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Who cares? with Baryshnikov and ABT


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Hi

I own a recording of Who Cares? - the title of the tape is "Baryshnikov dances BAlanchine" and it was recorded from TV ("Great Performances" series). According to the credits it is a "Concert Version" (dont know what it means, incidentally).

I would like some help regarding the name of the Gershwin pieces danced there, in particular:

- the variation danced by Leslie Browne (the one that consists mainly of jumps - lots of sauts de basque)

- the variation danced by Deirdre Carberry (the one that contains the fouette turns)

- the variation danced by Christine Dunham (the one that has the pique arabesque "falling off pointe" with hand "falling" at the same moment - sorry dont know how to describe it better)

Can anyone help me out? I happen to have a recording of it, whch I shall be dancing soon, but no credits to this recording available.

thanks

silvy

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Silvy, in order they are (I'm doing this off the top of my head, so I'm hoping I don't switch them)

Stairway to Paradise (Jumping variation with brises)

My One and Only (Turning variation)

Fascinatin' Rhythm

The "concert version" of Who Cares omits the corps de ballet and demi-soloists, who have several numbers before the principals.

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thanks so much Leigh & Mme. Hermine!!!!! Also for the clarification on the meaning of "Concert Version".

Incidentally, does the NYCB version available on video contain the corps parts as well, or only the principals as in this case?

Silvy

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i won't repeat the sound info. offered in the replies above, but to summarize:

l. browne danced the role made for karin von aroldingen

d. carberry danced that created for marnee morris

c.dunham was in the part made for patricia mcbride.

this 'concert' version of WHO CARES? (for all i know the first truncation approved by the balanchine trust) had been, around this time, in the repertory of BARYSHNIKOV & CO. the touring group baryshnikov led and danced at the head of during summer lay-offs from ABT.

(c.harvey had often done the mcbride role on the group's tours.)

the version of WHO CARES? on tape - telecast but alas not marketed - along w/ VIENNA WALTZES & MOZARTIANA is complete.

here's the n.y.public library for the perf. arts listing of the WHO CARES? selections on THE BALANCHINE CELEBRATION, PART TWO, which is on the commercial market. as you can see some of the corps de ballet dancing is on this excerpt, but, again, it's not complete. so far as i know, except for the CBC WHO CARES? filmed in 1970(?) when the now dropped 'clap yo' hands' quartet was still being done, the one mentioned above is the only other one 'out there' from national telecasts.

here's the library listing of 'balanchine celebration, part 2' regarding WHO CARES?

Who cares?: selections / music, George Gershwin ; cast: The man I love: Viviana Durante (Royal Ballet) and Robert La Fosse ; I'll build a stairway to paradise: Lourdes Lopez ; Embraceable you: Heather Watts and Jock Soto ; Fascinatin' rhythm: Judith Fugate ; Who cares?: Melinda Roy and Ronald Perry (Dance Theatre of Harlem) ; My one and only: Elizabeth Loscavio (San Francisco Ballet) ; Liza: Jeremy Collins (American Ballet Theatre) ; I got rhythm

; I got rhythm / danced by entire cast and ensemble.

:

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silvy, there are 2 other versions I've seen --

One on "Dinner with Balanchine." about 7-10 years old now -- with international all-star cast -- including the FABULOUS performance by Elizabeth Loscavio of the blue girl's variation (with the foouettes) which has probably never been danced better by anyone.... the "falling-off-pointe" variation on this version is by Judy Fugate in what was Patricia McBride's role (i.e., the ballerina's), and what you're PROBABLY referring to is Balanchine's witty quotation of the move in the solo from "FLower Festival at Genzano," where hte ballerina takes a pique in arabesque, fouettes quickly to second position and back again to arabesque WITHOUT falling off pointe (In the Bournonville original, the ballerina does hte movement TWICE: very thoroughly in a supported adage, and then tosses it off best she can in her solo variation -- in the BAlanchine "Fascinatin' Rhythm," it's really a kind of rhythmic shimmer -- and also an inside joke....)

There was also an old version with hte original cast, broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting System in hte late 60's or so, with Karin von Aroldingen, Marnee Morris, and Patricia McBride -- this one is t he best, BY FAR, if you can find it -- mostly because von Aroldingen was a STAR in her role -- horsing around on stage, jumping HUGE..... her version did not have hte jete battus, i prefer it.... but you have to be able to go careening around the stage like a pony to pull it off...... huge jumps in second position, making a whole turn en dedans (if I remember right).....

there are WONDERFUL roles for hte corps, by the way..... That would be SO much fun to dance...

When is your performance? Which role are you doing? what are the challenges?How EXCITING!@!! Let us know how it goes!

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One on "Dinner with Balanchine." about 7-10 years old now --  with international all-star cast -- including the FABULOUS performance by Elizabeth Loscavio of the blue girl's variation (with the foouettes) which has probably never been danced better by anyone....

Oh, yes! Loscavio's performance of "My One and Only" is worth the price of the video tape alone!

I attended the entire Balanchine Celebration performance. As usual, the internationally known guest artists got ovations, especially Darcey Bussell -- I think I'm the only person on Earth who hated her performance in Agon -- Manuel Legris in the Square Dance solo, and even Patricia Barker, who some may have known from PNB/Sendak's version of the Nutcracker on VHS and who others thought was Kyra Nichols.

No one seemed to know who Loscavio was, and there was little anticipation in the air when she came out. She then performed the most fantastic version of "My One and Only" and blew the house away, eliciting one of the biggest ovations of the entire celebration from the shocked audience.

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fyi: the cast of the CBC telecast, available to the best of my knowledge only in research library collections, such as that at lincoln center:

Choreography: George Balanchine. Music: George Gershwin. Scenery: Jo Mielziner. Costumes: Karinska.

Performed by members of the New York City Ballet: Patricia McBride, Marnee Morris, Karin von Aroldingen, Jean-Pierre Bonnefous, and ensemble. Cast: Strike up the band, perf. by ensemble. Sweet and low down, perf. by ensemble. Somebody loves me, perf. by five women. Bidin' my time, perf. by five men. 'S wonderful, perf. by couples. The man I love, perf. by McBride and Bonnefous. I'll build a stairway to paradise, perf. by von Aroldingen. Embraceable you, perf. by Morris and Bonnefous. Fascinatin' rhythm, perf. by McBride. Who cares?, perf. by von Aroldingen and Bonnefous. My one and only, perf. by Morris. Liza, perf. by Bonnefous. Clap yo' hands, perf. by McBride, Morris, von Aroldingen, and Bonnefous. I got rhythm, perf. by entire cast.

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