Alexandra

Estelle, I went to college with an Aurora I think, today, nearly any combination of letters is a name in English -- at least, it is in American English. I always assumed they used the name Aurora for symbolic reasons -- the king and queen wanted a daughter, her birth was a new beginning for them (curious, since in Russia, they desperately needed a SON for the monarchy to survive). Estelle, never having read the story in French, I didn't realize that Aurora was the Prince and Princess's daughter's name. In a dance history class, when we were told the whole story (those children were eaten by the Queen Mother, I believe?) we were told they were "Dawn" and "Day." I always assumed (stupidly, obviously) that Aurora and Prince Whatsit had named their children Dawn and Day. I wonder where "Florimund" came from? "Desiré" at least makes sense.

All good points, I think. But when a principal, and a beloved one (Meunier certainly has devoted followers on this board!) is absent for awhile, then announced and doesn't dance, people wonder and worry -- and just want to see her dance! I wish there were a way for companies to let us know, "There's an injury but we expect X to be back for the spring," or something of that sort. Something similar happened with Alicia Graf, where there WAS a serious injury and at first, it was thought she'd be back in a season, but now it's been three. There's a difference between probing for fun or gossip and really wanting to know; it should be possible to do it without violating the company's or the dancer's privacy. I think people would be fine with "He decided to take a break from ballet for the season but we hope he'll be back in the fall," or "it's a torn ligament. The doctors are hopeful, but we don't know when or if s/he'll return." Estelle, I think your distinction between serious and relatively minor injuries is an important one. I also think if it were announced how many dancers routinely danced with injuries -- wasn't it Fonteyn who said the only people who could like ballet are those who like bullfights? (if they knew the physical pain involved). Dale, I love your idea of press briefings. I think, in the long run, it would be a good thing. A director might like the opportunity to say, "Falling or missing a step doesns't lose you a role in this company" or "there have been disagreements in company philosophy and yes, we're taking a wait and see policy on Apprentice Y." [ February 25, 2002: Message edited by: alexandra ]

Great topic! 'Twas a time when City Ballet was chock full of siblings. Calliope had meant to post this in Dancers, and so it's being moved there now.

I think any time there's a situation involving subjective judgment (i.e., it's not a matter of seconds or inches, something that can be measured) AND there's a prize of any sort -- power, money, prestige, scholarship, career advancement, honor to the sponsoring studio, honor to the competition, etc. -- there is more than a possibility of corruption. I also think that 30 or 40 years is a long enough period of time for the competitions to have their own little "traditions" And this doesn't even take into account judgments which may not be considered "corrupt" but more on the order of "well-intentioned fudging," such as: "Give it to her; she's 18. It's her last chance." Or, "But we've never given a gold to someone from THAT school and it's about to fold. She's pretty good; let's give her a boost." Or "He's the only one that represents Vaganova, or Cecchetti, or My Own Method." I don't know a way around it. The fact that a competition medal is becoming legal tender now for company-hopping or getting a job in a major company insures that it will continue.

Not a stupid question at all, lilflower. I can't answer it, because I haven't seen the movie, but there have been a lot of posts about Center Stage here -- I'm going to move this over to the Anything Goes forum, where more people may see it.

Not a stupid question at all, lilflower. I can't answer it, because I haven't seen the movie, but there have been a lot of posts about Center Stage here -- I'm going to move this over to the Anything Goes forum, where more people may see it.

Suzzy S can pig out on salad shakers, Manhattnik. Where's your sense of fun? Think of the Grand Ballet of the French Fries!

Hi, Mega-Fan. Welcome to Ballet Alert! The omitted section was a section Balanchine added to "Emeralds" a few years after the premiere -- an adagio section at the end, a Sarabande, not a pas de deux, but for the four women and three men. Reportedly the Kirov wanted to stage the original version of the ballet, so it's not that they omitted it for these performances. It's just not in the version they perform. That's my understanding, anyway. If anyone wants to elaborate, please feel free [ February 24, 2002: Message edited by: alexandra ]

Dale, our resident sportswriter, has raised the point of an injured list before, and I think it's a good one. I don't understand why they can't say "she took a hard fall in the coda of Tchai pas last night and will be out for three games -- weeks -- with a sprained ankle." The problem with that is that there are some situations that aren't quite injuries, nor quite directorial whims. (A directorial whims list would be even more fun. "Maestro is still pouty about that little interview s/he gave a couple of years ago," or "ever since he did that guest stint with Rival X last year, we've begun to question how he fits in with the company's mission statement." (I do NOT mean to imply that either is operative in the present situation with Ms. Meuneier. Just giving a hypothetical for instance )

Calliope, I think the Kennedy Center program is in its first year, so too early to see results. On making a profit, I think you're right that there are companies that are in the black, but since so much of their income is from fundraising, not income from sales, I don't think they would be profitable to a corporation with shareholders.

I hadn't thought about the significance of the CEO title. Wasn't Jeffrey Babcock CEO of Boston Ballet? (I'm not sure, but I think so.) Luckily, ballet companies don't make a profit! Otherwise, they certainly would be on the stock exchange.

I couldn't go, unfortunately, but would like very much to hear about it The program was Twyla Tharp's "Brief Fling," Antony Tudor's "Dark Elegies," and Paul Taylor's "Esplanade." Did anyone see it?

Something new to worry about? Or a possible salvation? In a news search today, I found an article about an Australian corporate director who's urging his government to make some Australian companies, including opera and ballet, to remain owned by Australian nationals. read article I'd never thought of the possibility of, say, McDonalds (much less a non-American company) wanting to buy, say, ABT or New York City Ballet. Think of the possibilities!

I hope I don't need to add -- although I will -- that those of the high kick persuasion are equally welcome to post

I think "Aurora doesn't need them" says it all. I wonder if part of the aesthetic misguidance has to do with touring? It happened in the 1960s and 1970s, too. On tour, a dancer may feel s/he has to do all his/her "tricks" every night, or the audiences, who only have a chance to see the company once, will think there's no virtuosity, or the dancers are below par. Again, I think the company should have the courage to say, "No, this is what we do, and we're not going to change." If they have to, give interviews explaining how pure they are

I don't remember Rambert. Time to watch again. My most abiding memory of "Red Shoes" the first time I saw it (my first year of watching ballet) was the gallery. I wanted so much to be a part of that

I hope so! I could get addicted to your posts I love your point about noticing the supporting leg and the eyes. Cynthia Harvey, who danced with the Royal Ballet and worked with Ashton on Aurora, said in an interview (with a bit of surprise) that the one correction Ashton gave her was "use your eyes more," and then he talked about how Fonteyn used her eyes in this role. My idea of Aurora is quick and bright as well, which is why it matters to me that the dancer is properly cast. To me, Aurora is not the Swan Queen -- another outmoded notion, I'm sure I also agree with the comments about costume. Watching Zakharova kick, I kept thinking, it's as though she's dancing in a unitard. Ballerinas used to rehearse in rehearsal skirts/tutus. I wonder if that's gone? I also liked Xena's comment very much about dancers not thinking about the role in context -- I don't blame them. I think that's up to the coach to tell them, if the dancer doesn't figure it out on her own.

I would have loved to see Mason's Myrtha; her Carabosse was so wonderful Myrtha must have been on the same path. I also miss the weight of the Royal Ballet character dancers (the Bolshoi, too, if what we saw in DC last year was representative of the company.) I think ballet needs both weight and air to work. If it's just air, just lightness, and there's no contrast, then the lightness can seem merely lightweight. I'm sure Mason's Myrtha was not at all lightweight. Paul's comment on the jumps makes me want to sneak in another plug for Mette-Ida Kirk, who had a lovely jump, and added an element of the demonic to her portrayal. A Myrtha with a big jump AND epaulement -- now, that's a Myrtha.

I would have loved to see Mason's Myrtha; her Carabosse was so wonderful Myrtha must have been on the same path. I also miss the weight of the Royal Ballet character dancers (the Bolshoi, too, if what we saw in DC last year was representative of the company.) I think ballet needs both weight and air to work. If it's just air, just lightness, and there's no contrast, then the lightness can seem merely lightweight. I'm sure Mason's Myrtha was not at all lightweight. Paul's comment on the jumps makes me want to sneak in another plug for Mette-Ida Kirk, who had a lovely jump, and added an element of the demonic to her portrayal. A Myrtha with a big jump AND epaulement -- now, that's a Myrtha.

Dirac posted a wonderful link today -- to an article by Stravinsky on Diaghilev from the Atlantic Monthly 1953. I wanted to move it here so it would have a longer life and also to begin a discussion of Diaghilev. "The Diaghilev I Knew," by Igor Stravinsky. From the Atlantic Monthly archives, November 1953: http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/53nov/stravinsk53.htm When I first found ballet, the shreds of Diaghilev's repertory were still around fairly regularly; today, very few of the Fokine, Massine works are given (in this country, an honorable exception is Joffrey Ballet, which does revive Diaghilev programs). In some ways, we are still "in the wake of Diaghilev," in Richard Buckle's phrase: the insistence on smashing barriers and producing something new (which is, I maintain, a simplification of Diaghilev; he was about something much more, and I think Stravinsky's article speaks to that). What is Diaghilev's reputation today?

Welcome, Paul Parish. One of your articles (the San Francisco piece in Ballet Review) sure stirred up a lot of discussion. Your ears were undoubtedly burning (A note: I edited out a Bad Word from your post, with apologies, but this site is frequented by young people, too, and we try to apply general broadcast rules for appropriate language and subject matter.) Vulgarity and curtain calls....now, there's a question. I agree that it seems "stingy and rude" to not applaud when the dancers expect it. Washington is not very generous with its curtain calls. During the recent Kirov engagement, there was a good two minutes of dead air between the end of the adagio in the third act pas de deux and the beginning of the Prince's solo at every performance. I remember the Rudi Days when final curtain calls routinely lasted 45 minutes and what seemed to be the entire contents of flower shops were pelted at the stage.

Mark Lawson, in the Guardian, has a go at one of our favorite topics: Making a crisis out of a drama Critics always make a fuss about radical retellings of the classics read article Lawson also discusses revised operas and plays, giving some reasons for both. What do you think?

There have always been stories about vote-swapping, as well as companies' being assured, in advance, that if their dancers entered, they would be guaranteed a medal (offered by newer competitions trying to attract companies that had never competed). One story I can "print" is from Mary Day, as she told it to me in a formal interview. Day took several Washington School of Ballet girls to junior level competitions over the years. The last one was Kristy Windom at Varna in 1986 (?; forget exact date, but that's within a year or two). She didn't make it out of the second round, although she was a very strong technician. Day was not a judge at the competition, and said a fellow teacher who was a judge chastised her for bringing a student to a competition and NOT being a judge herself. She said she would never take a student to a competition again, and she hasn't.

It's only just begun....1972 U.S. men's basketball team is renewing its protests that the gold medal was awarded to the Soviets, not the U.S. "We think we have a real shot at it," team captain says on ABC News.

I didn't mean to suggest that there was a wrong end of the stick, just trying to clarify my question. I can imagine that learing a work, much less dancing it, could change one's impression of a piece of music.