DancingPixie

I've only seen him in the Kirov version of Roymonda and I must agree that he is completely wonderful

I sort of agree - in that the impression ballet music leaves on you definitely is affected by the mood of the ballet itself. But though swan lake - for example, isn't 'happy', I still love the music. I think that Giselle is a bit of a let down musically - not terrible, but just 'nice' as opposed to wonderful

^ I respectfully beg to differ. I know many dancers myself who aren't caucasian and who have the same body type as the best ballet dancers. Sadly, there really are far too few dancers of African and Asian descent in professional ballet. I do think, however, that the situation is changing - albeit too slowly for my liking - but it is changing. I really hope that dancers of diverse backgrounds will soon be represented throughout the ballet world

I agree - completely spectacular

This is a bit of an aside, but I was in Romania last year and the ballet in Bucharest was lovely. But the tickets were so cheap that I kept wondering how much do dancers in less economically powerful countries earn? I'm guessing the pay in Russia would be good, but what about elsewhere in eastern europe for example?

I haven't seen his Swan Lake, but I have heard rather unflattering things about it. I wish he'd stick to doing original material rather than re-working existing ballets into bizarre forms. But that's just my opinion.

I think Nina Ananiashvili is among the prettiest. Perhaps I'm biased because I'm a big fan of hers, but I do think that she is incredibly lovely

this thread is such a pleasure to read, and I'm mostly embarassed by my contribution - because it isn't half as good as some of the rest - but I've always thought that the first movement of Beethoven's 6th symphony would be so perfect for the opening of a ballet. To me, it sounds like day break on a beautiful morning - (yes, I realize that sounds a bit melodramatic lol) every time I hear it I imagine the lights slowly lighting up the stage and a ballet beginning

I think it depends very much on my mood but "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker" are definitely my favourites Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, and La Sylphiide as well

exactly, it takes a lot of training, aptitute and skill.

thankyou for the compliment, I'm glad you liked it

^ good call I love Poisson

Here are the ones you mentioned plus a few more, from oldest to newest (source: the Oxford Dictionary of Dance) 1. La Sylphide premiered 12 March 1832 at the Paris Opera 2. Giselle premiered 28 June 1841 at the Paris Opera 3. Pas de Quatre premiered 12 July 1845 in London 4. Don Quixote premiered at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre on 26 December 1869 5. Coppélia premiered 25 May 1870 at the Paris Opera 6. Swan Lake premiered 4 March 1877 at the Bolshoi Theatre, Russia 7. Sleeping Beauty premiered in 1890 at the Maryinsky Theatre, St Petersburg 8. The Nutcracker premiered 18 December 1892 at the Maryinsky Theatre in St Petersburg 9. Seranade premiered 10 June 1934 by students of the School of American Ballet 10. Romeo & Juliet premiered 30 December 1938 at Brno, Czechoslovakia 11. Carmen premiered 21 February 1949 by the Ballet de Paris performing in London 12. A Midsummer's Night Dream premiered 17 Jan. 1962 by New York City Ballet in NYC

My favourites are Yuri Possokhov and Jo Funaki (a Japanese dancer now with RNZB)

Nina Ananiashvili's arms