silvy

Hi Someone lent me the tape "Song of the woods" danced by the Kiev ballet (Ucrania). I wonder if anyone knows the story, as it was told by someone in Russian with Japanese subtitles!!! It looks beautiful, though. Silvy

On watching a tape of Balanchine's Symphony in C, I reflected on whether Balanchine did (or did not) object to audience clapping between the different movements in his "symphonic" or "concert" ballets. The reason why I enquiry this is that I know Balanchine held music in high regard (he had a sound musical training), and as we know, audiences do not clap between the movements in a concert in a concert hall. Personally, I do not like the business of audiences applauding and dancers bowing, in between - I felt it cuts the flow of the work. As far as I know, and this is :offtopic: Wagner did not like his singers bowing in his musical dramas. I would welcome both clarification, and your opinions!!! Silvy

Hi I wondered if someone would tell if there are ballets danced to Mendelssohn's symphonies (especially the "Italian" and the "Scottish"). I only know the Balanchine's "Scottish Symphony", but surely there are other ones, by other choreographers? Just curious - it happens that I find the music very apt for dancing, so I would be surprised if some other choreographers had not been tempted to put a hand on them? Silvy

Hi Does anyone know if the above Giselle has been released in DVD? Thanks a lot Silvy

Regarding the Alla Scala "Beauty", I understood it was Nureyev's version, not the original one. :shrug: Can someone please clarify this issue for me, please? Silvy

I have come across a video of Sleeping Beauty featuring Kirov's Diana Vishneva partnered by Roberto Bolle (from Alla Scala ballet company), at the Alla Scala Theatre in Milan. It was hard for me to believe that Vishneva was a Kirov ballerina - she looked much more "American" in my view - it was not a matter of epaulement (which was present), but that the Kirov finesse and aristocracy I found missing. By "American" I mean a sort of more contemporary approach to a classic. I felt as if the "form" was present, but not the Russian "soul" I have associated with other Kirov ballerinas (Lezhnina, Makhalina, Sizova, Kolpakova) I do not know if I have managed to make myself understood, but nevertheless wonder if anyone agrees with me? I would be very interested to know. Silvy

Hi: As I live in South America, and very close to Bocca's birthplace, I would like to get impressions on him, on his career in USA. Just because I suppose things are viewed differently from the "outside" (as it is my case) than from the "inside" (i.e., the American audiences). silvy

Wonderful posts,both Dale and Farrellfan Now I wonder: where can I read that essay you are referring to? Is it in any of Croce's books commercially available? Also would like to know if that quality is still preserved in NYCB by the other ballerinas who have danced this same pdd - the only one I saw dancing the pdd was Wheelan (back in 1998), but this was BEFORE I got hold of Farrell's tape and also a live performance as New York State Theater, so I am unable to make comparisons now. I live in South America!! Silvy

I watched my tape of Diamonds pdd danced by Farrell and Martins and noticed that, especially at the beginning, the ballerina dances as if oblivious of her partner: she hardly looks at him, and in general, dances as if he was not present. He, on the other hand, is constantly being attentive to her, etc. Does someone know why Balanchine choreographed it that way, and what he meant on doing this? (if I am not over- analyzing, of course) silvy

I just wanted to check with you if there are any commercially available video versions of Symphony in C (Balanchine). Living in South America, I never saw that ballet (only the excerpt in the movie "Suzanne Farrell - elusive muse"), and felt I wanted to see the whole of it. Thanks so much - sometimes is hard to live so far away from the main dance centers.... Silvy

Speaking about the awards themselves, I was rather suprised at Lord of the Rings having won ALL its nominations - rather too much, I mean, and cannot help but being suspicious. I was pleased at Finding Nemo winning some - thought it a charming movie. And personally I was disappointed at OUR (Uruguayan) Cesar Charlone (City of God) having been beaten on the best Cinematography by Master and Commander It was OUR first nomination ever.... Silvy

Koshka: Thanks so much for your reply to my post!! I see the numbers in the older CD do not coincide with those in the new one. In this new one, numbers are as follows: CD 2 (ACT II) (I am not listing numbers 1 to 8 in CD 2) 9 - Don Q sleeps 10 - Allegro 11 - He dreams of Dulcinea 12 - Allegretto 13 - The Queen of Dryads (this is the music that puzzled me) 14 - Amour 15 - Quiteria's Variation as Dulcinea 16 - Souvenir du bal (this is the usual music for Queen of Dryads - the music that Margot Fonteyn dances as Medora in Corsaire pdd with Nureyev) 17 - coda From what I see, my track 13 would be the 14 in the older CD you are talking about.

I wonder if there is a biography of Balanchine that concentrates more on him as a person, not as a choreographer? Everything I have read so far is very much focused in his work, the NYCB, etc. silvy

I felt prompted to post this after watching many tapes of Bolshoi, in different eras. In "World's Young Ballet"(1969) the couple that danced the "Diana & Acteon" pdd (Yuri Vladimirof was the boy) is maybe too "showy" to my taste, lacking in refinement. They also do not seem to concentrate too much on the precision, neat preparations and finishes. It is rather too "bolshoi" (meaning "big") to me, and little else. Both Raymondas on tape (which were shot later) show a little improvement from the above - some women look really streamlined indeed, though not all. And then, the Bayadere tape (starring Gracheva), is a totally different story: the company looks refined, neat, precise. All the women are beautiful, all have long legs, etc. I wonder who effected those changes - and by changes I mean: - the change in physiques (now all seem to be long-legged, tall, very thin) - the changes in the neatness of the dancing and another question: whoever it was that did this, I imagine he/she must have encountered opposition from the artists? If so, is anyone able to extend a little bit over this? thanks a lot Silvy

I am sorry I dont understand- is anyone able to explain to me why the reviews have been so bad? What is exactly that is going on? Please forgive my ignorance, but it happens that I am writing from almost the other end of the American Continent!!!!! Silvy

I am reading the above book (vacation time here!!) and I must say that I was favourably impressed. One of the things I liked most was her deep insight on the private lives of dancers, her reflexing on the psychological aspect. I imagine that back when the book was written this might have created quite a stir - but I need someone to assert this. I mean, some of her assertions must have sound quite a bit too "revolutionary" at that time. Other aspect I found most interesting is that she was in close contact with some of the people who would make history in the history of dance, such as Danilova, Frederick Franklin, Richard Pleasant and Lucia Chase, Leonide Massine, Marie Rambert, Ashton, Tudor, Martha Graham, Dunham (of the Ballet Russes) I would be interested to know the comments of some of you who have read this book, in order to exchange opinions Silvy

Thanks both Victoria and BW I imagine their Giselle will be something not to miss. Is this also true of the Petipa classics? silvy

someone described to me a tape of Makarova dancing Don Q after her child had been born, as being a very good version. I wonder if this tape is commercially available somewhere? Or was it only showed on TV? Would be very very interested in getting it. Silvy

Michael: Thanks for your reply. Could you please explain a little bit what you meant by the following: I am afraid I did not understand Thanks! Silvy

Hi I felt promted to post this after reading an article by Clive Barnes on a past issue of DanceMagazine. He tells us about his impressions on Cuban ballet and dancers when he saw them at Havana Festival. One phrase stuck on my mind: "they are fearless". Aside from this, which other features would you consider distinctive of Cuban ballet style? I just thought this might be of interest. silvy

Thanks so much for the photos, Marc. Truly enjoyed them, though they made me feel so inadequate.... A little bit of curiosity: the last one is called "soloilst's row". Does it mean that dancers are placed in the ballet barres according to their rank in the company?

I wonder if someone knows of good websites where I could find comprehensive dancer's bios. Thanks so much Silvy

Thanks so much Thalictum for your alert on the fact that Baryshnikov had already graduated at the time of the competition. And thanks so much Paul for your very informative report on Baryshnikov and his change of training. I had not thought of his knee problem when I put up my post, but, of course, having problems in your knees make you lose a lot of thgh strength. It is the very first thing that sport doctors ask you to do when you have knee problems: to build strength on the quads (boring, boring exercises ). By the way, what you mention about Misha having to dance in a more detailed "minute" way reminded very much of a tape on Irek Mukhamedov, where he tells us about how he had to change his way of dancing when he entered Britain's Royal Ballet - to concentrate more on small steps, as opposed to Bolshoi's grand style.

My God, Estelle, what a brilliant cast!!!!!

mel: Like the variation for Raymonda from Act I (Tableau de Reve)? What about Nureyev's choreography of the other dances? (say, pdd, variations, coda) - did he change much regarding Petipa / Grigorovitch?