julip

Dirac (or anyone else), I was wondering if you could tell me why you think Grigorovich is a great choreographer. Everything that I have seen by him, with the exception of one male solo in Spartacus, I have not been impressed with at all. It all seems rather unimaginative and well, boring. I have heard alot of people say they consider him a great choreographer, but I fail to see why. Maybe I'm missing something. Thanks in advance for replies.

Dirac (or anyone else), I was wondering if you could tell me why you think Grigorovich is a great choreographer. Everything that I have seen by him, with the exception of one male solo in Spartacus, I have not been impressed with at all. It all seems rather unimaginative and well, boring. I have heard alot of people say they consider him a great choreographer, but I fail to see why. Maybe I'm missing something. Thanks in advance for replies.

While I enjoy the works of Taylor more...I have to vote for Cunningham as the greatest between the two. Cunningham, IMO has done alot more to progress the art of choreography than Taylor did.

While I enjoy the works of Taylor more...I have to vote for Cunningham as the greatest between the two. Cunningham, IMO has done alot more to progress the art of choreography than Taylor did.

Well, I'll have a shot at it (all those performance art theory classes in school have to come to something now ). This week I have been attending the senior thesis concerts at the college that I graduated from, it's very interesting to go to them because you have the opportunity to see everything from the avant-garde performance art bent dance works, to the fairly classical contemporary ballet. It is hard to seperate contemporary from modern, and modern from avante garde...but possible. I'll give examples from this particular series of shows. Disclaimer...This is all IMO Classical-Contemporary Ballet--obviously uses solid ballet technique, and one doesn't need solid modern dance technique to accomplish it. The choreography tends to center more on the technique of the dancer opposed to the comopositon itself. In this concert there was a work where the dancers performed steps that could have been taken out of a ballet a hundred years ago--however, it was to somewhat new music and they 'modernized' some of the arms. A pirouette was a classic pirouette, an arabesque was always clear and centered. There was no pushing to the rhelms of modern dance with contracted and curved bodies and centers of balance pushed off kilter. Contemporary Ballet--cannot be executed without solid ballet technique as well as solid modern dance technique. The choreography could be said to have 'the heart of ballet and the mind of modern dance'. In this concert there was a work where the dancer was en-pointe that blended these two techniques. For example, an en dedans pirouette in a contracted parallel position with the head completing the curve of the back. Modern Dance--the extremes of ballet technique are not necessary to this, such as exagerated turn-out and the like. However, if one does not have a sound body technique of some sort that is relevant to the type of momevment being done...then the work is impossible to do. The choreography (if done well) tends to center around the composition itself as opposed to being centered around the technique of the dancer. Performance Art (Dance)--unfortunatly, sound body technique is not always needed for this sort, although there are many performers who are very capable of pushing there bodies to further extremes. These works are all about the performance themselves, and secondly the composition--the composition usually serving to set up an 'in the moment' performance. This concert, for example had a work where the dancers placed objects around the stage that they then proceeded to cut up and paste to a large paper strung up in the back...after a bit they sat one girl down and cut her hair, and tying it into bundles served it with milk and cookies to memebers of the audience. By itself, the compositon described seems rather humerous...but in performance the dancers were able to move one to tears from the loss and the cutting and the sorrow. Avante Garde--this is the tricky one. Ok, so. Avante Garde IMO is more about the compositon and less about the performance. It also tends to not find secure body techniqe necessary, instead it seems to be more concerned about making a point, being different or 'cool', or just simply shocking. In this concert, for example...there was a work where a clothes line was strung up on a diagnol across the back of the stage. Methodically the performer took clothing from the basket and hung it up on the clothes line, then she scattered more of the clothing around on the ground. After that she put on makeup on stage and 'did her hair' (this dancer was shaved, so that provided a laughing moment). There was no full body movement at all...just walking around performing tasks. There was also no real performance quality, although if I was in a theory class that would be debated for quite awhile. Hmmm, that turned out to be rather long...but good to get my mind going again in that manner.

*shakes head* i shouldn't laugh...but I am, greatly, and with tears

After thinking about P&S vs. B&S for a full day, and reading all of the wonderful posts both here and on figure skating boards...I've been able to discern why IMO S&P should have won not only the technical marks, but the artistic ones at all. I am not by any means an expert in skating, so, please tell me where I am at fault. I keep hearing people talking about the ballet training of the Russian couple...but there are several parts of the ballet training that I find extremely lacking in them. One is Elena's arabesque line. It seems distorted and out of control and completely to the side. Watching her land from the jumps, her back leg seemed to be out of control. In contrast, Jamie's was clean, razor sharp--not high, but perfectly in control. To me that shows a much better grasp of basic ballet technique. Another fault I found was in the constant breaking of line that Elena experienced through the wrist. In general, B&S's line seemed a bit weak. Yes, it flowed...but it never seemed to straighten fully wether it was behind the knee or through the arm to the end of the fingers. Wtih S&P, on the other hand, I felt that I could feel the energy extend through every limb every time. I also found that Elena's general placement was lacking. She favored sticking the ribs out in order to achieve an arched back as opposed to extending the back. Again, you didn't see the wacky flexable back in Jamie...but it was controled and extended to its fullest potential without sacrificing placement. The last point is the fact that S&B, while doing difficult and intricate work, seemed to have one quality and emotion the whole time. S&P demonstrated a range of movement quality, emotion, and expression. Instead of giving in to the excitment of the performance and the arena, S&P kept in the character through the end...showing us this range. It is hard to say that one style is better than the other. It's like saying that a ballet company is better than a modern dance company. But you can go through and see who performed their own particular style better than the other...and I have to say that after alot of thinking that S&P did this. I love B&S (especially the charlie Chaplin number), but in this instance S&P should get the artistic nod.

Borodin here! I think I'll have to go back and peruse my CD collection and see if I can identify more with his works now that I know we are linked in some ways.

Borodin here! I think I'll have to go back and peruse my CD collection and see if I can identify more with his works now that I know we are linked in some ways.

I gave a nine year old cousin-in-law two ballet books geared toward that age (one dealing with history and one dealing with technique and what it means to be a dancer). I would never had even thought of giving this to her except for the fact that she recently found out that another cousin was doing ballet and she tried to buy 'some of those shoes with wood in the toes'. Luckily the store wouldn't sell them to her without a teachers note.

well, up here in seattle... Maureen Whiting's Dance Company, a wonderful surprise. Moving minimilisim and technology that actually worked. Sean Curran's work created for Cornish College Dance Theatre. A wonderfully physical piece with seamless partnering that wove in and out of leaps and falls. Alonzo King's Forest(is that what it was called?). A fusion piece that actually worked.

i would nominate kent stowell's carmina burana. now there is a work that stuffs itself full of grandur and self-importance, but it comes out leaving a bad taste in your mouth...not to mention heartburn.

The 'space-age jetson's costumes' to me were more of an abstraction of creatures of a forest...exotic birds and the like. They did not appear as people to me. The BaAka did appear as people. Toward the end when they did begin to dance more and more together, it was if the people were coming together with their environment. The only section that did not seem to fit was the most abstract one in which one man is dancing with a white box and after which he is stripped down and reclothed in a way that makes him appear almost as a leper. A bit later the box reappears on another dancers head. This bit did not seem to work for me, maybe someday I will understand it.

Last night I attended a performance of The Lines Contemporary Ballet in Seattle. The were performing the new full-length work People of the Forest.I was absolutley floored by it. People of the Forest is a collaborative work between Alonzo King and a group of 16 BaAka people (aka pygmies). The BaAka provide the music, the inspiration, and much of the movement. Fusion works such as this frequently do not work. You see the ballet, you see the ethnic, you see the modern...but you don't see them together at the same time in one movement. King is able to absolutley fuse everything together without notice as to what movement come from what technique. From beginning to end I was on the edge of my seat, mesmerized. The only faults I found at all were the excessive use of excessive extensions to the side and the somtimes lack of any unison in sections that appeared as if they should have been unison (but would that have detracted from the feeling of naturalness throughout the piece?). This was one of the most moving programs I have been to, period. After the program there was a Q&A with Alonzo King. It was interesting to me the amount of people who thought that King was exploting the BaAka. The BaAka have toured Europe and the Americas for close to seventeen years before they began their collaboration with King. The work presented was definetly done with truthfullness and honor. It was a program of sharing and joy.

Salzberg, I'm glad to hear that someone else was dissapointed in Atlanta's performance of allegro. I've seen the company do it a few times, both during the Robert Barnett and the John McFall years. While Mr. Barnett was still the artistic director I always really enjoyed it and felt that the company was dead on, however, when I've seen it since McFall started directing I was disapointed in the piece. It didn't seem as sharp and crisp as it should have been. Basilio, I'm curious about Hye-Young as the waltz girl. I always remembered her as a rather bland performer. Has she grown in her artistic abilities lately? She always had such beautiful technique, but she always left me cold.

Olivier, one of the professors at Cornish College has a copy of it (or else it is in the library there). I remember watching it in our dance history class.

while i am right handed, i tend to do most things the way a left handed person would do. besides turning to the left, having a stronger leg on the left (both in supporting and working), and more flexibelity on the left, I also use household items with the left hand. I've heard in the past that this might have something to do with my mother being left-handed. interesting note: even though my left ankle has been injured and undergone surgury two times, i still tend to want to releve and jump off of it more than the right foot.

hello azza, there is a book called Fifty Contemporary Choreographersby Martha Bremser. It gives about four to five pages on information on both choreographers. In addition it lists additional interviews and articles involving both of them. I've found this book to be a great reference tool and am constantly looking to it. This book focuses not only on their history but specifically their styles and methods.

I've been lucky enough to go to the first two shows, I'm planning on going to a couple more so i'm trying to contain myself until it's all over. On Wednesday night Julie Kent and Angel Corella danced with Gillian Murphy as Myrta. While Kent and Corella met all expectations (although Corella seemed a bit overdramatic at times) I was rather dissapointed in Gillian Murphy's performance. Going back and reading a past thread on her performance I have to agree about her lack of jump and also her lack of coldness in the role. I very much enjoyed Xiomara Reyes and Herman Cornejo in the peasant pas de deux, if for nothing else her smile would have made the night. Tonight (Thursday) Paloma Herrera and Ethan Stiefel danced along with Stella Abrera as Myrtra. Stiefel was dissapointing in performance, not anywhere near what I was expecting. He was quite bland actually, especially after seeing Corella's Albrecht the night before. I was, however, pleasently surprised at Paloma Herrera's performance. In the past when I had seen her I wanted to slap her wrists over and over until she straightened them, tonight they seemed to be in control. And, although her arms during turns still seem weak, her mad scene was more believable IMO than Julie Kent's. My highlight of the evening was Stella Abrea's performance of Myrta. She really created the illusion of a floating death-maiden. She was seamless and cold at the same time. As far as the corps goes, well, they seemed a bit sloppy (wavering back arms, lines not matching up). I know that they were using a new conductor and where having tempo issues at the dress rehersal, but I can't imagine that it would cause the corps to be off that much. If I go to any more shows I will report on those also.

i am particulary looking forward to PNB's performance of Lynn Taylor-Corbitt's Ballad of You and Me with music by Pete Seeger. To me, at least, the music of Seeger is very timely and heeling.

for me the defination of a perfect ballet is one that i can sit through and at no point want to change something. i can count on one hand the ballets that i have felt were perfect. one is serenade, at least the later versions that i have seen ;) . the others two are ferdinand nault's symphony in psalms and forsyth's in the middle somewhat elevated. if i were to have runners up, la valse would be at the top of my list. in fact, the first part of the ballet i do put into the perfect catagory. the second half, however is another story.

locally (in the seattle area) they do carry it at borders books and music. borders actually has a pretty good selection of dance related magazines, books, and video/dvds.

this summer i've gotten into refinishing furniture. in particular doing 'artistic treatments' to otherwise blah pieces. my favorite project was actually a friendly affair. i had a tea party for some close friends and had each one of them paint a nesting table. now my study has the personal stamp of all my friends. my next project will be expanding and painting my dining table...wish me luck.

how about "As I Lay Dying" (although put into the hands of Bill T. Jones it might be interesting) ...or, just for fun, "Tropic of Cancer" ;)

...to the john cage masterpiece 4:33...now, would the dancers come out on stage to dance, would you actually choreography movement, or would just the stage empty of dancers be sufficent enough?