lmspear

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.

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

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.

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

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.  

And let's raise a glass to Audrey Forbes-Hamilton.

It seems that the Times is shifting it's coverage of dance to a post season roundup where neither the dancers or the productions are discussed in depth.  I still check the the Times website daily, but the hope and anticipation of seeing a timely in-depth review has just about vanished.

I have vague memories of seeing a Dance Magazine photo spread with McBride in the Siren costume, but from this distance, maybe 50 years, it feels like I must be imagining it.

From Morgan's YouTube vlog.

I've caught my first Christopher Lee Dracula movie while channel surfing last week.  My heart still belongs to Frank Langella and Bela Lugosi.  A tiny little corner goes to an English production starring Louis Jourdan than was shown on PBS a gazillion years ago.

There is also Terrence Blanchard's 2013 Champion based on the life boxer Emile Griffith.  Here's the Wikipedia entry.  

The discount gods have come through. This one is for $45 on Tues. Wed. and Thur.

The Kennedy Center is offering tickets at the special price of $45.00 for select orchestra seats for the performances of Mariinsky Ballet on Tuesday, Oct. 8, Wednesday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are regularly priced up to $99.00.

You can click the link below and your discount will appear automatically. If you call or stop by the Box Office for the discount, be sure to mention Offer Number "369356." 

Mariinsky Ballet-Paquita

TO RECEIVE YOUR DISCOUNT BY PHONE OR IN PERSON AT THE BOX OFFICE, MENTION OFFER NUMBER “369356”

(202) 467-4600 | Toll-free (800) 444-1324 TTY (202) 416-8524

10 minutes ago, zerbinetta said:

I remember seeing Baryshnikov do the role, with McBride I think, but weren't Sarah Leland and Bart Cook the creators of the roles?

The roles were created on McBride and her husband, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux (not sure of the spelling).

I'm really surprised that Ronald Regan's son Ron, a member of the Joffrey Ballet when his father was elected, hasn't had anything to contribute to the public conversation.

I watched the GMA clip yesterday, knowing the outcome in advance.   After the ballet comment the segment was unsalvageable.  She could have made a joke about parents overscheduling their overachiever little darlings.

Hopefully she'll learn how to be a team player.

Maybe it's time to revive this thread:

The Sesame Street Thread.

7 hours ago, Quiggin said:

Rita Moreno was the only Puerto Rican cast member.

According to Forbidden Broadway --

🙈🙉🙊

I don't understand why given the popularity of Swan Lake, compared with the other full length classics, McKenzie doesn't program 1 1/2 or 2 weeks of Swan Lake and let the audience have a chance to see their dancer of choice, and to let the dancers have the chance to really work in depth on the ballet, and to have the luxury of giving  performance opportunities to those dancers stuck in the pipeline.

14 hours ago, pherank said:

It may be worth doing a search on eBay for Martha Swope photos - you might get lucky:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.XMartha+Swope.TRS0&_nkw=Martha+Swope&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=George+Platt+Lynes

I noticed a few coffee table books in the eBay listing above.  You might be able to find good deal on a less than perfect or remaindered copy of a dance book like this listing from AbeBooks.com:  https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=10003811353&searchurl=kn%3DNew%2BYork%2BCity%2Bballet%26sortby%3D17

It's almost sacrilegious for me to suggest cutting up a book for any reason, but if the book is sitting in a warehouse or on a store shelf without much monetary or collectible value, you would be rescuing the images you chose to display at home.

And congratulations on your new digs.🎉

Wonderful news!!

This book is probably older than your looking for, but it's the only example of a mystery set in the ballet world and it is set in the time it was written.

http://www.mysteriousreviews.com/mystery-book-reviews/box-death-fifth-position.html#.XMnBQagpCyU