Shale Wagman to Paris Opéra Ballet

[JNC]

From what I’ve seen at POB the men are incredibly technically strong on classical works. The elegance and light landings and technique of Marque, Marchand, Louvet have really impressed me. It’s hardly like we’re short of excellent male dancers at the Royal now, but there was just something about the Paris male etoiles where you could see their pure classical training being honed and a particular “style” that was very beautiful to see. 
 

In London I’d say the obvious that Vadim is very close to this style, and maybe Reece Clarke has elements of this as well. I’d say the other RB principals tend to have a slightly different (British?) style that I equally love but it does seem there is more individual flair/divergence in the Royal Ballet. I don’t believe this to be good or bad or better or worse, the wonderful diversity of the world of ballet continues to intrigue me!
 

(At the Royal though I do wish we could have more classical and neoclassical ballet and fewer contemporary works though, comparing London vs Paris 24/25 Season I think Paris has got the balance right much better!)

 

anyway sorry gone a bit sidetracked. Congratulations to Shane, I don’t think I’ve seen him dance but I respect him for following his dream to dance in what’s clearly his preferred company and to start again from the bottom (though no doubt his ascent will be quick from there!). Paris tends to be rather isolating for “outsiders” and those not trained in their school but it’s good to see positive moves towards a bit more openness with some etoiles now not Paris trained and outsiders coming in. I do also respect the transparency of the competition system and the fact it is a very ingrained company “tradition”. 

[Sabine0308]

52 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

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?

I  cannot answer your question Angela, maybe he cares mostly about his principals looking good. He also didn't cast the couple Casalinho/Fernandez in R&J, and they look good together and are used to dance together for a long time. Lifts included😉.

IMO both Shale and A. Casalinho are the more exciting dancers compared to some principals, but so far, it didn't help much. And when Shale was pulled away from Lensky, it didn't help either. I know for sure it wasn't the Cranko team.

Edited July 4 by Sabine0308

[LinMM]

I don’t know Angela! 
But it seems strange to me to promote a dancer in a role they actually do not want to dance!!! As mentioned above. 
Personally I cannot see any good reason why Shale Wagman shouldn’t have danced Romeo! 

[Mandy Kent]

Congratulations to Shale! I look forward to seeing him dancing in Paris 🤗

[Tattin]

Astonished at this news, but bot surprised that he got the job in competition with over 100 others. From what I've seen of him on-line he is extraordinarily musical and expressive as well as having a tremendous technique, and what to me is "star" quality  - you can't take your eyes off him.

I did see him on stage in Madrid recently as the Golden Idol  in La Bayadére and he shone in this with some magnificent grand jetés en avant. As others have said, I'm sure he'll leap through the ranks at the POB.

[Angela]

11 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

I know for sure it wasn't the Cranko team.

 

The "Cranko team" has no influence on the casting of the Cranko ballets at Munich. They own the casting rights, as Cranko was ballet director there for a short time.

[Sophoife]

5 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

The "Cranko team" has no influence on the casting of the Cranko ballets at Munich. They own the casting rights, as Cranko was ballet director there for a short time.

They must be the only company in the world then! Thank you @Angela, today I learned.

[Angela]

Yes they are, Sophoife. Not that they ever used it creatively, for example by inviting Sylvie Guillem to dance Tatyana, what the Cranko Foundation did not allow her. From Liska to Zelensky and Hilaire, the Munich ballet directors tried to establish good relations with the Cranko Foundation.

[Amelie-DALP]

From my outsider's perspective (I am not an audience member of the Bayerisch), I don't have the impression that Shale has been overlooked in casting. Laurent Hilaire recruited him (when he wasn't dancing anywhere), promoted him to First Soloist, and he had great soloist opportunities: the Golden Idol, Ratmansky's creation, Mercutio... He's not at the highest rank in his company, so it's normal for the Principals to come before him. And I didn't get the impression – again, I could be wrong, I'm an outsider – that Antonio Casalinho was cast much more than him.

 

Furthermore, if Shale left the Bayerisch due to a lack of leading roles, he wouldn't have gone to Paris. I don't doubt that opportunities will come quickly, he is so amazing ! José Martinez is a pragmatic director: when you're good, you dance. But the fact is, he will be in the corps de ballet for at least two years (barring any injury during the Concours de promotion), and his job will be to perform as part of the corps de ballet. It's also about integrating into a company where it’s not necessarily easy. There is a style, a specific way to dance of course (I think Shale will blend well into the French school), but also somes "codes". And at the Paris Opera, some, not all, still look with suspicion at those who come from outside, who aren't "de la maison", and who take precedence over dancers from the school.

 

I find this choice very brave. Perhaps Shale dreams of being in the most prestigious company possible? And since the Mariinsky is no longer an option today... A few months ago, Shale was at the Palais Garnier rehearsing with Gil Isoart, a highly respected teacher in the company. This might have started a reflection.

 

In any case, as a member of the Paris Opera Ballet audience, I am delighted to see Shale Wagman! The POB has a significant lack of male soloists (for various reasons). His presence will boost things! But it might ruffle some feathers.

[MAX]

Interesting perspective Amelie, thank you !

 

May I ask what you think are the reasons behind the lack of male soloists ? 

 

Is that a problem in the school ?

 

And, yes, I am sure as well that Shale Wagman is a wonderful asset to the company. So exciting !

 

PS Thank you as well for your wonderful website, la classe et l'intelligence

[Sophoife]

1 hour ago, MAX said:

Thank you as well for your wonderful website, la classe et l'intelligence

 

Tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur le ballet français vient de DALP.

 

(Everything you need to know about French ballet comes from DALP)

[Sabine0308]

@Amelie-DALP it's nice to read your perspective and I am sure you will enjoy Shale dancing in Paris. A little clarification: Shale was hired in December 2020 by Igor Zelensky (then AD until May 2022),to join Munich-Bayerisches Staatsballett in January 2021. It was mid Covid time.

I also think he will blend in soon with the company, since he trained in Monaco for 4 years. So this sorta French connection should work.😀

Edited July 5 by Sabine0308

[MAX]

I am not sure Monaco is really representative of french training Sabine.

[Sim]

2 hours ago, Sophoife said:

 

Tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur le ballet français vient de DALP.

 

(Everything you need to know about French ballet comes from DALP)

C'est quoi, DALP?

[MAX]

Danse avec la plume

[MAB]

Oui, le panache est tout pour moi.

[Sabine0308]

1 hour ago, MAX said:

I am not sure Monaco is really representative of french training Sabine.

That's why I wrote French connection, not training😃.

[Sophoife]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

C'est quoi, DALP?

DALP is Danses Avec La Plume which (not advertising but recommending) is @Amelie-DALP's website.

 

One of the resources that has helped me enormously in my quest for further French-language improvement. Les Balletonautes is another. 

 

If I read about something in which I'm already interested, it helps me read faster and with better comprehension.

[alison]

Evidemment! Thanks for the recommendations, sophoife, I'll look them up. I don't usually do more than have an occasional look at Dansomanie.

[Sabine0308]

14 hours ago, Angela said:

 

The "Cranko team" has no influence on the casting of the Cranko ballets at Munich. They own the casting rights, as Cranko was ballet director there for a short time.

Okay then let's put it this way: it wasn't for artistic reasons. 2 independent sources told me that.

[Sophoife]

The Paris Opéra Ballet has officially announced the results of both the internal and external entry competitions. Sorry, I'm a week late posting it here!

 

Congratulations to all ten engaged, five women and five men: 

 

- Yeeun LEE

- Claire TEISSEYRE

- Jasmine ATROUS

- Indira SAS

- Natalie HENRY

- Shale WAGMAN

- Martin PAUL

- Rémi HAIRY-ARAUJO

- Corentin DOURNES

- Matéo GOUZE

Edited July 11 by Sophoife

[Jan McNulty]

And in an update email from BRB Eric Pinto Cato, who has been a crowd favourite since he joined, is also going to POB.

[Sophoife]

In what capacity, @Jan McNulty? As he's not named as having been engaged at the auditions, he must be on a surnuméraire contract?

[FionaM]

On 04/07/2024 at 22:35, LinMM said:

I don’t know Angela! 
But it seems strange to me to promote a dancer in a role they actually do not want to dance!!! As mentioned above. 
Personally I cannot see any good reason why Shale Wagman shouldn’t have danced Romeo! 

I think there is a misunderstanding here … Shale very much wanted to dance Lensky.  His words “dream role for me”.  
 

It was Julian Mackay who wasn’t keen on the role.   (I have no idea why, most male dancers do want it.) 

[Sabine0308]

Here's a longer Clip from Lourdes.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9U5WvrNIby/?igsh=MTIzaW5rcm91MHB4aA==

With greetings to @Angela😉

[Angela]

Thank you.

[Ingrid]

I've been following the POB more closely these past 4 years and I have to say that Shale Wagman hiring is amazing news for the company.

 

Yes, he will start at the lowest rank of the company, but that will not deter him from getting soloist or even principal roles, he may not be able to participate on the first promotional contest because I believe he needs to be in the company for at least 4 months, but this will give him time to adjust to the POB style of dancing and overall get a feel of the company.

 

As far as I'm aware, and after talking to some french ballet fans, I don't think he was called by the director to participate in the external concours that happened, that it was in fact a personal decision of his. (also, it seems that other wonderful dancers he is close with at the Bavarian State Ballet are leaving the company as well - they have yet to announced where they are going). Now, I don't think anyone who knows the current state of the male dancers in the company would be mad if José Martinez asked him to participate in the concours. That has not been the same at all with the women of the company, in that regard it may be the opposite, they have too much talent and potential lined up for the next 2 decades. 

 

 

[Sabine0308]

Thank you @Ingrid for some insights, new to me, regarding the concours. Also I think AD Martinez does a good and long overdue job with announcing higher rank promotions rather then send experienced dancers through another (somehow humiliating) concours, although they successfully performed full season(s).

I am aware of a few dancers leaving Munich, let's wait for the official announcements.

[LinMM]

FionaM ….in my post about not promoting a dancer who didn’t want to dance Lensky (which you quoted above)  it  wasn’t referring to Shale as that danced but to the dancer who did dance it. So I was referring to that post of Sabine before mine which said McKay was preferred in the role by the AD  but who wasn’t that keen to dance it ( whereas Shale was keen to) 

So unfortunately I’m  afraid it’s you who have misunderstood my post!! 
I agree though that cannot understand why a male dancer wouldn’t want to dance that role!! 

 

Edited July 13 by LinMM

[FionaM]

@LinMM thank you for the clarification.   
 

p.s.  if you want to reply and tag someone (me in this case) then type the @ symbol followed by the first few letters of the person’s name … a pop-up will open showing some choices.  Click on the person you wish to respond to.  
 

This way the intended person gets an alert that you’ve left a comment specifically for them.  

[OnePigeon]

1 hour ago, LinMM said:

I agree though that cannot understand why a male dancer wouldn’t want to dance that role!! 

Seems strange, could it be because he wants to dance Onegin instead?  I would imagine a senior or principal dancer may feel short changed to get Lensky if they want a crack at Onegin. However, I don’t actually know anything about this particular incident and am not very familiar with the company, though I do like what little I’ve seen of McKay.  I’m assuming he wasn’t a principal at this point so would be unlikely to think he would get Onegin - or would he?

[FionaM]

@OnePigeon Julian doesn’t have a proven record in roles with dramatic depth (yet).  I think the only one he has performed is Romeo (debut this season) which obviously suits his youthful look.  

 

Nor does he have the natural gravitas or stature for the Onegin role.  

[Sabine0308]

@OnePigeon Julian Mckay joined Munich Staatsballett as principal in 2023.