Doris R

Okay, there are so many... but I'll keep it to just three. I like ballets that I can get lost in.

Sleeping Beauty because it is just so "big" and beautiful and I love Tchaikovsky -- Swan Lake because I find it always makes me cry when done well (and I love Tchaikovsky) --and Rodeo because its just fun (and I like Copeland!)

Least favorite...I don't know why, but I've never been a big fan of Coppellia. I don't dislike it, but if I didn't know someone dancing in the performance, I probably wouldn't go. It just doesn't move me.

To me someone who has musicality is one who "fills" the music. As a member of the audience I can see it, but I'd like to know what it is to feel it.

I'd really like to see a response from a dancer on this.

Why is it that if someone's name isn't recognized as having danced with City or ABT that they are assumed to be students. New York dance is incredible, but there are other cities, other wonderful companies, and other very talented dancers. (Shannon Parsley used to dance for Fort Worth Dallas, and then went to Miami City.)

Since there is comment about the 2003 schedule does this mean that there will still be no full-season company for Suzanne Farrell again next year?

It must be the year of the glass slipper. Pennsylvania Ballet is doing Ben Stevenson's Cinderella in the spring, and I think someone told me that Cincinnatti Ballet is too.

In Kent Stowall's Carmina Burana, there is an instant in the finale when everything is quiet and still. Then, the ballerina raises her arms at the front of the stage and the orchestra and chorus begin again. It gives me goose bumps, and I love it!

Oh, Suzanne Farrell's company performing, absolutely! The Kennedy Center's Balanchine Celebration? That would have been so exciting! I'm lucky enough that I was able to see two evenings of the KC celeb, and I also saw one of her company's programs last year.

My daughter and son-in-law have several old books on ballet -- in their early 20's anything before 1970 is considered old to them. But their major collection is ballet pictures -- for the most part mass-produced paintings and prints of ballet that were popular in the 40's, 50's and early 60's. (You know the type that Lucy and Ricky had hanging in their apartment.) They have over 120 of these gracing the walls of their tiny apartment at last count. Its a fairly inexpensive hobby, and one that they and everyone who visits them enjoys. They have mirrors with dancers painted on them, several old paint-by-number pictures, large and small pictures, even some old magazine ads -- one for Camel cigarettes! . They have some really unique and fun pieces. I'm always on the lookout at flea markets and antique malls for something they don't have. Its a fun collection!

Wasn't "classical" music once modern?

I'd like to see a variety of companies from around the company. And not just the well-known classics, but new works, and rep programs. Also with commentary before and following the performance, similar to what was done when PBS aired the Diamond Project. I'd like to hear comments from the composers, dancers and the choreographers. Nothing can replace seeing a performance live, but if ballet can be brought into everyone's home on TV then there should be some instruction involved too. Why did a choreographer go this or that direction -- how did the music inspire her to a particular abstract or idea. Or how did the composer interpret the choreographer's vision of a ballet. I'd like to know how the dancers feel about doing a new work or dancing a role that has been identified with others in the past.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Do we have to chose a favorite?!? I'm partial to Emeralds, Rubies is so exiting, and Diamonds is beautiful. I love the whole production! But -- if I have to chose, Emeralds -- for today anyway.

Sort of like SIM City Ballet, hmmm? Please don't ask us to hire and cast the dancers too! This will take some thought, so I'll get back to you.

Absolutely, YES, I do. It helps explain the situation and the emotions the dancers' characters are portraying. And if its done well, it can be so beautiful. Of course it can't just be the hands, it has to be accompanied with the right facial expressions and head inclination. To me it adds to the magic.

Ray, I'd love to seem them do Jewels. I saw it when FWDB did it several years ago, Mejia's "swan song" with the company in the Bass Performance Hall's Inaugural season. PA Ballet could do it beautifully.

Leigh, I don't like to think of PA Ballet as the NBofA, but they are doing Cinderella next spring.;) Doesn't a lot of this really come down to doing a money-maker to bring in the grandmas and the little girls in their party dresses? Children love fairytale ballets, and daddies love to see their little ones exposed to the art at a time other than Nutcracker. Financially its a good move.

They are also performing The Firebird next season, Carmina, and Paul Taylor's Company B, as well as some new works (one by Jessica Lang) and an all-Balanchine evening.

Well, most of my ballets this season were in Philladelphia, however I did see a Nutcracker in Charleston, WVA, and Suzanne Farrell's company at the Kennedy Center -- but that all seems so long ago.

The highlights for me this year? PA Ballet's Sleeping Beauty was beautiful. Going back to the fall, I finally got to see Great Gallopping Gottschalk, (what fun!) Then this winter their Jerome Robbins program included Jose Limon's Moor's Pavane and it was very emotionally charged, and yes, I had fun watching Rodin. Those were the highlights for me, and they do Balanchine's Nutcracker which is always a delight.

Pennsylvania Ballet is officially finished for the season but "Shut Up and Dance" is Friday (tomorrow) night. It's their performance choreographed and performed by the Dancers who give their time and talents to benefit the Philladelphia AIDS charity group, MANNA. This is their 10th year to do this, but my first time to go. I'm really looking forward to it!

Tancos -- These are wonderful! I love living vicariously, thanks for the link.

Leigh and Alexandra these are both good reminders. I think its even more important to watch what is said and how its phrased when writing than in verbal conversation. Having a daughter and son-in-law who are dancers I know how much something said "out of turn" has the potential to cause a problem. Bottom line, don't gossip.

My mother always said, "don't put anything in writing that you wouldn't want everyone to read." (Wise woman, my mom.)

Lara that was a real treat, thank you.

This was the first Margo Sappington piece I've seen. The emotion choreographed in? Your friend may have a point, but it still has to be carried off. I saw two performances with different casts, and both versions of The Kiss were beautiful. To me it was an idealized portrayal of young love and passion. The first evening I got teary, the second afternoon, I cried. Maybe because the second performance was done by a young apprentice who made me believe it was real. Whatever, it was fun! I wouldn't want a steady diet of this, but it made for an entertaining show.

at -- Unfortuantely, PA Ballet has lost their Balanchine connection for next year. Ballet Mistress, Sandra Jennings, is going to San Fransico Ballet. She'll be in Philladelphia at the beginning of the season to set their Balanchine program, but she is officially gone.

Thanks Sneds, but the LA Ballet that I was thinking about was in the mid 90's, and I'm sure it was John Clifford. Maybe he had a success in the 80's and decided to try it again?

What wonderful news about FWDB! They really deserve a good artistic director. It was such a beautiful company when Paul Mejia was there. I just read this note and called my daughter right away. She and my son-in-law have many friends there and feel this is a great move for the company.

Just wondering if anyone saw PA Ballet's last performance for the season. The audience really got into Margo Sappington's Rodin Mis en Vie -- Rodin's sculptures brought to life by dancers in painted unitards. The Athlete was energetic and powerful, The Kiss was so sensual and beautiful it made me cry. The Gates of Hell was the finale and it was limbs and bodies entwined and tossed about all over the place. (Oh those wild 70's!) It was certainly a crowd pleaser. I understand every performance brought the audience to their feet. It was quite a contrast from last month's beautiful tutus and tiaras of Sleeping Beauty but a great way to end the season -- and hopefully will bring in some new subscribers for next year.

I think John Clifford tried that a few years back and it ended badly before the season ever really got off the ground.

Its amazing to me too that LA can't support their own company. I guess they feel they get enough guesting companies during the year to fulfill their cultural diet. But then I live near a large city with a world class symphony, and Baltimore can't support a ballet company either!

BW -- to respond to your questions, yes, my son-in-law is a professional dancer. This year he's done several of these guestings with "youthful companies", partnering their "ballerina."

The performance was held in a local high school auditorium, as many regional companies sometimes perform. The tickets were not $25, but were $15, and in that particular area that was considered to be high. This seems to be a large organization and the ages of the children looked to be from primary elementary school through high school and some young adults.

I know the children did their best, and for that I appalud them. What I do have a problem with is that they were sent out there so unprepared. The choreography looked like they were making it up as they went along, and even the "advanced" girls couldn't hold placement. Their arms were swinging loosely, their legs were not turned out, and their facial expressions were flat. The only clue that it was actually staged was that they were all doing the same thing at approximately the same time.

Yes, the audience I'm sure was made up primarily of parents and friends, but its a real disservice to these people to think their children are learning ballet, and to the art if this is what they think ballet is! I was warned ahead of time from my daughter that it was going to be bad, and she's very fair about young dancers. Why did I go? I like going to children's performances -- they are usually so enthusiastic and are the future of dance, unfortunately these little one are not going to be taking us there unless they find some real training.

Okay, I'm not sure this is where to post this -- or even if I should, but last evening I attended an "end of year" performance of a non-preprofessional school. My son-in-law had been asked to guest to support their "ballerina".

Now to be fair, I have gone to a number of smaller studio "Dolly Dinkle" type recitals in the past, and I have always enjoyed them for what they were. Wonderful children dancing for the love of dance. But this! The owner -"artistic director" took on a classic, advertised it as such, charged a fairly substantial amount per ticket, and proceded to destroy it. (It actually looked like a corps of Jan's on the Brady Bunch trying to dance!) I have no problem with studios doing their own choreography to established ballets so children can perform them, but at least do something that is within their reach!

These poor children. Obviously there was more emphasis put on producing the recital than on teaching them correct placement and movement. It was all arms and legs kicking and flailing about. I was surprised no one got hurt!

Years ago my daughter had a magazine that referred to a ballet I have yet to get out of my head! I don't know who did it, or where, but the name of it was "Giselle's Revenge", I've often wondered what it was like, and a part of me takes real pleasure in the concept. (I'm sure it was a parody!)