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Hello DanielBenton, It's best if you ask a specific question, or make a specific comment on something, but, it sounds like you need to read: Stravinsky and Balanchine: A Journey of Invention Professor Charles M. Joseph (Author) A fascinating book, leaning perhaps more toward Stravinsky in its analysis, that does delve pretty deeply into how Balanchine went about choreographing for Stravinsky's music (I believe it even mentions the Elephant Polka done for Ringling Bros. Circus). Both of Nancy Goldner's "Balanchine Variations" books are must reading to learn about the individual masterworks. Another great Balanchine book would be, "I Remember Balanchine" by Francis Mason, which is basically a collection of short "essays"/rememberances from many people who worked with, or for, Balanchine. Everyone had a different experience of the man, so you have to piece together his personality, and techniques, from the varied memories. Certain people, like Marian Horosko, touch on his choreographic process, and others talk about more personal matters. But the entire book ends up being a great window onto a particular world of art and the personalities that make it go round. Also, the Bernard Taper biography, "Balanchine: A Biography: With a New Epilogue" is a great read - especially the first half; unfortunately it gets to be rather 'light' in the last half, skirting many important issues in favor of making it all sound warm and fuzzy and wrapping the story up with a big bow. But the first part of the book (about Balanchine's early years) makes it all worth it.

You're welcome - I only wish we could find the entire performance somewhere! That is a segment from the Balanchine "American Masters" documentary.

This was fun - thanks Peggy.

In a world of cop, lawyer and forensic autopsy shows, Selfridge still needs to be supported. The IDEA of a show like that needs to be supported. ;)

I know I've dumped a great deal of video on everyone. And I've been recovering from the shock of being able to watch La Valse and Palais (albeit in fuzzy, low resolution). I'm wondering what people feel about the approach to the La Valse death scene - Lopatkina begins by showing her shock/revulsion to her image in the death mirror, but quickly acquiesces and puts on the remaining black items in what seemed to me a perfunctory manner - very little ceremony or drama to the act. I always thought there was more ceremony, and nuance, to the original 1950s version. Though I did like her final collapse, and the (always) shocking 'dead weight' aspect of her limp body contrasting dramatically with the whirling corps dancers. "Dancing on the edge of a volcano..."

Davidsbündlertänze (Watts and Martins - 1 min 39 sec shown) Donizetti Variations Pas de Deux Donizetti Variations Pas de Deux with Guillermo Gonzales y Giovanna Martinatt Donizetti Variations - Giovanna Martinatt variation

Igor Stravinsky: "Scherzo à la Russe" Liebeslieder Waltzer (Jillana and Conrad Ludlow - 2 mins 21 sec shown) Sylvia Pas de Deux

I like it! It's hard to even imagine a ballet commercial on primetime TV in the US.

Ah yes, I do remember that now, but had forgotten amongst all the death and destruction of the valley of death (Madison Ave.)! Bringing Frank O'Hara's writing into MM was a great touch, and impressed me, but so far, no ballet for Sally Draper or anyone else. It's a shame because there are so many crazy stories from that world to touch on. Selfridge has been an enjoyable show, but a bit too chaotic, rushed, and surface level in its commentary to be a really great program (IMO).

Thanks for that information, KB - I will be watching! And watching the Mad Men premiere too. Too bad they haven't worked Balanchine/NYCB into those plots yet. ;)

Edward Villella talks about Bugaku Edward Villella and Allegra Kent discuss Bugaku

Theme and Variations Pas De Deux with Darci Kistler Mariinsky performing La Valse (How great is that?!!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm_xxKPliwM

La Scala at Bolshoi - A Midsummer Night's Dream Walpurgisnacht Ballet Union Jack George Balanchine - Stars and Stripes

Now THIS is something: Mozartiana (Theme, Variations, and Pas) with Suzanne Farrell and Ib Anderson

I just happened to read this article - one of the best I've seen in a long while. Thanks!

Interrrrresting. I like your comment about Wheeldon's Cinderella. ;) I may have to miss that one this year as I've run out of travel money for the time being (I'm going to travel to see PNB later this year). So I guess I'll get a second chance to see Cinderella. I can't say that I'm blown away by the choices, but I'm sure I'll see Program 8 myself and perhaps 3 or 5. It's always hard to know if the "world premieres" will be worth travelling to. How I miss living in the San Francisco area, when it was easy to go to any of the performances! Anyone know anything about Ratmansky's "Symphony #9" ballet?

Thanks, Volcanohunter - it's great to see these broadcasts in the Web.

Here's a scan of the image in the Anatole Chujoy book, New York City Ballet from 1953 (it's a small halftone image in the book). The pose is different from the one that appears in the Balanchine documentray film, but it is definitely from the same series of shots. The Chujoy book only remarks that the bulk of the photographs are from "George Platt-Lynes and Walter E. Owen". These days each image would have to have a credit.

1940 footage of Original Ballet Russes/Toumanova in Petruschka: Stills and live footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyhOvGU_uUU A glimpse of Nijinksy as Petruschka

And more film dance clips... Vera Zorina, William Dollar -- A Balanchine PDD from 'The Goldwyn Follies' (1938) Vera Zorina (and Eddie Albert!) in Slaughter on Tenth Avenue Vera Zorina and Charles Laskey -- Pas de Deux (George Balanchine, 1936) [Wait for the still images to pass - there is live action] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6UxJz0oGxM

George Gershwin: "Who Cares?" Another view of Heather Watts, Jock Soto in "Embraceable You" - the video transfer is a bit better here. Walpurgisnacht Ballet BAE Student Company Balanchine's Musical Theater Choreography

Linking to these videos makes me think (for some reason) of The George Balanchine Trust, about which, there are plenty of angry words online. But I thought I would quote from the following which gives a nice description of what the Balanchine Foundation/Trust do: Both from "Balanchine, Celebrating a Life in Dance" - Photographs by Costas [Admin note: there's a 250-word limit to sources to stay within copyright compliance.]

Jilliana - Calliope Francia Russell - Polyhymnia (she had red hair back then) I'm really enjoying these links, hope they don't disappear too quickly! Actually I meant only the 'handmaidens' that appear with Apollo in the Prologue (with the long tresses), not the Muses. I haven't found anyone to identify them. And now, here are excerpts from La Source http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=surgkR4dfmA&list=PLfhtpU5peNAQ5ME9RHoEs71RyFkKDBqHo Tchaikovsky Suite No.3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJBuiR_V_qQ Rubies clip - NYCB I believe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoOT2cLZwRg&list=UU6ibh5197dqyQbEFNDUhtmg

Serenade (POB - not complete, of course) "avec Ludmila Pagliero, Mélanie Hurel, Mathilde Froustey et Pierre-Arthur Raveau" 11/10/2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwudwT8ZwvE&list=PLfhtpU5peNAQ5ME9RHoEs71RyFkKDBqHo CNB dances Serenade

The dance writer/critic Edwin Denby did mention Balustrade in one of his columns. Denby is often an entertaining read, as he always manages to sound like a 'regular American guy' trying to get his head around the performance in front of him (although he was a European trained, professional dancer himself).