ABT - Don Quixote

I don't know why, but I've always loved the ballet.  There are pictures of me when I was really young, holding a ballerina doll.  And the first record album I remember asking for was ballet music.  There are home movies of me pretending to be a ballerina.  Who knows where it came from?

I wish I had taken dance class when I was young, but I did take classes once I got to college.  I just love everything about it.  To quote Ed Kleban, everything is beautiful at the ballet.  A few years ago, I decided to spend some of my end-of-year bonus and buy a subscription to ABT.  I'm a fan of the story ballets, so ABT is my place.  I do enjoy a trip to New York City Ballet from time to time as well, but I'm a sucker for the stories.  Plus, when I was a teenager, I was a subscriber of Seventeen magazine, and they once did a profile of dancer Julie Kent.  I've been a fan of hers ever since and she's at ABT.  I'm sure there are more responsible things I could do with my bonus money, but going to the ballet in the summer makes me so happy.

Today was my first ballet, Don Quixote.  I've actually never seen this one, though I'm quite familiar with the final pas de deux, having seen The Turning Point about a thousand times.  It's a lively and colorful piece and was a lot of fun.  I was especially excited to see David Hallberg dance today--I'm a HUGE fan of his, plus I got to meet him last year, and he's just as nice as he is talented (and handsome).  I thought he was terrific as the romantic lead, Basilio.  He was flirtatious and fun, and his dancing was gorgeously light.  I've never seen the gal who played Kitri, Polina Semionova.  She's a guest artists with the company this year.  I thought her dancing was incredible.  Her acting in the first scene was not as incredible, but once that first scene was over, she was mainly dancing and was breathtaking.  Their last pas de deux was remarkable.  I think she must've stayed en pointe for over five seconds at a time.  I've never really seen anything like it.  The audience went crazy for her.


The guy sitting next to me didn't care for David, said he was nothing compared to Daniil Simkin.  Well, I've never seen Simkin do Basilio (I have enjoyed him in other pieces, though), but I find it hard to imagine that he could be that much better than David.  To me, David is just so wonderful--I find his acting to be on target, without too much mugging (a pitfall, especially in the breezy ballets like Don Q), and his dancing is perfection.  Love love love him.  And once I'm a fan of someone, forget it.  I'm fortunate in that I'll be seeing him a couple more times this summer.  I'll also see Julie Kent, like I do every year.  She's celebrating her 25th year with ABT (yikes!), but to me, when I see her dance, it's like the first time.

To me, the upcoming season is exciting.  I know there are some people who get tired of ABT doing the same ballets, year after year, but oh my, the audience today sure seemed excited.  And all the little girls in the balcony were entranced, so they must be doing something right.  My next ballet is Thursday night--I'm really looking forward to it.