carolm

Could be Marga, I honestly can't remember. I'm sure that's a good book though!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Many thanks,

Carol

Carol, I am sorry I do not remember the name of the book! It was a small book, maybe 100 pages are so. I was around 11 or 12 when I read this so it was a few years ago. I'm sure if you go to the Library they can help you!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I shall do a search on Amazon and see what comes up.

Carol

After your description, I cannot wait for June.<s> I am too lazy to go and look up whom we are seeing in each of the three dances. The last time we saw "Rites" it was with Tomara Rojo and she was perfect.

I like when the music is so familar--as in using popular tunes--so am looking foreward to the Jimmy Hendrix one. Have you seen "Who Cares?" I guess I am expecting something like that--obviously different music etc.

Thank you so much for writing it all out.

Carol

http://www.oupress.com/bookdetail.asp?isbn=0-8061-3134-9

Lili Cockerille Livingston wrote "American Indian Ballerinas," a biographical study of four Native American dancers including both Tallchiefs, Rosella Hightower, and Yvonne Chouteau.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you. I shall take a look at the book. I remember Rosella Hightower but have never heard of Yvonne Chouteau. Is she much younger than the other two?

Carol

What did you think of Roberta's white acts Carol? I found her very moving, as I said amonst the best I've seen, though the people I spoke to were of mixed opinions, from high praise to a bit disappointed (not that she was bad, but that she wasn't as good as expected).

I think I'm a bit Swan Lake-d out, (even though I haven't seen it since November) I've seen certain dancers in certain National dances, pas de trois, big swan variations, so many times. But I don't tire of seeing Laura Morera and Jonathan Howells in Neapolitan. Howell's is dancing Bottom tonight in first night of The Dream/New Bruce ballet/Rite of Spring Mixed bill, and I'm excited about that too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We liked her in the second act more than in the other acts that followed. Perhaps it was the failure of the third act that coloured it all. But even when she first appears, she did not come across as a queen should. I mean, she did not dominate the stage.

We are seeing The Dream etc in June. Did you like the programme?

Carol

I enjoyed the book very much. I didn't think Brady was expressing bitterness or anger so much as a love-hate and abiding fascination with ballet. I enjoyed her novel "Theory of War," which is indeed out of print, I think.

Her new book is a thriller (unrelated to dance, apparently).  Joan Brady and her son, Alexander Masters, who is mentioned in “The Unmaking of a Dancer,”  by coincidence have their new books published on the same day:

http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/...1451977,00.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am not sure if this is the same book (sometimes books are given different titles in other countries--I am in England) but I read "Prologue" a few years ago and loved it. It is about her living in England and how she takes up dancing again.

I also very much enjoyed "Theory of War"--nothing to do with dancing but a wonderful novel.

Carol

Maria Tallchief has been hailed as the "First American Ballerina", seeing as she was truly AMERICAN(Native American, I forget which tribe and part Irish, I could be incorrect on that part.) I'd have to say the title fits! I have read a few of her biographies over the years and have most enjoyed her stories as one of the first dancers in America.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you remember the name of the book that you enjoyed?

TIA,

Carol

Were they not both great dancers? 

Yes, they were both very great and very famous -- the superstars in ballet at the time. Maria Tallchief was THE star of New York City Ballet and Nora Kaye the star of ABT. Each appeared briefly with the "other" company, Kaye spending 3 years with NYCB and Tallchief guesting with ABT, but they were the icons of the NYCB and ABT, respectively, during the heydays of their careers. Unfortunately, Nora Kaye died of cancer at the age of 67. Tallchief, 5 years her junior, is still teaching ballet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh that makes me feel good--that Maria Tallchief is still around. Does she have a web site? I would love to tell her how I have never forgotten being taught by her.

Carol

I didn't think their first night was so bad. I found Roberta Marquez's Odette extremely beautiful. She made lovely use of her arms and upper back, and she was deeply moving - expressive, vulnerable, tragic - I thought her dancing took this right to the back of the auditorium. She was equal to Tamara Rojo in my book, who I didn't think could be surpassed.

What I found even more interesting was her interpretation of Odile. She dances this very differently from all other casts I've seen - sophisticated but not at all overtly sexy. She doesn't try to seduce Siegfried with big smiles or come across as completely evil that I find a bit over-the-top in other dancers. I felt more like she was letting the dancing do the enticing for her. I read in a Swan Lake review last year of a brilliant Odile, who's dancing had hinted at some backstory, of Odile's own imprisonment by Rothbart - it wasn't something I'd noticed myself, but Roberta's interpretation certainly made me think about this. I did wonder if everything was ok - her balances weren't as long as I expected (and she can hold some impressively long ones), her fouettes were done on the right leg and she did cut them short, leaping to the side to fill up the rest of the music and recover at the back of the stage. And the rest of act III I think didn't seem to go so well for her. But otherwise I thought she was wonderful, everything I thought I'd want to see in Swan Lake and she still surprised me.

I like her bows They're very extravagant, and she's one of only two ballerinas who carefully chooses a flower from her bouquet and presents it to her partner. I'm sure you can tell I'm a fan. I wasn't to start with, when she first guested in Sleeping Beauty, and I was surprised she was joining the RB given how top-heavy the female ranks are. But I love dancers with expressive eyes, and Roberta's just sparkled in everything, particularly her Giselle, and her Fille was by far the best I've seen.

Ivan Putrov isn't one of my favourites in this role but I thought he danced it beautifully as always. Marquez and Putrov make a marvellous, exciting partnership IMO, even though their training comes from opposite sides of the world, and together they have tons of chemistry and charisma. I think her warmth and joyfulness bring out the best in Ivan, and they're a cast I always make a point of seeing. The top ranks are a bit swamped with great dancers and brilliant partnerships at the moment so I think they'd get more attention otherwise.

Monday was Roberta Marquez's Covent Garden debut, but she's danced this with Ivan Putrov before on the Russia tour a couple years ago, and certainly she must have done it many times in Brazil and guesting all over. I'm seeing them again later this month so I'll be curious to see if it's any different.

Having mounted my spirited defence of the evening, just want to take the opportunity to welcome Carol too

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, we knew that most of the audence did not agree with us as they clapped like mad while we clapped gently. We left the theatre feeling very disappointed. I guess I was disturbed by her bows because I felt she had not danced as well as she bowed.<s>

Did you not think that Laura Morera and Jonathan Howells were excellent in the Neapoplitan Dance?

Carol

Carol

Hi Carol,

I missed the first night of Putrov/Marquez, although I have tickets for it later on in the season.  I did hear that Marquez was not as fully on as usual, and I wonder if this is nerves?  She does not have the strong turns of Rojo or Nunez, but I still have seen her do impressively well, and she has expressive hands - I'm very much looking forward to her Odile.  I'm a bit surprised about Putrov - he has had a hard season with injury, but I heard his Act III turns in the coda (filling in for some missed fouettes) were stellar.  Hopefully this was all just a bit of nerves and it will settle by the time I see them. 

That said, I think you are new here?  Welcome, and hopefully we'll have a lot more Royal Ballet talk to share in the future!

Best,

Ami

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We saw her a few months ago in Symphony in C and I must admit I was not impressed then. In this ballet she had the annoying habit of taking hugh bows, usually just at the moment that the applause was dying down. I felt irritated and embarrassed on her behalf.<s> Especially when she did not complete the fouettes and instead did a leap!

I, too, was surprised at Putrov. It was those leaps around the stage that was his undoing. I think he was off balance.

We like seeing new dancers so this will not put us off from trying again...not that I do not enjoy seeing the best too.

Carol

At Covent Garden I was sitting next to an elderly man. During the intermission we began speaking about the ballet and ballet in general. He said that his memory went back a long time. I confided that 50 or so years ago I was a student at the NYC Ballet School and every now and then the class would be taken by Maria Tallchief or Nora Kaye. He replied: "You have made my day!"

Were they not both great dancers?

Carol

Did anyone see the performance on Monday, 9 May? It starred Roberta Marquez and Ivan Putrov.

Both of them, as well as Jose Martin, could not complete their jumps or twirls. It seemed as if the Royal Ballet had used very new dancers who were not up to the usual high standard. It was a disappointing evening.

The best part was the Neapolitan Dance with Laura Morera and Jonathan Howells in the third act. But of course Laura Morera is a wonderful dancer.<s>

Carol

I am not sure where the Ashton Centinnial form is.<s> Is it here, on this forum, or on the NYC Ballet form (if there is such a forum)?

TIA,

Carol

She appeared with the K Ballet as the ballerina consort in Rhapsody during the Ashton Centennial this summer at Lincoln Center in NYC.  Go to the Ashton Centennial forum on the site, there are reports.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Many thanks. I shall go to that forum.

Carol

Viviana Durante used to dance with the Royal Ballet in London. I believe she went to New York. Does anyone know if she is still dancing? She was one of the greatest.

Carol

Is there a spell checker and if there is, where can I find it?

TIA,

Carol

Yes, "miffed" is the right word. We have seen that too.

We have noticed a tendency recently (we often go to the theatre/ballet when we go to NYC) for the American audience to stand up when they are applauding. This rarely happens in London. Standing up signifies something extra special. A once in a lifetime theatre experience.

<< but apparently we're not always up to snuff!>>

I will not hear a word against NYC Ballet. When we are arranging a trip to NY we first go to the web site to see if they are performing.<s>

Carol

Marc,

We saw Don Q and Swan Lake. We have seen better performances of these two ballets. After each dance the audience was expected to applaud. It makes the performance very long.

Of course each country has their own way of conducting themselves. It does not mean that I have to like it.<s>

We try to see as many companies as we can and this is one thing that we have noticed when one compares one of the Russian companies to other companies. It does not stop me from going to see them.<g> One has to take the good with some small amount of bad, no?

Carol

The Russian ballet comnpanies always do that. After each turn they go centre stage and bow and bow and bow. Then at the end of the first act, each dancer comes on stage or in front of the curtain and bows and bows and bows. By the time the performance ends we feel we have done enough applauding.<g>

Carol