Gelsey Kirkland

[rg]

a subsequent, early role with impressive display of her elevation was Dew Drop in NUTCRACKER.

GK made fleet and high-flying work of its challenges.

if mem. serves Robbins capitalized on her strong jump in SCHERZO FANTASTIQUE.

[EAW]

a subsequent, early role with impressive display of her elevation was Dew Drop in NUTCRACKER.

GK made fleet and high-flying work of its challenges.

if mem. serves Robbins capitalized on her strong jump in SCHERZO FANTASTIQUE.

RG, you type faster than I do. I was about to cite those same roles - Dew Drop and the Stravinsky - that showcased her brilliant jump. The loss of that jump was among the several tragedies of her career, in my opinion.

[richard53dog]

I was about to cite those same roles - Dew Drop and the Stravinsky - that showcased her brilliant jump. The loss of that jump was among the several tragedies of her career, in my opinion.

A "me too" post.

As a newbie, young ballet goer, the role that Gelsey first caught my eye and made me a fan was the Dewdrop. I thought she was simply sensational in this and then started following her career

[zerbinetta]

One of my indelible memories is of Gelsey's jetes across the stage in Act I of La Sylphide. She barely touched ground, almost seeming to shoot from one wing to the other in a full split.

Yes oh yes omg yes!!!

Indelible to me as well.

[carbro]

Looks like Gelsey Kirkland and her husband, Michael Chernov, have opened their own studio in New York.

http://www.gelseykirklandballet.org/Welcome_to_GKACB.html

Note: Website still under construction as of this posting.

[bart]

Note: Website still under construction as of this posting.

The's still a lot to see, including a video montage of Kirkland dancing. The ambitions -- including a Studio Company -- are not small. Good luck, Gelsey!

[carbro]

[Her] ambitions -- including a Studio Company -- are not small.

Were they ever?

[California]

An interview with Gelsey Kirkland and her husband about the new school is posted on the blog 4Dancers:

http://www.4dancers.org/2010/07/10-questions-with-gelsey-kirkland-michael-chernov/

The website for the school is here:

http://www.gelseykirklandballet.org/

That video collage on the opening page includes very brief clips not available elsewhere, including her "Kitri" jump from the 1978 Don Quixote. (You can see that original production on archival tape at the New York Public Library Performing Arts Library, but it's never been released commercially.)

[dirac]

There's also a nice interview with Kirkland and Chernov in the latest Ballet Review, where she talks about her early influences as well as the new venture. Best of luck to both of them!

[chops]

http://www.gelseykirklandballet.org/

She's started her own school! Check it out!

[Neryssa]

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere but there is a new article about the school in The New York Times this week:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/arts/dance/24kirkland.html?_r=1&ref=dance

Edited to add: I love the portrait of her by Kenn Duncan. Appears to be pre-silicone era.

[Mme. Hermine]

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere but there is a new article about the school in The New York Times this week:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/arts/dance/24kirkland.html?_r=1&ref=dance

Edited to add: I love the portrait of her by Kenn Duncan. Appears to be pre-silicone era.

Don't know. There are photos of her at 17 being fitted for Firebird, if you can find those you can compare I suppose.

[Simon G]

Found this Kirkland & Baryshnikov. Hope you all enjoy it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y42qcJqVHlU

[Fraildove]

Wow. Seeing her dance like this makes her career even more tragic in my eyes. Being to young to have seen Ms Kirkland live, video snippets are all I have seen. I usually will not judge a dancer on he basis of a video since generally artistry is lost. If that holds true with Kirkland, I can not even imagine what she was like live. I hope more videos of her will eventually find their way to the public so that many more generations will be able to see a glimpse of the artistry so rarely seen today

[kitcat]

That's gorgeous Simon. Thanks for sharing.

[Ray]

Thank you so much for posting this, one of the performances that I can point to when people ask me what got me started as a dancer.

It's a shame though that we can only enjoy this performance, from the 1970s, in a form that looks like a kinescope from the 1950s. Why can't our venerable dance organizations, charged with preserving Balanchine's work, do something about remastering and redistributing this. Yes, I know it's about money and permissions, but it's also about institutional will: do they care?

Enjoy it before the "Balanchine police" take it away--censorship is something they seem to have plenty of time and energy for.

[richard53dog]

That's gorgeous Simon. Thanks for sharing.

Indeed. Thanks from me too!

[California]

. . . It's a shame though that we can only enjoy this performance, from the 1970s, in a form that looks like a kinescope from the 1950s. Why can't our venerable dance organizations, charged with preserving Balanchine's work, do something about remastering and redistributing this. Yes, I know it's about money and permissions, but it's also about institutional will: do they care?

Enjoy it before the "Balanchine police" take it away--censorship is something they seem to have plenty of time and energy for.

Here's another one to enjoy fast before it disappears -- a Baryshnikov solo from the same piece:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIJniU27zsM

And, as many of us have noted repeatedly here: I would happily pay a hefty price to buy this performance released commercially on DVD or streaming video from iTunes. Are they at least trying to get the necessary releases?

[Simon G]

Just wanted to bump these to the main page so as many people get a chance to see them as possible, before the inevitable intervention.

[Bonnette]

Those clips are absolutely thrilling. I hope a lot of people get to appreciate them before they are taken down. Thanks so much.

[cubanmiamiboy]

It is certainly hard to see this PDD now after watching it here in all its real glory, IMO...

bart...this one is for you, but be quick, before it's gone for good...

[bart]

Thanks, all, for these clips and comments. The fuzziness of the video is more than made up by the great clarity and detailing of the dancing.

I made a quick comparison with the Kistler/Zelensky performance in the 1993 Balanchine Celebration tape. I have always liked that, but Kirkland/Baryshnikov, dancing the same steps, show us ... more.

[Rosa]

*sigh* Simply gorgeous.

[DanceActress]

Wow! What artistry! Thank you for posting these clips.

[duffster]

Wow! What artistry! Thank you for posting these clips.