Pamela Moberg

Does anybody know WHEN the Varna competion will take place? If memory serves me right it is towards the end of summer. Will anybody be reporting? Jeannie, maybe?

As Susanne said, it was televised in January in Sweden and I duly wrote some kind of blurb. I was not in a very good mood as I hadnt liked the whole thing much. I cannot find it either, but it must be lurking somewhere, might have got lost in cyberspace. Cannot for the life of me remember which forum, but it must have been - most likely "videos" or maybe "recent perf". Cannot have been on the foreign companies forum; I just saw there was not a thing on the Royal Sw. Ballet - I feel kinda guilty! But on the other hand I havent been to Stockholm for quite a few years.

atm711, glad you liked Nathalie Nordquist! She is lovely and I do hope she will be left to mature in peace. Dont quite remember her age, but I think about 22 or 23. I have only seen her on TV when she won the Swedish EBU competition, she then danced from "Who cares" and she gave a very witty rendering. I should think that she has quite a wide range and I would love to see her in Sleeping Beauty.

Swordplay - and horses were "ballet" in Sweden 1600 to 1700. Quite normal, it was a kind of stylised "movement". Elsewhere in Europe it was similar. Swordplay is also used today. I cannot keep from you an anecdote from my youth. I was a pupil at the Gothenburg Opera School - the company was perfoming I think either "Prince Igor" or "The Desert Song" (Rodgers & Hammerstein? Sorry, cannot check at the moment). One dancer happened to hit another dancer over the thumb with a papier mache sword. Unfortunately thumb was broken and the injured dancer quit dancing and studied to become a psychatrist, now he has a practice as Dr. Psych. So you see what a theatrical sword can do to you - beware!

Poor girl, she wanted to make a buck or two, which she probably needed badly... Was that so bad now? There is a saying in Swedish - it is always impossible to translate such things literally, but here goes: "The shit always fall back upon those who threw it". With time it may well work out like that. In the meantime, I feel sorry for her and I hope it will turn out OK and she can forget this whole very sad business. :mondieu:

Well, now we have seen it and we have to digest... OK, we have wieved a second time on video... First prize went to Sweden, Sebastian Michanek and Kristina Oom. Pas de deux by Mats Ek, music by Sibelius - awful costumes by ?. Well, usual Cullberg-EK fare, feet wide apart in second, strutting about - lifts from "The ox dance" in "Värmlänningarna" (see my homepage). Never mind, we are still happy, Sebastian was a neighbour of ours out here in the wilds of south of Gothenburg, and he was also a schoolfriend of my daughter Eva who went to the Swedish National Ballet School. Neigbourgly cheers from us... what else... But, here I got out the bottle of champagne! Second prize, the guy from Ukraine, but apparently trained in Petersburg, Jerlin Ndudi, 16, doing the "Corsaire". Yes, folks, the kid is a mere 16, second prize (ought to have been first judging by applause of assembled family). What a wonderful kid, what potential - do I see another great star? Only time will tell. But now, the kid's name was Jerlin Ndudi which sounds very west African to me, besides, he was definitely not fair skinned. But what a lovely dancer of great promise - only hope he will stick to it. Did not see any girls of great promise, competent, yes, but not WOW.

The European Broadcasting Union ballet competition will be broadcast here on the Swedish TV network next Friday night. European dancers only, many French participants normally, thou very few, if any, English. We are hoping for some Russians! The event will take place in Amsterdam. Will report on Saturday! I am certainly looking forward to it.

I have only seen "The Fairy Doll" once. That was a students' recital at the Maryinski. That was really something... I cannot imagine it could be done better by an adult professional company, it had a very alluring freshness about it.

So many interesting posts and so many lucid and interesting views. Someone said "the brain just sits there and you dont participate" or something to that effect. Sure enough, if you go to see a ballet performance you just sit there as well (if you are not on stage). Well, thats hardly the problem. My own problem with TV is that the program makers insult my intelligence. That is to say, they do not give ME what I WANT. I totally disregard that other people might think the world of sitcoms and Big Brother or whatever it is called. I have armed myself with satellite and program sheets, yet I must say there isnt much anywhere. But there is always something that interests just ME if I feel in the mood for watching TV. We have to realize that every medium has its advantages and disadvantages. I love the Internet for BalletAlert and other art sites, but I hate it for all the junk mail I get. I love TV for the fine programs I see - last Saturday a very good bio on Billie Holiday on the Swedish network to mention just one example. There is no need to be a snob about it, but I willingly admit that there are times when people might have called me one. Openness of mind, choosing what you like, rejecting what does not interest you, that is probably the best idea.

Thanks for your replies, folks! Nope, I am absolutely sure that the movie in question was called Sombrero. Even in those days I knew that it means "hat" in Spanish and I remember thinking how ridiculous it would have been if they had translated that into "Hatt" in Swedish. But, yes, Jose Greco - that rings a bell - he was about a lot in those days. I even saw him live in Gothenburg, must have been round about that time, give or take a couple of years. He did a guest performance here, with Rosario, of course I was madly impressed. But I must say, in those days Hollywood really could make some music movies that made you feel real joyful!

Talking about Cyd Charisse... There was a movie I saw as a child which left an impression on me, to this day. Movie was called "Sombrero" (original title as far as I remember). Gene Kelly and Charisse and... cant remember... Anyway, Charisse did a fabulous dance, she was dressed in black and it was set in some kind of forest, she was at one moment hanging on to the branch of a tree. I would love to see that again - maybe now I will think that it was rubbish, but, man, was I impressed then... Anyone knows which dance sequence I am referring to?

Yes, Hans, I am referring to THAT Basic principles. My old very wellthumbed copy is from 1953, maybe they have different illustrations in newer editions. OK, I do agree with you that they are clear, but I prefer drawings with dancers in tights and leotards, not those half long skirts.

I urge everyone - student, parent (teachers ought to have done so already) to read "Basic principles..." Always been my bible and also my daughter's (though she now studies law). But Basic principles - though it has the most awful illustrations, has a lot of wisdom and common sense. IMO, the best technique book ever. There are other good book, though... Have a look at Anna Paskevska's technique books, two of them. Wonderful stuff!!!

Well, Marga, you fell asleep... but I have often struggled to keep awake to read the titles - and the ballet or music items were omitted. That is the cause of a whole lot of swearing on my part. I think it is only fair that someone who has contributed to a movie or a radio program should be credited. I have made a number of radio and TV programs and I am always very particular that my name must be credited. This is not mere conceit - I have worked day and night for the damned thing - OK, I got my pay check, but at least they can acknowledge who wrote the stuff, I am damned if I should remain an anonymous hack! In fairness, the Swedish radio and TV company (state owned, not commercial) have been very good indeed.

As I have understood it, Lucile Grahn was not at all amused by being Bournonville's muse.;)

Thanks, Ari, for those comments about press and publishing in the US. Well we seem to have heard it all before... Do you think it is any different in Europe? Sorry to say, it is just like that!

Isn't the whole business of competitions going a wee bit far? To me, it seems that it is going to rather hysterical lengths. Do remember, we are talking ART here, not some kind of Olympics. Just a thought...

Thank you, Alexandra, for printing out that blurb! Very illuminating indeed. Otherwise, what can one say? Well, it is really too sad. Shall one have to live with this kind of idiocy? Apparently yes. For once, I am at a loss for words.

You guys, talking Olympic gymnastics or what? Higher jump, more split. OVERSPLIT - how far can you go? No, back to a beautiful line, which involves arms and upper body as well as neck and angle of head - then you get a beautiful jete. May the Almighty preserve us from these acrobats (of God) and let us see art in stead. As I said, it itsn't the gold medal of the 0lympics in a tutu.

Sorry Grace, it is getting a bit late here and I have work tomorrow. But I promise to give you an answer in a day or two. It will also give me a bit of time to ponder your question.

OK, Grace, no problem, thanks for your interest anyway. So here is a very brief bio: I was born in Sweden, spent my childhood there and in my teens I went to England to study. In all I spent fifteen years in London. Then there was a five year spell in Andalucia Spain. Now I am back in Sweden and on the whole, I do think it has changed very much since the time when I was a child. Society is more open in certain respects - and not in other respects. Too complicated to discuss here. But I do try to keep a very international life and maintain a circle of friends from all over the place.

Must have been that "Spring Waters" which Mel suggested. I have seen various movie renderings - all with the Bolshoi. Violent lifts - great throws - very acrobatic and very Bolshoi in the 50ties or so. Well... A bit circus IMO - but of course spectacular.

In its extremes, Jamtelov is nothing but sheer unadultered evil, practised by very little people who in their tiny little brains cannot fathom the painful fact that indeed someone could actually be more clever, more beautiful or more talented than the other person. The whole concept poisons society. This said by someone from the region - I have had a few experiences myself. But with growing skill (and age) one slowly learns how to avoid it. Actually, it boils down to envy. Myself, I cannot understand this as I can't feel envious - it is not in my mental makeup. Then, also, I think it has something to do with a general lack of warmth.

Believe me, Alexandra, you are the best! I have struggled throu those other boards but I rarely give them a second look. You know very well that I visit your board seven times a week..

To start with Anya Linden - yes, I saw her in London in the sixties, in Swan Lake, a great beauty and I found her lovely as Odette-Odile. (Never saw her doing anything else). She then married Lord Sainsbury, retired and devoted herself to working behind the scenes - she now has studios and I believe a theatre named after her. Annelie Alhanko - sure! She is actually Finnish, but born in Colombia. Now retired, but was for a long time the assoluta of the Stockholm Royal ballet. A very fine ballerina, excellent in the classics but also, surprising maybe, she is rather pale and Scandinavian in looks, a great dramatic dancer, excelling in Tudor works, Lilac Gardens etc. A truly remarkable dancer - she was even on a Swedish postage stamp - I have one somewhere, I think it was a pas de deux scene with her partner Per Arthur Segerström, from "Romeo and Juliet".