16 replies to this topic

[Barbara]

Marcelo Gomes has also done some choreography.

[mimsyb]

Helene, on 27 July 2010 - 06:50 AM, said:

Ambonnay, on 27 July 2010 - 04:06 AM, said:

The SYTYCD lead judge "is so enamored of ballet that he hosted two ABT dancers on his show So You Think You Can Dance, on last Thursday’s broadcast. He serves as the competition show’s executive producer and lead judge.  He met ballerina Yuriko Kajiya in Bermuda ...."  So Kajiya was apparently dancing not because ABT designated her to, but because a donor and the SYTYCD contact had ties to her.

Or another way of putting it is that someone whom many more people in America recognize than Baryshnikov met Yuriko Kajiya and not only was so impressed and inspired that he invited her on his TV program, so that millions could be exposed to ballet, but also to lend his name to an important local fundraiser.

After a recent performance of "Midsummer's Night Dream" at ABT where Danil Simkin had just danced Puck I ran into Nigel Lythgoe of SYTYCD.  Not knowing the man, but recognizing  him, I suggested to him that he might engage Mr. Simkin for a guest slot on his show.  I even had the audacity to suggest that one of the regular choreographers of SYTYCD create a solo work for Simkin.  He responded with "that's a great idea!".  And he acknowledged that Simkin was an extraordinary talent.  While I'm not convinced that any of the regular choreographers are great creators, still it might be interesting to see what one of them might come up with if he had a Simkin to work with.  And I believe that might be a great way for the SYTYCD audience to see the possibilities of what it means to be a ballet dancer.