Alexandra

Interesting preview in The Guardian. (The piece comes to the Barbicon September 16th) All singing, all dancing

Maria, I'm sorry I missed your last post above. (I just noticed this thread when I came to read Paul's.) I must say I think it would be hard to get at that question now. Those generations are gone and the situation has changed -- the country, the company, the school. It's much more international now. Kobborg was actually trained outside of the RDB. He was in the school for a very brief time. He worked intensely with Peter Schaufuss when Schaufuss was director. In the 1940s and 50s there was a long list of world-class Danish dancers. Some of them didn't get out at all, but still had a world-class technique. And they were born about two years apart. From memory, in age order, they were: Frank Schaufuss, Poul Gnatt, Stanley Williams, Erik Bruhn, Fredbjorn Bjornsson, Henning Kronstam, Flemming Flindt, Niels Kehlet, Anker Orskov (died in his 20s). They were all produced under the old system -- only two classes in the school (you'd posted elsewhere that you'd read my biography of Kronstam and nearly all I know about the schooling system is in those early chapters). Of these people, only Flindt and Kehlet are still alive. The next generation was trained by Vera Volkova and Stanley Williams, as well as Hans Brenaa and Henning Kronstam: Flemming Ryberg, Jorn Madsen, Peter Martins, Adam Luders, Peter Schaufuss, Aage Poulsen. Then there's Arne Villumsen, Ib Andersen, and then there's a big gap until Alexander Kolpin (now retired; injuries), Nikolaj Hubbe. There are still good dancers -- very good dancers -- but not at quite the same rate as in the 40s, 50s and 60s. (Tomasson was trained by Danish teachers, but not at the RDB.) I don't know how much material there is in English OR Danish that would make up a dissertation -- I share your question It was one of the impetuses behind my own research. I think a great deal of it was that there were always great male dancers around -- good role models. And there were good men's parts to dance.

I hope those interested in the topic that Grace posted about her review of the West Australian Ballet and how the company viewed that review will continue discussing it here. Some questions that occurred to me were. Some may be of more interest to writers, but I think we'd all love some feedback from readers as well. 1. Should companies contact critics to complain about a review? (Aside from factual errors, of course) 2. Should critics have a company's viewpoint in the back of their minds as they write? Which all leads to: 3. For whom should the critic write? Not forgetting: 4. Is it the critic's responsibility to be a booster?

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Four posts were deleted and the poster notified. Since the discussion had been derailed, I'm going to close the thread, with apologies to Grace. I've posted a new thread for further discussion

Hi, Kevin! There are, as you note, several versions of "Romeo and Juliet". The one that's currently the most popular is by Kenneth MacMillan for the Royal Ballet; American Ballet Theatre also performs it, as do many other companies. It's closest to the Cranko in its structure and approach. The Vasiliev production was an experimental one, with the dancers and orchestra sharing the stage. It's not a standard version -- meaning it's not in many repertories. (We reviewed it in DanceView and our critic, who went to the performance skeptical, came away very enthusiastic about it.) The Grigorovitch production is MAMMOTH, lots and lots of dancers on stage. It was done for the Bolshoi, of course, which is a huge company. It emphasizes the dancing; in typical late 20th century fashion, there's little or no mime. I'd describe the Cranko version as telling the story very clearly, and emphasizing the local color -- the street life and street fighting -- as well as the love story. Cranko was a very human choreographer -- he was known as a master storyteller, a man who cared about emotions (and his dancers), and a choreographer able to make his dancers look their best. When you see it, I hope you'll report your impressions. We have several people on this board very familiar with the production -- I hope they'll chime in.

Grace, as I'm sure you know, for a company to call and berate a critic or editor is extremely bush league. I've had it happen rarely, and my approach is, if they're nice, say I'm sorry you were disappointed in the piece; I wrote what I believed. And if they're nasty, snarl, "I am not your press agent!" at them. To companies: just don't do this. It puts the critic in a terrible position -- if s/he has a more positive take on your next performance, s/he'll be worried that you will think your bullying was the cause. I don't think there's a review ever written -- except those that seem to have been dictated by the choreographer or artistic director (and this does happen) -- that pleases a company. Anything short of "the most stupendous performance in the history of time by the world's greatest company" won't do, and that must be backed up about 70-11 adjectives.

Thanks, Jorgen -- yes, Jurgensen's work is the best source we have (in English OR in Danish). This, for photographs, and his documentary biography for a catalogue of Bournonville's works.

I'm going to move this into the Ballets forum where I should have put it in the first place. I shouldn't have made the assumption that it will be staged by her company -- the article doesn't say that, just that such a reconstruction is a possibility for the 2005 Festival. There could well be a company involved, or it could be that details aren't yet firm. All we know now is that it's more than a thought. I've always thought Don Quixote sounds fascinating -- if only because it's so different from anything else I know of Balanchine, if not on its own merits. I'll be among the first in line for this one.

Thanks for the history recap, rg -- Kate, rg isn't saying LaCour is the same as Tomasson, Martins, et al. He's giving a recap of the history of the Danes in the company.

This one is worth tracking down. There have been whispers about this for months, but...... :gossip: I'll check next week to see if anything is concrete -- it may be a matter of funding. I've never seen this Don Q, but from what I've read, it would require more dancers than Farrell usually has at her disposal.

:huepfen: It's Steve! It's Steve! :party: Someday when you have a minute, tell us more about the California Ballet. If it's the one I'm thinking of (Denise Dabrowski is the ballerina?) we did a feature on them during Ballet Alert!'s first year. I saw their program book and, from the photos, it looked very impressive. (If I've got the wrong company, sorry!) Thanks for the update on Shelkanova (as I knew her at ABT. I was very impressed with her in "Lilac Garden;" Dale interviewed her for Ballet Alert!, too -- to place her for those who read us.) It's good to know she's still dancing.

The September Dance Magazine has an interesting tidbit (p. 15). In a piece about the new San Francisco International Arts Festival, Allan Ulrich writes: "The second edition of SFIAF is slated for late May 2005....[Andrew] Wood mentions a few possibilities for that festival--the Royal New Zealand Ballet performing work by the controversial Venezuelan-born modernist Javier de Frutos, and a Kennedy Center sponsored reconstruction of George Balanchine's 1965 Don Quixote by the original Dulcinea, Suzanne Farrell." No further details at present.

Oh, this is the efficiency of the Pennsylvania Ballet press office, sending out press releases on a Friday afternoon in August! No credit to us at all (except that I happened to be in when the email came and posted it)

I posted this on the Pennsylvania Ballet forum, but for those who might have missed it, Pa Ballet has a novel marketing idea for next season -- they're out to smash a Guinness World Record. PENNSYLVANIA BALLET OFFERS TWO WAYS TO CELEBRATE ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Pennsylvania Ballet will begin its season with two special events – a Guinness Book of World Records event and a “Night on the Town” contest. On Saturday, September 20, Pennsylvania Ballet invites dancers of all ages to help set a record for the most people standing on pointe at one time for the Guinness Book of World Records. This event, hosted by a CBS 3 news personality and sponsored by WTPT 96.5 “The Point,” will take place at 3 p.m. in Love Park on 16th Street and JFK Boulevard. The event is being held in conjunction with Philadelphia’s College Fest, an annual festival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway that gives college students throughout the region a taste of the many different cultural activities the city has to offer. Many dancers from Pennsylvania Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet II along with hundreds of students from several dance schools from the region are participating to help make this a memorable occasion. This exciting event is open to the public and anyone wishing to participate should register by calling (215) 551-7000, ext. 1226. For those who are not balletically-inclined, Pennsylvania Ballet is hosting a contest to win a “Night on the Town.” On October 8, 2003, the winner and a guest will be picked up at his or her home in a limousine, compliments of All American Limo, and treated to dinner at Sole Food, the fun, new restaurant at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Then they will be taken to Pennsylvania Ballet’s opening night performance of A Fancy 40th, featuring George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco and The Four Temperaments, and the exciting premiere of Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free. People can enter to win this extraordinary “Night on the Town” on Pennsylvania Ballet’s website, www.paballet.org, between September 12 and September 26. The winner will be chosen on September 29. For complete contest rules, visit the website or call (215) 551-7000, ext. 1226. Founded in 1963, Pennsylvania Ballet is widely recognized as one of the leading ballet companies in the nation. The Company is celebrating its 40th anniversary this season with popular works from the Company’s history, two company premieres and two world premieres commissioned for the 40th Anniversary – including a new, million dollar, full-length production of Swan Lake by world-renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. For information, call (215) 551-7000 or visit the website at www.paballet.org.

PENNSYLVANIA BALLET OFFERS TWO WAYS TO CELEBRATE ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Pennsylvania Ballet will begin its season with two special events – a Guinness Book of World Records event and a “Night on the Town” contest. On Saturday, September 20, Pennsylvania Ballet invites dancers of all ages to help set a record for the most people standing on pointe at one time for the Guinness Book of World Records. This event, hosted by a CBS 3 news personality and sponsored by WTPT 96.5 “The Point,” will take place at 3 p.m. in Love Park on 16th Street and JFK Boulevard. The event is being held in conjunction with Philadelphia’s College Fest, an annual festival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway that gives college students throughout the region a taste of the many different cultural activities the city has to offer. Many dancers from Pennsylvania Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet II along with hundreds of students from several dance schools from the region are participating to help make this a memorable occasion. This exciting event is open to the public and anyone wishing to participate should register by calling (215) 551-7000, ext. 1226. For those who are not balletically-inclined, Pennsylvania Ballet is hosting a contest to win a “Night on the Town.” On October 8, 2003, the winner and a guest will be picked up at his or her home in a limousine, compliments of All American Limo, and treated to dinner at Sole Food, the fun, new restaurant at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Then they will be taken to Pennsylvania Ballet’s opening night performance of A Fancy 40th, featuring George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco and The Four Temperaments, and the exciting premiere of Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free. People can enter to win this extraordinary “Night on the Town” on Pennsylvania Ballet’s website, www.paballet.org, between September 12 and September 26. The winner will be chosen on September 29. For complete contest rules, visit the website or call (215) 551-7000, ext. 1226. Founded in 1963, Pennsylvania Ballet is widely recognized as one of the leading ballet companies in the nation. The Company is celebrating its 40th anniversary this season with popular works from the Company’s history, two company premieres and two world premieres commissioned for the 40th Anniversary – including a new, million dollar, full-length production of Swan Lake by world-renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. For information, call (215) 551-7000 or visit the website at www.paballet.org.

It's official! Pennsylvania Ballet's press release on next year's roster: PENNSYLVANIA BALLET ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO COMPANY ROSTER FOR 2003-2004 SEASON Artistic Director Roy Kaiser announces Pennsylvania Ballet’s company roster for the 2003-2004 season, which includes five promotions and six new members. The Company embarks on its 40th season with a total of 42 dancers, ranked into Principal, Soloist, Corps de Ballet and Apprentice positions. James Ihde, Tara Keating and Riolama Lorenzo are being promoted to the level of Soloist from their previous positions in the Corps de Ballet, and Laura Bowman and Ashley Flood are becoming members of the Corps de Ballet after each serving two years as Apprentices. The Company also welcomes the return of former Corps de Ballet member James Ady as a Soloist; a new Corps de Ballet member, Jamar Goodman; and four new Apprentices, Elysia Lichtine, Michael Patterson, Barette Vance and Gabriella Yudenich. Commenting on the new promotions, Mr. Kaiser says, “I am thrilled to be able to promote these fine artists. Each of these hard-working individuals displays a level of excellence that warrants this recognition.” A member of the Company since 1995, James Ihde has danced several feature roles including Paris in John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet, Cavalier in The Nutcracker, the title role in Ben Stevenson’s Dracula, Ivan in James Kudelka’s The Firebird, and the title role in George Balanchine’s Apollo. He has also danced leading roles in Jerome Robbins’ Interplay, Lar Lubovitch’s Concert Six Twenty-Two and Waiting for the Sunrise, Paul Taylor’s Company B, and Margo Sappington’s Rodin, Mis En Vie. A native of Kent, Ohio, Mr. Ihde studied for eight years at the Dance Institute of the University of Akron, and completed a two year apprenticeship with Pennsylvania Ballet from 1993 to 1995. He resides in Philadelphia. Originally from Massachusetts, Tara Keating joined Pennsylvania Ballet as a member of the Corps de Ballet in the spring of 1998. She has danced such principal roles as Helena and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Myrtha in Giselle, Emilia in José Limon’s The Moor’s Pavane, and Dew Drop and Coffee in The Nutcracker. She has also danced featured roles in John Butler’s Carmina Burana, Lar Lubovitch’s Concerto Six Twenty-Two; Paul Taylor’s Company B and Arden Court, Margo Sappington’s Rodin, Mis En Vie, and Matthew Neenan’s Le Travail. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Keating danced with American Repertory Ballet for two years. She is a 1995 graduate of Juilliard College, where she received the RDA Dance Magazine Award and The Most Outstanding Dance Major Award from the National Dance Association. She lives in Frenchtown, NJ. Riolama Lorenzo joined Pennsylvania Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member in September 2002. In her one season with the Company, she danced such principal roles as Polyhymnia in Apollo, Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, and the title role in The Firebird. Ms. Lorenzo was also featured in Matthew Neenan’s Le Travail, and Paul Taylor’s Company B. Prior to joining the Company, she danced with New York City Ballet for five years. Originally from Havana, Cuba and the daughter of a former dancer with Nacional Ballet de Cuba, Ms. Lorenzo trained at the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida and the School of American Ballet. In 1993, she received the renowned Princess Grace Award. She resides in Philadelphia. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Laura Bowman became an Apprentice with Pennsylvania Ballet in August 2001. During the past two years, she has danced featured roles in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Margo Sappington’s Rodin, Mis En Vie, Matthew Neenan’s Le Travail, and Jerome Robbins’ Interplay. Ms. Bowman studied for ten years at the Raleigh School of Ballet and attended summer sessions at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Houston Ballet. She trained for one year at the Rock School before being invited to join the Company as an Apprentice. She lives in Philadelphia. Ashley Flood joined the Company as an Apprentice in September 2001, and has been featured in The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. Originally from California, Ms. Flood began her training at the San Diego School of Ballet. She then attended San Francisco Ballet School under full scholarship, and completed summer programs at the School American Ballet and American Ballet Theatre school. Ms. Flood received the ARTS Award in 2001 from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. She lives in Philadelphia. “The new dancers that I have hired for our 40th season all demonstrate individual artistry and skill that make them a welcome addition to our Company,” says Mr. Kaiser. James Ady returns to the Company as a Soloist after one year with American Ballet Theatre, where his repertoire included roles in Le Corsaire, Giselle, Offenbach in the Underworld and Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison. Prior to that, he was in Pennsylvania Ballet for five years, dancing several principal roles including Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Cavalier in The Nutcracker, Franz in Coppélia, and Frederick in Dracula, as well as featured roles in George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie and The Four Temperaments, and Paul Taylor’s Arden Court. Mr. Ady began ballet training at the age of 15 in Clinton, Iowa, and attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, as well as Pennsylvania Ballet and San Francisco Ballet summer programs. Jamar Goodman joins Pennsylvania Ballet’s Corps de Ballet after dancing for two seasons with American Ballet Theatre. A member of the Corps de Ballet, he danced in most of the company’s repertoire and had leading roles in Amazed in Burning Dreams, Black Tuesday, Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra, Marimba and Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison. Prior to joining American Ballet Theatre, Mr. Goodman was a member of ABT’s Studio Company for two and half years. A native of Waterbury, Connecticut, he studied dance at the Hartford Ballet School and was a trainee with Hartford Ballet for one season. Elysia Lichtine joins the Company as an Apprentice after training for six years with the School of American Ballet. Prior to that, she studied at the Westchester Ballet Center for five years. She also completed summer training programs with Pacific Northwest Ballet, New York State Summer School of the Arts, and the Chautauqua School of Dance, all under scholarship. In 2002, Ms. Lichtine was chosen to perform in Principal Dancer Damian Woetzel’s Copland Portrait for New York City Ballet’s Choreographic Workshop, and in 2001 she was selected to dance in Eliot Feld’s world premiere for New York City Ballet, Organon. Michael Patterson becomes an Apprentice after one year in Pennsylvania Ballet II, the Joyce and Herbert Kean Trainee Program. As a member of this training company, he performed lecture demonstrations in schools and community centers throughout the region, as well as in Pennsylvania Ballet’s productions of The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and The Firebird. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Mr. Patterson received his dance training from Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) and Lake Erie Ballet. He also attended summer programs under scholarship at The Joffrey Workshop, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and CPYB. A native of Laguna Hills, California, Barette Vance joins the Company as an Apprentice. A student at the School of American Ballet since 1998, her training has been supplemented with summer intensive programs with Miami City, San Francisco, Pacific Northwest, and Houston Ballet companies. Ms. Vance has also been featured as a model and product representative for Natalie Dancewear for the past five years, and won the Dance Masters of America Junior Miss Dance of California title in 1997. Gabriella Yudenich becomes an Apprentice after being in Pennsylvania Ballet II for two seasons, performing lecture demonstrations throughout the region, as well as in several of Pennsylvania Ballet’s full-length productions including The Nutcracker, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, and Coppélia. She studied with the Rock School before attending the School of American Ballet under full scholarship for two years. She also completed summer sessions at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Ms. Yudenich is a true product of Pennsylvania Ballet history. Her parents, Barbara Sandonato and the late Alexei Yudenich, were stars of Pennsylvania Ballet in the 1960s and 1970s. Other changes to the 2003-2004 roster include the departure of Corps de Ballet members Jennifer Chipman, Sarah Edery and Francis Veyette, who are each pursuing other opportunities, and the retirement of Kelly Moriarty, a member of the Company since 1989. Founded in 1963, Pennsylvania Ballet is widely recognized as one of the leading ballet companies in the nation. The Company is celebrating its 40th anniversary this season with popular works from the Company’s history, two company premieres and two world premieres commissioned for the 40th Anniversary – including a new, million dollar, full-length production of Swan Lake by world-renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. For more information, call (215) 551-7000 or visit the website at www.paballet.org.

An afterthought. I don't know how reliable 19th century photographs are for production details (such as string or elastic attached to helmets). They may well be like the ribbons on pointe shoes in early drawings -- not there because it took away the illusion. You don't find photographs of the Sylph or the Wilis wired, for example. Also, they may well have taken something from the stock room because the costumes for a new ballet were not finished. (The skirt length, though, is probably accurate. Bournonville used long skirts; by the end of the century, they were shorter.)

Thanks for that on Valkyrien, Rodney. I haven't had the time to research it, and probably won't

Kate, my guess is that he is on leave. In the past, dancers on leave have still been listed because they're still members of the company. I don't think it means that he'll be doing double duty.

Thank you, fraildove. I believe Alexander has gotten in contact with Mr. Danton, but I'll pass this along to him.

I think Petipa and Bournonville adapted, as balletmasters of the day did (and I think Petipa's changes to Giselle were quite substantial; the grand pas classique in Act II). We can't compare the originals, since Perrot's Giselle and Taglioni's Sylphide are lost. What Ashton did was different. I probably erred in calling it a homage, actually. I think he saw an idea, liked it, but wanted to do his own version (and I think it goes beyond putting it on pointea nd turning it out. Ashton is about continuity of line). To me, these are two different things.

Rodney, I think the remakes of the 19th century story ballets are in a different category from Ashton's homage to Cunningham (as are his and Balanchine's twiddling with and revising Petipa). Nearly every 19th century European ballet company had a version of "La Sylphide" and "Giselle" and the other standards of the day; Bournonville also did a Don Quixote (before Petipa), much the same way that nealry every company has a "Swan Lake" and "Dracula."

First, I'm not fond of bookburners. Art should stand on its merits. If you tossed out all art/literature etc. that could be said to demean womanhood, you'd lose about half the canon. Second....well, I agree with what's already been said so well by Paquita and Farrell Fan.

I think your guess is a good one, pugbee -- and welcome to Ballet Alert! There arewn't to many new videos/DVDs being released today of anyone, and those taht are are almost all from the big international companies. I would imagine it's a matter of name recognition -- the big distribution companies want something that would sell. I wonder if the company itself (and other companies) might consider producing a video for its fans? Something to sell along with the T-shirts, or as a present to those who make larger than the average donation? It might sell nearly as many copies of that video locally as it would nationally. Pugbee, you seem to be a Pennsylvnia Ballet fan -- we're very glad to have you! I hope you'll report on the performances you see this coming season.