ronny

And Leigh, I know exactly what you are talking about when you speak of Swan Lake and that perfect performance. I have only watched two performances (on tape) and I do notice that one has excellent dancing performances (Bolshhoi Ballet Company in the "ultimate swan lake") but the choreography in act 1 is weak... and the other tape has not so perfect dance in Acts 2 and 3, but superior choreography especially in Act 1 (by Kirov Company). So even with my short exposure to ballet, I know exactly what you are saying.

Yes Leigh, that is the impression I have been getting ever since I started scanning this ballet web site. Really outstanding performances are hard to find. I have been quite thrilled with the videos I have been able to see and sometimes I feel that since I enjoy them so much, why not just enjoy the videos and let everyone else chase around looking for something great on the live stage! I love the over the top Russian productions (like Sleeping Beauty-Kirov) and I am quite certain that no US company is going do anything like that or that a touring company can pull that kind of thing off on the road. I just did a little research and found that we have the Northwest Florida Ballet company right here in my own back yard. But the website has a few cobwebs on it (the most recent news article on the site is over one year old) But for sure I will have to take in at least one live performance just to get the feel of it. I'll either wait for the Nutcracker in the winter (Moscow Ballet visits Panama City), or maybe I'll check out Atlanta for something. Who knows, I might get lucky and see something great.

These are wonderful responses. Thanks so much. Kate B, we do have a Russian company visit our small city (Panama City) during the Christmas season (Nutcracker) but I'll bet that these are students or some small company... but I will look into it anyway since I like the Russian performances just like you. Checking with the theaters is a good shortcut, thanks for that idea. BW, thanks for the lowdown on the New York scene... and I will look for the "harid" company. Maybe they tour other parts Florida. I do favor the Russian influence, so I will be on the lookout for them. To answer your question, no, I have not seen the Miami or Florida Ballet company. I have just been enjoying the tapes and I have never been to a live performance. Thanks Estelle, Miami is a bit far from me but I should have expained my exact location in my question. But the things you say may cause me to look into it anyway. I am in Northern Florida, so I will also look into Atlanta... I'll bet they get a lot of big companies there. So thanks again for these tips, very helpful.

OK, I've seen the classics on Video Tape. Now, I've heard that videos are not a substitute for seeing the real live performance. So the question is: If I want to see Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle, Coppelia, and La Fille Mal Gardee and so on, do I have to move to Russia and wait for them to be performed, or do I have to become a world traveler and go where I can find them, or can these performances be seen without leaving my home state of Florida? (I know of course that the last is very unlikely) Where in the world do you find fine quality live performances of the great classic ballets like Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and Giselle. Is there such a place on earth or is this just a thing of the past?

thanks Cargill, that seems to fit. I am watching a video by the Royal Ballet Company and I just viewed the scene again and it does fit. Wow!, I would have never guessed that this was a mans portrait with the shape of the figure and the low cut V neck garb, but it does fit the plot and the gestures in the scene, so that must be it.

There is a portrait of a woman that is present throughout scene 2 (act 1) in the rajah's palace. This is the scene in which the high priest reveals to the rajah that Solor has made a secret vow to Nikiya. This portrait seems to play a big role in the scene, but I can't figure out who it is or what it has to do with the plot. Can you give me a hint on it? Thanks.

Farell Fan, this is exactly the thought that I had... thousands of people tuning out during the first few minutes. I didn't tune out but recorded the whole thing instead and was rewarded with ancient airs and dances and a few other beautiful segments. I was a little shy about making any comments on it since I didn't enjoy much of it... but now that I have read everyones comments I see that my impressions are not too different from everyone else. That is encouraging since I am so new this. I was very pleased to see a very fine perfomance of a portion of Swan Lake in Buckingham palace at the Queens celebration just two days later. Now, that HAD some viewers... I don't think many people tuned out of that one. It was a wonderful celebration and a very nice showcase for ballet. Really wonderful.. Speaking of cards, I think the Queen really trumped the New York performance, although it was quite interesting for me to see the New York Balet company for the very first time. Very interesting to see what they are doing, so I am grateful to PBS for that.

After viewing the Lady Of the Comellias a few times and giving it some time, I want to upgrade my comment on it. It is quite a skillful production... in fact, its pretty amazing. The dancers are all brilliant and the synchrony in the larger dance scenes appear perfect to my untrained eye. The choreography is brilliant as is the cinematography... and the music, an outstanding presentaion of Chopin. This is a very enjoyable production to watch... a bit serious in tone as I mentioned above, but lighter moments are a great joy to watch. This is a wonderful tape. Over two hours of the best kind of dance. Very extraordinary.

Here is the blurb on the thursday May 30th PBS event: Live from Lincoln Center New York City Ballet's Diamond project; Ten years of new choreography Highlights from eight performances of ballets choreographed by Ulysses Dove, Peter Martins, Devin O Day, Angelin Preljocog, Richard Tanner, Lynne Taylor-Corbett and Christopher Weeldon. Have fun... hope everyone gets to see it one way or another.

OK, thanks. That would have been nice for them since they are probably familiar with the nutcracker. Wouldn't mind seeing that myself!

Just heard that the President and Mrs. Bush attended ballet in St Petersburg. I assume they saw the Kirov Company perform. Does anyone know what they saw? Also just heard that PBS will air a special next thursday evening on the New York Ballet Company. I'm sure you all have heard of it by now, but I thought I should mention it. Maybe you have more details.

Maybe this belongs on another board, but this is a very broad question. When it comes to ballet recordings, Kultur seems to be the only manufacturer. Are there any other choices out there? The reason I ask is that I know that ballet companies could probably use other sources of income to prosper, and I am wondering why they don't produce their own recordings. They have mailing lists it seems, and if ballet companies wanted too, they could share mailing lists with other ballet companies to put together larger lists... so why is it that the ballet companies are not producing and distributing their own recordings? They own the production and they have the mailing lists, why are they not putting the two together? I also ask this question because I get the impression that recording things these days is a bit easier and less expensive than in the past. The technology is so advanced and inexpensive these days I would think that the ballet companies would be taking advantage of it by now. Do you have any thought as to why ballet recordings seem to come from only one source? What's going on here? Do you have any ideas or thoughts on it? thanks

Just kind of curious... why hasn't PBS aired this fascinating ballet Coppellia? (maybe they have and I am just not aware of it) I ask this because I notice that they do the Nutcracker regularly, in fact I seem to remember 2 different performances this year. Another reason I ask is becuse the storyliine for Coppellia is a lot more interesting than the Nuts and would be a lot more engaging to kids of all ages as well as adults. I know you all may cringe at the thougt of formatting Coppellia for a one hour program, but I feel that this could be done rather nicely since the primary storyline is contained in Act 2 so just adding some of the more delightful parts of one and three would fill it out rather nicely for one hour. So what do you think? Is this just another crazy idea or do you think it could be a hit? Its just that I am kind of new to this ballet thing, and I see a number of things that are monumental treasures that the general public knows nothing about. I'd like to see more of it out there for everyone to enjoy.

Bravo, Bravo, Alan, not only for your accomplishment but for this highly interesting and clear post. You have given me a lot of information that I have been wondering about recently about the possiblility of creating a new ballet and I also have been thinking a lot about ballet promotion. I am just a new fan, but I have been telling all my friends that the only difference between a person who loves ballet and those who don't is simply becoming familiar with the musical score and some grasp of the story line. Ballet is far superior to any other entertainment form that I know of, but it has this odd little quirk to it... if you are not familiar with it, then it may not seem all that appealing to you to begin with. It is just a matter of seeing it a few times or even just hearing the musical score a few times and then it becomes a completely different situation. I hope that your production will get enough exposure to make it a classic. Seems to me that PBS should be interested in something like this... after all, how often is a great new full lengh ballet created? Its sounds like a very monumental event to me. Thanks for giving the details of your experience... very, very interesting.

Dear dancing-frog, I want to encourage you and applaud you for your aspiration to create more magic. My suggestion is to just go ahead and use your imagination and picture the story as you would want to see it. It isn't important to know everything at the outset of a project, just go ahead and if the thing has magic in it then the help to complete the dream will come along as it is needed. Just have fun, go ahead with your idea and take it as far as you can with or without help and see what happens. I have to confess that I am certainly not a ballet expert, just a new fan, so I can't give real specific advice on it, but I do know about dreams and I do know that dreams can come true.

Yes, thanks, I'll check on it.

Yes, blessing the bell. That fits very well. Wow, on the wheat I could never have imagined that so much was going on there. Pretty amazing. That will make viewing the video much more enjoyable. Thanks

There are segments in Sleeping Beauty and in Swan Lake that are short but very brilliant and that is why the question came to mind. I wish I knew enough about it to be able to name the segements, but I don't. There is a section in Swan Lake... its just before the black swan makes her appearance and the 6 maidens are dancing for Seigfried... its a waltz I suppose, and it is so beautiful that I hate to see it come to an end so quickly. I sort of wish that he would fall in love with one of them for a short time at least, so I could hear more of it!! But, we don't want to get the black swan mad, and we sure don't want to get Odette more upset than she already is!!

I've heard it said that some dances are too long. Do you know of any that in your opinion are not long enough?

Ahah... that's it. Wheat dance, very interesting. Thanks, that's it exactly.

My sister and I were watching the first act in Coppellia and we were trying to figure out what Swanilda is offering to her boyfriend. It looks like a pair of feathers or something. Franz refuses the offer, but the other male dancers seem to have accepted the same gift from their girlfriends. So what is it that is going on here in the first act of Coppellia. I am watching the Kultur tape staged by the Austrailian Ballet. Also a little puzzled about the people who are dancing with the priest (or minister) and what that is all about.

OK Mel, thanks. We must have been posting replys at the same time cause I didn't see yours the first time.

Thanks Katharine. I was just watching La Fille Mal Gardee and was wondering about that one. It is really surprising to hear that some of these steps you are talking about are no longer done today. Sounds like the dancers from those old times were quite skilled. Thanks for taking the time to give me the background on it.

What is the oldest full length ballet that is still being performed regulary these days. I was thinking Giselle, but I'm not sure about that.

Great idea! Those cab drivers are not only drivers, but guides to what is happening in the city. That's really an interesting idea.