NYCB's 2013-2014 season is over. Manhattan has returned to its sleepy norm, and the llamas have returned to their grazing on West 18th Street at 6th Avenue.
Oh no, look! It's a little pony left over from ABT's pony & kitten giveaway. Nobody bought tickets to see three guest artists in La Bayadere so that he could be given away to a new home. Look how sad he is. The sad pony whinnied, "Haglund, do you think Peter Martins would let me audition for the Costermonger section of Union Jack? My behavior record is unblemished. I don't belong behind bars with these llamas." Haglund tucked Peter Martins' cell phone number under the sad pony's halter and suggested he lose some of his gut before auditioning. That seemed to lift the sad pony's spirits a little bit.
Haglund didn't attend as many NYCB performances during the spring season as he usually does. That first week with no Balanchine or Robbins was a real bummer and the new stuff offered wasn't wholly satisfying. If anything, that first week doubly underscored the point that the success of Balanchine and Robbins in the 20th Century isn't guaranteed to be repeated in the 21st century – at least not without a lot more hard work.
The good news is that the company's dancers delivered phenomenal performances throughout the spring and throughout the year. With important dancers still sidelined with injuries during the spring [Wendy Whelan, Jennie Somogyi, Ana Sophia Scheller, Chase Finlay to name a few], others seemed to rise up to demonstrate the breadth and depth of this great company.
Sterling Hyltin was a revelation along with Robert Fairchild in Opus 19/The Dreamer; Abi Stafford danced her best in years, seizing the first violin role in Concerto Barocco with a glorious expansiveness that we usually associate with Sara Mearns. Sara in Walpursisnact Ballet and Davidsbundertanze, Ashley Bouder in Raymonda Variations and Other Dances, Tiler Peck making her debut in the First Movement of Symphony in C, Rebecca Krohn in Emeralds and in a thrilling Concerto Barocco with Abi, and Ashley Laracey, Ashly Isaacs, Lauren King, Lauren Lovette, Faye Arthurs, Kristen Segin, and Alina Dronova all were superb.
Jon Stafford bid farewell with exceptional elegance and style in Emeralds with his sister, Abi, and in Diamonds with Sara Mearns. Joaquin DeLuz with Bouder in Other Dances, Union Jack, and Rubies danced like he was 25 again. Robert Fairchild along with Tiler Peck sizzled in Who Cares? Russell Janzen, Troy Schumacher, Peter Walker, and Harrison Coll came out of nowhere to grab our attention with outstanding dancing. Anthony Huxley made a strong classical statement in Raymonda Variations opposite Lauren Lovette.
Gosh, it seems like Haglund may have been to more performances than he originally thought.
Maybe 2013-2014 was not the strongest of programing, but 2014-2015 is going to bliss us out from start to finish. Let's get the summer (that hasn't officially begun yet) over with ASAP so we can get to the fall season.