Today ABT kicked further away its dwindling core audience and patron base with its promotion of James Whiteside to principal. What is going to be interesting about this latest tasteless, unwarranted promotion is who the company will persuade to be this dancer's "sponsor." His unappealing stage personality and unimpressive dancing aside, what individual or company will want to be associated with his smut sideshow? Maybe ABT will simply forget to mention it and leave it up to the donor to perform due diligence.
However repugnant Whiteside's public behavior is outside ABT, it would be naive to think that there are not worse videos and pictures on his and his acquaintances' devices that will eventually make their way to the internet. No one will be surprised when he suddenly has his own Anthony Weinergate to deal with, or something worse.
Meanwhile, ABT continues basically to bench several of its pristine, classical ballerinas – Abrera, Kajiya, Lane – while wasting time trying to educate a classically-impoverished and classically-impaired soloist on the finer points of Les Sylphides' Mazurka. Maybe they should have Stella Abrera be her understudy and try to show her what grace really is. Oh, wait –
22 responses to “ABT’s freak show continues”
Very sad, Haglund. On the plus side, when the ABT Spring Season brochure arrives, it will be very easy to cross off which performances I won’t be attending.
Very sad, Haglund. On the plus side, when the ABT Spring Season brochure arrives, it will be very easy to cross off which performances I won’t be attending.
True, Angelica. Last year I only went to a third of the performances I attended the year before (which were also greatly reduced).
True, Angelica. Last year I only went to a third of the performances I attended the year before (which were also greatly reduced).
When I first saw the news I was shocked. I’m still in shock actually. He’s just…not that good. Very mediocre. If they really needed to promote a male dancer their are many homegrown ones in the company whom are way better. I don’t even understand why he was scouted from Boston Ballet in the first place. Their are just as good, or better dancers in the company who should have gotten the Soloist position instead. Wow. Just…wow. I hate seeing this happen to this company. ABT can do so much better than this.
When I first saw the news I was shocked. I’m still in shock actually. He’s just…not that good. Very mediocre. If they really needed to promote a male dancer their are many homegrown ones in the company whom are way better. I don’t even understand why he was scouted from Boston Ballet in the first place. Their are just as good, or better dancers in the company who should have gotten the Soloist position instead. Wow. Just…wow. I hate seeing this happen to this company. ABT can do so much better than this.
Hi, Plisskin.
Matters unrelated to Whiteside’s dancing seem to have come into play – not the least of which is Macaulay’s peculiar attraction to him which ensures abundant and safe reviews from NYT. These days, ABT only seems able to deal from weakness instead of dealing from the strength of its best artists. Yes, there are much better dancers than Whiteside who should have been promoted and should be receiving performance opportunities. Much better.
Hi, Plisskin.
Matters unrelated to Whiteside’s dancing seem to have come into play – not the least of which is Macaulay’s peculiar attraction to him which ensures abundant and safe reviews from NYT. These days, ABT only seems able to deal from weakness instead of dealing from the strength of its best artists. Yes, there are much better dancers than Whiteside who should have been promoted and should be receiving performance opportunities. Much better.
Just read in the Balletco forum that Sarah Lane will be a guest in the Rome Opera Ballet Swan Lake in the 2014 season. No specific date was mentioned
Just read in the Balletco forum that Sarah Lane will be a guest in the Rome Opera Ballet Swan Lake in the 2014 season. No specific date was mentioned
That is fantastic news, Jose. I went on a hunt and found that the company’s Swan Lake will be in December/January. She’s listed as Odette/Odile along with Zakharova, Tsygankova, and Alessandra Amato, but there are only 3 Siegfrieds listed: Hallberg, Vogel, Shishov.
Thanks much for putting this on our radar, Jose.
That is fantastic news, Jose. I went on a hunt and found that the company’s Swan Lake will be in December/January. She’s listed as Odette/Odile along with Zakharova, Tsygankova, and Alessandra Amato, but there are only 3 Siegfrieds listed: Hallberg, Vogel, Shishov.
Thanks much for putting this on our radar, Jose.
Somehow “pristine, classical ballerina” and Alastair MacAulay don’t match up.
Somehow “pristine, classical ballerina” and Alastair MacAulay don’t match up.
Its clear why he was promoted. JBDubs is one bitchin’ dancer— in a pair of high heels, that is… and he hates his job.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj6kcpys_T
I do have to say though… I’m kinda jealous of his legs.
Its clear why he was promoted. JBDubs is one bitchin’ dancer— in a pair of high heels, that is… and he hates his job.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj6kcpys_T
I do have to say though… I’m kinda jealous of his legs.
Then, there’s his video in which he wraps barbed wire around his body and writhes around on a bathroom floor in pain in his underpants. He’s a pathological nonstop uploader of loathsome and repugnant material in which he stars, and his proclivity for bending over for the camera is well-documented.
Then, there’s his video in which he wraps barbed wire around his body and writhes around on a bathroom floor in pain in his underpants. He’s a pathological nonstop uploader of loathsome and repugnant material in which he stars, and his proclivity for bending over for the camera is well-documented.
oh dear… words fail me. (for once)
oh dear… words fail me. (for once)
If ABT decides to take its new principal on tour to Abu Dhabi next spring, they may find a jail cell with his name on it awaiting him. His reputation for smut far exceeds his reputation as a serious classical dancer.
If ABT decides to take its new principal on tour to Abu Dhabi next spring, they may find a jail cell with his name on it awaiting him. His reputation for smut far exceeds his reputation as a serious classical dancer.