pherank

The good doctor is in residence in Detroit. Grand Rapids is appx 3 hours away (per mapquest). Perhaps Ms DeBona could audition at Grand Rapids Ballet? It seems to be an up and coming company with an interesting rep.

3 hours one way is a hefty commute - doesn't seem doable to me. DeBona would need to rent an apartment in Grand Rapids presumably and spend the week there, and commute back to Detroit on the weekends. Exactly what her boyfriend is trying to avoid. But he also seems to have an issue with the ballet world. I think he wants a stay-at-home wife who will always "be there for him". Ironically, it is far easier for health care practicioners to find work in ANY North American metropolis than it is for a ballet dancer. For a doctor with the right credentials and a good record the opportunities are vast.

Can anyone identify the dancer playing the nymph? Is it Vera Nelidova?

Another very interesting interview, Christian - well done. And Joy Womack was an excellent choice. Everyone's background story is different and unique in its own way. I look forward to the next one...

I noticed the Sara Mearns interview disappeared - it's worth keeping in the list though.

Love or Ballet


(Ep. 204)


Original Air Date: 8.12.13



Relationship angst. Christiana in rehearsal, Ian hurting while rehearsing. Gratuitous Zach. Gratuitous Ronnie. Gratuitous go-go dancers (can't really call them strippers).



OK, strictly speaking, Ronnie and Zach footage is not gratuitous as they are part of the company, but there's next to nothing about ballet here - it's about goofy behavior and cheap laughs. Zach does make the statement that (and I'm paraphrasing) 'if you love ballet you don't want to be stuck in the Corps de Ballet'. He doesn't realize how demanding Corps roles can be, especially at the big companies. The very best companies have entire corps largely made up of Christiana Bennetts (not Zachs).

The ballet footage is confined to rehearsal shots - this episode is about people's relationship struggles. There is, however, an interesting interview in Adam Sklute's office (and more contract interviews next week, I guess). I couldn't help but notice that Sklute is wearing his winter-weight clothes and a muffler, while his dancers are in their practice clothes. But it's kind of nice that he dresses up.

One more aspect of this series to complain about. Perpetuating the stereotype of the air headed dancer.

At least the other dancers seemed taken aback that Zach had never heard of Napoleon.

Somehow, dancers come across differently in the film "Etoiles: Dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet". ;)

Didn't they cover the Louisiana Purchase in American History?

They did at my public school - though I confess to being particularly bored at that point. It's hard for a kid to care about such things.

"It was a grey day in Stern Grove...."

http://www.ebar.com/arts/art_article.php?sec=dance&article=227

Nice review, Paul. It was great to hear some details about the Thatcher ballet.

[EDIT] I'm guessing that Messmer and Froustey did not make an appearance at Stern, or was there a suprise appearance?

No, I haven't seen it. Will try to catch it. Right now it's pledge season, so you know what that means.....

It means Peter Noone, 60s Girl Groups, and 70s Disco Bands, again and again!

The PBS POV website used to have the video online, but I guess it's no longer available. Too bad, as it is one of the best documentaries I've seen in recent years.

Napoleon is responsible for something besides warfare: probably his most lasting contribution to Europe was the Napoleonic Code, which has formed the basis of the legal systems in France, the former French colonies, and in many European countries that were occupied by Napoleon's armies (Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Poland, AND their former colonies). Civil codes in Egypt, Canada and South America are supposed to be based upon the Napoleonic Code as well. So, an important European figure for various reasons.

But now back to Ronnie Underwood and his bare chest!

I didn't get more than 1/3 through "Pineapple Poll," before I dozed off -- I will give it another try -- but in the parts I did see, Merle Park's performance was sparkling, and David Blair was fantastic in his solo.

I know the music to Pineapple Poll, but have never seen the ballet in any form. The music is mostly lively, with lots of horns, as I recall. Funny that you dozed off. ;)

I could see having to explain Wellington to an American dancer, and that it's not just a random character name, but it's hard for me to get my head around having to explain who Napoleon is, even to someone with an eighth-grade education, because the famous portrait is a fairly common image and used a lot in comedy.

Napoleon is so famous, he's been known by his first name for some time.

In the British world, Napoleon may be 'comical', but I doubt he is a comical figure to the French. ;)

It's human nature to try to reduce our enemies in 'stature' - making them less scary, and less attractive.

Not to belabor the point, but it sure would be nice if the dance companies learned something about the ballets that they take part in. After all, they will be passing on this knowledge to the younger generations, so better start knowing something.

Which would be doubly remarkable considering that Josh doesn't know who Napoleon Bonaparte was - and apparently no one is going to educate him on that point.

In defense of Josh, it was actually Zach who didn't know who Napoleon was.

Thanks for that catch, love_ballet - I meant to write Zach, and I'll change my original post.

For me, it's just strange that the dancers aren't learning about the details of Ashton's ballet. Part of it is a lack of curiosity on the part of the dancers, but part of it is obviously a lack of information from the 'higher-ups'. Somes should be providing the background for the ballet, imo. Napoleon and Wellington are iconic European figures, but that doesn't mean that they naturally belong in Cinderella. Ashton incorporated these characters for a reason, but the company seems to not know any of these details. Of course, we only get to see what the film editors let us see (and hear), so there may be more said on the subject, but that information gets dropped from the final cut of the TV show.

If someone already announced this, forgive me, but I just saw on the Ballet in Cinema site that the following Bolshoi ballets will be played at the movies this coming season:

Oct. 20: Spartacus (live)

Nov. 17: Corsaire (it does not say live so I assume a re-broadcast of what played before)

Dec. 15 or 22 (both dates in different places): not live so probably re-broadcast of Zakharova/Hallberg

Jan. 19: Jewels (live)

Feb. 2: Lost Illusions (live)

March 30: The Golden Age (live)

Sorry, what is the program for Dec. 15 or 22?

and the original costumes with ties as belts a la Astaire were so wonderful

Agreed. ;)

SFB posted these Vine animated clips:

Entering Stern Grove:

https://vine.co/v/hAFQ2uK0tvB

The audience:

https://vine.co/v/hAUluBrEKxg

Waiting for Suite en Blanc to begin...

Crowd on the hillside 2013

SF Ballet performing at Stern Grove Festival in 1952

A related article (mostly photos but some text)

Backstage with SFB’s Staff Photographer
By Erik Tomasson

http://www.sfballetblog.org/2012/04/backstage-with-sfbs-staff-photographer/

As the staff photographer for San Francisco Ballet, my job is to photograph the Company for advertising, press releases, brochures, and programs ...

For fans of SFB, and choreographer Edwaard Liang ... very rare, complete footage. And nicely shot. Possibly coming from the company's archive of ballets.

Symphonic Dances (world-premiere)
Principals: Yuan Yuan Tan, Sofiane Sylve, Maria Kochetkova, Vito Mazzeo, Tiit Helimets, Victor Luiz

Soloists: Courtney Elizabeth, Dana Genshaft, Daniel Deivison and Issac Hernandez

Corps: Dores Andre, Nicole Ciapponi, Charlene Cohen, Jennifer Stahl, Sean Orza, Gaetano Amico, Luke Willis, Quinn Wharton

http://vimeo.com/channels/478037/52047073

Distant Cries with Yuan Yuan Tan and Damian Smith (footage is a bit blurry, but still very nice to see)

http://vimeo.com/channels/478037/41249613

From the NYCB website:

Distant Cries, an unusual pas de deux requiring two highly virtuosic dancers, begins and ends with a ballerina dancing in silence, alone in a spotlight. Her movements are lyrical, though sometimes sharp and almost awkward. As the music begins her partner comes forward from the dark at the back of the stage. Their pas de deux is fast, intricate, and ingenious. The choreography seems to suggest a relationship between the dancers, but it is not clear whether the relationship is prickly, tender or both. The woman repeatedly hides her face with her hands; from what she is hiding remains a mystery.

Somewhere in Time with Yuan Yuan Tan and Damian Smith (the aspect ratio of the video is incorrect, so we get a squashed version)

http://vimeo.com/channels/478037/54972880

Has anyone else seen the documentary Last Train Home by Lixin Fan?

I just watched it on PBS last night (the POV program) and was really impressed. Very intense, and multi-layered.

POV: In your own words, what is Last Train Home about?
Lixin Fan: Last Train Home is a family story about Chinese migrant workers. It's a story about hundreds of millions, who work day and night in the production lines that make consumer goods for the rest of the world, coming home for New Year celebrations. It's also about the world's largest human migration.

A preview:
http://www.fandor.com/films/last_train_home

The film is available as an Amazon Instant Video rental, but I'm not seeing any free access yet. I would recommend seeing it on a large screen though.

I wish Adam Sklute didn't take race into consideration when casting Napoleon. I hope he doesn't do it again, or Josh is going to be relegated to fairy suitors and courtiers while trying to make his way up the ranks. From the few shots of him practicing the role, I think he would have been hysterical in it.

Unexpectedly (to myself), for this particular role, I found Sklute's reasoning made sense. It would be different if the company had several African-American dancers or maybe even if Josh was already well-known to Ballet West audiences. In the meanwhile there are other short-ish boy roles he could easily be cast in that wouldn't raise the same problems ...

I thought it was a mistake for Sklute to lay that cumbersome excuse on Josh Whitehead - what is the young dancer supposed to do with that? And Whitehead was right in saying (I think it was outside the talk with Skulte) that he couldn't believe the company wasn't past all that. The only real excuse that Skulte has is that he thinks Zach was a stronger Napoleon character than Josh. Period. Which would be doubly remarkable considering that Zach doesn't know who Napoleon Bonaparte was - and apparently no one is going to educate him on that point.

I don't think Ballet West is in danger of becoming the top ballet company in America any time soon. Although a significant rise in ocean levels, submerging the coastal regions of the Americas could truly make Salt Lake City the promised land. And the only land - but I digress.

Maria Kochetkova & Daniil Simkin in Le Corsaire Pas de Deux

I personally prefer Masha in contemporary ballets such as:

Yuri Possokhov's Diving into the Lilacs Pas de Deux
(with Gennadi Nedvigin at Gala in St Petersburg)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-hGrkGjP1Q

Don Quixote PDD - Maria Kochetkova & Pedro Lapetra (ENB)

Some actual footage to look at!

Masha is a documentary following ballerina Maria Kochetkova as she prepares for a performance of a new solo work at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre. To pre-order a dvd please visit http://kck.st/b5LxPL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r35zCQorZM

Interesting contrast of manner and styles in this one. Vasiliev is a real powerhouse, not what I would think of as a 'danseur noble' here. The crowd loves his energy though. Masha's speed is impressive too, but she's more about articulation and 'the details', IMO.

And another view:

Anaheim International Dance Festival Takes Shape

By Michael Buss, 2013-07-20

The AIDF Gala Performance August 10th

features San Francisco Ballet’s Maria Kochetkova, Taras Domitro

and other renowned classical and contemporary dancers.

http://www.anaheimartscouncil.com/news_spot.php?id=264&bnr=spot

The "info" popup gives the official website URL as a ".com" - it is not (and you will be sent to nowhereville). The official website URL is : http://www.anaheimballet.org

Masha has become Queen of All Galas. I just hope she learns to rest her body too.

A humorous side-note to the discussion of what makes an 'American Ballerina' and for that matter, American ballet ...

One day Balanchine came into the office and announced that he would not be able to hold a rehearsal the next day between 4 and 6 p.m. There was an apartment workers' strike at his building on West 67th Street, and his shift running the elevator fell between those hours.

''To this day I run into people who lived in the building at the time who remember their shock when the gate cranked open and there was George Balanchine saying, 'Floor, please?'''

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/20/arts/balanchine.s.all-american-dedication.html

A much needed addition to the 13/14 season:

The Hamburg Ballett

February 7–9, 2014

SEGERSTROM HALL

Program:

Liliom (American Premiere)

Choreography, staging and design by John Neumeier

Music by Michel Legrand Liliom was commissioned by The Hamburg Ballett and the Hamburg State Opera. Following the 2011 world premiere, the creators of the ballet's two leading roles, Carsten Jung (The Hamburg Ballett) in the title role and Alina Cojocaru (The Royal Ballet) as Julie were honored with the prestigious Prix Benois de la Danse for their respective performances. Legrand received the Prix Benois de la Danse for his composition. Neumeier, the company's director and chief choreographer, based his work on Ferenc Molnár's play of the same name, which was also the inspiration for Rogers and Hammerstein's Broadway classic, Carousel. The music for the ballet is an award-winning original score by the Academy Award®-winning composer Michel Legrand.

Now THAT I would want to see - and it thoughtfully occurs between two SFB programs, so no interference there.