41 replies to this topic

[cubanmiamiboy]

I divide my vote between Nikolai Tsiskaridze and Carlos Acosta.

[canbelto]

Marcelo Gomes!

[aurora]

David Hallberg.

His legs go on forever. And I'd kill for his feet. He is just so elegant

[Hans]

It is interesting to read some of these opinions, especially regarding some of the newer, long-limbed types such as Hallberg.  I wouldn't normally consider dancers with extremely long legs to be well-proportioned, as I learned that the balletic ideal was to avoid extremes--not that one can't be a ballet dancer with long limbs; Maria Taglioni certainly dispelled that myth back in the 19C, but rather that the ideal is that all parts of the body are in harmony with nothing exaggeratedly long or short.  Now the ideal seems to be changing.

[bart]

Based on responses in this and a couple of other threads -- "beautiful" and "long-legged" seems to go together today, at least as far as danseurs nobles go.  Can one have relatively short-legs in the present aesthetic marketplace and still compete in the elevation, elongation, and nobility games?   Is the ideal male ballet following the same path his female counterpart travelled several decades ago?  

And, while we're at it, will no one say a kind word for those big-thighed, big-buttock, superpower lifters, turners, jumpers, and promenaders  the Bolshoi used to turn out in such numbers?

[Hans]

I think Mikhail Ilyin is beautifully proportioned, come to think of it.  As for the older style Bolshoi dancers, I prefer them to the rather spindly-looking men they employ today.

[Alexandra]

Hans, on Aug 28 2007, 05:51 PM, said:

It is interesting to read some of these opinions, especially regarding some of the newer, long-limbed types such as Hallberg.  I wouldn't normally consider dancers with extremely long legs to be well-proportioned, as I learned that the balletic ideal was to avoid extremes--not that one can't be a ballet dancer with long limbs; Maria Taglioni certainly dispelled that myth back in the 19C, but rather that the ideal is that all parts of the body are in harmony with nothing exaggeratedly long or short.  Now the ideal seems to be changing.

Yes, it is a change, isn't it?  rg mentioned Nureyev's shortening of the jacket to make his legs longer. In contrast, here were long-legged dancers who lengthened the jacket so that the legs weren't "extreme," as Hans noted above.

Small people can be perfectly proportioned, too, of course.  Niels Kehlet, a tiny Dane who could jump about four times his height, was beautifully made

[carbro]

canbelto, on Aug 28 2007, 04:57 PM, said:

Marcelo Gomes!

Yeah.  

Well.  Not much to add to that!

I don't find the long legged versions so beautiful, as men, or as dancers.  But with the taller and leggier women in such favor, we need partners whose body types are harmonious.  I will not dispute that Hallberg's long legs and gorgeous feet are an important part of the "Born a prince!" quality we all rejoiced at when we first saw him.

I think the ideal of an attenuated line is a feminine attribute -- not necessarily effeminate, but something I value in my women dancers much, much more than I do in men.  I think the Ethan Stiefels of the world, with their sky-high extensions and long, thin legs are blurring the difference between the sexes.

I also think a beautiful male dancer has some beef on his bones.  Bart Cook had (perhaps still has?) a beautiful, Nureyevesque physique.

[printscess]

bart, on Aug 28 2007, 05:53 PM, said:

Based on responses in this and a couple of other threads -- "beautiful" and "long-legged" seems to go together today, at least as far as danseurs nobles go.  Can one have relatively short-legs in the present aesthetic marketplace and still compete in the elevation, elongation, and nobility games?   Is the ideal male ballet following the same path his female counterpart travelled several decades ago?  

And, while we're at it, will no one say a kind word for those big-thighed, big-buttock, superpower lifters, turners, jumpers, and promenaders  the Bolshoi used to turn out in such numbers?

I will say many kind words about those big-thighed, big-buttocked, superpower turners and jumpers. Give me Angel Corella, Joaquin De Luz, Daniel Ulbricht, Misha (in his day) and all the shorter men of ballet who can jump higher, remain in flight much longer than the long-legged dansuers nobles. I find these men so charismatic, that when they are on stage, I barely notice anyone else.

[perky]

Nureyev is the ideal for me. He was muscular without being bulky, and sleek without being thin. He had the most attractive thighs I've ever seen on any man, let alone a ballet dancer.

Regarding the comment about the Bolshoi men, Arlene Croce was reviewing I think a Swan Lake in the sixties or seventies and mentioned the lead man ( an older dancer) as being big in the rear then speculated that he must have helium in that rear as he was able to jump so high!

[bart]

The photo of Nureyev in the Corsaire pdd, widely used in promotional material for the PBS special, is identified in the Washington Post article.  It is from the 1958 student performance..  The body and face sure looked more mature in the photo than what I, at least, saw in the video.  But I was wrong.  Apologies.  

http://www.washingto...=sec-artsliving

In this pose, you can see Nureyev very much as Perky describes him.

Thanks, dirac, for this article -- along with other articles in today's Links thread.

[carbro]

Kaufmann's concluding paragraph from the p/review linked by bart, above, emphasis added:

Quote

What is captured, however, are those qualities the camera always loved about Nureyev: his leonine beauty, his perfect physique, the carefree smile and mischievous eyes. Those eyes convey the most, especially in the show's early minutes, where the newly escaped star silently confronts the press, shifts his gaze mysteriously as he's peppered with questions and finally -- like Marilyn Monroe blowing a juicy kiss -- delivers a long, slow, conspiratorial wink to the camera. This man was too big -- we can never know his full story.

In the 1958 Corsaire adagio, we can see Nurevey standing in a fairly wide second position, three-quarter point, partnering Sizova.  This unconventional stance (not as stable as flat, of course, and I assume the wide second was to compensate for that), could have been partly to make sure he didn't disappear behind his partner, who on pointe was about his height.  It also could have been to elongate his own appearance for elongation's sake, regardless of the ballerina's presence.

Interesting, though.

Edited by carbro, 29 August 2007 - 11:06 AM.
adding video reference

[SanderO]

Here's an interesting PR piece about the PBS special on Rudi:

[robinmc]

I think Fernando Bujones has the perfect male dancer body, with beautiful legs and feet, his upper body is just as beautiful with nice flowing arms.

[MakarovaFan]

I think Vasiliev had beautiful proportions.  Broad shoulders, handsome musculature, small waist.