36 replies to this topic

[carbro]

What a memory that must be!  Thanks, toeprints.

[Mme. Hermine]

according to a source or two on line, she was born in july 1946, so that when you saw her she was 32.

[bart]

Thanks, toeprints, for the reminiscence.  Even though this thread is a relatively old one, I hope that there will be others like you to share your memories or thoughts about this exceptional dancer.  I did not see her with Nureyev, but I recall that her performances often became even more vibrant when she was feeling a rapport with a special partner.  When this happened, I also recall performances -- like the Odette you saw -- which "broke my heart."

[vipa]

pmeja, on Jul 27 2008, 06:40 AM, said:

according to a source or two on line, she was born in july 1946, so that when you saw her she was 32.

I believe that this was after her first retirement.  If I remember correctly, she had had it with ballet for a variety of reasons and retired.  She then came back.

I was a great fan of hers - Her Swan Lake is still the gold standard for me.  She brought great intelligence, musicality and technique to every role she danced.  I also particularly remember her in Theme & Variations and Lilac Garden.

I did see her Grand Pas Classic with cigarette!!

ABT had female stars with real followings at that time - Gregory, Kirkland, Van Hamel, Makarova, Fracci.  It was fun!!

[toeprints]

Thank you for the responses.  It is good to know that people continue to read the older threads. There is so much information available in this forum about my favorite dancers.

[dnznqueen]

wow, what a great thread to revive!!!  i unfortunately never got to see cynthia gregory live on stage- my ballet studio brought in a ballet historian once a month for "video time," and she showed us the bujones black swan pas and i was hooked!!!  she was so statuesque and powerful, but not in a scary "manly" way at all.  when i got older, i had the opportunity to take class from "the great cg" (as the historian used to say), and she was the most humble, gracious person.  she taught us aurora's act 3 variation and i just loved her little "bits" of info, like telling us the developpes a la seconde at the end were supposed to be "celebratory explosions of technique."  i'll never forget that one...

[FirebirdFan]

sandik, on 29 August 2005 - 03:11 PM, said:

She danced Firebird with Meehan (it's on tape somewhere) and I thought she had stunning timing -- the sequence after the Prince catches the Firebird and she's trying to escape, where everything is distilled into her wrists and hands (before the music swells and they start the adagio) was just right.  

Hi sandik,
YES! Gregory's Firebird remains one of my most favorite performances! My parents taped it when it aired on PBS, and her grace, strength, and the grandeur of her birdlike movements absolutely dazzled me. Unfortunately, my parents' recording accidentally got taped over, and this has been considered an everlasting tragedy in my family. I have scoured the internet on several occasions over the years trying to find a copy of it to buy, to give as a surprise gift to my mom, but to no avail. So when you said that it's on tape somewhere, I HAD to ask: WHERE?!?!?!?! How can I get a copy?!?!?! We would all be so thrilled to see this performance again, and it would really mean so much to my mom to have a copy again!!! And there are several other people I would love to share it with, to help spread the love of ballet! I had just about given up hope of ever being able to find it, but you've renewed the flame!