The owner of the bootleg video that ABT proudly misappropriated for its own sales pitch of Ms. Smirnova was offended and yanked the video from all but "private" users. ABT finally has taken a punch in the face for using other people's artistic product instead of its own. Haglund should give the YouTube video owner a Pump Bump Award.
34 responses to “Update to the post below”
If I were the owner of said video, I would ask ABT for monetary compensation. After all it was used to sell a product without official acknowledgement. Totally unctuous move on ABT’s part. Hypocrites. The last minute rush saved it for Kevin, I heard from a friend that she and her teen daughter were able to get will call tickets easily and quite good seats too.
If I were the owner of said video, I would ask ABT for monetary compensation. After all it was used to sell a product without official acknowledgement. Totally unctuous move on ABT’s part. Hypocrites. The last minute rush saved it for Kevin, I heard from a friend that she and her teen daughter were able to get will call tickets easily and quite good seats too.
Genna, given the fact that on Tuesday the family circle was nearly completely unsold for Wednesday night, the balcony was half unsold, the DC was more than a third unsold, and tons of orchestra seats remained, I think we can pretty much assume that ABT papered the house. Free butts applaud just as loudly as those butts who pay $100+.
Genna, given the fact that on Tuesday the family circle was nearly completely unsold for Wednesday night, the balcony was half unsold, the DC was more than a third unsold, and tons of orchestra seats remained, I think we can pretty much assume that ABT papered the house. Free butts applaud just as loudly as those butts who pay $100+.
My friend said she switched seats so a mother and daughter could sit together in front center orchestra and the ticket she was given for her $100+ ticket said $25, purchased on Wednesday. Remind me, why do any of us pay full price? Oh right, to see ABT’s own dancers dance.
My friend said she switched seats so a mother and daughter could sit together in front center orchestra and the ticket she was given for her $100+ ticket said $25, purchased on Wednesday. Remind me, why do any of us pay full price? Oh right, to see ABT’s own dancers dance.
I’m not surprised to hear of all the empty (unsold) seats. Smirnova, for all the media hype, is not yet a household name. Very few of my classmates have heard of her.
I’m not surprised to hear of all the empty (unsold) seats. Smirnova, for all the media hype, is not yet a household name. Very few of my classmates have heard of her.
Rachel, it seems like ABT had a fire sale, too. From comments floating around the internet, it sounds like people might have gotten $25 worth out of the evening, but probably not $100 worth.
Rachel, it seems like ABT had a fire sale, too. From comments floating around the internet, it sounds like people might have gotten $25 worth out of the evening, but probably not $100 worth.
Angelica, true, she’s not yet a household name, but there is a full-court press on by handlers with media contacts who are trying to make her into one.
Angelica, true, she’s not yet a household name, but there is a full-court press on by handlers with media contacts who are trying to make her into one.
All of this just makes no. sense. whatsoever. I just got a Facebook update from ABT about tonight’s performance with Tereshkina. Not intending to go but curious about ticket sales, I called the number to see what kind of seats they had left. The response I got was, “Oh, my, yes, there are many seats left, all over the theater.” The shame is I would actually love to see Tereshkina perform and believe she’s the kind of artist a company should be inviting for a temporary stay, because she has to offer younger dancers and the audience a unique je-ne-sais-quoi all her own. Most of the other guests, no. But in good conscience, I cannot go and support the absurd guest situation happening at ABT. If ever there was a season to break the homegrown artists’ morale, it’s been this one, especially following Whiteside’s promotion. It’s no wonder Jared and Yuriko finally defected this season. And all for mostly subpar performers and almost universally subpar ticket sales. None of it makes any sense.
All of this just makes no. sense. whatsoever. I just got a Facebook update from ABT about tonight’s performance with Tereshkina. Not intending to go but curious about ticket sales, I called the number to see what kind of seats they had left. The response I got was, “Oh, my, yes, there are many seats left, all over the theater.” The shame is I would actually love to see Tereshkina perform and believe she’s the kind of artist a company should be inviting for a temporary stay, because she has to offer younger dancers and the audience a unique je-ne-sais-quoi all her own. Most of the other guests, no. But in good conscience, I cannot go and support the absurd guest situation happening at ABT. If ever there was a season to break the homegrown artists’ morale, it’s been this one, especially following Whiteside’s promotion. It’s no wonder Jared and Yuriko finally defected this season. And all for mostly subpar performers and almost universally subpar ticket sales. None of it makes any sense.
True bsc, not to mention that some of these artists have been literally falling on their asses on stage – if one is to believe the various reports.
I agree about Tereshkina. HOWEVER, she bailed on her performances in Wash DC after I had spent a wad on tickets and transportation. I ended up donating back the tickets, because I didn’t perceive Somova as an adequate substitute or one worth spending 7 hours on a train and expending a vacation day.
I would be happy to see Tereshkina and Smirnova with their own companies, dancing their own style, but I’m not interested in seeing them at ABT when it means our own artists don’t get to dance.
As Rachel indicated above, it seems like we are now paying full price to see our own artists while ABT offers deep discounts for the guest artists who come in to take performances away from our own artists.
You’re absolutely right, bsc, it makes no sense – no business sense, no artistic sense, no common sense. But who should be surprised? This is, after all, ABT.
True bsc, not to mention that some of these artists have been literally falling on their asses on stage – if one is to believe the various reports.
I agree about Tereshkina. HOWEVER, she bailed on her performances in Wash DC after I had spent a wad on tickets and transportation. I ended up donating back the tickets, because I didn’t perceive Somova as an adequate substitute or one worth spending 7 hours on a train and expending a vacation day.
I would be happy to see Tereshkina and Smirnova with their own companies, dancing their own style, but I’m not interested in seeing them at ABT when it means our own artists don’t get to dance.
As Rachel indicated above, it seems like we are now paying full price to see our own artists while ABT offers deep discounts for the guest artists who come in to take performances away from our own artists.
You’re absolutely right, bsc, it makes no sense – no business sense, no artistic sense, no common sense. But who should be surprised? This is, after all, ABT.
I just went over to the Russian ballet boards to see them making excuses as to why reviews from people who went to last night’s show are decidedly mixed to negative. The emerging excuse for Smirnova not winning over seasoned fans, they linked mixed-negative reviews from Ballet Alert forum, is that Smirnova needs a better partner than Montagirov, that he is to blame for what many perceive to be a detached and unmusical Nikiya with stiff neck and shoulders. But what good would another, better partner do anyways, it’s not like Smirnova engages with her partner or even looks at him. She did this in the Swan Lake I saw last year, though Odette is her best role she’s great as Odette. You know what else they are saying? The Russian fans who went last night were bashing ABT for its awful corps and soloists. So you see these fans only go see fellow Russians, not to support ABT as a company. When reading things like that, it makes me sad for how ABT is a laughingstock these days. When I think back to when I was a child I got to see homegrown dancers like Amanda McKerrow, Susan Jaffe, even the foreign guests somehow became part of the company, like Ananiashvili. Instead now they seem to fly them in and out like they’re superstars.
I just went over to the Russian ballet boards to see them making excuses as to why reviews from people who went to last night’s show are decidedly mixed to negative. The emerging excuse for Smirnova not winning over seasoned fans, they linked mixed-negative reviews from Ballet Alert forum, is that Smirnova needs a better partner than Montagirov, that he is to blame for what many perceive to be a detached and unmusical Nikiya with stiff neck and shoulders. But what good would another, better partner do anyways, it’s not like Smirnova engages with her partner or even looks at him. She did this in the Swan Lake I saw last year, though Odette is her best role she’s great as Odette. You know what else they are saying? The Russian fans who went last night were bashing ABT for its awful corps and soloists. So you see these fans only go see fellow Russians, not to support ABT as a company. When reading things like that, it makes me sad for how ABT is a laughingstock these days. When I think back to when I was a child I got to see homegrown dancers like Amanda McKerrow, Susan Jaffe, even the foreign guests somehow became part of the company, like Ananiashvili. Instead now they seem to fly them in and out like they’re superstars.
Genna, do you have links to the Russian forum boards in case readers want to run them through the Google translator?
I’m looking forward to seeing Smirnova in Swan Lake with the Bolshoi later this summer. It appears that Maria Alexandrova is really over her Achilles injury and will not only dance Don Q in NYC this summer but will dance TWO Don Q performances in Saratoga Springs.
Nina Ananiashvili was a unique case. She first came to local attention when she guested with NYCB with Andris Liepa long before she ever danced at ABT. During that era, it was one guest artist now and then or none at all. Nina was an example who ABT’s dancers could learn from, and she really embedded herself as a company member. These folks that are being imported now are not necessarily world class performers or even good examples for ABT’s artists. And NOW, it’s apparent that they are not selling tickets either.
Genna, do you have links to the Russian forum boards in case readers want to run them through the Google translator?
I’m looking forward to seeing Smirnova in Swan Lake with the Bolshoi later this summer. It appears that Maria Alexandrova is really over her Achilles injury and will not only dance Don Q in NYC this summer but will dance TWO Don Q performances in Saratoga Springs.
Nina Ananiashvili was a unique case. She first came to local attention when she guested with NYCB with Andris Liepa long before she ever danced at ABT. During that era, it was one guest artist now and then or none at all. Nina was an example who ABT’s dancers could learn from, and she really embedded herself as a company member. These folks that are being imported now are not necessarily world class performers or even good examples for ABT’s artists. And NOW, it’s apparent that they are not selling tickets either.
Yes Haglund here are the links, all of them are the latest threads. Once a thread has too many pages another thread is started with same title but jumping up a number. I would describe this board to be Bolshoi-centric populated by Zakharova fans and Smirnova fans, these two seem to be favorites. Conservative taste in repertory as is expected, and the posters have some biases against and weird notions about Western choreographers like Balanchine. I read funny things there all the time, like I read someone post how unsuitable petite ballerinas are for Balanchine works. Yeah it’s like have they heard of Gelsey Kirkland, Violette Verdy, Kay Mazzo, just to name a few. So apparently they think Lopatkina and Zakharova are greatest interpreters of Balanchine, funny.
This is the main board, as you can see with wide range of topics.
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewforum.php?f=1
This thread is for the upcoming Bolshoi tour to NY
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6534&start=195
This is just one thread discussing Olga Smirnova, she is discussed in other threads too.
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6149&start=285
This thread mainly follows Russian dancers in American companies or notable events in American dance scene.
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6419&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=135
This is the Mariinsky thread
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6626
The Bolshoi thread
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6572&start=75
Yes Haglund here are the links, all of them are the latest threads. Once a thread has too many pages another thread is started with same title but jumping up a number. I would describe this board to be Bolshoi-centric populated by Zakharova fans and Smirnova fans, these two seem to be favorites. Conservative taste in repertory as is expected, and the posters have some biases against and weird notions about Western choreographers like Balanchine. I read funny things there all the time, like I read someone post how unsuitable petite ballerinas are for Balanchine works. Yeah it’s like have they heard of Gelsey Kirkland, Violette Verdy, Kay Mazzo, just to name a few. So apparently they think Lopatkina and Zakharova are greatest interpreters of Balanchine, funny.
This is the main board, as you can see with wide range of topics.
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewforum.php?f=1
This thread is for the upcoming Bolshoi tour to NY
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6534&start=195
This is just one thread discussing Olga Smirnova, she is discussed in other threads too.
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6149&start=285
This thread mainly follows Russian dancers in American companies or notable events in American dance scene.
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6419&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=135
This is the Mariinsky thread
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6626
The Bolshoi thread
http://forum.balletfriends.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6572&start=75
Thanks much, Genna.
Thanks much, Genna.
That Russian forum is notorious for only liking and thinking Russian dancers are superior. Honestly, I think in general most Russian ballet fans feel that way. I don’t know why American companies are so liberal in their hiring of foreign dancers when it is not returned in the slightest.
That Russian forum is notorious for only liking and thinking Russian dancers are superior. Honestly, I think in general most Russian ballet fans feel that way. I don’t know why American companies are so liberal in their hiring of foreign dancers when it is not returned in the slightest.
A very good point, Tiffany, the exception being Hallberg. The current arrangement of hiring any Russian that ABT can get its hands on is simply perpetuating the belief worldwide that ABT is second rate.
A very good point, Tiffany, the exception being Hallberg. The current arrangement of hiring any Russian that ABT can get its hands on is simply perpetuating the belief worldwide that ABT is second rate.
A few words about this infamous Russian forum in question: No other forum would allow the kind of derogatory, disparaging and rude comments that one can come across on BalletFriends. Especially in the discussions revolving around American dancers or American balletgoers. A large proportion of posters there sincerely believes that Americans are extremely unsophisticated and uncultured when it comes to ballet and the lack of enthusiasm about the recent Smirnova’s debut at ABT is explained by the absence of necessary knowledge and the inability to appreciate and understand this art form. This forum is dominanted by highly opinionated, arrogant and dogmatic points of view on the world of ballet outside of Russia or rather Moscow, since some ballet companies in Russian provinces and even in Saint Petersburg receive their share of bashing as well.
A few words about this infamous Russian forum in question: No other forum would allow the kind of derogatory, disparaging and rude comments that one can come across on BalletFriends. Especially in the discussions revolving around American dancers or American balletgoers. A large proportion of posters there sincerely believes that Americans are extremely unsophisticated and uncultured when it comes to ballet and the lack of enthusiasm about the recent Smirnova’s debut at ABT is explained by the absence of necessary knowledge and the inability to appreciate and understand this art form. This forum is dominanted by highly opinionated, arrogant and dogmatic points of view on the world of ballet outside of Russia or rather Moscow, since some ballet companies in Russian provinces and even in Saint Petersburg receive their share of bashing as well.
Hello All,
I have to second with Dreamer. I am a Russian speaking balletgoer living in NYC. I read BalletFriends regularly for news, videos and updates. I am often struck by the arrogance of some participants, their quite vulgar attacks on artists, companies and often on each other when opinions do not agree. I can never understand why their “moderators” allow this type of behavior.
Please do not form your opinion while reading this “forum” about Russians based on what you may read there. It won’t be fair to many open-minded ballet lovers who are genuinely interested in the dance around the world – including American ballet traditions.
Hello All,
I have to second with Dreamer. I am a Russian speaking balletgoer living in NYC. I read BalletFriends regularly for news, videos and updates. I am often struck by the arrogance of some participants, their quite vulgar attacks on artists, companies and often on each other when opinions do not agree. I can never understand why their “moderators” allow this type of behavior.
Please do not form your opinion while reading this “forum” about Russians based on what you may read there. It won’t be fair to many open-minded ballet lovers who are genuinely interested in the dance around the world – including American ballet traditions.
Thank you, Irina. So when we run BalletFriends through the Google translator, we’ll take what comes out with the proverbial grain of salt.
Thank you, Irina. So when we run BalletFriends through the Google translator, we’ll take what comes out with the proverbial grain of salt.