52 replies to this topic

[Mashinka]

I'm rather hoping the gap in the RB ranks will be filled by the excellent Brian Maloney, he is certainly good enough.

[Helene]

There's lots of news today in Links.  It could be worse than Polunin being tired of ballet -- he's not injured or sick -- but I hope he does what he needs to do now and reconsiders a career in dance.

I remember seeing him a few years ago in "The Sleeping Beauty", and realizing that he was an incredible dancer just from his role as a fairy cavalier took about as much insight as hearing the young Pavarotti and realizing "He's good."

[innopac]

Polunin will go to Japan as a member of "Alina Cojocaru Dream Project"

http://www.nbs.or.jp...-dream-project/

- Performers -
Alina Cojocaru (The Royal Ballet)

Lauren Cuthbertson (The Royal Ballet)
Daria Klementova  (English National Ballet)-programme B only
Johan Kobborg (The Royal Ballet)   
Roberta Marquez (The Royal Ballet)
Steven McRae (The Royal Ballet)
Vadim Muntagirov  (English National Ballet)
Sergei Polunin (The Royal Ballet)
Alexandre Riabko (The Humburg Ballet)-programme B only
*in alphabetic order

[Helene]

Sounds like a dream project to me with that line-up.

[Helene]

Great news for Polonin and, hopefully, UK ballet fans:  from today's Links, Polunin has been issued a three-year work visa that is not tied to a specific country:
http://www.thisislon...-dance-in-uk.do

According to the article, Sadler's Wells did the paperwork, and he can perform in Men in Motion at the theater.  With Eagling resigned from ENO and budget cuts to Birmingham Royal Ballet, I don't see it likely that he'll join a UK company.

[leonid]

We are getting close to the Royal Ballet getting its dirty washing hanging on the line.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/mar/06/sergei-polunin-give-up-ballet

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/9126611/Sergei-Polunin-the-James-Dean-of-the-ballet-world.html

[Barbara]

I don't pretend to know all the reasons Alex Wong left MCB but Polunin's story sounds very similar - young man wanting to spread his wings in a more relaxed, less rarified atmosphere. I'm always aghast when someone wants to leave the classical ballet world since I love it so much as an audience member. But now that I see the wide range of experiences Alex Wong has made for himself, I understand where he may have been coming from. I hope young Mr. Polunin finds a path in life that will be rewarding for him. But more's the pity for we bunhead audience members.

[aurora]

leonid, on 07 March 2012 - 06:21 AM, said:

We are getting close to the Royal Ballet getting its dirty washing hanging on the line.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/mar/06/sergei-polunin-give-up-ballet

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/9126611/Sergei-Polunin-the-James-Dean-of-the-ballet-world.html

The articles seem to say very little about Royal Ballet and dirty washing, and a lot about a rather sad man (boy really, he comes across emotionally), who doesn't much like ballet. Reading these, I feel sorry for him, but I don't find him terribly sympathetic as a figure. He seems to not care much for the wonderful gift he has, or for the artform besides a joy in performing only, and occasionally in being the best in something.

[leonid]

aurora, on 07 March 2012 - 11:26 AM, said:

leonid, on 07 March 2012 - 06:21 AM, said:

We are getting close to the Royal Ballet getting its dirty washing hanging on the line.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/mar/06/sergei-polunin-give-up-ballet

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/9126611/Sergei-Polunin-the-James-Dean-of-the-ballet-world.html

The articles seem to say very little about Royal Ballet and dirty washing, and http://www.bbc.co.uk...london-17250159who doesn't much like ballet. Reading these, I feel sorry for him, but I don't find him terribly sympathetic as a figure. He seems to not care much for the wonderful gift he has, or for the artform besides a joy in performing only, and occasionally in being the best in something.

The negative allusions are clearly indicated in the text both by himself and the authors.

When you state, "... and a lot about a rather sad man (boy really, he comes across emotionally)..."and "...but I don;t find him a teribly sympathetic as a figure." Why would you? To do so would mean that you know him well and the situations he has been in.

He has clearly found the Royal Ballet where he has had enormous success, not the home he expected, nor it would seem that he has been partnering the dancer(s) he would wish to partner. This has also been a feature of both his discomfort and according to the articles his displeasure. The comparison he makes clearly alludes to this. He is a real star of the
Royal Ballet as is Tamara Rojo.

[aurora]

leonid, on 07 March 2012 - 01:26 PM, said:

aurora, on 07 March 2012 - 11:26 AM, said:

leonid, on 07 March 2012 - 06:21 AM, said:

We are getting close to the Royal Ballet getting its dirty washing hanging on the line.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/mar/06/sergei-polunin-give-up-ballet

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/9126611/Sergei-Polunin-the-James-Dean-of-the-ballet-world.html

The articles seem to say very little about Royal Ballet and dirty washing, and http://www.bbc.co.uk...london-17250159who doesn't much like ballet. Reading these, I feel sorry for him, but I don't find him terribly sympathetic as a figure. He seems to not care much for the wonderful gift he has, or for the artform besides a joy in performing only, and occasionally in being the best in something.

The negative allusions are clearly indicated in the text both by himself and the authors.

"...but I don;t find him a teribly sympathetic as a figure." Why would you? To do so would mean that you know him well and the situations he has been in.

He has clearly found the Royal Ballet not the home he expected, nor it would seem that he has been partnering the dancer(s) he would wish to partner. Quite clearly this has been a feature of both his discomfort and his displeasure.

I think we read these interviews quite differently and also have a different conception about whether one can find someone sympathetic without knowing them. Perhaps an issue was also me trying to be nice. It might have been more accurate to say didn't find him very likable. if you would prefer.
When I read or watch interviews with celebrities I get impressions of their personalities, interests, and work ethics. I've found some performers I don't particularly like as performers, very likable, and felt that their personalities diminished my liking of others, though I try not to let it alter how I feel about them as artists.

i think you did have a much more sympathetic response to the interviews--seeing the problem as being the Royal.
However when he says he doesn't like female dancing, or think he should have to listen to female dancers when partnering them, says he finds rehearsing boring, and isn't interested in watching dance, I'm not sure what company could make him happy.

If he wants to be a dancer at all, he wants to be a celebrity dancer, not a company member, even one with the highest accolades. Or that is the impression he gave.

And then there is his idolizing of James Dean.
He just sounds (in these interviews) like a rebellious kid who has no appreciation for what he had. Literally a rebel without a cause.

[Helene]

I read it much the same way as aurora.  He doesn't find the work interesting, nor rehearsing, nor partnering most women.  (With Rojo, he finds an exception.)  I don't read anything about the Royal Ballet in particular in what he says, unless they have an attendance requirement for company class.

His story isn't very different than many figure skaters, whose family made sacrifices for their training, and they continue to the highest ranks without loving it.

From an audience member's point of view, it's a shame he feels this way, but it's really up to him to decide what he wants to do when he wakes up in the morning, and, not surprisingly, crying isn't high on his list.

[puppytreats]

Helene, on 07 March 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

I don't read anything about the Royal Ballet in particular in what he says, unless they have an attendance requirement for company class.

An implication about a threat related to his visa arose in an article.

[puppytreats]

Helene, on 07 March 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

His story isn't very different than many figure skaters, whose family made sacrifices for their training, and they continue to the highest ranks without loving it.

Articles have not discussed his family's sacrifice, but rather, his family's demand that he make sacrifices to support them.

[Helene]

puppytreats, on 07 March 2012 - 03:32 PM, said:

Helene, on 07 March 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

I don't read anything about the Royal Ballet in particular in what he says, unless they have an attendance requirement for company class.

An implication about a threat related to his visa arose in an article.

According to articles published in Links, his original visa was specific to working for the Royal Ballet, just like H-1 visas in the US are sponsored by a company for a specific person for a specific job.  Once he no longer worked for the Royal Ballet, his original visa was no longer valid, and since he resigned from the Royal Ballet, and they didn't cut him, they had nothing to do with his visa no longer being valid.

Sadler's Wells was responsible for helping him get his latest visa, which is a general work visa and doesn't tie him to a job or organization.

puppytreats, on 07 March 2012 - 03:34 PM, said:

Helene, on 07 March 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

His story isn't very different than many figure skaters, whose family made sacrifices for their training, and they continue to the highest ranks without loving it.

Articles have not discussed his family's sacrifice, but rather, his family's demand that he make sacrifices to support them.

His family was separated, with his father working in England, to support his early training.  Separating the family is usually considered a sacrifice.

[bart]

I was interested in the following:

Quote

Performing is the only time he really enjoys dancing, he says. Rehearsing is "very hard physical work and it can sometimes be very boring as well, learning stuff. You stop rehearsing at 8pm, by the time you come home it's 10 and then it's like: 'OK, I want to have at least six hours of normal life, just watching TV,' and the next morning it's just harder to wake up."

He says he wishes ballet companies would do a month of rehearsal and then 30 performances of the same show, "so you're just enjoying being on stage – not rehearse for a month then have one show, rehearse for another month and change the show. What's the point?"

"So you would repeat a show 30 times?" asks a baffled Putrov.

"I would not mind," says Polunin. "I would not mind just waking up, knowing I have seven hours before a show, doing [a dance] I already know, and then doing my own thing.

There aren't as many jobs like that for ballet dancers as there once were.  Matthew Bourne's work for the West End comes to mind.  Or Twyla Tharp's,  for Broadway (not ballet but employing many ballet dancers).  

I wonder whether some dancers in conventional companies might actually feel the same way. The fantasy of having time for a "normal life" must be seductive from time to time.