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As far as I know Pa Ballet and Joffrey are the only American companies to perform Cranko's Romeo.

If you are in the NY area please make sure you see the current revival of Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD. I saw it last week and do believe that I never made contact with my seat. John Doyle's conception and direction are pure genius. The performers never leave the stage and if you didn't already know, they are accomplished musicians who perform the entire score! Many play several instruments in addition to possessing voices like angels. I've been seeing Broadway since the 70s and can remember being moved this way rarely. I saw the original Broadway production three times and adored it but this production of Sweeney takes the cake. Interestingly my four current favorite Broadway directors are all British. Hytner - Carousel, History Boys Leveaux - NINE, Fiddler Mendes - Cabaret, Gypsy Doyle - Sweeney and soon Company This production of Sweeney is not to be missed.

There is a made for TV version. I believe it was made for German television. I saw it years ago but have no idea where or if it is available. I had the privilege of performing on stage with Haydee and Cragun in Cranko's R&J and I strongly concur that they were astounding.

Please join me in paying respect to Mary Day. Mary was a great lady of the dance whom I met in 1973. I had the honor of being a student in her school and I thank her for teaching me. I'll never forget the day she called the boys dorm and told me to get dressed and get myself to Kennedy Center. It was forty five minutes before curtain but I made it and with tickets from her I saw Sibley and Dowell in Shades and Nureyev and Park in Fille. Not a bad night at the ballet! I saw Miss Day this past April and she looked and seemed very well. I'm glad to know that she lived well her entire life. I already Miss you "Miss Day". Rest in peace.

Great review beck_hen! I would like to add that I enjoyed SYLVIA last night. Ms. Murphy was divine and the corps work got better as the evening progressed. In the past I would have complained. I paid a lot for my orchestra seats, but when I think about the volume of ballets ABT has to produce in any MET season I can only marvel at how well they do. Kudos to Christopher Newton (whom I've worked with twice on "A Wedding Bouquet") for his work on SYLVIA. He made the ballet shorter and even worked on updating the sets and costumes. I loved the look of this 'how it might have been before the Sylph' ballet and I adore Ashton! *edit* Sorry about the name beck_hen.

One thing is for sure. Learning this duet causes one's neck to be sore!

I've just received word that Thomas Armour, my teacher, passed away peacefully in his sleep last night. He taught me Le Spectre de la Rose and Prince Igor to name a few ballets. I thank him most for lining the walls of his South Miami ballet studio with reproductions of Romantic Era Lithographs. I hope Mel and Victoria will share their memories of Mr. Armour.

I love watching the 57 video. Her pirouettes are hysterical. They close up on her face and you see her feathers flapping up and down each spot of the head.

I love this ballet because I have worked on it. I adore the music and Tudor's choreography as usual is unique and inspiring. How do audiences like this work in general? I get the feeling that audiences tend to get bored with it. Was there a time when audiences really liked it or has it always been more of a ballet that you love if you know it?

Just downloaded to my iTunes Library. I had not listened since working on the piece with Yuriko. Just a gorgeous score! Any Appalachian memories, comments?

I love Margot! Margot Makarova Gelsey Violette Viviana is great as Aurora. Too bad she chose to leave the limelight so soon.

Violette Verdy was my first and she was fresh! I don't see the ballet live much any more but I very much like Viviana Durante on DVD.

I remember loving Susan Loher in Ben Stevenson's version for National Ballet of Washington. Her face was exquisite and I loved her bat wings. Right now I'm watching Anthony Dowell and he is brilliant.

Sort of like 'A morning without Orange Juice is like a day without sunshine."

Is the orange just a rare fruit reserved only for royal functions or is there more meaning?

Thanks Solor. All I have is The Reel which I bought from iTunes, on my iPod. It would be great if I could have the whole recording in my iTunes library.

Elena was a wonderful Emilia in 'The Moor's Pavane." I loved taking her classes and I loved conversing with her. I once saw her in traffic and we couldn't stop blowing kisses to each other from our cars. Jessica is a tremendous talent in her own right and I wish her much success with her dancing. She has her mothers fire and intelligence. Elena, the Aurora in my staging of 'Aurora's Wedding' for Oregon Ballet Theatre was not only a dream come true for the audience, she was a dream come true for a ballet master. To me Elena will always define complete beauty outside and in.

God I love NY Export, Opus Jazz. I never missed the Joffrey's performances in the late 70s. I'd really like to see NYCB perform it now.

Yes she was a ballet mistress at Miami City Ballet in the early days. Love her!

Solor: I visited the Pusey Library at Harvard about five years ago and I saw the notes for Swan Lake which pretty much looked like a record of the formations to me. I didn't have a lot of time so I was most likely not prepared enough. I can't tell you the list of ballets but I do remember seeing set renderings from Ballet Russes ballets and my favorite part of the visit - a character shoe worn by Taglioni.

I hope someone reads this and tells us. I would love to know that this extraordinary dancer is doing well. BUGAKU, wow!

I saw Ben Stevenson's version danced by Houston Ballet many years ago at City Center and liked it. Sorry that I can't go into detail but it was a pleasing experience. There is also a version by modern dancer Jamey Hampton.

Thank you for that bart.

Wonderful film. So good to finally see Krassovska in action. I've heard stories for years about her flirtatious nature. Freddie is just as adorable and sharp as ever (got a special kick out of his Russians being bad to each other line) and thank you George Zoritch for wearing a Joffrey t-shirt. Was impressed by how many of those ballets Joffrey has done and still does. Tatiana Riabouchinska Lichine was just stunningly glam and how beautiful was Maria Tallchief? Final thank you to Ann Barzel, the Chicago dance critic who sneaked her camera into the theatre and captured so many rare clips (deMille in Rodeo, Cotillion and many more) of ballets.

When I was nine years old I took ballet classes at a marvelous open air theatre in Coral Gables, FL. The teacher was an old Russian man named George Millenoff. I was the only boy in class and Mr. Millenoff called me "Snow Vite" because on my first day of classes I showed up in a white leotard I had worn in a tap recital the year before. Not long after my first day a young guy came to take class. I was excited to no longer be the only boy in class. The other boy was Fernando and because he was new he did not know that after barre all of the students did splits in the center of the floor. He also did not know that all students brought a hand towel to class. The open air theatre was very dirty, especially the flloor so we washed our hands after splits. On the day I met Fernando, I offered my towel to him when we washed our hands. After class I came out into the waiting area and I heard him telling my father how many hours he practiced ballet and piano each day. I'll never forget the look of delight on my father's face hearing this information. My father was so impressed. Not long after that I saw Fernando at SAB when I was there for the summer and many years later at Kennedy Center where I was the horn boy in Act III of SWAN LAKE for ABT (Lucia Chase was the Queen), Fernando, already a star remembered me in the elevator. I was so proud to be remembered and spoken to by him in front of all the other people. Besides being the most beautiful male classical dancer of his time, he was a bit more athletic than Dowell my other hero, Fernando was a good person. For that he was my hero and will always be. R.I.P. dear Fernando.