diane

Resurecting a very old thread here...... Does anyone know of a recording which includes the peasant pas de deux? (I mean a CD or some other audio recording, not a video or DVD; it is the music I want) Thanks. -d-

The "toi toi toi" used in German theatres is supposed to be the sound of spitting, which is why they also simultaneously spit (over the left shoulder) when saying it. It is, as are most superstitions, meant to pretend to wish for the worst, in the hopes that in so doing the worst won't happen. Another thing which is sometimes said, though I have not heard it in a professional setting here, is "Hals und Bein-bruch", which means "Break (your) neck and leg". :rolleyes: Seems a bit extreme, eh? -d-

That is too bad, Estelle, that the performance was not what you would have liked. The way you describe the choreography is not really what I remember having seen, either. Who knows what the reasons are, why the co. decided to show those things, and not something else? :shrug: That is truly annoying that the ticket-situation was also so abominable. I can see why you are upset. -d-

I have seen them, though only once. I was impressed because of what they do with what they have. I respect Schläpfer for trying to get good quality ballet to one of the smaller theaters and companies and also for using dancers who do not always completely fit the picture of the typical classical ballet dancer. Most of his dancers are very good, as far as I could tell during just one performance. They do a lot of contemporary (modern) work too, of course, which is almost a given nowadays, especially here. I did like his choreography, though usually I get bored with much of contemporary dance. His tended to have more "reason" behind the movement, if you see what I mean. It is always nice if one has the impression that the dancers know why they are doing what they do onstage. Schläpfer has brought several Balanchine pieces to Mainz for his company to dance. That is also important - I think - for a company to do. (not just Balanchine, but any number of different choregraphers. this is not always possible due to budgets and of course often the sad fact that many co.s cannot dance many things) Let me know what you think if and when you do see them. -d-

Oh, my! Is that true? What a story! Hopefully the injuries were not horrible. Poor, innocent bystanders/sitters. Geez.

When I was auditioning for my first job many years ago, the company I ended up in had a reputation for taking many blond girls. In fact, several from the academy where I was dyed their hair blond so as to have a better chance. In the next company I worked with, there was a plethora of dark-haired and a dearth of blond dancers; male and female. For at least one ballet those of us who were blond had to either wear wigs or in some other way make our hair quite a bit darker, as the designer did not like blond hair. As Victoria mentioned, this was never a problem for the "classical" styles ("Giselle", "La Sylphide", etc.) Hans, are you Danish? My father is of Danish parents, and as a child he was the only one of the six kids who did not have blond hair. But, when he reached the age when others turn gray, he turned blond. -d-

Does anyone know the percentage of foreign students in the state academies of the countries Alexandra mentioned? (Britain, France, Denmark) I have heard, and to some extent seen, that in Germany at least there are quite a few foreign students in the state academies. The percentage of foreign dancers in companies is also quite high. -d-

Alexandra wrote: "Where are the Americans to go? Why, Denmark and Frankfurt, of course!" And I would add: Also to nearly every other company in Germany. Opera or Ballet or Modern: there are lots of Americans, north and south. One wonders where all the German dancers are going. I also agree with what Clara 76 said about diversity and cohesiveness. -d-

I agree. I also want to believe that it is indeed possible to have art and still be popular in the sense of not-alienating-everyone-or-nearly-everyone. A lot probably depends on education, but that costs money, which most societies are not willing to put up in the amount really needed. I do refuse to see "art" as something devoid of "skill", though. Will have to think about this some more. Thanks for bringing it up. Another thing: I find myself often torn between what some would call populist on the one side, and "heavy-duty art" on the other side. That is quite easy over here, where really many theater folk like to believe that if no one wants to see what they are putting up on the stage, then it must be above the heads of the audience, and therefore good. -sigh- -d-

Yes, alas! It is happening all over. It also rings in the end for many ballet schools, in the long run, for where oh where shall aspiring ballet dancers see that to which they aspire? On T.V.?? Fat chance. And, where shall the future ballet dancers then come from? -d-

Oh, yes: filming the ceiling! I had almost forgotten! Well, when one knows that the main reason they even have these interludes is to show the various places one can go in Austria as a tourist...... I suppose they _had_ to show the ceiling. I like carbro's response. ("Well, one version of a glimpse of heaven vs. another version. ") As to the choreography not being terribly cohesive; could it be that the guest just got in the day before, and they had to put him in somehow? -d-

Having watched nearly all the New Year's concerts of the Wiener Philharmonic over many years, (my husband is Viennese and it is tradition) I thought the dancing in this one was among the best. The choreography was not what one would usually have, but that is fine. It was at least classical for the most part and largely musical. (We are sort of starved for classical ballet here where I live, so anything is appreciated!) I too wonder about the floors. Do they wash them with coca-cola or something similar before-hand? -d-

Oh, good! -sigh- We shall have to wait a bit, until it has been dubbed into German...... Or, perhaps a DVD player will materialise under the tree??? (how soon will this be coming out on DVD, do you think?) -d-

You are all fantastic! Thank you very much! There does not exist a program or anything anymore; and my mother and siblings have since all left the midwest for different pastures. But my mother likes to remember this; it was apparently one of the highlights of her childhood. editing to add: Yes, it could indeed have been Danilova's legs! -d-

Here is a question for all you with access to books on Ballet history: Which ballet company, presumably "Russian" (my mother was nearly 7 and thought they were Russian) could have been on tour of the American midwest in January of 1940? I thought it might have been the Ballet Russe, but now I am not so sure. My mother was very impressed, and drew pictures of ballerinas with lovely, shapely legs for weeks afterwards. Any ideas which company this might have been?? -d-

Thank you for all the thoughts on croise and efface and such. I also remember being taught to use a lot of epaulement. I do not see much of it nowadays, though. Just a note on stage directions: Here in Germany, it has taken me ages to accept that "stage right" and "stage left" are generally ALWAYS given as the _director's_ stage right and left! Having worked mainly in ballet companies populated nearly exclusively by non-Germans (no strange thing), this never really was an issue until I started working with actors, who are almost all German or continental European. Now I must - at my advancing age - relearn. What are the directions in other countries, does anyone know? -d-

djb: "It's true that outsourcing wouldn't work -- most dancers make so little money to start with, how could you find people to work for even less?" Here in central Europe most of the professional dancers do not come from the countries in which they work. There are especially many dancers from the "former east" of Europe. They do work for less, much of the time. -d-

Thanks for bringing this up. I think that also the dance-theater works of the past twenty, thirty years or so helped bring this type of realism to ballet, as well. To many people who are used to seeing theater or television and films, the "masks" (well- put) of classical ballet appear totally false and even silly. But, they have a reason for being that way. The example of the crowd scenes is a good one! I have also noticed that. -sigh- Often a choreographer / dancer or director (of a play, for example) will not truly trust the story/text/ theme, and try to add more "real (re)actions". As has been pointed out, it too often backfires. Ah, yes: Movement directs your emotions. I agree. It is counter to what many actors seem to believe, however. We (my husband -actor- and I) have these discussions a lot. It is hard for him to understand ballet dancers in the classics. They appear - to him - false and superficial. -d-

Oh, do let us know how it was, Luxie! I shall not be able to go after all; conflicts of rehearsals and the like... but I still want to know for _next_ time around. -d-

Congratulations from over here, too. To think that almost exactly five years ago we got our first computer. We knew NOTHNG about it, and were really afraid of using the internet, for it was quite expensive to be online. Now I am so glad to have found you all. A big thanks to all responsible! :yes: :grinning: :huepfen: :bouncing: -d-

American living in central Europe (Austria/Germany) for a looong time... -d-

I too love Sleeping Beauty. And Giselle. And Coppelia. And La Sylphide. And Cinderella, the Prokoview version. And Swan Lake; especially for the music. I am going to be pretty brash here and state that I usually don't care who choreograhed the ballet. Well, as long as it is still in the spirit of the original. I do not like to see my favorite story ballets suddenly done barefoot or with rubber boots on the feet. I also like it if the choreography is really musical. That is not always the case, for my tastes. Alexandra, I seldom see anything which is not on tv, as I live in a tiny town. The local co. does modern dance, very fast and furiously. If I ever _do_ get out to a big city, such as where lucky Reinhard is, then I shall report a bit more. -d-

I totally agree, Ms Leigh. That is - for me - one of the main differences between ballet and sport. It is _not_ just the technique which is important. But, I may be biased. -d-

Well, _I_ like story ballets. I like stories. What I really want to see are stories which can be understood without having to read the program. That is what I look for in plays and operas, too, really. I suppose it is a bit as Billy Wilder once said, when asked what is the most important thing about a film. He said, and I paraphrase, for I do not remember the exact words, "First comes the book, and then the book, and then the book." In ballets it is the music which is next important to me. If the music is not to my liking, then I am not going to be easily "sold" on the whole thing. Then of course comes the dancing... of which I am probably unfairly critical at times. -d-

I agree, Michael. I often have the impression that some /many of the dancers I see don't know why they are doing something. If _they_ don't know, and don't believe in it, how is the audience to be expected to? Mr. Johnson, Is the Stanislavsky approach the "method-acting" one? Yes, that has changed things. My husband has been an actor - a stage actor - for nearly 30 years. What these types of actors have to have is a technique which can be relied upon to function night for night, (and often several times a day for double or triple performances) much the way dancers have to rely on their bodies to function. And, it has to be able to be perceived from the third balcony. That makes the nuances one sees on film, for example, impossible. It would be ideal to have it all come from within. With the right coaching, that can happen a lot of the time. Sometimes, though, that is not possible. We are not machines. Then we need to be able to make it work. Right then. But, I have gotten a bit off topic. Sorry. :shrug: -d-