46 replies to this topic

[ksk04]

I saw Kent last year doing Giselle at her first full length back from maternity leave. I imagine she has more chemistry with Marcelo Gomes (from what I've read) than Carreno, who I saw her with. She's not a personal favorite of mine, but she certainly wasn't a bad Giselle and I think she would be excellent with Gomes who she has a real rapport with. Like others said, she has certainly thought a lot about the role and that comes across with very small touches.

[Ambonnay]

I don't recall having seen Gomes as Albrecht, but I recall that the NYT Reviewer for Hallberg's Albrecht with ABT last year said that only Gomes could match Hallberg's many entrechat six'es done as part of the Albrecht variation.  This is a version of the Albrecht variation that not all danseurs perform, but it is something to be on the look-out for from Gomes in Act II.

At the very beginning of the linked video are the Hallberg entrechats in the Bolshoi version of Giselle from earlier this year:

[Kyeong]

Alastair Macaulay, who someone says is a fan of David Hallberg, wrote in his review of Osipova and Hallberg's Giselle, "the volleys of entrechat-six were a match for those by Marcelo Gomes earlier in the week."

More directly related to tomorrow's performance will be his review of Gomes's Albrecht, which says like this:

"There are perhaps three main versions of the steps for Albrecht’s last dance in Act II: Mr. Gomes chooses the long series of entrechat-six that Rudolf Nureyev introduced to the ballet, and he brings heroism to them that I don’t recall since Nureyev. You marvel at the height and ease of each jump, at the flashing brilliance with which his legs and feet crisscross in the air and — perhaps best of all — at the perfect rhythm with which he alights every time on the downbeat."

[Ambonnay]

Kyeong, on 29 July 2010 - 06:04 PM, said:

... "Mr. Gomes chooses the long series of entrechat-six that Rudolf Nureyev introduced to the ballet"

I was wondering what Nureyev looked like doing that, and found this (see around 1:50 of the video):



Could Hallberg be out-Nureyeving Nureyev in the entrechat-six'es initiated by Nureyev for Albrecht?  I think each danseur has his own strengths. Hallberg's lines look more elegant while he is doing the entrechats, and his upper body and arms seems better than Nureyev.  

Also, interesting that I don't recall Hallberg doing the steps that Nureyev does around 2:30 in the video.  Did I just forget, or was it an artistic choice to only do part of what Nureyev portrayed around the entrechat-six'es?

[bart]

Interesting clips and worthy of their own topic.  Perhaps starting another Hallberg thread might be a good idea.

[Ambonnay]

I don't seem to be able to find enough to start a new thread, but leave these thoughts:

Bolle & entrechats (are those all entrechat-sixes??)



Here is Baryshnikov's version of the Albrecht variation, with no entrechats and with two series of traveling brise volees across the "diagonal" of the stage (see around 2:04):



I wonder what the third Albrecht variation Alistair M refers to, may be?

[vrsfanatic]

Waiting anxiously to hear. As you can imagine, this is a big deal for Boca Ballet Theatre.

[richard53dog]

Ambonnay, on 29 July 2010 - 09:41 PM, said:

I was wondering what Nureyev looked like doing that, and found this (see around 1:50 of the video):



Could Hallberg be out-Nureyeving Nureyev in the entrechat-six'es initiated by Nureyev for Albrecht?  I think each danseur has his own strengths. Hallberg's lines look more elegant while he is doing the entrechats, and his upper body and arms seems better than Nureyev.  

Nureyev is 42 years old in this clip and had already entered his long decline . It's not very fair to compare this clip with Hallberg's dancing now. And you are right, all dancers have their own strengths and weaknesses anyway. Nureyev in his prime was far more of a virtuso than Hallberg ever will be but elegance and polish were never great strengths of his. But he had incredible electricity and magnetism.

[cubanmiamiboy]

More kent's Giselle...
Madness scene.


Initiation scene.


What do you all think...?

[onxmyxtoes]

David's entrechat sixes look more like vibrations than beats, which I think is beautiful, especially in the land of the willies.  Unless you are looking carefully, you don't notice that he is changing legs with each jump.

I think Bolle's sequence was entrecha quatres with a few sixes at the end (the front leg of his fifth position does not change until the end).

[vrsfanatic]

So, can we get back on topic? Did anyone see Boca Ballet Theatre's Giselle? They opened last night. Please remember they are a school so the review might also take into consideration the corps and supporting cast was compiled of non-professional dancers for the most part. Waiting to hear. I cannot attend although I was able to see a few of the later rehearsals.

[Helene]

Just a note:  it's our policy that apart from graduation performances of schools affiliated with major companies, that students be reviewed generally and not be held or compared to professional standards.  Also our general policy that anyone who has an interest in or relationship to the school or performers must disclose this is applicable.

[vrsfanatic]

I hope the following information will clarify a few issues. I have no professional relationship with the School of Boca Ballet Theatre nor Boca Ballet Theatre as a company. I live in Boca Raton, work at the HARID Conservatory and 3 of our alumni are performing in the production. I am interested to hear how they did, which is something I read on BT all the time with their respective companies. I am not able to attend the performances. The ballet world is very small. I do know the AD of Boca Ballet Theatre well.
Hopefully perhaps there can be a discussion of the production in general and the professional dancers. If not, I understand.

[Helene]

I didn't mean you vrsfanatic. What we worry about and have had issues in the past are posts from family members who don't identify themselves and have a vested interest, and staff and coaches who post as fans.  

We've also had times when students were compared unfairly to the professionals or to more advanced students.

Also, this is where BT and BT4D are a little different, and I wanted to sure we're all on the same page, and to avoid misunderstanding, which I did a bad job of, and I apologize

[vrsfanatic]

Actually, you did a great job Helene.   I thought I might introduce myself to a few of the members interested in this thread so that they would know I am only connected as a former teacher of the dancers in question. My identity is not a secret. I think it is in my profile, although I should double check. It is good to be open about this thread. I do understand the issues with reviewing students. BT does a wonderful job of monitoring.