leibling

As far as one act ballets go, I have to say that the female lead in Balanchine's Square Dance is one of the toughest on your stamina.

It was good to see more ballet on PBS, especially following the broadcast of "The Dream" so closely, but I agree with everyone's complaints. In particular, I found Susan Stroman's TAPED commentary unnecessary and distracting- especially when I heard her say something about Contact. I had also wondered about the social connection between Sarah Jessica Parker and Charles Askegard- it seems like a logical conclusion to draw. She was fine, really, but this seemed to be an evening that wanted to resemble the Kennedy Center Honors, and that made me wish for a more distinctive and authoritative speaker (yes- I wish I could have listened to Walter Cronkite.) I enjoyed the video clips, but I just wish there had been more dancing. Seeing Vienna Waltzes again was a disappointment- it was used already in the Balanchine Celebration eleven years ago. I would rather have seen the finale of Symphony in C. And wouldn't it have been terrific to open the evening with something like Symphony in 3 Movements, first movement? Then could we have had the series of variations from Divertimento # 15? Anyway- it was good to see the company, as it has been a long time for me. I enjoyed Yvonne in Duo- she seemed to bring her many years of experience in this ballet to her performance. I did not particularly enjoy the Barrocco segmant. I thought the music was too fast, and maybe this is why I did not enjoy watching Korowski. I would have liked to have seen Wendy in this, though. I really enjoyed Liebislieder, and I did not notice whatever happened to Darci. "Man I Love," I thought, was just about ruined with Marsalis playing the trumpet onstage. Yes, he is wonderful, but the dancers and Marsalis were in two diffrent worlds, and this did not show either one to an advantage. That being said, though, I did enjoy the freedom in Ansanelli's dancing, however, I felt that her girlish persona was not right for this pas de deux. With Nilas Martins coming across as an older, more "experienced" character, I felt a little uncomfortable watching this pas de deux... she was just SO youthful and pure, and he a little more, well, OLDER- you get my idea. It is interesting, though, that this came across on the television screen, and for that, whether it was right or not, igive them credit for being able to project. I think my favorite part of the evening was actually the Harliquinade excerpt- those kids were terrifc. I wonder if they even realized they were all being seen on TV by (hopefully) millions of people!!

It is LORNA Feijoo, I think, dancing in Ballo.

Edward still speaks before every performance when he is in town... but in the case of Naples, the pre-performance talks have, for some reason, been discontinued. Lately, on the east coast of Florida, though, when Edward has been unavailable to speak, Iliana Laopez has been sent out front. Regarding the Robbins for next year- it currently consists of Afternoon of a Faun, and Fancy Free.

Perky- I actually seem to remember that I thought the Rubies lead would be a demi-character role- I think this is particularly true for the male lead. Isn't Bluebird typically seen as "demi-caractere"? While the two pas de deuxs are worlds apart, the level of virtuosity required, as well as both pieces being for smaller dancers are parallel characteristics. I felt that Violette's role in Emeralds was the soubrette role. In some ways, the dancer helped to classify the role- somewhere in my readings I have run across references to Violette as a "soubrette" type, and Edward as "demi-caratere." I wish I could remember all of the definitions we came up with for the categories of emploi.

I wish I could remember what I said about emploi in Jewels... I'm sure the post is archived somewhere- thanks for remembering that, Alexandra! Mostly, I can't remember the names for the different categories of emploi, aside from "danseuse noble", "soubrette," and "demi-caractere." To me, it is interesting to see how dancers are cast, and I have noticed (in MCB) that dancers cast in the second ballerina role in Emeralds also go on to dance Diamonds. I also vaguely remember feeling that the rubies solo girl was part of the "black" line- (?). But here is a question- somewhere I have seen reference to the "Farrell" role in Emeralds- I think it was an essay written by Arlene Croce- was this the second ballerina role? If so, then there is an example of an original Jewels ballerina crossing over to another role.

Violette did restore choreography to the opening pas of Emeralds here at Miami City Ballet, and we still perform it as she set it. She also made some slight alterations to her bracelet variation- just a couple of spacing things, though.

I think this is a horrible development for ballet, period, especially following so closely on the heels of the Wang center/ Boston Ballet fiasco. Perhaps EVERYONE should write letters to the editor... just post an address and I will send one!

You might want to try the Naples Beach Resort and Golf Club.... it is on the ocean, with several onsight restaurants. However, it has been many years since I stayed there, so I can't guaratee what you might find. At the time when we stayed there, it was one of the only hotels in Naples. SOme of the rooms had kitchenettes, I remember. Otherwise, aside from the Registry and the other hotel you mentioned, you will find the usual assortment of major chains.

I'll be the sleepwalker from La Sonambula... someone has to represent Balanchine !!!! :grinning:

I don't know much about La Sylphide, but as for Giselle... I cannot see the value of a sympathtic Hilarion, as I feel that throws off the whole ballet. When I see a Hilarion I can sympathize with, it ultimately makes me see a Giselle I feel is a spoiled, selfish brat who would not be capable of the spiritualityof the second act. I guess I have seen it danced that way, and there was no "truth" in Act 2. (Not that there is any "truth" in a plot as contrived as this, anyway.) I think Hilarion needs those "bad" qualities- he needs to be someone that Giselle should be protected from, even though her mother might think he is the perfect match. Even though the Mother thinks she knows what is best for Giselle, she can't help but to be blinded by the fact that Hilarion is the village gamekeeper and would provide BOTH of them with luxuries such as fresh meat, etc, not to mention having a strong man around the house to help out. This may prevent her from seeing his possibly abusive side, or the mismatched spirituality, or his boisterous, self-centeredness. (Not to say that Albrecht doesn't also have these same qualities... but that is a different story.)

I have never seen a corps de ballet be together and be boring. To me, it is boring when things are sloppy and there are too many individuals. If the corps stays together, you can see the beauty and structure of the choreography, and this is just as true of Balanchine as it is of anything else. I saw a video recently of Symphony in C perfromed by a japanese company that was so incredibly exciting because I couldn't believe that 52 people could stay together through so many steps. I know this is off-topic, but i haven't seen NYCB recently.

Hi- I actually try to help with some of the planning for "Our Show" at MCB. It was very successful, last year, and hopefully this year will be equally so. There are a lot of things planned- for all of us dancers, this is our chance to try those things we never dance, so you may see some excerpts from classical ballets- La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, as well as newly choreographed works by various company members. We try to keep the atmosphere very light and enjoyable- a little narration, maybe some question and answers, and most likely a reception after the show. I can't tell you definately what is on the program, but judging from the sign-up sheet it will be exciting.

Kristen Kramer is one of the up-and-comers at MCB. This past season she was seen in the pas de quatre from Swan Lake, act 2, as well as the Glinka pas de trois, and she was lovely in both- particularly Glinka. She has been used alot at MCB, and I think that next season she will continue to be featured. She has a bright future ahead of her.

Noooooo- don't put a ten year moratorium on Swan Lake- I will be retired by then and have no chance to dance it at all. I suspect that there are many dancers who are very interested in dancing an authenticly standard version of Swan Lake, but unfortunately, managements seem to think that it is ok to throw into the rep as an inexpensive ballet that will please the audience. Therefore you end up wtih people teaching the steps from a video and reworking whatever they wish. It is truly a shame, because there is a lot to learn regarding how to be a Swan. I voted yes- NYCB should do a REAL Swan Lake- staged by an expert in classical style who also understands that there are better ways to flap a wing.

Kelley Potter- those are her feet.

OK- I saw quite a bit this week, so here goes... I did not see the program the first week, and I do not know how the companies may or may not be similar to each other, but I could not help but to feel that this week offered three distinctly different companies and three distinctly different pieces. Of the three, one was more of a "dance" piece than specifically ballet, but still offered a look at an aspect of dance as expression. I do think that the program order was strange, and would have been more satisfying in reverse, but I suspect that the "powers that be" saw what looked good on paper. How could anyone else close when the Kirov is on the program? Considering the audience's reaction today, they made the right choice. While the reviews indicated that La Bayadere suffered from the "concert" staging, small stage and loud shoes, I found that they were absolutely beautiful. I have only seen the Kirov once before- this past summer, in St. Petersburg in Simonov's new Nutcracker- so if I seem overly en thusiastic, that is why. This week I watched whenever I had the chance, starting with the dress rehearsal. They got better every time- fewer wobbles, better lines, quieter shoes, so by today (Sunday) they were breathtakingly together. Such perfect unison- how do they do that ? (I enjoyed watching the girls watch each other on stage every time they changed a position). The periodic wobble didn't even bother me- it merely looked like a ripple on a pond- or an image flickering as in a dream. I wondered what might be going through their minds through each held arabesque, each softly undulated port de bras. I suppose some might think certain moments mechanical and without feeling, but these moments would suddenly soften into a unified breath that would make me melt. I saw each cast of principals- one of those in rehearsal. Ekaterina Kondaurova danced the stage rehearsal with Danilo Kortsuntsev, and I understand that this was her first, or one of her first Bayaderes. (I also saw her name in the list of Shades in the program- maybe there are two girls with that name.) She was beautiful to look at the minute she walked out on stage. I could have been happy watching her do tendus, probably. I did not see her performances, though, but I have no doubt that she was very watchable. The first performance I saw was Sofya Gumerova with Anton Korsakov. I found myself enjoying her performance- the way she would linger in a moment, extending her arms. She kept her eye contact with her partner, seeming to draw him to her. Whether he really responded I don't know as I really only watched her, but I did notice that he seemed to have a little trouble partnering her. He danced his variation beautifully- those enormous jtes with such soft landings. Both of the men I saw (Korsakov and Kortsuntsev) were so fluid in their upper bodies- I loved the way their hands seemed to unfurl as their arms would open. The second performance by Gumerova and Korsakov was much the same as the first, though I felt that she became haughtier somehow... her gestures at the end of supported pirouettes seemed to suggest some sort of triumph outside of the realm of La Bayadere. Sunday afternoon, the leads were Kortsuntsev and Pavlenko. They, too, were beautiful- Pavlenko I would call exqusite. She danced with a perfection found in the finest etched crystal. She was very clear, very precise, but I thought also rather cold. A vision of heavenly beauty that is untouchable. Kortsunsev, however brought a subtle drama to the opening of the pas de deux- a reaching for that unattainable beauty. I enjoyed their chemistry. He also seemed a more experienced performer than Korsakov, playing off of Pavlenko's unearthliness (yes- I think this could describe her as well). I can hardly believe that he managed to fit himslf onto that stage- he is so tall and long. I have to say that he was one of my favorite's- so big and powerful, yet moving like a cat. Irina Golub was my next favorite, dancing the first variation and all of it's difficult steps at the speed of light. As for "Sea of Troubles"- well it was interesting. I only saw it in it's entirety for the dress rehearsal. To put it into a "ballet" festival is a stretch, I think. I approached it like a puzzle, trying to figure out who was who, what they were doing and which part of Hamlet the scene was from. Then, the program notes helped a little by explaining that much of this work was more of a "nightmare" as Hamlet might experience. The biggest clue was provided by one of the cast members, who told me that the key was in the costumes. A woman in a wreath was Ophelia, a crown- Gertrude. A man in a crown-Claudius, the white smock- the ghost, and nothing- Hamlet. The man falling from behind the curtain with the bloody handkerchief was Polonius. While the story was hard to follow and the movement hardly ballet, the performers were intensely involved in what they were doing, offering a very dramatic performance. Four Temperments offered yet a third view of dance as energetic athleticism and freedom- roles that are open to interpretation and personality input from the dancer. There is no story to tell- only a mood to convey through the steps and their relation to the music. (I hesitate to say more as I am associated with the company.) In looking at the total equation of the program, it does work out to be very balanced and satisfying, taking the viewer on a journey from the more recent neo-classicism to the intensely felt, deeply dramatic to perhaps the origin of all dance in the sublimely beautiful. And while some audience members may have thought they perceived a competitive atmosphere (somewhat encouraged by the media in their attempts to name the best/worst/most successful, etc.), it was most inspiring to watch the way the dancers from the different companies watched each other backstage. The Kirov girls would crowd the wings for Four Temperments with their rapt expressions, and the MCB dancers marvelled at the Kirov in their perfect, beautiful unison. We all admired the english dancers for their dramatic intelligence. Everyone was able to respect the abilities of the other companies, knowing that we each have our essential place in the ballet world.

As long as there are GOOD teachers that truly understand what classical ballet is, and as long as there are dancers who are willing to work to try to understand what they are doing, then classical ballet will exist- it may lie dormant for a while, but then it will make a comeback. It seems to me, though, that those two links I mentioned are sometimes the weakest, as ballets are taught as steps- steps that are polished and may sparkle on their own, but show little or no breath, life or even connection to the total picture in the ballet they are presented in. I think it takes alot of time and patience for this to happen- patience on the part of both teacher and dancer. Afterall, we all acknowledge that "Rome was not built in a day"... but these days I think that the contract to build Rome would be awarded to the bidder able to do it the fastest and for the least amount of money, therefore ending up with a "Rome" that may (or may not) be a good imitation, and one that would be forgotten as soon as the next project came up.

I have thought that The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand held some very interesting possibilities for a ballet. There are several colorful characters and various distinct relationships that would play out beautifully as pas de deux and duets. As to who to choreograph, or casting, I have no idea. The book is very long, so the story would need to be edited carefully, and simplified somewhat.

I think the reason for the lack of "Farrellisms" is that Suzanne does not encourage them. When she coaches, from what I remember, she teaches the steps to the music (not her own mannerisms) and then tries to bring out the dancers own personal qualities. I remember watching her coach the pas de deux from Agon, and when one of the dancers pointed out that Suzanne's execution of the steps on the video differed from what she had taught, she said that that had been the music as she felt it at that moment... a personal mannerism. She did not allow imitation.

I think the reason for the lack of "Farrellisms" is that Suzanne does not encourage them. When she coaches, from what I remember, she teaches the steps to the music (not her own mannerisms) and then tries to bring out the dancers own personal qualities. I remember watching her coach the pas de deux from Agon, and when one of the dancers pointed out that Suzanne's execution of the steps on the video differed from what she had taught, she said that that had been the music as she felt it at that moment... a personal mannerism. She did not allow imitation.

This discussion reminded me of the time in what was probably the mid eighties when my dad took me into New York to find the old ABT school. We had looked up the address in Dancemagazine- probably not the most recent issue, and were on our way. So, you can imagine my dismay when we walked up to an empty lot full of rubble. I think that at the time I was looking for a full-tme school to go to- so it may have been as early as 1984.

This discussion reminded me of the time in what was probably the mid eighties when my dad took me into New York to find the old ABT school. We had looked up the address in Dancemagazine- probably not the most recent issue, and were on our way. So, you can imagine my dismay when we walked up to an empty lot full of rubble. I think that at the time I was looking for a full-tme school to go to- so it may have been as early as 1984.

Wow- I am speechless.

I have only seen the Kirov perform once, and that was this past summer. I saw their new Nutcracker... which in my opinion left a lot to be desired. However, through this there were certain qualities that represent, for me, Russian ballet- drama through movement, Kirov/Russian training, the clone-like corps be ballet. So, for me- the Kirov represents ballet history and tradition. I agree with Marc in that I prefer them with a traditional repetoire- somehow the traditional ballets suit the personalities of the Russians that I know.