sparklesocks

Whoops! She thought "Romeo and Juliet before parting" was "an uncostumed performance" of John Cranko's choreography. Just to clarify, it was actually choreographed by Kudelka for Sylvain Lafortune and Peggy Baker.

How embarrassing for her!

Very fun to read - I have nothing to add, so someone else, please feel free.

I want to do a Great Expectations...

Pip and Estella, right?

The only review I've encountered that was longer than the movie ...

I gave up on the review because of its rambling and because the 'writer' is clearly not associated with the meaning of research. Most people with basic knowledge of current stars in the ballet world know that Steifel had to have it specially written into his company contract that he could ride his motorcycle -- there was nothing contrived about including it in the movie.

Yeah, and if he's gay, I'm shy.

Oh ya, didn't I read elsewhere that Gillian Murphy is his girlfriend/wife?

I know that the internet has spawned many websites for non-writers to review at tremendous length anything their heart desires: even if they know nothing about film (and in this case ballet). But when the writer assumed Ethan Steifel was gay I stopped reading. Stereotyping is shallow, narrow-minded and indicative of low IQ.

And by the way: it's not funny, either.

I stopped reading at the same point. How annoying.

if they're not all perfect, they're all beautiful enough for me not to worry about their flaws.)

A good point. In which case I would say Rubies and Diamonds from Jewels, Romeo and Juliet and a couple of pas de duex if they count...I'll have to digest for a while before I put my two cents in on the PDD

Jenny Somogyi looks like Celine Dion, except prettier.

So mean! But you gave me a very good laugh...

No way! You can't steal Cote from us here in Canada. I would just die!

I would see Cote in anything.

Hee hee...as would I

Glad to hear that this is beign enjoyed. I saw it several times here "at home" in Toronto. During one matinee I purposefully paid close attention the drunken stepmother and laughed out loud many times - sometimes when others weren't laughing at all because they were watching the "action" and I was watching things going on in the background. Anyway, this is definately a "feel-good" ballet for me.

I'm especially thrilled for Jillian Vanstone. I've been watching her closely since she joined the corps in 2000. She is certainly a rising star!

I'm also glad that we'll have a new male principal. The number of male guest artists that the company has used in the last while (Nikolaj Hubbe, Marcelo Gomes, Jason Reily etc.) reflects a lack of strong male leads. When Antonijevic was injured last spring, Guillaume Cote had to dance almost everything!

Ha ha! Not that I minded, as I am a big fan of Cote.

Promotions were announced a couple night ago. The Press Release is out. It will be an interesting year next year and I look forward to seeing the new additions from Houston. Did they only take 2 apprentices or were there only 2 from NBS? A huge congratulations to all those promoted.

Thanks! I never thought to include this when I posted my question....

I'm green with envy as I've never been to any of the students' performances. Waaaa!

Thanks - good to know.

I was actually wondering more specifically about Houston Ballet's "new" production and the plot details specific to it. Anyone who has seen it, please fill me in. Let me know what you liked/didn't like. That sort of thing. No need to worry about "spoilers" at this point.

Anyone want to post the plot details of this ballet for me? Being in Ontario, it wasn't possible to see this production, but the human/swan transformations sounded interesting to me. I've always thought the story would be a bit more "real" and less fairy talish if the audience were to have a chance to see Odette as a woman.

Any thoughts on the promotions/dancers leaving for the 06/07 season?

In these days of what seems to be generally declining moral standards, the ballet continues to be a bastion of good old fashioned etiquette.

I rather think that when the tide turns and people start to realise that old fashioned values are something we cannot afford to lose in society, then a whole new audience for ballet will materialise.

I think you have a point.

Did I mentioned that I thought Jason Rielly (Reilly?) was fantastic? Fabulous dancer, but I especially like the naturalness of his acting. (Is naturalness even a word??)

No takers to put in two cents on this old one?

Tanya Howard is quite beautiful - she deserves to be promoted I think.

Looking at the current roster of dancers, two I'd like to see paired in R & J are Tanya Howard and Joshua Grant. Might work, might not...but it would be an interesting experiment. Actually I saw them dance Kudelka's "Romeo and Juliet Before Parting" pas de deux at the Stravinsky Festival last year and, even though it was modern dance rather than classical choreography, I liked the way they looked together.

Not sure I see Joshu grant as a great potential "Romeo." Hmmm, somehow he doesn't have the leading man quality to me. He seems more like the flamboyant side kick.

Loved Reilly's performance with Greta. He was so "in character" all the time. Wonderful. How about the NBoC steals him away from Stuttgart so I can see him dance with Greta again sometime soon...

Anyone have this yet? Is it good?

Fun thread, by the way.

........And speaking of ballet-specific wigs, I really dislike the super-short frizz wig that Manon has to wear in the last scene. I know it's supposed to represent how dire her health is but can't she do that without the frightful wig? I'm surprised ballerinas even agree to wear it. If I were a ballerina I wouldn't be happy about taking my curtain calls in that wig. I wouldn't be happy about wearing that wig, period.......

I think Manon's short hair is because she is a convict rather than being unhealthy (although she is that, too) and as such has had it cut that way prior to being put on the boat. Perhaps partly as a health consideration considering the (presumably) cramped and dirty conditions on board the boat. All the women convicts have had their hair cut that way.

I think the ballet is all the better for it as it is only increases the contrast to the Manon of the previous two acts. She is almost unrecognizable and that is precisely the point IMHO. Of all the dancers I've seen take on this role (most notably Guillem and Rojo) they seem to relish the opportunity to dance/act such a role that is so real, unforgiving, emotionally devastating and well, 'raw'.

(plus she still gets to have nice hair, frocks, jewelry, money, fur coat, admirers, a carriage in the other two acts!)

Eek. Either way, I've always found that the Manon wig looks "cheap." I get the idea of convict, or unhealthy, or a form or humiliation, or a combo of all three; but I agree - YIKES. In the production I saw, the wig looked a size to big for her head or something - it didn't convince me that she REALLY horrible hair. I think I'm being inarticulate...anyway, I guess I'm saying I understand the desired look, but suspect that maybe some of us have seen versions of Manon where the wig wasn't top quality and therefore looked ineffective.