Lukayev

Well, sorry if my word choice isn't as eloquent as I'd like - of course neither dancer is a "version" of another, they just sort of strike me as sharing some unusual, sinuous characteristics. And of course, I've never seen either dance live so my opinion is probably worthless, and definitely uneducated ... but I'm still entitled to it.

Tsiskaridze, to me, is like a Georgian, elongated, exaggerated, exoticized version of Vladimir Malakhov. Just my 0.02 USD. By the way, Coda, thank you for the link - they're really lovely pictures. :-)

I loved Dupont as Aurora in POB's taped "Sleeping Beauty" - she avoided garish extensions and that over-elasticity that seems to be plaguing the contemporary ballet scene. Her feet and legs are just gorgeous though, and her port de bras is very "creamy", I guess I'd call it. She and M. Legris danced a beautiful ballet in true classicism. That video's on my Top Five list, most definitely.

Ooh, I totally forgot to add that Ms. Maffre performed Myrtha while us (barely competent, compared to her) students tried to scuttle as best we couldas the Wilis... I saw a cold and forbidding presence, unbroken until the very end, when the bells begin to toll and suddenly, Myrtha is no longer ruthlessly powerful. Ms. Maffre showed that all-too-rare vulnerable side of Myrtha, the one you'd expect the principal dancing Giselle to deliver in droves. But for some reason, I saw that "coming of the dawn" really shake Myrtha to the core.. I've never seen such a subtle yet awesome transformation. My

Oh my GOD. This lady has THE longest legs and arms in the world! Not only that, but she's got beautiful feet and gorgeous use of port de bras. Our ballet school recently held an SFBallet gala at the Concert Hall, and once we were done "guesting" as Wilis for Act II/Giselle, we were treated to a very very delightful smorgasboard of SFB goodies. Among them were Julie Diana and Zach Hench in Who Cares? and Amanda Schull with Joan Boada in the pdd from Flames of Paris. But Ms. Maffre absolutely blew me away with her performance in Agon. From what I've read, she seems like a real candidate for bein

Wow! I have a video of him in like a Prix de Lausanne of years past.. maybe '97. Yeah, his elegance really struck me.... good to know he's all fancy and famous now!

I would never have the patience to think up of a quiz like this! But I'm grateful you ended up making it, Hans. As for choreographer I was Petipa, and on that separate composer quiz I was, of course, Tchaikovsky. Vunderbar! :grinning: :cool2:

Hello hello! Chacott is a dancewear/dance-related media store that's very popular with ballet students/professionals in both Japan and Europe. They *do* have a website, but you're going to have to forgive my laziness and do a search on google.com - :/ I take it you're interested in the video series of the Vaganova Academy - I'm not sure if the videos are able to be ordered online.... :shrug:

While rummaging through my videos today, I realized that one girl in my tape of the Vaganova Academy's 13-15 year old class (from several years ago) looked EXACTLY like the Mariinsky's current rising 'star', Daria Pavlenko. Only until the teacher called out her name and said something in Russian did I realize it really *was* Ms. Pavlenko, as a student! What took me by surprise was the fact that she wasn't really a 'favorite' in the class - there were several obvious favorites, and they were front and center, while Pavlenko was somewhere on the side. Well well, she certainly showed them, didn't

On my tape of "The Children of Theatre Street", narrator Grace Kelly says Balanchine's name like - bAl (rhyming with "pal") - on (as in the word "on") - shEEn (as in Martin.. haha, I had to add that in). I heard somewhere, though it's probably inaccurate, that Balanchine hacked off the '-vadze' and added the '-chine' onto his last name to make it more French-y sounding for the Ballet Russes. Why, I have no idea, I'm just a child.

That is too cute!

I don't live in London, so going to Covent Garden and seeing a full-length ballet by the RB was a really REALLY big deal for me. I can't really remember who danced Aurora or Lilac Fairy, but I do remember Ethan Stiefel as the Prince and Lauren Cuthbertson in the second Fairy variation. My mom and I agreed after the performance that she really stood out among the fairy variations, and look what's happening now! A promotion for her! Yay! I'd also like to mention here that seeing Ludovic Ondiviela mentioned in the promotions article is also 'neat' because he really stood out to me when I watche

(I don't live anywhere near NYC, disregard this post if you're looking for Workshop Reviews). I think Lokelani (or Likolani, I don't know) might've been the girl who came to just one of my summer intensive classes. I talked to her mom and sister, and she had trained at the Washington School and was going off to SAB year-round .. and that was two years ago, almost exactly. Makes sense, I guess! I remember her demonstrating a Donizetti and La Source variation for our repertory class with Mme. Violette Verdy - she had learned them during the summer. We were all duly impressed, of course. ~

Woohoo! Though I won't be here for it, principals from the SF Ballet are coming to Hawaii for I think a two-day gala thingie! Right here, in Honolulu! Ohh, 'twill be magical, I'm sure. Slated to be performed are Agon, Don Q pdd, Shogun (?), a selection from Who Cares?, and other beautiful tidbits. I almost called up the Kirov right then and there to cancel my intensive - I have wanted to see Agon for the LONGEST TIME, and now that it's coming LIVE I am almost beside myself. The names I saw were Julie Diana, Joan Boada, Amanda Schull (because she's from Hawaii and a movie star, you know ), a

Ooh, Spring Waters. Of the performances I've seen on video, that pdd performed by any professional couple is about the only one that can still make my heart kind of flutter, what with the flying headlong into waiting arms, huh! I'm envious you got to see such a stellar cast of dancers!

As I was roaming around the boards, I noticed that Ekaterina Osmolkina and Tatyana Tkachenko were mentioned among those that were promoted within the ranks of the Kirov. Now, I should back up and explain that about 2 years ago, on a random trek through a Japanese ballet shop, I came across a video-set of variations as taught by teachers at the Vaganova Choreographic Institute. Among those performing the variations (and shown in the painful albeit rewarding learning process) were the students Osmolkina and Tkachenko, with the former dancing Diana (from Diana and Acteon pdd) and Aurora, and the

I recently obtained a copy of ABT's 'Le Corsaire' on videotape and was surprised at how ABT could cast such a brilliant, exquisitely refined dancer as Malakhov in the role of the slave trander Lankendem. As my mother and I watched the ballet, we agreed that while Corella and Stiefel may jump higher and turn more than Malakhov, one can see the amount of strength that they put forth into each of their virtuostic movements. With Malakhov's dancing, there is a floating, stretched quality that masks all of the physical exertion (or lack thereof) that he goes through. I know that the different rol

When I was flipping through my video library, I came upon my copy of Makhalina in 'Swan Lake', and I watched the fourth act, wondering if the ending was going to be as ridiculous as other productions I had seen on tape. Of course, I was wrong, and their short but bittwersweet pas de deux in Act IV was so saddeningly beautiful; it was if all could not be helped, and Odette was doomed forever. The music was so touching, I leaped up after wiping my eyes and downloaded it from Morpheus. Another misty-eyed moment for me is during the Act II pas de deux of Giselle. For me, it's no so much that I l

While I'm a little young to be out and about and voicing my opinion on these sort of matters -- My mother and I were watcing Alessandra Ferri as Giselle (on tape) the other day and we both commented on how very soft her shoes looked. While it does provide a beautiful line for her feet while she's off-pointe, en pointe they look like they're about to send her toppling over her arches onto the floor. I'm sure they're strong enough to hold her, but I'd much rather prefer a little less arching in order to make the ballerina look (and probably feel) that much more stable. During her variation in

While I'm a little young to be out and about and voicing my opinion on these sort of matters -- My mother and I were watcing Alessandra Ferri as Giselle (on tape) the other day and we both commented on how very soft her shoes looked. While it does provide a beautiful line for her feet while she's off-pointe, en pointe they look like they're about to send her toppling over her arches onto the floor. I'm sure they're strong enough to hold her, but I'd much rather prefer a little less arching in order to make the ballerina look (and probably feel) that much more stable. During her variation in

I've only seen one full-length production of SB, and that's only on video -- the POB in '99 with Aurelie Dupont as (to me) a pleasant, youthful Aurora. Costumes were just absolutely gorgeous -- when my mom picked me up from school she was just ecstatic and drove me home full speed ahead so I could see for myself. The corps was one entity, and the soloists were so perfect in their roles that I almost cried for all the faults I have. The set itself, with billowing velvet curtains and lifelike statues, served as a transport from my homework-ridden world to this magical fairytale. What's this ab

Just yesterday evening, my mother and I went to see the 'Stars of the San Francisco Ballet' for a much publicized, one night only performance. While I was not really :eek: impressed by the male principals (low demi-pointe in their turns and piques) and a certain female principal wearing totally worn-down, grotesque shoes that were frayed and visibly dirty from even the balcony.. I really enjoyed myself and felt extremely lucky to see such a gathering of professionals on one stage (they did a little number at the end to the music following Kitri's Wedding in Don Q.. it was so neat!) And of co

Sometimes my friends question my mental stability. "Your feet are so gross and twisted." "Look, guys, the blister's OOZING.." "When are you going to get a brain and wear sneakers to class?" And I'll laugh along with them. After all, ballet is like some kamikaze mission. You dive headfirst into this world of pain, grueling torture, and backbreaking effort - for a career that will only last for as long as you can hover in the air. Why, then? Humans have been called ugly, furless creatures who pollute the planet then blame others for it. But we can be beautiful as well. The principals are not th

About the knowledge of the history and classical ballet/music.. Everyday, I question whichever teacher at my studio who will be teaching variations the next day which ballet it's from, if I could have a copy of the videotape, the music, etcetera.. Right now my class is learning (or at least I am researching and constantly practicing while my classmates look on and talk about their social lives) the three Shades' variation from La Bayadere. I have taken it upon myself to watch the Kirov's version of this with Komleva as Nikiya many, many times so I could understand the gist of the plot. I

Seeing how the ballet is just 'Swan Lake', this month, I was wondering if anyone saw the version that had bits in Billy Elliot and has the Act II pdd in 'Great Pas De Deux'.. any thoughts? --Luka (personally, I find it a bit scary)