The season at the Metropolitan Opera, which always lasts 2 months in the year in the summer here in the currently hot and humid New York, is on the one side my favorite time of the year… on the other side I feel like all of us dancers at ABT definitely grow a couple of extra gray hairs in the process.

I feel extremely privileged to perform on such a special stage in front of up to 4000 viewers each night. Every week we perform different ballets, which means we rehearse one ballet and perform another one (or even various roles) in the evening (which differs from the usual European system…) To a certain degree there are times when everyone is on edge, physically and of course mentally. To put it in concrete terms, I performed in 11 different things in the course of this season. In the middle of it I suffered a minor ankle injury (from which I am still slightly recovering). I cried… I laughed… and I felt every and anything in between.

Nevertheless it is a special kind of sensation (and I’m trying now not  to be too clichée ) to be finished with the season. When it begins it seems it’s never-ending. When it ends, it seems like the time flew by like nothing.

To be honest I feel I cannot express myself in words well enough. I’m not a words person. I appreciate the written word, but am incapable of creating something worth of what I am trying to say.  I better stop and go to sleep. Enjoy the pictures. They hopefully capture a teeny-tiny-little bit of my life.
No more, no less.

Nevertheless here is the sum-up of the Chicago tour. First the couple of reviews we received with ABT and then my photos. The photos are not what you might expect, just so you know
Anyway here you go.

“In three breathtaking solo turns, Daniil Simkin (a dancer whose compact frame and airtight style are reminiscent of Baryshnikov’s) [...] made every gesture count and every moment pop in this quintessentially American street scene of a ballet. Glorious. “

- Hedy Weiss for the Chicago Sun-Times ,April 16, 2010

“Sparkly Daniil Simkin, a rising ABT spitfire, was electric as the first
sailor, flawless in the double spins and glissando-like split that
Robbins assigned the character.”

- Sid Smith for the Chicago Tribune ,April 16, 2010

“ABT is coming to town! In addition to a seven-performance run of Swan Lake (yes!), the New York-based troupe will present a one-night-only showcase of American choreographers. The All-American Celebration featuring works by Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp, is also the Chicago debut for 22-year-old soloist Daniil Simkin. This Russian-born wunderkind has exquisite technique, an inextinguishable creative curiosity and oodles of charm. Think of him as a mini Misha.”

- Vicki Crain for the Ruminations by a Rogue Ballerina Blog ,April 10, 2010

“[...]Now 22, Simkin makes his debut as one of three sailors in Robbins’ “Fancy Free” on Wednesday. “It’s iconic, and very American,” he says of the part…[...]“

- Sid Smith for the Chicago Tribune ,April 11, 2010

And here are the photos:

And here are the promised photos of my ‘Dance Open’ gala in St. Petersburg, Russia on April 2nd. All photos by me…please don’t get too excited, they just give you a little glimpse of the trip…obviously I was too lazy to actually post-correct most of the pictures. I hope you enjoy them anyway…

Besides that we’re getting ready with ABT to tour to Chicago, where I’ll be performing the first sailor in Jerome Robbin’s Fancy Free for the first time! I’m a little tense and excited at the same time ! Anyway I’ll try to keep you posted on Twitter and here as much as possible!

Good night and see you back soon,
-Daniil

• Signed, used, old, stinky, hole-y (that means with holes in them haha), personal ballet slippers which I’ve worn onstage or in the studio are being sold at ABT’s website. They are 75$ a pair and proceeds benefit ABT and The Dancers’ Emergency Fund
• I bought a Panasonic Lumix GF1 camera, so you can expect photos from my trips abroad here on the blog…
• I updated the schedule and the press section of my website…Resume section to follow…
• My next stops are the Dance Open Festival in St. Petersburg on April 2nd, then my Fancy Free debut and a couple of Swan Lakes in Chicago and then the closing gala at the X Mariinsky Ballet Festival again in St. Petersburg
• Oh and all the wonderful drawings you see are from Michael Arthur who drew me some months ago in the studio…

Hope you enjoy you the blog design With the very best wishes,

Daniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil

Here are the clips of the aforementioned ‘INTENSIO’ performance in Athens, December 2009:

I know I’ve been absent more than a year. A lot of changes, a lot of things happening, a lot of work. I am sorry the only possibility I had was to keep you up-to-date over my Twitter account.

But just two things. I my INTENSIO project happening on December 11, 12 and 13 in the Pallace Theatre in Athens. Join me if you want/have the possibility!

The list of appearing dancers include:

• Daniil SIMKIN – American Ballet Theatre
• Alina COJOCARU - The Royal Ballet
• Lucia LACARRA – Bayerisches Staatsballett (Munich)
• Cyril PIERRE – Bayerisches Staatsballett (Munich)
• Daria KLIMENTOVÁ – English National Ballet
• David MAKHATELI – The Royal Ballet
• Irina KOLESNIKOVA – St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre
• Semyon CHUDIN – Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet Theatre
• Marie LINDQVIST – The Royal Swedish Ballet
• Dragos MIHALCEA – The Royal Swedish Ballet

Furthermore, a new website is in the making by GNV& Partners. It will feature a re-do of my current wordpress theme, but the general concept of Blog/website will stay the same. Stay tuned.

Last but not least, you can become a ‘fan’ or better said a friend now on my Facebook Page. I have reached 5000 friends on my actual profile and therefore have to relocate my friends to my page. If you are not one yet, please join!

Greetings from Guadalajara, Mexico.

got a new video (technically it’s 2) up on Youtube:

Well, I’ve been pretty busy the last days preparing everything for my travelling and especially for New York Just so you have it, here is my schedule for the next weeks before joining American Ballet Theatre’s rehearsal period on September 29:
September 12-14: Athens, 3 shows at the MEGARO MOUSIKIS stage
September 15-18: London, rehearsals
September 19-22: Paris, Théatre des Champs-Elysées, 4 galas
September 26: Guadalajara, Mexico, Auditorio Telmex, gala

Anyway, I have to leave now for rehearsals. Just so you know, there will be some more videos up on Youtube soon .
Hope all is well with all of you!

By the way I have good news for my Mexican followers and friends. As it is planned I will be very probably performing in Guadalajara on September 26. Stay tuned for updates and news concerning that show.

Anyway I’ll write again, I just don’t know when

Bye and wish me a good flight!

…shows on different countries I am stopping by at my parents place in Frankfurt, Germany, as I currently am. Since my last post one month ago I’ve been around quite a lot. I’ve been to Seoul in Korea, Taipei in Taiwan and to Astana in Kazakhstan. Tomorrow I’m leaving for 4 performances in Italy: Roma, Florence, Treviso and Acqui.

After all that I will relax and enjoy myself in Varna, Bulgaria for two weeks watching the competition and swimming in the black sea. I repeat, I will not dance in Varna, not in the competition, nor in the gala.

PS: Photo was taken by the New York based dance photographer Eduardo Patino