Ray

Heidi Cruz is STILL not a soloist????!!!!! Figures. (I think she is amazing, even more so now that I know she gave birth!). Neither is Neenan, for that matter. And they'd better promote Jermel Johnson if they want to keep him.

You won't be disappointed (unless, of course, you're looking for sex. None there, really); interestingly, in the course of my own research I've seen many scholars refer to Yourcenar's work--pretty amazing (she did the translation too). By the way, plug the title into the IMDB--there is actually a Memoirs of Hadrian flim "in production"! We'll see if it ever comes out....... Perhaps Eifman should choreograph the story? ("Spartacus" meets "Tchaikovsky: The Mystery of Life and Death" !)

I'm sure the steps are challenging on an individual level. I'm more concerned with how the company is challenged artistically--as well as how the *audience* is challenged. I know that PAB is versitile; they've shown that many, many times in the past. I think, though, that they deserve to perform better work.

My list: Colm Toibin's latest, Mothers and Sons (short stories) Marguerite Yourcenar's Memoirs of Hadrian A. Roger Ekirch's At Day's Close: Night in Times Past (nonfiction) Cervantes's Don Quixote (in a newly republished ed'n of Tobias Smollet's late 18th-c translation--very witty!) --and beginning to re-read Mann's Magic Mountain (new translation)

I apologize for the tone. And I'd like to add that I also think Neenan is a very, very talented choreographer. This is a "growing pain" for him; too bad it's on such a large scale. My concern is for the artistic possibility of PAB which, in my opinion, is constantly thwarted by company's artistic decisions. They are world-class dancers who are not challenged enough.

Who, pray tell, is the "creative team" at PAB that makes programming decisions?

Very well done, both the video and the text. Ringer has a great sense of humor as well.

I'd like to add to GWTW's criticisms. Carmina was a conceptual mess, with a costumer who had too much money and control over the look of the piece (and I won't even address the gratuitous set piece, which shrank the Academy stage for no apparent reason except to test the dancers' ingenuity). The audience was seduced by a kind of slo-mo strip show, yet there was nothing sexual or sensuous about the choreography, contra the LOUD and insistent marketing hype. Sadly, there was no deep movement investigation, only a lot of shallow rehashing of modernisms appropriated from other choregraphers. With all the costume and hairdo changes, and pseudo-Graham (shadows of John Butler?), it should have just been delivered as a camp sendup of Princess Leia meeting fascists from Pan's Labyrinth (if only this production were that culturally aware!). This is a production with a mixed-up sense of priorities, except for a keen eye on the bottom line. The wonderful dancers worked so hard for so little artistic return (I'm so tired of having to say that!). Another Philly also-ran, alas: flashy and trashy.

Well, I like to hope that there's always more to say--I mean people are still writing about Hamlet and Beethoven's 5th. And again, I think republishing LK's writings is great; my suggestion is to add more stuff--why not have an embarrassment of riches (something we're perhaps not used to in the dance world) to mark LK's rich life?

The PAB lineup for 2007-08 (culled from the links for Mar. 8th): Paul Taylor's Company B Balanchine's Concerto Barocco Another piece from the company's repertoire Ben Stevenson's Dracula. The Nutcracker (new production, by the way) Robert Weiss' Messiah Coppélia, choreography Nicholas Sergeyev after Marius Petipa Wheeldon's Carnival of the Animals New work by Peter Quanz to music by Elliott Carter What do people think of this lineup? I'm underwhelmed; a few interesting choices, but nothing here seems like it will challenge the company's dancers. In other words, business as usual for PA Ballet. I don't see much of an artistic vision at work here. Also, the same news story that announced these ballets reports that PAB is raising many of its seat prices.

Dance in the Shadow of the Guillotine (1988) by Judith Chazin-Bennahum is the most comprehensive treatment of this topic that I know about. You might also check out the more recent--and beautifully illustrated--Art, Dance, and the Body in French Culture of the Ancien Régime by Sarah R. Cohen.

Thanks, Dale--and by doing so, you've made it clear that Ballet Talkers have thought about this far more carefully and passionately than the folks at NYCB. (And so have the other institutions participating in the Centennial.) All that money, security, and history, and yet....... Another idea: instead of only reprinting LK's program notes--which is a great thing--why not also commission new program notes from notable artists (of all sorts) and writers? That way we'd have the archival record, as well as honor the celebration of novelty which LK also represented.

Thanks, Dale, for looking this up. I wonder if each ballet was chosen carefully b/c of a particular relation to LK, rather than the general one of his being co-founder of NYCB. Some connections are obvious--Orpheus, Agon, 4T's--others not so much? Apollo--b/c he saw it in Europe before bringing Balanchine here? Square Dance--did he suggest using the caller? (Please correct me if I'm missing something obvious here.) I would have thought NYCB might have reconstructed a rarity from the 30s-40s that LK or his circle conceptualized. They only have the best NYCB archive in the world to draw on right next door!

Does anyone know what these 10 works will be?

I think Suzanne Farrell is a perfect example of a great dancer with less-than-perfect technique. Her example is in fact unique in this regard. She didn't just make lemonade with her lemons; she created a whole new fruit.

Has anyone emailed the producers yet with their criticisms? I think it would be productive for the CR producers to hear from a critical mass of educated viewers. The email addy for comments is charlierose@pbs.org (I hope it's ok to include this email here).

Ray, I must dissent on one point. Patrick Bissell wasn't hot? I had to get out my oven mitts just to put up a poster. I submit, gladly!

Some handsome/hot blasts from the past: Kip Houston (handsome) Peter Schaufuss (hot) Patrick Bissell (handsome) John Tourjaman (both) Ethan Browne (both) OT: Christopher Gillis (hot) [am I dating myself?]

Now if ballet companies/major dance presenters could get it together to do this...the Bolshoi's Don Q at Kennedy Center would've been fun to see in such a setting!

The thread on bad ballet music got me thinking about something that's almost universally bad at the ballet, at least in the US: program book copy and press material (ads, brochures, press releases , etc.). I've seen program books at small-town music events that put the publications of major dance companies/presenters to shame on many levels--depth/breadth of information, consistency, formatting, number of errors, etc. Any thoughts on why? Any exceptions I'm just too snarky to see? It can't just be blamed on lack of money... In the case of visiting dance companies, when program notes are bad is it the company's fault or the presenter's fault? For instance, I went to a recent performance where one of the dancer bios was three times longer than that of the artistic director (hilariously, the dancer was about 22 years old and had been in the company for 6 months!). And those music credits... If this has been covered already on another thread, my apologies.

Thanks for the speedy answers! Natalia, I'm fascinated that wearing tights could be a choice, especially in a traditional company like the Bolshoi. And Mashinka, I of course stand in total awe at the quietness of the feet, esp. considering the height of the jumps! But I have to say the dirtiness of shoes, costumes, and sets put me off--I was sitting very close, mind you. And while the soft pointe shoes may be comfy and clearly reliable, they don't always flatter the feet (fortunately, these feet were mostly pretty amazing). One more shoe note: the Toreador was wearing white, lace-up jazz shoes! Couldn't they sew some kind of flap or faux buckle over the laces? (plus, when I think of a toreador I always imagine black shoes). The floor itself looked in need of a good sweeping, and that can't be blamed on the Bolshoi. I've actually noticed dirty floors at a lot of major venues lately. Budget cuts? I'm sure it's expensive to pay a stagehand to push a broom, but it's worth it.

At the risk of breaking a posting rule, I'm going to repeat myself from another thread (the other Bolshoi-at-KC thread, which seems to be inactive now that this one's hot), because inquiring minds want to know: Why are the 2 flower girls in act one bare-legged? Is this traditional for these roles in the ballet? For the Bolshoi? (I hope I have the role name right--they're two "side leads" who wear orange tutu-ish dresses). What's with the ratty point shoes & ribbons?--they look worn out and dirty, even Osipova's. The set's pretty tired, too (I'm perplexed by some of the good reviews it's gotten!). Money problems? For all the incredible jumping, the dancers seemed not to make a sound. Is this b/c of Kennedy Center's acoustics or the dancers (i.e., worn-out point shoes are quieter)?

Quick questions after viewing today's matinee w/Osipova & Vasiliev (who were spectacular, needless to say!): Why don't the 2 flower girls in act one wear tights? What's with the ratty point shoes & ribbons?--they look worn out and dirty, even Osipova's. The set's pretty tired, too. Money problems? For all the incredible jumping, the dancers seemed not to make a sound! Is this b/c of Kennedy Center's acoustics or the dancers (i.e., worn-out point shoes are quieter)?

kfw wrote: "He had two fill-in stints at The New Yorker, a magazine known for style with substance." Well, them's the pre-Tina Brown laurels they rest on, anyway.

There's a reason the Times is often characterized as "middlebrow"!