Hans

I've never seen a ballet written out that way before, although as carbro notes, it could be used to indicate patterns. Most of the time, steps are written using the French terminology, although dance notation is (slowly) becoming more widely used. The thing is, ballet steps are taught in person, directly from teacher to student, rather than being written down. Written notes are used more as an aide-mémoire for a teacher to remember exercises or for a dancer learning choreography, so frequently they aren't intended to be legible to anyone else.

My experience has been that the state of character dancing today is very bad. Not many schools offer character dance classes, and those that do generally do not require it for very many years, and even then the classes are held about once a week, so although it is fun to do, it's difficult for students to take it seriously. Part of the problem, I think, is that relatively few ballets really require character dance. The most widely performed are Swan Lake and The Nutcracker (but Nutcracker's character dances are frequently balleticised). Otherwise, there is Coppélia, particularly Act I, and how many companies perform a full-length Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, or La Bayadère?

The worst character dancing I've seen lately was in ABT's Swan Lake. Bland and boring. I understand the dancers are performing for nobility in a ballroom, but the dancing still must have weight and power. It was much too light and delicate.

I believe the Bolshoi's character dancers are usually quite excellent, with a stirring dramatic fire and expressive upper bodies.

It's a bit difficult to find videos, but I'll search some more.

Aurora's father is Florestan XIV.

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Very jealous of everyone who lives in Toronto right now! I hope some BT members are able to review her Nutcracker and Giselle performances.

I think you are referring to the "Florestan" pas de trois in which Aurora's brother "Florimund" and her two sisters dance to the music of the Fairies of the Precious Stones and Metals. I *think* this originated with the Royal Ballet & was choreographed by Ashton, but I could be wrong.

I agree with rg--Vaganova's Basic Principles of Classical Ballet shows the differences quite clearly.

I believe it is wisdom, as the lilac represents wisdom in Russian folklore.

I would say yes, it is definitely worth it. Kolpakova's technique is immaculate, and while one can only imagine what she would have been like 20 years earlier, we are fortunate to have her beautiful and charming portrayal captured on film.

And in reply to Hans, who wrote "dancers are used to performing as if the audience isn't there," another way of putting this would be to say that performers always act as if an audience is always there.

Yes indeed!

I don't find it so surprising considering that dancers are used to performing as if the audience isn't there.

The ladies of the Paris Opera Ballet do not always have unusually high extensions, but they do generally have extremely fast, tidy footwork and clean lines. The current ladies of the Mariinsky have consistently high extensions, but unfortunately their footwork and lines generally leave something to be desired, to the point where I wonder what is going on at the Vaganova Academy.

That's what I'm saying. It's much easier to keep a phone with you than a large textbook.

There is also Gretchen Ward Warren's "Classical Ballet Technique" which, while it does not have videos, has very clear step-by-step photos of professional dancers performing all kinds of steps. It is about $30 and fairly large, so having all that on one's mobile would certainly be convenient.

I'm quite interested in hearing what you think, Natalia. The review mostly mentions Valdes' balancing, which we already know she's good at, but what about the characterisation?

I would say my the most beautiful however many minutes are when Alfredo Kraus is singing.

That is a very interesting idea, Richard--I'd never thought of doing it with projections. I doubt they'd want to bring back the Chagall right now, as Julie Taymor is a big name, but it's nice to know that it might, in one way or another, be possible. Chagall was, after all, a major artist, and just tossing out his sets seems quite short-sighted.

I wonder if the Chagall sets could be recreated...it would certainly be better than the 70's acid trip nightmare Magic Flute they have now.

Peggy, I think that is what appeals to me about that aria. The singer can't just rely on a pretty voice and nice technique. She has to be committed to the performance.

"Ach, Ich Fuehls"--preferably sung by Te Kanawa or Popp.

I second the mention of Gail Grant's book. It is only about $5, and it contains many, many ballet terms. It is also small enough to keep in your dance bag.

I believe that was Jean-Baptiste Lully who accidentally stabbed himself in the foot. Very unfortunate.

Yes, but Ketinoa also uploaded things like a complete Sleeping Beauty and La Sylphide with Ayupova, a Dumchenko La Sylphide, &c, which might never have been seen otherwise.

I wonder what Gaultier would have thought of Edith Wharton's statement that one of the primary objects of art is to make useful things beautiful. Of course, she was writing about interior architecture and design, but I think her idea could apply in many other areas as well. Movement and theatre are useful, and dance makes both more beautiful, IMO.

If opposing a crime against a child by a 43-year-old adult is fundamentalism, I am a fundamentalist.

I'm with Helene.

Some of the students I teach are 13 year old girls. I see and work with them every day. It seems to me that sometimes adults who are not frequently around children view them more as an abstract idea than as people, but the reality is that they are children, and even if they were not, taking sexual advantage of an adult woman--yes, even a woman under the influence of drugs, even if she took them of her own free will*--is criminal, unethical, and immoral behaviour. Adults who work with children--whether as a career or only for a few hours--have a responsibility to protect them, and this is a very serious responsibility. Those who take advantage of such a position are justly dealt with harshly.

There is no need to reply directly to me as I have now said what I have to say and will no longer be reading this thread, as I find some of the arguments too disturbing.

*I'm not saying that's necessarily what happened in this case.