Marga

I WAS in pain, Farrell Fan. Letterman asked specifically whether her feet hurt, and she giggled and said "no". She took a long time to answer each of his questions, as if she was trying to put sentences together, but then abandoned the effort and gave merely one or two word answers most of the time. A difficult interview for Letterman, for he had to carry her. When she did speak longer, it was haltingly and with omissions of what I, at least, consider important info. Letterman held up two pictures of her. With the first, he asked "what are you doing here?" I expected her to reply with the names of the role she was dancing and the ballet (It looked like Gamzatti in La Bayadère *), but she simply replied with one word, "arabesque". Maybe that was enough for a late-night general audience, I don't know. The second picture didn't do her justice at all. It was of her in a lackluster pose as Odette (the audience laughed when she said she was a "swan queen, a good one"), her legs partially concealed by the rock at the lake. She explained that she was about to jump on the mat. She didn't mention that Odette jumps to her death in the lake, and it was Letterman who extrapolated that the mat was the lake. That's when he asked whether it hurt to go face-down on the mate every performance, and she giggled, "yes", in response. I'm glad they showed a short video clip of her dancing (twice) so folks could see how wonderful she is in action. I hope this doesn't mean it'll be a long time before he attempts to interview another ballet dancer! * edited to say: In rewatching Part on Letterman via youtube, I see that she is an Odalisque in the first pic and that the ballet is Le Corsaire.

So, Veronika's segment is over. I had been so excited to see it! When I spoke to her years ago, her English was almost non-existent. I was hoping for a great improvement so that she could do her (wonderful) self justice. David Letterman did most of the talking, feeding her questions (indeed, almost answering them for her, sensing her difficulty) that should have elicited interesting responses, but Veronika was not up to the challenge, her verbal skills in English still being so poor. She spent most of her time in the guest's seat laughing, albeit beautifully, at Letterman's jokes and leaving us hoping to hear fuller answers to the questions. Russia came off in a very bad light, and she never mentioned that she was actually a soloist at the Maryinsky before coming to the States. The best part of the interview? Watching her put on her pointe shoes! I'm afraid that to the general public it helped confirm the notion that ballerinas are airheads. I hate being so negative about it but I adore Veronika beyond all understanding, so it's as if one of my own daughters had been there, I so felt for her. She was quite nervous in the beginning. She looked absolutely divine in a full-skirted dress with a beautifully cut and decorated neckline, and at least 4" heels, with her long hair draped over one shoulder. (I seem to always be calling her the Divine Veronika!) Letterman didn't remember that Nureyev had once been a guest, because he said that Veronika was the first ballet dancer he'd ever had on the show.

It was not last fall, but this past spring, in March. The dancers were Katie Williams and Eric Tamm.

You have made some significant points, sweetnut. Your passionate, articulate defense of your stance impresses me and also informs the critic in me (I do actually write dance reviews). Thank you for elucidating your position and for helping me define my own. I dislike saying "bad" things about any of the dancers I critique, and try to sandwich negative remarks between positive ones. It may be the mother in me, yet I remember writing with the same sensitivity over 40 years ago as well, when I wrote critiques in college. I fully agree that attention to nuance is a requirement for good criticism. We must be able to see what others cannot, and interpret in ways that others don't. When I read reviews of regional companies in their local papers, for example, I am usually appalled at the lack of any knowledge of ballet in the writer. There are exceptions, of course. Although some may argue that it's good to be noticed and reviewed at all, I find such shoddy reporting to diminish the value of the entire paper. But that's sort of another topic. Responsible criticism is what we should all strive for, whether we only post our thoughts on forums or write for publications. While there is always room for subjective response, it should be tempered, or well-explained, maybe, when it gets nasty, especially in reviewing teenage dancing stars, for example. I'm with you in assessing potential and encouraging, not lambasting it, when we see it. I know how hurtful a jabbing review can be, especially when the dancer strove to convey everything that the reviewer, after the dance, says was not conveyed! As a reader of reviews of all kinds, professional companies' performances, ballet competitions, student workshops, etc., I must admit it's exciting to read something juicy and derogatory about a dancer's missteps or failings. We all like to dish. But it can go too far. I, too, have read reviews where the writer seemed to be "groping for reasons to dismiss someone" and, you're absolutely right, it says much more about the writer than about the dancer being reviewed. Ultimately, I want to read about the good points of a dancer's performances, about the unique nuances, about the way he/she interacted with his/her partner. I want to know how high the jumps were, how fast the turns, how intricate the footwork, how beautiful the line, how delicate the interpretation, how surprising the improvement, how well-acted, how magical - or charged - or inspirational - or heartrending the atmosphere. If there are negatives as well, tell me, do, but make sure that's not all. So, you've given us lots of food for thought, sweetnut! I thank you for your posts.

Thanks! I'll wait 'til then.

sweetnut, at the (tremble) risk of discussing the discussion, I want to thank you for your posts which are so interesting to read and ponder. My only quibble is that, for instance, your last post, right above this one of mine, is nearly impossible to read. All I see is a block of typing, à la stream of consciousness, with no rest for the eyes. I find it hard to follow and, frankly, stopped reading a third of the way through because of eye fatigue. You have broken your posts into paragraphs before, so maybe this one was written on a device other than a computer which doesn't permit formatting. If that is the case, I'm sorry to complain. If not, I would truly like to be able to read every word you write. Whenever I write on BT, or anywhere on the net, I try to consider the reader. Most of the regular contributors in this forum DO read each other's posts intently and respond intelligently. I so want to be able to read yours!

I was a little girl and enjoyed "My Little Margie", too. After that ended, I watched "Oh! Susanna", where she starred with "sidekick" ZaSu Pitts. I really liked that show. It ran until I was into my teens. I remember her singing "Please Help Me I'm Falling". Being a big fan of wordplay, I got a kick out of the name the studio gave her!

Wilhelm Burmann and Nancy Bielski teach at Steps, and I assume that that's where Ms. Flack took class with them. The classes at Steps have overlapping start times and several ballet classes are going at the same time, so in order to participate in both Willy Burmann's and Nancy Bielski's advanced classes, one has little choice but to take barre in one and center next door in the other. I think that's what was being referred to. She does mention that she also took private lessons with them. The current schedule shows that you could take all of Burmann's class, then join Bielski's after barre. edited to remove link to Steps schedule, since it is presented by a different company that doesn't allow you to use your back button to leave the site. I hate that!

Thank you Viviana, for the report! Artjom is a beautiful dancer, and I'm so happy he won the bronze medal! He dances with the National Ballet of Estonia. In his last year at the Tallinn Ballet School, he was dancing quite regularly with the company. He has been a soloist for a few years. Artjom Maksakov website

RIP Farrah.

Congratulations to all the US winners!Jeffrey Cirio is the son of one of the posters on our sister board, Ballet talk for dancers. His mother, its the mom, is to be congratulated for raising two successful dancers, Jeffrey and his older sister Lia Cirio, formerly a soloist with Boston Ballet and now dancing with the Trey McIntyre Project. This seems to be Jeffrey's year of first prizes. He also won the Grand Prix at YAGP in April.

On PBS, in Canada, right now (just started): Romeo & Juliet (1989) with Bessmertnova and Mukhamedov. It's called "The Bolshoi at the Bolshoi". edited to add: It may be only Buffalo/Toronto since it's brought to us by WNED. It's already paused to ask for our money. But Bessmertnova! I'll sit through the solicitations gladly.

YES!!!!!

Ooh, I'd love to see David Hallberg dance Albrecht again and see if he does it differently than he did in Ottawa in February (see my review: David Hallberg as Albrecht). Too bad I can't be there tonight. In February his Giselle was Maria Riccetto. I wonder if Osipova brings out a new side to his Albrecht! I am so looking forward to your reports.

The parents of the two sisters are the artistic director, choreographer, and founders of USA Ballet, a touring company, as well as the principal dancers. Tarasina Masi also choreographs for the company. USA Ballet Tarasina Masi

That is the VHS tape, not the DVD.

Thanks to all for the delightfully detailed reports! For those of us who can't be there, it really helps us visualize the performances. More, please!

Your personality, as we've come to know it, Cristian, puts its own passionate, yet humble, stamp on this lovely article. What a pleasure to read!

Thank you very much, delibes. A great lady. A great loss.

Absolutely, carbro, much is the pity. lol "Swan" is "luik".

I don't know what Veronika Part thinks of Arvo Pärt (their names are spelled differently -- "a" and "ä" are separate letters in the Estonian alphabet), but I know that both are Estonian! "Part" is Estonian for "duck", "Pärt" has no counterpart in general usage and is probably derivative of a word like "pärit" (alluding to one's lineage), for example. What does she think of him? I love the criteria lists and identify with many points! May I submit that a balletomane is prone to argue discuss infinitesimal details of a ballet, to wit: A ten and a half year old Ballet Alert quiz (it doesn't say who wrote it) gives the following pronunciation for PAMTGG: "Pam-Tee-Ga-Ga" Scroll down to last quiz/answers -- it's the first question: Ballet Alert Quiz The following review gives a pronunciation closer to Farrell Fan's: "Pam-te-guh-guh" 1971 Time Magazine review I have always (mistakenly, I guess) read and said "Pamtag". I did see the ballet, more than once, but don't remember it at all, even after reading about it on BT and in old reviews. Not one thing rings a bell, not the runway lights, the strange costumes, the clouds and stars -- nothing! I can't believe I have absolutely NO recollection of how it went.

I know, I know! I'm just an old curmudgeon. Also, my own ballet dancer daughter does not accept the appellation of "ballerina" except when delivered with affection by someone who knows her. She probably would have insisted the charity correct their mistake. I too hope the charity does well.

Not a fan of Robert Hill at all, and a HUGE fan of Orlando Ballet, but I read the remark to mean, as well, the social "history" of the company -- the behind-the-scenes relationships and loyalties, habits and traditions that extend not only to Marks' time with them, but before, to the golden Bujones years, and to when it was called Southern Ballet Theater (some of the present dancers started with the company under that name).

Duly noted, with thanks.