glebb

I was skimming a book today by Ivor Guest. It's about a Victorian girl who almost became a star on the level of Taglioni, Cerrito, Elssler, Grahn and Grisi. At least she seemed to be well on her way. Instead of a certain bright future, she died very early by way of her costume catching fire on stage and burning her very badly. Anyone know about Clara Webster?

Sorry I didn't remember that. Joffrey has an all star, no star ranking and I don't pay much attention to the roster of the program.

Boston Ballet does the Bruce Wells version which I enjoyed. I had danced in the Ashton version and never liked other versions, but Boston Ballet's production is quite magical. Yuri should most probably move up the ranks. He has it all. He can dance classical as well as contemporary styles. He has a great dancer body and very good face for the stage.

Yuri danced the role of Oberon, and danced a leading part in an Arpino ballet that I was teaching to Boston Ballet. I think there was a question of weather he would return to BB this year, and now it is for sure that he will.

I've never seen her, but I love her name. I've not heard of anyone with that name since Prince Felix Yussupov's mother. Zenaida's brother Yuri is a wonderful ballet dancer with whom I have worked.

I recently viewed a video of ABT's Les Sylphides. Baryshnikov, the dreamy Marrianna Tcherkassky, Cheryl Yeager and buoyent Cynthia Harvey are the principles. Baryshnikov's solo was danced to different music than I seen in the past. Does anyone know why? Is his original Chopinanna music? I have to say ABT knows how to do Les Sylphides.

Thanks all, for your replies. I found this work musical, dramatic and moving I'm very much taken with the two principles and of course the choreographer.

I just finished watching a video, of L'Arlesienne by Roland Petit. It is danced by The Paris Opera Ballet and in the leads are the sublime Isabelle Guerin and Manuel Legris. WOW! Does anyone have any information to share about this wonderful ballet?

I can certainly understand how hard it would be to watch from the standing room point of view, but I didn't expect so many people to think Goldberg is too long. In the late 70s and 80s, it was the kind of ballet that I lost track of time while watching. The same thing would happen when I watched Gelsey perform Giselle. Maybe that's a new thread. Ballets that make you forget time and place.

Though I've not seen it in a long time, I was thinking about The Goldberg Variations, recently. If I'm correct, this ballet is longer than Dances at a Gathering, which I also adore. The question for all of you is: The Goldberg Variations, too long or too short?

Having worked on Monotones I & II, it is my understanding that Monotones II can be performed without Monotones I, but Monotones I cannot be performed alone.

On the other hand, there are draw backs to movies and videos. As incredible as Misha is, have you ever watched the video of his Nutcracker? If you watch his variation in Act II, you can see him brushing a flexed foot into the air for his double assembles. I agree with Victoria. Dancers can do amazing things these days, but I prefer the dancers who can do those things with their shoulders down and beautiful port de bras etc.

When I first saw The Joffrey Ballet in 1975, there was a dancer named Starr Danias. I thought she was delicate and pretty. She had a great dancer's body and the face of a film star. I remember thinking that she wasn't really a very strong dancer but because she was pretty she was featured. Then over the years I saw other dancers learning her part in KETTENTANZ and realized how strong and able Starr had been.

Has anyone else seen the photos of Fanny Cerrito in the March issue of POINTE MAGAZINE? I remember seeing photos of Taglioni. She looked as though she were at the end of her dancing days, or maybe retired. I wonder if Cerrito too is at the end of her performance years in those two photos. She is certainly different then the romantic image portrayed in the Chalon and Bouvier lithographs. I would love to see real photos of Elssler and Grahn and Grisi. Does anyone know where these exist?

Has anyone else seen the photos of Fanny Cerrito in the March issue of POINTE MAGAZINE? I remember seeing photos of Taglioni. She looked as though she were at the end of her dancing days, or maybe retired. I wonder if Cerrito too is at the end of her performance years in those two photos. She is certainly different then the romantic image portrayed in the Chalon and Bouvier lithographs. I would love to see real photos of Elssler and Grahn and Grisi. Does anyone know where these exist?

I've seen ABT and Joffrey productions of Petrouchka. Gary Chryst was the title character my first time. Charthel Arthur was the Ballerina Doll and Christian Holder, the Moor. For you Manhattan dance students it might be interesting to know that Diana Cartier was the lead Nurse Maid. I saw Michael Smuin and Karena Brock in the ABT production, and Nureyev as Petrouchka over thirty times with Joffrey, on broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre and at New York State Theatre. In those performances, Gary Chryst was the magician. At one point, Mr. Joffrey brought in Massine to rehearse the ballet. Mr. Massine made additions to the crowd scenes that were interesting but later removed. I was told that those additions had been his own choreography. Petrouchka was one of Mr. Joffrey's favorite ballets if not his most favorite. He would once in a while show up in the crowd scenes.

Will anyone be there for the premiere tonight? I would love to hear about it. Preview articles and pictures seem great!

Sorry Novamom, I have no ebay info. A good friend linked me to that particular auction. I have a little trivia to share. In Tommy Tune's NINE the famous tableux pose is done during the song The Germans at the Spa.

My big color print of the opening tableaux arrived today! It's beautiful! Thanks Victoria, for helping me locate it on Ebay.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has so much going on! Last week one could see a play or the ballet, or a concert given by a new sensational concert pianist and all under one roof. There was a free performance given on the Millenium Stage every evening, and upstairs, a free exhibit called CAPTURING NUREYEV: James Wyeth Paints the Dancer. The exhibit runs through March 10th and features over 35 paintings and drawings of Rudolf Nureyev by American artist James Browning Wyeth. There are beautiful costumes from the dancer's performances all over the world, and more than 60 photographs from the Jeromre Robbins Dance Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. This wonderful exhibit will travel to New York City, Rockland, Maine and Chadds Ford, PA.

I think it is Marie Rambert who is working the record player, and scratching the record, for Victoria Page to do her SWAN LAKE ACT II coda. The stage upon which Miss Page is performing in that scene also happens to be the stage where Tudor's Lilac Garden had it's world premiere.

I worked with Terekhova and Berejnoi at Boston Ballet last summer. They were very good for the dancers and I enjoyed having the opportunity to learn from their coaching. I know her Kitri is captured on video. Is her Myrtha available on video?

I worked with Terekhova and Berejnoi at Boston Ballet last summer. They were very good for the dancers and I enjoyed having the opportunity to learn from their coaching. I know her Kitri is captured on video. Is her Myrtha available on video?

I thought it was a parody of Tatiana Lichine. (I can't spell her maiden name.) Or did she do the actual dancing for the artists to study? [ February 23, 2002: Message edited by: glebb ]

I cry at the ballet. Not just at performances but even at rehearsals, when the music and choreography compliment each other perfectly. It happens in THE PRODIGAL SON. It happens in LILAC GARDEN. I get choked up and teary eyed by seeing my favorite dancers expressing themselves in such a sublime way. Now if you want the goose bump moments, that's another thread.