Shale Wagman to Paris Opéra Ballet

[Sophoife]

The Paris Opéra Ballet external recruitment competition took place on July 3.

 

Bayerisches Staatsballett first soloist Shale Wagman has been offered a full-time contract as quadrille, following former Pennsylvania/Philadelphia Ballet principal Lillian Di Piazza two years ago.

 

No, I am not kidding.

[Bruce Wall]

Mr. Wagman is an extraordinarily special artist wherever he may be located.  This is excellent news methinks for both him and POB.  I can't wait to see him in a vast number of new and cherished assignments.  Who knows, perhaps even a Solor.  More than about time I, for just one, might suggest!!!

[San Perregrino]

‘Quadrille’ is listed as the lowest rank at POB so equates to ‘Artist’ at the RB. Has the move been confirmed? I can’t find any other reference to it on the interweb @Sophoife ?

[Jan McNulty]

If you go over to the News from Germany (etc) thread there is lots more information starting here:

 

 

[Silver Capricorn]

As part of an internal and external audition, 10 new members - 5 girls and 5 boys - could be accepted into the ONP Ballet troupe. After the internal audition, which only students of the ballet school participate in, only 2 women and 1 man were left for the external open audition, which went to Claire Teisseyre, Lee Ye_Eun and the only man, Shale Wagman. Their further career in the troupe depends on their results in regular auditions. This involves advancement to the positions of Coryphées and Sujets (dancers in this position also dance solo roles) and appointment to the positions of Premiers dancer and Etoiles. The current young étoile Guillaume Diop was appointed straight étoile from the position of Sujets. Anyway, I look forward to seeing Shale on the stage of Opéra Garnier or Opéra Bastille on my regular visits to Paris ballet performances.

[Sabine0308]

I am beyond thrilled for him. I know that he competed against 107 other male dancers, and got the one slot for a life contract

I do know that he is very happy to dance in his dream company. And I am sure he will fly through the ranks.

If anyone is in Lourdes next Monday: you can see him dancing g as POB member.

Massive congratulations, Shale!💐 

Munich, you screwed it big time.

 

Edited July 4 by Sabine0308

[Emeralds]

Oh! That's tough starting at the bottom even if it's standard procedure. Kudos to Lillian Di Piazza for doing the same previously. Best wishes to Shale, whom I enjoyed seeing in various roles when he was at ENB. Paris is lucky to have him. 

 

PS thanks @Sophoife- we really needed a separate "Shale's Movements" thread like this, as (to me) he keeps popping up around Europe and then moving away just when I think he's settled in one place! ENB --> Mariinsky Ballet (briefly as guest- but principal role!!!) --> recuperation--> Bavarian State Ballet --> Paris Opera. Can't keep up. 😄 

Edited July 4 by Emeralds

[LinMM]

He has been in Bavaria a few years now though. 
I thought of you immediately Sabine when I saw this thread title!! 
A little further for you to go Sabine but Paris not a bad place to visit!! 
I am surprised actually as thought he was doing well in Bavaria but perhaps just the chance to be a POB etoile is an ambition he has cherished. 

[Sabine0308]

47 minutes ago, LinMM said:

He has been in Bavaria a few years now though. 
I thought of you immediately Sabine when I saw this thread title!! 
A little further for you to go Sabine but Paris not a bad place to visit!! 
I am surprised actually as thought he was doing well in Bavaria but perhaps just the chance to be a POB etoile is an ambition he has cherished. 

He had other offers, e.g. In North America, so yes, I am very happy that he stays in Ol' Europe!

[Sabine0308]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

Oh! That's tough starting at the bottom even if it's standard procedure. Kudos to Lillian Di Piazza for doing the same previously. Best wishes to Shale, whom I enjoyed seeing in various roles when he was at ENB. Paris is lucky to have him. 

 

PS thanks @Sophoife- we really needed a separate "Shale's Movements" thread like this, as (to me) he keeps popping up around Europe and then moving away just when I think he's settled in one place! ENB --> Mariinsky Ballet (briefly as guest- but principal role!!!) --> recuperation--> Bavarian State Ballet --> Paris Opera. Can't keep up. 😄 

He didn't move that much😁.

And I think he is settled now.❤️

[FionaM]

From what I saw in Munich of Shale’s roles … IMO they held him back favouring dancers with lesser ability.  Sure he had many supporting soloist roles … Mercutio, Puck, White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, Golden Idol, Benjamin in Cinderella.  But not often the lead.  Franz in Coppélia was his only classical lead role.

 

Ratmansky chose Shale for the lead in his full length creation Tchaikovsky Overtures for Munich.  And he was brilliant according to everything I saw or heard.  It is my personal regret that I didn’t make it to Munich to see this.  
 

Shale stepped in multiple times at short notice (sometimes 24 hours only) to cover gaps.  He reminds me of Yasmine Naghdi in his ability to learn a role overnight and deliver a performance as though it had been rehearsed for weeks. 

I feel he was used in Munich rather than appreciated, nurtured and developed.  (Yonah Acosta seems similarly sidelined.) 
 

Hilaire is making a lot of personnel mistakes.  I see he has his favourites.   

 

[Angela]

2 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

Munich, you screwed it big time.

 

26 minutes ago, FionaM said:

Hilaire is making a lot of personnel mistakes.  I see he has his favourites.   

 

Does anybody know about the partnering abilities of Mr. Wagman? That might be a very good reason that he never danced Romeo or other leading roles where partnering is required. He really seems to be cast in solitaire roles only, even by Ratmansky. How will he cope with the tall Paris étoile ballerinas? Or were they looking for a partner for Inès McIntosh? I did not search extensively, but I can't find a single lift by him on Youtube.

Edited July 4 by Angela
grammar

[FionaM]

@Emeralds  So one year at ENB, at the end of which he guested as James in La Sylphide at the Mariinsky with their great ballerina Olesya Novikova for one performance.  
 

Then he was out for a year or more with an injury and Covid closed ballet, until he joined Munich in early 2021.  
 

So 1 year ENB, 3 years Munich.  

 

Now starting at lowest rank in Paris at age 24.  I applaud his bravery.  He is not afraid to take risks.  
 

[Silver Capricorn]

8 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

 

Ví někdo o partnerských schopnostech pana Wagmana? To může být velmi dobrý důvod, proč nikdy netančil Romea nebo jiné hlavní role, kde je vyžadováno partnerství. Opravdu se zdá, že je obsazován pouze do solitérních rolí, a to i Ratmanským. Jak si poradí s vysokými pařížskými étoile balerínami? Nebo hledali partnera pro Inès McIntosh? Nehledal jsem rozsáhle, ale na Youtube jsem nenašel jediný výtah od něj.

A month ago I saw him dance at the World Ballet Stars gala in Geneva pdd Diana et Acteon with Bianca Teixeira and their partnership was excellent, I don't think there will be any problem with that.

[Sophoife]

23 minutes ago, FionaM said:

Hilaire is making a lot of personnel mistakes.

I find that comment presumptuous Fiona. Do you have the dancing and directing experience of Laurent Hilaire? I don't. I also don't have his insights therefore nor do I have his personal vision.

 

24 minutes ago, FionaM said:

Hilaire...I see he has his favourites.  

As does any artistic director!

 

It's obvious for example who are David Hallberg's favourites at AusBallet.

 

Elsewhere, nearly all the new hires at ENB are from Aaron S. Watkin's previous company.

 

San Francisco has seen a lot of personnel changes under Tamara Rojo - her own husband is leaving.

 

New broom at ABT Susan Jaffe has instigated an on-stage principal promotion which is not something ABT has ever done (and good on her).

 

José Martinez has discontinued one of the promotion competitions in Paris - a premier danseur/se will now be nominated not ranked in a competition - one of the reasons for which is apparently that there have been too many fine dancers kept back from the rank because they don't do well under competition conditions.

 

Finally, the Russian companies so beloved of your good self, Fiona, are absolute bywords for favouritism.

[bridiem]

I imagine it's true that all artistic directors have favourite dancers, because there's a subjective element in all of our perceptions. But I also think that a good director should be able and willing to put aside any overt favouritism and appreciate dancers for their various qualities and give opportunities to clearly talented dancers who may not be an automatic 'favourite' of theirs. If the director is also a choreographer, of course it's more difficult because choreographers do have to be able use dancers who particularly appeal to them. But even then, it would be good to be open-minded about what other dancers may have to offer. 

 

I expect we can all think of dancers who have, inexplicably as far as we're concerned, not been promoted or not been cast in roles for which we think they would have been suitable. You can't completely take the subjective element out of all this, but it shouldn't be so dominant as to bring about injustice. (None of this relates to Shale Wagman, incidentally - as far as I remember I've never seen him dance.)

[Sabine0308]

23 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

 

Does anybody know about the partnering abilities of Mr. Wagman? That might be a very good reason that he never danced Romeo or other leading roles where partnering is required. He really seems to be cast in solitaire roles only, even by Ratmansky. How will he cope with the tall Paris étoile ballerinas? Or were they looking for a partner for Inès McIntosh? I did not search extensively, but I can't find a single lift by him on Youtube.

I saw him in Coppélia dancing Franz, or in Midsummernights Dream in 2 roles, and his partnering (Lifts, throwing his ballerinas in the air and catch them 😉) was fine.

And yes, the Diana and Acteon clips from Geneva I saw were also fine, I'm waiting for the entire Video.

Also: he is certainly happy to learn and improve with the awesome POB ballet masters.

 

[FionaM]

29 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

 

Does anybody know about the partnering abilities of Mr. Wagman? That might be a very good reason that he never danced Romeo or other leading roles where partnering is required. He really seems to be cast in solitaire roles only, even by Ratmansky. How will he cope with the tall Paris étoile ballerinas? Or were they looking for a partner for Inès McIntosh? I did not search extensively, but I can't find a single lift by him on Youtube.

 

There are lifts and supported pirouettes in Diana & Acteon, Coppélia, Flames of Paris, Wheeldon’s Cinderella and others.  
 

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere (re Corrales, Jun, etc) directors who pigeonhole virtuoso male dancers in soloist roles without much partnering in them, don’t help to nurture these dancers to the next level.  

[FionaM]

@Sophoife re favouritism.  Agree Iit was ever thus.  Everywhere.  And so I applaud Shale for taking this brave step when he sees he is not one of those favoured enough to progress where he is.  

[FionaM]

@Sophoife re favouritism in Russia.  I agree.  Olesya Novikova being the most obvious injustice for years.  And relevant to Shale.  
 

And don’t get me started on Tsiskaridze, Vaziev etc.  I am very aware of favouritism in those companies and schools.  All is fine, if you are in the favourites camp.    

[Sharon]

3 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

I am beyond thrilled for him. I know that he competed against 107 other male dancers, and got the one slot for a life contract

I do know that he is very happy to dance in his dream company. And I am sure he will fly through the ranks.

If anyone is in Lourdes next Monday: you can see him dancing g as POB member.

Massive congratulations, Shale!💐 

Munich, you screwed it big time.

 

🤣🤣🤣

[Angela]

1 hour ago, FionaM said:

Flames of Paris,

 

I watched two of these with Wagman on Youtube, no lifts there. Honestly, could somebody point out a video with an overhead lift by Shale Wagman in it? I'd by thankful.

 

1 hour ago, FionaM said:

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere (re Corrales, Jun, etc) directors who pigeonhole virtuoso male dancers in soloist roles without much partnering in them, don’t help to nurture these dancers to the next level.  

 

When you lead a company and have a schedule of performances to fill, you only have a certain amount of time and ballet masters to "nurture these dancers to the next level", and partnering starts with lifting weights all by yourself. As I director, you also have to care for your ballerinas who should feel safe when lifted.

I can't image that a director like Laurent Hilaire did not try to put a fine dancer and charismatic audience favorite like Wagman in roles like Romeo or Solor, so I guess there must be other reasons to choose a rather boring Julian McKay instead. Did Wagman ever dance Albrecht, by the way? Anywhere? It must have been in a season somewhere at ENB or Munich when he was there.

 

 

 

[FionaM]

@Angela Shale was in his first professional year at ENB.   He performed there mostly supporting roles … which would have had lifts.  Pd3, pd6 etc.  
 

with audience videos not being allowed in Europe you are going to struggle to find what you are looking for.  

Edited July 4 by FionaM

[FionaM]

A very brief clip from Shale’s instagram showing one supported pirouette and one lift with Alina Cojocaru.  Looks good.  This is Juliano Nunes’ creation LACUNA that I saw live. 

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl69Pc7oNGi/?igsh=aTc2MHRnOWhtYWU5

 

also some partnering photos from the same show (Shale with Nayara Lopes, Philadelphia principal) 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch7MHivsJxx/?igsh=MTVoNjBzZmptZ2NyeQ==

 

and this Dying Swans duet with Derek Dunn (Boston principal) also from LACUNA where they partner each other

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgrnCm7ooRX/?igsh=MTBnbXQzMWo4M3lxMg==

Edited July 4 by FionaM

[Amelia]

       I hope very much that Shale's career at Opera de Paris does not repeat the fate of another brilliant dancer in this troupe - Emmanuel Thibault, a virtuoso with excellent classical lines and technique.

       Despite of becoming a sujet at the age of seventeen and later being promoted to the rank of premier danseur, he was used in a limited repertoire, like Mercutio, ‘Le Spectre de la rose’, Bluebird, Puck in “Dream’, Bronze Idol, The Faun, pas de trois in ‘Paquita’ and "Swan Lake", Peasant pas de deux in “Giselle", etc. As far as I remember his only leading role in a full-length ballet was Basilio in "Don Quixote”. Hence regardless of all his merits, he never reached the rank of étoile. 

        I really wish Shale Wagman a fulfilling career in the troupe of his dreams.

[MAB]

Amelia, Thibault had a second full'length role as Colas in Ashton's Fille and I never saw anyone better..  Perhaps his  purely classical style didn't appeal to the then director.  As FionaM says "it was ever thus".

 

The only flaw this otherwise perfect classicist had was less than perfect partnering.

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

He didn't move that much😁.

And I think he is settled now.❤️

For a young dancer, 3 companies is a lot; I think if he'd started at somewhere like Stuttgart or National Ballet of Canada he could be principal dancer and dancing leads like Romeo, Nutcracker Prince, Basilio already (Shale would be a fantastic Basilio). I'm not saying he did or didn't get job offers with these 2 companies of course- just hypothetically. I hope he does well in the promotion concours and doesn't get injuries at the wrong moment though- injury has halted his progress. I'm very happy for him if Paris Opera is where he really wants to be though. 

 

4 hours ago, FionaM said:

@Emeralds  So one year at ENB, at the end of which he guested as James in La Sylphide at the Mariinsky with their great ballerina Olesya Novikova for one performance.  
 

Then he was out for a year or more with an injury and Covid closed ballet, until he joined Munich in early 2021.  
 

So 1 year ENB, 3 years Munich.  

 

Now starting at lowest rank in Paris at age 24.  I applaud his bravery.  He is not afraid to take risks.  
 

I too am impressed that he was brave enough to start at the bottom instead of looking for a company that would let him join at the equivalent first soloist level.

 

One must admit that progression in 3 years to First Soloist is actually very fast, so whatever roles Hilaire did or didn't give him, he certainly was generous at promoting him so fast in just 3 years- the next level is principal!

 

Unfortunately in a company that has Yonah Acosta, Wagman and Casalinho, in order to give Shale and Yonah more leading male opportunities, they will need more petite ballerinas. He's still done lots in 3 years though- Franz in Coppelia and Principal Couple in Rubies are leading male parts. 

 

2 hours ago, Amelia said:

       I hope very much that Shale's career at Opera de Paris does not repeat the fate of another brilliant dancer in this troupe - Emmanuel Thibault, a virtuoso with excellent classical lines and technique.

       Despite of becoming a sujet at the age of seventeen and later being promoted to the rank of premier danseur, he was used in a limited repertoire, like Mercutio, ‘Le Spectre de la rose’, Bluebird, Puck in “Dream’, Bronze Idol, The Faun, pas de trois in ‘Paquita’ and "Swan Lake", Peasant pas de deux in “Giselle", etc. As far as I remember his only leading role in a full-length ballet was Basilio in "Don Quixote”. Hence regardless of all his merits, he never reached the rank of étoile. 

        I really wish Shale Wagman a fulfilling career in the troupe of his dreams.

Thibault was so talented and deserved to be etoile! My guess is that he was typecast and a victim of Brigritte Lefevre's policy of turning Paris Opera Ballet into "The Paris Opera Contemporary Dance Company" for 60% of the year. The repertoire and her casting choices favoured a certain look of danseur- tall, broad shouldered and muscular, who looks good on a poster for contemporary dance, rather than smaller dancers who have fine classical technique, artistry and dance really well. I'm not saying the etoiles who got promoted can't dance. But it seemed they have to look a certain way to get promoted to etoile, which is not due to artistry or technique but simply luck with genetics. Thankfully Martinez seems to prefer classical ballets! 

Edited July 4 by Emeralds

[Sabine0308]

Here's the link to the gala in Lourdes:

https://loffrandemusicale.fr/les-beautes-de-la-danse-le-08-07-quesaco/

 

Dancers according to the website:

 

L. Pagliero, M. Ganio, A. Bezard, Inès Mcintosh (all POB)

 

A. Cojocaru, A. Laudere, E. Revazov (all invited from Hamburg)

 

E. Berlanga, Zurich

S. Wagman, Munich (soon POB)

M. Willems (former Zurich, now Berlin)

[Silver Capricorn]

32 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

For a young dancer, 3 companies is a lot; I think if he'd started at somewhere like Stuttgart or National Ballet of Canada he could be principal dancer and dancing leads like Romeo, Nutcracker Prince, Basilio already (Shale would be a fantastic Basilio). I'm not saying he got job offers with these 2 companies of course- just hypothetically. I hope he does well in the promotion concours and doesn't get injuries at the wrong moment though- injury has halted his progress. I'm very happy for him if Paris Opera is where he really wants to be though. 

 

I too am impressed that he was brave enough to start at the bottom instead of looking for a company that would let him join at the equivalent first soloist level.

 

One must admit that progression in 3 years to First Soloist is actually very fast, so whatever roles Hilaire did or didn't give him, he certainly was generous at promoting him so fast in just 3 years- the next level is principal!

 

Unfortunately in a company that has Yonah Acosta, Wagman and Casalinho, in order to give Shale and Yonah more leading male opportunities, they will need more petite ballerinas. He's still done lots in 3 years though- Franz in Coppelia and Principal Couple in Rubies are leading male parts. 

 

Thibault was so talented and deserved to be etoile! My guess is that he was typecast and a victim of Brigritte Lefevre's policy of turning Paris Opera Ballet into "The Paris Opera Contemporary Dance Company" for 60% of the year. The repertoire and her casting choices favoured a certain look of danseur- tall, broad shouldered and muscular, who looks good on a poster for contemporary dance, rather than smaller dancers who have fine classical technique, artistry and dance really well. I'm not saying the etoiles who got promoted can't dance. But it seemed they have to look a certain way to get promoted to etoile, which is not due to artistry or technique but simply luck with genetics. Thankfully Martinez seems to prefer classical ballets! 

Currently, the Paris Ballet Company has 7 male étoiles, all of whom are primarily classical dancers. Diop, Louvet, Marchand, Marque, Moreau, Ganio, who will end his career at the beginning of next year, and Heymann, who is unfortunately ill for a long time. All of them get enough opportunities in the main roles of the repertoire, and in addition to them, dancers of "lower" categories are also cast in the main roles. Overall, I find this system more balanced than in ROH.

[Sabine0308]

2 hours ago, Angela said:

 

I watched two of these with Wagman on Youtube, no lifts there. Honestly, could somebody point out a video with an overhead lift by Shale Wagman in it? I'd by thankful.

 

 

When you lead a company and have a schedule of performances to fill, you only have a certain amount of time and ballet masters to "nurture these dancers to the next level", and partnering starts with lifting weights all by yourself. As I director, you also have to care for your ballerinas who should feel safe when lifted.

I can't image that a director like Laurent Hilaire did not try to put a fine dancer and charismatic audience favorite like Wagman in roles like Romeo or Solor, so I guess there must be other reasons to choose a rather boring Julian McKay instead. Did Wagman ever dance Albrecht, by the way? Anywhere? It must have been in a season somewhere at ENB or Munich when he was there.

On youtube you will certainly not find performances with all dancers you want to see. Shale was chosen for 3 livestreams from Munich (Cinderella-Benjamin, Alice...-White Rabbit, Tchaikovsky Ouvertures-Tchaikovsky's spirit, as I like to say).

Like I wrote, the lifts I saw live in the theatre in the performances I mentioned, overhead or not, were just fine.

Solor was a promise Hilaire did not keep for him, and it took ages to confirm him for Lensky (due to injury and due to Mckay preferred over him although he didn't want to dance Lensky at all).

Yes ADs make decisions we often do not like, but that's life. And when you have enough and other very promising options, then you seek out new roads.

[Emeralds]

40 minutes ago, Silver Capricorn said:

Currently, the Paris Ballet Company has 7 male étoiles, all of whom are primarily classical dancers. Diop, Louvet, Marchand, Marque, Moreau, Ganio, who will end his career at the beginning of next year, and Heymann, who is unfortunately ill for a long time. All of them get enough opportunities in the main roles of the repertoire, and in addition to them, dancers of "lower" categories are also cast in the main roles. Overall, I find this system more balanced than in ROH.

Most of the current male etoiles were promoted by Dupont or Martinez, not Lefevre.

 

Ganio and Heymann are the exceptions (promoted by Lefevre in 2004 and 2009 respectively) but I think everyone agrees both are exceptional classical dancers and fully deserved to be etoiles and promoted early (which is why they haven't retired yet). The other male etoiles from Lefevre's era have retired. 

 

Thibault was close to retirement by the time Lefevre left (he was 39-40), and her successor Benjamin Millepied was just as or even more uncommitted to classical ballets as Lefevre had been. There's a big difference in pay and benefits for an etoile compared to premier danseur, and many of us feel Thibault deserved that recognition (and pay). Anyway, that's in the past now and Martinez is doing good work, so long may the good work  continue. 

Edited July 4 by Emeralds

[Lizbie1]

23 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Thibault was close to retirement by the time Lefevre left (he was 39-40), and her successor Benjamin Millepied was just as or even more uncommitted to classical ballets as Lefevre had been.

 

IIRC it was rather that he didn't have confidence that enough of the dancers he inherited were up to the job of delivering more classical ballets. He was fairly outspoken about technical standards there. 

[Angela]

3 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

On youtube you will certainly not find performances with all dancers you want to see. Shale was chosen for 3 livestreams from Munich (Cinderella-Benjamin, Alice...-White Rabbit, Tchaikovsky Ouvertures-Tchaikovsky's spirit, as I like to say).

 

Sabine, I like Shale Wagman very much, I'm just trying to find a reason why Monsieur Hilaire, who I think is a very clever and sensible director, would not cast him in certain roles. The three livestreams you mention are, again, three of his "solitaire" roles without much partnering. He has a great technique, wonderful phrasing and musicality, he has good looks and he is young - he would have been a perfect Romeo, people would have rushed to see his performances. Why would any director who cares for his company and a sold-out house hold back such a dancer from the role without a good reason?