FauxPas

Sean Stewart was often singled out for praise by Anna Kisselgoff and Jennifer Dunning in the New York Times. Very good move, Kevin. Now bring back Danny Tidwell and make him a soloist in a year or so and I will be happy, very very happy.

The interesting thing about the Soviets changing Clara's Christmas party into Masha's Birthday party is the "coming of age" and "becoming a woman/leaving childhood behind" subtext of many Nutcracker versions. This is usually a prominent theme in stagings where an adult ballerina dances Clara/Masha. Usually we get the idea that she puts aside little wooden dolls of men and moves on to taller, more mobile, muscular and anatomically complete real men by the end of the ballet! Clearly toys no longer do it for little Clara/Masha by the final curtain! She is ready for romance with the Nutcracker Prince whether her episode in Candyland was just a dream or reality via magical intervention. So if it is perhaps her fifteenth or sixteenth birthday then she is moving into womanhood. Another thing that bothers me about certain stagings is where Masha is left in Candyland at the end without waking up at home. I mean what about her parents and Drosselmeyer? Even bratty little Fritz will be traumatized the day after Christmas to discover his sister has disappeared without a trace. What about her diet in Candyland? I don't see her getting the necessary four food groups there. That sylph-like ballerina figure will be quickly lost unless she gets home.

Just a historic note on that 1977 telecast on network television (seems unbelievable now!): Betty Ford was the hostess. Betty Ford I believe had seriously studied dance as a young woman (with Martha Graham?). This was before her treatment for alcoholism and to put it politely, she was bombed. Her slurring, unfocused introductions were a major public humiliation on TV. I remember my late mother saying that it was a national embarassment. This incident was a major spur for Mrs. Ford to conquer her addiction and today we have the Betty Ford Clinic. But it was not only a bad night for Maximova...

"The Glory of the Kirov" is available on DVD. It has the Laurencia Pas de Six with Nureyev and Kurgapkina (and Tatiana Legat!). "The Sleeping Beauty" with Sizova movie is on Kultur DVD. "The Magic of the Kirov" was available on Kultur VHS and has clips from the 1976 live "Sleeping Beauty" with Kolpakova. It is now out of print but isn't hard to find. "Russian Ballet: The Glorious Tradition" has the 1974 "Grand Pas Classique" with Komleva but it was on VAI VHS only and is long out of print. There is also a clip of Soloviev dancing the Black Swan PDD from "Swan Lake" with Kaleria Fedicheva that is floating around the internet and can be viewed. I have never seen any of the other clips (Blue Birds, Bayadere) or the documentary.

The film was shown in a few Dance Film Festivals, so it has been shown outside of Russian television. What I don't know is if a new English narration track was recorded over the Russian or if they did subtitles.

Thanks for the responses, any specific anecdotes or little stories that might tell us about Mr. Panaieff and Mr. Moreno, their teaching style and their personalities? Another interesting tidbit - Panaieff starred in a film called "Mission to Moscow" (1943) a piece of wartime pro-Soviet propaganda. This film later proved an embarassment to the studio when Russia became THE ENEMY during the Cold War era. Supposedly Jack Warner said it was one movie he wished he never made but Russia was our ally in World War II and took a beating pushing back the Nazis from the Eastern Front. Anyway, in this movie an unbilled Cyd Charisse plays Galina Ulanova and Mr. Panaieff is her partner. Haven't seen the movie but I would guess Cyd is just seen dancing in the background.

I was watching the DVD of the Kirov 1994 staging of "The Nutcracker" in Vassily Vainonen's bland choreography with Lezhnina and Baronov and a thought crossed my mind. "The Nutcracker" is all about a Christian religious holiday, Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ. Now of course this really is very much a mid-Winter Saturnalia holiday about family, gift-giving and surviving the winter as much as it is about Christ - the placement of his birth at this time of year has no solid historical documentation. However, the communists banished all religious worship and Christian symbols. Considering the fact that up to a certain time Giselle couldn't have a cross on her grave, did "The Nutcracker" ever get into trouble with Communist censors? Was it felt to celebrate capitalist, spiritualist traditions from before the revolution? All Russian productions I have seen set it in the very early 19th century. Just wondrin' if any Russians on this board could input some memories. Anyone who might have a history of the dates when it was done at the Kirov and Bolshoi during the 1917-1960 period would help. The Vainonen version seems to date from 1934 per some googling.

For those in the U.S. who need their "Nutcracker" fix: the Ovation channel which is included in some cable packages (Channel 83 on Time Warner Cable in NYC) is doing a Nutcracker festival with: 1) Grigorovich's staging from the Bolshoi with Mukhamedhov and Natalya Archipova 2) Mark Morris' "The Hard Nut" from La Monnaie with sexy Rob Besserer as Drosselmeyer 3) the Balanchine version from the movie with Macauley Culkin (ugh!) and Darci Kistler, Kyra Nichols et al. So if you feel like a "Nut", take a bite on the Ovation channel!

Andre, you may have seen many more Bolle performances than I have (I just saw two). There is a difference between technique and virtuosity though you can't have the latter without the former. There is virtuoso technique (high jumps, complicated footwork, fast turns, quick renversés, barrel turns, pirouettes, batterie, etc.) and then there is lyrical technique (long line, perfect arabesques, placement, port de bras, epaulement, turnout, etc.). I have seen more of the latter from Bolle in his dancing. He is very tall with long limbs that don't seem made for the kind of quick, airy footwork and leaping that we have seen from Bocca, Corella, Cornejo, Tetsuya Kumakawa, etc. One dancer who had both was Antony Dowell though we think of him more as a danseur noble type.

Now Mashinka, naughty, naughty! Tell those wicked trifle eaters across the pond that is it Christmas season and we shouldn't be so unkind to little Bo-Bo! (Bo-Bo is my newly coined nickname for Bolle) (Seriously he has limited virtuosity but is a very nice lyrical dancer from what I saw from him guesting with ABT last summer) Here is the other shot as posted on Flickr by Bolle's fan club: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertobollefanclub/2061884501/ I guess given the warmer climate in Italy the wool scarf and bare chest and midriff look is de rigeur for this time of year.

One wonders if VAI will also release the earlier Kirov "Sleeping Beauty" with Kolpakova and Soloviev (excerpts are on various compilation tapes). This I believe was commercially released in Japan only and I think just on VHS. Given the paucity of Soloviev films available and an earlier, fresher Kolpakova with a youthful Mezentseva as the Lilac Fairly this seems a must. The other Kirov "Beauty"s with Sizova (sixties film truncated) and Kolpakova with Berezhnoi (1980's) are on Kultur. The Lezhnina/Ruzimatov is on Image DVD but the Asymuratova/Zaklinsky has never been on DVD, only Kultur VHS in a mediocre transfer. So VAI really would do well to get this since they lack a real full-length "Beauty" in their catalogue.

Looking up at the staggeringly handsome young model in a Gap ad posted in the bus shelter in Manhattan, I had a shock of recognition. It was Roberto Bolle! He was lifting a lovely young woman who looked like a dancer and his shirt was opened at the bottom showing chiseled abs. Some googling has revealed it is indeed Bolle and the lovely young lady is Greta Hodgkinson of the National Ballet of Canada. Here is a related article: http://www.thestar.com/living/article/278204 Here is the pic (scroll down to close to the bottom of the page) http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/17808954.html Here is another smaller pic: http://saturdaymatinee.wordpress.com/2007/...es-in-the-mail/ I can copy the picture on my computer and would love to post it here but it doesn't seem to work properly on this message board system. Joy for All, Indeed!

Cragun and Haydee definitely made a film of "Romeo und Julia" for the ZDF who also filmed "Onegin". Egon Madsen is also involved in these films. The filming is excellent and given the paucity of Cranko available on the home DVD market, I think the ZDF could work on getting the rights for commercial distribution. I have also seen clips of the "Taming of the Shrew" with Cragun and Haydee on Makarova's "Ballerina" documentary. I am also practically sure that this was filmed as well. http://www.zdf.com/ Historical cultural programs from German television have been released on Universal for example opera broadcasts from the Munich Opera with Fritz Wunderlich from the 1960's, so the licensing can be obtained. I can't see Haydée or Cragun blocking the release of these films.

Well, I just watched the Youtube Somova "Rose Adagio" and it is about what I expected. I have never seen her dance live or on tape. She is constantly breaking up the line and distorting the steps to show off her rubbery, double-jointed, hyper-extended limbs - it's all about 6 o'clock ecartés with her and kicking the back of her head or tucking her leg behind her ear. This is a poor man's Zakharova as I correctly discerned. Clearly the current management was deeply stung over the defection of Svetlana Zakharova, a pretty blonde with long hyperextended limbs. They had created her, pushed her, promoted her fast - made her into a star and what did she do? Ran out on them and joined the Bolshoi. So what do they do? They say "Well, we made you... we can make another!" So here she is, world, Alina Somova trying to outdo Zakharova. It isn't just that she is being pushed into all the leading roles too soon, her dancing is being pushed totally into the wrong direction by the management and coaches. There is clearly good physical ability and some talent there - not much artistry or musicality. But every bad habit and mannerism is being played up until she is just a mess. Now Zakharova wasn't a great Aurora either and neither was Guillem. These hyperextended girls usually do better as Giselle or in "Swan Lake" or "Don Quixote". Also girls with 180 degree extensions usually can't balance to save their lives. But the extensions seem to be all that Somova has here - the jumps aren't great, she really isn't doing true balances holding onto the Princes and the pirouettes are sloppy but have potential. I actually feel sorry for her because she could be good if she was directed to be something other than an acrobatic act.

Just a few observations and comments: I noticed that Irina and Max aren't doing "La Bayadere" - that is odd and hopefully will change. I missed them last Spring. Nice to see Gillian Murphy doing Nikiya though... Veronika seems to be dropped from Aurora (could be TBA but then so could Lane...) but does get the opening night of "La Bayadere" and dances another performance later in the week. She gets only one "Swan Lake" with Hallberg though - still seems to be in a holding pattern with no real advancement - and no new roles. The big advance and one we have been screaming for is Herman Cornejo doing bravura leads - Basil rather than Gypsy Boy in "Don Q", Albrecht instead of Peasant PDD in "Giselle", Prince Desire instead of Bluebird in "Sleeping Beauty". The "Corsaire" casting doesn't mention the Ali performers but there is a good chance he is dancing that too instead of Birbanto or Lankendem. In the "pas de trois" staging I think that Conrad does all the lifting and partnering of Medora? If that is the case then ABT needn't cast Xiomara or Sarah Lane as Medora. Given the fact that Acosta and Malakhov are MIA, Corella is a part-time guest artist and Bocca is retired, the male star power contingent at ABT needs a new transfusion. This is a good move. I find it odd that Ananiashvili isn't doing Hanna Glawari in "The Merry Widow" - a role she did well with Graffin when they unveiled the production and an obvious vehicle for an older star ballerina. A better fit of dancer to role than Paloma as the Widow... (she was a charming Valencienne back then). Dvorovenko is a good fit for the Widow being a delightful comedienne - I look forward to seeing her in it.

One of the obituaries mentioned that Deborah Kerr came to the theater from classical dance. It even mentioned that she danced in the corps de ballet as a teenager at the Sadler's-Wells in "Prometheus". By her twenties though she had switched to spoken theater and film. Interesting...

In all likelihood it is Monica Parker who is the regisseur for "Manon" and other MacMillan ballets at ABT.

Karsavina's "Theatre Street" autobiography has only admiring words about Kschessinska. Evidently the great Mathilda took her under her wing early on and encouraged her. However, I think that the liaisons with Grand Dukes worked both ways and her reputation suffered after the revolution with a lot of people saying that she only got to her assoluta position by sleeping with the Czar. I think Karsavina's generation saw her as the first Russian ballerina to gain real superstar prestige and not have to play second stringer and local support to a foreign ballerina guest star like Brianza, Legnani, Zucchi, D'Or or Rosati. Many ballerinas like Varvara Nikitina and Maria Gorshenkova were on a level with the foreign stars but were overshadowed and hindered by Petipa's support of foreign stars. Both ladies retired early and in bitterness from the Imperial Ballet. Evidently Arthur Saint-Leon supported Russian ballerinas like Ekaterina Vazem and Marfa Muravieva in the 1860's and 1870's and Marie Petipa I was a big star during her brief career. Vazem had prima ballerina status during a period of a Czar who had no interest in dance and in paying big money to foreign talent. However, later on the aristocracy wanted big names from Paris and Milan and didn't care that much for local talent. Marius Petipa seemed to agree with them from what was written and spoken about him later. Dancers of Karsavina's generation felt that Kschessinska broke through that barrier and established the home-grown Russian ballerina as a star on a level of glamour and technical accomplishment with the flashiest Italian or French virtuosa. They saw her as an inspiration and example of what could be achieved both on and offstage by a local girl from a theater family. Later on she was seen as a decadent and pampered Mme. Du Barry exemplifying the worst excesses of the ancien Tsarist regime. Even her artistry and level of dance technique could be called into question. BTW: there is a newish biography published in the last couple of years - has anyone read it and is it any good?

My problem is with the story. Basically, Sylvia kills Aminta in the first thirty minutes of the ballet, then she falls in love with him. We don't know if she knows he has been revived by Eros, the Ashton ballet never shows her mourning over him or realizing that she has killed a man she loves. Kind of like the story of Tancredi and Clorinda the maid who fights for the Muslims dressed as a warrior but has become infatuated with the enemy general Tancredi. In a night battle, Tancredi challenges her to a duel mistaking her for an enemy warrior and after she is killed by him he strips her body of its armor and then discovers that she is a woman and beautiful. But it is too late, she is dead. This story is from Tasso's "Gerusalemme Liberata". There is dramatic meat here. The story doesn't establish an emotional connection or reaction to Sylvia's being shot by Eros and falling in love and then realizing that she has killed the man she loves. We have to see her give in to regret and despair over this act and then be joyously restored to her lover she thought dead. This has an emotional arc. As it is she doesn't seem to realize he is dead, only that she has been abducted from him and must escape. The scene where Eros shows Sylvia a vision of Aminta isn't clear whether she believes it is a vision of a dead person or joyous glimpse of her previously believed killed lover revived. In the final grand pas, she is simply brought on by him and they dance together - no moment of recognition, surprise, reunion, joy, nothing... If I could grab Ashton and make suggestions I would have Sylvia blindfolded by Eros with a long veil like in "Bayadere" in the scene where he carries her off to her lover in the previous act. Then in the final wedding act, she is carried on by Aminta still blindfolded by the long diaphonous veil whose long ends are flowing behind her. Eros unveils her eyes and she sees her love miraculously alive and reunited with her and they dance that pas de deux. That way we have a climax. The other disappointment with the ABT version was how poorly executed and rehearsed the corps dances were. I was sure that by the next year's revival they would be cleaned up and look professional, but no, the second season the corps work was just as sloppy and unstylish. No discussion of the Mark Morris version at San Francisco ballet? I think for a ballet to achieve immortality it needs three things: a great story, a great score and a great choreography. Most of the ballets that have fallen into obscurity have done so because they lacked one or more of these elements.

If the core is mostly Petipa, then it can't fail. Dropping the flying on wires is just a start. The nine minutes excised from Act II I think would be the "Desiré Dream Ballet" with the jumping fairy knights swishing our hero around the dry ice on the stage floor. If they lose nine minutes of bad McKenzie in Act II, could they please restore some of the good Petipa in the divertissements in Act III??? It was a short evening as it is. My adverse reactions weren't to the length but the quality of the performance, specifically the design and the changes to the choreography. Actually the first night ran way too long due to technical delays. Later performances were tighter. Also, all the big corps dances just had eight couples with 16 dancers at the most on the stage. This is fine for a student or regional small company production but couldn't ABT be a little more generous in using its corps personnel in this grand ballet? As for the sets and costumes, those are bought and paid for and can't be exchanged. The sets are a particular problem. A big improvement to the sets would be to push them back to create more floor space for the dancing. Tony Walton said the intended effect was to be delicate watercolors, then why the garish hues and glitter??? The costumes could be toned down and a few discarded. I still think the sets look faded and tatty even though they are fresh-painted from the studio. Better lighting might be a start with some repainting.

Unfortunately, the ideal Anna Petrovna - Alessandra Ferri - just retired from the company. I wish that Ferri had done her Roland Petit "Carmen", her "Lady of the Camellias" and her Tatiana in "Onegin" all with Julio before they retired. Oh well, won't happen. Actually, the role of Anna Petrovna would be a superb role for Julie Kent and I bet Nina Ananiashvili would be very interested too. I am among the many who would love to see the Ashton "Cinderella" done by ABT.

Sorry to be politically incorrect but Nilas Martins of late has struck me as being a rather bland dancer with a stodgy physique, cocaine causes weight loss and euphoria and manic behavior. I have seen no evidence of its use on his dancing!!!

Hurling a bunch of responses to the myriad comments made so far: Part's promotion: She really should be promoted. However, a few well-placed critics (including Macauley at the Times) don't like her and she was not given very warm reviews for her Aurora. I saw the opening night and I thought she was lovely if somewhat miscast and lacking a little in lightness of footwork. However she was definitely a ballerina up there. I am afraid that McKenzie et al. might decide to make her take the fall for the disastrous critical reception of the "Sleeping Beauty" production. ABT should either promote her now or let her go. Her Nikiya in "La Bayadere" and her Odette/Odile in "Swan Lake" in partnership with Gomes are reason enough to give her the rank of principal. Add any other role you wish to this very short list. "Ballo" casting: Part often has been cast in Balanchine at ABT and at the Kirov/Maryinsky back when. Could she do "Ballo"? Definitely Wiles, Herrera and Murphy are natural Balanchine ballerinas but Dvorovenko and Beloserkovsky are good bet too. As for promotions: I wonder where the next generation of ballerinas are going to come from? Really once Julie Kent retires and Nina finally quits the stage, ABT will be short in the prima ballerina department. Other than Sarah Lane or Misty Copeland, perhaps, who in corps is ready to be groomed for stardom? Also, the constellation of male superstars we have been enjoying at ABT already has been diminished by the retirement of Julio Bocca. Vladimir Malakhov is getting to be a rare and uncertain presence on the ABT roster and he is over 35. Jose Manuel Carreno is over 35 and was in great shape last season. Other than a troublesome shoulder and upper back which affects his partnering, he is still going strong and could go on for another four or five years. Ethan Stiefel is a fantastic dancer who this season showed up with stronger acting temperment. However, I suspect that the aftereffects of his many injuries will limit him in future seasons more and more. Another serious injury could end his career before he turns 40. Carlos Acosta didn't make it to the Met season this year and his busy schedule and main affiliation to the Royal makes him really more of an occasional guest artist, at best. That leaves Marcelo, Angel, David Hallberg, Herman and Max to carry the company forward. Certainly, Roberto Bolle made a very nice impression on the ABT audience who took to him immediately. His is tall and a good partner and would take some of the pressure off of Marcelo. The City Center season is always a better opportunity for corps dancers to do more and might prove a testing ground for new talent which will be needed desperately at ABT in five years.

The issue may not only be getting through a performance while ill and tired with limited respiration but also handling long and tiring rehearsals with a new partner. If she could just run through a few brief blocking rehearsals with Malakhov and the new Lescaut that might have worked. But having to work in a new partner might be too much.

I was there on Wednesday night as well with Vishneva and Hallberg and will just jot down a few impressions. Vishneva has a smaller frame and more flexible limbs than Part, so she could sparkle and scintillate more in the first act variations. Again a touch of Diana's characteristic feral wildness when she performs the whirling piques after she pricks her finger. The violin solo variation went much better for her than for Part. (Not to disparage Part who despite being miscast gave a real ballerina performance - the newspaper reviews have been largely uncharitable towards her role debut in a problematic production). Vishneva has more experience in the role and knew what she was doing at all times except for sections of the second act. I did not have such major problems with Hallberg - few people have the chemistry that Malakhov and Vishneva have but he held up his end. He has elegant line and beautiful feet and seemed aristocratic - that is enough to make a good impression in this uncomplicated role. The new weird stuff didn't make him look like a complete fool. Just a note - in the second act the Prince's dream scene with the Fairy Knights (Elvadors) could be retained if it includes the Lilac Fairy and segways directly into the Vision Scene - the interruption of waking up and dismissing the hunting party makes it seem as if the same scene is being played twice. I am still bothered that Prince Desiré pretty much passively is drawn into Carabosse's web with little or no fighting or resistance. It makes him unheroic. The production as a whole was lit better (the opening was like a rocky tech rehearsal), the set changes flowed better, it started on time and got out earlier. All pluses. Stella Abrera had to push a bit in the Lilac Fairy's choreography but had real presence and allure in the role and projected some character - much more than Wiles. Herman and Xiomara I find delightful as the Bluebird and Florine - the audience is always wowed by Herman's brisés and sissonnés.