Ray

My 2 cents: Balanchine made regular, if infrequent, visits to Chicago in the late 70s-early 80s to see Tallchief's company (performances only, to the best of my knowledge). And Patricia Wilde sometimes mentioned spending time with him outside of NY (her husband was Russian too, very pals-y with B)--I know they had a place in France. But I'll stop speculating.

I actually made it to Fort Lauderdale last night for the performance (a whirlwind trip; the night before, I saw NY Theater Ballet do Tudor, and I live in PHILADELPHIA. Don't ask.) I'm not going to add to the discussion of Nightspot b/c I disliked it very much along lines already discussed, and I just get cranky thinking about all that money thrown around. I'm allergic to hype too, I guess. So: Square Dance. Last night's cast was Tricia Albertson and Jeremy Cox. I generally thought she was technically very good but, as I often feel about Louise Nadeau at PNB, I wish there was a bit more confidence there. She revealed some tiredness in her echappes and gargouillades at the end, but that's understandable with, as Leigh noted, those fast tempos, which I generally appreciated. Cox was also technically secure, but I like my Square Dance man to have a bit more gravitas (a tempo problem too?)--so I guess I'm disagreeing with Bart a bit there. There was some weirdness in the couple's transition from the 1st movement into the first pdd--the hand giving/taking/bowing didn't really make sense, and it should, at least gesturally; it looked arbitrary. The corps was pretty much always great, precise but also playful, as it should be--although one corps woman needs to tone down the extra-dance gesturing/flirting with the audience a bit--she looked demented sometimes, esp. when she was standing on the sidelines (the whole corps does lots of gesturing when they are standing still, which looked a bit strange at times). But yes, they seem excellently rehearsed. Being a Philadelphian, it's a real eye-opener, as I don't think PA Ballet's Balanchine is up to this level. Tarentella: I missed the orchestra; the piano, way upstage, sounded far away. Not sure the lead woman (Delgado) always piqued on straight knees, but clearly she's a powerhouse--in line to do Don Q, no? I like the way she pulls into pirouettes, very powerful. (Still, it's hard to get Bouder out of my mind from last summer's performance at Saratoga.) And Penteado was certainly up to the task. Sonatine was new to me, so I had nothing to compare it to. I thought Mary Carmen Catoya was pretty wonderful. Yet I couldn't help wishing that she and her partner, Alex Wong, were a bit more sophisticated in their approach, somehow--they lacked a certain maturity, esp. Wong, that the dance seemed to call for. Have to see it again, though, to be sure. By the way, I spotted Acocella there. I wonder if she will write about MCB somewhere? (she just wrote in the NYker last week, so we know it'll be a long time before she writes there again). I hope I can come for a longer visit next time!

[Veering off-topic here] I agree that the role of chance cannot be overstated. Yet while I want to agree with you completely, papeetpatrick, it sometimes seems that it's precisely the craftsmanship dimension that's missing from in contemporary choreographers, especially ballet choreographers (who, actually, I hear speak more in public about "inspiration" b/c it makes more interesting copy). Puffing up music at the expense of dance, again, I think this is one area where composers and musicians for the most part (and I am generalizing, to be sure) have a leg up over choreographers and dancers--they seem to be able to merge rigorous process and "inspiration" more productively. And they are usually more articulate about it, too. [drifting back on topic] Prokofiev wrote dozens of works, but every year brings another ROMEO--not that Mark Morris's choice doesn't sound interesting, but still...

And yet, every year brings another Carmina Burana! This of course raises the issue of how young choreographers come to their music, and reminds us of the extraordinary nature of Balanchine's choices--I mean, where did he hear Faure's incidental music to Shylock? (Of course as a pianist, he could pick up scores and play them--tho' I wonder if he did as part of his "research" process.) Ironic that most everything is available on CD now and yet the range of choices choreographers (not only ballet ones) make seem very limited.

Some randon pieces from the Western canon (mostly German) that get me thinking of movement: Bruckner String Quintet Mozart String Quartets Schubert German Dances for piano (orch. Webern or played on pianoforte) Music of Carl Maria von Weber The "other" Shumann Piano Quartet (i.e., other than the one that Mark Morris used in V) Mahler orch. of Schubert Death and the Maiden quartet Schubert Octet (give the Mendelssohn a break!) Beethoven trios Petrouchka reconceived as abstract dance There are some fabulous instrumentalists out there who are playing pieces on unorthodox instruments, such as Mozart's fabulously theatrical organ works played on accordian. Musicians, in my opinion, are far more creative in terms of working/playing with the past than choreographers are. Sorry, it's just something that I notice more and more with the passing of time: music concerts, even very small-scale ones, often give me more to think about--and impress me more with a high level of thoughtful presentation and preparation--than the biggest ballet production. Also, would love choregraphers to show that they care HOW a particular piece sounds--played on original instruments? Old crackly recordings? Live? Arranged for other instruments? Not just grabbing the recording with the tempos that fit the steps (and then not crediting it in the program notes).

I think Haydn would be tough for a choreographer, in my opinion. All of that exposition. Would hate to hear it as aural wallpaper for a "funny 18th-century manners" ballet.

Paris Square Dance w/caller or w/out?

Actually, the shape wasn't hands holding a platter, but actually holding the head, at about eye level or slightly above--the top hand on the top of the severed head, and the bottom hand holding the (presumably bloody) neck-stump--so a different kind of urgent, perhaps (i.e., motivating the dancers to run like they're carrying a bloody head?--never mind that most of us wouldn't pick one up to begin with). Gruesome. And three of them! I think most viewers imagine that they are holding boxes, perhaps gifts.

Could you elaborate? If it's not too much to ask, I'd be curious to know more about where this imagery is requested. "Under the barrel" (and over the barrel) refers to a part of Dark Elegies (women's dance, so I don't remember when); the port de head of John B comes in Lilac Garden, when some (3?) corps women whisp across the stage (near the beginning, I think), with their arms out in front of them holding .... something.

How did you see these? I don't see any link on this site to video--is this merely a listing of upcoming broadcasts (sorry my German is very rusty)?

Lots of good explanations as to why Tudor's work is neglected. I'll add my own subjective, dancer-based one. I think performers--and ADs--can be impatient with the process of setting a Tudor ballet, b/c it's incredibly mystified (as in made cryptic), even to those performing it. It's the rare dancer who really "gets it"; the rest of us are never quite sure we're "rolling under the barrel" or "carrying the head of John the Baptist" in just the right way. Or why those images matter to the movement. And while no one is as harsh as Tudor himself was, the people who set his works sometimes emulate his authoritarian ways--to an end that is, again, not always easy to understand.

I don't know what her budget was, but the Divertimento costumes and most others SFB wears were designed by Holly Hynes. Well, she must have been working within a tight budget.

Exactly. That's why I think we have to be careful when we call Farrell "successful." She has in many respects succeeded on an artistic level, but the financial fate of any small, new company is a house of cards.

I have to concur with papeetepatrick's parenthetical comment. Like most principal dancers, Farrell's career was spent in intense self-development, making the transition to teacher and artistic director a struggle. She's done better than I might have imagined. Whatever her "successes," however, I'm not that interested in watching her struggle; in fact, at times it's heartbreaking (low point: seeing the promising yet inexperienced dancers of SF Ballet perform Divertimento No. 15 in clearly cut-rate costumes). I think Farrell needs to be supported as part of the NYCB organization, and I want to see NYCB dancers (and the company's ballets) blossom on stage under her coaching. But that's just my wish list, and as others have noted, Farrell may have other desires! BTW there's an informative article, by Jeff Edwards, in the latest issue (Mar. '08) of Dancing Times, in re a retreat for "aspiring artistic directors." One of the many insights Edwards makes: "By nature, dance is an insular art form, and dance companies have replicated that inward focus by clinging steadfastly to management practices that are rigidly hierarchical and afraid of change" (39). (The article is unavailable online.)

I urge all to use the "contact us" feature of the Balanchine cat. if you notice mistakes or omissions and also to express your wishes about what you think should be included here. Assume nothing; this is a huge undertaking that the BC is taking on and I imagine that they might welcome assistance. I think the bar can be set very high in terms of the level and variety of detail that can be included here. Why not encourage them, for instance, to include a section, a la Reperetory in Review but much expanded in terms of sources, of reflections from people who saw particular performances? Dancer interviews? Musical score notations (i.e., what got kept and cut)? Dance notations, where they exist? And links to audio and video, eventually? The possibilities are--or should be--endless; the powers-that-be should think about enlisting engaged balletomanes in contributing. It worked for the Oxford English Dictionary.

Here's another incarnation of the "argument," from a news clip on the NZ Ballet (pertinent part comes at the end): Royal New Zealand Ballet

Well, they are among the first words in his article, and I think b/c one hasn't encountered an "argument" before doesn't mean that it's unimportant. Sexuality is a big part of the practice of dance--for better or for worse--and I don't think we need to run away from it. Also, I think that the article speaks to young men in different ways. Had I read that as a young man, for instance, I might have been attracted to dance b/c of the picture of Sascha, but also potentially worried by the anxiety that gayness seems to inspire in the article.

Ray, this is my all-time personal favorite reason for going into ballet! OMG I'm not special anymore!

I wanted to reply to this too--very observant as to the kind of narratives that people like to hear about men in dance. As opposed to, say, "I got hooked on dance because I watched Busby Berkeley movies and wanted to be a petal on one of the human flowers"; or, "I wanted to get AWAY from the boys who were tipped and trying to burn down the house"; or "I wanted to see those boys in tights."

Great comments, CeC! I think gay women's relation to ballet is woefully under-discussed; the gay ballerina qua lesbian won't appear in Newsweek anytime soon. For those so inclined, the dance theorist/historian Susan Foster, who self-identifies as queer, writes extensively on ballet in a positive vein.

Hi Ray, It took my daughter to figure out how to do this!! Thanks for your kind words.Are you still involved in dance? I'm staging Balanchine works for the Trust. Keep in touch! Cheers, Joysanne Joysanne, You've set your profile so as not to receive private messages, so I'll say hi back in this public forum, and answer yes and no to your question about dance. I'm not dancing, but doing scholarship in literature that includes dance. Glad to hear you're staging works for the Trust! Do you keep a blog about your experiences? If not, I wish you'd consider it--the work of ballet reconstructors needs to be narrated and documented, especially by smart and dynamic voices like yours.

The thread is, but the article is not, IMO. He would have needed to say explicitly that "gay does not equal sissy" as well, which he does not do--especially if he needed to proclaim his heterosexuality as well. Without including 'gay masculine dancers' explicitly, he puts them back in the closet. He says 'some of my colleagues are gay' and adds 'Can we move on now?' which is like saying 'That's the bad news. Now here's the good news.' It also brings up the even more difficult matter of 'does sissiness exist?' People usually don't want to answer this, as it involves political correctness. Sissiness means male effeminacy (which can be straight or gay, by the way), and it does exist. There is plenty of it everywhere, so it must exist in the dance world--I've heard that it does. So that some of the forms of effeminacy among males--someone mentioned that there is problem 'trying to act masculine' and that gays often want to do this to make them feel a 'better person'--are considered not very desirable. I think all these points of view are fair. I know I want to 'seem masculine', not effeminate, and don't care what the verdict on that is (I certainly am under no obligation to do so in the environment in which I live.) But there are some very famous male dancers who are what I would term 'very feminine' in some ways which I find attractive and that adds to their art as ballet dancers--and seeing 'the feminine' in males is not the same thing as 'effeminacy' (or not exactly the same and/or not nearly always the same), although most don't make the difference, and it does need to be made, as does the fact that there are many effeminate straight men as well. papeetepatrick raises some great points. Never, for instance, will we see a mainstream article on men in dance in which a male dancer says "I signed up for ballet because of meeting all the boys" or "I like moving gracefully to music" or "Ballet helps me to bring out my feminine side" or even "my mom didn't want me to grow up to be a jerky straight guy." Ballet companies drool over loudly straight men (think Ethan Stiefel revving his motorcycle in Center Stage); articles/press material about gay male dancers are less likely to discuss the dancer's personal lives than materials about "straight" ones, which love to trumpet marriages and children. And yes straight in quotes b/c there are loudly straight male dancers--as in any profession--who are deeply closeted. BTW the notion that male ballet dancers can be closeted never ceases to be a point of amusement among my non-dancer friends--in fact, they can't believe the closet exists in the dance context at all, and giggle that the ballet world gets so excited over what they see as rather rigid ideals of masculinity. (But some of these friends also can't believe dancers smoke and do drugs.)

Being bulked-up and tattooed is also a gay aesthetic, fyi. In fact, we may have popularized the look first. And while it may be "his business" to state his sexuality, he is stating it in a national forum--so it is, in a sense, more than just his business. Little Tomato's comments are trenchant; despite what the media likes to portray as "progress" in thinking about masculinity, I invite any two men to walk down the street holding hands in, say, Pittsburgh and see what happens. And I think there are well-meaning straight people out there who think we can do this without suffering any negative effects.

There's quite a chasm between "godlike worship" and vague stigma. I do think it takes unusual courage for a boy whose social environment belittles or disdains achievement in dance (or theater, or painting, or football). If you watch nature films as much as I do, you understand that for creatures in complex social systems, creatures learn from the reactions of their communities -- be they monkeys, apes or even doggies. If you're eleven years old and your peers are calling you sissy and ostracizing you because you like to dance ballet, it may be a bigger price than you're willing to pay for what you want to do. The drive to persevere would have to be pretty intense. When and where I grew up, only about an hour outside of NYC, my interest in ballet (which was nothing compared to what it would eventually become) marked me, a girl, as a bit of a weirdo. There's the argument that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but sometimes parts of us get killed. But I think we need to stay away from the animal analogies; they cause us to generalize in ways that shut down, rather than open up discussion. While social trends may be enlightening--i.e., it's certainly true that most boys who take up ballet will face opposition from someone, and the culture as a whole does not value the labor of male ballet dancers the way it does sports figures--it's also important to note differences. For instance, I'm sure the Kaiser or Otto brothers never faced "Billy Eliot"-level ostracism. And I'm sure many female dancers will remember how a single male dancer in their dancing school got all the attention simply b/c he was male (hmmm....do I sound like Geraldine Ferarro?).

Agreed - to an extent. I think the best of what I saw on Weds were those dancers who danced big and accurate - Whelan especially. And although it's all from video, I never thought of the 'original' NYCB ballerinas as *not* dancing big - in fact what was so fabulous about them was their use of space regardless of tempo. To some extent, what I've liked about some Balanchine ballets (or shall I say, casting for Balanchine ballets), is a bit of the challenge to usual senses of dancer 'types' - here we see some tall, leggy dancers whipping through quick allegro. When done right, it can be absolutely brilliant. As much as we like to think of favorite NYCB dancers of yore as dancing big, there is video evidence that, by today's standards, even the leggiest dancers danced "small." The dancers in an old video I saw once of Barocco looked positively demure.