Gina Ness

Oh, yes...I saw them perform After Eden, too. I was very taken with Lawrence Rhodes as a dancer. He had such charisma onstage... Powerful!...Alba taught quite a bit at SFB as company instructor during my years there. She is a wonderful teacher. vrsfanatic...she is the only teacher I have ever studied with that always repeated every barre combination: first side, second side and then, repeat. I was constantly amazed we could fit all that in and still do so much in the center. P.S. Pennsylvania Ballet...Benjamin Harkarvy...I certainly understand the attraction to that company and director.

It was Alexander (Sasha) Filipov and Dennis Marshall...one of the most exciting moments of my career! Many, many curtain calls...Brioche, you are so sweet! Thanks...I am just back this evening from my second ballet class after not taking classes for a year and a half (although, I teach...NOT the same!) Grande plies seemed exhausting to me! You made my day! P.S. Did you know that I was a Mom, too, when you saw me dance? Not too many of us had kids at that time in the company...My whole professional career at SFB...I was a Mom at age 19...

I understand your point. And I respect your viewpoint. But, it somehow disturbed me to read such a criticism of such a brilliant dancer and I felt the need to defend her. Perhaps if you had been gentler in your wording, or something...You never know who might be reading these boards...I think I'll gracefully bow out now before I get myself into trouble... P.S. Although, Ms. Gregory would probably be the first to say, "It's fine. To each their own!"

Well....Cynthia Gregory is on my short list of best dancers (that I have seen perform) of the past fourty years. I personally loved her "Giselle"...

I've seen photos of Alexander Grant as Alain in "Fille". I'm sure he was brilliant! I would love to have seen the creator of "Lise" in Ashton's version, Nadia Nerina.

I actually got to perform two roles on your list, Balletnut..."Lise" and "Jump Girl" in Serenade. And, they were two of my most favorite roles I ever performed. The one role I never was cast in that I regret most was "Juliet" in our production of R and J at the time. That's the role I wish the ballet fairy had helped me out with! I came close once, but it just wasn't meant to be...

Brioche...that truly does sound memorable. I saw Bruhn and Fracci in Giselle...awesome, too... P.S. I just thought of another amazing Giselle couple that I had the privilege to see. Natalia Makarova and Ivan Nagy. Of all the roles I saw her dance, this is the one that was my favorite...She was divine as "Giselle".

This one is easy for me! I don't remember the exact date or year (mid 60s)...Christopher Gable and Lynn Seymour in Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet" (Royal Ballet). I was an aspiring teenage dancer at the time and it was one of those life altering experiences for me. I have never left the theater after a performance so moved or inspired as I was that evening. This couple created the title roles for this version of R and J...

Richard Cragun and Marcia Haydee were absolutely fantastic in "Taming of the Shrew"...

There is one stunningly beautiful ballerina that no one has mentioned on their list: Nathalie Krassovska, who just passed away last month. She was gorgeous!

Georgebfan...great list. Serenade is my favorite Balanchine ballet, and I noticed it on your list. Did you mean "The Invitation" for MacMillan, which was created for Lynn Seymour? Liked seeing the Tudor ballets in your list...

Ballets of Lew Christensen: A great American choreographer... The Nutcracker Beauty and the Beast Il Distrato Con Amore Filling Station Jinx Vivaldi Concerto Grosso

This thread is fun...I spent much of my life dancing professionally. I have taught now for years. You would think I would dream about ballet. Maybe even pleasant dreams about ballet. I really don't dream much about it at all! And when I do, it is usually something like: I can't find the stage or my shoes are missing or it's the wrong costume...well, you get the picture! Hmmm....

A ballet that no one has mentioned is Ashton's "La Fille Mal Gardee". Lise is a very demanding role, technically. And there is a lot of acting and comedy to fine tune. She can't even make butter without madly bourreeing around the churn! And, she is on stage a LOT of the time...Dancing with ribbons (attitude promenades holding nothing but the ends of eight ribbons pulled out like the spokes of a great wheel), jumping on pointe over a waving ribbon, whole-body cat-cradle making...well, you catch my drift! I really love this ballet...