Alexandra

(copied over from today's Links): Alexander Meinertz reviews Ratmansky's The Bright Stream for DanceView Times: Bringing Back the Banned

Dale Brauner previews the upcoming Dance in America segment on Paul Taylor (with Black Tuesday and Promethean Fire) ACTS OF ARDOR: TWO DANCES BY PAUL TAYLOR

rg and/or doug will be able to cite chapter and verse on this, but until they see the topic (and thank you for reviving it!) I think the Lilac Fairy both danced and mimed, and a substantial part of her role was mime. (She wore heeled shoes in the mime acts and toe shoes when she danced, I think.) Perhaps PW meant that the Lilac Fairy has been cast as a Super Soloist, when the role is more important than that. I've come to see Lilac as a danseuse noble role. Petipa was reviving the old ballet feerie tradition, updating an 18th century form, I think. And by those rules, the noble genre danced only stately measures and was responsible for telling the story in mime.

It's a fascinating question -- I don't think that everything that's popular has been dumbed down, but I can think of many ballets I've seen that seem to be aimiing for the Lowest Common Denominator, following the example of television. There are also examples of "high art" that are very popular ("Swan Lake," in any guise) that may have nothing to do with its artistic worth. But that's always part of it, I think. I may be attracted to a jewel, a pretty bauble, not having the vaguest idea whether it's real or fake, or how many carots it has, or if it's been cut well or ill. I just think it's pretty. It may be the most perfect diamond in the world, it may be a zircon. Thanks for posting this, Treefrog -- it's a good topic for us to discuss.

Thank you! I agree with you about management, of course That Gudrun Bojesen SUBSTITUTED for Cecilie Lassen on opening night was indeed odd. The thing is, they do have strong women, so why not a cast with Bojesen, Hojlund and Schandorff? One thing about the reel in La Syphide -- I think that it must be that Dinna Bjorn's tempo is S-O S-L-O-W. I'm sure that the tempo we got is very close to the filmed version with Hubbe (his debut) and Jeppesen, which was really Brenaa's tempo; and that Kronstam made it faster for 1992. To me, it was a bit slow, because it was the 1992 version that's still in my ear. As for the men, there are some real talents, I think -- Nikolai Hansen especially, but also Kristoffer Sakurai and Martin Stauning (who did the first solo in Napoli here) and Morten Eggert (although he doesn't show much individuality as a mime). But there doesn't seem to be regular, top level teaching, with the problems with lack of plie, the sagging jump, and a tendency to "die on the top", especially visible in the second solo in Napoli.

Hello, Rachel!!! Good to read you again I love "ranked at the apex of ballet-going experiences." Funny, but "ranked as the nadir of my ballet-going experience" would have sounded just fine!!! Paquita has it right -- it's easier to write nasty things than nice ones. (The last piece I did for DCA was called "More Better Good Words," asking for people to make up some words we could use in reviews, because there aren't enough of them!!! Galas are especially hard. People want to know who did what, and have some idea of how they did, and it's almost impossible to do a 15-number program in 350 words. So you end up with "La Sublimova was charming in the Coppelia pas de deux," "Drekov was off his considerably bad form," etc. (Often the cliches are code. You might gag when you write them, but you know they'll be understood. "pleasure to watch" somehow sounds better than "did a really good job!") But I digress. At the ABT dancers' Locked Out Gala at Goucher College some years ago, I had my list of adjectives and my list of dancers (it was very early in my career and I had a half-hour to write and phone in the review) And one of my adjectives was "melting" and the performance that matched that the best was Gelsey Kirkland and Anthony Dowell in a pas de deux. Unfortunately, it was in the Snow Scene from Nutcracker. I actually wrote it and didn't catch how stupid it was until I was calling it in, and then had to reshuffle my adjectives. (People who righteously tell you good writers don't depend on adjectives and adverbs may be write, but they don't write for a newspaper on a deadline!)

But atm's black Concerto B has a historical precedent!

I don't understand, Odette. "a link on each of the new forums to get to the other one"? We can't put a link that's constantly visible to get to the other forum. The best way to do that is for you to bookmark it, make it a favorite.

Thanks -- as of five minutes ago, if you click on a bookmark, or otherwise get to the old forum, you'll be redirected automatically to a page with the links to the two new forums on it. I think we'll keep it Teens and Special Groups, since those are the names of the two groups of forums that are no longer on this board. Ballet Talk for Dancers is a new creation

djb, I love your bad novel example. I have one that's similar to "defies description," the homier "you had to be there."

bump

We've split the board!!!! If you're looking for the Young Dancers, Adult Ballet Students, Ballet Moms and Dads, Teachers, or other Special Groups, you'll find them all here: Ballet Talk for Dancers

Now, now, it depends on how you count "ballets." You can come up with 10 Bournonville Ballets if you count the divertissements and pas de deux. My Worst Nightmare about Balanchine is that he will lurch into the 22nd century represented by The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Slaughter, Tschaipas (its 22nd century name; they think it has something to do with spicy tea) and the Agon pas de deux.

Wow! Diversity programming!!! Way to go, A&E.

Okay. Here's the deal. The Lilac Fairy appears to you and says, "Only one ballet by George Balanchine will be in repertory at his 200th birthday. [stop screaming. I'm sure there will be many more, but this is just for the sake of a Thread] Which ballet would you want it to be? We promise it will be danced exactly the way you like it, and the cast will be just the kind of dancers you love to see in it. But you can only have one." Which will it be? I was thinking of this as I watched "Four Temperaments" last night. I think, after much agonizing and inner debate, I'd pick that one, not because it's my favorite (although I do love it) but because it shows so clearly what he was like as a choreographer. What about you?

I went last night and would recommend the program -- I think they did a very good job with it. I especially liked Jason Hartley's Melancholic in 4 Temperaments and Michelle Jimenez in Midsummer -- but it's a very strong program. I wish I could see the final performance when they're really settled into it. It's a great chance to see three Great Ballets and some fine dancing! Did anyone else go? Whether you liked it or not, please post!

Good one, sandi -- not a cliche (yet) but you've inspired me. Perhaps we could have "subsiding" choreographers? "This is the 19th ballet Mr. Drekov, one of our pre-eminent subsiding choreographers, has created for the National Ballet of Dry Gulch, and what can one say ...."

This is an article on this week's DanceView Times about funerals, wakes, and what's happened to our ceremonies for the dead: No One Danced At My Mother’s Wake

There are four articles on the Royal Danish Ballet's week in Washington: A review of the opening night Napoli (Tomalonis): The Knight of Faith A review of the two other casts in Napoli (George Jackson): New Casts in Napoli A review of Nikolaj Hubbe's new production of La Sylphide (Tomalonis): La Sylphide Restored And a commentary on the state of the Bournonville repertory in light of the upcoming 3rd Bournonville Festival: Bournonville's Next Steps

I saw that, too, Melissa -- I hope the Trust was watching. Mme. Hermine is right -- Creutzfeld-Jakob disease.

These are great! Keep 'em coming, folks! You'll reform the field

Yes, that's a good one. Thank you! It's handy, though. sigh. ("He WAS Hamlet.") Your point about "critical shortcuts" is a good one, too, Herman. Sometimes they're taken because the critic can't write about the dancing, and sometimes because you have only 250 words to write about 4 casts, or 4 new ballets. I've often thought we should do what American real estate ads do -- 4 rms riv vu (4 rooms, river view) is one of those cliches. Sat mat La S O/O 32fs not. (On Saturday Matinee, La Sublimova as Odette/Odile did not attempt the 32 fouettes.) Still doesn't tell you what she did do, but it's handy

Open call -- I'm writing an article for the Dance Critics Association newsletter called "Dancing with Wild Abandon, The Ten Phrases Critics Should Never Use." I'm asking writers as well as readers to offer your favorite, er, least favorite phrases. What are your favorite, er, un-favorite, examples? If your "entry" is selected, I'll contact you and see if you want your name used. I'll be glad to give you credit, or you may remain anonymous. (Real name, not screen name) Thanking you in advance, and eagerly waiting your responses.....

Reinhard, I'll check and get back to you. (It's a perfectly appropriate question to ask.)

Opening a thread for your comments on this week's performances.