Old Fashioned

And this is why we do not have a true interpretation of MacMillan's R&J with Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable on film, and the ballet is still largely associated with Fonteyn and Nureyev. And let's not forget that when Sadler Wells Ballet first brought Sleeping Beauty to the States, the American people wanted to see Moira Shearer because of the fame she accumulated from The Red Shoes, but Fonteyn was pushed into the spotlight by dancing Aurora on opening night. In the latter case, an artistic decision was made over a financial one, and it was a brilliant move, but one can't help but wonder what kind of impression Shearer would have made. Both examples illustrate how the star system can be helpful or detrimental to the multiple people involved.

Yet she decided to join a far-right wing party with a blatantly racist stance and history. Couldn't she have chosen a more moderate party?

You can find a few videos of Simone Clarke and Yat-Sen Chang at their website: http://www.yschang.co.uk What I don't understand is how Chang could have encouraged her to join the BNP. What exactly are his views on the immigration issue? Or perhaps that doesn't even matter and it's about letting the one you love believe in whatever she wants to believe in. Even so, I'm still scratching my head over this... There is one thing that Ms. Clarke has gained from this: publicity. I didn't have a clue who she was before hearing this story (and I have a feeling many others didn't, either). Now I'm afraid I probably know more about her than I care to know. Also, for those balletomanes who are considering boycotting her performances, they may not have to worry about seeing her on stage in the near future. Sorry to say I can't find the link to the article right now, but I read somewhere that she is considering a change of career (even plumbing!). Another aspect of her behavior I find odd is her determination to not socialize with her peers at ENB, other than Chang of course. I always thought dancers had such a strong sense of camaraderie. Once again, this leaves her the odd one out.

I cannot for the life of me take this musical/movie seriously after the parody of it in Team America (Lease: everyone has AIDS! AIDS! AIDS!). As fine of an idea that Rent is (is it the first "rock musical"?), no offense to Rent fans, but the music is just unbearable.

I was amused to read a review of the new P&P (I think in the New Yorker?) to see that this adaptation has been "Bronte-fied" and Darcy was turned into a sort of Heathcliff, not disimilar to something you said before.

No. I know how you feel. I was slightly disappointed when I saw the Fred and Ginger movies on first viewing, but then I came to accept them as they are. I don't think the films were ever intented to be great, they only serve as vehicles for displaying a great dance partnership. As for their singing, I enjoy their rather subdued voices. It doesn't overshadow their dancing and I find it to be a nice respite from the popular powerhouse singing of the likes of Bing Crosby and Judy Garland (not that I find anything wrong with that style, either).

No offense, but I just choked on my chocolate truffle when I read that.

I'm looking forward to La Boheme with Hei-Kyung Hong and and Rigoletto with Anna Netrebko. I wish I could have been at opening night, but I'm a poor college student.

Those scenes always brought the biggest smiles to my face. Donald O'Connor almost steals the scene from Kelly.

Thanks for sharing that story. I wish I was old enough to have seen him in person. Those moments in High Society were the only ones I truly enjoyed.

I wouldn't call Titanic overrated because there are many who do consider it to be a bad movie. I hated High Society, although I haven't seen Philadelphia Story to compare it to. What did you mean by that comment on the Satchmo cameo, Carbro? Breakfast at Tiffany's is far from being my favorite A. Hepburn film. Funny Face. Didn't like that one too much, either.

Ninotchka and Camille are my favorites. Grand Hotel wasn't all that romantic to me. MoMA is having a Garbo Centenary featuring rare Garbo films (The Saga of Gosta Berling and Joyless Street). and footage on September 18-19.

I was looking forward to seeing her in it.

That should be on my list, too.

Congrats to the happy couple!

Angelina Jolie as the Siren Uma Thurman as Myrtha Natalie Portman as Lise Jean Marais as Apollo Laurence Olivier as Prince Siegfried Robert Taylor as Albrecht

Gigi Camille A Very Long Engagement Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Rebecca A Place in the Sun Dangerous Liaisons Chocolat

My thoughts exactly when I saw a preview for it in the theater. I'll stick to the Garson/Olivier version, thank you very much.

I've heard both good and bad things about Maina, and I'm not ready to take any 'sides', but this article is really making me question what Welch is doing with the company. I've never been more disillusioned with the way things are turning out.

Wow. There's not much else to say.

HB Hits the Road September 28, 2005 Fall for Dance Festival City Center New York, NY Nosotros October 8, 2005 Northrop Auditorium University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN Nosotros Rooster Divergence October 11, 2005 Harriman Arts Music Hall Kansas City, MO Nosotros Rooster Divergence October 14 - 15, 2005 Dance St. Louis Fox Theatre St. Louis, MO Nosotros Forgotten Land Divergence April 27 - 29, 2006 Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montreal Salle Wilfred-Prelletter, Place des Arts Montreal, Canada Giselle May 4 - 6, 2006 National Arts Centre Ottawa, Canada Nosotros Divergence The Accidental They're going to be all over the place this season. I'll be happy to see the home company in NY- where they haven't appeared for more that two decades- although I wish they were bringing something else (like an excerpt from Gielgud's lovely production of Giselle).

A few dancers with the Houston Ballet, most prominently a principal and a soloist, followed Ben Stevenson to Texas Ballet Theatre after Stanton Welch became the new AD for HB. This occurred a year after Welch had taken over.

That suprised me a bit, too. But I doubt many kids under the age of 10 today, at least in America, would recognize what mead was, unless they were really good at reading context clues. Editing to add: No matter what people think of the contents in the Potter novels, reading them is still a more suitable and healthier pastime than playing videogames (which, sadly, are taking over the toy industry) or watching the latest trash on television.

No, but then again I don't think too many 8 and 9 year olds are reading Pippi Longstocking anymore. When I was in elementary school, all the kids were reading Goosebumps ("dark" material) or Babysitters Club and the Sweet Valley series (which always dealt with relationships of that sort). Sure, some kids may go "eww, gross" at all the snogging involved, but it's nothing that they can't handle and they'll just get a good giggle out of it. It's not going to stop them from reading HP, either. Children these days are maturing a lot faster than we're used to thinking they do.

I have to disagree. There are much worse things out there corrupting children than a harmless book. To me, it is still a children's novel that people of all ages can enjoy. Sure, there's romance, a bloodied nose, more bullying, death, and even a bit of "mead" drinking, but there's no cursing, sex, extreme violence, drunkenness, or drugs involved. I guess someone could dispute that there is violence, particularly at the climax of the novel, but what could it influence children to do? Throw around spells and hexes at each other? Better waving wands than waving guns. Besides, what I love most about the Potter series is that Rowling teaches us that the most magical and powerful thing in the world is love, not how one can yield a wand.