11 replies to this topic

[Simon G]

Hey everyone,

Do you remember a wee while back there was a very very very long thread about Javier De Frutos and how far a choreographer can go?

Well De Frutos now has his own channel on Youtube, containing many clips of his work and rehearsal videos of his Oliver Award winning work on Cabaret and a South Bank Show about his early work:

http://www.youtube.c...erdefrutosdance

The problem was that so few here knew about his work at all, and nothing about him apart from the BBC "banned" work.

Check it out. Especially Milagros his work to Rite of Spring for Royal New Zealand ballet.

[bart]

Thanks, Simon.  I like Napolitos a lot.  Especially the first --adagio -- pas de trois.  Those ronds de jambes like caterpillar legs; that explosive leap into a double turn in the air into the arms of the other, standing man.  Great costumes.  Is that a dia de los muertos celebration?  Tell us more.

[papeetepatrick]

Simon, that was marvelous, you know how we heart you when you give in to your baser instincts....why, I've posted the Lynn Seymour 'Month in the Country' YouTubes all over the place.  Loved esp. the first movements, the most rubbery bodies I nearly ever saw, and they would seem like a single body sometime.  I bet Picasso and Goya would have liked this too. Fabulous set.  Is that a famous painting, or faces I ought to know? Will definitely watch more, this is great.

[Simon G]

I'm so glad you both like it. Yes, Napalitos is the Mexican day of the dead piece. It's one of his pretty special pieces. another personal favourite of mine is Paseillo, one of the few pieces where a choreographer tackles Mozart and doesn't come away a pulverised mess.

By the way Napalitos, Paseillo, Los Picadores, Blue Roses and Cattle Call were all done and performed by here Phoenix Dance Company.

Phoenix like I said was the company De Frutos turned into a world-class company from a parochial embarrassment in the space of two years. The dancers he attracted to move to Leeds and join him were all from top modern dance companies in London and abroad, but they were willing to take a punt on an entirely new venture because it was De Frutos. When De Frutos was sacked, the dancers all left and I do mean all.

It's a crying shame that Leeds council just committed artistic hari kiri by sacking him, destroying a company that they could take a real international civic pride in.

Another brilliant thing about De Frutos with Phoenix was he didn't merely use the company for his own work, he actively honoured contemporary dance's heritage. Bringing in works by Limon, Humphreys, Jane Dudley and resurrecting several pieces from London Contemporary Dance Theatre's heyday. Most notably Forest.

A real one off and a crime against dance and art that he was given the boot.

[Simon G]

Oh no, the Los Picadores clip is missing its soundtrack! It's to Les Noces, so imagine that brutal music in your skull while you're watching. Also it's one of those unfortunate cases of a professional video taken in a huge theatre, so the quality isn't great.

I'm going to link you directly to the Paseillo clip:

http://www.youtube.c.../21/IrA27X_ozZk

Because I love, love, love, love it - it's one of those things I think about when the ogre of Simon Cowell pops into my head, and his one man war on the cultural soul of the World. As long as there are people like De Frutos creating works like this, it can't be all bad.

And this, Blue Roses, is De Frutos' take on The Glass Menagerie:

http://www.youtube.c.../25/t8oGJNuX_-o

[papeetepatrick]

I had to look up Cowell in wiki--he's the judge in the original Susan Boyle show, isn't he?  His bland smile hilarious in that, as he takes the new sensation in with mild enthusiasm, and yet---also as if he was a Multiplex preview.

'Blue Roses' surprisingly engaging, perhaps more impressive than anything I've seen, or at least remember, to spoken accompaniment.  Only thing I can remember right off is Robert Streicher doing an old solo show in the Village to Steve Reich's 'She Was a Visitor', that was pretty good too, though.

[Simon G]

papeetepatrick, on Apr 22 2010, 02:51 AM, said:

I had to look up Cowell in wiki--he's the judge in the original Susan Boyle show, isn't he?  His bland smile hilarious in that, as he takes the new sensation in with mild enthusiasm, and yet---also as if he was a Multiplex preview.

Patrick,

I think you must be one of the few people on the face of the planet who doesn't know who Simon Cowell is, I'm impressed. Cowell has massive power in the US, due to American Idol and several other "high quality" enterprises. He's also bringing X Factor to the US in a billion dollar deal with Fox.

Simon Cowell is, I believe, an apostate of hell, charged by Lucifer with the mission to destroy all that is good, holy and life affirming in the creative soul of the world. But he did bring us Jedward.

[Mashinka]

Quote

Simon Cowell is, I believe, an apostate of hell, charged by Lucifer with the mission to destroy all that is good, holy and life affirming in the creative soul of the world. But he did bring us Jedward.

Largely agree, except about Jedward (who were anyway Louis Walsh's protégés), but fell in love with the dancing dog on Saturday.



I feel the accomplishments of the dog bring the discussion somewhat back on topic.

[Simon G]

Mashinka, on Apr 22 2010, 04:54 PM, said:

Quote

Simon Cowell is, I believe, an apostate of hell, charged by Lucifer with the mission to destroy all that is good, holy and life affirming in the creative soul of the world. But he did bring us Jedward.

Largely agree, except about Jedward (who were anyway Louis Walsh's protégés), but fell in love with the dancing dog on Saturday.



I feel the accomplishments of the dog bring the discussion somewhat back on topic.

Mashinka,

That's blashphemy, I live for Jedward. However, make no mistake Cowell wanted Jedward there from the outset, thanks to them revenue for advertising in X FActor topped £380,000 a minute in advert breaks.

But yes, you're quite right Javier de Frutos...

[papeetepatrick]

I can't thank you enough, Mashinka.  I can't even believe those judges, that Amanda is sickening.  However, not possible to improve upon dogs on two legs, except that they should be dressed in little outfits and rhinestone-studded. That guy who voted for Cowell actually said 'this is the most talented dog I have ever seen on this show', (emphasis mine) so that it was totally insular, much like the old Home Shopping Club (then this woman called in from New York--the show was broadcast from Orlando, and reported the 1993 WTC bombing, and the salesperson said "My, that IS bad news...I'm going to look that up when I get home!")

But yes, apologies Simon, back to de Frutos.  I liked 'Paseillo', but definitely first movement of 'Noaplitos' the best of what I've seen yet.  Bart's 'ronds des jambes like caterpillar legs', that's good.  Does  anybody know if those faces on the set are famous images?  I'd still like to know, as that round stage was very effective, and the effect is marvelously anti-sterile, truly animal.

[Simon G]

papeetepatrick, on Apr 22 2010, 06:12 PM, said:

back to de Frutos.  I liked 'Paseillo', but definitely first movement of 'Noaplitos' the best of what I've seen yet.  Bart's 'ronds des jambes like caterpillar legs', that's good.  Does  anybody know if those faces on the set are famous images?  I'd still like to know, as that round stage was very effective, and the effect is marvelously anti-sterile, truly animal.

Patrick, Paseillo is one that I'm really sad isn't shown in its entirety as it goes to a very very very dark, visceral place, which isn't included in this snippet - and that's what I love about it that the gentility of the opening is built upon to these incredible passages much later on. I'm just hoping that De Frutos will one day post the whole piece on his channel.

[Simon G]

papeetepatrick, on Apr 22 2010, 06:12 PM, said:

I can't thank you enough, Mashinka.  I can't even believe those judges, that Amanda is sickening.  However, not possible to improve upon dogs on two legs, except that they should be dressed in little outfits and rhinestone-studded. That guy who voted for Cowell actually said 'this is the most talented dog I have ever seen on this show', (emphasis mine) so that it was totally insular, much like the old Home Shopping Club (then this woman called in from New York--the show was broadcast from Orlando, and reported the 1993 WTC bombing, and the salesperson said "My, that IS bad news...I'm going to look that up when I get home!")

Patrick,

that's not X Factor, that's Britains Got Talent, the show that discovered Susan Boyle, it's another Cowell brainchild show. The same family as America's Got Talent, Australia's Got Talent, Kabul's Got Talent etc

And before you get all smug that you don't have Amanda Holden in the US, I suppose now's a good time to tell you that she's just signed an 18 month contract to Host CBS's Good Morning Show. So, ha.