fandeballet

I enjoyed The Bright Stream. Now I know that it is not the version that premiered in front of Stalin. But the ballet I saw, and especially the giant rolling veggies and fruit had me busting a gut. It was hilarious!!! But, that choreographer in 1935, had some major nerves of steel!!!!!! Those farming communes never worked out at all. More like dismal failures, if I got my 20th century U.S.S.R. history right!!!!! I am surprised that Stalin did not purge the whole company!!!!

I was up in standing room at NY State Theater in 1979. I saw a Spartacus performance w/ Alexander Godenuv, a day or two before he defected!!!! He was a powerhouse!!!!!! Does anyone remember???? Ludmilla Semeneyka also danced that run. She and Nina are 2 of my favorites The Bolshoi also did the Stone Flower , I think.

If you had your way, what ballet would you want to see your favorite dancer in? Or any dancer!!!!!! My Picks: Acosta- La Bayadere, Manon, Tetley's "Rite of Spring", Spartacus, and Giselle. Herman Cornejo- as Ali and Conrad in Corsaire. Also: Albrecht, Basilio, and just about any Principal Role ABT wants to put him in!!!!!! Marcelo Gomes- Spartacus, Miss Julie, and Manon.

It just saddens me when Anthony NYC puts the blame all on the ushers, when many times things are happening, which should NEVER happen. Like cellphones going off in the theater. People taking pictures during the performance. Noisy unwrapping of candy or whatever. Talking throughout a performance. And these are things ADULTS ARE DOING!!!!!!!!! Yes, ushers should try to enforce the rules, and be on post to do just that. But if you think that enforcement is the ultimate solution, I just don't agree. People should come into any ballet, opera or show, and EXPECT THEIR FELLOW AUDIENCE MEMBERS TO BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS, at the very least!!!!!!!!

Here! Here! I agree with with Richard 100% Sorry Ms. Johnson

That is true if one gives them the benefit of the doubt and says that they have simply become oblivious to any noise their children make or it is a misguided attempt to train a child to behave in a theater. Unfortunately, many do know what they are doing -- saving the trouble and cost of hiring a babysitter, and bringing children who are too young or immature or unprepared to understand their setting -- but that doesn't translate into consideration for their fellow audience members. The "but I spent $100 on these seats, including one for Kid, and I'm not leaving now" or "It would break Older Child's heart to leave because Younger Child is crying" arguments doesn't hold water, although they hold sway. One of the tradeoffs of training children for the theater is the willingness to bail when the child is unable to behave properly, and to consider the tickets a sunk cost, and to prepare Older Child for the possibility. (Don't bet what you're not willing to lose.) To the argument that then the child has "won," perhaps, the battle, but not the war, which is a longer-term prospect, and it could be a while before the child is invited to the next performance. Teaching a child to behave in the theater is a process, and teaching mode is about the student and the "material." If the teacher/parent gets to see a performance in the process, that's gravy. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Helene, I agree with what you said. It seems to me that a portion of the audience/society still needs to learn some things. And when ushers get involved, it can get more heated, because they are not on the same level as an audience member, who if not trained right, will not acknowledge the usher's duty to help enforce rules. Rules that help make a performance as enjoyable to as many people, if not everyone, as possible.

Again, it shows that there will be many exceptions. But, it came down to the fact that Mr. Johnson did his homework. And knew his child's capabilities. My girls were around 4 when they sat down for their 1st opera(1act only) or a ballet. But there are alot of parents who don't have a clue about what they are doing when bringing their child to a theater like the MET.

OK, we don't need a guideline for this website. But, could we petition performing arts venues and/or troupes to set minimum age and "consideration of your fellow audience members" guidelines??? A grassroots type of campaign???????? We have to stop complaining and try to do something about the downward trend of audience conduct!!!

I have been thinking when the program at the MET would have the do's and don'ts of how people should act during a performance. I think we should request that should be done on permanent basis. Could we think of doing that somewhere on this website??????????????? It could be the start of a movement of more civility, perhaps. We owe it to ourselves and others to try.

Just to let yu know that in 2004, ABT told the MET that policy will be the following: 1- That there would be no minimum age restrictions. If the ushers get complaints, they were instructed to then tell the parents that they must keep their children or they would be asked to leave. Some policy. Why do parents bring children who are not capable of seating quietly to a ballet like Swan Lake? And why does it fall on the ushers to do the obvious and do the adults' job? Then again, many adults can't seem to keep quiet either! They don't turn off their cellphones either. Could it be their parents did not teach them the fine art of BEING CONSIDERATE TO THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS!!!!!!!!

Ferri is a beautiful Giselle. But to me Kent's forte is in the Romantic ballets. Another plus is that Bocca and Kent are no slouches as a partnership. I am expecting a fine performance indeed!!!!!

I noticed that certain dancers, even the big jumpers like Cornejo and Acosta, 99% of the time have silent landings. Does this have to do with technique, or is it a natural talent? Can you learn to have silent landings??? Is it a sign of a correct landing. How important is it in the illusionary aspects of dance? I am not a dancer, so if anyone can enlighten me on it, please do!!! I know it enhances my enjoyment when I think of a performance afterwards. I do cringe when I here a very noisy landing.

Wed. Matinee.........Corsaire was a delight ! The cast was Gomes as Conrad, Pastor as Birbanto, Acosta as Ali, Radetsky as Lankendem, Herrera as Medora, Riccetto as Gulnaire, Salazar as the Pasha, and Butler as the Lead Pirate. Some observations of this and the other casts........ 1- It goes without saying that most if not all other ballet companies would kill for any of the casts ABT has presented for Le Corsaire. 2- Gomes and Herrera make a fine team. He draws more out from her, with great results. And his dancing is fine by any means, even with a bad back 3- Conrad is one of the most difficult roles in ballet to me. 4- If you get to tonite's last perf. of Corsaire, Acosta's Ali alone is worth the price of admission!!!!! What he does is off the charts and !!! And you still get the rest of the cast too!!!!!!!!! Amazing !!!! 5- Whereas I loved Acosta's Ali for overall excellence, all of the Alis brought something special with each Ali interpretation. All were exciting!! Carreno: surperb and elegant virtuosity. Turns that 99% of the time end in a wonderful dance pose or position. Corrella: virtuosity with a heavy dose of danger. Your hairs on your skin are at attention when he dances Ali. 6- Special kudos to Ethan Stieffel, who came back for the 1st time this season as Ali. Even during his warmups before the show you could tell he was not going to be easy on himself or his knees!!!! Not his usual elevation. But, those hops during those a la second turns were amazing!!!!! Wonderful comeback performance! 7- Riccetto is an amazing dancer, who will become a principle in the next couple of years. If not before!!!! 8- Herman Cornejo as Ali in the full-length or PDD. Plllllllleeeeaaassseeee !!!

In 1973, my mother wanted to take me to see Nureyev. I told her I did not want to see "those f----ts dance. In March of 1974 I found a Life Magazine article with pictures of Rudi dancing--and jumping!!!!! So I asked my mother about how he was able to jump so high. "Does he use a trampoline?" She said, "No dummy. He does that himself!" I went to see him in Sleeping Beauty with the Canadians. I've been obsessed ever since!!!!!

When he was an assistant to Kevin McKenzie at ABT, he was the nicest man you could have met. I was saddened when he resigned from the Royal Ballet. I am devastated to learn of his death. This has been an especially tough 8 months for me . Mr. Stretton's death from cancer just reminds me of the terrible losses my family and I have endured so far this year. I also had my own fight with bone cancer. May Mr. Stretton rest in peace. I am thinking of his loved ones now. And praying for them.

A fun topic!!!!!!!! If you had to create the perfect ballet dancer's body for a female and male, how would you go about it if you had a magic wand? Would you pick from the ballerina or danseur who has the best all-round body in ballet to you? ORRRRRRRRRR......... Would you do a Dr. Frankenstein routine and pick specific body parts that you like from a particular male/female ballet dancer............ Who has the best legs/thighs/calves/feet? Who has the best arms/biceps/hands? The best chest/abs/back? The best buns? :blush: The best head/eyes/cheeks/lips........hair? Yes, we might be going into parts unknown!!!!!! But what fun!! I will start out by saying that I just love Ms. Korovski fr. NYCB, for best all-round ballerina's ballet. Not only a great body for dance, but she looks great on the street too !!!!!!! Not the usual body for ballet. I will also say I would kill for Carlos Acosta's thighs, for one day!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love Spartacus. I feel even with the big turnover in the corp in recent years, that ABT could do a great job with it I just wonder if it is too expensive to obtain the rights........ and stage it??? :mellow: I would sure like an ABT slant on Spartacus

From what I have observed, most dancers at ABT are nice and friendly. But, when I hear there is a party after a performance, I try to let the regulars at the stage door know this. I also have the feeling that dancers are a bit more accomodating then they were say 20 years ago. Any comments???????

The thing I like about Ashton, is the complete entertainer he was as he developed each of his ballets. In most of his works, there is a moment or two, at the least, that either/and, gets you to say that was different or you think about it later and you want to see it again. ABT's Sylvia, at best, is an incomplete renconstruction. Even Ashton before his death, was having trouble with remembering his own ballet. I got that from the article that is in the program for Sylvia at the Met. I think that when Eros first shoots an arrow in Act1, I would liked to have seen a variation for him. There are still some beautiful parts I appreciate in Sylvia. I just don't consider it his best, or a top shelf full-length. I will like to see it again. Gee, I like Ashton so much overall!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some observations: 1- Tomas Solymosi is no major find. Tall he is. Beyond that, he is a mediocre dancer.......at best. I hope , as my friends said, that he was nervous. I am not too hopeful though. After seeing Acosta and Carreno dancing in the Black Swan Act 3, and both were great by the way, Tomas pales in comparison! Did anyone else see him Wed. matinee??????? 2- Amanda McKerrow could be your answer for the Romantic Ballets. She did very nice and subtle performances in the White Swan Act 2 PDD. To me though, her strength have always been with the Giselles and Sylphides. 3- I grew to love Nina, and miss her. But having Vishneva around sure is helping me cope!!!!!!!! 4- I missed seeing the Tchaikovsky PDD. :mellow: 5- I don't think the White Swan PDD should be part of a Repetory PDD Night(Like the Spectacular).

Some questions about injuries to all of our ballet dancers. 1- Even with the advancements in surgical and medical techniques, what injury have you noticed and/or experienced that is the most difficult to come back from?? ACL? Back? Archilles? 2-I am not a dancer, but I know that message therapy is one of the ways dancers try to keep going, in regards to "nagging" injuries. Is it pretty effective?? 3- I know that lifting weights per say has been a no-no traditionally to strengthen up. Is it still frowned upon. I am not a dancer, but whenever a dancer I know about gets injured, I really get upset because you guys work so hard. And it is such a short career.

NOTE: the number before each entry is its place in the order of the Gala. (4)For my money, Savion Glover was the best. He tapped to music by Smetana. Unbelievable!!!!!!!! (1)Herman Cornejo and Xiomara Reyes performed in Le Spectre De La Rose. It was a well-danced performance. Herman was very clean and had the right "weight" for the role. (3)The Polivetsian dance has some wonderful costumes. Genadie Salavev was in the lead with Misty Copeland. Another clean and nice performance. (5) Carmen Suite with Bocca and Ferri. Another clean and well danced performance. And there was definitely some heat given off by this amazing couple!!!!!! (6) Don Quixote was a mishmash of different adagios and variations. Marcelo Gomes and Veronica Part did not dance The Matador and Mercedes. Sascha Redevsky and Carmen Corella performed well. Correno and Vishneva the 1st part of the Act3 PDD. Carlos Acosta and Jose Correno did the the 1st two male codas. Angel did the "male fuoette turns". Acosta was not leaping as high as he was capable of doing. Correno was his usual elegant self. Corrella danced some additional variations. He resembled a whirling dirvisch. Reyes had a wondefully long balance in Kitri's 1st variation. Michele Wiles had a little trouble staying on point for a split second. But, she recovered, and had nice fast tempo with the fouette turns. Maxim danced with theFlower Girls from act1. He brought out Gillian Murphy in her Act 1 variation with the jete leap with her back foot extending to almost hit the back of her foot. If I forgot something or someone, please Forgive me!!!! It was a cleanly danced performance. But the sparks were in short supply.

Has anyone ever heard a virtual orchestra? If so, is it much different from the typical piped music you might hear from time to time????? I understand the potential "savings", but at what cost to the beauty of a live performance? But, to hear Swan Lake ala computer is not for me!!!!

Thanks for responding Alexandra. I did agree to the terms of this site. I will in the future refrain from such gossip. I see the downward path that can take us!

Thank Goodness!!!!! I would have hated a strike, but I think that a "virtual orchestra" would also be a disaster. There is nothing like live music. I made the post yesterday after knowing about a possible strike for almost a full day. If I obtain info that potentially could affect plans that someone made to see a performance, I feel its my duty as a fellow fan to at least let them know about possible future actions. I promise everyone on this site that my info will always come from a reliable person who is an opera and ballet fan, in the position to get inside info.