19 replies to this topic

[Mel Johnson]

ABT's old Patineurs costumes were designed by Cecil Beaton.  Royal and almost everyone else used the original William Chappell designs.

[ 06-01-2001: Message edited by: Mel Johnson ]

[Jack Reed]

Just want to slip in here an omission from my remarks about Carlos Guerra - It seemed to me on Thursday night, having seen all three of his performances of "Sylvia", that the later parts of his variation were looking much better by then.

[Alexandra]

Samba, I think "Les Patineurs" (and "Les Rendezvous") weren't about line; they were about shape.  Our vision of ballet has become so limited that we forget that there are other ways of making ballets (and watching them).  I read a review of the first cast of "Les  Rendezvous" once that wrote of the dancers looking "soft as balls of cotton."

One of the problems with Miami's "Patineurs" (which I like much less in retrospect, the glow having worn off) is that there was no softness in them at all.  What softness there was was in those costumes, but they were worn over wire.  Several older friends, who remember the Sadler's Wells Ballet's performances of "Les Patineurs" told me they thought it was the dancing that was heavy.  This is a demicaractere ballet, and I think the dancers (except for The Lovers) are supposed to be very light, walking or running in high demi-pointe.

Not that any of this would make one like the ballet any more, necessarily, but I'd argue that showing it in practice clothes would be showing something other than the ballet, as it was intended to be seen.

[ 06-02-2001: Message edited by: alexandra ]

[Jack Reed]

I think "soft costumes 'worn over wire'" is a very apt description.

[samba38]

Then my vote is definitely in for Vera Wang -- a former skater before she became a dress designer and the costumer for many star skaters today.  I suspect, by the way, that I'm not alone in having no idea this ballet is about shape, not line.... yet another good reason I don't do reviews!