3 replies to this topic

[carbro]

Thanks to a friendly reader for the heads up on Dance Channel's interview with Edward Villella in advance of the company's visit to the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion.

Ballets seen in snippets include (Balanchine): Symphony in C, Agon, La Valse, Symphony in Three Movements, Tarantella; Wheeldon's Liturgy, a single second of Taylor's Mercuric Tidings, and most extensively, Tharp's controversial Nightspot which, Villella notes, depict's Miami's culture, its club scene.  He also describes the financial challenges he faces now and in the foreseeable future.

[leonid]

carbro, on Nov 11 2008, 07:56 PM, said:

Thanks to a friendly reader for the heads up on Dance Channel's interview with Edward Villella in advance of the company's visit to the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion.

Ballets seen in snippets include (Balanchine): Symphony in C, Agon, La Valse, Symphony in Three Movements, Tarantella; Wheeldon's Liturgy, a single second of Taylor's Mercuric Tidings, and most extensively, Tharp's controversial Nightspot which, Villella notes, depict's Miami's culture, its club scene.  He also describes the financial challenges he faces now and in the foreseeable future.

Thanks carbro. Villella has always remained a favourite dancer of mine since I first saw him in the middle sixties, He looks great and speaks authoritatively. His company may be the first announced victim of budget cuts due as he says to the recession. If any posters are going to these performances I would be grateful to hear of the progress of Zherlin Ndudi as wellas the overall standard of the company.
Thanks.

[bart]

Thanks! carbro.  How did I miss this thread when you posted it?      

The video of the company certainly picks up on their speed and energy.  Villella makes some interesting comments on the relationship between Nightspot and the Miami Beach clubbing scene (and clubbing audience), and about cuts in the company budget reflecting difficult economic times.  He mentions a $13.5 million annual budget,j which is rather small considering what they produce onstage.

On Nov. 26, dirac posted on Links an interview that Villella gave to Jennifer Dunning in Playbill, part of the publicity for MCB's City Center performances in January.  (The budget here given as $14.5 million.)

http://www.playbilla...ticle/7828.html

Quote

The dancers who will accompany him on his return are the fruit of his years of struggle and analysis of his art form. They are defined, he said, by their individual qualities of movement, by their ability to physicalize music and by their technique. “But technique is not the criterion. You can teach technique to talent. You can’t teach talent.”

Villella bided his time for this debut. “I kept us out of Manhattan very purposefully for all these years. First of all until we could afford it. Secondly, until we could do it without embarrassing ourselves. I’m not going to say we’re perfect and we’re going to knock the world over. But we are not going to embarrass ourselves.”

I love that line:  "You can teach technique to talent.  You can't teach talent."

[leonid]

bart, on Nov 27 2008, 07:52 PM, said:

Thanks! carbro.  How did I miss this thread when you posted it?      

The video of the company certainly picks up on their speed and energy.  Villella makes some interesting comments on the relationship between Nightspot and the Miami Beach clubbing scene (and clubbing audience), and about cuts in the company budget reflecting difficult economic times.  He mentions a $13.5 million annual budget,j which is rather small considering what they produce onstage.

The serious effect of these budget cuts can be found in this article http://www.enquirerh...ory/447012.html