glebb

I have never seen a corps de ballet rehearsed to look dull. Together is not dull. It is exciting. Did any of you see the Cubans in "Giselle?" They were on fire! Live bodies dancing together are not robots. Each face is different. Each soul is different. I saw NYCB summer before last in "Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3" and "Firebird.". The corps work was so bad I did not go back to see them any of my trips to NYC this past summer. I could not see Balanchines beautiful choreography because of all the mistakes and lack of being well rehearsed. Timing was off, port de bras was all over the place. It was quite disheartening because from 1975 - 1988 and longer NYCB was my favorite company. Earlier in the thread I expressed my views on why the corps work comes and goes at NYCB. I'm sure it will be good again. A corps de ballet is just that. Soloists are soloists and principles are principles. They are not the same. Why list them as such?

It would be nice if someone could clear up the Nutcracker matter as I've always understood it to be that Clara was created on Gelsey but she missed the premiere. If anyone saw Becky Wright in the role of Clara can you comment? My friends who were huge Gelsey fans said that Becky was actually the best Clara. Back to Marianna, I remember being very impressed by the stillness of her torso, shoulders so down, when she danced the little duet with Misha in the prelude of "Les Sylphides" for television.

"Pas de Quatre" is a small, all female ballet.

Thanks for that Tancos. I love that dance number and that movie. There is a wonderful lift done by Parker Posey and her partner. I'm surprised it has not been stolen by the new choreographers.

That is interesting Paul because good line mattered and still matters to me most. I had the energy (and had it under control.) I could and can still spend hours looking at pictures of Makarova, Kirkland, Royal Ballet Ballerinas of the seventies and early eighties and Stuttgart Ballerinas of that same time. I adore perfect line. Kyra Nichols often reminded me of Makarova in regard to her line. As for the corps, I find that it is much more than straight lines that matters. When all are in straight lines with a similar understanding of port de bras and timing, I can then enjoy the individuality of the dancers. When their timing, port de bras and execution of steps is not uniform I see blur.

And who is Handel?

If she were to rise (once again) from the fountains at Peterhof, I would do my best to see her. :yes:

I don't think NYCB's corps has always been weak, nor is it always weak. In my years following the company I have seen waves of wonderful times when the corps was magnificent. Then there have been times when they were quite bad. I think it goes that way with most companies. I've seen this at ABT and even with PB. I've witnessed wonderful seasons and sloppy seasons with the company I work for. :sweating: Part of the problem for ABT and NYCB is the huge rep they put together in a very short time. I believe time accounts for the problem in their not so wonderful seasons.

I just remembered something about M. Tcherkassky that you might find interesting Silvy. When I was about sixteen I saw Bujones and Tcherkassky perform the Grand Pas from Act II, Nutcracker at Dade County Auditorium in Miami, FL. They were still students at SAB and I assume they were taught the pas by Danilova. Early in the pas there is a moment when the man stands in an open lunge position. The woman is in attitude derriere and she takes his offered hand. Marianna lifted her hand as she lowered her head. Then she placed her hand in his as her head lifted. The coordination and beauty of the way she did this seemingly simple move has stayed with me for almost thirty years. I try to get this same beautiful moment recreated when I coach the Grand Pas, every year.

It's been a while since I've seen it, but I remember especially liking Judy and Gene in 'The Portland Fancy' dance from "Summer Stock." :grinning:

Marianna was beautiful-beautiful. She radiated humility and dignity. I too loved her Giselle and La Sylphide. I also loved her prelude in Les Sylphides. For me at ABT (in my NY days) it was Makarova, Kirkland and Tcherkassky. Next came Cynthia Gregory and Magali Messac.

CAMP, written and directed by Todd Graff is a sweet story that made me laugh hard and long. The movie is about teenagers who attend a summer camp where they learn and perform musicals. I don't want to give away my favorite moments which are numerous, but have to mention the "Turkey Lurkey" number from "Promises, Promises." It is apparently a recreation of the original choreography (by Michael Bennet?) A friend told me that Donna McKechnie, Margo Sappington and Baayork Lee were the original trio. Did any BA members see "Promises, Promises?" I think comedienne Rita Rudner was a member of the original cast. To read about 'CAMP', type 'CAMP' in at google and find "Greg's Previews."

Seems that there was more buzz before she started performances. Anyone seen this performance? Read or heard anything?

Wow, thanks! In a thread about ID, I reported that her style of writing in her bio brought home the fact that though she was very modern, she was quite Victorian. More proof!

Yes, two Karen Browns.

Vanessa Redgrave is magnificent in the Isadora film. I read Isadora's autobiography in June and then watched my video of the film (again). I'm wondering why her richest benefactor and father of her son is called Singer in the film and is named Lohengrin in the book.

It was only a cordial "Nice to meet you. I enjoyed the performance." The same party had Esther Williams, Ann Miller, Rita Moreno, Julie Andrews and more as guests. It was 1983 and I mostly remember the females.

I like a black and white film he made with Judy Garland called "For Me and My Gal." Was that his first film? Had the pleasure of meeting him at a party too.

It's hard to pick one act of "Jewels" as my favorite, but if I have to it is 'Emeralds'. Wouldn't it be wonderful to watch "Jewels" every night? I first saw "Jewels" in 1975. Merrill Ashley danced Violette's role. John Clifford, Sarah Leland, with either Colleen Neary or Wilhelmina Frankfurt (as the tall girl) danced 'Rubies', and Kay Mazzo danced Diamonds with Peter Martins. Heather Watts was in the corps. I have to say that I prefer the original scenery.

Thanks everyone for your wonderful input. I am interested in hearing everything anyone has to say about this rare ballet. Many years ago, when I first saw Joffrey perform "Monotones I & II", I was in love with the 2nd (white) one. It was serene and beautiful. Kevin McKenzie was in the cast with Robert Thomas and an exquisite woman- Ingrid Fraley. Pamela Nearhoof was the original white girl at Joffrey. I believe she was the first dancer outside the Royal Ballet to perform the ballet. Now, twenty something years and several incarnations of "Monotones I & II" later, I very much appreciate and love the first (green) one.

Wondering if anyone has any experience performing or veiwing Ashton's MONOTONES I & II. Please share. :yes:

Thanks Grace! In a future life I would love to be able to know Laban, Benesh (and how to play the piano.) :yes:

Thanks rg. I'm going to look for lithograph/pics of Grahn in this pas.

Thanks Alexandra! It's cool to know that something of the ballet exists on film or video. I saw Anne Marie Vessel (before Schluter was added) in "The Lesson" at the MET. "The Four Seasons" choreographed by Frank Anderson (?) was also on the program. It would be fun to see the classes on video. I think a portion of a class is shown on an episode of Makarova's "Assoluta". My picture program has wonderful pictures of all the young soloists, Peter Martins, Frank Anderson, Ib Anderson, Peter Shaufuss, Dinna Bjorn, Annemarie Dybdal-(real nice photo in "Napoli"), Bjarne Hecht, Linda Hindberg, Niels Kehlet, Eva Kloborg, Adam Luders, Lise Stripp, Anne Marie Vessel, and Arne Villumsen. Nice to see what Jens-Jacob Worsaae looks like after hearing so much about him over the years.

From a 1979 picture program - "Soloists of the Royal Danish Ballet, The Bournonville Centenary", I'm reading about a ballet called: BOURNONVILLE ETUDES. "Bournonville Etudes is a composite of excercises from the famous Monday-Saturday classes of the Bournonville school. The classes were arranged and codified by Hans Beck using choreography and steps which occur in Bournonville ballets. Each day's class concentrates on specific steps and technique problems, and the classes ascend in difficutly from Monday's to Saturday's into which the famouse Pas de La Vestale is incorporated. Bournonville choreographed these steps for the debut of his favorite pupil Lucile Grahn, and performed on the stage with her. He performed each series of steps, followed by her performing the series exactly duplicating the steps of her ballet teacher." Has anyone every seen this ballet performed? Is it filmed? I need it! :sweating: