Are the Great Ballet Couples Disappearing?

[Lovebird]

At the Royal Ballet the Cojocaru and Kobborg partnership is the most celebrated. They are perfect together. Though both of them are fantastic dancers on their own when together they are even better. This partnership is one rooted in similarities both are rather small, both have clean techniques, and they have similar, or so it seems, personalities. I see that no one has mentioned the great partnerships at the Royal. Margot Fonteyn and Michael Somes were, before Nureyev came along, the star couple at the RB. My mother tells me that her and her friends would all rally after school at Covent Garden whenever there was a Fonteyn- Somes performance. Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell was in my opinion the greatest partnership I have ever seen. They had a sort of telepathic understanding, a deep communion. Nadia Nerina and David Blair's partnership, immortalized in La Fille Mal Gardee. A partnership that was sadly cut short too soon was Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable, they were one of a kind. Another great partnership was the Darcey Bussell and Jonathan Cope pairing. Both tall, dark, and good-looking.

[Helene]

What a wonderful post, Lovebird, acknowledging the great Royal Ballet partnerships over several generations and the timelessness of the concept.

[ami1436]

I've gotta chime in on the Royal! Sibley and Dowell were gorgeous together, and definitely Kobburg and Cojocaru are the staple couple of the day. While Cope and Bussell dance well together, many of us Johnny fans see more out of him when he's dancing with his other famous partners - Sylvie Guillem and Tamara Rojo. (not to forget Leanne Benjamin!!) I personally love the Cope-Rojo partnership - at the Manon Insight Evening last week they were on fire - so in tune it's mesmerising. It's also interesting to watch how the Royal is experimenting with partnerships a bit as well - having Cojocaru dance with others such as Bonnelli, looking towards its other dancers such as Ed Watson, Lauren Cuthburtson, Martin Harvey, Thiago Soares, Rupert Pennefather, Ivan Putrov, Roberta Marquez. The last two have been paired together fairly consistently of late. I also feel that they are really trying to overcome the height issue for some of their taller women, especially Zenaida Yanowsky. And finally, Sarah Lamb has won hearts here very quickly - it'll be interesting to see how they experiment with partners for her.

[Mashinka]

I have been wondering for a while who would be the best partner for Nikolai Tsiskaridze, a great favourite of mine. I read in an interview that he greatly admires Sylvie Guillem and would love to dance with her, but personally I don't think that their styles suit each other. Here on the southernmost tip of Africa I don't get to see anywhere near as much of his performances as I would like (I wish they would release a lot of videos of his dancing soon) and I would love to hear the thoughts of those of you who see him more regularly as to which ballerina he "clicks" best with.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure why you consider the styles of Guillem and Tsiskaridze to be at odds, as he has made guest appearances with the Paris Opera Ballet with great success and both understands and appreciates French style.

Because of his height he is invariably paired with taller dancers and in Paris he danced with Marie-Agnes Gillot. I have seen him dance with Inna Petrova, Maria Allash, Svetlana Lunkina, Anastasia Volochkova and Anna Antonicheva at the Bolshoi and Irma Nioradze and Diana Vishneva at the Kirov. I liked him particularly with Elena Kniazkova when they guested in London with the Chisinau Ballet.

[Ballet lovers]

Margot Fonteyn danced very much also with Robert Helpmann and not only with Michael Somes but , in any case she had the most "understanding" with Nureyev.

You are really true when you write that Cojocaru-Kobborg is a perfect pair ! We like also very much (even if we think that Cojocaru is more interesting and expressive). They have very similar personalities like also the most of the couples in Russia we have mentioned. But what it is better, a similar or a different personalities for a great couple?

For exemple, Fracci- Bruhn were very similar but Fonteyn-Nureyev were very different.

Maximova-Vassiliev were similar but Dudinskaia-Sergheev were different.

Sibley-Dowell were similar but Makarova-Dowell were different.

In St.Petersburg , for exemple, Kullik-Kim were similar but Badaeva-Miozzi are different.

Tsiskaridze-Nioradze are similar but Tsiskaridze-Lunkina are different.

[Lovebird]

Edward Watson and Lauren Cuthbertson, it seems to me, are being groomed as a future partnership.

[carbro]

I think I generally prefer pairings when there are strong personality contrasts between the man and the woman. One cool, the other passionate; one spiritual, the other earthy. When a pair of "opposites" has worked together for a long time, the "dialogue" takes on interesting balancing. There are exceptions, of course, where similar personalities create magic, but none that springs immediately to mind.

Edited January 27, 2005 by carbro

[socalgal]

You know who came to mind for me after reading your post?

Gelsey Kirkland and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Now that was chemistry!

[carbro]

ESP, socalgal! They were on my mind as I was writing it. Also Farrell & Martins.

[dirac]

carbro, your post made me think first of Fonteyn and Nureyev -- maybe the supreme example of the contrasting-styles type of partnership.

[Ballet lovers]

We also prefer usually couples with different personalities. Without any doubt, they are the most interesting. But what about great pairs like Fracci-Bruhn ,both gentle and lirical ? Kirkland-Baryshnikov ( even if, unfortunately , they were not couple for longtime ), technical and charming? Assylmuratova-Ruzimatov, both with their hipnotic oriental beauty?

Sometimes we think that the same qualities in two talent artists, are something like a firework that is able to make the audience be in a frenzy.

For exemple , we think that Vladimir Malakhov and Svetlana Zakharova ( Bolshoi Ballet ) are perfect together especially for their similar and incredibles physical qualities.

Kenneth Greve (Royal Danish Ballet) and Uliana Lopatkina (Mariinsky Ballet ) could be great ! They are tall, handsome and with a nice " nordic coldness".The same for Agnes Letestu ( Paris Opera Ballet) and Danila Korsuntzev ( Mariinsky Ballet ) that are very similar but more "hot".

Aurelie Dupond and Andrian Fadeyev were very similar and perfect together in "Romeo and Juliet" and they could be also a very interesting pair.

Alina Cojocaru and Fethon Miozzi could be a great pair for their similar deep sensibility even if many of us think that Diana Vishneva and Fethon Miozzi could be the most interesting couple for their similar wonderfull tecnique and personality.

The most of the couples we have mentioned, didn't dance together yet. We are waiting with impatience this event !

[BalletNut]

Interesting post, Ballet lovers. I think the partnerships you mentioned in the second part would be very interesting to see too. It's always fun to come up with your fantasies about perfect ballet performances.

Hmm, come to think of it, that's a topic with potential...

[Ostrich]

I have been wondering for a while who would be the best partner for Nikolai Tsiskaridze, a great favourite of mine. I read in an interview that he greatly admires Sylvie Guillem and would love to dance with her, but personally I don't think that their styles suit each other. Here on the southernmost tip of Africa I don't get to see anywhere near as much of his performances as I would like (I wish they would release a lot of videos of his dancing soon) and I would love to hear the thoughts of those of you who see him more regularly as to which ballerina he "clicks" best with.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure why you consider the styles of Guillem and Tsiskaridze to be at odds, as he has made guest appearances with the Paris Opera Ballet with great success and both understands and appreciates French style.

Because of his height he is invariably paired with taller dancers and in Paris he danced with Marie-Agnes Gillot. I have seen him dance with Inna Petrova, Maria Allash, Svetlana Lunkina, Anastasia Volochkova and Anna Antonicheva at the Bolshoi and Irma Nioradze and Diana Vishneva at the Kirov. I liked him particularly with Elena Kniazkova when they guested in London with the Chisinau Ballet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for your reply, Mashinka. The reason why I said that I think Tsiskaridze and Guillem are not suited is because I feel that Guillem's style is too reserved for him - not "Bolshoi" enough, if you know what I mean. Not that I criticize her - I admire her dancing a lot. However, as Ballet lovers points out, often great partnerships work because of the differences, rather than the similarities, between the partners.

[Ballet lovers]

We don't understand what does it mean: but we are very glad if you like our posts.Thank you a lot !

[Mel Johnson]

means "what an idea!"

[BalletNut]

We don't understand what does it mean:      but we are very glad if you like our posts.Thank you a lot !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's common for American cartoonists--and maybe cartoonists in other countries as well--to depict people coming up with "bright" ideas by drawing pictures of lightbulbs flashing over their heads.

You're welcome.

[Ballet lovers]

Thank you very much, we are very honoured !

[Drew]

In the early years of their partnership Kirkland and Baryshnikov seemed to take a deep delight in each other on stage. As distant as it seems now, they showed a kind of tenderness towards each other as well. I remember in particular a Coppelia they danced in Washington during the first year after his defection in which every moment seemed to be freshly invented in relation to each other--as well as (to my eyes) technically spectacular. I also thought that despite their different training, they both danced with a complementary classical purity.

In thinking about different training yet shared classical purity, I also want to put in a word for Mckerrow and Malakhov. I saw them dance in Bayadere and Giselle and thought they created an image of the utmost classical purity and beauty. In addition his greater temperament on stage was a good frame for her somewhat more introverted presence--it brought her out while somehow honoring and preserving her refusal of any showiness. In Act I of Giselle they were always moving, dancing, even standing in relation to each other. They created a deeply convincing image of two lovers who were in their own world even when they were surrounded by others. Unfortunately they did not dance together often enough to develop a public presence as a great partnership. I noticed that even when Mckerrow was still dancing, he increasingly danced with Kent instead. I can't know, but I assume that with more performances they would also have developed (even) more artistically, but certainly the few performances I saw were very much worthy of a genuine partnership--that is a partnership in which the two dancers together create something that transcends, without erasing, their individuality.

[dirac]

the few performances I saw were very much worthy of a genuine partnership--that is a partnership in which the two dancers together create something that transcends, without erasing, their individuality.

That's a lovely definition, Drew.

[accob]

In my opinion, the greatest ballet couple of the past few decades is Alessandra Ferri and Julio Bocca. They first began dancing when he was still in his teens, and over the many years they have forged a partnership which probably will not reappear in a long time. When they dance together, it is like their souls become one, they look so free and recently, even nostalgic when they dance. Ferri says, in the new book "A Closer Look", by Rosalie O'Connor, that when they dance together in Romeo and Juliet they do not act, for they aren't afraid "just to be". They feel so at ease with eachother, and it is apparent onstage. I would recommend going to the library, and viewing "Ballet", a film by Frederick Wiseman released in 1995 which follows ABT on their European tour. Culminating the film is the Balcony Pas de Deux and Bedroom Pas de Deux with Ferri and Bocca, which was actually filmed in 1992, when they were still quite young. I think it is one of the most amazing ballet performances ever recorded. The emotions are raw- you could see, hear (the cameras are right onstage..) and feel them. Plus, Bocca is one of the most phenomenal partners- Ferri is not one of the most outstanding technicians, but in his arms she whips off turns on those dangerously gorgeous arches of hers as if it were nothing. True, they don't dance as often together as other ballet couples do, but that is because they are often on seperate continents- Bocca directs and dances with Ballet Argentino, and Ferri often guests with the La Scala Ballet in Milan. If I were to compare them with anyone, it would not be with Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, as they often are. Fonteyn was almost two decades older than Nureyev, and it makes a difference. I would compare them to the husband-wife team of Vladimir Vasiliev and Ekaterina Maximova, who had similar palpable chemistry on stage and very similar movements.

They do not have a very wide repertoire together, limited mostly by Ferri's own. But those ballets that they did dance together, and especially Giselle and Romeo and Juliet, will go down in history. They also do a very beautiful "Other Dances" together. (Also available at the NYPL). Ferri also danced with Bocca in Argentina several times, including mambo and tango pieces, some of Bocca's favorites. :-) (Todo Buenos Aires, anyone?)

Ferri and Bocca mostly dance(d) romantic pas de deuxs together...For me, they always epitomize a love story. They clearly have nothing to hide from eachother, and it always becomes clear on the stage. What they create is absolutely beautiful.

Unfortunately, both Ferri and Bocca are close to retirement. Sadly, great ballet couples are disappearing.