Hello !

[altongrimes]

Hello from Santa Barbara, California ! I harbor an enormous passion for dance and for those people who inhabit that realm ! This started for me when Sylvie Guillem shook up the dance world somewhere in the late 80's with her defection to The Royal Ballet. I will never forget a headline reading: "The one dancer that no company can afford to lose !".During that time, I made diligent search for her one and only video (VHS): Sylvie Guillem: Portrait of an Artist and finally found one at New York's long defunct Ballet Shop. I played this treasure too many times to count. Her glorious rendering of the Raymonda Variation and the delicious fractured dissonance of William Forsythe's Somewhere In The Middle And Elevated instantly transformed me into a dance disciple. My interest in the art form continued from there, occasionally abated by too much work or too much romance. Since 2011, I have been to New York several times to experience the formidable gift of Polina Semionova . Her guest performance in an ABT Swan Lake left me in a kind of hypnotic state for days. Presently, I am preparing for several trips to experience San Francisco Ballet when their season commences in January. Finally, I understand the Bolshoi is coming to New York in July of 2017. I would be most excited to experience the artistry of Ana Turazashvili in live performance and stay at The Beacon (it looks so swanky !) on 75th and Broadway while doing so !

[Helene]

Welcome to Ballet Alert!  We hope you enjoy the site

[volcanohunter]

I'm looking forward to reading your posts, altongrimes! 

[altongrimes]

I can hardly believe my good fortune to be included in this marvelous Ballet Alert ! I am altogether smitten by the art form and find my passion burning even more brightly as a consequence of pondering your fascinating discussions. So happy to be in your company ! Thank you !

[sandik]

Jump in!

[altongrimes]

I am rather astounded that I am receiving a little correspondence from Ana Turazashvili . After having watched her in the "Big Swans"/Bolshoi clip on YouTube, I have become increasingly excited about her formidable talent. And at discreet intervals, I have said as much on her Facebook page. AND much to my surprise, she writes back to me in the most gracious manner ! I will, of course, be careful not to overdo this . After all, she is a very young woman who should be afforded the necessary privacy. But, what a thrill to hear from an artist that I so admire in this way !