cygneblanc

Well Estelle, there are two marks:

The first one is given by the dance management on a ten scale and marks "the professional conscience and the assiduity during the past year".

The second mark is given by the jury on a twenty scale and "is based on the appreciation of the candidate's performance the day of the competition".

You have explained very well the system. I can try to find time to translate the rules if some peope are interested in.

Well, the results of POB competitions are always surprising, although the surprises may be good or bad . As far I'm concerned, I'm rather disapointed with this year surprises pour the premier danseur, ladies and men and happy for the quadrilles ladies.

Congratulations to everyone who competed !

Quadrilles Men

1-Vincent Chaillet(promoted)

2-Jean-Philippe Dury (promoted)

3-Aurélien Houette (promoted)

4-Sébastien Bertaud (promoted)

5-Audric Bezard

6-Axel Ibot

Coryphées Men

1-Julien Meyzindi (promoted)

2-Josua Hoffalt (promoted)

3-Florian Magnenet (promoted)

4-Alexis Renaud

5-Young Geol Kim

6-Grégory Gaillard

Sujets Men

1-Emmanuel Thibault (promoted)

2-Yann Saïz

3-Christophe Duquenne

4-Stéphane Phavorin

5-Mallory Gaudion

6-Nicolas Paul

Quadrilles Ladies

1-Laura Hecquet (promoted)

2-Alice Renavand (prompted)

3-Sarah Kora Dayanova (promoted)

4-Charline Giezendanner (promuted)

5-Daphnée Gestin

6-Charlotte Ranson

Coryphées Ladies

1-Aurélia Bellet (promoted)

2-Mathilde Froustey

3-Aurore Cordellier

4-Pas de classement

5-Pas de classement

6-Pas de classement

Sujets Ladies

1-Emilie Cozette (promoted)

2-Myriam Ould-Braham

3-Dorothée Gilbert

4-Muriel Zusperreguy

5-Fanny Fiat

6-Laurence Laffon

French choregrapher Angelin Preljocaj did two choreos based on some Bible's texts,

Annunciation, Stéphane Roy (Crystal Music)

Antonio Vivaldi (Magnificat : here is the synopsis :

How does the Annunciation, that key moment which underpins a whole religion, resonate in us, what does it awaken ?

While so many painters over the past 2000 years have sought time and again to understand the flurry of contradictory symbols, which in effect is what the Annunciation is, it comes as something of a surprise that a theme, a subject in which so many issues about the body are so manifestly implicated should have remined almost entirely absent from choreographic art.

And yet, what we find here, deep down, is truly fascinating.

In traditional iconography, Mary is often shown in an enclosed or walled garden, symbolising her virginity. There is, therefore, a parallel between what might be called her inner space and her surroundings.

When the angel breaks into this private world, he is saying, in so many words, that the workings of her body are about to be dramatically altered. This explains why it is that, although in the Bible the Virgin displays a screne acceptance of the forthcoming event, many artists have chosen to make her the prey of doubt, anxiery, even rebelliousness.

The strange co-existence of acceptance and rebellion, the collision of space and time, tell us that at the very moment the message is given, fertilisation takes place. We are, as it were, inside biology, the very act of conception.

This coming to life in gradual stages takes us to the heart of the process of creating art; the message is no longer an abstraction, it is reality.

Rather than something finished, isn't what we call nowadays conceptual art the portent of a new art, the Annunciation of an art yet to be born ?

He also choregraphed a work for the twelve male dancers based on MC 14-

22 and called MC 14-22, this is my body. It has been danced by the POB and I hated that work :angry:

Otherwise, Mireille,Nègre, a former principal of the POB that left to become a carmelite nun and actually didn't stay in her convent made a work based on Christ's passion. The music is Jean-Sebastien Bach's Magnificat

Catherine Golovine did also some choreos, but I don't know more about that.

Good luck with your research !

Yes, I saw her in Paris and she was very good, the only error was a two footed landing on her opening combo, a triple toe-ttriple toe. I think this firebird is better than the ones I know, Midori Ito and Tonya Kwatowski, both at 1996 worlds in the SP.

Very fresh and interesting choreo. I'm curious of knowing which one the judges will choose at Canadians Nationals if both Joannie Rochette and Cynthia Phaneuf are flawess.

These two young dancers won scholarships for the POB school at the YADC the last year

Does someone know them and can talk about them a little ? Is Sasha de Sola from Carla de Sola's family ? I wonder, since the name isn't that common !

Thank you very much in advance for your responses

Clairemarie Osta has been removed from the casting

Well, I would say each pair is very good but also different:

-The first one, Claire-Marie Osta and Mathieu Ganio: I'm sure Mathieu will be a wonderful prince. I wonder about Clairemarie if the part will suit her : I'm a big a fan of her but she's a very dramatic dancer. But I will go to see her.

-Aurélie and Manuel are featured on the DVD of the sleeping beauty. I would say of that choice, if you choose to see them, is the most "secure", because they are known for their abilities in the SB piece.

-Gillot/Bolle: Marie-Agnes is a great dancer who can dance everything and I'm looking forward to see her in Aurore's part. I don't know what to say about Roberto Bolle because I have never seen him live.

So if you are going only to one performance, I would say the best choice is Dupont/Legris :blush:

I hope you will enjoy your trip in Paris

Well,

I had a look at the POB website and I'm afraid that tickets for the day you wish can't be ordered from the web anymore. But we never know, they can be offered again on the next days. You may order them by phone at 0 892 89 90 90 but to call that number is very expensive from France so I prefer not to imagine the cost from abroad and I don't know if they speak English. If you choose to call, try to have someone who speak French to make the call for you, if you don't know the langage.

Otherwise, I think you will be able to book a ticket very easily when you are in Paris even if it's the day of the performance, because there is the sleeping beauty at the same time at The Bastille theater (the POB has two locations!) and most of the people are going to see the SB.

Good luck and feel free to ask more questions

Alexandra,

the graduates from the¨Paris Conservatory, for most of them, won't to go to Marseille, at least when they're still young (I mean around 18-20 !) because Marseille has a school linked to the compagny and they tend to choose young dancers among their own graduates. Howewer, some conservatory graduates joined later in their career, as Benjamine Dupont, eg.

In order to be accepted in the POB school, you have to fit into the following criterias of both height and weight. If you don't, they won't watch you dancing. Since most of the dancers from the compagny are coming from the school, uniformity is there. If during one year, you don't fit anymore into the criterias,you're turned away from the school.

The criterias are

Girls and then boys by age

(--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8 :min. 1m32 - 22 kg

max. 1m35 - 25 kg

8 : n. 1m34 - 25 kg

max. 28 kg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9 :min. 1m35 - 25 kg

max. 1m38 - 27 kg

9 :min. 1m38 - 28 kg

max. 31 kg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10:min. 1m38 - 27 kg

max. 1m42 - 29 kg

10 :min. 1m40 - 31 kg

max. 37 kg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11 :min. 1m42 - 29 kg

max. 1m50 - 34 kg

11 :min. 1m45 - 37 kg

max. 40 kg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12 :min. 1m50 - 40 kg

max. 42 kg (just boys, girls can't enter after 11).

These criterias are on the POB Website

Hi,

From Aix en Provence you can easily go to Marseille where there are some very good schools, for example the Studio Collette Armand. They producted some vety good dancers.

Here is their website

www.studioballet.com

As Estelle said, Aix is a very nice city as well Nantes, but if you don't like a rainy weather, you have to go to Aix. Paris is also a very nice city. One of my american came once a semester, then for one year, and finally she visits Paris each year now.

Please feel free to P/ ot e-mail me if you want more informations

Well, congratulations to Mathieu ! You have to see him, he's just amazing ! After seeing him at the annual competition, I've said he would be the star of tomorrow ! Tomorrow has arrived very soon for him, so good luck to Mathieu for the long carreer he has ahead of him ! And who knows what tomorrow will be, he has a very promising sister in the POB school !

! A friend has just e-mailed me to tell me the same thing ! Congratulations to this wonderful dancer

Well, for sure, I won't be contributing a lot to the filling of the theater ! Thank you so much to the new direction ! I think I will save enough money to travel to London and have the chance to see some ballet !

Well, Estelle and Naoko, it was broadcasted on french tv in 2000 at 1am, I think !

It was with thee the original cast, Isabelle Guerin and Laurent Hilaire. I think they did an amazing job. I like that ballet a lot, besides the parts of the gardeners (the ones with the strange costumes !) and I was quite atonished when I saw it because I usually dislike contemporary dance ! And no, it has never been released as a commecial video or dvd :angry: !

Hi Koshka,

The full series has never been available on video or dvd. It has been broadcasted on french TV a long time ago. The only video that has been available for sale was the portion of the movie you have on your dvd !

That's ok, I've wrotten your address, and I'm going to conatct you, so you can edit your post now, so everyone won't be able to see your address !

Alexandra,I'm sorry to speak about personal things here, but right now I don't see another solution !

Well, Flygirl, I've edited my profile, and if you're able to see it, please send me a mail, you should me able to see my adress. If not, don't worry we'll find something else !

Hi Flygirl,

You have to know that the POB school isn't in Garnier but in the suburbs (the name of the town is Nanterre). And is your daughter able to write in French ? I'm afraid that most of the kids can't write in English although they're learning it in school.

The 13 old girls can be in several classes (they call it "divisions) : the fifth, fourth or third divisions. Most of them are in the fourth division. The name of the teacher is Pierrette Mallarte.

I can tell you more if you are interested but that school is really special ! I can suggest you someting but in private so please send me a pm or an e-mail !

Thank you so much Jean-Luc for your wonferful reviews ! I hope we 'll get to read more from you in the next few months !!!!

Well, Estelle, your question is a very difficult one :rolleyes:

The pob is governed by an official text : it is the decree 94-111 of february 5th, 1994. You can read it at www.legifrance.gouv.fr

I haven't found something on that text so I guess it's a question of financial law, and I'm very far from being an expert on that matter.

Well, I think you're right when you're saying there were some periods when the total number of principals was above 12 but I think they "played " with the law during these periods !

Yes Naoko, your interpretation of my comment is the right one

Among the "Etoile" part she danced, there is Anastasia in Yvan le Terrible (Marc can you provide me with a translation please ? ). I liked her very much in that part, especially in the second act where she looked really died. Her eyes and face were frightening but I was just atonished !

Mr Johnson, there are 12 etoiles in the compagny, and there is a position available, because the directors haven't promoted someone to that position yet.