<div id="subtitle">Romeo, Juliet and the first lady, too: New York's spring ballet season is officially under way</div><div><p>The biggest star of New York's spring ballet season so far wasn't even wearing toe shoes when she stepped onto the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House.</p><p>Michelle Obama wasn't wearing a tutu, either — just her usual chic designer clothes. But the first lady got a standing ovation, thunderous cheers and even a "Brava!" when she appeared at American Ballet Theatre's spring gala Monday night to make a plug for arts education and introduce a cast of young ballet students.</p><p>And how was the dancing? Ah yes, the dancing. The evening followed ABT's familiar gala pattern of highlighting all the major works coming up in the season, and then some, in greatest-hits style. At 11 segments, it could have been a tad shorter, but few were complaining.</p><p>There were clear audience favorites, such as the old war horse "Le Corsaire," featuring the spectacular jumps of Angel Corella. Or George Balanchine's "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux," with Gillian Murphy and Ethan Stiefel in charming form. Veronika Part, newly promoted to principal, showed off her artistry in the evening's opening vignette, from Balanchine's "Mozartiana."</p><p>But the most amusing moment came when Nina Ananiashvili, the veteran ballerina who will retire from ABT later this season, spoofed her own upcoming swan song in a short piece created by Alexei Ratmansky, now artist in residence at ABT. Dressed in a Carmen-style red dress with black lace, Ananiashvili played a woman unwilling to give up the spotlight — a "Sunset Boulevard" moment at the ballet.</p><p>And the most charming moment had to be the "The Procession" — actually, a short work resembling a ballet class, and featuring, for the first time at the opera house, students from ABT's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis school. As if the pressure of appearing on such a grand stage was not enough, imagine being introduced not only by the first lady but by Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the school's namesake.</p><p>The students came through, however, with aplomb, and in the cast one could find at least one kid who is already a star: David Alvarez, one of Broadway's three rotating Billy Elliots.</p><p>ABT's season has just started, but across the plaza at New York City Ballet, they've been dancing for a few weeks. It was heartening to see that Peter Martin's oft-maligned production of "Romeo + Juliet," now in its third season, was in fine form.</p><p>When Martins debuted his version in 2007, critics were quick to complain about its simple set, its impressionistic costumes or what some called its too-modern feel, among other things. But few quibbled with one inspired decision: to cast some of his youngest dancers as the tragic lovers.</p><p>The ardent Robert Fairchild, 21, and the waiflike Sterling Hyltin, 23, are already accomplished dancers — he's a up-and-coming soloist at NYCB, she's already a principal — but full of youthful exuberance. Their performances last week served as a reminder of how Shakespeare's tragic tale gains freshness and believability when the young lovers actually look like the impetuous teenagers they're supposed to be.</p><p>Fairchild's dancing was bouyant during his spirited moments with Benvolio and Mercutio in early scenes, then soulful and moving as the drama progressed. And speaking of Mercutio, kudos must go to Daniel Ulbricht, whose soaring leaps evoked gasps of shock from the audience — and that was before characters started dying right and left.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=50722065&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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