It's good to see that this video has finally been made public and is now available for viewing via a link at Time Out New York (scroll down to the bottom of the page.) Haglund got a glimpse of it several weeks ago but couldn't share it.
ABT's Gemma Bond, in connection with Craig Salstein's Intermezzo Dance Company, created this short PdD and John Resner designed and directed the video. The dancers are Stella Abrera and Tom Forster. The singer is obviously Renee Fleming.
12 responses to “Stella & Tom by Gemma & John”
Hi Haglund, Thank you for posting this exquisite video on your blog! Stella Abrera and Tom Forster are a match made in ballet heaven: Stella is so gorgeous and Tom so handsome, their bodies beautifully shaped for ballet, their dancing totally riveting. What I found most compelling is the connection between them, as they dance not only with their bodies but also with their eyes in perfect harmony. There is one moment towards the beginning where Tom effortlessly lifts Stella overhead into a Giselle-like pose and I could see before me a future partnership as Albrecht and Giselle. From your blog to McKenzie’s ears!
By the way, I saw Tom in the Company Class Onstage yesterday, and he was beautiful to watch. His jumps were high and he did some double tours in the air landing on one knee that were quite impressive. He certainly deserves a promotion to soloist!
Hi Haglund, Thank you for posting this exquisite video on your blog! Stella Abrera and Tom Forster are a match made in ballet heaven: Stella is so gorgeous and Tom so handsome, their bodies beautifully shaped for ballet, their dancing totally riveting. What I found most compelling is the connection between them, as they dance not only with their bodies but also with their eyes in perfect harmony. There is one moment towards the beginning where Tom effortlessly lifts Stella overhead into a Giselle-like pose and I could see before me a future partnership as Albrecht and Giselle. From your blog to McKenzie’s ears!
By the way, I saw Tom in the Company Class Onstage yesterday, and he was beautiful to watch. His jumps were high and he did some double tours in the air landing on one knee that were quite impressive. He certainly deserves a promotion to soloist!
I agree, Angelica, with your every word. If Tom Forster were cast as Stella’s Albrecht in Manila in September, I’d go see it – as I think a few others in New York would, too.
I agree, Angelica, with your every word. If Tom Forster were cast as Stella’s Albrecht in Manila in September, I’d go see it – as I think a few others in New York would, too.
As I’m unreservedly a fan of Tom Forster, I thank you both, Angelica and Haglund, for your posts.
As I’m unreservedly a fan of Tom Forster, I thank you both, Angelica and Haglund, for your posts.
Hi, J.
It’s always a pleasure to talk about great artists.
I can’t help but notice that ABT seems reluctant to post a link to this video on either its FB page or Twitter page while other of its artists have enjoyed its full support in comparable endeavors.
Hi, J.
It’s always a pleasure to talk about great artists.
I can’t help but notice that ABT seems reluctant to post a link to this video on either its FB page or Twitter page while other of its artists have enjoyed its full support in comparable endeavors.
Thanks Haglund, that video is fantastic and kudos to Gemma Bond for choreographing the PdD. I wish more women dancers would try choreography instead of reserving it bastion of male dancers. What a fantastic video, Stella, Tom, and Fleming. ABT should feature and promote such endeavors on its main page. But unfortunately it is too busy making highly questionable casting choices and favoritism. According to tweet by Wendy Perron, Misty Copeland will dance Odette/ Odile with ABT on tour to Brisabane, Australia. Yup, that’s right, unclassical Misty over Stella and Sarah.
Thanks Haglund, that video is fantastic and kudos to Gemma Bond for choreographing the PdD. I wish more women dancers would try choreography instead of reserving it bastion of male dancers. What a fantastic video, Stella, Tom, and Fleming. ABT should feature and promote such endeavors on its main page. But unfortunately it is too busy making highly questionable casting choices and favoritism. According to tweet by Wendy Perron, Misty Copeland will dance Odette/ Odile with ABT on tour to Brisabane, Australia. Yup, that’s right, unclassical Misty over Stella and Sarah.
Misty has been playing the race card about as well as anyone could. And she’s playing right into McKenzie’s personal panic about how to save his own legacy which has deteriorated into a shambles since he began trying to pump up his deficient artistic direction with guest artists. It is truly a sad day for the art form when a Grade B soloist vaults to prominence over more qualified dancers simply because of the color of her skin and because of her false claims of discrimination and racism. The Australian dance audience is educated enough about the classics so that it will be able to see the quality of who is dancing in front and who is dancing in the shadows.
And while we haven’t seen the cast lists yet, the idea that Stella, Sarah, Yuriko, Simone Messmer, and Maria Riccetto have all lost their ABT opportunities to a much lesser dancer who seems to be able to pull a race card out of every sleeve, is unsettling, to say the least.
Misty has been playing the race card about as well as anyone could. And she’s playing right into McKenzie’s personal panic about how to save his own legacy which has deteriorated into a shambles since he began trying to pump up his deficient artistic direction with guest artists. It is truly a sad day for the art form when a Grade B soloist vaults to prominence over more qualified dancers simply because of the color of her skin and because of her false claims of discrimination and racism. The Australian dance audience is educated enough about the classics so that it will be able to see the quality of who is dancing in front and who is dancing in the shadows.
And while we haven’t seen the cast lists yet, the idea that Stella, Sarah, Yuriko, Simone Messmer, and Maria Riccetto have all lost their ABT opportunities to a much lesser dancer who seems to be able to pull a race card out of every sleeve, is unsettling, to say the least.