lmspear

Thank you, Dale!!!!!

I had the same response when I saw her dance the fairy godmother at the Kennedy Center. It was during the pre ball transformation scene. The stage floor appeared to disappear from view and she serenely worked her magic.

Final Bow for Yellowface is doing an interview a day for the month of May. Today's guest was Stella Abrera. She spoke very movingly about the upended plans for her last season at the Met. https://youtu.be/90k-RkcrRXM

Way way way too much talking.

A couple of observations. I don't know how many interviews I've read with dancers who were growing up at the end of the 20th century who said that their desire to dance came many from watching the videos of the PBS dance programs. I'm also sure that audience members from that era were tempted to buy tickets after getting their initial exposure from the available videos. Here is a pipe dream of mine. Several years ago, when I was working in a medical research office, NIH issued a regulation that any journal articles written by researchers as a result of grant-funded projects had to be available at no cost online. Of course, there were no unions for NIH to negotiate with, but my wish was that NEA could issue a variation of the same rule for performances made possible by it's grants.

Dying Swan marathon https://youtu.be/FUFwQNAVz1E This fundraising event, organized by Misty Copeland and Joseph Phillips, features a multitude of dancers from Sarah Mearns to Precious Adams, benefits dance related relief funds. Here is the full description from the Go Fund Me page. I had trouble formatting the copied text. https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/swansforrelief Swans For Relief In these unpredictable times, ballet companies - like many organizations - are fighting to survive. Ballet companies are largely dependent on revenue from performances to pay their dancers and fund their operations, but we are now confronting the uncertainty of when we will return to the stage and once again fill performance venues. Some estimates are that large gatherings like concerts and performances will not be able to resume for another 18-24 months. The live performance aspect of what we do means so much to us, and this time away from the stage has proven difficult as performing not only provides us with a means to live, but it also is what keeps us feeling alive. Consequently, many dancers are unable to depend on paychecks and are facing the hardship of paying rent and/or buying food and other necessities. We are coming together to help fellow dancers who are struggling financially. The 32 ballerinas featured in this special video performance represent ballet companies from around the world, including the US, Australia, the UK, South Africa, Norway, Russia, Cuba, France, the Philippines, Canada, Austria, Mexico, Denmark, and China. For us, the idea of 32 beautiful and strong women from different walks of life coming together to speak the common language of dance felt so unifying and empowering in these uncertain times. We know that everyone’s circumstances are different, especially in these precarious times, but we would be so grateful to those who are able to donate, no matter the amount. If you are not able to donate, please consider sharing the link to this fundraiser so that it might reach more people who are able to give and share in turn. The arts are vital in bringing people together and helping us process the human condition, and in these very unusual times it is dancers who can truly use the support. Thanks to seed funding from K Period Media, funds raised will be distributed to each dancer’s company’s COVID-19 relief fund, or other arts/dance-based relief funds in the event that a company is not set up to receive donations. Distribution of funds will be administered through our partner, Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves as a gateway to giving for the entertainment industry, creating and supporting groundbreaking campaigns that raise awareness and funds for issues that affect millions of people around the world. EIF has the capacity to distribute multiple grants globally and provide the due diligence and reporting necessary for the many dancers, ballet companies and countries involved in Swans for Relief. We thank you and hope to see you all again when it's safe for us to come together. Misty Copeland and Joseph Phillips Below are the featured ballerinas and their respective companies: •Stella Abrera American Ballet Theatre, USA •Precious Adams English National Ballet, England •Nathalia Arja Miami City Ballet, USA •Isabella Boylston American Ballet Theatre, USA •Skylar Brandt American Ballet Theatre, USA •Misty Copeland American Ballet Theatre, USA •Monike Cristina Joburg Ballet, South Africa •Ashley Ellis Boston Ballet, USA •Greta Elizonda Nacional de Danza Mexico, Mexico •Nikisha Fogo Vienna State Ballet, Austria •Angelica Generosa Pacific Northwest Ballet, USA •Sarah Hay Freelance Ballerina, USA •Francesca Hayward The Royal Ballet, England •Robyn Hendricks The Australian Ballet, Australia •Whitney Jensen The Norwegian National Ballet, Norway •Yuriko Kajiya Houston Ballet, USA •Maria Khoreva Mariinsky Theatre, Russia •Ako Kondo The Australian Ballet, Australia •Misa Kuranaga San Francisco Ballet, USA •Stephanie Kurlow Freelance Hijabi Ballerina, Australia •Sara Mearns New York City Ballet, USA •Ginett Moncho Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Cuba •Katherine Ochoa Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Cuba •Hannah O'Neill Paris Opera Ballet, France •Denise Parungao Ballet Philippines, Philippines •Tiler Peck New York City Ballet, USA •Tina Pereira The National Ballet of Canada, Canada •Ida Praetorius The Royal Danish Ballet, Denmark •Jemima Reyes Ballet Philippines, Philippines •Ingrid Silva Dance Theatre of Harlem, USA •Bianca Teixeira San Francisco Ballet, USA •Xu Yan The National Ballet of China, China Le Cygne (The Swan) with music by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by cellist Wade Davis (USA)

Who says ballet and motherhood don't mix? https://youtu.be/_TlJdzRjfc4

My Ballet Russe reading is stuck in my long term memory. Tamara Karsavina was the first Firebird. Alicia Markova was the title bird in The Nightingale and Maria Tallchief was Balanchine's first Firebird. Didn't von Aroldingen also dance Firebird after Kirkland?

I guess this could be a sequel to this video from NYCB posted 10 years ago:

I was wondering that myself one day, having only seen the word in a ballet context, I went to the dictionary to see if I could draw a connection between the word and it's function. I remember reading man-at-arms as the first definition of cavalier and concluded that Titania's cavalier was her bodyguard. It made sense to me..🤔

I believe they are desperate for the Hamilton revenue and will try to preserve as many performances as possible.

They'll put off making a cancellation announcement for as long as possible, Maybe as late as June first.

I don't recall ever hearing about a City Ballet dancer spending time at the Kirov Academy. The author doesn't specifically say that that any Kirov Academy students eventually joined NYCB, just a company like ABT or NYCB. "Nearly all landed at top companies like American Ballet Theater and New York City Ballet."

Trouble at Kirov Academy of Ballet. From the NY Times website https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/arts/dance/kirov-ballet-academy-embezzlement-moonies.html

That spotlight has been finding Hurlin at least since she originated the role of young Clara in the Ratmansky Nutcracker. Her picture and name were in every piece of ABT's publicity material for the production and the resulting press coverage. From Alastair Macaulay's review in the "paper of record." Yet amid several superb interpretations on Thursday, none surpassed those of the two central children. Young Catherine Hurlin’s partly angry, partly vulnerable, never picture-perfect Clara exemplifies the individuality of Mr. Ratmansky’s approach. Catherine Hurlin and Tyler Maloney as Clara and her Nutcracker as children.

I'd been hoping to read here if the results of Copeland's work with the new coach were beneficial.

The daisy bikini always felt to me like something a Star Trek alien might wear. I wonder if a interplanetary setting reimagining the cast as aliens would work for Bugaku.

Here's an interesting article that mentions several familiar names: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/30/arts/dance-the-drill-sergeant-of-dance.html&ved=2ahUKEwjx96impcbnAhVRYTUKHcirAfsQFjABegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3DgeQpRMcjdwuZFqPfh_c2&cshid=1581314362833

The Kennedy Center is offering $35 tickets for select orchestra seats for the Tuesday, January 21 and Wednesday, January 22 performances at 7:30 p.m of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake in the Opera House. Tickets are $25 for select orchestra seats on Friday, January 24 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are regularly as high as $89 in that area. You can click the link below and your discount will appear automatically. If you call (202-467-4600) or stop by the Box Office for the discount, be sure to mention Offer Number "386468". Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Swan Lake Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake returns to the U.S. with a fresh look for the 21st century! After charming our audiences in 2019 with a unique take on the fairy tale Cinderella, Matthew Bourne brings his breakout international hit to the Kennedy Center for the first time. Retaining the iconic elements of the original production loved by millions around the world, Matthew Bourne and award-winning designers Lez Brotherston (set and costumes) and Paule Constable (lighting) have created an exciting re-imagining of the classic New Adventures production. Thrilling, audacious, witty, and emotive, this Swan Lake is perhaps still best known for replacing the female corps de ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered conventions, turned tradition upside down, and took the dance world by storm. Collecting over 30 international accolades including an Olivier Award in the UK and three Tony Awards® for Best Director of a Musical, Best Choreography, and Best Costume Design, Matthew Bourne’s powerful interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece is a passionate and contemporary Swan Lake for our times.Performance Timing: Act One - 65 min.; Intermission - 20 min.; Act Two - 55 min. Conditions: Offer subject to availability. Not valid in combination with any other offer. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Service fees may apply.

I've never had the opportunity to see anything by Nijinska.

Perhaps another contributing factor for available tickets to the NYCB Nutcracker is that the production is available at several other be companies, i.e. Miami and PNB, and out-of-towners no longer need to make the pilgrimage to the mother ship if casting is not a priority.

The Kitri variation from Act 3 of Don Q used in the Russian/Soviet videos I've seen. They second part of the choreography is reduced to a classroom exercise for echappe and passe. It drives me nuts every time I see it.

Strictly speaking there's nothing to do with ballet, but I couldn't resist sharing. our favorite topic, but I couldn't resist sharing.

I could see where Morris might have meant that Balanchine was the first to come to mind when considering ballets made to existing instrumental music, given the enormity and longevity of Balanchine's output. I'd like to assume that Morris knows his stuff and that some error occurred in between the editor and proofreader and printer.

Well, Les Sylphides dates to 1909 and The Dying Swan dates to 1905 (neither written as dance music) and Balanchine was born in 1904. Unless Balanchine was choreographing in utero, Morris and the fact checker (if there was one) didn't do their research.