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oyoyoyoyoy

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  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    teacher/former dancer
  • City**
    dallas, texas, usa

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  1. No one mentions that this interview is from 1997. As Allegra states, she wrote the book for herself and then it was published so at the time of this interview she had not done a lot of public speaking. I think you would find her much more polished today. But who cares?! Allegra is Allegra; there is no one like her. I think she is a national treasure. Stunningly beautiful, gracious, and very, very intelligent.
  2. This may be off topic so feel free to remove. A company such as ABT cannot exist with only soloists and principals, you must have a corps de ballet. And it seems no one is addressing that issue. It is a shame to hire soloist level dancers, for the coprs, who think they will move up the ranks when that is not going to happen. They become very unhappy and sometimes "incompetent" corps dancers. I know it would be difficult, but it would be great if a director could say to a dancer, "I am hiring you as a corps dancer and I don't see you moving beyond that, but the company needs YOU." Dancing in the corps of a great company is a wonderful experience. And a great company needs a wonderful corps. I believe that future repetiteurs, ballet masters, teachers, etc. are more likely to come from corps dancers. By the way, what is happening with the memorial fund for Jennifer Alexander which is to honor a senior corps member? I can't find any info about it. So many young dancers are participating in these competitions and it is becoming apparent that directors are drawing from these competition winners rather than their own schools for employees. Many young dancers today seem to feel that being in the corps is beneath them; or, simply, they are not interested in being in the corps - they woudl rather not dance if they cannot be a "star."
  3. I think everyone goes into a ballet company hoping to be a principal, but for all of the reasons listed above (money, openings, directors taste/whims, choreographers' choices) that doesn't always happen. My favorite example is Angel Corella who was in the back line of his company in Spain (it seems he was not particularly appreciated by the director) so he came to the US and auditioned for Kevin McKenzie of ABT and we all know what happened going forth from there! Ballet is not a profession where one puts in their time and is automatically promoted. Look at orchestras; many spend their careers being the last of the 2nd violins. Look at actors; starring in a movie, even winning an Oscar, and then crumbs - like Cuba Gooding, Jr. Promotion/stardom is a combination of talent and luck - being in the right place at the right time with the right director and the right choreographer. And, yes, some dancers do enjoy doing corps work. Oh, sure, they would be very happy to be promoted, but they have come to accept that that is not going to happen and they revel in any of the soloist or principal roles they may get to do. They do corps work with love and expertise and many decide they would rather be in the corps of a major company than a soloist somewhere else. I won't go on anymore, but let me put forth the exemplary example of Jennifer Alexander who was with ABT before her untimely death in November 2007. Read about her and her professionalism. We need more of that in the ballet world and less "competition babes" who only want to be stars. Either you love to dance or you don't.
  4. In the 80's, North Carolina Dance Theater (under the direction of Sal Aiello) toured with a contemporary piece by Mauricio Wainrot that had the female lead topless for the last 1/4 to a 1/3 of the ballet. It did cause a bit of a problem when performed in Denton, Texas at Texas Women's University because NCDT had failed to inform it's sponsor that there was partial nudity in the piece and, of course, being Texas, there were many young ladies in their Sunday best whose parent's were, rightfully, scandalized. There was a meeting of the artistic staff of NCDT and the univerity the next day, but other than a reprimand and advice to notify future sponsors of the partial nudity it seemed to pass without an undue amount of furor. I doubt that it would pass so quietly in today's somewhat fervent atmosphere. The NCDT dancer at the time was Dana Caspersen who is currently with William Forsythe's company where she performs "Telos" (I probably got the name wrong) completely nude. And a stunningly beautiful body it is!! NCDT also performed Elise Monte's "White Dragon" which consisted of five dancers - sometimes two women, sometimes not. NCDT never did it topless (all five dancers are costumed alike), but I'm sure Elise's company did it topless. They also had at least one other partially nude ballet. At the time, it did not phase me one bit or even enter into my mind that it was something one shouldn't do. But I must admit that after having a child of my own, my viewpoint changed - I would want to, at least, be informed prior to the performance (to purchasing tickets) that partial or full nudity was to be involved so that I could decide if I wanted my child to attend. I'm not really a fan of nudity in dancing or in film for that matter, because not matter what the context, I often find it gratuitous or senstionalist. I feel the artist could have made the same statement without the nudity. But that's just my opinion. I don't mind the nudity, I just don't always see a point for it. Isn't there supposed to be a revival of Hair on Broadway or at the pPublic Theater this year. I missed the revival last summer at the Delacort.
  5. The pictures are truly wonderful. Unfortunately the ballet was not. Rather a lack of steps, and too much speaking that wasn't very well done.
  6. Maybe it has been mostly on Broadway that I have experienced the "de rigeur" standing ovation, but I don't go to Broadway that often and I am sure it has occured at ABT when it wasn't really warranted (IMO). I would expect that it does not happen unnecessarily at the opera. In regards to clapping during a variation - I say YES, if you are so inclined and it seems appropriate. It's true that sometimes uneducated audiences will clap for every mundane lift that occurs and that is terribly annoying. (I find this true when the audience is robust with people who have experienced the "dance competition" scene, and yet, as I say, at least they are here watching a classical performance and enjoying it.) But when you are performing, it is a big let down when you do a bravura step that should ellicit applause and none is forthcoming. I think that it is in the American culture to clap when one is excited.
  7. I lived in NYC for many years, but nine years ago moved to Texas (not my choice). When I was first in Texas everyone gave standing ovations at the end of every performance. Coming from New York I thought this was incredibly provincial and did not like it. Much to my shock when I am in NYC now, I see the same thing happening. I think it is terrible. Sure the performers like to get a standing ovation and now have probably come to expect it, but I still think it should be reserved for the exceptional performance. When I am at a Broadway show I get the feeling that the audience (largely tourist) feels that they have to experience the "ultimate" so they give a standing ovation so that they feel as if they have experienced the "ultimate". I am undecided how I feel about this. Perhaps the audience is truly thrilled because they have not experienced anything like live Broadway before so it is an honest responese. In any case, I always come back to the performing arts should be grateful for any show of appreciation these days since government sponsorship and, frequently, community support is inadequate. But as an old diehard New Yorker I am embarassed when this happens in NYC because this is surely one place where people are educated in the arts and know good from exceptional.
  8. rg, Dancers are not allowed to sit in costumes backstage or in their dressing room or where ever, but choreography does exist where the dancer is sitting on stage in costume either on the floor or on a prop. Also sit lifts kind of crush the tutu not to mention the male dancers makeup sometimes gets on the costume. Anyway, this looks like a 1950's-ish style photo of the beautiful Mary Ellen Moylan. I like it because it shows the beautiful dancer, the beautiful costume, and does not make ballet some remote, "elitist" kind of occupation. She seems more accessible to the tastes of the general public. I guess I'm kind of tying this into the thread about sitting in costume. I love the old ballet photos because the dancers seem more "theatrical" in a way.
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