Dancers that respond to your letters

[MakarovaFan]

Can anyone name a few?

[Kate B]

Darcey Bussell replied to a note I sent her. She handwrote on a postcard, and enclosed a signed photograph. I was really pleased with that!

[Farrell Fan]

When Suzanne Farrell had her first hip replacement, my wife and I sent her several get well cards. Eventually she sent this reply, on a Metropolitan Museum of Art note card of a seated cat:

"May 3, 1987

Dear Alice & Lou, Thank you so much for all your cards and well-wishes. They were certainly effective as I've graduated to a cane today. I've had no pain for 11 weeks -- practically since the operation! I'm already bored with therapy but am being a "good little patient." So you see, all is well. I hope you are both well also and, perhaps, I'll see you at the theater."

We did see her at the theater -- onstage. She danced again, including on pointe, and I still get goose bumps thinking of her farewell performance on Nov. 26, 1989, when she danced Peter Martins's "Sophisticated Lady" and the last section of "Vienna Waltzes," before, as she later put it in her book, being "showered with white roses, over five thousand of them, tied in little bouquets with silver streamers."

[Marga]

Several years ago, my daughter wrote to Merrill Ashley, telling her how much she had enjoyed seeing her as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker, and received a nice handwritten card in return. My daughter, the bookworm, had asked if Ashley had ever written a book and the ballerina told her about Dancing for Balanchine, and that she would send her an autographed copy if my child sent her $35. DD didn't jump at the chance, then, but perhaps should have. These days, autographed copies of that book go for $150-200 on Ebay!

[Alexandra]

On our Ballet Talk for Dancers forum a student just posted that she'd written to Paloma Herrera and got a very nice response

[Pointe1432]

Nearly 10 years ago I wrote a couple of letters to Paloma Herrera, she responded to both of them .

[kfw]

I once received a bemused email from a NYCB corps member regarding comments I'd made on this site about a rehearsal. She is still dancing, and with style, and I'll be watching for her next week.

[perky]

Last year while Suzanne Farrell was reviving Don Q at the Kennedy Center I sent her a letter. I figured it must be an emotional time for her. I sent her a handmade sterling silver cross with natural gemstones that my husband and I make. From reading her bio I knew she has a strong spiritual faith. I figured maybe the cross would provide her with strenth if she needed it while tackling the huge job of reviving Balanchine's Don Q.

She sent me a lovely note thanking me for the letter and gift. She called the cross necklace "glorious". I almost swooned !

[richard53dog]

Many, many years ago I sent an almost over the top fan letter to Maya Plisetskaya. She didn't send a note but did send a signed, beautiful color photo of herself as Odette.

Richard

[betty boop]

Yes Darcey Bussell despite all her engagements seems to find the time to sign a postcard if you forward to the Royal Ballet. In fact they are a lovely bunch of peeps at Covent Garden. They even went to the trouble of getting Maya to sign my copy of her book - bless them.

In these days of what seems to be generally declining moral standards, the ballet continues to be a bastion of good old fashioned etiquette.

I rather think that when the tide turns and people start to realise that old fashioned values are something we cannot afford to lose in society, then a whole new audience for ballet will materialise.

Edited February 28, 2006 by betty boop

[Rosie]

Yes Darcey Bussell despite all her engagements seems to find the time to sign a postcard if you forward to the Royal Ballet. In fact they are a lovely bunch of peeps at Covent Garden. They even went to the trouble of getting Maya to sign my copy of her book - bless them.

In these days of what seems to be generally declining moral standards, the ballet continues to be a bastion of good old fashioned etiquette.

I rather think that when the tide turns and people start to realise that old fashioned values are something we cannot afford to lose in society, then a whole new audience for ballet will materialise.

Where do YOU send the letters? To the ballet company?

please let me know

[fandango]

I have written several times to Alessandra Ferri, c/o ABT (as I was instructed by whoever answered the phone). She didn't answer. Has anyone had a response from her?

[canbelto]

I sent a letter to Louise Nadeau and she wrote back a beautiful long hand-written letter.

Nowadays, some dancers have their own websites where you can ask them questions, and they answer. The three sites I've visited that have this feature are Diana Vishneva, Johan Kobborg, and Sylvie Guillem. Kobborg has a great sense of humor and makes sure to answer every single comment people post, as does Diana Vishneva.

[allegromezzo18]

I sent a letter to Louise Nadeau and she wrote back a beautiful long hand-written letter.

Nowadays, some dancers have their own websites where you can ask them questions, and they answer. The three sites I've visited that have this feature are Diana Vishneva, Johan Kobborg, and Sylvie Guillem. Kobborg has a great sense of humor and makes sure to answer every single comment people post, as does Diana Vishneva.

Can you send an email does the letter have to be a hard copy via us postal service?

For NYCB or ABT?

Thanks.

[sparklesocks]

In these days of what seems to be generally declining moral standards, the ballet continues to be a bastion of good old fashioned etiquette.

I rather think that when the tide turns and people start to realise that old fashioned values are something we cannot afford to lose in society, then a whole new audience for ballet will materialise.

I think you have a point.

[fandango]

Can you send an email does the letter have to be a hard copy via us postal service?

For NYCB or ABT?

Thanks.

ABT, 890 Broadway, New York, New York 10003

[LooseLegs2]

I don't know if anyone is familiar with Drew Jacoby, a current dancer with LINES ballet. I found her and her husbands website and thought id take the chance and email her, i got a reply and she was incredibly honest and sweet!

[DefJef]

Last summer we saw the ABT perform le Corsaire. It was fabulous and Paloma Herrera left me speechless. I decided to write to her care of the ABT and tell her how much the experience effected me. It was my first and only "fan" letter and at 58 yrs old it was both hard and easy to write. A few weeks later I received a personal note and an autographed picture. I just had to tell her how her performance made me feel. She got to me!

We just saw Paloma dance Le Corsaire agian on Tuesday at the Met. This performance was for the Latin Nights and featured all the great hispanic dancers in the ABT. The performance was nothing short of stunning, even if the ballet "plot" is kinda silly. Palmona and all the others were superb... One of the most thrilling performances I have seen. I must say she has complete mastery of her body in space and time and is in complete synchonicity the the orchestra. Fluid does not even begin to describe how she can move.

[carbro]

What a delight, DefJef! I hope you'll visit our Welcome Page and tell us a bit about yourself, and maybe some other memorable performances you've seen.

[4mrdncr]

Both Paloma Herrera and Angel Corella kindly autographed a book I then sent on to a friend who was undergoing cancer therapy and so prevented from attending the ballet with me. The shocking thing to me was the fact that they did this, and return-mailed the book back to me in a SINGLE DAY. It had taken me a month, and MANY frustrating negotiations with various venders thru amazon to even get a clean copy of the book. I had first emailed ABT thru their website "contact us" re the feasibility of getting the book autographed, and after a later phone inquiry (to let them know there was a time element involved--ie. when my friend was home recuperating from surgery) I was put in contact with the marketing dept. Yes, all involved were polite, kind and generous with their time and attention to my request. I am still VERY grateful. My friend was amazed.

[Helene]

Thank you for sharing that with us, 4mrdncr. It's wonderful to read how generous and kind people can be.

We hope you'll post in our Welcome Forum and tell us a little bit about yourself. (Please click the "New Topic" button in the top right corner.)

[Helene]

I'm going to close this topic so that we can continue the discussion on this thread. There's a link to this topic from the new one, and thanks to everyone for their responses here.