Petra

That's very interesting, Mel. Do you think that that capitalistic message has anything to do with the Nutcracker's widespread popularity in the USA? BTW, the Israel Ballet does not have a production of the Nutcracker and usually dances Cinderella at Hanuka time.

He could repeat his film role of the Headless Horseman in the Sleepy Hollow ballet - Even in the movie he doesn't say anything, he just grunts and moans!!!

Totally off topic, I know... but, Paul, you write so beautifully. Your passion is just infectious and addictive (in a good way.;) ).

What scenes did Allegra Kent actually make? I know only what I read in her autobiography, and from the book it seems that having babies seemed to be her major mode of rebellion - against husbands and ballet masters alike

If that's the case, why would opera/theatre directors want to collaborate with Bourne? Surely most of them are able to do the 'editing' themselves and would like to collaborate with precisely that kind of dance professional who could give them the steps they need in order to convey the aesthetic they have already conceived. Also, why doesn't Bourne do that kind of collaboration? WIth all due respect for his chosen dancers, they aren't necessarily choreographers either. Is that kind of collaboration very unusual? In Israel, for instance, there is a very talented young (modern/modern-ballet) choreographer called Inbal Pinto who routinely collaborates with a director (who happens to be her boyfriend) and their productions are usually very well thought out - deep and effective on many levels.

Ari posted this in the Links section: In the Guardian, Judith Mackrell talks to Matthew Bourne, founder of Adventures in Motion Pictures and creator of the all-male Swan Lake. quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bourne's style of storytelling, a mix of formal steps and vividly observed body language, partly evolved from his lack of dance training. "It came about because I didn't have lots of steps at my fingertips to rely on. And I've always enjoyed telling stories. I rack my brains to find movements that will say something." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. And here was silly little me - thinking that a choreographer should know something about steps. 2. "I didn't have lots of steps at my finguretips" - and it shows.

If I remember correctly, Boris Eifman's ballet 'Red Giselle' includes this relationship as a fairly major part of its 'biography' of Spesivtseva.

I don't remember how I found this site - It was a long time ago and I went through the main site. I was fascinated by the love of classical ballet that comes through and it reminded me a lot of old ballet books (like Arnold Haskell's Balletomania) - I didn't even know that there were people that think like this today. It took me a long time to delurk - to a large extent there is very little connection between the (few) performances I am able to see and the many oerformances that some of you seem to attend on an almost daily basis (i.e. those like Jeannie and the NYC contingent, who live charmed lives, ballet wise) - but now I'm trying not to be shy in posting. Thank you for a wonderful site.

I don't remember how I found this site - It was a long time ago and I went through the main site. I was fascinated by the love of classical ballet that comes through and it reminded me a lot of old ballet books (like Arnold Haskell's Balletomania) - I didn't even know that there were people that think like this today. It took me a long time to delurk - to a large extent there is very little connection between the (few) performances I am able to see and the many oerformances that some of you seem to attend on an almost daily basis (i.e. those like Jeannie and the NYC contingent, who live charmed lives, ballet wise) - but now I'm trying not to be shy in posting. Thank you for a wonderful site.

Ronny, your last post raises the question of whether a ballet can become a 'classic' merely because of its story. Cinderella is a timeless fairy tale/myth, etc. but as a ballet (with the Prokofiev score) is only about 60 years old. This is true, of course, for Romeo & Juliet too. Perhaps those who are more familiar with a variety of productions can say whether these are 'classic' ballets.

I am looking for a Pilates workout video. My baby centered life makes it very difficult for me to go to classes, so I am looking for a video that would be my primary source of insruction. I have heard of 'Pilates Powerhouse', but I don't know anything about it. Can anyone recommend this video or any others? Also, what is the NYCB Workout like - is it ballet, Pilates or what? Has anyone used it at home without going to classes? Thanks for any information you may have. P.S. I'm not sure this is the right place to post.

It has been announced that Merce Cunningham has decided to cancel his performances in Israel. They were supposed to take place in November this year. On the one hand, I love this site for enabling (and enhancing) my passion for ballet and dance even though I don't have the time or the means to realise this passion often. On the other hand, reading what people on this site have to say about Merce Cunningham has made me so much more depressed about this cancellation than I would be otherwise.

I'm not sure what the first ballet I saw was, as I was taken to see ballet from a very early age, and I have odd images of Petrushka and Coppelia in my head. In fact, I'm not sure whether some of these images are memories or pictures from my mother's old ballet books. One performance that is definitely a memory is of CAPAB Ballet (from Cape Town, South Africa) performing in a Revlon sponsered evening. Each ballet was connected to a different perfume: I recall a 'modern' ballet with girls in blue leotards - the Charlie ballet and a 'romantic' ballet with girsl in pastel tulle skirts - the Jontue ballet!! I was very impressed, and definitely would have preferred to be a Jontue girl rather than a Charlie girl!! It must have been in the late '70s and I would have been about 5 then.

Prof. Maggie Walsh was married to David Mamet??!! He certainly has a steely taste in women.

I would like to applaud Barenboim for his visit to Ramallah and for acting on his principles in a constructive and positive manner. There are too many artists who either refuse to express their political views or express their views by boycotting the side they disagree with. If more follow Barenboim's example, perhaps (as he says in the article) 'the level of hatred would be lower'. For the record, Kach is not a political party as such. It has been outlawed by the Supreme Court of Israel because its platform undermines the basic democratic principles of the State of Israel, and it therefore cannot participate in elections for the Knesset (Israeli parliament). KAch's supporters have of course found ways to bypass this prohibition and to organise themselves in alternative entities.

Katja, now I'm really curious. Could you ask your friend who dancde the principal ballerina in Walpurgisnacht? She was wonderful.

Sadly but predictably, one's expectations (and reactions) to a performance are often based on the advance publicity. If I'd gone to performance billed as "A Celebration of Russian Ballet" and seen Sherezade, Walpurgisnacht and Paquita with Ruzimatov and Visneva, I would probably have had a great evening and consider my money well spent. (BTW, I'm just assuming that the best femake dancer that evening was Vishneva. As there weren't any prgrams in a script I can read I don't actually know).:rolleyes:

Well, I saw Malakhov almost two weeks ago and thw main reason I didn't write about it that it was a rather disappointing show. As I wrote in a post above, Malakhov came to Israel with 2 programs. After much deliberation I decided to go to the mixed bill program and not to Giselle. That turned out to be a mistake. During a 3 hour long performance, Malakhov himself danced for about 7 minutes !!! in 2 short neo-classical/modern solos. I think these were solos choreograohed especially for him as they were very much like the pieces he dances in 'Prince of the Ballet'. This is certainly not what I expected to see from a prince of the ballet. Definitely not when ticket prices ranged from 45$ to 75$. Absolutely not when all the advertising is centered on Malakhov's name. A few highlights of the program (which was much too long - everyone would have been better served if a ballet or two had been cut), were an outstanding Farukh Ruzimatov in Sherezade and a polished performance of Paquita. It was also interesting to see Walpurgisnacht, as it was the first time I've seen 'Soviet' choreography on stage and it was very exciting. The lead dancer, who I assume was Diana Vishneva, was excellent and also her partner, a very tall man with chin length straight hair, was good :confused: The lowlight - a very strange Bolero (All the programs were in Russian, so I don't know who choreographed it and who danced in the various ballets!!). Oh, and in between there was a lackluster Sleeping Beauty p/d. Of course, the major disappointment was Malakhov's disappearing act. So if this troupe comes your way, be warned.

On the French Mezzo (used to be Muzzik) channel (which is broadcast on Israeli cable TV), there are some outstanding documetnaries on Paris Opera Ballet productions. The most recet programs have been on Raymonda and Sleeping Beauty. These programs include interviews with the stars, the coaches, clips from old interviews with Nureyev, excerpts from rehearsals and from the actual perforamnces themselves. I am sure that these programs are extremely insightful. Unfortunately, they are in French with no subtitles whatsoever - in fact, although some of the Nureyev clips are in English, they are voiced over in French. This is maddeningly frustrating!!! (I know opera lobbyists (which is a much stronger lobby in Israel than the ballet lobby) has approached the local cable providors and the Mezzo channel about subtitling operas - so far unsuccessfully.)

Vladimir Malakhov and Dianan Vishneva are touring Israel at the end of August and beginning of September (and hopefully won't cancel.:eek: ). The Hebrew ad. placed in the newspapers terms these performances 'International Festival of Classical Ballet' and the names mentioned are Malakhov, Vishneva (who is described as Prima Ballerina of Covent Garden:confused: ), Farukh Ruzimatov, Julia Makhalina, Irina Surneva and Gedminas Taranda. There are 2 programs: one is a full length Giselle and the other is a mixed bill with Sheherzade, Paquita, Bolero and 2 other ballets that I don't know how to transliterate (Hebrew has dots and accent-like characters for vowels and not letters, and the vowels are usually left out in newpapers, adult books, etc.). The ad. states that Valdimir Malakhov's company will be performing together with the 'stars'. Does anyone have any info on these performances ? Do you know what company this is? It sounds very promising:)

National Ballet of Latvia in Swan Lake at Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center on 30/7/02 A very enjoyable evening. The company was lovely (according to its web site, the best ballet company in the CIS after the Kirov and the Bolshoi) - with a nice unity of style and look about most of the dancers. I especially noticed their very graceful arms. I was quite surprised at how thin some of the men were. I don't know if this is because I am more used to seeing 'healthy' modern dancers or because the NBL's dancers really are thinner than usual. Although this production of Swan Lake is new (it was premiered in Riga earlier this year), it is quite traditional; as far as any production of Swan Lake with a happy end can be called traditional! In the court scenes, the courtiers' costumes set this Swan LAke in the 18th century. Unfortunately the frills on some of the women's costumes and their hats made them look like they were wearing cabbage leaves on their arms and heads! Also, Siegfired's costume wasn't 18th century at all, but the usual tights and top. The swan costumes, on the other hand, were beautiful. Long (but not floppy) snow white tutus with a minmial feather head-dress! The best act was Act 2. Both because of the corps de ballet, but especially because of Julia Gurevich who danced Odette-Odile. She was a magical swan - just from her arms and head movements, she convinced why she was frightened of Siegfried. And you only needed to look at the spooky Rothbart to understand why she would be frightened of him too. She was excellent as Odile too - very extroverted and she seemed to manage the foutees (I wasn't counting actually) and any other technical challenge with ease. In contrast, Siegfried (Alex Ibsenevich) was unremarkable and his dancing seemed a bit underpowered. Act 4 was very strange. The corps disappeared half way through and the fight was only between Rothbart and Siegfried with no one else on stage. After Siegfried defeated Rothbart, Odette came in wearung what seemed like a nightgown and bed cap (which I assume symbolised her change from swan back to woman). The end. Very odd and not convincing. The only major con - taped music! but overall a lovely evening. This is my first review, and I found it was much harder to write down my thoughts rather than just think them.