Erica Cornejo will retire from Boston Ballet this coming season. Her final performances will be as Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty in May. Boy oh boy, doesn't that news make the bones feel old. It was an unhappy decade ago that Erica walked out of ABT when she was one of its most promising soloists. She left at the precise time that McKenzie was revving up his guest artist Star Strategy that stole careers from ABT's own talented dancers. But she and Carlos Molina refused to sit idly by and watch their best years waste away, and they decamped for Boston.
One of Haglund's favorite videos is this clip of La Sylphide where the very young Erica and her even younger brother, Herman Cornejo, danced the leads:
Other than Herman and soloist Luciana Paris, both of whom are in the latter stages of their careers, there are no other dancers at ABT from Argentina. Not a single one in the corps de ballet. Where else on the planet do they make dancers like the Cornejos and Julio Bocca, Marianela Nunez, Paloma Herrera, Ludmila Pagliero, and Ana Sophia Scheller? If ever there was a good artistic reason (as opposed to a cheap branding-related reason) for ABT to forge a sibling relationship with the Instituto Superior de Arte at Teatro Colón, that time is now. Our supply of their great, great dancers is nearly depleted.
Haglund really doesn't ever expect to see another Julio Bocca in this lifetime. The circumstances aren't likely ever to collide for that type of miraculous artistry. Julio came about because of (1) his own natural, extraordinary talent, (2) Baryshnikov's tough but brilliant mentoring, and (3) Julio's desire to match and exceed the example that the still-dancing Baryshnikov set for him on a daily basis.
We won't see another Julio, but there are some young men in ABT's corps who if they were to consume this video and other Cornejo/Bocca videos for breakfast every morning, might develop the inspiration they need to be much greater than anyone thought possible. Heaven knows, they're not likely to get inspiration from McKenzie.
By the way, Herman and Ludmila Pagliero will star in Makarova's staging of La Bayadere at the Teatro Colón in November. Our fingers are crossed that this might be one of Teatro Colón's livestream events. We'll keep our ear to the ground for any such news.
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Three weeks until the start of NYCB's fall season. It seems like it has been an eternity since the end of spring. The Stravinsky/Balanchine black & white program with Stravinsky Violin Concerto and Symphony in Three Movements as bookends is going to be a vitamin-packed blockbuster evening. We can also cheer about the four performances of Jewels and that our favorite Firebird will return from nesting duties.
Let's go let's go let's go.
28 responses to “observations 8-29”
Haglund, that is one of the most reviting videos I’ve ever seen. I love the way Herman opens his legs at the end of the sequences of entrechats. Presumably that’s Bournonville choreography because I haven’t seen it in the Petipa classics, even those that go back to the original notation, e.g., Sleeping Beauty. I can’t believe that Erica is retiring. Scary to think that at some point Herman will do so as well. To quote Villon, Where are the snows of yesteryear? (“Ou sont les neiges d’antan?”) If they’re hiding out in Argentina, then ABT should go after them, but then what will that do to the promotion from within policy?
Haglund, that is one of the most reviting videos I’ve ever seen. I love the way Herman opens his legs at the end of the sequences of entrechats. Presumably that’s Bournonville choreography because I haven’t seen it in the Petipa classics, even those that go back to the original notation, e.g., Sleeping Beauty. I can’t believe that Erica is retiring. Scary to think that at some point Herman will do so as well. To quote Villon, Where are the snows of yesteryear? (“Ou sont les neiges d’antan?”) If they’re hiding out in Argentina, then ABT should go after them, but then what will that do to the promotion from within policy?
Herman, Erica, Paloma – all started out in the ABT corps de ballet and were IMO home grown. Baryshnikov hired Bocca as a principal fresh off of his gold medal win at the Moscow International Ballet Competition and turned him into the greatness that he became. There are YouTube videos of Bocca’s performances at Moscow and what he became after only a year or so under Baryshnikov’s leadership. His development was amazing.
Herman, Erica, Paloma – all started out in the ABT corps de ballet and were IMO home grown. Baryshnikov hired Bocca as a principal fresh off of his gold medal win at the Moscow International Ballet Competition and turned him into the greatness that he became. There are YouTube videos of Bocca’s performances at Moscow and what he became after only a year or so under Baryshnikov’s leadership. His development was amazing.
Well I guess I moved to Boston just in time….
Well I guess I moved to Boston just in time….
Nooooo.
You’ll be banking the Guest Rewards Points next spring on the Stella Acela from Boston to NYC.
Nooooo.
You’ll be banking the Guest Rewards Points next spring on the Stella Acela from Boston to NYC.
Wow. Thank you for the video. What beautiful port de bras from both Cornejos. And, Herman’s entrechats!
And, the Stella Acela will be on call for the DC to NYC trip also!
Wow. Thank you for the video. What beautiful port de bras from both Cornejos. And, Herman’s entrechats!
And, the Stella Acela will be on call for the DC to NYC trip also!
LOL. There is never enough Stella. (And Devon and Courtney). Stella Acela all the way!
LOL. There is never enough Stella. (And Devon and Courtney). Stella Acela all the way!
Hi Haglund,
I’ve watched that video tons of times and never tire of it! It’s wonderful that you’ve posted it for those who haven’t yet discovered these two great dancers in this ballet. Erica Cornejo is one of the best dancers Boston Ballet has ever had and is a personal favorite. I saw her in Balanchine’s Coppelia here and she was fantastic. I can’t wait to see her in Sleeping Beauty but I will be very sorry to see her retire.
Hi Haglund,
I’ve watched that video tons of times and never tire of it! It’s wonderful that you’ve posted it for those who haven’t yet discovered these two great dancers in this ballet. Erica Cornejo is one of the best dancers Boston Ballet has ever had and is a personal favorite. I saw her in Balanchine’s Coppelia here and she was fantastic. I can’t wait to see her in Sleeping Beauty but I will be very sorry to see her retire.
Hi Haglund.
You forgot Iñaki Urlezaga (he was a principal dancer at Royal Ballet) and Maximiliano Guerra (he danced at La Scalla and is now the AD of Ballet Estable del Teatro Colón) Here in Argentina we have amazing dancers and promising young ones. Las year Luciana Paris was auditioning some young dancer for scholarships at ABT I think but that’s all I know. (sorry for my english lol)
Hi Haglund.
You forgot Iñaki Urlezaga (he was a principal dancer at Royal Ballet) and Maximiliano Guerra (he danced at La Scalla and is now the AD of Ballet Estable del Teatro Colón) Here in Argentina we have amazing dancers and promising young ones. Las year Luciana Paris was auditioning some young dancer for scholarships at ABT I think but that’s all I know. (sorry for my english lol)
Paula, thanks so much for the info! Yes, we KNOW you have great dancers in Argentina, and we love them!
Do you know whether or not La Bayadere will be livestreamed on the Teatro Colon’s website?
Thanks much for stopping by H.H.
Paula, thanks so much for the info! Yes, we KNOW you have great dancers in Argentina, and we love them!
Do you know whether or not La Bayadere will be livestreamed on the Teatro Colon’s website?
Thanks much for stopping by H.H.
Has it really been a decade since Erica Cornejo left for Boston? The best pas de trois from Swan Lake at ABT that I can remember from (not that) recently was Erica Cornejo, Herman Cornejo, and Xiomara Reyes. I couldn’t begin to tell you who the principals were; it is the pas de trois that lives in my memory from that night.
Has it really been a decade since Erica Cornejo left for Boston? The best pas de trois from Swan Lake at ABT that I can remember from (not that) recently was Erica Cornejo, Herman Cornejo, and Xiomara Reyes. I couldn’t begin to tell you who the principals were; it is the pas de trois that lives in my memory from that night.
Right you are, Ellen, about that PdT — they were the best ever!
Right you are, Ellen, about that PdT — they were the best ever!
Sorry to disappoint, but a friend of mine with the ballet saw the casting for SB. Erica is not dancing Aurora, but Carabosse for SB, at last as of now. If I recall, she did not dance Aurora last time around either. She is, however, dancing Gulnare in their upcoming performances of Le Corsaire.
Sorry to disappoint, but a friend of mine with the ballet saw the casting for SB. Erica is not dancing Aurora, but Carabosse for SB, at last as of now. If I recall, she did not dance Aurora last time around either. She is, however, dancing Gulnare in their upcoming performances of Le Corsaire.
Thanks for the important clarification and correction, BalconyMember. Erica did indeed dance Carabosse the last time. As meaty a role as it is, it’s a bit of a let down that she may not be retiring in an evening in which she has the leading role. Good news about her Gulnare, however.
Thanks again.
Thanks for the important clarification and correction, BalconyMember. Erica did indeed dance Carabosse the last time. As meaty a role as it is, it’s a bit of a let down that she may not be retiring in an evening in which she has the leading role. Good news about her Gulnare, however.
Thanks again.
I agree.
I agree.