364 replies to this topic

[canbelto]

https://www.youtube....h?v=o9SQUQlVhKk

Here's Dudinskaya doing the variation "as notated." She substitutes some tricky pirouette sequences in the second half of the variation but she does start with the notated steps. I kind of think this is the kind of variation where a ballerina should have some leeway to show off her particular talents. If she has a particularly beautiful developpe a la seconde, then I can see why she'd choose to skip straight to that move. If she is a human gyroscope (a la Alicia Alonso) then show off the multiple pirouettes. It seems as if the dancers who did the notated steps are/were known as great terre a terre technicians who would excel at petit allegro steps.

[Paul Parish]

Doug Fullington IS an authority on questions like these-- I would love to know his opinion on this issue -- or rather, ALL these issues, whic are starting to look like a can of worms.
Mercy, wonder who choreographed Alonso's version, which -- though it's IMMACULATELY danced -- rarely touches down on the usual steps. I've never seen another dancer bourree upstage with her back to us in this variation before.

Thanks again for the wealth of information everybody.
Birdsall, sorry, my inbox is full. It was opening night, Wednesday, that my friend identified Ivanova as the first Swan out.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Mercy, wonder who choreographed Alonso's version, which -- though it's IMMACULATELY danced -- rarely touches down on the usual steps. I've never seen another dancer bourree upstage with her back to us in this variation before.

Oh, Paul...believe me..If I could ever had the opportunity to ask her, I would ask her about LOTS of variations and where did she get them from. If anything, all I know is that she has historically denied ANY changes to what she brought from her years in BT and her studies with Fedorova, Zanfretta and Leon Fokine. She also seems to have had input also from Lucia Chase and Toumanova. I suspect the bourrees giving her back is merely a camera trick, in which they decided to show her like that.

[Mme. Hermine]

Thanks, cubanmiamiboy. Alonso's is one of the clips that I checked last Saturday. She, like several others not listed, did not do the 'double-frappe, fondu grace note moves' in between the pirouette....but, oh my, what pirouettes!

however a quick check with my source informs me it is neither rond de jambe nor frappe but a battu.. .

[Natalia]

....
however a quick check with my source informs me it is neither rond de jambe nor frappe but a battu.. .

Can I get that in Tall, Grande and Vente sizes?

[cubanmiamiboy]

....
however a quick check with my source informs me it is neither rond de jambe nor frappe but a battu.. .

Can I get that in Tall, Grande and Vente sizes?

[cubanmiamiboy]

This petite battement battus are so beautiful...I do think this petitte allegro work requires indeed a special muscle control-(always so beautifully shown in Bournonville works), although I agree also that the absence at times of a given step-(excluding fouettes, for which I stand on my basis)-could be a choreography matters. Alonso is one of those who don't do the step in 1964-(at the age of 44), and then she does an extensive series of them in 1981, in the Nutcracker PDD adagio at the age of 61. I have noticed in the past that this segment sometimes is avoided alltogether or cut off shorter and complemented by an extended, slow supported arabesque penchee.

From 5:25 to 5:40, with no interruption.

[Jayne]

Somewhere I have a copy of PNB's 15th anniversary book, and Kent Stowell describes Gelsey Kirkland guesting at PNB in Swan Lake. On opening night she slipped on the 32 fouettes, landing on her rump, and letting out a loud expletive for all to hear. It happens to the best of them.

[Birdsall]

Somewhere I have a copy of PNB's 15th anniversary book, and Kent Stowell describes Gelsey Kirkland guesting at PNB in Swan Lake. On opening night she slipped on the 32 fouettes, landing on her rump, and letting out a loud expletive for all to hear. It happens to the best of them.

Falls do happen to even the best dancers! I've seen Tereshkina slip. But it is a problem when someone falls or stumbles or makes a mistake every single time you see the dancer perform. That starts to become a little shocking.

[cubanmiamiboy]

I've seen great performers fall flat onstage, but that's one thing, and then there's the perennial sense of insecurity, a la Skorik.

[Natalia]

Copying from part of the 'Timur Askerov Promotion' post from a few minutes ago, as it also contains news on Skorik. We hope that she is OK, health-wise.



Skorik's debut as Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream has been cancelled (postponed?). Kondaurova will dance Titania for the 2nd night in a row (she danced lastnight's opener of this mini-run of AMNDs):
http://www.mariinsky...2/10/26/1_1900/

Kondaurova is a real trooper, as she essays the role of Hyppolita tomorrow night (Pavlenko's debut as Titania)!

No reason cited for Skorik's removal from the Titania line-up. Also, mention of her debut has been removed from the MT web's news/press release.
http://www.mariinsky...ews2/25_230oct/


Skorik cannot be too ill or indisposed, as she's just been announced to dance Swan Lake many times in the upcoming tour throughout Asia (Korea, Taiwan...later Japan). Of note, company trainee Kim Kimin makes his debut durng the tour, as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, opposite Novikova! Osmolkina is still being shown for this tour, so maybe she is recoving quickly from the recent injuries?

http://www.mariinsky...liz_2012_10_26/

[elena]

There is this Russian program on now where different dancers compete (called "Big [Bolshoi] Ballet") and Skorik was supposed to be the partner of Ermakov representing Mariinsky, but at the last minute she dropped out and Tereshkina had to guest with Ermakov in her place. They had a bit explaining why but as I do not understand Russian... some say it is because she was too insecure and felt weaker than other competitors (such as Smirnova, Shapran, Tikhomirova, etc.) but who knows, another person reported she said on her FB she was having knee issues.

Episode 1, the bit about Skorik and Fateev explaining begins at around 52 min if anyone understands... To me Skorik does look very insecure so maybe it was for the best, whereas Tereshkina looks absolutely confident once she steps in to take over.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Vishneva looks LOOOOOVELY! Azari Plisetsky is also in the jury. Kuddos for him, such an important piece in the post 59 development of the Cuban ballet. Love the behive of the presenter. Watching right now.

[Tiara]

I don't understand the Russian myself, but all I do know from a Mariinsky friend is that she left the show on 30th June, yet carried on rehearsing Medora and had her debut performance in this role one week later on 7th July. If she did have a knee injury, then she must have had a miraculous recovery.

[Natalia]

Obviously this was filmed before Terioshkina was showing 'with child.'

I heard that, of all people, Shapran is leading the competition, dumbfounding many experts and ruining pre-competition bets!