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beckster

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Everything posted by beckster

  1. There was an interview with the author of Lovely Bones in this Saturday's Guardian (UK) and I am now desperate to read it! I'm waiting for the paperback to come out here though as we've only just had the hardback. I am a constant reader. Living in university accomodation over the summer means I spend a lot of time alone, so I am reading more than ever. I'm quite into biographies at the moment - I've been reading about Jane Austen and Darwin, and I'd like to find some dancer's biographies too. Recently I've read "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan and "Extra Virgin" by Annie Hawes, both of which were fabulous. I'm re-reading "Dancing Away" by Deborah Bull (of the RB) and as always I have Harry Potter and Jane Austen on the go - I read these books cyclically and constantly! I love having books which I know really well. I can pick them up and open them at any page and be able to read for 5 minutes or 50 minutes and know exactly what's going on. I am a very fast reader, almost a skim reader, which means that every time I re-read a book, I see different things in it.
  2. I think a pagoda is a western term for a chinese or eastern style of building or temple. People also build garden houses in this style and call it a pagoda. There is one in Kew gardens. The story of the prince, I didn't know, so I looked it up. http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/wo...en/pagoda1.html
  3. I voted for technique. The one thing I do love is seeing a perfect corps de ballet, where every single person is absolutely the same as everyone else. I think this is probably the hardest thing to do and I admire it. And I hate seeing a sloppy corps de ballet with legs and arms all at different angles. I wonder if I am unusual in seeing the big picture on the stage rather than the big names. I almost prefer the corps de ballet to the principals, if they are good.
  4. I voted for technique. The one thing I do love is seeing a perfect corps de ballet, where every single person is absolutely the same as everyone else. I think this is probably the hardest thing to do and I admire it. And I hate seeing a sloppy corps de ballet with legs and arms all at different angles. I wonder if I am unusual in seeing the big picture on the stage rather than the big names. I almost prefer the corps de ballet to the principals, if they are good.
  5. I would like to know how, in the days before telephones, these peasant women manage to coordinate their outfits. Peasant girls seem to meet their friends in the village square quite by chance - and they are wearing the same dress! Fashion faux-pas, or a simple lack of pattern variety at the village dressmakers?
  6. We in the UK have just completed three minutes silence in tribute to those dead or injured as a result of the events on Tuesday. The silence extended to non-public places as well as public - my sister went down to the War Memorial in Cardiff for the silence, whereas myself and the others in my office just stopped working and sat quietly when our computers told us it was 11.00. I would like to add my sympathies to the other messages on this board and to say that I really hope that this tragedy will not lead to retaliation and violence, but will help the world powers join together against terrorism and move forward in peace.
  7. I'm a reader. I read avidly, anything and everything, and if I enjoy a book I will read it about a million times over. At the moment I'm revisiting Jane Austen. I wish I didn't read so quickly - if I enjoy a book I can read the whole thing in a couple of hours and then I'm cross because it didn't last long enough! I also love music - I really want to join an ensemble of some kind with my flute but unfortunately all the ones I want to join rehearse on the same night as ballet class ... priorities ...
  8. People always ask me "why ballet?", when I mention that I started taking classes at age 22. To which I reply, "why not?". It's not a true answer but it gets them off my back for awhile ...
  9. For those in the UK, the Eurovision Young Dancers 2001 is meant to be repeated on BBC Knowledge (cable) and on BBC2 in July, but rumour at the ballet.co site tells me that the BBC2 program may have been cancelled. God forbid that any ballet would ever be shown on terrestrial TV - despite the fact that the UK now has "celebrity ballerinas" like Darcey Bussell, Adam Cooper and Deborah Bull, who could add to all the celebrity chefs, gardeners etc. who fill our airwaves at all times. Anyway I'll get off my soapbox now. Heres the information ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/youngdancers/ Becky
  10. I find that the dance of the knights from Prokofiev's R+J gets me ... even if I'm just listening to it in the office!
  11. My memorable goosebump moment was seeing my first performance of swan lake, I can't remember who performed or anything like that (I was 10, for goodness sakes!) but it may have been the Scottish ballet since they were frequent performers in Yorkshire. At the start of one of the acts, there was loads of dry ice or smoke shrouding what appeared to be rocks or mounds - it turned out to be the swans, who rose out of the smoke and began to dance. I didn't even realise the mounds were people until that moment! Of course to adults and seasoned ballet-goers, it wouldn't be so amazing, but for me, it was stunning. Having said that, I distinctly remember the audience gasping, so maybe it really was something special ... or maybe people from Hull are easily impressed ...
  12. There are several reviews of it on Amazon.com (just type in "flight of the swan" in the search box) - there seem to be conflicting opinions. One review describes it as lacklustre and bland! Its a bit pricey at the moment for me ...
  13. I think they are horrible. I really don't like them. Its not to say that I want all ballets to be danced in tutus, but I find them horribly unflattering both on stage and off. I feel sure that with all the great costumers around, there must be an alternative!
  14. Sitting near to someone who "just can't help themselves" singing or beating along with the music. No-one is so musical that they cannot prevent themselves from hitting the back of my seat in time with the music. Or worse, out of time with the music. And the overture, or any famous part of the score, is not an excuse for a singalong. I always want to turn round and tell them: No-one is impressed by your amazing ballet knowledge and musicality that you are able to hum along to the dance of the sugar plum fairy. I am here to watch the dancing, not to have someone hum in my ear. [ 06-06-2001: Message edited by: beckster ]
  15. The rating will be based upon the bad language (lots of swearing) and also because there are a couple of scenes with domestic violence in, although no blood and guts or anything like that. There are no scenes with nudity or sex in - I don't think theres even a single snog in the whole film! Of course sex is mentioned but in a very innocent way, as befits a story about an 11-year old. The other thing that might increase the rating are scenes involving a young boy who is coming to terms with his own homosexuality, again done in a very tasteful and fairly innocent way. I wasn't shocked by any of the film ... but I'm 22 and I don't have kids, so I don't know whether a parent would view it differently. I would say that if your parents don't mind the swearing and are open-minded about homosexuality, there shouldn't be a problem. But I would be interested to know if anyone has a different opinion. ------------------ ***The Beckster***
  16. I seem to have the same problem over here, with centre stage. It was meant to come out weeks ago, but I've been checking the cinema listings and so far no showings. I don't know if the release has been put back or what ... Then again, given the choice between Billy Elliot and Centre Stage, I'm glad I did get to see Billy. I have only seen one review for Centre Stage over here, and I guess British audiences just aren't as interested in what it's like to be in an american ballet school, because I don't know anyone but me who wants to go and see it!
  17. lol at that review! the girls in the class he is watching are not terribly graceful, it must be said! But (aside from the tutu thing) it is just like the dance class I took when I was 7, in a church hall in a small town in the north east of england <sigh>. I think it's better that the girls were more realistic like that, than being fantastic child-prodigy type dancers. ------------------ ***The Beckster***
  18. I went to see Billy Elliot yesterday, its been out here (UK) for absolutely ages. Its a BBC film, set near Newcastle (which is in the northeast of the UK for those who don't know!). Also, background info for those who want to see it, its set during the 1980s which is when a lot of the coal mines in the NE were closed down for good. I guess people who aren't from the UK might not get the context of the film. In the 1980s, miners went on strike about their pay and such, because coal was becoming too expensive to mine. There were riots and union arguemtns and so on, it was all very political. Not that you need to understand the politics to enjoy the film, but Billy's dad and brother are miners on strike and it helps to know what on earth is going on. Anyway. It's an absolutely lovely film, I thought. It made me laugh and cry. It is about ballet but don't expect too much in the way of choreographed stuff a la Fame! as it's more about triumph over adversity, doing the thing you love even if everyone is against it, and that you don't have to have money or a posh background to be able to succeed in what you want to do. I heartily recommend it. Oh, you might find some of the dialect a bit unusual. The Newcastle (Geordie) accent is quite strong and there's some colloquial language and a fair bit of swearing. Over here its rated 15 which means anyone under that age can't go and see it. [This message has been edited by beckster (edited October 30, 2000).]
  19. I love this topic! so funny ... How about Origin of Species: the ballet (lots of parts for children a la nutcracker, playing birds with different shaped beaks etc.) ... It's not a novel though, so does it count? Bridget Jones' Diary: the ballet I just looked at my bookshelf for inspiration, but I'm at work so all my books are called things like "Teach yourself Unix" and "Statistical Methods in Biology". VERY unsuitable for adaptation to ballet! [This message has been edited by beckster (edited October 16, 2000).]
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