
Karinska's Stars and Stripes costumes:
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