kbarber

The DNB Nutcracker and Mouse King (choreography by Wayne Eagling and Toer van Schayk) that was broadcast live last New Year's is now available on DVD. Starring Matthew Golding and Anna Tsygankova. Here's the grand pas de deux: http://youtu.be/GZhUB2x58v8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZhUB2x58v8 (I'm sorry, can someone please tell me how to embed a video?)

[Moderator's note: kbarber posted this to an ongoing thread yesterday, before tutu opened a new thread. I have taken the posts following kbarber's posting and moved them to this thread, simply to avoid having competing discussions of the same topic. Both links bring up the same delightful video, so enjoy! --carbro] a very funny short video in which Daniil Simkin puts on his ballet persona in the streets of NYC: http://toursenlair.blogspot.ca/2013/08/funny-video-ballet-prince-on-streets.html

There is a photo of Filin and the Diamonds cast on Marc Haegeman's facebook page. Not sure if this link will work: https://www.facebook...&type=3 If not, go to For Ballet Lovers Only - Marc Haegeman Dance Photography on facebook

At Covent Garden, raking is definitely better row L back in the orchestra ("stalls", they call them). Stalls Circle is usually good. Anything on the side will have an obstructed view necessarily because it's the side of the horseshoe so you can't see anything upstage on the side that you're sitting. I like the Coliseum in London (English National and Birmingham Royal perform there). I've never been unhappy with any orchestra seat there. I usually sit in the front row just because I like to be close, and unlike some theatres, it is not sunk below the level of the stage. Also tickets are way cheaper there than at the ROH.

should this thread really be under "American Ballet Theatre"?

The Lady and the Fool is still performed by Stuttgart Ballet, (or at least was fairly recently) and Birmingham Royal Ballet have I believe done it in the not too distant past. I saw BRB in Pineapple Poll just a couple of years ago and enjoyed it very much.

United States California South Coast Village Aug 12 1561 W Sunflower Ave Santa Ana, CA 92704 New York Big Cinemas Manhattan Sep 15 239 E 59th St New York, NY 10022 Swan Lake – White Swan Pas de Deux Choreography: Marius Petipa Music: Pyotr Illich Tchaikovsky Odette: Veronika Part (Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre) Siegfried: Marcelo Gomes (Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre) Nutcracker Grand Pas de Deux Choreography: After Lev Ivanov Music: Pyotr Illich Tchaikovsky Sugar Plum Fairy: Hee Seo (Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre) Nutcracker Prince: Alejandro Virelles (Soloist, Boston Ballet) La Bayadere – Pas D’Action Pas de Deux and Bronze Idol Choreography: Marius Petipa Music: Ludwig Minkus/John Lanchbery Gamzatti: Isabella Boylston (Soloist, American Ballet Theatre) Solor: Matthew Golding (Principal Dancer, Dutch National Ballet) Bronze Idol: Joseph Phillips (American Ballet Theatre) Flames of Paris Choreography: Vasily Vainonen Music: Boris Asafiev Ashley Bouder (Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet) Daniel Ulbricht (Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet) Giselle – Excerpts from Act II Choreography: Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli Music: Adolphe Adam Giselle: Greta Hodgkinson (Principal Dancer, National Ballet of Canada) Albrecht: Matthew Golding (Principal Dancer, Dutch National Ballet) Myrtha: Stella Abrera (Soloist, American Ballet Theatre) Don Quixote- Grand Pas de Deux Choreography: Marius Petipa Music: Ludwig Minkus Kitri: Maria Kochetkova (Principal Dancer, San Francisco Ballet) Basilio: Taras Domitro (Principal Dancer, San Francisco Ballet) Bridesmaid: Skylar Brandt (American Ballet Theatre)

no sign of it on amazon.com or amazon.ca yet though.

Lovely video portrait of Olga Smirnova here: http://toursenlair.blogspot.ca/2013/08/video-portrait-of-bolshoi-ballerina.html

Keiichi Hirano of the National Ballet of Canada tore his achilles in the middle of the Erik Bruhn competition a few years ago and made a full recovery, but it took about six months as I recall.

Charles Askegard just posted this to his Facebook page Charles Askegard It's official! With great anticipation and excitement, I am happy to announce I'll be joining Minnesota Dance Theatre as Associate Artistic Director. Here is the press release that went out today. Monday, July 15 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Minnesota Dance Theatre announces Charles Askegard as Associate Artistic Director MDT welcomes Charles Askegard home to the Twin Cities in the position of Associate Artistic Director. Recently retired from a celebrated career with New York City Ballet, Mr. Askegard will bring the breadth of his experience to the organization where he began his dance training. “It is with great anticipation we move toward our 2013-’14 season with Charles in this leadership position, bringing his myriad talents to our studio and stage”, says Lise Houlton. “I have been watching him closely since he first took the stage as the littlest mouse in Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy to his extraordinary performances on New York City’s Lincoln Center stages. We are honored to have him back.” A native of Minneapolis, Mr. Askegard had a distinguished career, spanning four decades, as a Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, dancing for and with ballet legends Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jerome Robbins, Natalia Makarova, Agnes de Mille, Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp, and Peter Martins, performing the great full-length classical ballets and the brilliant Balanchine repertory. “I am very happy and excited to return to Minneapolis in the position of Associate Artistic Director. It has always been my dream to give back not only to the dance community but the community as a whole - the same community that supported me and the dancers I grew up with and admired, and helped me to achieve my dream of dancing with ABT and New York City Ballet. I look forward to working with Lise Houlton, the MDT dancers, and the students in the School, and giving our Twin Cities audiences wonderful performances. I have the highest of hopes for MDT and strongly believe in its future as a destination for dance.” Charles Askegard

The RWB has just announced that their Moulin Rouge is being filmed this summer and will be shown through Cineplex theatres in Canada in early 2014. More info here: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/RWBs-Moulin-Rouge-to-hit-the-silver-screen-215539731.html I am not a big fan of Moulin Rouge and find it frustrating that with all the really good ballets that could be preserved on film, this is presumably taking resources that would be better devoted to something else..

I so wish it was available on video. One of the most tear-jerking ballets (as well as very funny) that I can think of! How about David Bintley's Hobson's Choice - lots of humour throughout. Or David Nixon's A Midsummer Night's Eve Or Elite Syncopations? How I wish there were a video of Robert Parker as Cyrano. A fantastic ballet in my opinion. Makes you laugh, makes you cry, sometimes both at once. I hope BRB brings it back into rep soon.

Ratmansky's R&J is performed by The National Ballet of Canada (there is no "Toronto Ballet"). Reviews in Canada (and from Alastair Macaulay) have been mostly rapturous; in England they were mostly negative. I have posted links to reviews http://toursenlair.blogspot.ca/2013/04/natl-ballet-of-canada-romeo-and-juliet.html http://toursenlair.blogspot.ca/2013/03/national-ballet-of-canada-romeo-juliet.html

David Bintley's Cyrano has some very funny bits in it. Unfortunately not avaiable on video.

Also Eric Gauthier's Ballet 101:

Ashton's The Dream is very funny. Puck... the lovers... Bottom as the Donkey... MacMillan's Elite Syncopations has the comic "tall/short" pas de deux, and his Manon has a drunken solo and pas de deux for Lescaut and his mistress.

The RBS just posted this to their site: We are pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher Powney to the new post of Artistic Director Designate. Christopher will take up his position in April 2014. The summer term of 2014 will be a transitional period after which he will take over running the School from Gailene Stock CBE AM, who will retire on 31 August 2014. A former teacher at The Royal Ballet Upper School, Christopher is currently Artistic Director of the Dutch National Ballet Academy and has danced with Northern Ballet, English National Ballet and Ballet Rambert. During his career he has worked with some of the world’s leading dancers and choreographers, including: Rudolf Nureyev, Christopher Gable, Jiri Kylian, Lynn Seymour, Christopher Bruce, Twyla Tharp, Frederick Franklin, Ohad Naharin and Glen Tetley. Lady Douro, Chairman of the Board of Governors, said: ‘Gailene Stock’s work at the School has enabled it to become one of the top classical dance training centres in the world. Christopher is the unanimous choice of the Appointment Panel and they are convinced he will ensure the School’s continued success. He possesses the knowledge and skills we are looking for to take the School forward.’ Christopher Powney said: ‘I am thrilled and honoured to have been selected to direct one of the world’s most prestigious ballet schools and to return to my own country makes it even more special. This is a school full of exceptionally talented and motivated young dancers and it will be my pleasure to help them to realise their dreams. I look forward to working with the dedicated Board and team of The Royal Ballet School to ensure that the School remains at the forefront of dance education.’ Our current Artistic Director, Gailene Stock is sadly still unwell. Jay Jolley continues in the role of Acting Director and will lead the School’s artistic programmes into the 2013/14 academic year.

The National Ballet of Canada has done Thursday matinees for years, along with its Saturday and Sunday matinees, and the Thursday performances are among the most-booked of the runs. The house is full of seniors.

Bravo, Swanilda8!

I totally disagree that Onegin is a second-rate ballet.

There is no pussycat pdd in ABT's Beauty???????

Amatriain / McKie / Osadcenko / Vogel on the 20th are not to be sneezed at, I assure you.

Ashton's Cinderella is about as different from Kudelka's as you can imagine. very much a fairytale ballet. I would just like to say I find Manon anything but dreary, and Mayerling a fantastic, if harrowing ballet. I suspect the reason Fille has been absent for a while is that ABT uses the National Ballet of Canada's production, and the costumes all had to be rebuilt before the NBOC could perform it again last year.

I would gladly trade Cinderella to have La Fille Mal Gardee back again. I think the last time I saw it I was a child. Is the Ashton Cinderella different from the Cinderella that was done a couple of years ago? I couldn't quite get used to the ballerina with one bare foot and the other foot in a pointe shoe. That Cinderella was James Kudelka's. The Royal Ballet did Ashton's in NY for the Ashton festival in 2004. It's available on DVD. with Anthony Dowell and Antoinette Sibley.