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Putting my toe in


ggobob

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Hello...I joined this group after reading many of the posts and finding the thoughts and insights and humor creating a comfortable place.

The first saw dance I ever saw was in April of 1967...keyboarding that made me feel old. I was in NYC on a Satuday night with some friends. We decided to go to a Broadway show but couldn't find tickets for what we wanted to see; a New Yorker in the group suggested we go to Lincoln Center and chek out the Met (it was then truly the new Met), sounded like a good idea even if it was the ballet. Knowing Zip about dance, we just assumed that like Broadway, the STARS would be on (read Nureyev and Fonteyn). Anyway, the Royal was dancing Beauty. David Wall and Doreen Wells were the principals. I liked it.

Then I met a girl who worked for the National Endowment and she always had tickets to the Kennedy Center (I was living in DC at the time) so to spend time with her I went off one night and saw Fracci and Bruhn...next it was Wolf Trap to see Ailey.

Moving in the early 70s to Southern California, I lost touch for a while, then ABT brought Baryshnikov to LA and I was hooked because he canceled on the night I had tickets and Bujones danced Tudor and I saw Fancy Free for the first time.

I saw Baryshnikov the next night and then in several things, most memorably Push Comes to Shove. But the cancellation allowed me see that ABT was/is more than one star. From here I became the proverbial stone rolling down hill, seeing more and more. Even now, I see as much as possible. Last year, close to 80 dance performances

I have also had the good fortune to have become friends with many dancers. Meeting many when they were in the corps but some when they were already legends (Margot Fonteyn and Nora Kaye come most immediately to mind). I don't really recall how the chain worked...but I remember one night in Los Angeles when the Royal was returning after many years of being away, I was invited to attend a first night party after Beauty with Merle Park. I was seated with Stephen Jefferies and his wife Rashna Homji, I mentioned to him that I was disappointed that I would not be seeing him in Mayerling as I had heard great things. This started a conversation among the three of us.

I few nights later, when I went to the American premiere of Mayerling, I found Rashna in the lobby looking for me...she told me I would get my wish and that "Jeff" was dancing that night as David Wall was injured. She invited me to the party afterwards and that began a welcome to the RB and many of its dancers that continues. Including a sharing with David Wall about my first every ballet.

Somehow, I have been blessed with one contact leading to another, finding firm friendships with members of ABT (especialy ABT) as well as the Royal, Mark Morris, the Canadians, Hong Kong, and Nederlands...and, amazing being asked to be a god parent for the son of two dancers.

It remains a passion, in the last few days I have seen Morris's Mozart Dances three times...living close to the perfrorming arts venue for the University of California - Berkeley and twenty minutes from San Franciso provides opportunities that I take advantage of...in the next six weeks I will see Armitage, Miami, the Joffrey, and ABT. It is really never enough.

I look forward to spending time of this board of knowing ballet lovers.

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Let me echo carbro's welcome, ggobob.

I along with several others on this Board, go back in our ballet attendance to the 60s -- and even earlier -- so it will be good to have your voice and your memory in our frequent discussions of that period.

A number of us are big Miami fans, and I especially look forward to your impressions of the company on their California tour. Please post a review. It's an adventurous program, with 2 Tharps and an Agon. They're breaking up a run of Jewels to go out there to perform it. Agon and Upper Room are from the regular season last year; Sinatra Songs will be on the program this season and was last performed in Florida in 2004, I believe.

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