Allegro

Did anyone see Tulsa's Don Q? I just went to see it a few weekends ago, and I really really enjoyed it... just curious if anyone else did... The costumes and the set were beautiful, which I believe were Houston Ballet's set and costumes. And, of course the dancing was pretty good. I especially loved the choreography (which was by Anne-Marie Holmes). It was very interesting and varied, and I was never bored with it. There were steps that were innovative, but didn't seem out of place in a classical ballet. [ March 19, 2002, 01:43 PM: Message edited by: Allegro ]

Cooper's Ballet was tacky. And I am not just talking about the bed scene. I just thought it was cheesy, and although I would love to be in the audience to see it, and I would have fun dancing it, I thought it was over the top and it is overrated. Now that I have stepped on everyone's toes, let me comment on Jonathan's: I liked the costumes, and I liked watching Eva/Zoe what's-her-face even more. I haven't seen the film in a while, but for some reason, it was Balanchine-like. Maybe it was some promenades she did en pointe, but with her knee bent. (Maybe I am making this up, again, sorry.) And I thought that whole section in the circle with the main pas couple in the middle was pretty cool. I like watching pretty bodies dance, and there were some good ones out there. And I do NOT like ballets that try too hard, which is what Cooper's did and Jonathan's didn't.

Sarah Hughes had the attitude an Olympic Champion should have. She skated her best, with a good attitude, and she ended up winning the gold. THe Gold was almost like the icing on the cake: a superfluous fact that added to her already perfect performance/mentality. On the other hand, I was sadded by the Bronze medalist. I have never liked Michelle, but last night I fully realized why. She has lived her life to win the gold, which was/is he downfall, I think. And when she was on the podium, fighting back tears, I just felt like yelling at her to get over it. One should be generally happy when they win the bronze. After all, (although I know this is almost a cliche) the Olympic spirit is all about doing one's best, or just being there competing and having fun. That is why I applaud Sarah Hughes, and I cried througout the whole medal ceremony. And she is from New YOrk, too. How appropriate. Sasha Cohen still has time. SHe hasn't been on a large world tour, and she still has time. I think her artistry was lacking, especially in her choreography. The announced mentioned she choreographed it herself, and it showed.

All I have to say is that the Americans need to get a good choreographer. I yelled at Timothy Goebel during hte long program to "move his head!" He just seems so stiff, and his epaulment is not so hot. And his program was so so boring! I did, however, enjoy his music and costume. He could have done a lot with the American in Paris... I did enjoy his spread eagles... I really liked the opening of the Chinese's program... it got worse towards the end, but I liked his opening choreography. And one of the Russians, I am blanking out on who it is, did the coolest movements. He sort of 'held on to the air', and used the air to push himself forward and back. It may have been Pleuschenko, I wish I could remember. If Goebel had better artistry, I think he could go so far. I hate it for him that he skated what seemed to be his absolute best, but it just wasn't good enough.

Thanks...It has satisfied my curiosity much more... and as you FarrellFan said, yes, I think I would have liked to see a horrible ballet by Balanchine. And although it was horrible, perhaps, it still had good dancers in it.

I was reading a Balanchine book the other day, and saw this ballet mentioned. It really stands for "Pan Am Makes The Going Good." It piqued my interest, and I wondered if anyone on this very knowledgeable board would have seen this, or knows anything about it. Anyone?

IMHO, the biggest artistical problem with skaters is their shoulders, which sometimes are up around their ears. And I am not talking about when they are up in the middle of a triple flip/axle/loop etc. It really bothers me to watch a skater who has some good choreography not use it. Someone needs to tell them how awkward they look! I really liked Sasha C., who looked like a little Russian ballerina. I thought she outperformed Michelle Kwan. I was also rooting for Jenny Kirk, becuase of her Boston ballet training, and because she has been through a hard year, with her mother passing away. On her arabesque spiral, (gliding penche arabesque) her knee was the straighest, and her leg more behind her than any other of the skaters. And her shoulders weren't up! Actually, I thought most of the girls didn't have the shoulder problem, except for Sarah Hughes...

I thought the comment by Alexandra: "Does hierarchy creat ballerinas?" very interesting. If there is no division list for ballet-goers to see and then rank the dancers, then I think we could perhaps see an evolution of different "stars." Would the classification of 'great dancer/ballerina' be more objective, without the personal whims of a director and favorites that evolve in a company getting in the way? (The Suzanne Farrell/George Balanchine relationship comes to mind) On the flip side, a ballet audience can be very uninformed...and mistake good stage presence/performing ability for greatness. (without fabulous techinique.) Since I am probably being somewhat blasphemous, I would also like to say that there are, of course, dancers who would become famous no matter who are the judges. Fonteyn, Barishnykov, etc. And I beg Suzanne Farrell's pardon for the above comment. She is one of my favorite dancers, and I think fits under the aforesaid category. Am I making any sense? I don't know if I got out what I am thinking...

Louisville Ballet did Where the WIld things ARe... I didn't see it, but I just know they did it.

A lovely topic, but I was wondering... Has anyone, in their perhaps extensive careers as dancers or otherwise, come across these acts (or other) of cruelty in the ballet world? I would just be interested in any stories. Not that I am contemplating something bad, but I was just curous. How desperate can dancers get?

OHHHH! I LOVE the NYCB Jewels!!! The Diamonds with Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins is beautiful, but I like the Emeralds pas de trois. THe music gives me goosebumps. I also like the Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty. Just beautiful ballet, well danced.

So I know this is a tangent, but I've always wondered why Deanna McBrearty is the cover girl for NYCB. I really can't criticize or applaud her, not ever seeing her dance, (unless The Nutcracker with McCauly Caulkin counts) but all I know is that I see her in pictures more than ANYONE else...

I heard that the record for consecutive pirouettes was somewhere in the twenties or thirties. Does anyone know? Is that even possible?

Ooh, The traditional Nutcracker Ballet, is SO different from the Hoffman 'fairytale.' I haven't read it in a long time, but I remember it being extremely different. There is no party, I dont' think, and no Marie/Clara, but there is a Princess Pirlipat, I think I remember a fairy godmother cursing a baby boy in the cradle to make him ugly, with large jaws, but maybe I am making that up. I'll try to find the story. I think I have it at home.

OK, I'm right handed, but my left leg is stronger and more stretched out. I also turn best on my left leg, and I bat left handed. (Sorry about that baseball tidbit, but I do) STRANGE...

ditto

I don't believe kfw was saying that swing dancing was a refinement, just that's it is a more innnocent form of entertainment. All the jazz I have started to see is just the "bump and grind" and nothing else. When I actually sit down and watch some dance competition on TV (gasp) I realize that most teams just go out and shake their "J-Lo" and can't even execute a double pirouette. I am 16 and I think it is absolutely disgusting to watch 9 year olds dance in ways that obviously hold no sexual meaning to them. Because, oh, they are only children?!?!?

I know! They need to make shoes for dancers now that gives the same illusion! Maybe not black/white, but the cut of the shoe could mimic that maybe.

Wow! Thanks for the info. I sort of like those. The pics really helped me see how they made sense to have the white extending down into the shoe.

I was reading a book about ballet dancers and their pointe/ballet shoes, and I saw something that sparked my curiosity. There was an interview with a dancer from the Royal Danish Ballet, with a picture of his ballet shoes, which were black with a white triangle on the top/middle of the shoe. This dancer (sorry don't remember his name) said that these two-colored ballet shoes were the ones used by male dancers in ALL of Bournonville's ballets. They were unlike anything I have ever seen, and I haven't seen them ever, even in pictures of dancers from the Royal Danish Ballet. I am just curious to know more about them, and why/how they came to be. Does anyone know anything about these?

How about a series of ballets based on a Major Network's sitcoms? ABC danced by ABT or something like that. (There is ABT season planned out right there!) I can just see it: Regis Philbin energetically danced by some major danseur, and instead of his "Final Answer", he could do variations on a set of steps. And the person in the Hot Seat could be a beautiful ballerina, who could then dance a PDD with Regis. And the corps--- all those who do the fastest fingers competition. Except for fastest fingers, they could do a fastest feet one. I think there would also be room for dramatic interludes, maybe a spotlight coming up on the ballerina's family members, perhaps even a husband, who at the end could viciously fight Regis over the ballerina. And stunning pyrotechnics and theatre tricks could be incorporated. Who has even included an 'Ask the AUdience' in a ballet? Or a Phone a Friend?

I am so glad to hear that falling isn't as criticized as I would imagine... (at least not by people who MATTER)Let's just say my nickname is "Trip" and I do it in grand style. But the worst was when I fell during Reed Flutes in Nut., and I was doing hops on one pointe, and my ankle gave out. It has taken me almost a year to forgive myself, and I have been so afraid of going on stage and falling. So thank you, everyone for making my "boo-boo" better!

My directors name is Amy Moore Morton...you might know of her. She did a percussive piece last year, and that's all I remember. I would love to go to the choreography conference. It has to be so much fun. But, I am not a lightning learner, so I might be thrown out! Thom Clower is a great teacher. His classes are really fun. He is going to be at our festival and be a teacher. I love him. Tell me the pieces you were in at the Craft of Choreography!

Scholarship and audition class...same thing. Did you go to Craft of Choreography last year? If so, you might know our director. She went last year.

It is really cool hearing about your festival... Who were your other teachers? We had OK one this year. Simon Dow was our first ballet class, in a freezing gym, early Thursday morning, and he did a great, slow, placed class. It really warmed us up in spite of the cold. Then we took a jazz class with Ashlie Solomon, who takes at Broadway Steps, and she is going to do ABT Georgia's summer program. She was so much fun, and we did a really fun jazz dance. To tell you the truth, I can't remember our other classes all that well, but we had many other teachers who were good. Kathy Thibideaux, the artistic director of Ballet Magnificat taught a fun class, as usual, but I was very disappointed that I had to leave it early because of our tech rehearsal. I wish we had a pdd class, and although I don't think I would be the one to go, it would still be fun. What about your audition class? Did you take it? Or do you even have them? we have a class where 109 girls and guys tried out for many scholarships they were giving out. I didn't get one, but it still was a good experience. They cut about 65-70 people in the middle of it, and I am glad I made that cut, even if I didn't get any money. I could go on forever about the shows, and I already did somewhat, so I'll stop here.