canbelto

Merrill recently set Ballo della Regina on the Royal Danes. She's still sought after as one of the best Balanchine stagers around. I have a feeling she's enjoying retirement but still mentors and stages Balanchine ballets if requested. I loved the interview between her and Megan. There was such obvious respect between the two ladies.

I just watched Soul on Disney Plus and think it will become a holiday classic even though it's not exactly a Christmas movie. But it definitely has echoes of It's a Wonderful Life. Joe is like George Bailey -- he needs to realize that the world is better off with him. I cried buckets.

This is lovely: The Astana Ballet School has made a tribute to Altynai Asylmuratova on her 60th birthday:

It's not Christmas related but since it dropped on Christmas I've been enjoying Bridgerton.

Tiler Peck has covid-like symptoms

I also thought that even though it was made for a Disney friendly audience it wasn't a whitewash of ballet. People in the documentary spoke frankly of the competition, the anxiety when it came to casting, the injuries, the financial strain put on families. I also loved the respect between the NYCB dancers and the children in the Nutcracker. I loved Lauren Lovette telling the angels that she once faceplanted her variation and the angels were just left watching.

Balanchine had very fond memories of Lorenz Hart and never spoke a bad word about him. Here's a very long, detailed article about the Rodgers and Hart partnership: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/04/words-and-music/309249/

I don't get it. Misty isn't "ghetto," if that's what you mean.

From Colon, the Nureyev version:

Well I thought it was actually ... I don't want to be mean, but ... I thought it was bad. Maybe because I'm so used to these dancers dancing the Balanchine version that Schumacher's choreography seemed to fall flat. For instance, in the coda Dewdrop (Mira Nadon) just did fouettes. That's just IMO lazy choreography. I thought other companies' abbreviated Nuts were more imaginative with storytelling. Like the Scottish Ballet's Secret Theatre was a very inventive, music-hall adaptation of Nutcracker with an unexpectedly heartwarming storyline. It's probably something I would have enjoyed in person but as a film it fell very flat.

From Verona:

Yeah that one is a keeper. I also enjoyed Birmingham Royal Ballet's adaptation of Peter Wright's old production.

Kurt Froman has posted a clip of Wendy Whelan and Damian Woetzel being coached in the Nutcracker pas by Maria Tallchief: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJMjUEtADh-/

Pittsburgh Ballet:

Swedish National Ballet School:

Apparently the hopes are the Moderna vaccine will be much more quickly distributed as it has less stringent temperature requirements. Fingers crossed.

I really loved the Scottish Ballet version. What a delightful, music-hall style adaptation.

From what I understand the cloth masks favored by people are more comfortable and easier to add a filter. I know that I prefer cloth masks when I'll be wearing them for awhile.

I liked that video a lot for Tiler Peck's Marzipan, Tess's Coffee, Ashley Bouder's Dewdrop. I felt Megan and Joaquin lacked a little magic. The best Balanchine Nutcracker IMO is the 1993 film.

One more:

In which I compare the four Balanchine Nutcrackers I streamed: https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2020/12/balanchines-nutcracker-pops-up.html

There is actually a video available of Bugaku: https://www.amazon.com/Balanchine-York-City-Ballet-Montreal/dp/B00P8RUSIE/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=balanchine&qid=1608680286&s=movies-tv&sr=1-13

Kiev Ballet:

New England Dance Ensemble also streaming their Nut: https://www.goodheartmedia.com/nutcracker2020