fandeballet

Does anyone know- and remember if they taped Nureyev's Shade Scene production with the Royal Ballet from around 1964? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

And how about the men? I remember seeing some photos of a young Nureyev in a book once. I think it was by Alexander Bland. What an arch he had!!! You can also see it in his 1st solo in Les Sylphides on film in the "Evening With The Royal Ballet" with Fonteyn. Wow! When I first Carlos Acosta on film, one of the most enduring images I have ever seen happened at the end of his 1st solo in Diana & Acteon. He ends up in a kneeling position- but what a position!!!!! His back is arched backward so far, his head is back and down almost level to his buttocks!!!!

I just wander that if they take the plunge and comercially sell at least some of these perfs., what revenue the companies and unions could make together??? Ballet and opera dvds for 50-100 dollars each, for example? Just being sold at each venue's gift shop. Could we open up another revenue stream that will help in these times of austere budgets and donations????????

Solor that's a great idea. For those of you who are members of Channel 13 or PBS, maybe you can start a movement to get PBS to broadcast these past presentations more often!! I believe the Royal Opera House has started to videotape ballet and opera perfs. for sale??? I would easily pay double for some of the ABT perfs. I have seen over the years. For example, who would not pay a king's ransom to have that 1st Corsaire perf. from 2005 w/Bocca, Corrella, H. Cornejo, JM Carreno, etc; or McKerrow's last perf. in Giselle. Damn the costs and full speed ahead!!! How about Opera and Ballet on Demand TV!!!! Yes I am going to the dark side!!!!!!!

I am so sorry Amy's Mom and everyone, I thought that the tape was still out there to buy They really should have this out now!!!

My personal favorites among the men are Correno and Acosta. But that does not mean I don't like the others. Even with the inherent competition, no one can dance every nite, or even every other nite. With Julio retiring, Viadimir not dancing as much, and in general everyone getting older, new blood needs to circulate with the old and replace it. That is being done with giving Halberg more important roles (just make sure they build up his upper body to do the more strenuous roles). BUT....we need Herman Cornejo to be able to take on more roles that will challenge him more!!!!! Artistically, it would be great to see him do Ali or Basilio, as I have said on another post before. Other then his height, he has all the talent to dance the variations from just about any ballet known to man! So here is an urgent call to start expanding Herman's rep. as much as possible.

My favorite duo in Giselle was Misha and Natalia M. (Van Hamel was Myrta and/Peredes was Hilarion?). That particular performance, thankfully, is now available for future generations to watch. It was/is out of this world! What are your favorite Giselle, filmed or seen live, that today is melded into your memory banks?

Anyone going to see the Acosta perfs. in Bayadere with the POB next week? Please let us know. Any details before and after would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Good Luck Helene

And I was hoping that she would have hooked up with ABT. The Royal has a "Jewel" alright!!!!!!

I know that halfway through a pro. football season that most, if not all, players have at least one injury. Is it the same for a 2-8 week seasons of ballet? I gather it is. But, let us non-dancers know what you have gone thru because of injuries. God bless you all, because you make it look so easy But I know it isn't. What are the types of injuries you've had? What are the type of injuries you've danced with?

Unusally unique!!!!! or........... Stupendously magnificant!!!!!!!

What cast was the best you've seen, in your opinion. Please try to include casts from as far back as possible. I have a feeling that almost all of the choices will be from the last 10-15 years, because the full-length version has not been shown in the West before that, I believe. My 2 favs. are from ABT : 1) The cast with Acosta(Conrad), Corella(Ali) and Herrera(Medori)........6/17&20/2002. 2) Bocca(Conrad), Corella(Ali), also with Correno, H. Carreno etc, etc!!!! From 2005, the first Cosaire of the season(a Thurs. nite)

When it comes to history, it is not just ballet that has a problem! 30 years ago we had the Arab oil embargo. Cars in the US finally started to become more fuel efficicient. But the price never went back down to 35 cents a gallon again! We went back to bigger cars-SUVs- and the price for us went thru the roof!!!! To get back to ballet.........the best I could say is to read up on and view videos and documentaries on ballet and dance in general. And then branch out from there and see where dance, and the arts in general, are affected by the society and the events of the day. But, when we get down to it, how many folks, and not just the young ones, have the sense to research and take interest in history of any type????????

Ok....who were the dancers who were considered or talked about as a dansuer noble???? I will agree that that category today is really only an historical subject now. But, does anyone have someone in mind, who is dancing today, that would have a chance to be a d.n.? How about Marcelo Gomes? I've become more and more impressed by his overall artistry.

What about Nagy and/or Bruhn?

I got the idea for this topic from a British dance site. If this is a topic that already has been brought up, I'll understand if it will be closed/moved. What makes a great danseur noble??? Is it just the way he presents and partners his ballerina. Or is it the whole package that a dancer can bring. One dancer that the British site did not mention, and whom I thought of was Ivan Nagy, who danced with ABT until 1977. He was well known for his skills of partnering and how he made any partner look great. Another dancer that has been talked about as a dansuer noble was Erik Bruhn. But he was a fine dancer himself. An added bonus?! The complete package?! Other dansuer nobles who are the complete packages to me are Jose Manuel Carreno and Carlos Acosta. The Nacional Ballet de Cuba emphasizes partnering skills , I've heard with 4 years Pas de Duex classes. Could this be taught, inbred or a combination of both What do you think?

I have to agree about H. Cornejo. How many more Peasant PDD's does he have to do until ABT gives him a Basil or Ali to do? I understand his height issues. But can ABT get beyond that?????????????????

Pictures from a mid-60's Life magazine of Nureyev in lower outer space,the physical force of his dancing, inspired me to see him and ballet in ernest for the 1st time in 1974. People told me he was not at his peak anymore!?!? But, he was still doing some incredible things technically. But as many of us know Rudi was not just about his physical powers. You were drawn to him, even when he was sitting!!!!! When Rudi and many of my favorite dancers from his generation retired and even died, I was devastated. I lost alot of my interest and passion for dance. Even a younger Bocca was not enough to get me where I was in the 1970's & 80's. I did miss some terrific perfs. though, I must admit. But, in 1995, Jose Manuel Carreno brought me all the way back!!! I learned to appreciate each individual dancer for what he/she brings onto the stage! So I became a better fan of dance, due to a new generation of dancers that have brought their own magic and grace to us. I still won't stand for sloppy finishes. But, I get just as much pleasure now!! Another thought.....It does not matter what people like me think about dancers today, because each generation's only reference points have to be what they see on stage TODAY!!!!!!! Other than videos, that is!!!!!!!!!!

Hello to our friends down in the Dallas/Fortworth area. Did anyone go to see the Gala performances at the Texas Ballet Theater? Carlos Acosta and a ballerina from the Chinese ballet were slated to perform the Cosaire PDD. They were performed this past weekend. 2-17;2-18;& 2-19. Please let us know! Any details would be greatly appreciated And what else went on???????

Nureyev was one of the fastest dancers going around the stage. Jean Claude Gil was extremely fast also.

Just to verify that I have seen perfs. from Cuba with both Acosta and Carreno performing over the last several years.

I heard that he was leaving the company. But I was waiting for official word.......or a deletion from ABT's roster. When someone this promising, and someone who was on track for bigger and more important roles leaves, it can set the company back quite a bit. Mr. Tidwell had the goods to be at the very least an excellent soloist, if not a fine principal dancer.

Dear Bart........I have just come around to Marcelo's wondeful interpretive skills, along with his wonderful all-round dancing abilities, over the last two ABT seasons at the MET!!!!! I just would love him to get a chance to do a ballet like Spartacus !!!!!!!!!

Yes. Pavlova/Gordeyev were there. They were superb dancers and artists.