They walk among us

June 1 - I finally got out of the APT early afternoon.  I like getting out and just walking with no where to go or nothing to do in particular.  I had made my way to the Lincoln Center plaza when this girl walks past me that catches my attention.  She was slender, very fit in a mannequin-like way -- her legs were same size at bottom as top.  She looked STRONG. And pasty white.  My first thought was vampire.  I had just walked up on the cast from True Blood the week before. I turn corner and see the sign "33 ballets in 3 weeks".  She was a Ballerina!  Just walking around outside, like a normal person.  I head over to the box office and sure enough, there was availability for a single (that comes in handy for last minute plans) for tonight's performance at a same-day discount price. I was on row 15 in orchestra seating, 5 from an inside aisle, right in the middle - absolutely perfect.  I didn't see another empty seat.

This was the New York City Ballet.  There is also the American Ballet Theatre, which is next door.  I picked up on a bit of catty-competition talk and can only imagine as ABT bills their company as the "world's greatest dancers".  I plan to check it out as well.

 

 

These pictures are of the inside of the David Koch Theatre.  They aren't very good because I desperately need an upgrade on my iPhone camera and I was too chicken to take more time.  The ushers do not like you taking pictures in the theatre -- I learned that lesson at Cinderella.

 

The first part was daunting.  They have 2 intermissions, just like Comfort Little Theatre.  The choreographer was Russian, many of the ballet masters, guest teachers, principals, composers .. Russian.  I couldn't follow the program .. much of it sounded like blah blah-sky.  In the bathroom, a lady said to me "blah blah-sky, expecting more profound blah blah-sky .." I didn't even know how to respond. Was she asking me a question?  Making a statement?  I just smiled and nodded like I didn't speak English, or Russian. Back in my seat feeling very intimated, on one side of me were 4 twenty-something guys, print ad-quality good looking, with a great-grandmother.  I overheard "that first series reminded me of three things: blah blah-sky, the trip that happened in blah blah-sky and Malibu Barbie".  There you go.  I'm back.

 

My favorite parts were the second program, called Fearful Symmetries and the last ballet of the third part, Tschaikovsky Suite #3 Tema Con Variazioni.  I believe you would recognize that last one.  It was classic ballet, meaning gorgeous costumes, lots of pirouettes and pointe work and the guys' tights, well let's just say I envisioned a big claw machine back stage where they are picked up and dipped in a big can of white latex paint.

 

Fearful Symmetries was comprised of 11 ballets that bled into each other.  Meaning the next one started before the previous was finished.  At times this seemed like a cirque du soleil performance. This is the one that I really noticed the music.  The dance and the music were one-in-the-same.  A surreal feeling.

 

These next photos are from the Lincoln Center plaza on Columbus Avenue.  The 3 main theatres all face the plaza with the fountain in the middle.  The fountain performs too.  It was a great night -- warm and breezy -- with phenominal performances and music.