Solor

What ballets were included in the notations that Sergeyev took with him when he left Russia?

When Sergeyev came to the west with his "trunk" full of the notatuions of some of the old works, why was only a few of the ballets that were re-staged in the west, and not all of them? I know that some of the ballet of Minkus and Pugni were included, why were these ballets not staged.

It seems it took Nureyev and Makarova to stage ballets that perhaps could have been staged long before. I have theorized that some of these ballet were left 'un'mounted' becasue the music was not inluded.

Are these two recostructions of "Bayadere" and "Sleeping Beuaty" ever going to put on DVD or video for purschase? How about thier music onto disc?

With all of the "on the inside" ballet world people on this great web page, someone must know!!!!

The reconstructions of these two ballets not being on film for anyone to watch is a CRIME if I have ever heard of one.

Right on DOUG - I did not know that about you - thats very cool!!!!!!! I have that prduction on video, and it is my fave production of Nutcracker - the Royal Ballet Production right?????? I love it, love it, love it! I dont like the changes (by Dowell I think??) that came later with Clara and the prince taking up dancing in the grand divertessment.

It seems to me that MinkusPugni is very very young (in age)! Not that Im old by any sense of the word (Im 24) - I felt the same way when I was in my early to mid teens - even my late teens. As I got older I began to see the effect of it all. Anyone who changes the Entree de Shades is doing a criminal act the same as taking the balcony scene from Shakeperes Romeo and Juliet! You do not screw with with the Kingdom of the Shades!!

MinkusPugni - You shoudl watch the Bolshoi's production of Bayadere (with Vetrov, Bylova, and Gracheva on the label Kultur). Not that this production is great or anything, but the deep and wide stage of the Bolshoi (along with the very dark stage and blue lighting) allows more turns in the desent of the Shades, and makes the affect of spirits traveling toward the earth more apparent.

But hey, if you have a cool vision, perhaps one day you will stage it! After all, even Petipa himself thought change is a wonderful thing to the old works, and even though people (like me) may gripe, so what?

Hey MinkusPugni -

Drigo didnt change the music becasue he felt like it. Indeed thier are many changes to the music of "Sleeping Beauty".

Heres a list of the changes from start to finish ( the most obvious anyway when one listenes to it, or compares) that were done to Tchaikovsky's score in 1890. They are all for the better in my opinion.

Prologue -

**the only change in this 1st scene of the ballet is the editing of 5 bars of the 5th variation (in 2/4, also know as Vilolente) in the pas de six (bars 68-71 to be exact). The famous "finger variation".

Act I -

**There are few brief cuts made to the scene fo the knitters.

**The "Rose Adagio" was modified by having the opening harp arpeggios extended (absolutly beautiful this passage) by Drigo, and an enternal repeat was added (bars 74-80).

**Aurora's variation was changed by taking out a repeat of the music (the section right before the finale). The ending was modified (the Kirov, in the Sergeyev version, still used the version of this variation with the modified ending. The Bolshoi's version still uses it today). This changed ending gave it a more "Minkus-Drigo-Pugni-like" finish, reminisent of the variation for Dulcinea in the dream scene of "Don Quixote". note: In the Kirovs reconstruction of "Sleeping Beauty", the modified ending of Drigo from 1890 for this variation was not used, and Tchaikovskys original ending was. I think this was done not only to restore the original choreography, but also to to retain the choreography that came in later versions. (This Drigo modified version of Auroras Variation is included on the Fedotov "Sleeping Beauty" CD)

**The section of music "sobs and cries of grief" of the scene that has Aurora pricking her finger on a spindle was cut.

Act II -

** The Dances of the Baronesses and the Marchoinesses were removed.

** In the Pas d'action of the Vision Scene, the opening harp arpeggios were extended.

** The ending of the waltz for the corps de ballet was modified. This was done so that the music could go to a new key for the following variation for Aurora, which was changed.

**Aurora's solo was cut, and in its place the music written by Tchaikovsky for the Gold Fairy's variation (for the act III pas de quatre) was used in its place (I know of no recording where this changed is included).

** The Entre-acte was cut, which required the ending of the panorama to be revised, since it was written in such a way that it lead into the entre-acte.

Act III -

**The pas de quatre was changed, being that Gold Fairy's music was now in act II. The music for the Sapphire Fairy (a variation in 5/4) was cut. The ending of the music for the Diamond Fairy was changed slightly, by having the very last note repeat.

** Tchaikovsky added a 10 bar introduction to the music of "Puss and Boots and the White Cat". Note - this section of music not used in the Kirov's reconstruction - If it was I never heard it.

** The pas de quatre of The Bluebird and Princess Florine and Cinderella and Prince Fortune was changed to be a pas de deux for only the Bluebird and Princess Florine alone. The ending of the entree was changed by having the last note played a little longer. There were a few changes in the 1st variation, and the first reapeat was deleted. The coda was also changed by an enternal repeat being taken out. Note: in the Kirovs recostruction, the repeat in the coda was retained so that the restored choreography could be performed along with the choreography of later versions.

** a pas d'action for Cinderella and Prince Fortune was added by Tchaikovsky.

**for the pas de berrichon of Tom Thumb, his brothers and the Ogre, the msuic was extended, internal repeats were added.

**the entree of the Grand pas de deux was cut. The opening 5 bars were retained as an introduction to the adagio. In the adagio, a repeat was cut (Im not sure of the exact bars though). In Auroras variation, many repaeats were deleted and a small introduction was added. A few bars here and there were taken out as well. (This version is available on the Fedotov recording. This version is the standard version of this variation used in almost every production of "Sleeping Beauty".) note: this was originaly performed as a Pas de Quatre for both the prince and Aurora and the Gold and Sapphire Fairys!

**after the Grand pas adagio, its deleted entree was used for a dance for the Sapphire Fairy and the Gold Fairy. I suppose this was to make up for the fact that thier variations were cut or moved to another scene.

** The apotheosis was trimmed down somewhat.

And there you are! If I missed any let me know!

All (except for the Act II change of Auroras variation) of these changes are recorded on the follwing disc -

"Sleeping Beauty"

performed by the Leningrad Philharmonic

conducted by Victor Fedotov

on the label Audophile Classics

Heres a link available through Amazon.com (through ballettalk of course!) -

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...3500670-0757417

Yes.....as matter of fact last night I compared the two and yes (I have both the Anissimov recording on the label Naxos and the recording of the Mariinksy Orchestra under the baton of Fedotov), there are indeed changes in the music, and very little indeed - and of course the interpolations from 'Scenes de Ballet'. Strangely enough, there are passages in the Naxos/Anissimov recording where I prefer his conducting over Fedotov's (particularly in the Act II Pas d'action of Raymonda and Abderakhman). But, as expected, Fedotov conducts the orchestra wonderfully when they play a classical variation - the right tempi and a slowed ending, just right for a dancer! I did not, however, notice any changes in the Act II Arabian dance as far as a revised beginning goes.

Doug - where can one find your article of "Raymonda" - I would love to read it! Is it available to be read online perhaps? Please let me know !

When I was digging around online a while back for info on a recording of the performance score of the 'Raymonda', I came across a site that talked about the Fedotov recording (the original release {Innov. Music Prod. 1996} now out of print). This particular site is a classical music site dedicated to reviews of new releases of classical discs, etc. One of the discs reviewed (and highlighted as one of the featured recordings of 1996) was Victor Fedotov's recording of Glazunov's 'Raymonda'. In the review the writer talks about how the music has all the trimmings and interpolations of the performance score of 1898. It said that all the changes to the music (like that of 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Swan Lake' and maybe even the 1st staging of 'The Nutcracker'), were done by Riccardo Drigo. It said that his changes were limited to editing, adding marks of expression, and indicating tempo, etc. Unfortumatly I don't remember what site it was I visited, as I just bumped into it digging around online.

I do know that Drigo conducted the 1st performance of the ballet, and since he was the one who changed things at the behest of Petipa for the ballets of Tchaikovsky, I don't see why he would'nt have done the same with the score of 'Raymonda'. But I dont know for sure. I always assumed that Drigo did any reduired changes. I know that the original score (I have the Naxos release conducted by Anissimov with the Msocow Symphony) and the one recorded by Fedotov (with the Orchestra of the Mariinksy; re-released by the label Classical Records in Moscow) are different in certain sections. All of the music added from 'Scenes de ballet' is included in the recording of Fedotov.

I must purchase this fine book of yours - or is it a book or an article? Info please !I did not know that there was an in depth study done of 'Raymonda'!

I would like to know, if you can, where exaclty any changes from the original score are

Like Cygnet, I to got my self a copy of this book, and It arrived yesterday. It is a wonderful piece of work! It has many pictures of the 1st production, and the new one. When comparing, one sees that the sets are not EXACTLY the same, but they are as closely as possible identical to the originals.

SUCH A GREAT BOOK! Everyone should get it.

Heres a link to the amazon.com page of the book (through ballet talk of course!)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=books&n=507846

Doug - what parts of the ballet are interpolations from 'scenes de ballet' of Glazunov?

I do know that it was indeed Riccardo Drgo that 'slightly' modified the music - mostly adding marks of expression, little stuff like that.

I have a CD of the performance scoreof Glazunov's "Raymonda", played by the Mariinksy Theatre Orch. under the baton of Viktor Fedotov. It has all of the revisions of Drigo from 1898/99. everyone should get it! It is availabe through this site -

http://www.classicalrecords.ru/cr/cd-en/043.htm

This recording is 1 of 2 recordings of the complete score. And further more, it is the only recording of the performance score, conducted properly for ballet dancing and not for the concert hall.

I pretty sure you have, you just didnt know it.

The pas de deux, known as "Tchaikovsky pas de deux" was originally composed for a ballerina named Anna Sobeshanskaya. She did not like the choreographer of the first 1877 production of "Swan Lake" nor did she care much for Tchaikovskys score. So, she travled from Moscow to St Petersburg so that the choreographer Petipa could fashion a new pas de deux for her to the music of Minkus. When Tchaikovsky heard of this he objected to the interpolation of another composers music. So he agreed to compose a new pas for Sobeshanskaya. But it left the problem of the choreography having to be changed, and Sobeshanskaya did not want to go to Petipa a 2nd time. So Tchaikovsky wrote composed a pas that would bar for bar and note for note match the music of Minkus. It is said that the male variation of this pas was left un-touched by Tchaikovsky, and it carries the signature sound of a 19th century 3/4 male variation (main melody, central melody, back to main melody). If one listens to it, it certainly appears so. I have read in a few places that the "Tchaikovsky pas de deux" is actually Minkus's music with Tchaikovsky's orchestrations.

As for the 1895 revival of "Swan Lake" at the Imperial Ballet, the music was revised by Riccardo Drigo in a way as if Petipa had given Tchaikovsky instructions. Not known to many, there were plans to have Tchaikovsky refurbish the "Swan Lake" score, but unfortunatly he died before it could be.

Drigo only did a few things to the score as far as BIG changes are concerned (I mean additions of music and/or revisions of endings to certain numbers). Aside from editing and, for example, changing a numbers from, say, 'allegro vivance' to 'moderato' (the first variation in the 1st act pas de trois) he did the following (and keep in mind, all at the behest of Ivanov and Petipa):

**the order of the Dances of the Swans was changed from -

swans waltz, odettes variation, the little swans, the big swans, pas d'action (or white adagio), swans waltz reprise (cut in 1895), and the coda. The new order, following the formula of a grand pas d'action, went as so - swans waltz, "white" adagio, the litle swans, the big swans, odettes variation, coda.

**he revised the ending of the 'white' adagio in the 2nd act from the original allegro ending. Also, he extended the harp arpeggios that were originally composed. It is so very beautiful!

**he revised the coda and extended it by having it repeat before the end.

**the entrance of Odille was now followed by the grand Divertessment. The Spanish Dance now came first to permit a smooth transition of music.

**he transfered the pas de deux from the 1st act to the 3rd (after the grabd divertessment), making it the famous "Black Swan" pas de deux. He revised the ending from the original allegro to a new closing (as with the 2nd act adagio). NOTE: the variation for Siegfried was fashioned out of the omitted allegro. This did not happen for the 1st production. It was inserted into the pas by Vakhtang Chabukiani - the exact date though I do not know for certain.

**Drigo then fashioned a variation for Odille to a piece from Tchaikovsky's opus 72 for piano - "L'espiegle op.72/no.12".........orchestrated very well I might add! Very colorful and rich arrangements - especially when heard live or on CD.

**for the last act, Drigo's next interpolation came again from Tchaikovsky's opus 72 for piano - in this case it was "Valse Bluette op.72/no.11". This was added as a waltz for the Swans, and replaced the number originally composed. Drigo's orchestrations for this piece are magical and brilliant - a joy to hear live or on CD.

**and the last insertion was for a short pas d'action for the two lovers, again from opus 72 - "Un Poco di Chopin op.72/no.15". of all the additions, this is the one I always felt couls have been done without, not that it is not a well arranged number - again, Drigo does a fine job orchestrating.

The performance score of "Swan Lake", as revised by Riccardo Drigo in 1895 for the "re-premiere" is quite a wonderful piece of work, and it makes theatrical sense. I personally do not feel that this version is better or worse than the original, it is just different. I have both the original score of 1877 and the revised score of Drigo of 1895. The 1895 version has only been recorded once, and is a rare and hard to get piece of work. If you would like to read more about this version, pick up a very wonderful and insightful book called "Tchaikovskys Ballets" by Roland Wiley (It is out of print, but still be purchased used online). It give very in depth detail all three of his works.

If you would like to read my Amazon.com review of the recording of the 1895 version of "Swan Lake" by Petipa, Ivanov, and Drigo (Mariinsky Orchestra, conducted by Fedotov) clcik the link at the bottom. Mine is the review 3rd one down from the top (Im Adam) and the best one!

Heres the link -

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...3500670-0757417

Im looking for a recording of the Drigo Modified Act 2 of the Sleeping Beauty. Particularly the waltz for the corps de ballet in the vision scene right after the solo cello adagio of Aurora and Princ Desire. The refashoined ending of the waltz leads into the a Variation for Aurora. The orginal number Tchaikovsky created was deleted and in its place, the Variation for the Fairy of Gold from the 3rd act was put in its place. This warranted the change to the preceding number, the waltz for the sorps de ballet.

If anyone knows of any particular recordings that have this section of the ballet, plaease let me know. (I already own the Mariinsky recordings of Sleeping Beauty under Maestro Fedotov and Gergiev.

YES! And it is available by the same conductor and orchestra as the CD listed above. Heres the info -

Leon Minkus

Paquita and La Bayadere

condusted by Boris Spassov

performed by Sofia National Opera Orchestra

on the label Caproccio

This CD has the entire scene "The Kingdom of the Shades" and the whole of what Minkus composed for "Paquita (the childrens Mazurka, the 'Golden' pas de trios, and the Grand pas). Also, the interpolations of other composers is also included.

The conducting of Spassov is wonderful, it is exaclty as it would be for the stage. An added bonus is the harpest (Valentina Raicheva) and her playing of the arpeggios and solos is lovely to say the least!

Get this recording!

MinkusPugni -

Th original orchestrations to many of the numbers in question can be heard on the Kirovs production of Corsaire.

The reason I believe the Odisques to be by Minkus is because of the orchetration. ABT Uses a re-orchestrated version, not only for the Trio de Odalisques, but also in the Pas d'Eslcave, and the Grand pas. I never found the Trio of the Odalsiues to be complex. Perhaps you are refering to the verison of the music used by ABT. This is a re-orchestrated version. Watch the Kirovs production. They still use the original arrangements.

The Variation for Medora in the scene Jadin Anime is from Don Q indeed (why ABT changed it I do not know). The orignal variation (credited to Minkus in a ballet class CD I have) is used by the Kirov (its begins in 3/4 and end in 2/4 , I believe).

The Pas d'Esclave sounds to me be by Pugni. The Grand Pas by Drigo. If one listens to the original orchestrations, it is alot easier to determine who wrote what. Drigo always orchestrated well - I have his Awakening of Flora, and his Magic Flute on CD. Both ballets are in his original arrangement, and are very lushly and colorfully orchestrated.

Th Variation for Gulnare and for Medora in Jardin Anime are not by Delbies at all only the opening waltz, adagio, and coda are).

Adolphe Adam was dead by the time Corsaire was revised in Russia (he died in 1856). And Pugni died in 1870, Minkus took his post as ballet composer (Im not sure of the formal title he beheld) so I think it unlikey that the Trio of the Odalisques ever got adapted by Pugni.

I have noticed, having known Minkus's music very well since I was a little boy, that his orchestrations are very simple. I think this is the reason for thier being re-arranged here in the west when the ballets were restaged by Nureyev, and Makarova.

MinkusPugni -

First of all, wlecome to Ballet Talk! Its nice to have someone else like me who is a 19th century ballet music junkie!

The 2/4 allegro witten by Tchaikovsky to end the White Adagio was omitted for the 1895 revial at the Mariinsky, and in its palce, a new ending, written by Riccardo Drigo, was put in its palce (the same thing was done with the allegro ending of the adagio in the Grand Pas of the Black Swan, replaced with a new ending by Drigo. Vhaktang Chabukiani used this omitted allegro ending to fashion a new variation for the prince, long after 1895).

The link provided above by Jllaney to the Swan Lake excerpts CD has a review of the disc written by me (Im Adam ) -- by the way thanks for the compliment Jllaney! This disc is only excerpts, but the music recorded are the 1895 versions as revised by Drigo (complete with proper conducting of ballet music- tempos, pauses, etc).

For a complete recording of the entire 1895 score, visit this site:

http://www.classicalrecords.ru/cr/cd-en/042.htm

This is the full score as revisaed by Drigo in 1895, conducted by the late Fedotov of the Mariinsky. This recording was originally released by JVC classics, but has been out of print for some time. It is listed on Amazon.com (and has a review by me ) but the odds of getting a hold of a copy of that particular release is pretty much slim to none. However it has been re-released through a company in Moscow, classical records, and can be purchased through thier site.

just bought a CD called

Pas de Deux" The ballet experience

The Sofia National Opera Orchestra

Conducted by Boris Spassov

On the label Capriccio 67012

This CD has the best conducting Ive come across in a LONG time on CD. The disc includes pas de deux from 'Corsaire' (Drigo arr. by Lanhcbery), the pas from 'Flames of Paris', the pas from 'Swan lake' (Black Swan Pas, the 1895 traditional Drigo), the OLD pas from La Fille mal Gardee, the grand pas from Giselle, and the pas from Flower festival.

The conducting of Spassov is AWESOME. He conducts the best Black Swan I have ever heard om Disc. The tempi is perfect for a danecr. I know many peaople have searched for the Traditional variation of the black swan pas (it is Tchaikovskys composition orchestrated by Riccardo Drigo "L'espiegle opus 72 no.13 from his piano opus 72) and here it is, and conducted wonderfully!

It is only available in Europe. It can purchased through Amazon.com.uk!

Heres the address

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...9873357-3540654

So when does it come on again!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I missed it!!!!!

After listening to this recording I have to say I was, well, just a little dissapointed.

For starters, the extended harp arpeggios were missing from the White Adagio in the 2nd act (or in the Kirovs case, Act 1 scene 2), and it was just the standard Tchaikovsky candenza that was played (though most beautifully - I mean this person on the harp really made up for it with some magnificent playing!). This harp solo was extended by Drigo, but is missing here.

The Pas de trios was another let down, for starters the ending of the entree is terribly rushed (and by a ballet conductor!), the 1st variation is not the 1895 edition but the standard Tchaikovsky, with a rushed tempo and ending.

The Variation of Odette in the 2nd act is played WAY to fast, with a criminally sped up ending. I could not believe that Fedotov recorded the music this way!

The waltz of the swans in the 2nd act (right before the white adagio) again had a horribly rushed ending. Such fast playing would make the classical choreography impossible.

The Variaitons of both Siegried and Odille in the Act III (or act 2 in Russia) Grand Pas were both rushed through. I must say the entree and grand adagio was played wonderfully. But the worst of all was the coda, played by the Mariinksy Orchestra at a speed that would have made 32 foutees for any ballerina impossible. I have a recording tilted "The Art of the Prima Ballerina" on CD that has Richard Bonynge conducting the Londond Symphony. This disc has the traditional Black Swan Pas as reworked by Drigo in 1895 and his conducting is far better!

The Valse Bluette (from Tchaikovskys op.72 for piano orchestrated by Drigo) performed by the Swans in the last act was well played, but the harp introduction was missing............

After listening to this recording I was left thinking "where did Fedotov get this score?" It was, in subtle ways, very different from the one used today by the Kirov. You really have to listen to find it (I know the Kirov score and the original score inside out), but there are, in certain places, differences in orchestration, repeats where none should have been, missing harp introductions etc. all through this recording.

Im not going to go so far as to say that this recording is a let down, but I guess I expected this recording to sound EXACLTY the same as it would have if Fedotov had dancers right in front of him. I compared the way he conducted on a video I have of the Kirovs Swan Lake with Makhalina and Zelensky with this recording, and I was left wondering, after having conducted this ballet so many times (he always conducts from memory as the liner notes of the CD say) what happend when he and the orchestra went into the studio????

I also purchased along with these Swan lake CDs, his recording of Raymonda. This, like the Swan Lake recording is of the performance score. And strangely enough his conducting for Raymoda is exaclty as it would be for the stage.

I dont remember where I saw it, but I know that there was a book done documenting the Mariinsky Ballets new/old Sleeping Beauty. I cant remeber the title, but I want to get it!!! Anyone know who the author is and the title?

I believe you are dancing a VERY OLD pas from the ballet that is harldy done anywhere anymore. The pas de deux in the Ashton version is the "Fanny Elsser Pas de deux" with the ribbons etc.

The only other pas de deux I have ever known in 'Fille Mal Gardee' is the old short pas still performed in Russia, it is a combo of tunes by the original composer of the very first version of 1789 (forgot his name) and Herold.

The only recording ever done of this piece is from a box set called 'Original Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra' . It is a 6 CD set. Ive refered others to this set a few times here or there, as it has many ballet treasures played at the proper tempi, and well perfromed by the Bolshoi theatre orchestra. Unfortunatly this set is out of print...

So, just to make sure I have the right pas, is the male variation a waltz? and is the female solo a fast polka like number?

Joseph -

The "Fille du Pharoan" DVD is available in Europe. I purchased it through the Royal Opera House web page:

http://rohshop.org/ click on the 'ballet' link box. It will take you yo a long list of the stuff they have for grabs!

I myself have a multi-regional DVD player, which is why I have the Euro format.

Good news Joseph - The DVD of the ballet is being released in the USA!!!! It will happen on July 12, 05!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I watched this ballet and I loved it. I noticed something though...........

I have many films of the Bolshoi dancing, all at different points in the last 40 years or so (I have only seen them live once). I noticed when I watched this recent one, Fille du Pharoan, that the Bolshoi seems to have gotten better! I have a film of thier Bayadere from around 1990. The dancing in this more recent film shows an amazing improvement from the Bayadere film, where the dancing seemed very sloppy to me.

It seems the Bolshoi has cleaned up alot since the Grigorovich days. Anyone else notice this?

This might make some of you upset, but -

I feel that Russians have every right to be arrogant about thier heritage as far as ballet dancing goes. Look at how classical dance has developed in Russia; how it has evolved in the last 100 years inparticilarly. The dancers in Russia today - both artistically and technically - are the pinnacle of ballet evolution - really - ballet dancing cannot get any better. Look at some of the (what I call) SUPER ballerinas that are coming out Russia today - they are RARELY (if ever) matched anywhere. Oh! I have no words! They are the athletes of heaven!!!! There have been only random times where these dancers have been matched.

In my opinion (and of course there are exceptions) the dancers of Russia always have been and always will be better (in general). Like I stated above there are always exceptions to this. But lets be for real ok? The classical Russian dancers are the zenith of 500 years evolution of this art called ballet, and they have seen to it that has survived wars, goverments, poverty, incredible highs and incredible lows, and it will continue to survive because of this passion for it for another 500 years.

Compare, from both a technical and artistic stand point and be totally honest, the perfomance of a leading ballerina of ABT with a leading ballerina of the Mariinsky. Im pretty sure that one cannot honestly say that the ballerina from New York is anywhere near to the ballerina from Petersburg. It just never happens as far as Im concerned (mind you, I mean pretty much most of the time, but not all of the time). Now, there have been some AMAZING ballerinas to come out of the west, but the ones from Russia (The Mariinksy inparticular) - well, they hold the torch!!!

As far as male dancing goes - I have to say that it is pretty well consistant in the west and in Russia as being equal artistically and technically. It seems to me that the dancing of the men in Russia and in the west is equal, unlike (in my educated opinion of course) the ballerinas. Id rather watch a Mariinksy ballerina any day of the week if I have a choice.

Watch ballet online?!?!?!?!?!?

Where?!?!?!?