BalletNut

!!!!!

But my opinion is far from surprising... If a choreographer thinks audiences will pay more to see shiny happy story ballets with sparkling costumes, magnificent sets, handsome princes, and pretty ballerinas in pink, that's what s/he choreographs, and the end result will be a 3 1/2-hour piece of ostentatious dung. If, on the other hand, a choreographer wants a share of the disposable income of the hip, progressive, left-leaning demographic, s/he will choreograph an avant-garde, contemporary, politically correct work whose aim it is to overthrow prevailing hegemonies. This time, the final product is a fifteen minute piece of deconstructionist dung. Why? Because these hypothetical ballets are primarily more inspired by dollar signs and greed than by artistic creativity on the part of the choreographer or any director commissioning such a work. In layman's terms: Good ballets rule, bad ballets drool.;) And the less I like a ballet, the longer my experience seems of watching it!

I watched a rented copy of Napoli with the Royal Danish Ballet, Arne Villumsen, Linda Hindberg, with choreography by Bournonville and music by at least 4 different people, one of whom is Rossini. But what exactly is the story for this ballet? All I know is that it's set in Italy.:confused:

I also own that Coppelia, and like it very much, even though the tutus look like lampshades. As I remember it isn't that expensive either, which is always good.

Unfortunately, since the recording industry is so much more prominent and entrenched in American society than the ballet industry, you know who the teeming millions will be siding with. Most people [dancers notwithstanding], lacking a thorough knowledge of ballet or dance will more easily sympathise with Vanessa Carlton's negative experiences. Contrast that with the relatively positive ballet experiences of other SAB grads: Abi Stafford's rapid rise at NYCB is a good example. Most people can't tell an apprentice from a corps dancer from a soloist from a principal, or their respective roles from each other, and so they experience no vicarious jubilation from finding out that Ms. Stafford--or anybody--was recently promoted from corps to soloist [unless of course they know them personally;)]. Eating disorders, competition, and tyrannical directors are all commonplace in the Big World, or at least have very similar counterparts. And I can't speak for everyone, but Americans have a strange obsession with observing and discussing the pathologies of people they do not know and will probably never meet. [How else do you explain the popularity of Temptation Island, Survivor, and Big Brother, to say nothing of tabloid spreads of makeup-less celebs?] We seem to lack the same sense of voyeurism about others' more positive experiences. Anyway, now that I've worked myself up into a tizzy, I must admit I am terribly curious about exactly how SAB went about chewing her up and spitting her out. Who were her teachers? her classmates? Did she perform in any workshops?

Paul, Emily Litella was a character from Saturday Night live in the late 1970s, played by the lovely, talented, and hiccup-inducing Gilda Radner. This character would be called upon to provide commentaries for Weekend Update, the evening news parody, on topics like Soviet Jewry, violence on television, and making Puerto Rico a state. Being a bit scatterbrained, she would then deliver commentaries on Soviet jewelry, violins on television, and--my favorite--making Puerto Rico a steak. ["If you make Puerto Rico a steak, the next thing they'll want is a baked potato!"] When the anchor corrected her she'd say, in her characteristic high pitched voice, "Oh, that's different. Never mind," and give a little smile. Yes, ladies and gents, it's true: I don't spend my whole life immersed in intellectual and meaningful pursuits.

Paul, Emily Litella was a character from Saturday Night live in the late 1970s, played by the lovely, talented, and hiccup-inducing Gilda Radner. This character would be called upon to provide commentaries for Weekend Update, the evening news parody, on topics like Soviet Jewry, violence on television, and making Puerto Rico a state. Being a bit scatterbrained, she would then deliver commentaries on Soviet jewelry, violins on television, and--my favorite--making Puerto Rico a steak. ["If you make Puerto Rico a steak, the next thing they'll want is a baked potato!"] When the anchor corrected her she'd say, in her characteristic high pitched voice, "Oh, that's different. Never mind," and give a little smile. Yes, ladies and gents, it's true: I don't spend my whole life immersed in intellectual and meaningful pursuits.

I prefer personality too, but I admit it: I adore brilliant technicians. Not adequate ones, mind you, but brilliant! The ones that, after watching them, leave you breathless and tingly, and make you glad to be alive. Wait a minute, I think I just described a brilliant personality. In the immortal words of Emily Litella, "Never mind."

I prefer personality too, but I admit it: I adore brilliant technicians. Not adequate ones, mind you, but brilliant! The ones that, after watching them, leave you breathless and tingly, and make you glad to be alive. Wait a minute, I think I just described a brilliant personality. In the immortal words of Emily Litella, "Never mind."

I'm not sure which of these are available in Britain, but I recommend the following: La Bayadere, Royal Ballet, with Asylmuratova, Bussell, Mukhamedov Anything from the Balanchine Library Swan lake, Royal Ballet, with Makarova, Dowell ABT, Le Corsaire, with Stiefel, Corella, Kent, Herrera, Malakhov ABT at the Met--Les Sylphides, Sylvia pdd, Triad, Paquita Cinderella, RB, Ashton choreography, with Dowell, Sibley Don Quixote, Kirov Ballet, with Terekhova, Ruzimatov Maybe someone from the UK can tell you more about ones that are available there?

The Giselle prequel could also include a bit on why Albrecht feels the need to go slumming with peasant girls, and also it could explore his relationship with Wilfrid. Very Freudian. Not to mention explaining where Giselle's father went. Even though Sleeping Beauty has a prologue already, you could have a prequel which would explain why the king and queen hate Carabosse so much, and what kinds of traumas Carabosse endured in her childhood that would make her so vindictive and brutal. Note to creatively starved choreographers & directors: Don't try this at home, kids.

The Giselle prequel could also include a bit on why Albrecht feels the need to go slumming with peasant girls, and also it could explore his relationship with Wilfrid. Very Freudian. Not to mention explaining where Giselle's father went. Even though Sleeping Beauty has a prologue already, you could have a prequel which would explain why the king and queen hate Carabosse so much, and what kinds of traumas Carabosse endured in her childhood that would make her so vindictive and brutal. Note to creatively starved choreographers & directors: Don't try this at home, kids.

I've noticed a trend over at Disney these past few years: taking the classics [The Little Mermaid, Lady & The Tramp, and Peter Pan, to name a few] and capitalizing on their popularity by making sequels to them, usually many years after the original was created. Thus, we have titles like "Little Mermaid 2--Return to the Sea," "Lady & The Tramp 2--Scamp's Adventure," or "Peter Pan 2--Return to Never Never Land" [too bad Spielberg already did Hook!:rolleyes:]. I'm sure you can see where this is heading. How about it? 1. Swan Lake 2: Odile's Story 2. Sleeping Beauty 2: Queen Aurora 3. Giselle 2: Albrecht & Bathilde 4: Jewels 2: Sapphires, Amethysts, & Opals That's enough for now.

I've noticed a trend over at Disney these past few years: taking the classics [The Little Mermaid, Lady & The Tramp, and Peter Pan, to name a few] and capitalizing on their popularity by making sequels to them, usually many years after the original was created. Thus, we have titles like "Little Mermaid 2--Return to the Sea," "Lady & The Tramp 2--Scamp's Adventure," or "Peter Pan 2--Return to Never Never Land" [too bad Spielberg already did Hook!:rolleyes:]. I'm sure you can see where this is heading. How about it? 1. Swan Lake 2: Odile's Story 2. Sleeping Beauty 2: Queen Aurora 3. Giselle 2: Albrecht & Bathilde 4: Jewels 2: Sapphires, Amethysts, & Opals That's enough for now.

I wonder if there have been many objections to the racist portrayal of the Moor? :eek: Of course, you could say that about many ballets [Raymonda, anyone?] but Petrouchka is more obviously so. Not that I necessarily agree, either...I can see both arguments.

I'll miss Rykine; I always thought he was one of the better classical dancers, and I'd say the same for Berman, who seemed, at least to me, to fit the term "house ballerina" very well, and in a positive way. Pierre was nothing to sneeze at either. However, I'm afraid that I won't be shedding any tears for Lacarra. But who knows-- maybe if she eats enough of that hearty, cholesterol-laden German cuisine there might be a bit of an improvement... But seriously, it looks like they're going to be making a few promotions next year, not just to principal but to soloist as well, considering there are all of 7 or 8 soloists right now and at least one is likely to be promoted. Can't say who though, but I have a few favorites.

Wow. Sounds like the same old anti-ballet argument that I hear day in and day out: "All they do is take all their steps out of a book. Ballet is not creative, because the dancers and choreographers don't use expressive created movements, just all that obscure French crap from, like, 1000 years ago." By that line of reasoning, I suppose poetry isn't creative either, since they don't make up their own expressive created words, they just take them all out of that big fat book written by some dead white guy named Webster. No, I'm not bitter. [ March 17, 2002, 06:18 PM: Message edited by: BalletNut ]

quote: Originally posted by alexandra: Why not just do some back flips and be done with it? We'll clap for that. Interestingly enough, that's what one of my friends told me when she saw the PBS broadcast!

When I first saw The 4 Temperaments, it gave me a headache; now it's one of my favorites. Conversely, I really liked Tomasson's ballet Silver Ladders on its premiere; a year later, I left the theatre with a headache! Ditto El Grito [Lila York], The Tuning Game, and most of the world premieres at SFB. Dancers? The first time I saw Lucia Lacarra [in a little fluff piece by Tomasson], I actually liked her. Hard to believe, isn't it? [read my other posts for my current opinion of her...good riddance!] The opposite is true of Julie Diana: I found her to be overly cute and precious at first; now I think she's a very rounded dancer. Not sure if she's changed or if it's me, though.

quote: Originally posted by alexandra: Yes, dmd. I believe both Tina and Sherri LeBlanc dance with San Francisco Ballet. They might be a good pair to use for Calliope's original question -- do you compare them when you see them on stage? Mark Morris took advantage of their similarities and differences in Sandpaper Ballet, where he choreographed a section for the two of them.

Perhaps she was featured in both publications, but I saw Ashley Canterna among Dance Magazine's 25 to watch.

Call me a fuddy-duddy, but I'd dance Jonathan's ballet. Why? Paraphrasing Eric, give me tiaras and tights any day. To heck with real life. I want to be a ballerina, dang it!! [For the record, my dancing abilities are laughable, and that's putting it favorably]

Well, the whole time I was watching Hughes' LP, I was holding my breath, and when it was over, all I could think was, "If this doesn't get a medal, heads will roll." Hers was probably the most-deserved gold medal I can think of. Everyone else seemed so tense after that; I could almost hear them think "I HAVE to win this medal or else!" Hughes, meanwhile, wasn't really after a medal, she just seemed to enjoy herself so much. That said, I was rather sad for the more senior skaters, like Butyrskaya and especially Kwan. Their technical performances were not perfect, but they were so graceful and poised and lovely to watch. But grace and poise and elegance won't do much without technique in the world of figure skating, and that, in my opinion, is what distinguishes it from ballet, and it also explains Lipinski's gold medal [yes, I think Kwan should have had it... ]. As for Sasha Cohen, I wasn't won over by her the way I was by Kwan and Hughes. Perhaps it's her diva-like presentation, but she's still quite young. Maybe four years will mellow her out a bit. It'll be interesting. And I also hope that Hughes will be back for more, more, more!

NY City Ballet's website, nycballet.com, has a section called Front Row Center which has performance photos that get updated on Wednesdays. The repertory index on that site also has photos accompanying the info on some of the ballets listed there. [PS: I loved the Bournonville site! Gorgeous pics, very interesting.] [ February 20, 2002: Message edited by: BalletNut ]

The costume for Rothbart in NYCB's full-length Swan Lake is quite scary. Also, the male corps in The Prodigal Son is rather creepy as well, especially the part where they scuttle across the stage in pairs, like mutant spiders or something.