cargill

The NYT's article mentions Ashton, but he isn't mentioned on the list of ballets--I hope that is an oversight! Mary

About the Balanchine and polio question, Danceview published an article on that topic.

ABT has a tradition of Bathilde pulling her hand back and going "icky". It is now a bit less obvious now--a few years ago, she practically wiped her hand in disgust. I like a softer Bathilde (after all, in the original, Giselle tells Albrecht to go back to her, and she and Albrecht walk off together. Bathilde had come into the forest looking for him.) In the old Royal Ballet version that I saw, Bathilde tells Giselle that she too is engaged when she gives her the necklace, and that moment was always so sad. I also don't really like the way ABT has Bathilde give Albrecht a filthy look and then flounce out when she finds out about Giselle, since she would be humiliated and heartbroken, not just "Oh, there you go again, you rake, I'm off to find another husband."

Yes, the music quotes the theme from Love for Three Oranges--Prokofiev was having a little in joke! Mary

I remember reading, probably in Markova's autobiography, that she spent a lot of time preparing Giselle in Cyril Beaumont's bookstore looking at old lithographs of romantic ballet dancers. What an interesting question! Mary

I remember reading, probably in Markova's autobiography, that she spent a lot of time preparing Giselle in Cyril Beaumont's bookstore looking at old lithographs of romantic ballet dancers. What an interesting question! Mary

Paloma Herrera has just sent out an email saying that 2015 will be her last year dancing. I hope that this Friday isn't her final Don Q, because I can't go, and I just love her in that. I would really like to see her again as the red pocket book girl in Fancy Free, too, so I hope that happens. Mary

It was Ryoko Sadoshima-- I didn't hear the announcement but that is what a staff member said. Mary. Sorry about the duplication!

It was Ryoko Sadoshima-- I didn't hear the announcement but that is what a staff member said. Mary

Did anyone else see Boston Ballet's Cinderella? I saw it Saturday night, and think they did a very good job. Misa Kuranga was truly lovely as Cinderella, and the sisters weren't overdone. I was lucky enough to see Ashton and Helpmann, which has spoiled me forever, but the two at Boston (Yury Yanowsk and Boyko Dossev) were careful to stay part of the story. Roddy Doble was the father--I remember him from ABT, where he was so good in character roles, and he was very good, stooped and weak, and bossed around. (I know bossy has been banned, but boy, those sisters were bossy!) I hope someone else can report on other casts.

I'm so glad she is doing well in San Francisco. Myrta was one of the first featured roles I saw her in at ABT, and in a season where Part and Murphy were also cast, she stood out for her own interpretation. She is a real loss for us in New York. Mary

I saw Haieff Divertimento during the 1993 celebration, and I loved it. The music was, for me, just gorgeous, and the choreography was very interesting, especially for the men. I myself would love to see it again, and personally, I think any and all preservation should be supported! Mary

ABT actually did Echoing of Trumpets one season, about 15 years ago. I thought they did a phenomenal job, and it is an unbelievably powerful work. Mary

I just want to say that for some reason the Gomes interview says interviewed by Marcelo Gomes. In fact, I did the interview, he wasn't talking to himself! Mary Cargill

New York, NY 10027

Drew, I agree with you. I think he was so perfect in that role, so noble, with such a passive, for lack of a better word, yet powerful elegance. I can still see him standing by the temple, mourning Sylvia, looking like a Greek statue. Mary

Alexander Grant was certainly one of the greatest character dancers I have ever seen. There is quite a bit written about him, and some interviews. Jane Simpson did a very nice one a few years ago, in DanceView, as I remember. Cechetti wrote an autobiography and he talks in it a fair amount about mime. Mary

About Brian Seibert's wish that the new Peck ballet had been encored: in a way, it was, since there were so many steps and combinations in the Wheeldon that looked similar.

Just in case people aren't aware of it, Nikolaj Hübbe will be talking about his new production of La Bayadere for the Royal Danish Ballet at the Guggenheim on Sunday Oct. 21 and Mond. Oct. 22. It will also be live streamed here.

ustream.tv/worksandprocess

There are so many little moments I remember, but I think the one that I love the most is Fonteyn in Swan Lake. I saw her very late in her career (including the last one she did at Covent Garden), and before I saw her, a friend told me to be sure and watch the moment in the second act when she goes to the side of the stage and crosses her arms, right before the traditional mime scene. I had seen that many times before, and it was always someone crossing her arms, so I couldn't imagine what was so special, but I did watch, and honestly, for a moment, I really did see wings. I have never seen anything to match that in terms of pure theatrical magic,.

Her take is very interesting. The act I like best in Balanchine's Coppelia is the second, set in the workshop, which is almost pure mime, and very similar to the traditional (at least as it has come down) version. As I understand it, Danilova pretty much set this according to the version she danced with the Ballet Russe. I do like the other two acts, especially Balanchine's pas de deux, but there are "pure dance" things that do bother me. I know it is very pedantic, but having the same group dance the mazurka and the czardas in the first act just isn't right. These dances are from different countries, and should be danced by different groups. That said, it is nice to see an attempt at a character czardas rather than a pseudo-gypsy dance set on point that some companies do. I do feel that all the pink tutued little girls in the last act are a bit saccherine, and wish he had used the music for more grown up choreography. I did see the revival that the Bolshoi did when it was presented live in the theaters, and just loved that choreography.

^{I agree! I am surprized that they would do this--I remember years ago Amparo Brito was one of the most magnificent Moyna/Zulmas I have ever seen. (I can't keep them straight!)}

He is one of my absolute favorite dancers, and always interesting. When ABT first did The Dream, he was one of the lovers (and very funny, too), and he told me in an interview that he was 3rd cast Oberon, and did get to work with Dowell for a bit and how wonderful that was. But I do have to say that I don't think it is exactly his role, he is just too real and warm somehow to convey magic and mystery that Dowell had. Not that I would ever miss a chance to see him, believe me. Mary

Birt, I do agree with you--I have always loved the Makarova version. I actually saw the first performance--in Washington in the 1970's, and it has held up very well, not going over the top (a la Corsaire), and the drama has become stronger, though I did like it better when Gamzatti wore flat flippers(rather than ballet shoes) in the confrontation scene. I think it made it stronger, but apparently, it was hard to change shoes so quickly for the bethrothal scene. It is a shame that she couldn't have included some of the character dances--I always loved the little dance manu, even though it does interfer with the drama. And I suspect that the parrot dance would bring up too many memories of Monty Python. Mary

I thought people might be interested in this example of how much Alain meant to Alexander Grant. I was in charge of the Dance Critics' Association conference when Alexander Grant came to speak--it was the year that ABT did their wonderful La Fille. Mr. Grant could not have been nicer--I was responsible for him, and managed not to make a complete fool of myself. Since he seemed so interested in everything, I did send him a copy of my review of La Fille in Ballet Review, where I talked about Alain. I had remembered his Alain, where, in the storm scene, he got a wonderful gleam in his eye looking at his umbrella. In the ABT production, the Widow Simone pointed out the umbrella to Alain, as if saying, you are such a dunderhead, you don't even know what an umbrella is. I said that I missed that little moment of Alain's triumph, but that, since Alexander Grant had set the ABT version, they must have it right. I got the nicest letter back (which I plan to have buried with me), and he said "I was delighted that you commented on Alain's moment when he says "look I am not so silly I am the only one with an umbrella"--it was a favourite moment of mine. Simone did not point it out to him in the original production, and I certainly did not teach her to do so in the present production, it is one of those times when artists take the idea on themselves." He was one of the greatest artists I have ever seen, and I still get shivers when I think of the way he mimed Bottom's dream. Mary