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BalletIsLife

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Everything posted by BalletIsLife

  1. There is an old PBS documentary about the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet that has an excerpt from a ballet "Twilanka" set to Mozart's variations on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. It featuresa tiny Vanessa Zahorian (with Zach Hench? I believe). Sean Lavery is originally from CPYB.... I wonder if the piece for SAB is related to the piece in the documentary. The choreographer is not noted in the documentary. Either way, the piece in the documentary is lovely!
  2. I was also going to suggest Peter Boal. If Martin's has 20 or so years left as AD...maybe at that point Mr. Boal will leave PNB and move back to NYCB.
  3. Helene Alexopous (formerly NYCB) had twins!
  4. 1. This documentary sounds great! Do you think it will be released to the public at any time? 2. A while back there was a discussion on the word "boyfriend" in article on Miss Whelan's wedding. Interesting that in this interview Jock uses that same word. 3. I really got a kick out of his choice of least favorite word. "Again" is truly a word dancers come to both hate and love. It struck me as clever and quick on his feet.
  5. I attended the same performance and echo everything posted above. The substitution for Giselle was Christine Mangia. Her technique was very pure and she has an exquisite line. I was quite impressed. In terms of Act I, it seemed a little too condensed for me. Even the large waltz for Giselle's friends (normally 12 of them I believe?) was cut, as well as much of the miming, etc. It was definately rushed. The quick development between Giselle's entrance and the mad scene, would have made me wonder why she was going mad (if it was my first exposure to Giselle). I agree that Act II was beautiful. The corps was very well rehearsed. I was a little disturbed by Myrta. She seemed to severe. Her facial expression should have been commanding - but she seemed to lean more towards "possessed" then "commanding". Again, Christine Mangia was breathtaking as Giselle (particularly here in Act II). She should be featured more, and could easily hold her own in a larger company.
  6. I agree with Ashley Bouder..... she appears almost superhuman, outshining and outdoing everyone else on stage. That is what I would consider larger than life. Gomes as well.
  7. http://www.issuemanagement.net/marknym.html Who are the dancers on this page? They are amazing photos. I am especially blown away by the girl on right in the photograph on the far left.
  8. I second the finale of Vienna Waltzes and all of Serenade...
  9. Ballet Talk is truly a "twenty-first century" resource.... What an amazing opportunity. Thank you Ms. Holmes.
  10. the possibility of suzanne farrell staging for PNB is good to hear... here's hoping that more companies see the value in using her....
  11. I can only see a ballet fans finding humor in Korb's references. (If it can be called humerous at all.) I don't think he will attract any clueless spectators with this piece. The truly clueless would probably read this review and think ballet was all the more confusing and unappealing!
  12. Has Liturgy ever been performed by anyone other than Jock with Wendy? Will he return as a guest artist for this ballet or do you think it will be re-cast?
  13. I am in Indiana, but the company my husband works for always spends upwards of 100k on their annual Christmas party for regional employees. I imagine there is a company somewhere in Austin that would think hosting their annual Christmas party at an exclusive performance of the Nutcracker is a great idea! At my husband's company, the wives and kids would love it! I hope Ballet Austin finds a bidder!
  14. I hope that this is not considered gossip, It is first hand information. Please delete if inappropriate. Kaitlyn Gilliland was nursing a knee injury at the SAB workshop in 2004, which required major surgery over the summer and many months of recovery. She began carefully taking classes again at SAB and with NYCB just recently. It is another sad injury story, but I am anxiously awaiting her return to the stage later this year! ****Edited to add - Kaitlyn was seen frequently watching from the second ring "SAB section" of the State Theater during the Nutcracker and Winter Seasons****
  15. I attended ABT last night. Here are some impressions... Theme and Variations was a terible choice for the size of the Wexner Center stage. The outside rows of dancers were constantly hitting the wings, and in the finale where the lines of male and female corps are constantly passing through each other - it was like rush hour traffic.... Because of this, the dancing in Theme was (at best) reserved. Gillian has such beautiful technique, but in most of the sections she was adjusting her spacing and movements to work around the crowded conditions. It is hard for me to really access the dancing because they were not able to perform full out - and its not fair to think that was the best performance they could offer. Workwithinwork was fabulous. (and much more suited to the Wexner stage.) I am a HUGE fan of Forsythe, so the choreography always draws me in. I am curious to know who the tall girl was in the dark blue halter top dancing primarily with Misty Copeland. I particularly liked her use of feet and legs. She was tall and leggy, and let this work for her within the isolated movements. I think sometimes tall dancers cannot express the agility required of the isolations and twisting, and seem to stretch themselves out of control - but she was quite the opposite, making the distortions beautiful and contained within her tall body. On the other hand, I had trouble with Misty in this dance because her body type is completely ill suited for the costume (or lack of costume). I hope that is a "legal" statement... I will edit if needed. The Kylian was an audience hit. All of the people seated around me were raving. Of course Sinfonietta is so beautiful. The costumes and the backdrop scene alone create such a stunning "picture". I think the Wexner stage lends more beauty to this piece because of the way the stage set back against the stark black walls of the theater. I was happy that the group was truly an ensemble, and developed the harmony that is required of the piece. The men were great. Of course, it is a piece more for the men. Yet, during the two segments where two men chase eachother across the stage doing consecutive grand saut de chats, then change to repeat them in a cannon - I was literally holding my breath that they wouldn't kick each other. Again, a problem with the size of the stage. Overall, I think it is interesting that ABT hasn't been to Columbus in 35 years. I talked to a woman who was in attendance at the performance long ago, and she was noting how "Barishnikov was a part of Ballet Theatre.... etc." She was obviously an avid ballet goer and attended every show that came into town... and expressed that she planned to see ABT again in 35 years (she was about 80).... but really... what a strange glimpse at the company and of the state of ballet. Imagine if you only had the opportunity to see ABT once during the Barishnikov years, once during the MacKenzie years, and once in another 35 years. I spent the second intermission musing over the difference between the regular ballet goer in New York and this woman who will see them 3 times in one lifetime. It's so much different then a long distance sports fan who loves the Cowboy's football team, and will never see a game in real life, but still can watch them every weekend from his couch..... This really shows the seperation of art as a higher calling in life. Something that people can love and relate to, even if it's three times in one lifetime. What a gift.
  16. www.classicalballetmusic.com The second CD in the list, "Le Pas de Deux Classique". Also, futher down in the list is "Ballet Gala" (Disc 2)
  17. Oh my, of course it is from the Jardin Anime! Thank you for your help! I feel quite silly for not being able to place it!
  18. Below is a selection of music that I cannot place. I apologize for the quality... it is made from an old cassette tape I found. Please ignore the static and opening bars, which are nearly inaudible. When listening I can vividly remember the steps to a variation I learned as a teenage ballet student, however I am not sure what ballet is it from. Possibly Paquita? However, I did not find it on any of my Paquita CD's... Can anyone enlighten me? (Hopefully this link works!) Unknown Music Thank you!
  19. Side note: How do you properly pronouce Actaeon?
  20. Considering that those two dances are directly after one another.... I am sure there is some kind of error...
  21. I already have tickets to see both MCB and ABT ..... and will be going to see the IU Nutcracker and traveling to Chicago this Spring for Joffrey. It requires some traveling to get good ballet in our area, but I manage every year to find those great performances that are 3 hours or less of a drive away. I am JEALOUS of those of you that live in NYC or other metro areas with plenty of ballet.
  22. I too live in the Northeast section of Indiana, and Fort Wayne Ballet is the nearest performing arts organization. I attended "Murder at the Ballet" and was basically horrified by the choice of ballets, and the commercial quality of the dancing. However, I also attended their matinee show of "Peter and the Wolf", put on by the Fort Wayne Ballet "Youth Company". "Peter and the Wolf", was lovely, clean, age appropriate, and the audience seemed to love it. But, it will not bring in ticket sales when billed side-by-side with a sensational title like "Murder at the Ballet"!! Had "Peter and the Wolf" been the main attraction, with some clever marketing to family audiences, and without competing against a title like "Murder at the Ballet" - It would have been much more successful!!!!! Next year I think I will skip the scandelous evening show and just attend the matinee. Perhaps others will do the same. I am sure the young dancers benefitted more from learning "Peter and the Wolf", then learning excerpts from "Cell Block Tango". There is a place in the world for strong Broadway performances, but what these local dancers need is a stronger base of classical and neoclassical repertoire that will develop their technique, their artistry, and appeal to the community as well. I firmly feel there can be a balance found here, and in other regional ballets, as well.
  23. What month does the winter season typcially start in?
  24. I too saw the Friday night performance. I'll comment on the ensembles first.... The Pas de Trois was well rehearsed, but I would have liked to see it less safe and tame. But kudos to the girl doing the second female variation (no sure which was which between Abrera and McHugh)who had a beautiful line, and stood out as the stronger of the two. During the first segment of the Pas de Trois her repeated pirouettes down to the knee were extremely suspended and well phrased, versus the other girl who hopped and wobbled down to the knee each time. Moving to the swans.... The corps was surprising. It has been about four years since I have seen the company, and to be honest I was expecting the worst. I most appreciated that no one dancer stood out above the rest. I think that at NYCB standing out is good, but in a classical ballet such as swan like I would like to see a body of dancers with exact phrasing, classical lines and formations. It was very well rehearsed, and their arms in particular were beautiful and at times nearly emotionally moving. The cygnets recieved thunderous applause, as always, but it was really nothing to write home about. Same for the two big swans. In fact, their menage of grand jetes were lacking balon. I much preferred the corps work to the demi-soloists. In the ballroom scene, I was put off slightly by the costumes. Actually, I felt the same about the women's costumes in the village scene in Act I. They were cumbersome and basically huge. I felt like the women looked smothered, and only the feet and hands visible. The large puffy sleeves made their shoulders look much too high. I respect the aim for authenticity, but please don't loose the line of dancers in the process. I felt like I was watching the adults in the Party Scene of the Nutcracker, but doing multiple pirouettes, arabesques and grand jetes. It was unnerving at times. Now as for Herrera and Carreno.... Exquisite. Of all the swan lakes I have seen, this one was particularly moving. I know the common criticism of Ms. Herrera arms, but I for one thought that she was poignant and supple in her interpretation. The grand pas de deux in Act II was breathtaking. When the cygnets finally arrived I had to literally take a deep breath and wipe the tears from my eyes. The extension of each movement to it's fullest, and the way she moved as if from her soul was just simply beautiful. I also wanted to point out that her famous feet seem to fit odette to me, like their fragility and curves mimicked perfectly the line of her arms, rounded and expressive. Her variation was not quite as suspended as the pdd and she had one wobble coming down from the last rond de jambe en l'air side, breaking the magic for a split second. But, each time her and Carreno were together, the tension, saddness and love between their two characters were just expressed so beautifully through their dancing. I actually surprised myself, because for the first time I preferred Paloma's odette. While I have always preferred her allegro dancing, and she was wonderfully vixen and flashy in the black swan pas de deux, it almost seemed superficial compared to the emotion of her white swan. But, her technique was strong, of course, and her turns beautiful, particularly en attitude and a la seconde in her variation. Carreno was equally emotional. His mime segments seemed real and engaging. His dancing was powerful as always, but I seem to keep coming back to his abillity to carry a ballet. Despite his power house technique and handsome lines, I love the way the story unfolds around him and we become invested in his character. Overall, I was most impressed with the swan corps and Ms. Herrera - exactly opposite of what I had expected. It was quite magnificent and worth the long drive to Illinois. I left the theater feeling like, at least to me, Paloma had gained something in the four years since I have seen her. She seemed so complete and so engaged in what she was doing. It was beautiful acting and beautiful dancing - so crucial to the classics. Well done.
  25. I have a question about Corsaire as well. In the Pas d'Esclave is it more popular today to have the female in a tutu or in pants? Which is the traditional costuming? Thank you.
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