Favorite Female Dancers

[Alexandra]

Who's your favorite female dancer? Doesn't have to be an all time great, although she may be. And there may be more than one of her. But who, past or present, is/are your favorite female dancer(s)?

[Giannina]

I'm sure everyone knows by now that my favorite ballerina is Makarova. Besides her I'm hard put to narrow the list down to 30; my love affair with ballet spans over 55 years. Some dancers go in and out: don't like them for a while, then I love them. Cynthia Harvey was such a dancer. At first I found it hard to believe she made it out of the corps; suddenly (it seemed to me) she became a text book of how to dance...such glorious technique. I've had the same relationship with Asylmuratova and Anaiashvili. I love Guillem's feet. Heather Watts: that independant soul whose beautiful dancing evokes gasps. Looking back: as a youth I loved Nana Gollner and Sonja Tyven.

And on and on...... It's going to be interesting to hear the other replies; I'm sure we'll all be saying, "Oh, I forgot her!"

Giannina

[This message has been edited by Giannina Mooney (edited 11-20-98).]

[This message has been edited by Giannina Mooney (edited 11-20-98).]

[This message has been edited by Giannina Mooney (edited 11-20-98).]

[Dale]

I'm a big Suzanne Farrell fan. She was the dancer I grew up watching. She was so daring and danced on such a big scale. Yet, she brought an inner romance to her parts. She could be very classical or completely out there. I think she had the most amazing legs, staring with those full thighs and ending with her long, sensitive pointes. Watching her dance sometimes was like a holy rite.

Farrell became the prototype of my favorite type of dancer. While a enjoy or enjoyed Patricia McBride, Makarova, Nina A, Miranda Weese, and others, I look for those Farrell qualities in other dancers. Now, my favorites are Monique Meunier, Maria Kowrowski, Darcey Bussell, Diana Vishneva, Ulia Lopatkina, Darci Kistler, and Paloma Herrera. Especially Meunier, who has such a wonderful lush way of moving. She just loves being on stage. -- Dale

[Guest Concetta59]

My favorite ballerina is Marie Bonafonte because she was one of the first ballerinas and I heard that she was one of the best!

Another one of my favorite dancers is Marilyn Miller because she was in The Ziegfeld Follies and you had to be really good to get in that.

[Guest Lorraine]

Heather Colledge (formerly of the Het National Ballet in Holland, now dancing with Ballet West) is so beautiful, she has made me cry more than once. Most recently she performed a piece: "Untitled for Treated Piano" by Robert Kelley. The composer performed live along with the dancers--which were Heather and Richard Bradley of the Nevada Dance Theatre. The composers name was Jerome Begin, and his composition was amazing. He used, among other things, a cookie sheet, a plastic sword, and a glass bottle, along with a piano. It was amazing, and Heather danced wonderfully. They performed this piece along with the Utah Regional Ballet's concert, "On the Move", featuring Sans Souci, by Alan Hineline. Heather is by far my favorite dancer--except for maybe her younger sister, Brittnee Colledge (formerly with Ballet West, now with the Utah REgional Ballet). Sorry for babbling on and on. <:^) *blush*

[Kevin Ng]

As I wrote in reply to the other topic 'Who is the greatest ballerina?', I think that Kyra Nichols is the greatest classical ballerina at present. Nichols embodies the sheer joy of classicism.

My other favourite are: Sylvie Guillem (a wonderful Ashton Cinderella last winter), Diana Vishneva of the Kirov (I saw her as Aurora and Kitri), Uliana Lopatkina (in second movement of Symphony in C), Patricia Barker (as Titania in Balanchine's Midsummer in Edinburgh in Aug.), Miranda Weese of NYCB. I do feel however that Bussell is over-rated, and much prefer Guillem.

[Guest kitsker]

I would have to say Gelsey Kirkland is my most favorite dancer of all time. She's the greatest dancer I have seen and she still is from this day on. She taught me during the summer it was the greatest expierence. When you see her in person you just don't know what to excpect. But when you see her teach and tell you how to do each movement with a feeling like you mean it WOW! When you watch her teach you it's like she's performing for you on stage he's so great I hope to be Just like her one day.

[Guest Eric Taub]

I have to agree with Kevin about Kyra Nichols. I think her performances for the past year or so I've returned to watching ballet have been revelations. She's no longer the cold and distant technician I remember, but has an astonishing radiance to compliment her technical purity and magnificent musicality.

She's been dancing so long with NYCB, it seems like she treats every role now as an old friend, and she brings out nuances even in old chestnuts like Scotch Symphony that other dancers (Weese, f'rinstance) don't seem to notice at all.

She's no spring chicken anymore, and I will miss her greatly when she finally retired. So will NYCB, I have no doubts.

I do also think that she's danced at an unassuming but consistent level of excellence for so long that these days she's too often taken for granted. Well, we'll all realized what we've lost when she retires.

[Hollyberry]

I will have to agree with Kitsker. Gelsey Kirkland is inceredible. She was when she was dancing and now that she is teaching she is even more incredible. I also had a chance to take class with her and she is amazing. The way she relates each movement to a feeling and the way she teaches is incredible.

I will also have to say Alessandra Ferri. She is INCREDIBLE. Her technique is of some of the best. Her acting skills are among the best of the ballerinas today. Alessandra Ferri as Juliet is my favorite. SHe is one of the only dancers that can portray a little girl. I can't wait to hear your responses.

Hollyberry

[Dale]

I love watching Kyra Nichols. She just so in command of her technique and a master of shading and nuance. I think her Scotch Symphony is simply beautiful. She takes the tragic heroine route while the aforementioned Weese is more the bonny lass (so to a point is Margret Tracy). Nichol Hlinka too. Maybe they all learned the role from the same dancer because, before those three took over the role, the ballerina part was played a little more dramatically. At least by Farrell and Kistler, who I also saw. (and Elena Pankova)

On the other hand, sometimes Kyra is a little too understated. I think she failed to register as Euridice in Orpheus on Opening Night.

Dale

[dirac]

I'm afraid this is probably a matter of piling Pelion on Ossa, but I have to put in another vote for Suzanne Farrell. She was the idol of my adolescence and brought me to my first appreciation of ballet. On a more practical level, she had visible hips and thighs, which was inspirational to me as I had no hope of eradicating mine! I should note in passing that her autobiography, and the movie Elusive Muse, are somewhat disappointing in certain respects.

[colwill]

The title of this thread is favourite dancers. It is interesting that every posting refers to famous ballerinas. I would like to include not a ballerina but a corps de ballet. These dancers are rarely mentioned and yet they are the heart of any company therefore I stake a claim for the Paris Opera Ballet corpes de ballet as my favourite dancers. Praise is often lavished on the Bayadere Shades scene - I have just watched two performances of Bayadere and was overwhelmed with the superb dancing by the shades. The timing and precision of every movement of the 32 dancers was the epitamy of profesionalism. They get my vote!

[Alexandra]

I'll second that. I had the good luck to see POB do several performances of Bayadere in Washington a few years ago, AND from where I sat at one performance, I had the most extraordinary view of the corps. When the dancers stood along the side, one row on each side of the stage, from this angle, the perfection and symmetry of the legs really looked like an optical illusion, that it was one perfect pair of legs duplicated on to infinity. Yet each woman is different; only the French can pull that off.

alexandra

[Dale]

I'll add a "non-star" -- Aura Dixon. A very good dancer in the corp de ballet at the NYCB with a winning stage persona. Of course she's a big girl and moves like one. I saw her do the last movement of Western Symphony, and one of the things I remember most is the part when the two leads go off the side and fool around. Well, Aura always looked like she was having a great time with Zelensky.

In addition, she dancers her corp's parts as if there was no other role she'd rather be doing.

Dale

[Victoria Leigh]

One of my favorites is a soloist in ABT who, IMHO, has not received the roles and recognition that she deserves, and that is Veronica Lynn. Veronica is a tall, long-legged beauty, with gorgeous feet, incredible line, and a face that belongs in the movies. And she has technique to spare. She is exquisite as Prayer in Coppelia. Would love to see her get a chance at some principal roles.

[Guest Kerry White]

Why has nobody mentioned Viviana Durante? She is, in my opinion, one of the Royal Ballet's greatest dancers and has been taken for granted by them. She has a wonderful range and is a beautifully touching dancer. I agree that Bussell is overrated. Another favourite - and perhaps less well known - English dancer of mine is Belinda Hatley, who is quirky and has a lovely clean style. As far as American dancers go, even though I have never seen her dance I think Gelsey Kirkland is amazing: I've read both her books countless times and would just love to watch her teach.

[Hollyberry]

Alessandra Ferri is another on my list. She is so cute when she dances. She has great acting skills and her best role I have seen her in is Juliet, in Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet (my favorite ballet).

Hollyberry

[Guest Larissa]

Really Alessandra Ferri is one of the best female dancer. I just saw her in the pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet , in a videotape.

She is very expressive. However , Susan Jaffe is so good as Ferri , she is so much light dancing. There are many other wonderful female dancers , Amanda McKerrow , Nina Ananiashvili , Paloma Herrera... But I guess Susan Jaffe is the best.

[Leigh Witchel]

Hello Alexandra and others!

I finally remembered to visit (my account on panix doesn't have a browser.)

I dearly loved Makarova when she was dancing, but I'll name some current favorites, as well as one recently retired.

Nichol Hlinka was the most underrated ballerina at NYCB, probably because her greatest achievements came at the end of her career, and seemingly out of nowhere. Suddenly she blossomed from being a proficient but not that tasteful dancer to being a ballerina, doing one "textbook" performance after another in roles I had previously thought her indifferent. It was lovely to see that sort of Indian Summer.

I don't know how much more Darci Kistler we will have, it looks like injury may finally overtake her. Of all the women I've seen do Agon (live rather than on tape) hers is my favorite. She is a dancer who is inhabited by choreography. It's a rather frightening gift.

Anyone who has read my website knows who the next one is going to be. Miranda Weese. She's going to be bearing the brunt of NYCB's repertory for the next decade, it seems.

[Alexandra]

Welcome, Leigh. I'm glad someone has stuck up for Darci Kistler. I know she's been injured a lot, but, after all, her injuries were not caused by roller blading or disco dancing, but by the overdancing she happily endured when extremely young. My position is that once a ballerina, always a ballerina -- that is, if you were a really truly ballerina, as I think Kistler was, you get to keep the title. Kirkland was injured more years than she danced, yet she was one of the finest dancers I've ever seen.

Alexandra

[Guest Lugo]

oh boy...so many wonderful dancers....my first favorite of all time dancers would have to be Maya Plesetskaya (spelling?) - then I would say the Cynthia Gregory was the quintisential dancer for me as a young girl - then many of the NYCB dancers - however Alexandra Ferri and Sylvie Guliem are current favorites....there is also a beautiful dancer I saw about 4 years ago as Carmen in "Carmen Ballet" commissioned by the Ballet Concierto - I believe her name is Rebeca Canchan - she was so lovely to watch - her technique flawless - and her artistry something to admire - I will be looking for her future performances...

[Guest Erin Odette]

My favorite dancer would have to be Julie Kent. However, I love Viviana Durante and Paloma Herrera. I'm so excited that Viviana is coming to ABT, because, since I live close to New York, I can finally see her dance live and not just in a video.

[pdance]

I agree with kitsker. Gelsey Kirkland is fab. I have a video of her and Barishnikov doing The Nutcracker and it is absolutely breathtaking!! I auditioned for Southern Ballet Theatre's summer intensive program where she will be guest teaching. If I make it, I will be sooo exited to work with her, as well as Irina Kolpakova, who will also be there.

[Guest Oliver]

This message is from Oliver not to be confused with Olivier. I have edited the start of this message based on the replies noted below. I realised after I had registered that there was a second person with a very similar name Olivier. Of course I will change my Username immediately not to cause any further confusion...

After all there is only one Olivier in Ballet

Any way.....

Please watch out for Natalia Haigler Corps de Ballet - Pacific Northwest Ballet. Thanks Colwill and Alexandra, I agree with what you say in your posting 1/15/99 about Corps de Ballet.

I had the great pleasure to see PNB when they were in London recently at the Sadler's Wells. I attended the opening night. As the performance carried on I was drawn to a certain individual in the Corps de Ballet. It was quite extraordinary. She seems to have a magical aurora about her and how she moves on stage yet she is in perfect harmony and sensitive to all on stage. She also has a most delightful and appropriate smile that is unique and just has to be seen.

I was so taken back by this that I sent her flowers the next day. A small gesture just to show my appreciation and welcome her to London.

Needless to say I returned two more times to see Natalia and PNB's performance of Midsummer Night's Dream.

Well done to PNB and thanks for coming to London...

And if this is not enough Natalia personally took time out to ring and thank me for the flowers. How about that...what a kind and considerate person.

Unfortunately I was not there to talk with her. Some day I hope I will have the pleasure in thanking her for her kindness. For the time being, Natalia,if you ever read this - Thanks and good luck with you career!

Natalia can be found at http://www.pnb.org/newcompany/corps.html

p.s. As I said earlier I see that another Olivier is a very active member of this forum - Well Olivier, if you read this sometime then a big thanks also to you and your wife for coming to London.

And to Alexandra. As this is my first visit to this forum. Let me introduce myself

http://www.balletalert.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000024.html

and take the opportunity to say this is one of the best forums I have seen.

[This message has been edited by Oliver (edited 03-07-99).]

[Steve Keeley]

An Oliver wrote:

"p.s. I see that another Olivier is a very active member of this forum - Well Olivier, if you read this sometime then a big thanks also to you and your wife for coming to London."

I was a bit taken aback at first to read Oliver praising PNB in the third person; it sounded a bit self promoting. It wasn't until I reached this part that I realized we had a second Oliver.

May I suggest you two alter your profiles and/or signatures (e.g. "Oliver W." and "Oliver F.")so we know which one is which when we read your posts?

Thanks,

Steve