leibling Posted February 15, 2001 Share Posted February 15, 2001 Is there anyone that saw Noella Pontois as Giselle ? I have a video of a performance that she danced with Baryshnikov- I really love her in it- but I am curious to hear what people may have thought who saw her live.- I am sorry if I have misspelled her name ...I'm not sure if it is Noella or Noelle- or some version of that... Link to comment
Drew Posted February 16, 2001 Share Posted February 16, 2001 Leibling -- I saw her dance Swan Lake with Cyril Attanasoff towards the end of her career (at least I think towards the end). I don't recall much detail from the performance, but I do remember thinking that she was an elegant and distinguished ballerina. That is, however, the only role I saw her dance... [This message has been edited by Drew (edited February 16, 2001).] Link to comment
Estelle Posted February 16, 2001 Share Posted February 16, 2001 leibling, unfortunately, I started being interested in dance after Noella Pontois' retirement. But my mother has fond memories of her at the Paris Opera in the early 1970s. And Catherine (who sometimes posts on this board with the screen name Francoise) probably would have much to say about her, I remember she wrote on ballet.co.uk that Pontois was one of her favorite dancers. Also perhaps Alymer would have some comments about her? Yes, her first name is Noella with a "a" (and there should be a Umlaut on the "e"). In French, "Noel" means "Christmas", and she was born on Dec 24, 1943, so that's why her parents chose that name. She was trained at the POB school and was a POB principal between 1968 and 1983, and still performed as a guest star later (her last performance was on her 50th birthday, in Neumeier's "Nutcracker". Her daughter Miteki Kudo, who is a POB soloist now- and a very delicate and elegant dancer in my opinion- performed on that day too). I think she was one of the most popular dancers of her generation in France. She often danced with Atanassoff (dancing classical roles in alternance with Michael Denard and Ghislaine Thesmar), in ballets such as "Swan Lake", "Giselle", "La Sylphide", "Coppelia", "The Sleeping Beauty"... Now she is one of the teachers of the POB corps de ballet. I remember seeing her in the audience at some performances. All the comments I've read about her said that she was a very kind person. I wish there were more videos of her. I only saw one of "Petrushka" in which she danced the doll (Nureyev danced the main role, and Jude danced the Moor). Link to comment
Françoise Posted March 7, 2001 Share Posted March 7, 2001 I saw Pontois as Giselle with Jude after her retirement and she was absolutely wonderful. It's the ballerina who made me discover dance. She was the perfect one. I'm interesting by your video of Pontois and Baryshnikov, could you contact me at my email address to trade for it : cschemm@ifrance.com. I had a video of her in Raymonda with Nureyev, Guizerix, Vulpian, Loudières. I had also Etudes with Bart and Atanassof, Sylvia too with Atanassoff and Fille mal gardée. If you could send me a mail I will be happy to trade. It was the biggest etoile in the seventies and they pass often ballet on TV with her. Link to comment
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