Watermill

Was anyone else as offended as I was regarding this comment from London Times' Clement Crisp's RB Sleeping Beauty review? (See links Today Tues Mar 11) "Makarova's one dubious innovation is the introduction of a tiny but loathsome cupid who acts briefly as a master of ceremonies. The role is played by a small boy, and, as ever with child performers, I think longingly of how Good King Herod dealt with such pests." I hardly think the Slaughter of the Innocents should be wafting through an emminent (if flatulent) dance critic's mind as he watches children on stage. God knows he doesn't have to like it (although one detects a mammoth mean streak in a man who thinks this of all child performers) but referencing a historically horrific episode of infanticide is surely way out there beyond the bounds of good tatste. Which I thought he had. Watermill

As someone with teenage relatives in Germany (who visit yearly), I have become distressed over the infusion of American Trash Culture in that country. I think many Americans would be suprised at the hold Rap has on German youth right now. Therefore I found the video a lovely heartfelt antidote to the Gangsta CRap that pervades the Teutonic airwaves and bandwidth. I would not take much notice of web message boards. This simple solo is what visually expressed this artist's musical feeling: what could be wrong with that? And who cares what anyone else thinks?

Oregon Ballet Theatre's Principal Katarina Svetlova is leaving for Dusseldorf at the end of this season. A loss for OBT, but maybe as SFB lets go of principals, new OBT AD Christpher Stowell can replace her. Dusseldorf will enjoy this gorgeous ballerina.

Though it had the unfortunate title "Jack LaLanne's Dance Spectacular" this was a great show! Not only did it have Oregon Ballet Theatre's quintessential Canfield Muse Tracy Taylor, but also nice sections on David Parsons, Salsa sensation Johnny Vazquez and a loving autumnal portrait of the great Ailey dancer Dudley Williams . Here's the Egg website which has lots of good features including video from this particular show. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/egg/313/index.html Have a look at the "Peeps" section (yet another unfortunate title)of the Oregon Ballet segment to view the injuries suffered by Tracy Taylor over the last 13 years. It's kind of shocking. I wonder to what extent the mix of hard rocking Canfield choreography (see video for a minor example) and classical pieces contribute to such pain, surgery and deformity. She is an extraordinary dancer who has given so much pleasure over many years. I hope the the price she has paid is worth it. She certainly has been one of the reasons to go to the Ballet here in the rain. It also raises the question (as SFB lets go of 4 dancers) of a small company taking advantage of dancers, wearing out their joints because they can't take on a larger company. See Tracy's Interview. I think Tracy is one of those solid dancers who in a larger company could probably dance for another ten years, but may have been over-used at OBT. Wonder what will happen as Christopher Stowell moves in? I know he has asked to expand the company. I'm sure the Board would love to say yes, but afraid the economy (Oregon has the highest unemployment in the nation) is saying no.

Much appreciation to all...I'll tell my friend and she can take it from there.

Was going to pm rg, but why not share the ? Was there ever a film/video of the Meditation a Thaiis with Jaques D'Amboise & Kay Mazzo? A friend remembers seeing it and longs to see it again.

I find the chosen design tremendously cluttered & conflicted as it multi-tasks its way to nowhere in a hurry. Hmmm.... On second thought: that seems like a pretty good definition for the state of mind the country seems to be in. I guess we are what we build and we build what we are. But I will surely miss the elegantly simple gothic modernism of the originals. I guess I'm in a "less is more" frame of mind about this, and see this design as a classic example of "more is less". But cheers for the art and performance spaces!

Buried in the Cinderella credits: "Narrators: The Muppets" I can see it now: "PIIIIGS EN POINTE!"

I agree, Ari. Especially with your comment with the Bway Musical being in trouble. This is obviously a very strange Arts Transition Period (Number 14, I believe) The fact that video games grossed (fitting word!) more than movies this year is just one indication of how things are changing. Personally, I feel that the popularity of Contact & MovO is partly due to an appreciation of the "visual" that has been slowly replacing the "verbal" since the advent of film. I suppose this bring forth the question (if you're willing to let my theory stand): Does our "Visually Literate" age bode well for the future of ballet? I think it does, especially as the population matures and a percentage (3%? 15%?) seeks a higher artistic visual experience. I just hope by then the dancers aren't computer generated!

Well, this program has finally rolled across the Oregon Trail to be viewed in Portland. I think its so quaint that OPB ships the PBS specials in covered wagons. Its so much more organic and envoirnmentally friendly that those high tech satellite thingies.... I would have to agree with those who found the People magazine treatment a weakness. My pet peeve was the overuse of Le Corsaire clips. My favorites were the competition clips with all their youthful zest. To see the great Alonzo and hear the Cuban audience was another. I found the Morris piece underwhelming, but would agree with Morris Meighbor's thoughts on the matter. One burning question remains: Will these guys have to get chest hair implants before they can be Artistic Directors?

Dance Fish, I think it is very clear that Ballet is NOT a sport. There are no opposing teams, there are no points, there are no winners or losers. Ballet competion is NOT Ballet art. It's part of the schooling/training/evaluation of ballet skill. As well as part of the auditon process. Just because Ballet uses the body in a strenuous way does NOT make it a sport, anymore than painting a house is the same as painting art. The Art of Ballet is so much deeper, profound and enduring than anything sport could ever hope to offer that I caution those who confuse the difference between the two that they run the risk of trivializing a rich and ancient art form. In a society where sport stars are paid a seasonal rate that exceeds the entire budget of many ballet companies, I do not think we need to make ballet out to be a sport. Things are so out of balance already. Let's not make it worse. I suppose my real worry is that young people will, in large numbers, think of ballet in sport terms instead of art form terms. (ABT's Corsaire Circus has not helped this) I urge young people to stop counting fouettes and instead look for line, feeling, expression and that mysterious experience that can only happen at the Ballet.

Robert J. Oppenheimer was a genius at nuclear physics. He was the "father of the Atomic Bomb". He only showed "good character" when he stood up to the US government and tried to reverse the horrors his Manhattan Project team had unleashed. By contrast, Werner VonBraun was a genius at rocket science. He actively, and happily built V2 missiles for the Nazis. He supervised the use of slave labor for his rocket program. He never had a problem with that, denying it was of any importance til the day he died. This was not a "good character". My point is that genius brings consequences to the world. How the genius handles these consequences, is sometimes more important than the worldly effects of the work they leave behind. VonBraun eventually put the US on the moon. Except for American chest puffing what has that really amounted to? Having recently viewed a documentary of his waltz with Hitler, I felt ashamed for him. Some genius.

Would really like to hear from a Brit on this one. Who were the Britiish candidates for the job? Or did it fall to American Spacey (and his fundraising abilities) by default due to money being the primary problem at this point. I would also like to point out that Mr. Spacey is steeped in American Naturalism. Not sure sure how that translates into the tradition of classic theatre at the Old Vic. Bit like naming Savion Glover head of the Royal Ballet... I suppose I'll give up on his not being a director, since that seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Has the ballet world become so used to The Male Principal Principle that it feels the need to apply said MPP to other branches of the Arts? For yet the third time I will also point out my gratefulness to Mr. Spacey for helping to save such a grand instituion. I would, however, have thought his seat on the board sufficient. Sir Peter Hall...Jonathan Miller...Kevin Spacey? I remain astonished!

...and I can drive a car, but I don't think I should be allowed to build one! He is obviously a generous deep-pocketed famous actor who cares about the Old Vic. I applaud that. But shouldn't one be a director...to be a ...director? Do they have to hand the whole bloody thing over to him?

I was quite suprised at this. He is certainly not , in a rational world, a candidate for artistic director of any theatre, let alone the Old Vic. He's not a director, and he's never run a theatre. But after reading the article, I understand perfectly. The British continue to confound me. Letting the Old Vic, with its glorious history, rot and collapse is like us watching Carnegie Hall meet a similar fate. I am glad Spacey has stepped up to this challenge and wish him all the best.

pb13, the main difference for me is that art, whether it's a painting, a ballet, a play or a symphony, is about something. It makes a comment on life. Sport is a fun game. To me, Swan Lake is a complete three course meal. Its beauty, story and lessons leave me full and nourished for many days. But the Super Bowl is a bag of chips and a coke. I'm hungry soon afterwards. It's fun for a brief moment, but does not touch my heart and soul like art does.

No problem there, carbro. I'm just happy ABT Men will be shown next week on OPB. Right after the special on the mating habits of banana slugs. (The state bird of Oregon)

On Christmas Day evening, while many PBS affiliates screened RB Nutcracker or Ahmal, here in Portland Oregon we feasted on "The Natural History of the Chicken". Classy, huh? Spend a month here, Treefrog, and you'll run screaming back to Chicago, begging for forgivemess! At least the raunchy Canfield years are coming to an end at OBT. Word is out that new AD Christopher Stowell has lined up Christopher Wheeldon and SFB's Julia Adams to choreograph. Or perhaps he should just present the chickens from La Fille Mal Gardee? Kentucky Fried Ballet, anyone?

Always one to call attention to over enthusiastic PR scribblings: "Mark Morris, arguably the most prominent dancemaker of his generation." I'd argue that...unless prominent means most visible. And what the heck is a dancemaker? Oh, I know, it makes choreography cool: like filmaker. Isn't PR writing fascinatingly slippery? By including "arguably" and "prominent" and "dancemaker" in the sentence, the writer has defused possible criticism of the content of the statement. (Although it hasn't stopped me, has it?) Hey, I'll bet I'm arguably the most prominent something, too! Watermill (Running for the exit before you guys "fill in the blank") Personally my vote goes to Trey McIntyre

Thanks for the clarification, Grace. It's difficult to make a point (and yours is very well taken) without generalizing, but therein lies the danger of stereotyping (in this case) an entire age group based on anecdotal evidence. Your "IMO" was respectfully noted. While studies have shown that literacy is on the upswing, no one has conducted a similar study on being "literate". I refer you to Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind for a brilliant evaluation of the decline of American intellect and consequently culture. He lays much of the blame at the feet of high school and university educators. In terms of intelligence, it comes in all forms. That scowling teenager grunting through a class on Shakespeare might be able to take apart the engine of your car. He just leads with another part of his brain. And what about the 10 year old tutoring her/his college educated parents in computer usage? And then there is "Dance Intelligence". Truly a rare wonder to behold: a soulful "thinking with the body" that confounds and defies any rational explanation. But astounding to witness at work. And definitely a form of intelligence. All that being said, I must admit that I, as a teacher (of Dramatic Arts) share your disappointment. All we can do, I suspect, is focus on what gifts we can pass on to the dwindling numbers of those willing to receive them. Remember: the Renaissance came after the Dark Ages! Watermill

Yikes, Grace...I feel I need to respond to your comment because it sounds like your evaluation of a few bad apples is spoiling the whole bunch. I also happen to know that a lot of teens read this forum, and want to throw my vote in with vagansmom's. With all due respect, there are many ballet parents who frequent this forum who are carefully guiding their intelligent literate teenagers through the trashy cultural wasteland Modern America is becoming. I'm sure there are many in Australia doing the same. Sorry you haven't met them. Try not to let some negative experiences you must have had stain your perception of all teens. And please try to remember that if parents don't parent, and schools don't teach, it's hardly the teen's fault.

I know the fee sounds ridiculous, but Frederick Wiseman is an independent filmaker who has the unusual notion of distributing his films by himself. He regards his films as important educational and artistic material. He does not expect you to rent it for yourself. but for a school or civic group to which you would charge admission. This is a very old fashioned way of doing things which appears oddly out of step with today's downloadable cyber-world. However, I think his "Ballet" is the best documentary ever made about ballet. If I had 20 friends willing to pay $5 I'd rent it. But then again, I too, am oddly out of step. Now if I can just find another 19 friends...

...not to mention that her gushing he's "the greatest" tap dancer who every lived...don't think he could keep up with either Nicholas brother...in speed or flexibility or inventiveness.

Say, does that mean Peter Martins is...Rochester!? (BTW: this thread is now neck and neck with the Living Landmarks thread for most absurd chain of thought. Congratulations to all!) Watermill (the Gracey Allen of pointe shoe purchasers)

Wonderful slip of the preposition, dancermom2! How typical of you vicious ballet fans! Protecting him now so you can tear him down later... (You know I'm kidding, right?) But then again, why should he escape the fate of anybody who's ever been the artistic director of anything. Darned if you do...and dished if ya don't! Watermill