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polyphonyfan

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Posts posted by polyphonyfan

  1. ksk,

    I went back and looked at the Royal Ballet swan tutus again, and I think you make a good point about the "molting" look. The tapered way the "feathers" are cut does kind of give that impression. On the other hand, cutting "feathers" from tulle without giving them a tapered edge might look cartoonish, so maybe it would be better just to add faux feathers as accents or forego the suggestion of feathers on the skirts. I think that the ABT Swan Lake from the 1970s with Natalia Makarova had the corps in long plain white tutus.

  2. Sorry you didn't care for La Source Birdsall. sad.png

    I just got back from seeing it this afternoon. I really liked it for the most part.

    I though that the scenery and darker lighting gave a tastefully modern feel and kept it from seeming like a “museum piece”. It contrasted very well with the rich storybook-like costumes, most of which were stunning- with a couple of exceptions- the bright pink veils on the Khan’s wives inevitably brought to mind “I Dream of Jeannie” (although it probably didn’t have that effect on the Parisian audience!) and the Jolly Green Giant and his quartet of Space Aliens looked a little out of place. biggrin.png It was hilarious though when Jolly Green and the Aliens showed up in the Khan’s court dressed in those Friar Laurence robes with their green and blue faces poking out! smile.png

    Although my opinion on choreography is subject to change without notice, my first impression of the choreography for La Source was very favorable. I love how it blended folk/character dance with classical ballet in way that didn’t seem static or overly stylized and the classical choreography was wonderful as well, smooth transitions and accents, with a non-bravura bent which helped it feel more natural, which is quality that it always desirable in ballet, although often challenging to achieve within the strict confines of academic steps.

    I was afraid that the music would bland, but it actually turned out to be very nice for the most part, I think might have been arranged a little bit, some parts seemed to emphasis the violin (I think) in a way that seemed more modern.

    The story was a little hard to follow, the synopsis was provided, but without knowing exactly which character was which, it was a bit confusing. At intermission, I heard an elderly couple conversing, the lady said with some frustration, “But what is the story?” the man replied, “I don’t know…it’s usually someone is in love with someone…”

    LOL. Oh well, maybe that is all a good ballet story needs to be anyway! smile.png

    Hope they release this on DVD.

  3. Sometimes particular steps or movements unavoidably make the audience reflexively cringe and think "that's gotta hurt" in spite of the fact that they may at the same time find the movement impressive and/ or beautiful. Is that a problem? Sometimes an abundance of jumps on pointe can produce this reaction, same too with contemporary works when dancers are stepping on top of each other or violently hurdling themselves around the stage. Is a kinesthetic "ouch factor" okay if pain or violence is the theme or intended effect of the piece? Is it only a problem when goes against the spirit of the work? Is it a problem at all? I look forward to hearing your opinions! smile.png

  4. Lidewij,

    This makes me sad. I like to think of the Mariinsky as the "best company of the world" (that's what my mother said to me when she first showed me a ballet video when I was 6 or 7), and when I see (or usually: see on youtube) that the standards are not as high as they used to be, it makes me really sad.

    That is interesting. I might just be me, but I kind of think that today's Mariinsky dancers are not quite as supremely graceful as they used to be (although I still think that they are probably the most graceful company in the world), I think that most of the principal dancers still have that supreme grace, especially of course, Lopatkina and Vishneva, and no doubt others that I haven't seen videos of. :) What aspects of decline do you notice?

  5. I do think that the emphasis on extreme flexibility and thinness will prevail but I think that it is possible that body types other than “tall and willowy” will be more accepted so long they are still very flexible and very thin.

    For better or worse, I think that by 2062, there will have been a complete backlash against certain aspects of what we now consider classical ballet and classical ballet choreography. I think that the fluidity of movement that you see in certain contemporary dance choreography (like Lar Lubovitch) will eventually come to be regarded as more in a keeping with the spirit and progression of classical dance than the more static, sometimes pose-heavy, classical choreography of ballets like Paquita and Swan Lake. So I think that the now-familiar versions of story ballets will be performed far less, and there will be an increasing push to redo them with new choreography when they are performed. I think too that the increasing concern over the physical damage that can result from 180 degree turnout in standing positions and pointe work will come to a head and eventually mean that these aesthetics will no longer have the prominence that they do now. If classical ballet in 2012 looks like a more-or-less traditional performance of a Petipa work, I think by 2062 it will look more like Paul Taylor’s “Airs”, still classical-based technique, still performed to classical music, but less academic steps in actual performances, more fluidity of movement and costumes, and without pointe shoes.

  6. The first ballet piece I really fell in love with was the Arabian dance from the Bolshoi Ballet's 1989 (I think) production of the Nutcracker, the one that they show on Ovation Tv. I realize now how different and subtle and somewhat folk-inspired that interpretation of the Arabian dance ( or the "Dance of the Indian Dolls" as they style it) is compared to the showy Balanchine-influenced ones you see in the U.S. There isn't anything showy about the Bolshoi version, it is the little things like smoothness of the choreography and the beauty of the sculptured poses that are entrancing.

  7. "anything longer makes me look for my scissors" LOL! smile.png

    You and Alexandra make a good point that the tutus originally used in Swan Lake were probably closer to knee-length or maybe a little longer. There are some pictures from revival productions of 1895 on the Royal Ballet Swan Lake page, the one with Pierina Legnani features tutus just above the knee and the one with Olga Preobrazhenskaya has tutus a few inches below the knee: http://www.rohedswan...story.asp?id=13 After looking at the latter, I think that these might be the length that the current Royal Ballet production based there costumes on, it is not quite Romantic-length like I thought, but it is still below the knee, maybe it needs its own classification! smile.png

  8. I found this article and video about a company of mature dancers called "Paradigm": http://www.pbs.org/wttw/retirementrevolution/2009/08/04/paradigm-dancers/

    "“I know that my energies are going to change,” de Lavallade says. “But I never wanted to dwell on that. I feel there are always things you can do. Every age has their own story to tell, and I can tell it with my body.” ...

    "“But there’s always something you can do. And that could make life exciting. You just don’t give up because you say, ‘I’m getting old,’” she adds. “There’s no such thing as old. The Sphinx is old. The pyramids are old. We’re just beginning.” "

  9. I was wondering, do you prefer Classical or Romantic length tutus for Swan Lake Act 2 and 4? I think that I actually like the longer ones like the Royal Ballet uses, the flow of the fabric and the illusion it creates seems more in keeping with the spirit of the lakeside scenes, I almost wish that Odette's dances could be modified so that she could where a long tutu also. :) On the hand, the shorter tutu does allow us to see the lines of the choreography better, so I can understand why people would prefer this look. I would love to hear your opinions on this! smile.png

  10. Innopac,

    Thank you for the article! I thought that this was fascinating:

    "It's not just that these veterans of the profession have vivid recollections of ballets that are now lost to the stage, it's also that they can conjure up a whole different world of personalities, working practices, and eccentricities."

    I recently saw an interesting article in Dance Magazine about dancing at different ages called "Listening to Your Body" by Kathleen McQuire: http://www.dancemaga...ng-to-your-body In the section "The 50s & Beyond" it relates this:

    “Technique to me is about intelligent dancing now,” says Pat Catterson, who at 66 continues to dance and tour with Yvonne Rainer. “It’s not about virtuosity. It’s about helping me to produce consistent results and keep my body in balance.” Catterson continues to take class five to six days a week. When she stretches, she finds she needs to cushion her joints against the floor to feel comfortable since they are less padded than when she was younger. She sometimes has to refresh parts of her warm up several times in one rehearsal when the choreographic process is stop-and-go.

    For Catterson, the joy of dancing has not left her. She is realistic about her limitations, but refuses to allow the skepticism of others to infect her passion. “I’ve learned that you cannot let fear overtake you,” she says. “Yes you have to be sensible, but if you let fear cripple you, then you just move correctly and you don’t dance anymore. Dancing is a combination of control and abandon, and you have to have that abandon to feel like you’re dancing.”

  11. bart,

    Excellent insight about the Willis port de bras and "swan arms"!smile.png I will have to check out the La Scala Swan Lake. The creative arm movements in these ballets do seem to stray outside of the academic arm positions. I guess that the movements of the arms were the where choreographers had a greater degree of artistic freedom in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.

  12. Several come to mind in Giselle:

    - The use of ballotte in Act One

    - The crossed-arms port de bras of Willis.

    -The sort of sliding/hopping arabesques(don’t know the technical name!)which the Willis use to “slide” past each other in rows. I think Myrtha also uses the step in her solo.

    - Giselle’s breakneck-speed attitude promenade (not sure if that is the right term either!) which she performs after being turned into a Willi.

    -And finally - the best for last- the tender moment in Giselle and Albrecht’s final dance together when Albrecht gently lifts Giselle in his arms as if she were a child, almost as if he was trying to give her rest from her sorrow and/or desperately trying to keep her with him. *Sigh* so lovely!!!!

    I don’t know how much of the choreography in our modern Giselle is original and how much has been changed or adapted over the years, but, regardless, the composite result contains a unique vocabulary which indissolubly defines the work.

  13. bart,

    You definitely identified important qualities that these pieces share. :) There is too, I suppose, always a “mystery” quality to a beautiful, hummable, piece of music. Like Aaron Copeland said, “Why a good melody should have the power to move us has thus far defied all analysis.”

    Also, for me, I feel like these pieces have a certain duality which pulls your emotions in different directions at the same time- they have the rare quality of being able to powerfully capture sorrow and joy together at once, not “bittersweet-ness” but distinct sorrow and distinct joy separately and yet somehow seamlessly together. How the composers achieved that, I have no idea, but it is hopelessly brilliant, and haunting. smile.png

  14. Kathleen O'Conell,

    Thanks for the links! That’s a good point about The Columbia Ballet Collaborative and The New Chamber Ballet etc. They are indie! That’s great. J The more the merrier.

    That’s true that even “less expensive” can still be expensive enough. I still would like to think/hope that the bill could be kept to level that was manageable even if the members of the company had to help to cover some of the costs. There are some public domain recordings of classical music out there which could possibly be used, and there are certainly public domain scores of classical piano music, a fortunate dance studio has a piano in the classroom, so, in theory, if a company could give a performance in such a studio, then they would just need to hire a reliable pianist (perhaps a music student). In a studio performance, they could still make use of lighting and props for dramatic effect. (I am guessing that renting a studio would hopefully be less expensive than renting a small theater). As for costumes, if every dancer covered the cost of their own costume (I know, lol, that sounds so “recital-like") it could help keep the total bill down. Like you say, “art is hard” and I suppose it would come down to how much the dancers wanted to go “DYI”. But like the cliché goes “necessity is the mother of invention”, you never know how creative you can become when the situation requires it, especially if your only other option is facing life with dwindling performance opportunities. It would be extremely challenging, no doubt, but it might nevertheless be a challenge worth taking. smile.png

  15. dirac,

    I remember reading about that! As I recall, the reviews I saw expressed much the same opinion as you do: Sylvie Guillem- great, choreography- not so much. :) I now recall that Diana Vishneva is kind of moving in that direction too, even though she is still involved in her ballet career.

  16. As of now (always subject to change! :) )

    1. The Death of Juliet- Romeo and Juliet

    2. Finale from Swan Lake

    3. Theme from Swan Lake

    4. The Transformation of the Nutcracker -The Nutcracker

    5. Madrigal - Romeo and Juliet

    6. Introduction - Romeo and Juliet

    7. Finale from Giselle

    8. Finale from Sleeping Beauty

  17. I had forgotten that Baryshnikov explored other forms of dancing after his ballet career was over, I wish others would do the same. Dirac, thanks for the article about NDT3, I really enjoyed it. I especially liked this insight:

    “What do "mature" ballet dancers have that younger, newer performers may not? "It's not only being mature," Miss van Hamel said. "It's the fact that you've lasted that long. You're pretty good. You have in a way an extra edge in that sense. And there is a stage savvy or an intelligence to the way you move. Also a letting-go, a willingness to take chances or go with what's happening to you or with the pice. You're more willing to go over the edge. Maybe that's specific to ballet dancers. They are so nervous about giving up their balletic identification they are often not willing to experiment to the fullest."

    One feels very bad for Martine Van Hamel for having to experience the feeling of “things petering out for her” after a brilliant career, I cannot imagine how hard that must have been on her. But I am glad that she did go on to have other performance opportunities. NDT 3 was a great concept! I am sorry that it only lasted 15 years, but it is a step in the right direction. Financial issues and funding is unfortunately a persistent problem in the arts world. sad.png I think it would be amazing if NDT3 or a similar company could be revived/created and perhaps give performances at university theatres, dance festivals, or some other venues that would be less costly and perhaps hire up-and-coming or relatively unknown choreographers who would be willing to work pro bono or for reduced wages in order to promote their work, or perhaps even the dancers of such a company could also contribute their own choreography. If live performances would somehow not be feasible, they could perhaps set up a website where they could post and promote videos of their performances, or even live streams of studio performances! Nothing beats the joy and exhilaration performing in front of a live audience, nonetheless, the internet is the farthest reaching international stage yet contrived and it a great blessing for dancers to take advantage of.smile.png

  18. I’d like to discuss a topic which is painful to balletomanes and ballet dancers alike, but one that I think deserves more attention- retirement. Brilliant dancers virtually discarded after they have given their strength, bodies, and hearts to the art that they love. They are just supposed to step out of the way, and be content with it. I think it’s kind of cruel personally. And I think that these cast-off performers have the right to be heartbroken, but I think that they can take that heartbreak and pour it into creativity.

    I think it would be wonderful if “retired” professional ballet dancers would band together to create their own dance projects in which they could choreograph and create their works to perform in together. Just because a director might assess them to be technically “past their prime” does not in any way mean that they are no longer worthy performers. Of course, changes can be made in choreography over time to accommodate the changing needs of the body, but that can be a great opportunity for creativity and not a cause for despair. Modern dance projects today are more frequently featuring disabled performers, and if physically-challenged dancers are capable of giving moving performances (and they most certainly are) then there is absolutely no reason in the world for “retired” professional ballet dancers to wither in the shadows. The repertoires which today’s ballet companies perform are just a fraction of a seemingly infinite number of ways of expressing music through motion and emotion, so why shouldn’t “retired” dancers tap into their creative sides and explore these choreographic possibilities? Sadly, I think that many ballet dancers are taught to be “clay” for someone else’s creations, and are not taught that they themselves can be “creators” and can construct their own ballets and dance works and thereby make performance opportunities for themselves when others do not or cannot provide them. The “dance film” genre would also be a good venue for creative collaborations and performances of “retired” dancers. Ballet dancers need to realize that they indeed can do this on their own! smile.png

    I am not arguing that established ballet companies should be done away with, far from it, but I do think that if the ballet world could develop more of an “indie” scene, it would be greatly beneficial for performers at any stage of life and help the progression of the art in general. And I do think that an “indie” element in ballet could greatly complement the already established company model, not be an adversarial “subculture” . On the contrary, it can just be another “voice” in the beautiful and diverse world of dance, no more of a “threat” to the traditional ballet company than F. Scott Fitzgerald’s writing style is a threat to Jane Austen’s literary voice. smile.png

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