Balanchine Analysis

That is true. The NYCB was teetering on bankrupty so added the classics. Perhaps I should have said it started focusing more on the classics.

Of course, all dancers at any top company are good dancers. Of course, the dancers at NYCB are good dancers. I would never denigrate their talent. I respect the difficulties of ballet and the profession too much for that; however, whether the NYCB dancers of today fit Balanchine 's vision is another question.

I consider Pierre Lacotte one of the top choreographers today by far -- better than some who are getting all kinds of publicity today. If such a choreographer is not sufficiently experienced to comment on how well a dancer is dancing Balanchine, then the ballet world is in trouble.

I think social media can do wonders for a dancer, with the right approach -- almost a must in this day and age, actually. Ironically, we all spend time discussing and debating the merits of Joy Womack because of her social media. It all depends on which social media and how it is used. Misty Copeland has benefited immensely (fairly or otherwise) from her PR blitz. Most dancers keep it simple with Instagram. Vlogging, as Joy has done over the years, is extremely time consuming and will ultimately clash with the time needed to be a top dancer, let alone the restrictions against videoing company classes and activities. As we all know, she has also been extremely unwise in some of her comments. In my view, she made a huge, life-changing blunder by going to the press instead of sorting things out with the Bolshoi. She has owned up to burning her bridges there and says she is at peace with it now, but it must at some level grate on her every day. I admire her courage and tenacity to have risen from those ashes. I also think that her dancing has improved beyond an Atlanta Ballet future. Personally, I have been amazed at the improvement. There is no doubt that she is extremely talented. Top tier at the Bolshoi or Mariinsky, no, but certainly good enough to be on the top tier of top companies. Unfortunately her vlogs have probably already prohibited that. Ironically, if she had stayed at the Bolshoi, she would not be a principal and would not have been