Watermill

Already heard it last winter...no kidding!

You've already answered it: In her nebishy, humourously neurotic, twitchy early days: Twyla Tharp! Watermill (The Warren G. Harding of Ballet Lovers)

I always find these tags and labels amusing. It's usually the sign of lazy writing. ("He's the Micheangelo of snowboarding!") But this one is kind of fun. Wouldn't Martha Graham get the Picasso tag? Though it's an uneasy fit, they both explored the psychological and archetypal content of their art forms, without regard to the classical, baroque, romantic or neo-classical heritage. They were the pioneers (avant garde) of what is now called Modernism. (Cunningham = Pollock?) I think that while Balanchine explored modernism, he remained very faithful to the vocabulary of classical dance, never giving up his search for beauty in movement to explore the ugliness of the interior human landscape. To equate him with Picasso robs both these geniuses of large tracts of brilliantly explored worlds. I will grant that their paths were similar in that they both kept discovering new approaches, new forms, new ways to stretch the canvas. And also quite apparent is their parallel multi-muse-ing. I think they both liked to eat, too. So who would Balanchine line up with in the Art realm? It would have to be someone who brought the 19th century technique to new life in the 20th. What about his mythic pieces, his playful odes, his tributes to other styles? Pretty quickly one realizes there's no comparison. It would take a list of about eight artists from Monet to Eakins to Lichtenstein and it still wouldn't really cover it all. Which brings me back to my initial chuckle over how silly these equations are... Watermill (The John Updike of internet posters)

From Links: President Bush does not enjoy ballet, reveals Time magazine. quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- His Prague agenda included sitting through 45 minutes of ballet by the National Dutch Theater, a cultural duty that didn't exactly thrill the president. "He'd rather dance with Gerhard Schroeder," quips one administration aide. Perhaps a performance of The Green Table would have kept him awake. Watermill (playing Hamlet to Bush's Claudius)

I hear ya, Hans...Was it Truffault who uttered the famous insight: "Film is truth 24 times a second" ? And every one knows that musical theatre is a joyous roller coaster ride with its ups & downs, rising & falling action, ballads and showstoppers. Who cares how long it is when you're having such a good time!? I feel the same with great Opera and Ballet: Excellence kills all sense of time Watermill

Reminds me...I once heard an eager patron translate Debussy's "Danse Sacree et Profane" as "Sacred Dance with Swearing" (!)

I would also like to thank jmbailey for providing the answer to to a situation I found unbelievable. In the same breath, I would like to invite Ms. Temin of the Globe to to get her facts straight before publishing outrageous statistics that get me all in a dither! Now I can go back to worrying about the Red Sox... Watermill

Vila, You're about 12 years too late for convenient one area used book browsing. I used to spend days off wandering through about a dozen small and wonderful used book stores in the general area Mel mentions. (I lived at 2nd & 5th) They were run by all different kinds of people, some young , some ancient. Some were tiny, some were pretty big (the shops, I mean; although there was a tiny shop run but a big fat man). All were like Alladin's caves with treasures to be found if you looked hard enough. With the "gentrification" of that area and the tripling of rents, they all went out of business by the end of the 80's. It was one of the saddest aspects of life below 23rd St to watch one's favorite shops, restaurants and theatres turned into GAPs and Starbucks. Hopefully some enterprising book sellers have kept the idea of a small book store alive. You're just going to be walking a lot more than I did! And there is still the gargantuan Strand (Bwy & 11?) and Barnes & Noble and Borders. You'll still have plenty to look at. I would also check the phone book. There are some specialty book dealers selling out of their lofts and apartments. Enjoy the city! Watermill

Thanks for the info, Erik. I didn't realise the PG awards also recognize Modern. This makes sense now as I know how strong the Julliard Modern division is. Congratulations to Mr. Harkarvy. Where would we be without these dedicated teachers? Watermill

Quick correction: It's Rachael Tess, formerly of OBT School, Portland Oregon where she studied ballet with Haydee Gutierrez (Now at the Tampa Center for the Performing Arts). That's 2 Princess Grace winners in three years trained by Haydee! (Angela Snow of ABT won in 2000)

Sorry...in a bit of a rush...I was refering to Calliope's concern Onegin is too obscure to sell many seats. But that flies in the face of the facts as SusanB has presented them. A popular company trying out a risky unfamiliar full length still sells half the house, because it's built up a trusting (and hopefully subscibed) audience willing to give it a chance. This seems to not be the case in Boston. So what happened? I agree that the first place to look is the subscription base. What about other Boston sized cities? How are they doing for audience? Watermill

Ah, but we're not absorbing what SusanB wrote earlier: "In the past, just about every full length ballet nearly has sold out -- or at least sold extremely well -- in Boston. Boston audiences sold out 3 full weeks of Sleeping Beauty a few years ago, and weekday matinee performances were added. Similarly, all the full lengths of the past few years -- La Bayadere, Cleopatra, Don Quixote, Giselle, Dracula, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Madame Butterfly -- sold very well. " Taking consideration of the difficulties mentioned I would expect Onegin to perhaps sell 60% ....BUT NOT 17%!!! I am suggesting that the bottom has fallen out and unless the Curse of the Bambino has climbed into tights and a tutu I still await a reason for it... Watermill...rounding third...

From Christine Temin's review in the Boston Globe... "And developing dance makers are what the ballet world needs - globally, but particularly in Boston, which lacks a loyal public for dance. Boston Ballet is in dire need of an audience. The company recently danced ''Onegin,'' the finest story ballet it has ever presented, in the Wang Theatre. Ticket sales were pitiful, only 7,000 seats in all. At the Wang, that's less than the equivalent of two full houses, spread across 12 performances. " Is this true? If it is, BB has it's work cut out in the next year. A company that size cannot survive such terrible Box Office. Good grief: that's selling approx 17% of avail seating! What happened? Did the public lose interest during all the controversies in leadership? Did BB get out of touch with their audience? Have they failed to build audience over the last few years? Is the huge Wang Center (and its huge rent) a mistake? Is anyone else as shocked as I am? This is supposed to be a top ten company; it has a new & exciting Artistic Director; received very strong critical praise for its first three programs...??? Would someone from Boston (my home town) please illuminate the situation? Thanks, Watermill

From Christine Temin's review in the Boston Globe... "And developing dance makers are what the ballet world needs - globally, but particularly in Boston, which lacks a loyal public for dance. Boston Ballet is in dire need of an audience. The company recently danced ''Onegin,'' the finest story ballet it has ever presented, in the Wang Theatre. Ticket sales were pitiful, only 7,000 seats in all. At the Wang, that's less than the equivalent of two full houses, spread across 12 performances. " Is this true? If it is, BB has it's work cut out in the next year. A company that size cannot survive such terrible Box Office. Good grief: that's selling approx 17% of avail seating! What happened? Did the public lose interest during all the controversies in leadership? Did BB get out of touch with their audience? Have they failed to build audience over the last few years? Is the huge Wang Center (and its huge rent) a mistake? Is anyone else as shocked as I am? This is supposed to be a top ten company; it has a new & exciting Artistic Director; received very strong critical praise for its first three programs...??? Would someone from Boston (my home town) please illuminate the situation? Thanks, Watermill (Watermill, I've copied this from the Boston Ballet forum and left your post in for context, unedited - Mel Johnson)

...AND he's not only had every one of the above " Living Landmarks" on his show (including the Forbes Chauffers), but most of the other kinds of Landmarks! Remember that night the Tri-Boro Bridge mixed it up with Grant's Tomb!? Now that's what I call ShowBiz!! A defiant Watermill, triumphantly planting his 100th post! PS: FarrellFan, in my mind you have now entered the Pantheon of the Obscurely Divine. Congratulations!

Yeah, but that's the only thing deep about them... -a dejected Watermill, slouching towards his 100th post... (Say! Is that a Landmark!!?)

Hey, they left out the Forbes Cousins!? What's with that!!? So a Landmark can now be a...person. Oh, I think I get it it...because they tower over the landscape...pointing the way to glory and....um....and....um....Fabulous Cabaret Songs!....and....Chart-Busting Record Sales!...and...Warmed Over Ballet Repetoire!...and...Hard Hitting Sometimes Researched TV Interviews!...and...Being Wealthy And Brothers All At The Same Time! I just can't believe they left Joe Franklin off the list. Maybe next year.... an extremely bitter and disappointed Watermill

...and this evening's performance of "Who Cares?" is brought to you by.....DEPENDS! Sorry...couldn't control myself....

But would they have been appreciated here? Pardon my cynicism, but Canfield has grown an audience that gives a yahooing standing ovation to a piece that ends with a ten minute hip hop solo by a non company member, while the company stands around her in the dark shining spot lights on her. I ran up the aisle and when I got to my car, it was all I could do to not drive through the night to SF. Obviously I didn't. But as obviously the bad taste of the whole evening lingers. I'd better stop. As I said above: the new Artistic Director can not arrive fast enough. I know there's a ballet audience here, but after 13 years of eccentric egomania, it will have to be grown from scratch. And if I ever see another grand battement on a heavy downbeat... Watermill

It's between Christopher Stowell and another candidate whom I will not name as he is currently AD at another company, and I'm not sure they know he's looking around. After last night's opening at OBT, I must say it can't happen fast enough for me. Perhaps when I have more time, I'll wax un-poetic... the prodigal Watermill

Wait...I'm having a vision...Rite of Spring...every April 15th...danced by accountants!

One can only assume thy're dancing Swan Lake?

I'm going to go "small" with this question and suggest that dance companies invite local cable access volunteer crews to shoot their performances, rehearsals, stuffing wool in the shoes etc..You know: the Cspan total-view approach. I was around 12 when some goofy daytime local Ladies Show wedged between the soaps had as guests some male dancers who performed a wonderful piece as horses galloping and prancing around the tiny curtained studio. It was completely entrancing: athletic and strong and also graceful and imaginative. I date my strong interest in dance to that moment. And this on a grainy black&white old tv circa 1962. I know that some companies might think that people who watch them on TV won't come to performances. I think evidence is to the contrary. And what about those 12 year old boys who need to see and feel the thrill of dance? Why they could be the future posters of BalletTalk!

And the reason it would not be Monica Mason is...? After all the backing and forthing in the "Mystery Man at OBT" thread, I can hardly let this one go by!

In a previous lifetime, I was a repair tech for stringed instruments, and took an ebony block that we used for fingerboards and made a pair of castinets for my daughter. I got a thrill watching her use them in performance. I've always been fascinated by the construction of point shoes and wondered what it would be like to learn to make them. I am also interested in sprung floor construction. Stuff like that... the crafty Watermill