Nanatchka

I have edited this several times, and decided all I can commit to is that I hope Mel will write.

I hate to ask, but can one really clone the dead? Doesn't the cell have to be living? Which would be a different question. But let's see.

Tannaquil LeClerq (who will dance into old age)

Balanchine

Bournonville

Igor Youskevitch

Erik Bruhn

Stanley Williams

Is that too many? If we're back to presidents, I'd like to see Thomas Jefferson.

I think maybe Forsythe....

If I might respond to a number of posts: Yes, Misha talked about Rauschenberg. (But of course Rauschenberg has and had a long time association with Cunningham, as the artistic director and then as an occasional designer for his company. )As for age, the remark was about a point of view, or attitude, not about supporting venerable artists. As for putting himself on the line to raise the loot, Baryshnikov is going on tour (solo) to raise money. He also mentioned, at a seminar at the American Express Tower last week, "having lunch with lady philanthropists." Let's just hope this whole thing happens, becuase it won't hurt, and it might be fabulous. Finally, two last points: Baryshnikov's recognition of Cunningham is only to his credit, and Merce's generosity towards the project, ditto. Baryshnikov has never liked being in a rut--and always sought to do something appropriate to his talents at a given time. (Sic transit White Oak.)

Or an accident of personality....!

"Snape Maltings" in "Snape, Suffolk?" Shades of PG Wodehouse!

Twyla still has a dance company called Twyla Tharp Dance. (It has had other names, including "Tharp!") THey are not a ballet company, and they something that looks like modern dance to me, though it certainly has ballet aspects. In other words, they perform Tharp. I can't see how saying she has "stuck to ballet" is accurate.

I happen to have a copy of this book. I don't for a minute believe most of these people ate these things--or even cooked them--well, maybe the Balanchine recipes and the Farrell cat food--but it's a divine read. By the way, I think Dance Magazine used to publish Christmas receipes from famous figures in dance. They were pretty awful, often involving pineapple and maraschino cherries.

I have just ordered all my holiday gifts through Amazon, by clicking at the link at the top. THus Ballet Talk received a "pittance" of my holiday spending. If you order more than once, you must re-enter the site by clicking here each time.( They do not give you any kind of notification that you have entered through Ballet Talk.) Thus you can support this site as you shop. You can buy newspaper and magazine subscriptions, by the way, which make excellent presents. They e-mail your recipient about your gift. There is also "free super saver shipping" which you can still use today (Dec. 10) for Christmas shopping. I bought myself Alexandra's book as my own present! Go to it, Ballet Talkers. (Another excellent gift would be a subscription to Dance View and or Ballet Alert. )By the way, Amazon has a nice collection of dance DVDs! To say nothing of all those CDs of your favorite scores. Have at it, kiddos! Merry, Happy, etc. xxxNanatchka

I am reminded here of something the late Viola Farber said to me at a revival of a dance whose original she had appeared in some forty years before. She said it wasn't "the" dance, but a version of it, and that she thought it was beautiful. That gave me a lot to think about.....

To me Billy Joel is an obvious fit with the Vietnam Era. It's when he came of age. More on the show later. I think it's fabulous.

The Wilder Shores of Love: The Exotic True-Life Stories of Isabel Burton, Aimee Dubucq de Rivery, Jane Digby, and Isabelle Eberhardt, by Lesley Blanch. One of my favorite books!

William Marrie was wonderful in the Tharp. I saw him dance the principal male role (he did this John Selya role at matinees and as his understudy) in a studio showing, and he was such a strong, vivid dancer, so completely invested in the material. I couldn't wait to see him in the theater! His role is the show when he wasn't dancing as a principal was a ferocious, persuasive cameo. He could really hold a stage. All sympathies to his family, and his dance families--the National Ballet of Canada, and Movin' Out.

I should think the nature of that taboo would be somewhere in the realm of common sense. You wouldn't want a dinner that started with spring rolls , went on to lasagna with a side of coleslaw and half dill pickles, and finished up with a salzburger knockerl (I am not sure I spelled that right), or would you?

Did anyone see this program at the Brooklyn Academy of Music? Please, post! I found Alexandra's review (link above) to be marvelously insightful about the Rite. I found I preferred Helikopter, which is more of a "pure dance" piece, and reveals Prejlocaj's Cunningham background--he studied at the studio--including multiple fronts, focal points, and so forth. The choreography does make a lot of use of the floor (not Cunningham), which looks very American modern dance. The dancers, though, have a very French affect. Very interesting indeed.

Thank you for this link. Here is art for arts sake, truth is beauty, etc., from one of the last banner carrier's of the old New York School (Lionel Trilling, et. al.), former director of the American Rep. Theater at Harvard, and longtime dean of the Yale School of Drama. It's a spirited lecture.

What do I think? I think they should combine them. So many narrative possibilities.

What do I think? I think they should combine them. So many narrative possibilities.

Because people do it, dance can never be abstract. It can be narrative--tells a story--or non-narrative, which allows you to project meaning onto it, if you like. (I don't think we can help it. At least I can't.) Dance by its nature is so inherently rich, it doesn't--to me--need a story added in. It can have one, but it doesnt need one.

At Alexandra's suggestion, I am posting about the availability of Cunningham material on video and VHS. Through the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, there is a catologue of material:

www.merce.org

The click on the picture labeled FILM AND VIDEO

http://www.merce.org

(I put in a link but don't know if I did it properly.)

Also, if you go to Amazon through the Ballet Alert link, and go to VHS on the menu, you will find three tapes. On DVD, you will find at least one excellent DVD.

If anyone wants more information, post question and I will attempt to answer.I don't know about compatability with Israeli video systems. I'm sorry you won't get to see the company.

For those who want to read about this:

There's a Sol Hurok bio called "Impressario," out of print.

There's Jack Anderson's "The One and Only: The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

The Ford Foundation's McNeil Lowry was the great ballet fan. He wrote a wonderful article for the New Yorker years ago....

Through the National Endowment for the Arts, and our state Arts Endowments, we are all patrons, though its diminshing returns. I wish I could earmark my whole federal tax return that way...

For those who want to read about this:

There's a Sol Hurok bio called "Impressario," out of print.

There's Jack Anderson's "The One and Only: The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

The Ford Foundation's McNeil Lowry was the great ballet fan. He wrote a wonderful article for the New Yorker years ago....

Through the National Endowment for the Arts, and our state Arts Endowments, we are all patrons, though its diminshing returns. I wish I could earmark my whole federal tax return that way...

"Criticism" falls under the definition of "personal opinion, " like an editorial or op-ed columnist, etc. A "feature" article falls into the news category. Either should be factually correct, but opnions are not facts. Thus a critic cannot be sued for hating something--"negative" criticism is not thus considered libel. This distinction is important to lawyers....

"Criticism" falls under the definition of "personal opinion, " like an editorial or op-ed columnist, etc. A "feature" article falls into the news category. Either should be factually correct, but opnions are not facts. Thus a critic cannot be sued for hating something--"negative" criticism is not thus considered libel. This distinction is important to lawyers....

Don't count on a "different arts correspondent" for a preview. In lots of cases, there may be one dance writer who does it all--previews, features, reviews. And fills in for the art critic, and the theater critic....