Alexandra

I did want to pull out a quote from Anna Kisselgoff's piece in today's Times (link on Links). It's a keeper for our discussions about the difference between modern dance and ballet and why it matters:

I have to say I'm a MacMillan Skeptic too, and agree with most of the above comments. But I know we have a lot of MacMillan fans on the board, and I hope they won't shy away from responding as well.

Thank you for posting that, Viviane. Sometime before Easter, I hope to have time to update the DanceView site, including uploading Marc's interviews (we have about a dozen, I think now, mostly of Kirov, former Kirov, Bolshoi and Paris Opera stars and ballet masters; an interview with Wendy Whelan is in the current DanceView). We're starting to put up Sticky Links Threads on each company forum to have a convenient list of links that are pertinent to that company, and I've asked Marc to put up a separate thread where he can update his site. It's a wonderful resource for news and background about both the Kirov and Bolshoi, and since I'm asking him to post some of the news that he normally posts on his site (casting and program updates, etc) here, I'd like to have an easy way for him to let us know when there is a new feature or interview posted there as well.

I was in junior high when President Kennedy was assassinated, and one of my strongest memories is that that evening, there was television coverage of a concert -- I believe that, too, was the NY Philharmonic. I've often thought of that since. Today, we would have had 24/7 coverage -- has she told the children? what was the last meal? interviews with every living soul in Dallas. The concert is a much more pleasnat memory of a terrible day. I do think it's hard to second guess how artists are reacting to a national event. They're people first, artists second, and one person might be incapacitated by something that upsets them and someone else might say, "what a shame" and continue making dinner. I also think it's a hard call for arts organizations. What counts as a tragedy? The Shuttle because it's a national mission? An airplane crash that kills 300 people? Yes, if the latter's passengers included children? It's an interesting question, and one that everyone -- especially the artists and company directors -- will answer in a different way.

Reminder that airs is tonight in some cities. Check today's Links for several reviews. I've also screened this, and would generaly agree with those reviews. This seems to be aimed at a very general audience and goes heavy on the "dance guys are real macho" line, and tries to demystify ballet and make it less threatening -- we're just real guys doing neat stuff. I think fans of these dancers will be delighted to see them on and off stage. I think ballet fans will be disappointed that this is so general and so mass market -- and grateful that there is even this sliver of dance on television. I'd give it ***** for the general audience and *** for the rest of us.

Laurey, you might be interested in reading this thread on style and technique. http://www.balletalert.com/forum/showthrea...=&threadid=8719

Some more, from Sylvia. Thank you, Sylvia! Tamara Rojo's Offical website Sylvie Guillem's Official website Inaki Urlezaga's newly revamped Official website Deborah Bull's Official website Cathy Marston (Associate Artist of the ROH)'s Official website The Ballet Association Lots of Royal Ballet reports. The Performing Arts Library Search for "ballet" and you'll find many RB images.

Program and Casting Subject to Change *First time in role +Guest Artist FEBRUARY 4-9, 2003 TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 4 AT 7:30PM [Fiorato] Concerto Barocco: WHELAN, SOMOGYI, ASKEGARD [ingraham, Danielson] Pause Valse-Fantaisie: ANSANELLI, MILLEPIED Intermission Porte et un Soupir: KOWROSKI, GOLD Intermission Symphony in C: 1st Mov.: A. STAFFORD, MARTINS 2nd Mov.: KISTLER, SOTO 3rd Mov.: TAYLOR, TEWSLEY 4th Mov.: van KIPNIS, HIGGINS WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 5 AT 8:00PM Opus 19/The Dreamer: RINGER, WOETZEL [Nikkanen] Intermission Sonatas and Interludes: KOWROSKI, SOTO [Chelton] Pause Burleske: KISTLER, TAYLOR, BOAL, ANGLE [Walters] Intermission Agon: WHELAN, SOTO, MARCOVICI, McBREARTY, van KIPNIS, KOWROSKI, HANNA, FOWLER THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 6 AT 8:00PM Mozartiana: NICHOLS, WOETZEL, GOLD Intermission Kammermusik No. 2: KOWROSKI, SYLVE+, ASKEGARD, NEAL [Grant] Pause Ballade: *RINGER, TEWSLEY [Chelton] Intermission Who Cares?: MARTINS, WEESE, SOMOGYI, TAYLOR [Grant] FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 7 AT 8:00PM Concerto Barocco: WHELAN, SOMOGYI, ASKEGARD [ingraham, Danielson] Intermission Antique Epigraphs: *KÖRBES, *RUTHERFORD, RINGER, KOWROSKI Pause Chiaroscuro: WEESE, SOMOGYI, van KIPNIS, SOTO, FAYETTE, GOLD Intermission Chaconne: NICHOLS, MARTINS, *FAIRCHILD, *HENDRICKSON, KROHN, BAR, HANNA, RIGGINS, PAZCOGUIN, CICCONE, ZUNGRE, DRONOVA, ABERGEL, GOLBIN, la COUR, ROBERTSON SATURDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 8 AT 2:00PM Mozartiana: NICHOLS, WOETZEL, ULBRICHT Intermission Burleske: KISTLER, TAYLOR, BOAL ANGLE [Walters] Pause Chiaroscuro: WEESE, SOMOGYI, van KIPNIS, SOTO, FAYETTE, GOLD Intermission Who Cares?: NEAL, RINGER, ANSANELLI, van KIPNIS [Grant] SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8 AT 8:00PM Kammermusik No. 2: KOWROSKI, SYLVE+, ASKEGARD, NEAL [Grant] Pause Valse-Fantaisie: ANSANELLI, MILLEPIED Intermission Porte et un Soupir: KOWROSKI, GOLD Intermission Agon: WHELAN, EVANS, BOAL, McBREARTY, van KIPNIS, SOMOGYI, HANNA, FOWLER SUNDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 9 AT 3:00PM Square Dance: BORREE, MARTINS Intermission Opus 19/The Dreamer: RINGER, WOETZEL [Nikkanen] Intermission Agon: WHELAN, SOTO, MARCOVICI, McBREARTY, van KIPNIS, SOMOGYI, HANNA, FOWLER JANUARY 28 - FEBRUARY 2, 2003 TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 28 AT 7:30PM Square Dance: BORREE, BOAL Intermission Haiku: ASH, KÖRBES, ARTHURS, ORZA, MARCOVICI, HANNA [Moverman] Intermission Jeu de Cartes: TAYLOR, TEWSLEY, MILLEPIED, MARTINS WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 29 AT 8:00PM Bach Concerto V: KISTLER, SOTO [Moredock] Pause Eight Easy Pieces: KEENAN, FAIRCHILD, MANDRADJIEFF [McDill, Walters] Pause Eight More: CARMENA, ULBRICHT, HENDRICKSON Intermission Haiku: ASH, KÖRBES, ARTHURS, ORZA, MARCOVICI, HANNA [Moverman] Intermission Chaconne: WHELAN, NEAL, EDGE, GOLD, NATANYA, BESKOW, FOWLER, RIGGINS, *PAZCOGUIN, CICCONE, *ZUNGRE, DRONOVA, ABERGEL, GOLBIN, FROMAN, ROBERTSON THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 30 AT 8:00PM [Fiorato] Square Dance: *A. STAFFORD, MARTINS Intermission Piano Pieces: *MILLEPIED, *SOMOGYI, *ANGLE, *ANSANELLI, *MARCOVICI, *KOWROSKI, *HANNA [Grant] Intermission Slaughter on Tenth Avenue: SYLVE+, NEAL, FAYETTE, HANNA, FOWLER, SUOZZI, FROMAN, ROBERTSON FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 31 AT 8:00PM [Kaplow] Mercurial Manoeuvres: WEESE, ANGLE, MANDRADJIEFF, FAIRCHILD, MILLEPIED [Moverman, Mase] Intermission Burleske: KISTLER, ANGLE, TAYLOR, BOAL [Walters] Pause Sonatas and Interludes: KOWROSKI, SOTO [Chelton] Intermission Chaconne: WHELAN, NEAL, EDGE, GOLD, NATANYA, BESKOW, FOWLER, RIGGINS, PAZCOGUIN, CICCONE, ZUNGRE, DRONOVA, ABERGEL, GOLBIN, la COUR, ROBERTSON SATURDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 1 AT 2:00PM Kammermusik No. 2: KOWROSKI, *SYLVE+, ASKEGARD, NEAL [Grant] Pause Ballade: *WHELAN, *TEWSLEY [Chelton] Intermission Haiku: ASH, KÖRBES, ARTHURS, ORZA, MARCOVICI, HANNA [Moverman] Intermission Symphony in C: 1st Mov.: SOMOGYI, MARTINS 2nd Mov.: WHELAN, NEAL 3rd Mov.: TAYLOR, MILLEPIED 4th Mov.: van KIPNIS, HIGGINS SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 1 AT 8:00PM [Quinn] Bach Concerto V: KISTLER, SOTO [Moredock] Pause Eight Easy Pieces: KEENAN, FAIRCHILD, MANDRADJIEFF [McDill, Walters] Pause Eight More: CARMENA, ULBRICHT, HENDRICKSON Intermission Piano Pieces: MILLEPIED, SOMOGYI, ANGLE, ANSANELLI, MARCOVICI, KOWROSKI, HANNA [Grant] Intermission Chaconne: NICHOLS, MARTINS, EDGE, GOLD, NATANYA, BESKOW, FOWLER, RIGGINS, PAZCOGUIN, CICCONE, ZUNGRE, DRONOVA, ABERGEL, GOLBIN, la COUR, ROBERTSON SUNDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 2 AT 3:00PM Kammermusik No. 2: KOWROSKI, SYLVE+, ASKEGARD, NEAL [Grant] Pause Ballade: WHELAN, TEWSLEY [Chelton] Intermission Piano Pieces: MILLEPIED, SOMOGYI, ANGLE, ANSANELLI, MARCOVICI, KOWROSKI, HANNA [Grant] Intermission Jeu de Cartes: TAYLOR, TEWSLEY, MILLEPIED, MARTINS JANUARY 21-26, 2003 TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 21 AT 7:30PM Bach Concerto V: KISTLER, SOTO [Moredock] Pause Eight Easy Pieces: KEENAN, FAIRCHILD, MANDRADJIEFF [McDill, Walters] Pause Eight More: CARMENA, ULBRICHT, HENDRICKSON Intermission "Davidsbündlertänze": NICHOLS, KOWROSKI, WEESE, ANSANELLI, ASKEGARD, NEAL, BOAL, MARCOVICI [Moredock] Intermission Mercurial Manoeuvres: WEESE, SOTO, MANDRADJIEFF, FAIRCHILD, MILLEPIED [Moverman, Mase] WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 22 AT 8:00PM Serenade: NICHOLS, SOMOGYI, *SYLVE+, NEAL, FAYETTE Intermission Thou Swell: KISTLER, KOWROSKI, BORREE, *RUTHERFORD, SOTO, ASKEGARD, MARTINS, FAYETTE Intermission Slaughter on Tenth Avenue: KOWROSKI, WOETZEL, FAYETTE, *HANNA, *FOWLER, *SUOZZI, HENDRICKSON, *ROBERTSON THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 23 AT 8:00PM Serenade: NICHOLS, TAYLOR, SYLVE+, NEAL, FAYETTE Intermission Mercurial Manoeuvres: WEESE, ANGLE, MANDRADJIEFF, FAIRCHILD, MILLEPIED [Moverman, Mase] Intermission Thou Swell: KISTLER, KOWROSKI, BORREE, RUTHERFORD, SOTO, ASKEGARD, MARTINS, FAYETTE FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 24 AT 8:00PM [Fiorato] Square Dance: BORREE, BOAL [Moverman] Intermission "Davidsbündlertänze": NICHOLS, KISTLER, WEESE, SOMOGYI, ASKEGARD, SOTO, HÜBBE, MARTINS [Moredock] Intermission Slaughter on Tenth Avenue: KOWROSKI, WOETZEL, FAYETTE, HANNA, FOWLER, SUOZZI, HENDRICKSON, ROBERTSON SATURDAY MATINEE, JANUARY 25 AT 2:00PM Thou Swell: KISTLER, KOWROSKI, BORREE, RUTHERFORD, SOTO, ASKEGARD, MARTINS, FAYETTE Intermission In The Night: RUTHERFORD, SOMOGYI, WHELAN, HIGGINS, BOAL, SOTO [McDill] Intermission Slaughter on Tenth Avenue: *SYLVE+, NEAL, FAYETTE, HANNA, FOWLER, SUOZZI, *FROMAN, ROBERTSON SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 25 AT 8:00PM [Quinn] Serenade: NICHOLS, SOMOGYI, KOWROSKI, ASKEGARD, FAYETTE Intermission In The Night: RUTHERFORD, SOMOGYI, WHELAN, HIGGINS, BOAL, SOTO [McDill] Intermission Jeu de Cartes: TAYLOR, *TEWSLEY, *MILLEPIED, HÜBBE SUNDAY MATINEE, JANUARY 26 AT 3:00PM Jeu de Cartes: TAYLOR, TEWSLEY, MILLEPIED, HÜBBE Intermission Le Tombeau de Couperin: TBA Pause Pavane: NICHOLS Intermission Thou Swell: KISTLER, KOWROSKI, BORREE, RUTHERFORD, SOTO, ASKEGARD, MARTINS, FAYETTE

Thank you! We have quite a few Japanese who read the board, although not many post, so this may be helpful.

I'd like to add, since lauraj is new to the board -- and there are new posters and lurkers every day -- that we have sections of the board that are intended primarily for students and others studying or actually doing ballet, and sections of the board that are intended to discuss watching, thinking about and reading ballet.

Some dancers' pages (more will be added later. If you have a suggestion, please email me at: at@balletalert.com) Darcey Bussell's Official Site Darcey Bussell's Home Page (unofficial site)

I thought it might be helpful to have a list of links on each of the company forums, so we'll be doing that over the next couple of weeks. These threads will be for information only -- if you'd like to discuss any of the sites, please feel free to start a new thread for discussion. But I think it will be easier to read if we just have the links all in one place. The Royal Opera House Ballet Co's Legends of British Ballet Brief biographies and appreciations of major British dancers of the past.

Perhaps that' show he is known by people who've come to the ballet after the 1980s? I think if you asked Americans to name a MacMillan ballet they'd say "Manon" or "Romeo and Juliet." If you asked: Who choreographed "The Burrow," "Song of the Earth," "Gloria," "The Invitation" or the like -- well, I don't think many people would know. I'd be curious to get other answers to this. If you had to describe or categorize MacMillan's work, how would you do it?

Welcome, Laura. As Victoria said, you are preaching to the choir here. We continually have discussions about these issues -- about stylistic differences, employ, what I'm beginning to think of as the "lost repertory" -- which seems to be anything created in the 20th century before 1970. I think one of the reasons for this, as well as the stylistic similarities among ballets, is that ballet is different from singing and acting. Actors don't have to use the same blocking that they used in the 18th century, nor try to keep exactly the same inflection or accent. Ballets seem to be their best when the choreographer is alive and working at his peak with the dancers in a company -- and there are directors (Frederick Ashton was one) who can get the dancers to make stylistic differences. "Les Sylphides" did not look like "Swan Lake," and certainly didn't look like "Les Noces." I also think, unfortunately, that contemporary dancers and audiences aren't educated about stylistic differences. We're coming to a place where there is "ballet" and then all the other really cool stuff, and many people only see differences among, say, Morris, Forsythe, Tharp and Ek. To change this would take a considerable effort on the part of balletmasters and artistic directors, and as long as critics and, especially, audiences don't indicate that this is what they expect, I don't think we'll get it. Unfortunately, I think many people who come to ballet expecting a level of stylistic sophistication will leave if they don't find it.

Hello, Peregrine -- welcome! Have you tried searching Amazon in Australia? Or another on line service?

I think a lot of films and videos that are not general interest and intended for institutions are in that price range.

Or, Emeralds is French; Rubies, American; and Jewels, Russian "Jewels" is often viewed as being Balanchine's tribute to the three countries with which he felt a special affinity (in addition to what Leigh wrote above, with which I agree.) There are other differences among the ballerina roles as well. When we first discussed employ on these boards, I remember that a dancer who had danced in one of these ballets and was familiar with all of them instantly "got" the idea of employ and went through the ballets, putting each dancer in the proper category. A belated thank you for taking the time and trouble to post those casts, Estelle.

Thank you for that, Manhattnik. In the goodolddays the company came to DC every year, so I saw it a lot in my first years of dancegoing. I think if I had to pick one company in the world that I would have loved to see in its prime, it would be Graham. When I started watching the company it was past its prime, and the dances were looking a bit dusty. Graham, like Tudor and Fokine, was a choreographer whose genius I took on faith, but had never seen. Then one day I got a video of "Night Journey" and, even though it was a video, the performances were so fine -- and Graham was OLD! -- that I got it. Or, as Giannina would say, green green green!

I think, unfortunately, what many people "got" from Balanchine was a simplified message: 1. "Just dance it dear" (meaning, in the simplification, "Whatever you do, don't move a muscle in your face, and don't think") 2. Put steps to music, call it by the name of the composition, and you have a balanchineballet 3. Costumes and sets are unnecessary -- and it's so much cheaper without them!!!

I can prove that theory, Grace That's what happened to Kronstam in Denmark. When he became AD in 1978, he went back to the company's roots after more than a decade of experimentation with a heavily modern dance and theater piece repertory and very indifferently danced classical ballets, and turned it back to a classical company in a season -- not relying on memory here, but on videos from 1978 (before) and 1979-80 (after) as well, in addition to numerous interviews with dancers and theater administrators. He did this with the backing of the Minister of Culture, and everything was fine until that Minister of Culture died during Kronstam's second year. (Apparently, none of the critics dared to oppose this, and wrote "finally, there is classical dancing on Kongens Nytorv again.) But after the death of the MoC, all of a sudden "Kronstam is not a new thinker," "why don't we have John Neumeier come in and turn Napoli upside down?" etc etc -- and that is from one of the milder critics.

I'd echo Estelle's call for posts -- I can't believe no one is going! This is an important season, with a terfific repertory! Robert Greskovic reviewed it in the Wall Street Journal yesterday (available only to online subscribers) and Tobi Tobias reviewed it for the Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday. Here's the link to Tobias's piece: http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/ma...ily/5045253.htm

Or just maybe ten years of Bournonville training, not to mention Bournonville calves, have something to do with it? I doubt we're supposed to believe he's leaping from the ground, but Hubbe always had a very good jump. p.s. I'm happy the brochure is excited about the Balanchine Centennial!

True, but if someone gave me a ticket and a tent, I'd be curious enough to check it out I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing Eifman, and I'm glad the company is coming here. There's a lot of dance that bypasses DC -- Pina Bausch, Nederlands Dance Theatre, for two. We get lots of American modern dance, but very little European contemporary dance, or midrange ballet companies, and I hope that will change. It's interesting that the Warner is a musicals house. It's where the Washington Ballet shows its children's programs, and there are pop music concerts there as well. So they're not going after the ballet audience, but a general audience.

Ah, Jeannie you are right. I'm about to be deflowered

At the Warner Theatre (from the Theatre's web site): • April 25-27, 2003 On Sale Now Ardani Artists Presents A BORIS EIFMAN BALLET TCHAIKOVSKY The Mystery of Life and Death Hailed by critics everywhere as Russia's most innovative contemporary dance company, Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg has been electrifying audiences since 1977. When the company made its smashing New York debut in 1998, Anna Kisselgoff declared in The New York Times: "A ballet world in search of a major choreographer need search no more. He is Boris Eifman." • Friday, April 25 @ 8 PM • Saturday, April 26 @ 2 & 8 PM • Sunday, April 27 @ 2 PM Orchestra: $56.50 Mid Balcony: $46.50 Upper Balcony: $ 36.50