55 replies to this topic

[carbro]

Balanchine's Tarantella.

Also, the betrothal pdd from Bayadere, especially Gamzatti's variation.

[kfw]

Greatly stretching, and technically breaking, the definition of a pas de deux, I love "The Unanswered Question" section of Balanchine's "Ivesiana."

[bart]

kfw, on Aug 27 2009, 03:50 PM, said:

Greatly stretching, and technically breaking, the definition of a pas de deux, I love "The Unanswered Question" section of Balanchine's "Ivesiana."

Oh, yes !  How could I have forgotten something so unforgettable?

In the world of Romeo and Juliet and Siegfried and Odette, is it really a pas de deux when the man cannot make contact with the woman; the woman appears to be unaware of his existence; and four expressionless men in black manipulate her and keep her from touching the ground?  Why not?   Or, if not a pas de deux, how about "anti-pas de deux" (like anti-matter)?

Thanks, kfw, you bring back images of Allegra Kent epecially, but also Margaret Tracey later on.

[hydraulix]

La Bayadere: the first pas de deux in the Kingdom of Shades, where Nikya comes to Solor. The music is just eerie beautiful and I love the choreography for the ballerina (very fluent, subtle, 'dreamy', slow movements; indeed like she's a shade or shadow).

Swan Lake: Pas de deux in the second act. This is a classic and it beautifully shows the despair and love between Siegfried & Odette. In the version from Nureyev, there's another beautiful pas de deux in the last act, danced on the music which was originally used for the pas de six in the third act.

Those two definitely come to mind

[Hans]

Mine is the pas de deux from 'The Leaves Are Fading'.

[vipa]

Hans, on Jan 6 2010, 11:00 PM, said:

Mine is the pas de deux from 'The Leaves Are Fading'.

I've said this before, but I have to mention it again because I just came back from seeing the NYCB Midsummer Night's Dream. The 2nd act pas de deux - Divertissement.  I think it's one of the best ever created. In fact for me, it is like a great work of Bach in that it feels so inevitable that it seems to be revealed not created.  Few pieces of dance move me like this pas de deux does.

[hydraulix]

I forgot to mention:
Trois Gnoissiennes by Hans van Manen
(in this video with an exquisite Ulyana Lopatkina)

[Rosa]

Alice and Jack's two pas de deux in Act II (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Wheeldon).

[GeorgeB fan]

It seems I'll be doing nothing but repeating what has already been mentioned. But here goes...

Balanchine:
The Step PDD from Emeralds
Diamond PDD
Agon
Divertissement PDD from A Midsummer Night Dream
Tchaikovsky PPD
Second PPD from Stravinsky Volin Concerto
Duo Concertant
Nutcracker PPD

Robbins:
Afternoon of a Faun
Other Dances

Tudor:
Leaves are Fading

MacMillian:
Balcony PDD from Romeo and Juliet
Bedroom PDD from Manon

Ashton:
Final PDD from A Month in the Country
Oberon and Titania from The Dream

Wheeldon:
PDD from After the Rain. There's a video on YouTube with Damian Smith and Yuan Yuan Tan from San Francisco Ballet that is simply breathtaking!!

Jiri Kylian:
Nuages - I discovered this on YouTube. Beautifully profound.

And of course the following...
Black Swan PDD
Giselle PDD - Second Act
Sleeping Beauty Grand PDD
The Shades PDD from La Bayadere

[Hamorah]

There are many lovely pas de deux, but if I were stranded on a desert island (!) I would be happy to watch MacMillan's R & J balcony pdd over and over again!   Many many years ago there was an exhibition of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, showing both the opera and ballet companies.  It was in the days before video and so it was very thrilling to be able to watch ballet extracts on TV screens dotted round the exhibition.  One of them was that balcony pdd with Fonteyn and Nureyev and I just stood there watching it multiple times, unable to drag myself away from it!  

Oh yes and the final pdd of Cranko's Onegin is DIVINE!  The emotion in it when Onegin grovels at Tatiana's feet and then she sends him away.  Just thinking about it makes me want to cry!!!!

[dirac]

Thanks, Hamorah (and to Rosa for reviving this thread). It's too bad we don't have a record of Gable and Seymour dancing MacMillan's pas de deux. Sigh.