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Opus Catnip: The Dreamer.

Will you donate this technology, Cliff?

I just got home from work in time to put in my vote for Taglioni and Elssler!

I just got home from work in time to put in my vote for Taglioni and Elssler!

Maybe we audience members didn't want it to end, but trust me the dancers did! It's a killer!

If we could also have new music by Stravinsky, I would like to see Vicky Simon as Clio (History). Tanaquil LeClerq would have to be Melpomene (tragedy), and Sara Leland would be Thalia (comedy).

The strobe is controlled by the dancer. This might make it easier for the stage manager, but it is quite a challenge for the performer. Along side the incredible stamina it takes to execute a Parson's work, the coordination of working the strobe makes it doubly hard. The dancer is already exhausted when he or she finds the strobe (in the dark). The natural instinct is to press the button at the peak of the movement. Wrong! The dancer has to rehearse the timing a lot to get the feeling necessary to click the strobe after the peak of the movement. For some reason the image is better seen by the audience when the dancer feels he or she is coming out of the movement.

The ballerina in the Samuel Goldwyn movie 'Hans Christian Andersen' is listed in the credits as Jeanmarie. I'm not sure but I think she was married to the choreographer Roland Petit who made the dances for this movie. As I recall, she was a very good dancer, and so were the ballets in the film.

Even in a tutu?

Even in a tutu?

Fascinating, Katharine and Helena. I very much enjoyed reading your posts about Pavlova and Fonteyn. I never saw Pavlova dance, but have seen the films of her. When I was about ten years old, I saw Fonteyn perform live at the Miami Beach Center for the Performing Arts. She danced Ben Stevenson's 'Cinderella' with The National Ballet of Washington, and I watched from the wings. On another occasion, at Dade County Auditorium, I saw her dance the balcony scene from MacMillan's 'Romeo and Juliet'. I so vividly remember her radiant smile. She was so beautiful! She took class one time at our ballet studio and she did all of the combinations as the teacher gave them. She was a great example to me. Years later she came backstage after a performance I had been part of in NYC. She had a white fur hat on with a wisp of silver hair showing in the front. Still stunningly beautiful, she spoke to me as if I were on her level. Amazing!

It depends entirely on what is appropriate for the ballet being performed. For BUGAKU, I like high extensions. For LES SYLPHIDES, I like tasteful extensions.

It depends entirely on what is appropriate for the ballet being performed. For BUGAKU, I like high extensions. For LES SYLPHIDES, I like tasteful extensions.

Give all the cab drivers and restaurant owners of your town, free tix to a perf. Maybe after seeing the company, these people will tell their patrons and clients to see the ballet.

I've been told that Alicia Markova requested that she be addressed as Dame Alicia and not Madame Markova because, "It's what the Queen wants".

I've been told that Alicia Markova requested that she be addressed as Dame Alicia and not Madame Markova because, "It's what the Queen wants".

Thanks for your thoughts Leigh Witchel and Morris Neighbor. What both of you said helped me to understand why I loved it so much, and I agree with both of you on the points you made about Robbins.

I saw Conrad Ludlow partner Violette Verdy when I was very young. He came with her to Miami to perform a pas de deux which I cannot even remember the name of, it was so long ago. Until Ludlow came to Miami, I had only seen Villella partner Verdy. I remember that Ludlow was very different from Villella. He was not athletic and virile. He seemed very smooth and princely. As if Villella were like Gene Kelly and Ludlow like Fred Astaire.

Type www.joffrey.com to look at the new Joffrey website. It is not complete, but the teaser is nice.

Michael, might that be the production of La Sylphide that I saw ABT perform at NYState Theatre in 1970? I remember being excited by the witches flying on broom sticks.

Those are good! I have to admit that I don't know a lot about some of these ballerinas and I hope to know more soon! Now this is my fantasy so I am casting you, Victoria, as Grahn.

All ideas are welcomed. Just don't cast the original dancer as the dancer.

Warning: This is a fantasy and not for real (unless I win the lottery). ANNOUNCEMENT! A lavish, new television series in the manner of the BBC's "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" is being produced by an anonymous impresario. The working title is "Six Romantic Ballerinas". Each ninety minute episode will focus on the life of one Romantic Era Ballerina and will have it's own author and director. The life stories of Ballerinas: Marie Taglioni, Fanny Elssler, Carlotta Grisi, Lucille Grahn, Fanny Cerrito and Emma Livry will be told. Each episode will be filmed on location, with great care taken to provide accuracy in the telling of these life stories. Casting suggestions are requested.

A used but in great shape, first edition copy ofThe Romantic Ballerinas should be in the mail to me at any moment. I look forward to it's arrival. Thanks Victoria!