3 replies to this topic

[rg]

the scans of these two miscellaneous photos show:
1] Alicia Markova in publicity photo dated 1943, and stamped "The Greatest in Russian Ballet by the Ballet Theatre," "Princess Aurora" - presumably showing AM costumed for the Bluebird Pas de deux? what's strikes me about the photo is the delicate flourish of AM's stance and pose.
2] one Verner Andersen, a name utterly unknown to me until this photo caught my eye for the clarity of pose and dance manner that it captures - it's stamped "JUN 1971" in connection to "Eight Soloists of the Royal Danish Ballet" (most likely a touring group to the States) - from what little I have learned about this dancer, his heyday was really earlier than this, so this was likely an older photo offered as a later publicity item. he's probably shown in some role for the RDB's COPPELIA. i've been told he was short of stature, and that's perhaps evident here, but only just.

Attached Files

•  AMbbWM.jpg   138.48K   64 downloads
•  VA71WM.jpg   179.81K   59 downloads

[Bonnette]

rg said:

what's strikes me about the photo is the delicate flourish of AM's stance and pose

Yes, and I love her facial expression!

[Jane Simpson]

rg, on 25 December 2010 - 09:46 AM, said:

2] one Verner Andersen, a name utterly unknown to me until this photo caught my eye for the clarity of pose and dance manner that it captures - it's stamped "JUN 1971" in connection to "Eight Soloists of the Royal Danish Ballet" (most likely a touring group to the States) - from what little I have learned about this dancer, his heyday was really earlier than this, so this was likely an older photo offered as a later publicity item. he's probably shown in some role for the RDB's COPPELIA. i've been told he was short of stature, and that's perhaps evident here, but only just.

I happen to have a copy of the brochure about a much earlier - 1957 - American tour of 'Eight Soloists of the Royal Danish Ballet', which includes this photograph and some biographical information:

"Werner Anderen was born in Copenhagen is in the classical pattern of the Danish Ballet. He combines not only the pure classic style and lyrical qualities in roles such as that of the "Poet" in "La Somnambula" and Bournonville's "Napoli" and "Konservatioriet", but his wide range of expression extends to roles in which he adds characterization as the extra dimension of dance..... He has also been seen in the United States on the recent tour of the Royal Danish Ballet, dancing the leading role of 'Frantz' in "Coppelia"...and has been acclaimed for his brilliant performance particularly of the Hungarian solo and colorful Czardas in this ballet....He is the husband of the ballerina Ruth Andersen, and has just during this spring been appointed to the rank of Solo Dancer."

According to this article, Andersen and his wife gave their farewell performance on the last night of the 1966/7 season, and google turns up a reference to them teaching later at the Jysk Ballet Akademi in Aarhus.

[rg]

thanks, Jane, what little digging i did indicated a dancer whose career dated much earlier than '71. perhaps V.A. was on the tour in some administrative/artistic capacity and the presenter(s) used a dance photo for him in its publicity.
in any case your bio info. helps indentify this photo as showing him as Frantz, as opposed to some subsidiary role in COPPELIA.