What PNB Fans Are Saying

"I’ve never seen a PNB performance like Saturday night’s. It was stunning—the choreography, the dancing, the sets and lighting. The dancers were at a level beyond anything I’ve seen from them before. I wouldn’t change a moment of the evening. And what a loss to have Ulysses Dove die so young. I’m an impressed, long-time season ticket holder. " —Carolyn

"3 by Dove is a performance we liked a lot. This is the type of performance we prefer the PNB to be involved in. Our interest in Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, etc. has waned and we will probably not be sitting through anymore of the standard set piece classics. On 3 by Dove, my favorite for sure was the piece by Victor Quijada. We were a little confused by the final piece by Dove which I'm guessing was Serious Pleasures. That one did nothing for us but you win some, you lose some. While I'm at it the only other negative comment I have would be with regard to West Side Story. I think that sort of song and dance is better left to the 5th Ave. Theatre, although Carla Korbes is the complete package and can pull off anything. Romeo and Juliet is just spectacular. Over all Peter has really brought the group up a notch and we look forward to many more of his offerings." —John

"I really loved the show! I think the reconstruction of Serious Pleasures was remarkable. The lighting, the costumes, the staging of the Dove pieces was fabulous. Red Angels was my favourite, in part because I am very attached to the music. I was pleased to see so many of my favourite dancers performing; we had had to change our tickets from Friday to opening night and I have felt all season that I have not seen enough of Arianna Lallone, so I was pleased to have seen her in Red Angels.
While I enjoyed Victor Quijida's piece, in many ways it was extraneous to the evening and interfered with the Dove-ness of the program. Often,it seems that a piece is inserted into the program because programmers perhaps feel the evening is not long/full enough, that the audience may feel they are not getting their money's worth. Au contraire! This audience member would be just as happy with a slightly shorter program. If the intent, however, was to find a spot to showcase a new talent and there is no other place in the season's rep, that is admirable and more problematic.
Thanks for being a wonderful group of talented people!" —Hazel "

"Relevant. Stunning. Emotive. Powerfully athletic. In all of my 25 years, I have never been so moved by ballet. The first two pieces were the true high points of the evening. The performances as a whole pulled at every piece of me and left my heart racing. I'm still spinning from it. I would far rather spend my (precious little) money here than on eating popcorn in front of some screen. I hope to see it again."

"The 3 by Dove were great. I was glad to see the first two again (especially this presentation of Red Angels). But the 3rd Dove was extraordinary—truly hot. What a brilliant choreographer we have lost.
By contrast, the Quijada felt contrived, forced. I found little to commend the choreography." —Jane

"Was under whelmed by choreography by Victor Quijida. Actually found it quite repetitive thus boring, wanting it to ‘move on’. I was excited by the concept of mixing genres and would be willing to see something else by him.
Loved Red Angels and was excited, at first, by Serious Pleasures but as it progressed wanted less staging and more dancing." —Jessie

"As the evening unfolded, I was ready to think, OK enough of Dove. Thrilling to see our ballet company so on top of this modern choreography but what more could be said? Then there was Serious Pleasures. I expected something a bit dated, over sentimental and instead I sat riveted to my seat. Incredible evocation of a time & place but also so compelling today in explorations of joy & alienation side by side.
I had heard all the "aploogies" for its sexual content. Unnecessary. Even my 83 yr old mother failed to be shocked. We loved it & I'm heading back to see another cast next weekend." —Audrey

"All the dances were WONDERFUL! The music, dancing and the energy made for a beautiful evening. I LOVE the contomporary ballets that PNB are doing! Please continue. Tutu ballets have been done forever--time for innovation." —JoAnne

"Wonderful performances of powerful and beautiful works by Ulysses Dove and Victor Quijada. Thanks to Peter Boal for putting them on. Dove is new to me, and I was very moved by the energy, by the grace and beauty of movement, giving the men wonderful moves to make as well as the women, and also by the music he chose -- had my feet tapping and wanting to dance with them. PNB seems to me right at the top of the dance world now, bravissimo!" —Michael

"The March 18th performance of 3 by Dove (and 1 by Quijada) was fantastic. All 4 ballets showed off the men to their very best. All-around favorites were Vespers and Red Angels. My criticism of Suspension of Disbelief is that the choreography for the women was uninspiring and as far as Serious Pleasures is concerned, the section in which the 4 women were featured doing I-don't-know-what in the doorways was quite tedious. Not their fault, choreography again. In spite of all, I am so pleased that Peter Boal is presenting a great variety of dances. " —Linda

"The Three Dove Ballet was so beautiful. I've seen the Vespers once before at PNB and I love it so much. All three programs were lovely." —Linda

"3 by Dove was a tremendous night of dance – sensual, passionate and full of energy. The audience was fully engaged – see it!" —James & Gina

"The Dove ballets were thrilling! The 3 were different but seeing the set really helped open my eyes to the movement style and technique. The program notes suggested some nod to Balanchine for Red Angels--and yes it almost seemed Dove took a ballet like Agon through his own process of radical re-envisioning and transformation. Quijada's piece made for an effective contrast. For it, contact improvisation came to mind more than hip hop." —Kathleen

"As someone who has watched dance for quite some time and who has had several dance friends over the years (spending two summers with my friend Heywood McGriff at the American Dance Festival in the early 90s), I am continually impressed with the quality of PNB performances, and (perhaps even more specifically) the choices made by the artistic director Peter Boal. Last Saturday I saw the performance of “3 by Dove” and was simply mesmerized by the evening. The three pieces by the late Ulysses Dove blended perfectly with Victor Quijada’s “Suspension of Disbelief.” In conversations I would have with my dance friends each expressed the frustration to me about the desire to grow as artists – to expand the horizon of dance and to find their own “voice” within the company. While everyone knows that “The Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake,” etc. bring the loyal patrons in, and, in so doing, support a company within a community, many of us would like to see ballet move forward and welcome the full spectrum of its audience. PNB continually does this. A perfect example of this was Dove’s “Serious Pleasures.” As a gay man, I have often felt excluded from ballet – a feeling that audiences wouldn’t accept the idea that two men could dance together and create a beauty outside the realm of the “normal” pas de deux (an odd feeling considering how the gay community has always supported the arts). To quote Dove – “I’m interested in passion,” and the passion felt in the creation of this dance from beginning to end was evident throughout the performance. What a thrill it was for me to have finally felt included within the story.
The blend of modern dance and ballet in the last twenty years has brought a new and (in my opinion) exciting face to ballet full of challenges but also rewards. If any artistic endeavor is not allowed to grow, to expand beyond the usual expectations, then it becomes stagnant and ultimately dies. The challenge for any artistic director is to balance the expectations of some with the desires of others, and the challenge for the audience is to embrace the possibility of seeing art move in a new and positive direction. Here’s hoping that PNB continues to accept that challenge." —Keith

"Full of exciting music and moves, for us this was an afternoon's delight. We attended the matinee on Saturday and were delighted with the four ballets. Don't miss them!" —Marjorie

"Sorry, I hated this one. The Times review compared it to "a blurred, dusky fever dream." "Fever dreqm" is right--those cave people cavorting to bangs and crashes on a dark stage created a nightmare out of Dante's Inferno. As a long time subscriber, I come to hear the orchestra and see beautiful dancing. Sleeping Beauty was lovely, and I'm looking forward to Coppelia, so maybe I won't cancel next year's subscription. Not yet, anyway." —Gail

"Peter’s choices are wonderful! They are interesting, and fun to watch and mind-stretching. We could not be blessed with a better replacement for Artistic Director. I am thrilled with what he’s done for PNB. Please share this with him. He deserves to know that he has big fans in support of him." —Robin

"My review - Actually I was sick, so I gave the tickets to my co-worker. He took his wife and said they really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to trying again within the next month. there are a couple I am interested in seeing." —Scott

"I love ballet and have been a season ticket holder for many years. This is probably the first performance that I did not enjoy. Dove is just too” modern” or something for me. I was totally uninspired. At $100 a ticket, I felt that I had thrown out my money." —Sharon

"This was, I believe, the first performances (in over 15 years as season subscriber) that I disliked more of the program than I liked.
I loved Red Angels, as I have every time I have seen it. The dancers were fantastic and the choreography both interesting and engaging. Vespers was also very enjoyable. I found the other 2 dances lacking. The Quijada piece came off as presumptuous and distracting with all the staging exposed. As an audience member, I don’t object to being challenged but I want something in return for the “push” (if you will). With “Suspension of Disbelief”, I felt like I gave more than I got. I was also unimpressed by how the choreography used the talents of our PNB dancers.
The final Dove piece (“Serious Pleasures”) was both frustrating and irritating, despite it being very well danced. The lighting and staging detracted from the performance. Every audience member on the right half of the theater missed a good bit of the dancing because of the way it was staged. In economic times as difficult as these are for the Arts, I was dismayed that the production could not figure out a way for more of the audience to see the piece in its entirety. Appreciating it is somewhat founded on being able to see it. (I was sitting at the cusp of the Dress Circle and Gallery Upper and could not see the dancer in the door furthest to my right.) The lighting may have been dramatic and was I am sure intended for some effect, but it did not enhance the quality of the dance. The music was interesting; it built an emotional tension that was seemingly never realized in the choreography. I overheard another patron comment, “this reminds me of a Victoria Secret commercial”; this was not meant to be flattering.
I have very much enjoyed the more challenging pieces and choreographers introduced by Peter Boal. This series did not do it for me. That said there were spectacular performances by several of PNBs dancers. In particular Batkhurel Bold and, Lucien Postlewaite were exquisite. Karel Cruz, Olivier Wevers, Jonathon Poretta, Kaori Nakamura, Carrie Imler, Lindsi Dec, Carla Koerbes, and all of the women in Vespers were all also excellent." —Amy

"Thank you for the opportunity to share my reaction to the above noted program. I found the afternoon of four intense musical dances almost too much. Just one or at most two in a program would have been enough . Each work was interesting but the constant drum beat was more than I could appreciate. I noted for the first time ever that individuals left even before the final performance, so I expect I was not alone in my reaction.
As a patron for over thirty years, I have found many of the new dances introduced have pushed my understanding of Ballet but diversity in tempo in the program is what I prefer." —Inez

"John and I enjoyed this repertoire very much. We did not find it too erotic or offensive in the slightest. A friend who attended a different performance was as ecstatic as we were." —John & Melba

"How lucky we are to be patrons of PNB and to experience the works of Ulysses Dove. This rep was not only a showcase of Mr. Dove's works, but a living reminder of the versatility, talent and tenacity of the Company. To go from the fantasy & classicism of princesses & fluttering birds to the emotion and athleticism in the space of 4 weeks....it was a revelation. After each performance I think "it just can't get any better than this" and then it does. We are indeed a lucky audience." —Bonnie

"I particularly liked the second movement of the first Dove piece called “Vespers” in which six women in black dresses assembled and reassembled around wooden chairs. This was a number in which the costumes – the full skirts of the dresses – were choreographed almost as much as the dancers themselves.
Manipulation of the skirts helped to covey the emotion and angst of the women, but in an even more interesting way, the movements of the skirts – some a consequence of the movement of the dancers themselves, but others invented as movements on their own -- changed both the shape of the dancers, the space in which an individual dancer existed and most importantly, the shapes between the dancers as various combinations evolved. As the pace quickened, the precision and full-throttle energy with which the choreography was executed was spellbinding. I was sorry when it was over, but at the same time, it is hard to imagine that the six women could continue in that vein much longer.
The uniform quality of the dancing – no one stood out as better or worse than any of the others – once again demonstrated the depth of talent, top-notch training, professional discipline and excellent conditioning of PNB’s dancers.
Dance is at its best when, one way or another, it “takes you to another place” -- where you couldn’t yourself go alone. “Vespers” was one of those pieces." —Fowler

"As usual for Pacific Northwest Ballet, the performance last weekend was tremendous. "The Sleeping Beauty" was such a triumph, but it is wonderful to have a follow-up that is so different. I consider myself so lucky to be in an area where I have access to the magic of PNB." —Tom

"Opening night of 3 By Dove proved to be the exciting and inspirational escape I look for in an evening with PNB. Vespers was as captivating as the first time I saw it at PNB. It was difficult for me to peel my eyes away from Rachel Foster, so powerful and passionate was her every movement. I felt each dancer naturally captured the struggle and pain and love that I think Dove expressed with his choreography. Halfway through the piece I was struck by how perceptively Dove transformed the emotions and lives of women into dance. I know this piece was based on faith and worship, but to me it is representative of the challenges and hopes that all women seem to encounter.
Red Angels was beautiful, powerful and fast, but also more formal and to me, less inspired. I find it telling that Red Angels was approached "with aspects of the Balanchine aesthetic" (PNB Program Notes) as usually "the Balanchine aesthetic", while elegant and respectable, is not my cup of tea.
Quijada's Suspension of Disbelief provided a complete and welcome contrast to Red Angels, and I could barely sit still in my seat! It was wonderful to see the versatility of PNB's dancers as they masterfully moved in complete silence across the stripped down stage. Quijada sucessfully and seamlessly combined the beauty and grace of ballet with the down-to-earth yet gravity-defying movement that is street and hip-hop. To me, Suspension in Disbelief felt other-worldly yet projected a sense of community and familiarity. I have never seen anything like Suspension of Disbelief and promptly looked for more of Quijada's work online as soon as I got home that night. Thank you Mr. Boal for making a fabulous program line up and thank you for introducing me to Quijada's work!
Serious Pleasures I found to be truthful and soberingly beautiful. I became so involved with the shapes, the patterns, the lights and the voids and the 'lives' of the dancers that I found myself wishing the piece wouldn't end. I like that Dove easily and pointedly expressed the dualities of human character and emotion, and did so unapologetically.
Thanks to all of PNB for another outstanding program-you bring the world of dance that I miss so much closer to me." —Dianne

"3 by Dove was the most passionate of all the dances I have seen to date! I especially loved Red Angels and Serious Pleasures. I don't think I have ever felt the heat in my seat like I did last Saturday. They were hot performances! Thank you so much for sharing this choreographer to the Seattle audience. I love what you have brought under your directorship of the PNB company. I have been a subscriber off and on for 14 years." —Theres

"I attended last Friday's performance (3/19); my seat was L1. For the last dance I missed about 5 minutes of the performance because the dancer on stage left was not in view. This would have been the experience for a great deal of people. Missing a bit here and there is OK if it facilitates the overall staging, but this was a bit much. Most of the performance I thoroughly enjoyed. I think creative costuming in the dances that used casual attire would greatly enhance the audience's ability to appreciate the performances. One other small thing, my friend and I went to get refreshments at the small place on orchestra level. There was only one person working. It took so long that I had to bolt my coke in order to get back to my seat, and many people behind me in line didn't get to order at all. Looking forward to Coppelia." —Jacqui

"I find these "rave" reviews unbelievable. Perhaps the old saw "...there's no accounting for taste..." is more truth than fiction. I could not disagree more! I rate the 1st 3 presentations "just okay". We've been season ticket holders (seated in the dress circle) for the past 5 years. I come to the ballet to witness a beautiful and inspiring artistic expression, and not to be depressed by some dark and nihilistic subject matter. I felt sorry for the terrible waste of magnificent talent of our wonderful performers on stage.
I've enjoyed all the ballets we've seen at McCall Hall up until Saturday's depressing 4th presentation on the program. We stuck it out but two people on our row got up and left during this 4th presentation. The couple seated immediately behind us left after the 3rd presentation saying they had been tipped off that "...the 4th ballet wasn't very good". If I ever see Mr. Dove's name on a program again I think I'll pass. I suspect I have a lot of company among the attendees." —Keith

"The PNB performance of 'Three By Dove' was a wonderful exposition of athleticism and expression of emotion, in superb dance form. The rapt attention of the audience, particularly in 'Serious Pleasures', gave tribute to the wonderful performance. Listening to surrounding audience members, it was gratifying to realize how many people had flown into Seattle to attend the performance. Congratulations to PNB for a talented, expressive ballet performance." —Janet

"Thank you for the opportunity to reply towards our feelings about the showing of 3 by Dove. We were both "very disappointed" in the overall performance, maybe because were more into ballet than modern dance." —Jim

"Thanks for asking us! We enjoyed the excellent dancing as always: precision, artistry and grace. And the violin/dance piece was terrific. The absence of a live orchestra was missed. The Ulysses Dove pieces were too dark for us to appreciate and absorb three in one night. We don’t know how it could have been done differently, we have so little knowledge. All that said, we really look forward to our times at the Pacific Northwest Ballet." —Linda and Paul

"1) Too much of a muchness in the repetitive insistence of the beats, which is fine for a dance, but not for an evening. 2) The Quijada piece seemed the best. Red Angels second best. The first seemed repetitive, the last much too long. Sorry for this. It was my least favorite evening at PNB since the Stowell Cinderella, which I'm sorry you're doing, and not Silver Lining or, even, The T of R&J. My favorite dance, if that says anything,is the Forsyth Above the Middle." —Roger

"I wanted to quickly share my thoughts of the newest PNB ballet, 3 BY DOVE. I saw the Friday, March 19 performance at 7:30 p.m. It was amazing. Honestly, for the first set, I didn't know who to watch...the performers or the violinist. I didn't know a violin could be played that way. The evening's performance by the ballerinas was top notch. My guest and I were very impressed." —Wendy

"Not only was the choreography fascinating and (as always) wonderfully executed by PNB's remarkably skilled and athletic dancers, the music was mesmerizing. Drumming, atonal upon occasion, and spectacularly capped by that fantastic violinist. I have never heard such sounds from a violin—she alone was worth the price of admission. At the intermission after her performance, I found myself saying, "I was blown away." For those who did not see the dancing and hear the music, I have to say, 'You really missed out!'
I can only hope that everyone learns to love the modern visions as much as I do, because they take my breath away and inspire me. Boal is to be congratulated on presenting such progressive and innovative dance and music. I'm grateful for the experiences he has provided, and I look forward to the coming years. " —Lee Anne

"I was the luckiest person in the world last weekend as I was able to see 3 by Dove twice!! The Friday night performance my PNB subscription friends watched with equal appreciation as my sister—a fervent arts supporter and nieces—14 and 16 year old-life-long ballet dancers did on Saturday night. The intensity of the choreography and the thought-provoking message stays with you long after the ballet ends. The sheer perfection of Batkhurel Bold and Carla Korbes is always my favorite memory of any PNB ballet and their contribution to 'Red Angels' was indeed heavenly..
Thank you for such a world-class event—all lovers of any type of dance should see it once, twice or more!!" —Deborah

"Ann and I love the mix of programs, new and tried and true. Red Angels was flawless and gorgeous. It's wonderful to have a world class ballet right here in Seattle." —Paul

"My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed the ballett last Sat. afternoon. It was raw physical energy, superbly executed. I am impressed again at the depth of the company. This excellence is even more apparent in this type of dance performance. I was particularly moved by the last piece, Serious Pleasures, in which the politics, strife and anguish of the 80's really came through in the dancing and the set. Brilliant. You don't leave McCaw Hall with lyricism in your memory; rather a lot to think about." —Betsy

"My husband and I attended the March 20 matinee performance. We enjoyed Vespers, remembering it from the 2008 Seattle premiere. Red Angels was beautifully danced. I love the lighting effects and liked having the electronic violin right there. Suspension of Disbelief was the difficult one for us to handle. It was interesting at first, with new dance movements we had not seen before, but it was so repetitive in its movements as the ballet continued that it became almost boring. We also found by then that we were tired of the hard-edged music that prevailed in the program to that point. We were unable to stay for Serious Pleasures because of family commitments, so I don't know if there was a change in music, thus providing relief.
We have a suggestion: When doing repertoire programs like this, mix in some "oldies" with the new, edgier ones. Balance and variety is best.
All we know about ballet we have learned from watching PNB. We have been subscribers for about 25 years, I think. We love PNB and are thankful for how it has enriched our lives. This is the first time we have made comments online. " —Elizabeth

"I enjoyed the ballet, although I was disappointed that the entire performance was so contemporary. I would have preferred a mixture of contemporary and traditional ballet. I was also disappointed that I could not see a fair amount of the performance because my seat was on the side of the auditorium rather than the middle. Thank you." —Karen

"Amazing! One of my favorite performances of the last several seasons. I've told all of my friends not to miss this one. " —Christina

"This is the worst performance I have ever seen in McCaw Hall. These four performances could not even be called "ballet." They were, though, rhythmic writing and jerking to a loud staccato beat. No wonder the auditorium was 30-50% empty. Some customers that we saw left the performance hall after the first dance when the type of dancing was revealed.
Why does Pacific Northwest BALLET refuse to perform ballet, and instead gives us ugly modern dances? " —Scott

"This past weekend I experienced exactly what I want to when I go to any artistic performance, emotionally and intellectually. I was incredulous at the powerful, athletic, fantastically graceful dancing; stimulated and inspired by learning about the works of someone of whom I had never heard (though sad to immediately learn that his collection is small due to dying young); stunned and deeply affected by the shockingly beautiful performance of Red Angels as danced by our PNB. It is a phenomenally passionate piece, carried out perfectly by the long strong fluid legs and arms of the PNB dancers. As my husband noted, I kept catching my breath.
Red Angels was clearly the highlight of the night, and I suspect I will be thinking and talking of it forever. I'm not sure that I have ever seen anything more beautiful, period. The other parts of the program were also good: Vespers was another strong fluid piece, though Sensual Pleasures was a little too obvious for me and frankly reminded me of 1980s Madonna (Vogue). Yes, it was very sexy, that seems to have taken many by surprise (as if the ballet can't be sexy!); I find it sexier when it is less blatant and posey. Also, we have gallery seats and we couldn't see long parts of it (Sensual Pleasures only) that were danced off to the side suggesting the staging could have been better. Nevertheless, putting the 3 pieces together in one night made perfect sense for those of the audience who didn't know Dove before. It was a fantastic idea to educate the PNB audience so thoroughly about this choreographer. I'm sure now that any new pieces on the bill by Dove will be a draw. I would definitely like to see more.
I have gone to the ballet intermittently over the years that I have been in Seattle, but have found the programming so compelling recently that I finally subscribed to the season. PNB seems to me to have grown in exactly the right way. The diversity and range of the season programs are so exciting, the dancing so riveting that I can't believe that there is any other ballet company anywhere that is more worth watching. The Director's choice this year, as every year in the past few years, was also fantastic. I can't wait to see Petite Mort again next year, and drag out some friends who don't know what they're missing. The Seasons, by the way, was also fantastic and apparently misunderstood by some local critics who mistakenly believed the choreography was too classical (and therefore hokey). It was richly choreographed with classic and more modern elements and hopefully won't be dismissed because of a couple of not very thoughtful reviews.
I would like to put in a plug for the live orchestra, which I missed in this weekend's show. Of course, the live violin was phenomenal, and part of the magic of Red Angels. The recorded orchestral music was disappointing, particularly because as a subscriber to PNB I expect live music and it makes a difference. I feel the lack when the dancers dance to recorded music. I felt the same way about Mopey, believe it or not. Use live music all the time.
I think that Peter Boal must be a brilliant director who has brought this ballet to a place where it is the singular most powerful mode of artistic expression in the city right now. My friends who are lovers of fringe theater and hip small club music and off beat mixed media art would love it, if they would only go. Thanks PNB for providing such enriching entertainment. " —Stephanie