Marga

In addition to those already mentioned, I love Carefree and The Gay Divorcée. I began watching Fred and Ginger flicks with my grandfather, back in the 1950s, when "Million Dollar Movie" (TV) ran the same movie every night and several times a day on the weekend for a week. The next week, they ran a different movie. My grandfather and I used to banter in Fred/Ginger script-talk for years! In The Gay Divorcée the scene shifts from Paris to London and a seaside resort in England. It has the incomparable Edward Everett Horton and wisecracking Alice Brady as second bananas. This is the movie that features the gorgeous production number "The Continental" as well as "Night and Day". The Gay Divorcée actually seems to be the prototype for Top Hat. They are so similar in style, plot, sequence, even casting! It's like an ensemble company with the actors portraying different but essentially the same characters! Only the female second banana was played by a different actress. Carefree was quite a different kettle of fish and un-formulaic. Astaire plays a psychiatrist, of all things, with Rogers (playing a professional radio singer) as his patient. It has always intrigued me. It had fewer songs that were actually sung than their other pictures, but a fantastic "golf dance" performed by Astaire. "The Yam" was a quirky song, sung by Rogers, but perhaps the most remembered song from this picture is "Change Partners", one of my favourite Astaire numbers.

Since this thread is currently in the Russian realm, let me add a commonly mispronounced name to it: Va GA nova (not "Vaga NO' va" as many say it)

Yes, what are we unfortunate folk with health problems to do? Stop going to the theatre, even though we behave (and dress) otherwise impeccably? I, too, have to lean forward in my seat at some point in every performance to alleviate the advancing, gripping pain my abdominal tumour imposes on me if I sit in an upright position for longer than an hour. I realize that that may obstruct the view of a person behind me, depending on how the seats are arranged, and always feel guilty for having to do so. When possible, I choose a seat that will allow me to hunch myself over to accommodate the pain I know will come during the performance. Perhaps I and others who struggle with pain, should become first-act-only balletgoers?

Gremlins are messing with my posts here! Reposting: Arthur Mitchell is Artistic Director of The Dance Theater of Harlem. Glora Govrin is Associate Director of the San Francisco Ballet School. Jillana runs The Jillana School and Technique in Taos. Judith Fugate is Co-Artistic Director of DanceGalaxy. Suzanne Erlon is Director of the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre & Academy. Laura Flagg-Pitts is Assistant to the Artistic Director at the School of Ballet Oklahoma.

Alexander Godunov, who gained fame first in ballet (we all remember his defection to the U.S. in 1979) and later as an actor, died at age 45 of "acute alcoholism" on May 18th, 1995. He won a gold medal at the 1973 Moscow International Competition and danced with the Bolshoi for 13 years. In New York, he danced 3 years with ABT and even with Alvin Ailey. I remember him best in "Witness," where he made his film debut in 1985. What a striking figure he was -- tall, blond, chiseled good looks with a very fine line and superb technique in ballet!

Ooh, I wish I could see that up here today! We're "Yankee Doodle Dandy" fanatics and haven't seen it in, oh so long! I'm a native New Yorker, raised on Long Island, living in Toronto 31 years now. I really miss the American holidays! Happy 4th, everyone!!!!

Although I started the thread with historical references, it quickly elicited names of dancers who died too young who are in our current memory. That it may evoke strong emotions, especially when we knew a dancer, is not a bad thing. It may be therapeutic to be able to have a moment to grieve again. And, certainly, to talk about a deceased dancer who had so much more to do, allows their star to shine a little again. I know it does me good to think about Joseph Duell, Patrick Bissell, Christopher Gillis, Jeff Duncan, and many others, from time to time. Just remembering their brilliance makes me happy they graced the dance world when they did and that I was there to see it. That they died tragically is so very hard to take, but, that's the risk of being alive. Many of us may die tragically as well. It's built into the nature of life that some die sweetly, maybe even painlessly, at a ripe old age, and others have to go through hell, perhaps long before their time.

Greatly mourned by Evelyn Hart (who called him her mentor) and the dance world in Canada, especially the RWB, is Henny Jurriens, who -- along with his wife Judy -- was killed in a 2-car collision on a highway south of Winnipeg on April 9th, 1989. Their 3 year old daughter was injured but survived. They were on their way to the States to pick up their landed immigrant documents. Jurriens joined the Royal Winnipeg Ballet as a principal dancer in 1986 and became Evelyn's partner. He became artistic director of the company in 1988. Two months later, principal dancer David Peregrine, also of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and one of Evelyn Hart's earlier partners, died in a plane crash. In response to mbjerk below (I am editing this post for clarity), yes, he was at the controls of the plane when it crashed into a mountain. Louisville Ballet dancer, Patricia Olalde, who "displayed considerable gifts as a choreographer" (quote by Louisville Ballet's Alun Jones), also died in that crash, as did Peregrine's brother. Just last year, the dance world lost extremely talented William Marrié, who had been principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada before being picked by Twyla Tharp to star in "Movin' Out" (as "Eddie"). On Friday, November 15, 2002, Marrié's beloved 2001 Ducati motorcycle collided with a taxicab in midtown Manhattan. He died early Saturday morning of his injuries. He was only 33 years old, a native of Montreal. He did everything in the extreme, onstage and off. He had intense energy and joie de vivre. He only started ballet in his late teens and joined the National Ballet in 1990. He also danced with La La La Human Steps in Montreal. He was the one you watched when he was onstage, even when he partnered a wonderful ballerina. He left behind a lot of mourning dancers on both sides of the border. Edited for clarity and to add information.

Just before the summer of 1924, Lidia Ivanova, Alexandra Danilova, Nikolai Efimov, Vera Zorina and George Balanchine (who were very young-marrieds) were slated to do a short tour, starting in Germany, as the Balanchine-formed group "Soviet State Dancers" during the Maryinsky's summer holidays, at the invitation of Vladimir Dmitriev. They were the "cream of the young Maryinsky crop" according to Danilova in Choura. Ivanova was very popular and quite the party-girl. Unfortunately, those she partied with were Communist bigwigs and after awhile, Lidia just knew too much. She was perhaps too young to be discriminating and politics probably didn't mean too much to her. Her friends warned her not to continue her close relations with the "questionable characters", but she revelled in the admiration and flattery they heaped on her. The night of Ivanova's "accident", the group was preparing to perform outdoors in Izmailovsky Park in then-Leningrad. Ivanova wasn't there yet. Shortly before the performance, the group was told she had been killed the previous day while out boating on the river. Danilova tells in Chourathat Ivanova had phoned her the day before asking her to come along with her and her officer friends, and that she would have gladly accepted the invitation, but was not at home when the phone call came. Geva, in Split Seconds tells it differently. She has Danilova telling them that she had been asked to join Ivanova and the 3 men but that the boat only had room for 4 and that Danilova hadn't really felt like going, anyway. The intrigue is that the men on the motorboat survived -- in fact, ropes were handed down to them from the ferry that hit the little boat. Lidia was presumably sucked under the boat and into the propeller. Her body was never recovered. There was little investigation into her death, and any inquiries were silenced in short order. The next night the 3 rescued officers were seen having a high old time at dinner, drinking and toasting each other. The fact that she was a casualty of the Bolshevik Revolution sunk in to the group of young dancers even more strongly over time. When they were summoned back to Russia at the end of the summer, they knew it better not to return. It was during this tour that they met up with Diaghilev, and the rest, you no doubt know. Geva gives the most heart-rending account of the whole incident. Her descriptions breathe such life into the young Balanchine (he was only 20) and Danilova (21). If you can find a copy of Split Seconds I highly recommend it. I first read my mother's copy a few years ago and am glad to have my own now to reread when I want a taste of the times. Choura is a brisker read, but also very revelatory of those early years and a must for anyone who wants to piece together the beginnings of the Balanchine era.

I was just reading about Lidia Ivanova in The Great Russian Dancers. I had first read about her tragic fate (everyone in the know in the then-dance world says it was planned) in Tamara Geva's memoir, Split Seconds. I'm sure both Danilova and Balanchine had strong beliefs that Ivanova was taken out. That made me think of Emma Livry (1842-1862), who died after her skirt caught fire from a gas jet suspended above the stage. Both were very young, Ivanova being only 21. What other dancers come to mind as meeting tragic ends while in their prime and already known? If we include those who died by their own hand, the list could be quite expansive and tell a story about the rigors and/or politics of ballet life felling some of ballet's best and brightest.

Irina Dvorovenko is so slight physically that she appears to be shorter than she really is. Standing close to her backstage she looked tiny, but is probably about 5'5", maybe more. I've seen Gillian Murphy taking class at Steps and also walking past me. She is quite tall, at least 5'6". Edited to add: I just checked a Pointe Magazine article about Irina and Max and it stated her height as 5'6" (and Max's as 5'10" or maybe 5'11" -- he didn't really know for sure and said he could care less!)

Another beauty whom I remember from my childhood: Rise Stevens.

Riki Turofsky (Canadian Opera Company and New York City Opera) is my pick.

In addition to their dancing, both Karen Kain and Frank Augustyn are absolutely lovely people. Karen Kain is indeed a Canadian icon. Everyone in the country -- ballet fan or not -- knows who she is. Karen was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1977 and Frank Augustyn received the same honour in 1979. He, by the way, is presently, and has been for a few years, the director of the Dance Department at Adelphi University in Garden City, on Long Island, New York (my alma mater!).

GWTW, I had the pleasure of meeting Walter Terry when I was a dance major at Adelphi University (1965-1969) and the director of the Dance Dept., Harry Bernstein, invited Mr. Terry to speak to us.He was a very respected dance writer and to this day I read excerpts from his books.

I say AMEN! to that, Pamela!

Hi Terriergirl, Cyd Charisse in an "American in Paris"? I don't think so. I've seen that movie countless times, most recently less than a month ago. I don't remember seeing Charisse anywhere in it. I don't think both Leslie Caron and Cyd Charisse would be cast together with Gene Kelly, anyway, and she's nowhere in the cast list. Maybe you're thinking of Nina Foch, who was indeed in the movie and played Kelly's character's patron. There was also a romantic entanglement involving her and Kelly's characters.

Hi Pamela, Jose Greco was in this 1953 movie, not Gene Kelly, and he played the matador brother of Cyd Charisse.

I was watching a modern version of Anna Karenina at 3 am this early morning on CBC. It had a scene where "Swan Lake" was being performed and we could catch brief glimpses of the 2nd act pas de deux. The ballerina was quite wonderful -- obviously Russian-trained, as was her partner. I wished we could see more of the ballet and less of the actors watching from the audience! I didn't recognize any of the actors portraying the main characters, but then I am not a movie buff and don't know most actors' names until they saturate the media-market and one can't help but know who they are. I fell asleep before the end so didn't get to read the credits. The CBC doesn't always show them, anyway. We are avid credits-readers in our family, so we hate when they truncate the film just as they start to roll!

Paquita, You have me wondering now, too, about Lucia performing alone. I have never seen her do so, either, but I have only seen her at the galas in Lincoln Centre and Toronto. (The Italian fouette in the defile doesn't really count!) Because you raised the question, I asked Nadia (Veselova-Tencer) yesterday what Lacarra danced in Moscow. She said it was La Dame aux Camelias! Obviously, she danced it with her husband, not alone. Of course, she must have opportunities to show her solo abilities when she dances the variations in the story ballets. I would like to see her do all of Swan Lake. We got a taste of her embodiment of Odette last Sunday, in the pas de deux she performed with Cyril Pierre at the gala. I was anxious to see it, having seen her only in more modern works before. I think we need to see her Odile and the full Odette to form an educated opinion. I have read where others are not entirely sold on her doing the classics.

You're right on, Mel! That's the one it was -- the old pre-war version. And Paquita: The POB did not stay away because of SARS. It was known long before the SARS outbreak that this gala would not have anyone from Paris Opera. It is important to note that not a single dancer stayed away because we had some SARS in Toronto! (Unlike many Hollywood actors who chose to film elsewhere -- Halle Berry said she would quit her flick if its filming location wasn't changed, and singers/songwriters Elton John and Billy Joel also cancelled their Toronto gigs). Of course, there were questions about it, but Solomon Tencer rightfully allayed any concerns and the show went on with 100% attendance by the 14 scheduled dancers. Nina Kaptsova debuted with La Sylphide at the Bolshoi 6 months ago. In previous galas's defiles, Lucia has always done Italian fouettes -- without Cyril! LaCarra had just won the Benois Prize in Moscow for best ballerina in the world (6 days before the Toronto gala). There she had to prove herself alone. Nadia Veselova-Tencer, artistic director for the Stars of the 21st Century galas, nominated her and was also in Moscow just before the gala as a member of the jury. Previous galas' POB stars Agnes Letestu and her partner/hubby Jose Martinez were also among the nominees, as was Cyril Pierre. My favourites of the evening: Herman Cornejo, Nina Kaptsova, Linda Fisher. And, yes, Antonio Marquez was incredible. He had the entire theatre in his command. His use of tension in absolute silence had us spellbound. A single toetap breaking the stillness resounded with its quiet authority. I have never seen anyone's feet move as fast as his did!

I'd be pleased to give my review of May 4th's performance, but in a different thread (since this one is only for Bolshoi stars) and not until tomorrow, since it's around midnight here now. There were couples from Cuba (Hormigon/Torrado), ABT (Reyes/Cornejo), and Alvin Ailey (Fisher/Rushing) as well as Moscow. Also, flamenco artist Antonio Marquez and 3 dancers of the Virsky Ukrainian folk dance ensemble performing as members of Canadian Ballet Theatre. Look for my review tomorrow night!

I don't know if she was on the Bolshoi Tour being discussed, but I saw her dance last night at the Stars of the 21st Century International Ballet Gala in Toronto and was completely captivated! She is my new Bolshoi favourite. I have seen other Bolshoi dancers, both in rehearsal and performance in the past few years (Anna Antonicheva {many times} Elena Andrienko, Maria Allash, Svetlana Lunkina {several times}) in this gala and/or performing with my daughter's ballet school in the Nutcracker (Andrienko, Allash, Antonicheva) and Giselle (Antonicheva). It was always a privilege to be in the presence of such ballet greatness. Kaptsova was beguiling as Aurora in her pas de deux with Dmitri Gudanov....even a little flirty in her variation. Technically, I'd say she is pretty near perfect! She also danced La Sylphide (with Gudanov) with the amazing lightness and lift I would expect of a true nymph. She is beautiful of face and figure, her blond hair a refreshing change from all the dark-haired ballet beauties. Her supple arms transformed her Sylphide into an other-wordly creature of sublime intrigue. I'll bet she does a knockout "Dying Swan"! The use of her arms in Aurora, as well, was stunningly compelling to watch -- the epitome of Vaganovan training! -- that I wished I could see an instant replay of her whole performance. In this case, once was not enough! Anecdote posted by "Irony" at another ballet site in reference to the "best" ballet dancers at youth ballet competitions: ..."It involves the owner of the winner of the prestigious Westminister Kennel club a few years ago. At the end of the show, when asked how it felt to have the best dog in the country, he smiled and said, "The best dog in the country is sleeping under a bed somewhere in Kansas. The dogs here today just have better finances!"

Oh, Lunkina does travel as a guest artist, so you may see her before too long! Too bad you missed her last year when she danced at Lincoln Center's State Theater with Dmitri Gudanov in the Stars of the 21st Century Ballet Gala in February. They also danced together in Toronto (April 28th last year) at the same gala (some different dancers) here. This year's gala will be May 4th at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, but Dmitri is dancing with another partner this time (Nina Kaptzova, I believe). As for my opinion of Lunkina's feet: they are well arched when she dances, beautifully shaped, long, articulate, soft and expressive.

Yes, of course they are. Here is a site to start with. You can "Google" to find more!: http://users.skynet.be/ballet-lovers/Svetla100.html