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I can't tell you Oscar Ariaz's reason for having three Juliets, but I can tell you how it worked in the dramatic sense. When the child Juliet is introduced to her future husband Paris, a more mature Juliet comes through her bedroom mirror and dances a short pas de duex with him. This more mature Juliet then goes away (through) the mirror and takes over the role for the balcony pas through the death of Tybalt. The third Juliet is the experienced - tragic Juliet, who deals with the emotions of losing her lover when Romeo is banished. She eventually takes her life in dispair. In the crypt scene of the Ariaz verison, Romeo (Kevin MacKenzie) dances with dead Juliet, all three of them. He drags all three of them to her resting place before he too dies, and then all of the other dead bodies in the crypt stand up and strip out of elaborate costumes (keeping their nude unitards on) and dance individual love pas de deux. This R&J was not a hit, though as a performer, I enjoyed it. The Joffrey Ballet eventually aquired Cranko's wonderful version and had great success with it. I remember as the curtain came in on opening night of the Ariaz version, someone in the audience yelled "Bravo Romeo!". Was that you Manhattnik?

If she is reminiscent of Isabelle Guerin, I can't wait to see this Laura (something.) Seriously, I love reading about, and wish I could see these talented young dancers! Maybe the areas in which they are lacking will get stronger when they become apprentices with major companies? How do they compare to the young dancers in the SAB workshop?

Cpaceeba bolshoi Jeannie, for your wonderful posts. It's so good to hear about St. Petersburg (a city younger than New York) from one who knows her way around! Lucky 'Dubya'! Three hours in the Hermitage felt like three minutes, to me. When I visited "The Babylon of the Snows" a few year ago, many of the streets and historic buildings were crumbling. The facade of the Taurida Palace, home of the first Duma, was in shambles. What happy news to hear that "The Venice of the North", the city of which Theophile Gautier wrote: "Nothing is more beautiful than this city of gold, on a horizon of sliver, where the sky retains the paleness of dawn", is going to be revived.

I've seen Fonteyn, Kirkland and Farrell live, and seen Ulanova and Pavlova on film. I want to see Karsavina, (and Kschessinska). Will someone please invent that time machine already? :eek:

Another testimony to Danilova's glamour. Sondhiem very much wanted her for his musical 'Follies'.

Alonzo. Now there's a ballerina I wish I could have seen perform in her prime!

At the moment, Lydia Arbarca from Dance Theatre of Harlem comes to mind.

Sorry I was not able to see the performances. I have seen them perform in the past and they do a marvelous job! I have taught a few classes for them as a sub and the atmoshpere is wonderful. The students are taught not only fine technique, but also to use their brains in all aspects of art and life.

What a fun topic! Thanks Leigh. NYCB has had so many glamorpusses, over the years, and I'm sure I'll keep thinking of examples after this posting. But for now, I'll list those who danced in the span of years that I was an audience member. Patricia McBride in 'Rubies' and 'Tarantella' Lourdes Lopez in 'Firebird' Nina Fedorova as Madamoiselle Marrianne in 'Tricolor' Maria Calegari in 'Union Jack' Suzanne Freedman, Renee Estopinal, Judith Fugate in 'The Four Temperaments' Karin Von Aroldingen in 'The Prodigal Son' (What woman wouldn't look glamorous in that costume?) Kay Mazzo in 'Stravinsky Violin Concerto' (So simple, yet so glamorous!) Kyra Nicols in 'In G Major' (Her heart could be felt at the very back of the house.) Darci Kistler in 'Sonatine' (Gamorous in a serene and heavenly way.) Last, but I'm sure not least: Stephanie Seland in everything. Suzanne Farrell's part in 'Vienna Waltzes', 'Jewels' - Emeralds, 'Dances at a Gathering', 'Copellia' -Swanilda, Summer in 'The Four Seasons' and even the Pearlie Queen in 'Union Jack'. I think each of these ladies has the gift of beauty and talent, but they also have a sense of chic that makes them so glamorous.

Dear Aubri, Did you look at the paintings every day? Which ballerina is prettiest, in your opinion?

Very good, your English is! Sorry, I had to say very good in Russian. Thanks so much Babou. I hope to be able to be there.

Thank you all so much! I would very much like to see this place too. I think my 2nd (dream) trip to Russia will have to include a stop in Paris to see this historic room.

I know that the Sylph and the Scotsman are entertainment at the graduation ball, but does anyone know why a Sylph and a Scotsman are the entertainment?

I seem to remember one of my early ballet teachers saying that Ulanova danced Juliet when she was 61 years old. He said that her acting made him believe she was a 14 year old girl. Is it possible that she performed at 61 years of age, or is my memory playing games? I also think that Ulanova was my favorite ballerina's teacher/coach. Didn't she teach Makarova?

I have only seen 'Firebird' twice. I saw the beautiful Lourdez Lopez at NYCB, and later saw the ballet performed by DTH. In my opinion, the music makes it impossible for the fairy tale to be set anywhere but Russia, so as much as I loved the company and it's performers, the DTH version did not work, for me. Reading the previous posts on this thread makes me long to see 'Firebird' again. Do Royal Ballet and ABT have the Fokine version?

Herbert Ross - dancer, choreographer and motion picture director is related to Carlotta Grisi in a 'Six Degrees of Separaton' kind of way. Carlotta had a long time liason with Prince Radziwill of Russia. she bore him a child. A descendant of his married Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's sister Lee, who later married Herbert Ross. I don't think there is any connection to Kevin Bacon. Let me know. ;)

In another thread, Alexandra referred to Taglioni's "mal au genou". For six months Taglioni took to her chaise longue. This "knee condition" baffled the doctors, and "six months later little Marie, known to the family as Nini was born". I saw Toni Lander in 'La Sylphide' in 1970, with ABT. The word in the audience was that she was close to six months pregnant at the time of her wonderful performance. I remember seeing Makarova on the street when she was about six months pregnant and she looked thin as a rail. I also saw her first performances after the birth of her son. She was magnificent! Do any BA posters have stories of great ballerinas dancing while expecting a child?

We know that Theophile Gautier was in love with Carlotta Grisi and wrote the libretto for 'Giselle', with the help of his friend Vernoy de Saint-Georges. Though Gautier fathered two of Grisi's sister's children, he loved Carlotta until his dying day. In the book 'The Ballerinas' by Parmenia Migel, I've found a short poem written by Hans Christian Andersen for Lucile Grahn, that I wanted to share with all of you. "The city on the Seine felt a doleful need, When the sylph Taglioni resolved to go. Then to France, Denmark sent her own sylphide. A rosebud blossomed from the northern snow."

Does anyone know if and where Isabelle Guerin is performing? She is one of the most exquisitley talented dancers I have ever seen.

Merci Estelle! I really do need to see it. Maybe you will be my guide since my Russian is much better than my French.

I've been reading the book 'The Ballerinas' by Parmenia Migel, which Victoria Leigh suggested. Great book and now I think I am ready to move on to Ivor Guest's books, which Alexandra suggested. In 'The Ballerinas', the "Foyer de la Danse in the Academie de Musique et de Dance (generally known as the Opera)" is written about. It is designed by Charles Garnier and was inaugurated January 5, 1875. The mural is painted by Gustave Boulanger and depicts dancers such as, (and I will only partially list): Vestris, Salle, Taglioni, Duvernay, Elssler, Grisi, Cerrito, Rosati. There are also busts of Taglioni, Grisi and Livry. Have you seen this room Estelle, Katharine, or anyone else at Ballet Alert? I would love to hear your comments about this historic site.

'Dancing on my Grave' is a turn off and I wonder if it is the most widely read dancer bio for the general public. Gelsey and Misha were sort of 'People Magazine' stuff back then. As far as redemption goes, for me, Gelsey's second book: 'The Shape of Love', is inspiring. I am with Alexandra when it comes to 'Dancing in Petersburg' by Kschessinska. Imagine being in the company of the Tsar. That level of luxury and sophistication is unfathomable to me. Also there is the power that she wielded. Then to have to flee to another country and start at zero (okay, she still had her house on the French Riviera). One had to be brave to survive the revolution and start over. I doubt I read this in her book, but I remember hearing that at the end of her days, she collected payment for class in a cigar box.

'Dancing on my Grave' is a turn off and I wonder if it is the most widely read dancer bio for the general public. Gelsey and Misha were sort of 'People Magazine' stuff back then. As far as redemption goes, for me, Gelsey's second book: 'The Shape of Love', is inspiring. I am with Alexandra when it comes to 'Dancing in Petersburg' by Kschessinska. Imagine being in the company of the Tsar. That level of luxury and sophistication is unfathomable to me. Also there is the power that she wielded. Then to have to flee to another country and start at zero (okay, she still had her house on the French Riviera). One had to be brave to survive the revolution and start over. I doubt I read this in her book, but I remember hearing that at the end of her days, she collected payment for class in a cigar box.

Joffrey II eventually acquired 'Continuo' and 'Little Improvisations'. I think both ballets were originally created for Julliard. For Joffrey II, they were staged by Maria Grandy with the use of Laban Notation. Mr. Tudor came to the final rehearsals to work with us. He also worked with the main Joffrey company on 'Offenbach in the Underworld'. Lucky us! I saw ABT perform "Romeo and Juliet' in the late seventies. It was one of the most gorgeous ballets I've ever seen. Couldn't they get a grant to round up a lot of those dancers for a recontruction?

I'm well acquainted with the choreography of 'Theme and Variations', 'Symphony in C', and 'Giselle'. I've staged a 'Giselle' and could probably stage the other two, (with a little advance video studying). In 'Giselle', as you have said Paul, it's the way the penche is done. I don't think a six o' clock penche is necessary. I love Makarova's develope a la second in her solo leading into the pas de deux in Act II. But there is something poetic about the high leg. It's not high for the sake of being high, or "scratching her head with her toes" as is asked in the first post of this thread. It's just in the right place, taste wise. I do think they way the develope, or the penche is executed makes the difference. I've recently seen photos of a gorgeous NYCB ballerina (one of my favorites), in a past six o' clock penche in the 2nd movement of 'Symphony in C'. It just didn't look good. Get out your video of Gelsey in 'Theme' and see her a la second, and her penche. That is what I like. I don't think the leg to the ear (as it is more often done today), in a short or long tutu is appropriate.