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I couldn't find any evidence of a past tour to Iceland, but perhaps years ago. Not everyone knows this, but Iceland is a small enough culture, that Helgi, and Björk for that matter, ARE their "full" names. It's only in dealing with the outside world - that expects to see family names as well - that the Icelanders use a Patronymic or Matronymic last name: Tomasson (son of Tomas), Björk Guðmundsdóttir (Guðmunds daughter).

Some behind-the-scenes Nutcracker video here, in this short about Daniel Deivison-Oliveira: http://www.sfchronicle.com/thetake/article/Meant-for-the-stage-Dancing-with-S-F-Ballet-s-6716140.php The Mouse King struggling to get on stage through the trap door is pretty amusing. Ah, the magic of the stage world. I noticed Dores Andre in Sugar Plum Fairy costume, WanTing Zhao in Arabian, but who is the other Arabian danseur? And I'm stymied by the Snow Queen and King. At first I thought it was Vanessa Zahoriana and Taras Domitro, but was that actually Sarah Lane, and Vitor Luiz? There's too much snow to see anything clearly. ;)

Only one destination has been announced at this time: Iceland "The Reykjavík Arts Festival has just announced that the San Francisco Ballet, under the direction of Helgi Tómasson, will perform at the festival this spring. There will be four performances in Harpa Concert Hall, on the Eldborg stage, May 28-30." (Helgi Tómasson was born in Reykjavík, Iceland) http://icelandreview.com/news/2015/12/11/san-francisco-ballet-perform-harpa-may I wonder if from Iceland, there will also be a trip to Great Britain or Scandinavia...

Yes, it's that kind of situation.

Maybe it's just that I'm paying more attention now, but I'm noticing a crazy amount of dancers making international appearances, as well as within US/Canada during this Nutcracker season. That's what I was wondering, Fraildove - if it was mainly word-of-mouth, or if there was an organzied network that was helping to distribute soloists to all the various events. Sounds like like things are still pretty much about "who you know". If a dancer isn't good at networking, it's probably more difficult for them to find opportunities - unless they have access to an agent.

Jahna's commemorative photo from her debut as SPF: https://www.instagram.com/p/_bOCCxQbcO/?taken-by=jahnagram

Nice find, Helene.

Exactly right.

Yeah, it's interesting that Lane is participating - this is quite different from performing with ABT at Segerstrom Arts Center: she would have to learn Tomasson's choreography for the part. Is there any 'special meaning' to her participation with SFB? Who knows? Could this be part of a deal to allow Kochetkova time to spend part of the year with ABT? Or did Lane simply ask to experience the Tomasson version? In the "Discovering the Art" forum I asked about Guest Dancing in the Off-Season. Just what goes on with the world of guest perfromances remains something of a mystery... EDIT: I see that Kochetkova will be joining in finally on the 23rd and 24th - 23rd: Queen and King of the Snow: Maria Kochetkova, Gennadi Nedvigin 24th: Grand Pas de Deux: Maria Kochetkova, Joan Boada

That IS interesting. I'm not sure we can attribute any special meaning to this guesting though. I do wonder what sort of connections Lane has to SFB people (I only know that she was born in SF, but she's lived on the East Coast most of her life).

From the National Geographic website - Ballet Shoes: The Craft Before the Dance "Freed of London has been making pointe shoes and apparel for some of the world's best dancers since 1929." http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/short-film-showcase/ballet-shoes-the-craft-before-the-dance Thanks to Mathilde Froustey for posting this to her Twitter page.

I think the principals would love to see the Nutcracker become a "showcase for young talent", and a rest period for the principals. ;) The number of performances is crazy. But in the U.S., The Nutcracker is a ballet recruitment MACHINE - nothing else comes close.

No mention of Kochetkova at present. And where is she? She just danced Nutcracker in Irvine with Tiit Helimets, and is now apparently flying to Madrid to dance Don Quixote with National Dance Company of Spain...

We don't want her to get buried in the Corps, do we? ;) But the competition is tough - there are a fair number of dancers in the SFB Corp that have soloist potential.

I'm curious how the many guest appearances that so many dancers participate in, usually between seasons, are arranged for. Obviously the well known dancers receive invites from all over, but is there a network in place soliciting for 'volunteers'? And how does that work? Are soloists expected to do a certain amount of out-of-house work, or is that entirely up to the individual dancer? This happens to be the time of year for Nutcracker performances, and I see that a great many soloists circulating from country to country performing in regional ballet Nutcracker programs. How are these guest appearances organized? As an example, the Festival Ballet Theatre's Nutcracker program has the following guest artists (lucky them), performing at least 4 shows each: Maria Kochetkova – San Francisco Ballet Tiit Helimets – San Francisco Ballet Sara Mearns – New York City Ballet Fabrice Calmels – Joffrey Ballet Irina Dvorovenko – Former American Ballet Theatre Principal Maxim Beloserkovsky – Former American Ballet Theatre Principal

SFB's Instagram page mentions that Jahna Frantziskonis will be dancing as the Sugar Plum Fairy this season. That is a good sign that the staff sees potential there... https://www.instagram.com/p/_SUqDPMjyI/?taken-by=sfballet

Exactly - it's about acts that are big enough cultural icons that anyone in the nation can identify them (even if they don't listen to the music, ever). The Eagles represent the ascendency of coutnry-rock into mainstream popular culture. Otherwise they should be honoring Gene Clark & Gram Parsons. But who besides The Eagles remembers those guys?

There's no mention of show times for Frankenstein at this time - The world premiere of Liam Scarlett’s Frankenstein is scheduled for 4–27 May 2016, in London. I'll just add that Frankenstein is a co-production with San Francisco Ballet, and so it will be possible to see the ballet staged int he U.S., but not until SFB's 2017 season.

Good for you! Hopefully the seller will acquire more of these once she/he realizes that there is an interest. I just don't want the prices to go up to a point that I can't afford.

Good choice - and good luck on the auction. Sellers will often shave off 8 to 10 dollars (at this price point) for Make Offer. You will just have to see. I wish the Toumanova portrait wasn't a signed original - I love that pose. The Bat, Caprichos, Illuminations, Billy the Kid, all exciting to see. The Diana Adams portrait is a great one, but the price was obviously raised for that photo as it is known by the public from the Apollo's Angels book cover.

If you happen to be well-versed in classic Russian Literature, I recommend Vladimir Nabokov's last novel written in Russian, The Gift. It is essentially autobiographical-fiction, borrowing many details from his own life as a young man in Berlin. The book is full of Russian literary references, and supposedly each chapter follows the style of a figure of Russian literature: "There is a chapter written in Pushkin's style, one in Gogol style, and the fourth chapter is reproduces the style of Russian satirist Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin." I won't say it is an easy read, Nabokov delights in difficulties, but every few pages the reader will come upon another marvelous passage.

I'm afraid I grabbed a couple of the choice ones myself befroe passing on the word. ;) If there turn out to be any quality issues (thought I don't expect it) I will let you know.

A number of GEORGE PLATT LYNES ballet photos are available on eBay - a nice holiday present for someone. I recommend trying the "Make Offer" option: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC2.A0.H0.XGEORGE+PLATT+LYNES.TRS1&_nkw=GEORGE+PLATT+LYNES&_sacat=0

No need to be incredulous, this is Macaulay after all. But what I want to know is, where is this all coming from? Macaulay wearing rose-colored glasses - for POB?

http://http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/05/arts/dance/review-the-paris-opera-ballet-under-new-management.html Macaulay's latest review would seem to confirm a new era at POB - and the most obvious sign of change is in the dancing itself: