Musicality -- which dancers have the best?

[vagansmom]

Dirac, I actually agree with you and wasn't meaning to compare Kelly to Astaire! I coach advanced Irish dance students on musicality. Because of its complex syncopations, there are loads of ways to perform a given piece of Irish dance choreography: Do I accent the upbeat here or the downbeat? Do I hold back ever so slightly so as to create a flow (what I call a "sigh in the air") or do I define each beat with jagged staccato? etc.

I LOVE Fred Astaire and often encourage Irish dance students to watch his movies. Although Irish dance is quite different from tap, the very best dancers have that ability to hear the music and create their own unique syncopations.

More and more, I believe that Astaire and Kelly can't be compared. It's like apples and oranges.

But I was specifically thinking of dancers who express with the entire body when I said Gene Kelly. I love how he uses his upper body, I love his athleticism when he dances. He has that terrific ability to use every muscle in his expressions. That's why I gave him a

[bart]

vagansmom, you may be able to answer a question I've always had about Kelly. His body seems so compact ... dense. Not what I usually associate with dancers. Yet he's extraordinarily graceful. This seems true in SPITE of what our eyes -- or expectations -- tells us about his body?

How did he create the illusion, if that's what it was? Also, am I right in recollecting that he suggests lightness by moving fast horizontally while avoiding on the whole vertical jumps which would resquire ballon? Maybe the answers tot these questions would have something to do with his strong and rather direct connection to the music.

[Hans]

My musical "local favorite" is Michele Jimenez of the Washington Ballet.

[vagansmom]

Hey, Hans, I was going to suggest Jimenez too as a favorite! And Brianne Bland, also of Washington Ballet.

For NYCB, I've always thought Ansanelli. Years ago, in her first year with the company, I saw her perform a couple times and was delighted with her musical sensibilities. I remember that an SAB student at the time, who'd claimed to have partnered her in class, vehemently disagreed. But my eyes and ears said otherwise. So it's been nice to hear from other Ansanelli admirers.

Bart, I'll have to look again at Kelly's dance. I've never thought of him not having ballon but you might be right. I've found his musicality in lots of the little ways that he uses to move his body through the musical passages: tilt of his head, thrust of his shoulders, bent of his fingers, sweep of his legs - all exhibit an intuitive sense of musical flow. But you've made me have to search out a couple old VHS tapes later on this afternoon - a very nice task indeed. Thank you

[Mme. Hermine]

My favorite is The Pirate!