seantime

• Completely frustrated recently. Everything seems to not work, and my body feels terrible. I could use a breakthrough right about now.
• Saw and also read Mao’s Last Dancer. I’m still not sure if I liked either. The narrative style and the directing were both kind of so-so. I guess the story itself is kind of inspirational.
• An article in Pointe with Elana Altman in it: http://pointemagazine.com/issues/augustseptember-2010/company-life-dancing-boys
• Some info about SFB dancers’ contracts: http://www.imaginelaw.com/lawyer-attorney-1286974.html
• Black Swan trailer is out, and I guess it’s being shown at Venice Film Festival very soon. I really hope it’s more Requiem and less Fountain; the trailer looks kind of crazy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaI1XOB-bs

Saturday 2pm, 2/13. It’s really not that hard to understand why Balanchine is worshipped as a choreographic genius, and today’s program showed why.

“Serenade” started out the program, and I must say it was nice to see Elana Altman on the stage. Kristin Long and Yuan Yuan Tan also had soloist roles. I don’t remember if I’ve seen “Serenade” live before, but it is strikingly beautiful. KL seemed to be sprightlier than I remember; perhaps her injury (injuries?) have finally healed. YYT is elegant as always, although there was some sort of hairclip problem that was very conspicuous. From youtube, it looks like the hair was supposed to go down intentionally, but it sure looked a little awkward. One might say unballetic. Oh well.

I don’t know what it is, but for some reason I have a very hard time staying awake during “Stravinsky Violin Concerto,” despite not disliking either the music or the ballet itself. Maybe it’s just that I get really tired during the middle of the program, or that the complexity of it all tires my brain out. Nonetheless, it was a great show by Altman and Vanessa Zahorian.

But really it was Maria Kochetkova in “Theme and Variations” that stole the show. She’s a freakin’ dynamo of energy and effervescence. And despite being rather short, her lines are unbelievable — she inhabits so much more space and radiates so much confidence. It’s very hard to take your eyes off her when she’s dancing. Taras Domitro also had a clean, regally understated performance, but he didn’t show up for the curtain call. Hopefully he’s ok and not injured. There was one bit of partnering where maybe something didn’t go quite right.

I remember seeing an excerpt of “Theme and Variations” during Tina Leblanc’s farewell performance. Today’s performance seemed so much more infused with spirit. But then again, I think sitting up close gives a much different perspective than back in the standing room area. I really am beginning to think that distance mutes the effect of ballet. Going back up to the balcony section would probably be torture at this point.

Two pieces by Tchaikovsky in one show seemed a little repetitive, much as I like his music.

I have to find a way to see program 2, which ends next weekend. It will also be an exciting weekend next weekend, because we’re supposed to go see a company class of SFB right before the show on Sunday. One of the perks of being a Stanford student and having Muriel Maffre as a teacher, I suppose. I don’t know why going to see a class seems so exciting, but I’m excited. I’ll probably stay and see the program afterward, which is the Balanchine program again. Hopefully the cast is different, but to be honest I wouldn’t mind seeing the same dancers again.

• The other day, while heading from campus back home, I was stuck behind a Porsche Boxster for 2 miles who was driving slower than me.
• I’m sure some people would find this fun, but trying to figure out which job offer to accept, and doing negotiations and stuff is really tiring me out. Waking up in the middle of the night wondering if I’m going to make the right decision kind of sucks.
• Looks like there’ll be an Elana Altman sighting this Saturday. Also, Katita Waldo announced her retirement after this season. Kind of sad to see these principals retire. Reminds you of how short life is, or something.
• It feels strange to say, but I’m really not liking all these three-day weekends while at school. It takes so long to build mental momentum, and the breaks really break it.
• Nearing the 1-year anniversary with ballet. She is a cruel mistress.
• Saw tp girl eating lunch last week, but then a guy sat down next to her.

The Saturday (1/30) 2pm was the 7th Swan Lake I’ve seen, but I never saw Sarah Van Patten in it, so it was worth the trip to SF Ballet. It was probably a bad idea trying to watch Serena vs. Henin in the Australian Open the night before, because I was kind of tired for the show. And by kind of, I mean very. I think this reflects at least slightly in my experience of SL #7.

Although I don’t recall all the specifics of last year’s performances, I can say that Mr. Tomasson’s production doesn’t seem quite so bad, although it still feels a bit bare in some places, and the story as a whole seems disconnected in a way I can’t describe. Overall, it was a nice experience. The performance really could have used Elana Altman, though.  She pretty much blows my socks off in the swan maiden and Spanish variations, but you know I’m a little biased.

SVP gave a solid performance, but perhaps I expected too much, given the hype about her in Pointe magazine and by Ms. Maffre’s suggestion. It did seem like SVP’s technical skills were a little below the other ballerinas’, especially with her fouttes ending a bit precariously; she didn’t do any doubles, which I guess I liked in a way. It seems to fit Odile’s character a little more to not have that technical feat.

I must say though that I got goosebumps from SVP’s Odette interpretation, even if it wasn’t the most impressive technically. Her port de bras as Odette in particular was quite powerful. Her expressive capabilities make her Odette wonderful to watch. Her Odile didn’t seem as memorable. Something just wasn’t quite sadistic enough in it.

I can’t wait to see Sarah Van Patten in Romeo and Juliet. And Elana Altman better get some bombass roles this season. Otherwise, I’ll be sad.

Also, taking ballet makes watching it a lot harder. Instead of enjoying the show as a whole, I was also trying to figure out all the steps as well, which was mentally taxing. Life is so cruel sometimes.

• No longer breaking my back installing Ikea furniture. That ‘Jerker’ desk is heavy as hell, but oh so nice to actually use.
• Just found out that Muriel Maffre is going to teach the intro ballet class at Stanford. I’m equally scared and excited.
• Finally working on the fantasy basketball model again. Trying to implement the little tricks that John Chambers suggested. Programming in R is sometimes fun. Hopefully I can salvage something out of the 8th pick. Excited that the fantasy season is only 2 months away. Not so excited that people want to go to Vegas again.
• Google Girl was back in Wednesday’s class.
• Kelly Clarkson’s “Already Gone” was on the radio. What a great song.
• The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and sometimes life isn’t terrible.

I’m currently entranced by Sylvie Guillem in Bejart’s (?) Bolero. It reaches Alizee-like levels of mesmerization. I wish I was able to see her in her classical prime.

An early birthday present from my sister: pointe shoes signed by Elana Altman!

She’s the girl in the first part of the video, in case you couldn’t tell. HD video is nice.

• I’m pretty much a total failure at real analysis.
• Marit Larsen wrote “we have taken to having meat parties in the bus” on her myspace blog, and I laughed.
• I watched Elana Altman dance the “Tall Girl” part in “Rubies” last night, and I think I’m in love.
• Having bad dreams suck. They’re never scary like nightmares anymore, so much as depressing or sad. They really take the pleasure out of being asleep, which is basically the only sanctuary from the vagaries of life.

A lesson I learned is to never attend the ballet when sleep deprived. Or maybe it’s that I shouldn’t go during finals week. I pretty much had no idea what was going on in Program 5 (Wed, 3/18). “Joyride” made less sense this second viewing than the first. Oh well.

Program 4 (Wed, 3/25) was pretty amazing, at least in part due to the fact that I actually got enough sleep. “On a Theme of Paganini” (Tomasson) I enjoyed a lot more this time around. Its simplicity and beauty resonated more this season than it did last, at least partly due to Maria Kochetkova’s stunning performance. She pretty much tore shit up on the stage. It was a little incongruous to see paired with Frances Chung, who while technically adept never seems to me to be very graceful. And also the height difference between Kochetkova and Tiit Helimets (also fantastic) was a bit disconcerting. Maybe that’s what made the pas de deux seem that much more emotional. Somehow it all worked out.

“Jardin aux Lilas” (Anthony Tudor) was an emotional masterpiece. It sent shivers down my spine. Sarah van Patten (or “SVP” as I like to call her; I need to stop thinking so much about matrix decompositions) and Elana Altman both have great stage presences and are among the better actresses in the company. The tension on stage was palpable. It was a treat to see them in their roles for “Jardin.”

“The Concert” (Jerome Robbins) was actually quite hilarious. Very blatant and also nuanced in its humor. I can see why it has stood the test of time. I now wish I had gone to see this program again.