Search results for: ashley bouder

I think Makarova was overwhelmed by the love and adulation heaped upon her Saturday night by Youth America Grand Prix. The evening was fittingly titled “Ballerina Assoluta: Gala Tribute Honoring the Legendary Natalia Makarova.” We were already cheering at the top of our lungs during the standing ovation, when Kevin McKenzie gestured to Marcelo Gomes […]

  Who’s caught our eye for 2012   Photo of Rachel Van Buskirk by Matthew Karas.     Ana Lopez The beauty of Ana Lopez’s dancing is that there is nothing extraneous or decorative about it, yet she invariably becomes a mesmerizing presence onstage. She draws you into her orbit with her scrubbed-clean technique and […]

      A new generation of men reigns at New York City Ballet. All five men featured here came through the ranks of the School of American Ballet. In a company built for choreography, they offer vivid individuality while serving the bigger picture. They possess complementary skills, artistry, and temperaments. Too young to have […]

Books I Was a Dancer, A Memoir By Jacques d’Amboise Knopf, 2011. 448 pages. Illustrated. Hardcover, $35. This book is bursting with energy. Jacques d’Amboise’s rollicking spirit rolls off every page as he recounts how he morphed from a rough street kid to an Apollo of the stage. He forms a close relationship with Balanchine, […]

There’s something exhilarating about dancers choosing their own rep and casting. Too often they just have to do what they’re told without participating in decisions. Once a year at New York City Ballet, for the Dancers’ Choice evening, dancers not only devise the program but also direct the marketing, as it’s not part of the […]

Some people have asked about the talk I gave in Sarasota, where I outlined my seven reasons ballet is NOT dying, in response to ballet-doomsday-sayer Jennifer Homans in her book Apollo’s Angels. (Her book is actually excellent until that last chapter.) So I decided to tweak my notes from my talk at the event for […]

For anyone interested in choreography, Serenade is a feast. I think every measure choreographed by Balanchine has something wonderful in it. The ballet is rewarding on every viewing, and it’s a great way to kick off the new fall season. Last night, sitting in the First Ring added to my pleasure because you could see […]

Face your mirror and envision a doe-eyed beauty like Audrey Hepburn in “Funny Face” or “Sabrina.” The doe- eye is extended and strengthened at the outer edge as well as pulled up slightly. Hold your hand on the temple and pull up and out. The top eye line is the most important of the three […]