JaneD

I think taste is a very personal issue and - above that - just because something is (or may be) in bad taste doesn't necessarily mean it shouldn't be done. Sometimes, in fact, I would say that there is all the more reason why it should be done, if it provokes a constructive reaction. For example, is the Holocaust "good taste" as a subject for a ballet? Probably not, yet MacMillan's "Valley of Shadows" remains in my mind as one of my most striking and deeply moving balletic experiences. (In fact, I am not a fan of MacMillan - for me, too many of his ballets scream "Victim!" and it seems that no-one has any control over their own fate, but that's another matter). Yet - to my mind at least - less "offensive" subjects have been in poorer taste, probably because they were too frivolous in their intent to make me see anything other than what happened on stage. Jane

The husband of a friend of mine is part of the Fosters team. I've yet to see their house ..... Jane

Just two words. Rose Adage.

I saw Black Hawk Down for the first time on Sunday (borrowed free of charge from my gym!) - it ought to compulsory viewing - especially for all politicians - right now. The only thing that spoilt the whole power of the film for me was my flat mate shouting "Look, it's Legolas!" Jane P.S. During a family Christmas outing to the cinema and on to a good restaurant, my brother went from being known as Nicholas, to Legolas, to Nearly Legless Nick!

No mention of dance in his biographic notes, and his hobbies are listed as surfing and skydiving. Also this interesting piece. "While still in school, Bloom was trying to make it onto a friend's rooftop terrace when he fell two stories and broke his back. The accident almost paralyzed the actor, but surgery let him walk out of the hospital on crutches." Jane

Elite Syncopations comes to mind as a ballet to a series of - well, populare tunes, if not songs - and it holds together fine for me. Perhaps it's a question of structure within the whole - the choreographer has to select pieces of music that go well together, give light and shade, and each adds something to the whole, rather than duplicating something already there.

I don't know about Alexander Grant's experiences of dancing Bottom, but there was a story about David Bintley is that role. His first performances were a matinee and evening performance on the same day. He got through the matinee woth no ill problems, took the shoes off and went to relax for a while. A couple of hours later he warmed up for the eving performance and put the shoes back on - and spent the rest of the night in agony. Another male role danced on pointe is in "L'Enfant et les Sortilèges" in the Dutch National Ballet repertoire (could be Kylian, but I wouldn't swear to it). the aarmchair is male, has pointe shoes at the front and wheels at the back - basically the dancer is in a sitting position within the costume (I've always thought that must be a killer). In the video, Stephen Sheriff takes that role.

Unfortunately, Britain seems to be one of those places where young male dancers have to suffer at the hands of their peers. We had a horrendous case here just a few weeks ago, where a talented boy was repeatedly bullied, culminating in boys from his primary school class (i.e. at most eleven years of age) riding their bicycles over his feet. The result is that he now needs an operation on his feet, which the medical experts say he can't have until he is eighteen and his bones have stopped growing. The reports indicated that he cannot dance any more. Is being different really so threatening to other people?

That definition could equally well be for Brisé. Grand battement - wearing false eyelashes Pas seule - does not frequent singles bars Pas de trois - father of triplets

I have to disagree on that one. Bournonville is definitely a rich, dark chocolate. Marguerite Porter - an employee of the original Covent Garden flower market. Jane

Fried tutu? Ever since I attended a lecture on making tutus I've had a cartoon in my head about "Never feed a tutu after midnight", in the style of the film "Gremlins". Elancé - minor surgical procedure completed Pas de basque - Catalan speakers only Cecchetti - the bill at an Italian restaurant

[Note by A.T. This was posted on another thread in this forum, What role(s) do you want to see some of your fav. dancers perform? There was a response in the same vein, and I thought it would make a great topic on its own, so split the two posts off to start a new thread. Thank you, Jane! Your stock just split ] From just about the first time I ever saw him dance (1976!) I had Stephen Sheriff marked down for Bluebird. After quite a few years, he turned up on the casting, so I booked - he was ill. This happened several times throughout the season. Eventually, right at the end of the season, I heard that he was defineitely going to be dancing that evening; however, as I had been out for eight nights in a row, I decided to give it a miss as I was sure I'd get my chance to see him the next season. The following day I read in the paper that he had resigned. The moral of this story - if you get a chance, take it!

I've been off-line for a couple of weeks. Dégagé - just split up with her boyfriend Tendu - time to pay back the pre-Christmas loan Echappé - wearing a hat I had a definition for glissé, but I'll skate over that one. Jane

Brunel's sudden move up the rankings can be easily explained. Having got the top ten, the BBC is putting on a series of programmes in which the achievements of one of them are fully covered. Brunel's turn was Tuesday (the first programme, I think, and very interesting) - and during that evening he shot up the list. It's likely that he will drop back down as each of the others is profiled. After the programme, we were discussing who our number one Briton would be. Eventually we agreed that - however much we enjoyed the work of great authors, composers, dancers and choreographers - it would have to be someone like Brunel, Bazalgette, Stephenson or Fleming, as what they did changed people's lives so dramatically that they are taken more or less for granted these days. However, I reserved the right to keep Ninette de Valois in my top three, and my speedfreak partner reserved the right to Malcolm Campbell. Jane

I've just heard from an ex-RB friend that it's believed Monica's "guardianship" could last up to six years. I wouldn't compain too much if that happened - I wonder if we would get a revival of "Valley of Shadows"? I wouldn't necessarily demand a British citizen as director, but it should be someone who was educated at the Royal Ballet School.

I've just returned to this Board after a couple of year's absence, but I think I can help with Beckster's original query. In the late 1970's/early 1980's, when Deborah Bull joined the company, there were four ranks of dancer - in order, artist, coryphée, soloist, principal. Jane