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Plisskin

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Everything posted by Plisskin

  1. The choreographer obviously bears the chief responsibility for the steps, and it's true we don't know what went down in the studio. But we do know, as the different versions of the passage demonstrate, that we all have free choice. This is the speculation part. It could be that while we may not have liked how it looked on the first cast, this is what the choreographer envisioned. On the second cast, try as they might, their different movement styles/physicality made it look just not right--they couldn't get it, so he said "ok let's rethink this, you are going to do X instead" It wasn't their choice, it was their inability to do it as he requested it. Is that what happened? I have no idea. But it is just as likely as them going "I'm not doing that on stage! I refuse to shake my ass" Ballet dancers generally do what they are told. It is what their entire training is about: Following the direction of the teacher/choreographer. I have no idea what happened. Honestly I don't care. I just don't thing that the different versions of this passage demonstrate "free choice." We know choreographers alter choreography somewhat for dancers based on what suits them. If you now want to make an issue about why this "vulgarity" suits Copeland, we can do that as well I'm sure... Thank you. You said this much better than I.
  2. Misty is quite voluptuous compared to most dancers. Maybe it was omitted for Sarah because she doesn't have an adequate amount to do it. Dancers doing slightly different choreography happens all of the time in classical ballet. Like how steps are simplified for Skorik in Swan Lake because she can't do it or Osipova adds difficult steps in Corsaire because she can. Usually no one blames dancers for the choreographic choices that end up on stage. And I find that hypocritical that all of a sudden, for Misty, the "vulgar" choreography that has some clutching their pearls is her fault.
  3. What makes this laughable is that can we really say dancers like Oksana Skorik, Timur Askerov or Bondareva have superior interpretation, personality, and are better technically than Stepanova, Zhiganshina, or Lebedev? Of course not. To say so is just being disingenuous. And they aren't box office draws either... I don't know what type of politics he's got going on behind the scenes to hire dancers that are of less caliber over Vaganova graduates. But if he's going to say stuff like this and have this type of philosophy, atleast hire dancers from the outside that are better. It'd be a heck of a lot more convincing...
  4. It's crazy how he can say this when some of the world's top ballerina's right now have all graduated from Vaganova. Three of the most famous examples are Obratsova, Zakharova, and Smirnova. And they all left for the Bolshoi. Vaganova has and continues to keep churning out principal material. It's the Mariinsky's fault for not developing them. It's baffling how they'd rather develop Perm graduates like Skorik but not (superior imo) Vaganova trained dancers like Stepanova or Zhiganshina. Who both also left...
  5. No offense, but generally Russian dancers can't do Balanchine, modern, or any type of non-classical choreography like Petipa, etc. as good as dancers in the West. Yet no high profile figures over here have never denigrated them and called them "half-trained". Just saying... Tsiskaridze is crazy, but isn't he echoing sentiments shared by most Russians anyway? I was always under the impression that generally, Russians feel their style of ballet is superior from everyone else. And if he wants Russian ballet to be isolated, he needs to start getting rid of all non-Russian ballets in their rep. I'm sure their audience would probably get tired of it though, lol.
  6. Plisskin

    Misty Copeland

    Obama never encountered racism then, because he became President of the United States. That is your logic. No, that would follow from claiming Copeland never encountered racism anywhere, but not from doubting its significance at ABT. Obama had a whole country to appeal to, each with one vote apiece, not just a few powerful people at ABT who stood to benefit from her success. Another reason to doubt that racism continues to thwart the careers of talented dancers is the success of African-American male dancers. In society at large, towards who do we often see racism? Towards black males. So that’s where we’d most expect to find it in ballet. Your using Copeland's rank as a top reason as to why her claims of racism are false. It is completely significant to bring up Obama since, according to you, if a black person achieves a high position that means their claims of racism are "doubtful". And since you want to bring up society black PEOPLE, not just males, often deal with racism. See Aiyana Jones and Renisha McBride for reference.
  7. Plisskin

    Misty Copeland

    Tapafan, I'm honestly surprised their are people still running with that "Obama is President! Racism is no more11!!" talking point. Even the MSM dropped it years ago and they were the main propagators of it, hahaha. I think minority communities, specifically black communities, can focus on multiple issues at a time. Including ballet. However, racism in ballet isn't going to change anytime soon. I mean, it's hard to change something when you have a sizable number of people who think it doesn't even exist, lol. If I ever have a daughter or son who wants to dance, I'm putting them in modern. And I'm a ballet fan! Lol. Sad but, it is what it is.
  8. Plisskin

    Misty Copeland

    Carlos Acosta and Lauren Anderson (retired Houston Ballet principal) have spoken about racism in ballet as well. Acosta: Anderson: But since America has a black president now things are post racial. Their experiences are impossible. If they really happened they should have reported it because otherwise I don't believe them without any proof.... Lol. Just went through this thread in it's entirety and the responses are quite typical.
  9. Plisskin

    Maria Kochetkova

    I was watching tv today and was suprised to see Maria on my tv screen in a VISA commercial! http://youtu.be/tDtRgGK-vi4
  10. I have a lot of ballet friends in NYC who stopped going to ABT because of all of the questionable choices that have been going on these last few years with the company. Ratmansky can make the best ballet the world has ever seen and they would be hard pressed to shed their dollars to see it. If ABT doesn't fix it's issues, the company is going to have a lot more to worry about in the coming years than a poorly sold Nutcracker house.
  11. "ABT is a part of my life, but I am happy with the relationship that I have with them. I go there, dance at the Metropolitan and leave." I haven't cared for Osipova after reading things like this and her "the stage is too small for me" comments. I have no doubt it's money because a dancer with an outlook like that with her various no shows couldn't possibly offer anything else tangible to the company. One thing I also forgot to say is how surprised I was to see Vishneva doing Sleeping Beauty. I haven't seen her do a classical role like this in a while. The positives for this casting is Gorak getting opportunities, Lane/ Abrera getting principal roles (even though it should be more) and Obratsova/ Smirnova being invited. They are such lovely dancers. I'm not too keen on everything else. I'm especially confused with the Copeland casting and Kotchekova guesting.
  12. I'm surprised that Osipova is cast after her various cancellations with ABT.
  13. So happy for Abrera getting 2 Cinderella's (how long has it been since she's gotten cast in a lead classical role?) and Lane getting 2 Sleeping Beauties. Also nice to see them pushing Gorak. ABT really needs to develop another great male principal, especially after the last 3 questionable male principal promotions.
  14. ABT has added some new dancers to the trainee roster. They have all come from the Studio Company: Lauren Bonfiglio, Scout Forsythe, Courtlyn Hanson, Emily Hayes, Connor Holloway, and Raphael Spyker. I've seen some video's of Scout Forsythe on Youtube and she is a lovely dancer.
  15. What is this alluding to? That Misty's position in the company is via Affirmative Action or based on her race? Misty dances in the United States,well known world wide for it's racism. With the lack of black dancer's in ballet, Misty's race is more of a hindrance than a positive. And it also completely ignores the white privilege that Misty is not afforded with. I just find this statement baffling, especially considering that most of the soloists and principals not just at ABT, but in the western hemisphere, are white. Sponsors or not. Have we forgotten during Misty's "media blitz" that so many of you balletomanes take issue with, that she is only the 2ND black soloist in ABT's entire existence? And the first was over 20+ years ago? And their are other soloists (and principals), such as Abrera and Lane (that Misty herself is stealing roles from. Apparently, she is a casting director), whom have sponsors. Hee Seo is asian and a technically (and arguably artistically) weak principal. Does this also apply to Seo or is this only relegated to Misty? ------------------------- Apparently in the ballet world dancers can no longer talk about their negative experiences (particularly black dancers and racism) without suspicion that their experience is fraudulent and being used to elevate their status for promotion. And they must name the perpetrators. Hopefully they'll have a lawyer on hand because that is a potential lawsuit of defamation that they will lose to. I find it interesting that this level of vitriol and suspicion in regards to Misty and her story hasn't been seen in white ballet dancers when they tell of their personal, negative experiences in the ballet world. Some have even written books about it. I think the only people whom find Misty polarizing are ones who use terms like "race card".
  16. You may not be speaking of me personally, but this was a bit below the belt at anyone whose opinion differs from yours. You have no idea of my race and my experience. [The racial insensitivity of this entire thread is really astounding.] I happen to be white. I also happen to come from a multiracial family of dancers. And I've seen how non-white dancers were--and are--treated first hand. Maybe I accept Misty's story "without evidence that it is true," but it is because I am not blind to how race acts in our country and in the dance world. I have seen it. Lastly, returning to the "playing the race card" terminology. Before you use it again or engage in discussions of race in the US or insinuate those who disagree with you are being naive in accepting someone's story, perhaps you should read up on the issue a bit. I suggest this as a fine starting point for self-education: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/09/1222198/-The-Race-Card-White-Backlash-and-Why-Reverse-Racism-is-an-Oxymoronic-Irony This thread is a small example of why black dancers go to modern and not classical ballet. A lot of typical American responses in here, with the "race card" terminology thrown around as soon as someone speaks about discrimination. It's like clock work. I suppose all of us who have experienced racism must wear a body camera at all times as young as age 6, since otherwise there is no tangible "proof" of such instances. Michaela DePrince was told at age 8 that she couldn't dance Marie in The Nutcracker at the last minute because "the audience wasn't ready for a black dancer". I suppose her mother should have made her wear a tape recorder for proof that she wasn't lying about it for future interviews. Apparently DePrince, Copeland, Lauren Anderson, Raven Wilkinson, and others can't talk about discrimination or microaggression racism now since the mere conversation of it is apparently pulling the mythical race card.
  17. I disagree with Gottlieb that the male corp is an "odd collection of lads" and a "motley crew". I find that their are brilliant male dancers in the corp, like Forster whom he named, who could be stars if given the opportunity. Beats me why McKenzie decided to go all the way to Boston, hire Whiteside, and hurriedly promote him to principal when he has better dancers already at the company like Forster...
  18. Five more reviews from the tour have come out. 4 of them are positive and raved about ABT, 1...not so much. The latter criticizes the opening night principals Seo/ Stearns for lacking chemistry and emotion in their dancing and the overall production left them cold. The 4 positive reviews praised the opening night's cast, the soloists, staging, and ABT's corps' unision, which I found funny since ABT's corp gets heavily criticized for not being together. They must have had extra rehearsal time for this tour since they were being broadcasted live throughout Australia. Tell me again why ABT can't do a live broadcast in its home country? Or hasn't released a recorded performance since 1999... http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/stage/kevin-mckenzies-swan-lake-leaves-heart-untouched-thenbspsoul-unshaken/story-fn9d344c-1227042994787 http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/dance/american-ballet-theatres-swan-lake-review-pointe-of-difference-pure-hollywood-20140831-10ajgj.html http://performing.artshub.com.au/news-article/reviews/performing-arts/swan-lake-245596 http://dailyreview.crikey.com.au/swan-lake-review-qpac-brisbane/11331 http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2014/09/612-breakfast-team-chat-american-ballet-theatre-mythbusters-springter-and-sprummer-.html
  19. Natalie Bochenski of the Brisbane Times reviews the August 28, 2014 performance of "Swan Lake" with Cory Stearns and Hee Seo: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/theatre/american-ballet-theatre-performs-magical-swan-lake-at-qpac-20140829-109t1a.html
  20. How are ticket sales going for this tour? On the website it looks like you can still purchase good seats on all(?) of the Swan Lake dates. The 3 performance dates of Bach Partita, Seven Sonatas, and Fancy Free seem to be sold out?
  21. Misty would probably be even more underutilized than Stella Abrera if she didn't promote herself. And the bolded is why I can't bash her for it. You have dancers in the principal rank who have glaring technical and artistry issues. Since role assignments are obviously not based on talent, why not campaign for a Swan Lake?
  22. I think the problem isn't Misty taking a role away from someone more "deserving" (which I agree that there are better dancers in the soloist rank, most notably Stella Abrera), but the complete lack of opportunities for soloists and corp de ballet dancers to dance in these roles. In companies like the Mariinsky, Bolshoi, or the Royal Ballet it is not an anomaly to see soloists and corp de ballet members dancing lead principal roles like it is for ABT. If it wasn't such an anomaly I think people wouldn't be so hard on dancers they consider "less than" being given a chance. But then, that opens up a whole other can of worms with ABT like the lack of adequate coaching. If Misty had proper coaching to fix her issues, would she be considered a dancer only accomplished in modern works? It makes me wonder.
  23. True, but then, when can Misty appear in a classical principal role without taking it away from someone more "deserving"? Lane, for instance, has danced in more classical principal roles than Copeland and they were promoted to soloist at the same time.
  24. I was in Payless earlier this year and there was a special kiosk with Misty's Payless ballet and tap shoes. Their were 3 African American girls crowded around it (and from their dress I assume they were ballet students) and I overheard them gushing about Misty, how much they want to be like her, etc. Incidents like these makes me see how much her self promotion has been inspiring a lot of young, black girls, to take up classical ballet. I think more ballet dancers should welcome the media like Misty and Hallberg have. Maybe ballet in the U.S. would be less of an art form seen as elitist and elusive. That's one thing I admire about how ballet is seen in Russia.
  25. Misty has her short comings (I don't like her in anything else besides modern), but right now she is the only dancer a lot of African Americans have to look up to in classical ballet. Some people afforded with the privilege of always seeing someone looking like them doing what they want to do, just don't realize how much it means for minorities to see even the slightest representation in a field they are interested in doing. Besides, 1 Swan Lake in her entire 7 years as a soloist is hardly a crime. ABT has had other dancers with issues dance classical lead roles. Some of them are sitting in the principal roster right now...
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