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I thought Joseph Gorak's position in Studio Company was awarded at YAGP. The press release makes it sound as if these dancers were chosen on the basis of their SI attendence. And as I recall, he was not a competing soloist in YAGP and their was some controversy about the award. Where any of the other dancers aware of their Studio selection/contract prior to attending the SI? It just that ABT's summer program has 900-1000 dancers at multiple locations filled with dancers hoping to earn a spot, when many of the spots were already determined. Yet a press release like this muddies the waters on how the dancer "got" to Studio Company. Just curious.

I think you can watch it here. click on womens comfortsoft TV

Orlando Ballet issued a press release today announcing the Fernando Bujones had recently been diagnosed with lung cancer and was taking a three month leave of absence to receive treatment in Miami. His wife will also be on leave during this time. Peter Stark, Orlando Ballet school director and AD will take on added responsibilties, as will Samantha Dunster, Ballet Mistress and Orlando Molina, Ballet Master. I do not have a link. I can copy and paste the release. Our thoughts and prayers are with him.

The loss of Iliana Lopez is quite a loss, both for the company and the school. I am too far removed geographically to know any more than I read hear, and was not aware of her move. We see MCB in WPB. This past year,at the Sat evening performance at the Kravis --Program III-- I accompanied my daughter--a student of ballet. We were sitting in Orchestra level seats in the second to the last row. There were a few empty seats just behind us. Just as the curtain went up, Iliana and two others sat down in the empty seats to take in the performance. I believe she had "set" one of the performances that night. I recognized her immediately. At the first intermission, before she left to go back stage, I very discretely leaned back and simply asked her if she "missed it, being on stage performing." She smiled and nodded, but added that she enjoyed teaching and coaching. I remember reading on Ballet Talk for Dancers how many young students found her audition classes for MCB's summer program to be enjoyable. She did many of the off site auditions, and was teaching at the school. She will be missed.

Their email notification said only 200 tickets to be sold per show!

Was anyone at the Ballerina Symposium at Nutmeg yesturday? Did Alexandra appear as planned? Any comments by her about her current hopes and dreams for the future? Her reasons behind her departure? Anything? Did she perform in DancerEye as planned?

I made a purchase of unused Freed pointe shoes for my daughter on Ebay, and they turned out to be from Deirdre. Had her name on the soles. It was quite a surprise (nice) for my dancing daughter. This was last fall and Deirdre mentioned in a follow up email she was leaving for Europe.

carbro:Actually, Marfan's Syndrome is quite complicated, but suffice it to say that there are probably few dancers with it. However, there are indeed dancers with what are considered disorders of connective tissue, often of the mild Ehlers-Danlos type (EDS). Most extreme flexibility is not "out there" enough to fit an actual disease process--more likely an extreme "variation of normal" that a ballet dancer uses to her/his advantage.

Hypermobility is actually a medical term. Connective tissue proteins such as collagen give the body its intrinsic toughness. Joints exist where a bone meets a bone, and they are connected by muscle and/or tendons and/or ligaments. When one of the connective structures are looser, more fragile than normal, or just more elastic than they should be, the joints will be "hypermobile," and the joint angle formed at full extension is greater than normal. The extention is beyond what is considered the normal "limits" of the joint. For some it leaves the joint vulnerable to injury. For others it allows for natural hyperextension or greater "flexability." However, even from a medical standpoint "more" is not "better." In ballet dancers this can be seen especially at the knee, elbow, and hip joints. Sometimes also the back. They are more "bendable" than average (the joints/ the dancers.) Some dancers are naturally hypermobile. Some stretch their joints repeatedly to break down the collegen and try to achieve more mobility ...at a greater cost.

You can get an autographed copy of his autobiography "Prodigal Son" HERE at the MCB web site.

Grace, if you click on one of the seats outlined in red, another window opens and shows you the view--try it. (Click on one area of the seating map first, then click oin a seat outlined in red).

Treefrog, I found seats for the Cinderella performances for as low as 15 pounds Here is a link to the page of prices for upper levels. Now I have no idea how far up these are... online ticket prices Here is an interactive of what the stage looks like from different seats. interactive

Yes it is in the book. Will post or PM it later--running late this am.

I am not familiar with the Miami New Times, (I am now) but noticed the most recent article with a link above took me to a page/column with an interesting name "The B_tch.". Seems this women has a column/?byline with this name--guess she runs "hard" stories." Don't think this paper has any love for much of anything main stream. Here is how the paper describes itself

She was a guest teacher at Orlando Ballet last summer (formerly Southern Ballet Theater) for their Summer Intensive and I believe is scheduled to teach again this summer. At least at the time of auditions she was listed as a guest teacher.