Helene

Considering that there was already a discussion about the film without us even knowing what the format would be, I'm not sure there's more audience here to mine. We're already their natural habitat. Of course, there would be a much larger audience for the film -- and for other Emerging Pictures transmissions -- if they were available through downloads, streaming, and DVD for those who don't live near theaters showing them or for those who can't make the day-of-performance transmissions.

The request was, "We want to hear from you who you think are some of the most exciting dancers today performing the iconic roles of the megahits of Classical Ballet. " I think that means dancers who are performing the role now. I don't see any distinction being made between live or recorded, including YouTube, performances.

Another Basilio: Osiel Gounod.

Melody Mennite as Sugar Plum Fairy.

Carrie Imler and Kaori Nakamura as Kitri. Lucien Postlewaite as Basilio.

Carrie Imler as Myrtha.

You are right, and I mistakenly cut and pasted my incomplete directions. I'm fixing them now. Thank you for pointing this out. Back to topic: Carla Korbes as Odette/Odile.

Please list up to three dancers who you think are the greatest man and woman to dance Giselle, Loys/Albrecht, and/or Myrtha among current dancers. Please use these threads to vote only, so that they're easy to tally. You can argue elsewhere. This thread will be closed at noon PST on 1 February 2013. For details about the project, please see this thread: http://balletalert.i...rging-pictures/

The film's Kickstarter project surpassed its $35K goal by the 17 December deadline, and has been funded. The plan is to use historical footage and interviews, where possible, to the gala footage, to be shown in movie theaters though its partnership with Emerging Pictures. We've been invited to give feedback by 1 February 2013 about what to attempt to include in specific roles and ballets. Details are in the following new thread; do not reply to this thread.

YAGP and Emerging Pictures have partnered to create and air a documentary weaving the recent YAGP gala with historical footage and interviews. We've been asked to give feedback by 1 February. Please read the following description before submitting feedback; off-topic comments will be removed. I've created a thread for each ballet, linked directly below. You can post your responses in the threads or through the Facebook and Twitter info in the instructions in the announcement. (If you're not a member, please use these.) The goal is to identify the best current dancers in these roles. Swan Lake (Odette, Odile) Nutcracker (Sugar Plum Fairy, Nutcracker Prince) La Bayadere (Nikiya, Gamzatti, Solor, Bronze Idol) Don Quixote (Basilio, Kitri) Giselle (Giselle, Prince, Myrtha) Flames of Paris (Pas de Deux Man and Woman) We'll tally them on 1 February, when the threads will be closed. If you have any questions, please PM me or send email to the "Contact Us" link at the top of the page. “BALLET’S GREATEST HITS” : Become a part of ballet history! Dear friends! On January 5, 2013 YAGP made history by presenting “Ballet’s Greatest Hits: A YAGP Gala Evening” featuring the top ballet dancers from around the world performing the most beloved pieces of Classical Ballet. The Gala took place in Tampa, FL and was filmed by five-time Emmy Award winner, Clemente D’Alessio. Now, he will add unique documentary footage of interviews with artists and choreographers, giving special insight into the history and meaning of each piece. Once completed, the film version will present a brand new Gala format, seamlessly interweaving exciting live performances with documentary footage in a dynamic “dialogue” between ballet history and the present moment. This is part of an exciting new collaboration between Youth America Grand Prix and Emerging Pictures – the company that has brought The Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and Nederlands Dans Theatre to movie screens across America. The completed film version of “Ballet’s Greatest Hits” will be shown at movie theaters throughout the United States, giving those who may not normally have access to extraordinary dance artistry a chance to experience it. YOU get to be a part of this historic project! We want to hear from you who you think are some of the most exciting dancers today performing the iconic roles of the megahits of Classical Ballet. Based on your response, we will try to interview these artists and include the footage in the film version of “Ballet’s Greatest Hits” – or to include special segments featuring these artists’ performances. The five ballets featured in “Ballet’s Greatest Hits” are: Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Giselle, and Flames of Paris. We want to hear from you who, of all the dancers performing today, are the three best (1st, 2nd and 3rd place) Odette and Odile (Swan Lake), Sugar Plum Fairy and The Nutcracker Prince (The Nutcracker), Gamzatti, Nikia Solor, and Bronze Idol (La Bayadere), Basilio and Kitri (Don Quixote), and the best Myrtha, Prince and Giselle (Giselle), and the best three couples who perform the Flames of Paris pas de deux. To cast your vote, visit YAGP’s Facebook page or vote on Twitter using YAGP’s Twitter handle @YAGP_tweets – or you can send an e-mail to BGH.audience.survey@gmail.com with the subject line “Audience Survey” and list your favorite dancers next to each role. “Ballet’s Greatest Hits” will arrive to movie theaters across America on March 31 and April 2, 2013 – so we want to hear from you by February 1, 2013 in order to have time to include your response in the film. Thank you for being a part of ballet history!

Please list up to three dancers who you think are the greatest man and woman to dance the Flames of Paris Pas de Deux among current dancers. Please use these threads to vote only, so that they're easy to tally. You can argue elsewhere. This thread will be closed at noon PST on 1 February 2013. For details about the project, please see this thread: http://balletalert.i...rging-pictures/

Please list up to three dancers who you think are the greatest Basilio and/or Kitri among current dancers. Please use these threads to vote only, so that they're easy to tally. You can argue elsewhere. This thread will be closed at noon PST on 1 February 2013. For details about the project, please see this thread: http://balletalert.i...rging-pictures/

Please list up to three dancers who you think are the greatest Nikiya, Gamzatti, Solor, and/or Bronze Idol among current dancers. Please use these threads to vote only, so that they're easy to tally. You can argue elsewhere. This thread will be closed at noon PST on 1 February 2013. For details about the project, please see this thread: http://balletalert.i...rging-pictures/

Please list up to three dancers who you think are the greatest Odette and/or Odile among current dancers. Please use these threads to vote only, so that they're easy to tally. You can argue elsewhere. This thread will be closed at noon PST on 1 February 2013. For details about the project, please see this thread: http://balletalert.i...rging-pictures/

Please list up to three dancers who you think are the greatest Sugar Plum Fairy and/or Nutcracker Prince among current dancers. Please use these threads to vote only, so that they're easy to tally. You can argue elsewhere. This thread will be closed at noon PST on 1 February 2013. For details about the project, please see this thread: http://balletalert.i...rging-pictures/

When I see "Gala" my eyes tend to glaze over, but that is an interesting and varied program.

Peter Boal discusses why he chose "Romeo et Juliette" for the 40th anniversary season:

According to the City Center site, when casting is added for the NYC performances, it will be added here: http://www.nycitycenter.org/tickets/productionNew.aspx?performanceNumber=6711#programs Casting for Seattle performances is made public typically ten days before the start of the weekend performances.

If she has a PayPal account or a Kickstarter/Indigogi/etc. project, it would be helpful to have that info.

What Stern did as an artist did not exonorate anything he did to his wife and children. It's just an example of "W[he] was good, [he] was very, very good, and when [he] was bad, [he] was horrid."

This is the latest press release, describing special events surrounding "Romeo et Juliette," which the company will perform in Seattle 1-3 and 7-10 February and at City Center in NYC 15-16 February. Pacific Northwest Ballet Presents Two Special Events in Conjunction with Seattle/New York Runs of Roméo et Juliette SEATTLE, WA – In January 2008, Pacific Northwest Ballet brought Jean-Christophe Maillot’s masterful Roméo et Juliette to Seattle for its west coast premiere, making PNB the first American company to perform the work. Maillot’s contemporary interpretation of the great love story has been hailed throughout the world as "one of the most beautiful ballets adapted from Shakespeare's masterpiece that can be seen today" (Scènes Magazine), and became an audience favorite and a signature work in PNB’s repertory. Roméo et Juliette returns to the McCaw Hall stage for nine performances (February 1-10) as PNB continues its 40th Anniversary Season. In conjunction with these performances, PNB is offering two very special presentations: BUILDING A BALLET: ROMÉO ET JULIETTE AT PNB Saturday, January 19, 3:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle 98109 Learn from PNB artistic staff how the company builds a production from the ground up, featuring an insider’s view of the construction of PNB’s own scenery and costumes for Roméo et Juliette. This 90-minute presentation features PNB costume shop manager Larae Theige Hascall, technical director Norbert Herriges, and principal dancer Carla Körbes and will include a presentation of costumes, props and design sketches. Tickets to BUILDING A BALLET are $20 each, available through the PNB Box Office. Note: Space is limited for this event. NEW YORK TOUR PREVIEW Tuesday, February 5, 5:30 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle 98109 Don’t miss this 90-minute preview of PNB’s upcoming tour to New York’s City Center of Music and Drama. The City Center engagement – featuring an evening of Balanchine works (Agon, Apollo and Concerto Barocco) and three performances of Roméo et Juliette – marks PNB’s first full-company appearance in New York since 1996, and the New York debut of the PNB Orchestra under the direction of music director/principal conductor Emil de Cou. Tickets to the NEW YORK TOUR PREVIEW are $20 each, available through the PNB Box Office. In addition to these two special events, don’t miss the free BALLET PREVIEW on Tuesday, January 29 at 12:00 pm. PNB Education Programs Manager Doug Fullington will offer a free lunch-hour lecture providing insights about Roméo et Juliette complete with video excerpts. 12:00 noon at the Central Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Avenue in downtown Seattle.

Is that performance traditionally their "Nutty Nutcracker"?

I wouldn't call the ballerina's jumps in "Les Sylphides" pyrotechnics, though, and Osipova would be superb in them. By pyrotechnics, I mean something closer to this, which, like pushing each other to greater technical feats, would be almost as inappropriate for Sylvia and Aminta as they'd be in the second act of "Swan Lake": In a Maxim Beloserkovsky thread, Drew wrote: I think ABT got the casting right on this one.

In the Ballet Videos forum, there are videos of Ms. Kochetkova in her Mariinsky performances of Giselle Nutcracker There's also a lovely photo of her backstage post-Nutcracker with her partner, her partner's teacher, Yuri Fateev, and her teacher at the Mariinsky: https://twitter.com/balletrusse/status/289302147009486848/photo/1