Paquita

Well... since I'm in university now, I hardly have any time to read "fun" books anymore... Luckily some of the required readings are entertaining. I'm reading Herodotus "The Histories" which is pretty interesting and also very funny at times. It's not very historically acurate...

So, those who went, what did you think? I saw the first two nights. Apollo (without the birth of Apollo and with a modified ending as the stairs wouldn't fit on this small stage) was deffinately my favourite piece. It a ballet I never tire of seeing. Like the music, each time I experience it is slightly different. It's also interesting to see different dancers in the role of Apollo. Prior to Ballet by the Water, I've seen Rex Harrington and Geon van der Wyst. Last week I saw two much more streamlined and classical dancers, Aleksandar Antonijevic and Guillaume Cote. Both were wonderful, although their approaches were very different. Antonijevic was very regal and Cote was more youthful and energetic. Chan Hon Goh danced Terpsichore both times, cool and elegant. I enjoyed Rebekah Rimsay's Calliope, her Polyhymnia less- as she had to struggle a bit on the pique turns. Granted it is a hard diagonale, especially trying to keep the arms in place. I could only think back to Greta Hodgkinson's flawless execution of those steps... Jennifer Fournier's attempt was also a bit stiff. Jillian Vanstone danced Calliope very well on tuesday. But I think I enjoy watching Calliope's variation no matter who dances. It is just so perfect for the music. Vanstone also appeared in Intermezzo and Napoli. She is exceptionally talented and versatile, I look forwards to seeing her grow as an artist! The company danced Napoli excerpts at the Harbourfront pretty much the same as they did earlier in this year's winter season- with exuberance to spare, but a lack of technical refinement. Especially in the men, steps looked forced or uncomfortable. But the leading man (who dances first in the Flower Festival pdd), Cote on tuesday and Antonijevic on wednesday, carried the performance well. Their partners were Heather Ogden and Rebekah Rimsay respectively. I found Ogden distant and prefered Rimsay. As it was in the Hummingbird, Martine Lamy, for me stole the show, although she had a smaller role- beautiful port de bras, floating jumps, and solid balances. Je-an Salas and Tanya Evidente brought appropriate flair to the tarantella. Judgement of Paris has been discussed in another thread. All I can say is that it was very, very funny!! The first cast was the same one I saw earlier this year, Lorna Geddes, Jennifer Fournier, and Victoria Bertram, who were all hillarious. The second night Xiao Nan Yu danced Venus and Alejandra Perez-Gomez (corps) danced Minerva. Perez-Gomez has a fantastic sense of humour! Although much younger than Bertram, she held her own next to the experienced veteran. Xiao Nan Yu looked less comfortable in this comedic ballet. Her approach was far too subtle. Intermezzo was a fitting closing piece. Brahms' dreamy melodies and Feld's careful partnering were brought out skillfully by Stacey Shiori Minagawa and Piotr Stanczyk (blue), Heather Ogden and Nehemiah Kish (orange), and Jillian Vanstone and Patrick Lavoie (Red). It's encouraging to see these young dancers breathing new life into this ballet.

Ballet by the Water What do you think about Michael Crabb's harsh critique of the ballet? To call it demeaning to women seems to suggest a misunderstanding of the piece's sardonic humour. As for it's inclusion in the program (Napoli excerpts, Apollo, Judgement of Paris, Intermezzo) being irresponsible, I can see where he is coming from, but have to disagree. I was there both tuesday and yesterday and the audience response was very positive. Everyone thought it was hillarious! Many with young children left after Napoli and Apollo because the program ran quite late. After Napoli excerpts, Karen Kain introduces both Apollo and Judgement. She describes Judgement's sleazy setting, so that those who may be offended may leave (although I think they were few). Sure, it's not the best ballet to represent an average night at the Hummingbird Centre but the small size of the outdoor stage is limiting and Judgement is a work that fits very well there. Also, it shows new audiences what a variety of styles there are in ballet.

The NBoC still performs a fair bit of Ashton. I saw both Monotones I and II a few years ago. I agree with Mel, they really do complement each other so well. As someone who associated Ashton with his story ballets, The Dream and Fille, watching Monotones was a completely different experience. To me it is distilled Ashton, a lucid glimpse into the core of his vision and genius. I always admired his comic wit and use of mime, but here I was moved by his seemingly intuitive connection with the music. I don't really like one section better than the other, although Monotones II has stuck in my memory a bit more. I remember the extremely difficult and slow promenades and balances that the ballerina does, supported by the two men. It reminded me of Rubies and Theme and Variations. Few dancers have the control and precision requisite for such a ballet. I saw Xiao Nan Yu and she was incredibly strong for the entire piece. I do enjoy Satie's music very much. The music used in the second segment is so familiar and over-used in commercials, movies, etc. that I was worried it would be distracting but it wasn't. I did sort of prefer the music of Monotones I because I had heard it less.

Casting for the 3 evengings (Aug. 19-21) is up on the webpage: http://www.national.ballet.ca/Media/showPr...ease/20030807-1 I'll be volunteering on the 19th and 20th, but I may end up going on the 21st too because Xiao Nan Yu will be making her debut as Terpsichore I think she would be exquisite in the role! I'm also really looking forward to seeing Guillaume Cote's Apollo. Anyone else planning on attending? Let's keep our fingers crossed for good (non-rainy, non-windy) weather for all 3 nights!

My family and some friends drove to NYC and Washington, D.C. for a week to check out the museums and art galleries. We also saw NYCB and did some shopping! Back in Toronto, I've been volunteering for the National Ballet, the AIDS Committee, the Harbourfront Centre, and the Canadian Opera Company for some of their special events. Most recently there was a Francophone festival at the Harbourfront which was a very nice opportunity for me to eat some crepes and practice my French! Other than that, I've been taking lots of ballet classes at my studio and at a drop-in place, catching up on books and movies (since theatres only play summer blockbusters I've been renting all the foreign movies I meant to see during the school year), and taking a drawing and sketching course. This weekend I'm going camping for the first time in my life! Wish me luck

Yes, I think I will have to subscribe! I have NEVER seen it in Toronto. It is a bit pricey for Canadian subscribers but I agree it is worth it- I have bought 2 issues from the theatre and the writing and photos are excellent. I've read them both cover to cover:)

Sounds like a great issue! Is there any way to buy or order a single copy? The only place where I've seen Ballet Review on sale is at the State Theatre gift shop.

Thanks, I'll try and look for it!

Thanks for letting us know, Michael! What time is Studio One usually on?

I find the audiences at the NBoC quite well mannered. Michael, perhaps you should visit the Mississauga Opera one time What an audience!! I went to see Aida, and even after the lights were dimmed and the conductor had bowed, some people were still chattering away! That is an act of rudeness I have never witnessed at the Hummingbird. Yes, lots of parents bring young children to Swan Lake (even Kudelka's very dark version!). The kids may fidget a bit, but at least tickets are being sold! The problem is more when kids go see modern pieces. I remember when NBS grade 5's saw "Comforts of Solitude" and they started a chain of coughing because they were so bored and uncomfortable. Finally, I don't think there is such thing as too much applause as long as it is appropriately placed and respectful. But there's a whole other thread about that...

I agree, the Four Seasons is one of Kudelka's strongest works. Music, choreography, structure, sets, costumes, etc. all seem to make sense together. I've seen Rex in it, and also Aleksandar Antonijevic. It is one of Rex's famous roles and if you can get tickets for the night he's performing, it will be well worth it. The summer pdd is a crowd-pleaser and one of the ballet's highlights. Rex and Greta Hodgkinson have often danced it for galas. But it works best as part of the complete ballet. It's a good piece to show off the range of talent in the company, as several dancers are used- there are 3 leading ballerina roles and many of the senior artists have roles. The Firebird is all spectacle and glitz. There is not much brilliance in the dancing, but it is entertaining enough the first time around. It really depends on your taste.

With Napoli, Apollo, Judgement of Paris, and Intermezzo, it's a nice program. They should all work pretty well on that small stage (Napoli might be a stretch)... I remember when they did Theme and Variations and it got pretty squishy during the finale! Apollo should be in fine form, since they just performed it at the Spoleto Festival. Too bad there's no previews of ballets in the upcoming season. Usually they include a few. I'd love to see Serenade again. But I won't complain, Intermezzo is a treat! I think new audience members will like Judgement too. I remember in previous years, in addition to the performances, there were movement workshops and we could also watch company class and rehearsal on stage. But the Harbourfront is always busy in the summer with other things. Ballet by the Water used to be a weekend event, but I don't think it drew enough of a crowd. For those interested, the Canadian Opera Company is also giving free concerts at the same place, Aug. 26-28.

Kudelka has announced his promotions, and they are posted on the website (www.national.ballet.ca). "STEPHANIE HUTCHISON, PATRICK LAVOIE and PIOTR STANCZYK promoted to First Soloist JULIE HAY, NEHEMIAH KISH, ETIENNE LAVIGNE, LISA ROBINSON and JILLIAN VANSTONE promoted to Second Soloist JENNIFER FOURNIER returns as Principal Dancer TANYA HOWARD and DAISUKE OHNO awarded Patron Award of Merit " I'm really pleased that these dancers are being promoted, especially Hutchison (wonderful as Brangaene in Tristan and Isolde), Stancyzyk (danced Colas on opening night), and Vanstone (delightful presence and a technical whiz). The only one that surprised me a bit was Lisa Robinson, just because I have not seen her in any soloist roles this season- but perhaps she has been cast and I missed those performances. Oh, the site says she danced the Spanish princess in Swan Lake. I also saw her as the pussycat in Beauty Act 3. Congratulations also to Tanya Howard and Daisuke Ohno! P.S. I think Guillaume Cote should be promoted pretty soon!

I had art and music throughout elementary school. Music was mostly singing, and if you were lucky, you got to play the xylophone or the triangle. In junior high, we had to take 3 arts: music, art, and drama. In music I played the flute because it has the smallest case, and I took the bus. Everyone fought over the drums though! In high school I only continued with art, which was mostly seen as a 'bird course'. We did get a nice text book and learned a bit of Art History, but it was never serious. We did square dancing once in phys ed, and in grade 9 history we learned the charleston... that was pretty much it. We did put on a musical production every year which was a lot of fun. Outside of school I had voice lessons for a number of years, which is where I first learned to read music. As with Leigh, my love of the arts has definately come from my home environment. My mom and aunt are piano teachers, my uncle conducts and his wife is a violinist, most of my family has been in a choir at one time, and my dad, well he thinks he's the fourth member of Peter, Paul, and Mary. I have grown up with classical music at home (I woke up every saturday morning to amateur renditions of Chopin that gradually improved) and I also had a kids subscription to the symphony. Although, I never really appreciated classical music until I began ballet (age 13), and after that I got interested in everything else- film, visual arts, theatre, even literature, as they can all be connected to dance.

I've been at the same private school from grade 1 until OAC (Ontario Academic Credit, or Grade 13, which is being eliminated this year- I am part of the last OAC class!), and reading was always encouraged. Not only in my school, but in several elementary schools in Ontario (and perhaps elsewhere), we had "D.E.A.R." time- which stood for "drop everything and read!". That was around grade 3-5. We had cozy pillows and piles of books to spend time with, although I must admit that a lot of that time was actually spent socializing. I really enjoyed being read to, as I've had some very 'theatrical' teachers;) They always knew where to stop for the day and leave us hanging! I even had a teacher in grade 10 who read passages to us, which made sure that everyone did their reading homework in between. As my sister was an avid reader, my parents tried to force me to read books far above my grade level. Trying to finish the entire set of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia at age 7 or 8 was enough to turn me off! Usually in school, there would be a choice of 3 books. I was always in the 'advanced' stream, but I didn't actually enjoy it. But one of my teachers went out of the way to talk to my parents, suggesting that I subscribe to Cricket magazine to develop an enjoyment of reading. I did, and it helped! On top of book reports, in many grades we had "literary journals", a sort of diary of our thoughts on what we were reading. It was fun because the teacher always wrote back! Sometimes we had authors come for book signings, we had book fairs, and monthly book orders. There is a book club and also a "Red Maple" program, where kids read books from a list and vote on their favourite. We once had a "book-a-thon" fundraiser where donors gave pledges based on the number of books we read (of course, everyone tried to find the shortest ones!). I did go to a public school for grade 9, where the student to teacher ratio was much greater. For that reason, we chose a book from a list, and there was a computer program which had quizzes on each of the books. After reading the book, we would have to do the quiz and the teacher could view our score. I didn't like it at all! The questions were mostly concerning trivial details as it is impossible to guage a students real understanding through a machine! In High School, English has become one of my favourite subjects. This year I wrote the AP exam as well. AP credits are not recognized at very many Canadian universities, it was more that my teacher wanted me to do it for a challenge. We did not have a separate AP class, but we would have occasional meetings. In terms of the books I've read in school, sometimes I wish there was more variety. The curriculum is mostly Shakespeare and British authors. There are very few female authors (I can't only think of 2, both Canadian, Joy Kogawa and Margaret Lawrence). But with independent assignments, it's more open, I have had the chance to read Sylvia Plath, Sophocles, Kafka, Peter Shafer (Equus), Dostoyevsky, and Voltiare. This is for Core English. For Studies in Literature (which I did not take), students are allowed to read contemporary literature. Margaret Atwood and Yann Martel's "Life of Pi" seem very popular this year. So, I believe reading is very much encouraged at my school. But it seems that kids now are more visual, and films are being used more and more in classes. Some are very good (Branagh's Hamlet, To Kill a Mockingbird), others are outdated or stray too much from the book (Fahrenheit 451, Maria Chapdelaine). When it comes to doing research, most students go straight to the internet, even when there are several books on the topic.

There is a 2 page interview with Rex Harrington in this month's issue of ELLE (Canadian edition) with some nice pictures. There's even a headline on the cover, something to the extent of "Ballet's Bad Boy: Sexy Rexy"... I suppose he wouldn't have it otherwise...

I saw Varekai last summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was my first time seeing the Cirque du Soleil live, and watching them on video/DVD is completely different, so I can't really compare. (I have seen bits of Dralion, the Journey of Man, Quidam). The tent they performed in here in Toronto was very small (well at least compared to a theatre) so there was a very intimate atmosphere, I felt there was a really strong connection between the performers and the audience. It makes the tickets ridiculously expensive though, but it is worth it. I love how every production has a competely fresh concept, and the music, costumes, and sets are always magnificent. I agree that this one is more acrobatic, but I think that's what they do best. Usually I don't like watching acrobats or even things like water-skiing shows because I get scared for the performers! But the Cirque seems to blend safety devices as well as spotters (the big guys stand below the trapeeze) quite smoothly into the choreography. One of the trapeeze performers, Stella Umeh, was an Olympic gymnast. She used to train at the same gym I went to when I was younger, so it was neat to see her up there! I'm not sure if the cast you saw in NY is the same one that performed here, but the leading man (in white) was incredible. He *must* have had a lot of ballet training, his movement quality was completely that of a classically trained dancer. He was so flexible and slim that at first when he was far away hanging in the air, I thought he was a woman- that sounds odd, but I don't mean it in a bad way! I hope they are doing well in NY, they are always a huge hit in Toronto!

This is an interesting thread because when I watch dance I don't conciously focus on individual things. I try to absorb the whole performance- technique and artistry, at once. However, during Bournonville I tend to watch the feet, with Petipa it's often the upper body, and with Balanchine the arabesque lines and overall extension. If it's a dramatic ballet, then facial expression can become very important, and that's when the opera glasses come out! But overall, I think I sort of drift back and forth from watching formations (corps), lines, feet, port de bras, and facial expression. It really depends on what the chroreogapher and/or dancer is trying to highlight, as well as my own preferences. Sometimes if I'm having trouble with a step, I watch it being performed very carefully. Also, watching a familiar ballet is quite different for me from watching a completely new work. With an old favourite like Swan Lake, I know what's coming, and that may focus my attention to different things- often they are little things which I may not have looked at if I were seeing it for the first time. As a dancer, I don't usually think about where the audience is looking. However, I often remember my teacher saying that if one has beautiful carriage of the upper body, then the audience won't even look at the feet. But if the upper body is boring, then their attention is directed towards the feet. But there are also people who look at the feet first, so you can't really win;) I agree with citibob, dancers must always prepare for the "worst"- that someone can see everything you do, because there really isn't anywhere to hide when you're on stage!

The NBoC will be performing in Charleston, South Carolina on May 24 and 25 as part of the festival. They will be perfoming Kudelka's Four Seasons and Mrozewski's Delicate Battle as well as Apollo. See their website: www.ballet.ca for more info.

Did anyone go yesterday morning? I always enjoy watching the dancers in class, and did anyone notice Tina Periera's amazing adagio? Her arabesque is gorgeous! Xiao Nan Yu was also great to watch. Most of the principals, Chan, Greta, Rex, Geon did not do the whole class and weren't dancing full-out, probably saving their energy for the 2 performances that day. Blair Puente is such a comedian! There was a Q&A with Chan and Rex afterwards, but unfortunately I couldn't stay for the whole thing. How was it?

I went to friday night's performance and enjoyed it immensely! The newly made costumes (based on Karinska's designs very closely) looked fabulous, and guest conductor Jacques Lacombe did an excellent job. This is a ballet that the company wants to cultivate, and with the help of Suzanne Farrell, Lindsay Fischer, and Joysanne Sidimus; Jewels is fitting the company better as time goes by. Emeralds was dream-like and enchanting. It is the least "flashy" of the trio, and some may say that because it is put first, it is the weakest- but I disagree wholeheartedly. The weightlessness of the steps and romantic port de bras (the principal woman's solo) create a soft quality, but it is punctuated by sharp gestures (the pdd of the 2nd leading couple) that prevent the ballet from becoming a blur. I also love Faure's Pelleas et Melisande, and feel that Balanchine has visualized the music perfectly. Martine Lamy and Rex Harrington, two of the company's senior principals, danced the leads. They provided the steps with mature insight and calm, looking very much at ease with the choreography. (Yesterday at a Q&A with Rex, he said that Emeralds is a ballet that he can just warm-up a bit for and perform). Martine was simply radiant and full of life. Rex, whom I haven't seen in a classical role for a while (usually Rothbart, or Kastchei the deathless) displayed his fine partnering skills and signature commanding stage presence. Rebekah Rimsay and Geon van der Wyst danced the 2nd couple, and she is especially well suited to this ballet. The 3 soloists were Tanya Howard, Tiffany Knight, and Keiichi Hirano. Knight was elegant and lovely to watch. I felt that Howard was horribly mis-cast. Her broken wrists are most distracting in romantic ballets. She was bursting with energy, kicking her legs rather than develope-ing them, and seemed anxious to move on to Rubies- where btw, she looked much better. Rubies is a crowd pleaser and I have to admit I love it too. Stravinsky's music is daring, and one couldn't ask for a better pianist than Andrew Burashko. He has performed with dance companies many times, most recently for the NBoC's Intermezzo, and is an incredibly talented and sensitive musician. The dancing here was top-notch. Xiao Nan Yu (the soloist) was captivating for start to finish. Not only is her technique flawless (her long legs and extension are perfect for Balanchine- I could watch her slow penchees forever), but she also has an intriguing personality on stage. Greta Hodgkinson and Aleksandar Antonijevic danced the pdd with attack and flair. Rubies seems tailor made for Greta, but Aleksandar is more of a Diamonds type. It was nice to see him out of his usual "prince" mould, and he gave a pleasantly surprising and witty performance. His entrelaisses are marvellous! Finally, Diamonds was a feast for the eyes and ears with all the sparkling grandeur characteristic of classical Russian ballet. The choreography is heavily Petipa-inspired, yet infused with new life- and a few steps and arms that are distinctly neo-classical. I love the ending, with all the corps dancing as one body. The leads were Chan Hon Goh and Guillaume Cote. Chan danced Diamonds when the company premiered Jewels in 2000, and perfectly personifies its regal classical style. Cote, as many have noted, is becoming the NBoC's new prince charming, and he delivered some stellar dancing coupled with aristocratic bearing. His series of pirouettes a la seconde was perfect and the house erupted into applause. Bravo to all the dancers who did an excellent job. Bravo also to Balanchine who in Jewels has proven his genius and incredible range. I also think his choice is music was superb and really contributes to the overall success of the ballet. Jewels closes this tuesday (all tickets are on sale for $45 or $25 which is a steal!), so I hope all posters in Toronto will have the chance to see it.

Sorry, Marga, you are correct that none of the dancers cancelled in spite of the WHO advisory. I had just seen the names of 2 POB dancers on a list a while ago and had expected to see them. Oh well, maybe next year! As for Lacarra, I have never seen her perform solo (last year I saw her and Cyril in Light Rain and Adagio for Strings), so I was only speculating that she would not be a strong solo dancer. Perhaps her hyper-extended legs might give that illusion. Hyper-extended legs look beautiful but are often hard to control (I have many students with this problem), however it can be done of course! The casting was particularly good this year, as you mentioned Lacarra recently won the Benois prize and as well, Xiomara Reyes has just been promoted to principal dancer at ABT.

Thank you for the information. I think it was the latter.

Just a few quick impressions on sunday evening's gala event: ~2 words: Herman Cornejo!! Unbelievable in Diana and Acteon. He danced with Xiomara Reyes, and I felt that they complement each other quite well. She has a lovely on-stage personality and her fouettes (alternating single and double) were spot on. They also danced a very short pdd called something like "Spring Water". Is anyone familiar with the music and choreography? It was not on the program (actually, it seems that there were several last minute changes), they were supposed to dance the Corsaire pdd. It was a very pretty pdd, but a bit too fast and brief to absorb. ~The only modern dancers were Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell and Mathew Rushing from Alvin Ailey. I really enjoyed the excerpt they performed from "Revelation". The white dress for the woman is beautiful. Ms.Fisher-Harrell is a very fluid and musical dancer. I was less impressed with Rushing, who seemed to be holding back slightly. They were not always in sync, but when they were, the effect was powerful. This was my first time seeing Ailey's choreography, and it is a very different dance vocabulary compared to what I'm used to, but I liked it a lot. ~The Bolshoi sent Dmitri Godunov and Nina Kaptsova who danced La Slyphide pdd and Sleeping Beauty Act 3 grand pas. Kaptsova is very suited to Aurora, but a bit too playful as the sylph. I haven't heard a lot about her, I think she is still quite young? She is a talented dancer and exemplifies the traditional Bolshoi style. Godunov was brilliant in both pieces. His footwork in Sylphide and perfectly straight double tours in SB were magnificent (almost fell and put his hand down on one, but recovered like a prince, it did not take away anything from the performance). He was however lacking a certain level of expression, but that came out in his contemporary solo called "The Crane" to traditional Japanese music. ~The National Ballet of Cuba's Laura Hormingon and Oscar Torrado were impressive (she more than he) in Carmen and Don Q. Though they seemed to rush through the adage of Don Q, coming up to centre stage for their bow before the music had even ended! ~Lucia Lacarra and Cyril Pierre danced the Act 2 pdd from Swan Lake, and the Lady of the Camelias. I prefered the later, in which the couple truly danced as one, and where she did not seem to be concentrating on the height of her legs, as it appeared in Swan Lake (with extension like hers you'd think you don't need to think about it!). Her hyper-extended legs create a very extreme line that seems awkward in some classical pieces, IMO. I know there has already been some discussion on this. She is a gifted dancer, but I wonder what she can do on her own. In the defile, all the dancers took the stage for a few seconds alone, but she and Cyril came out together. I don't think she would make a very strong solo dancer, but her and Cyril make a good team. ~There were also 3 Ukranian dancers and flamenco star, Antonio Marquez. He was simply amazing! ~POB was supposed to send 2 dancers, I'm not sure what happened there. Perhaps they opted out because of the WHO's travel advisory concerning SARS (it was lifted last week), which is understandable. ~All in all, a wonderful and well-rounded gala of a very high standard. (Although I thought last years was even better). I hope this will become an annual tradition here in Toronto:) ~Anyone in Montreal might be interested in the Gala des Etoiles which will be in September. The tickets are a steal! I don't think I can make it unfortunately, but for those who can, the cast is up on the website www.galadesetoiles.com . It includes Carlos Acosta Farouk Ruzimatov, Igor Zelensky, Sarah Lamb, and Portugal's Daniela Severian (she was at last year's Stars of the 21st Century, and is a great performer).