ViolinConcerto

GREAT NEWS!!!

After reading Koshka's note about the website, I checked my link (on "Favorites") and lo! A MIRACLE:

"MOSCOW CATS MOVE UPTOWN to LAMB'S THEATRE on FEBRUARY 3rd

After an extended sold-out run at Tribeca Performing Arts Centre, Gelfman International, the producers of MOSCOW CATS THEATRE, announced today that the international family smash hit from Russia will transfer to the Lamb's Theatre (130 W 44th St) for an open-ended run beginning February 3. Tickets are available now through Telecharge.com, 212-239-6200. "

I recommend against Ticketron.

Here's the link - in English: http://www.moscowcatstheatre.com/

have fun!

By the way, are there some feline roles in ballet, besides Puss in Boots and his partner in "The Sleeping Beauty" ?

For those of you who did not have the pleasure of seeing "Musagete" at NYCB, a ballet that dredged Balanchine's life in "tribute," there was a role for Mourka herself, played by Wendy Whelan.

As I mentioned earlier, I did see the Cat Theater/Circus, just before it closed. It was quite an experience. The cats seemed to enjoy themselves very much, and, as you all seem to be quite intimate with felines, you know that it is very easy to see if they are or are not happy with what they are doing.

Some of their tricks involved (and all, of course, perfectly timed)

jumping out of a little bird house to a specific spot. Climbing quickly up a rope-covered pole to return into the little house,

pushing a little carriage with one, two or three of their buddies in it (including a small dog),

doing a HANDSTAND in the palm of Mr. Kuklachev's outstretched hand,

crossing the stage multiple times on a "tightrope" (a pole) on their feet, or just hanging from their front legs,

jumping from box to box,

popping out of a box,

feigning anger and attempting to scratch,

accompanying the clowns into the audience, to be petted by many delighted audience members, yours truly included.

Had I known this was going to be a topic of discussion, I would have taken notes!

I tried to get people to come with -- but no one wanted to. Their loss! It was lots of fun.

It looks like the folks who did the study ("Warren Johnson of the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland, US, led the study.") issued a press release that the papers and other services have picked up. The BBC has a similar article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/4585766.stm .

I agree that any news about cats is relevant to news of and thoughts about ballet, and am sure Mr. B. would concur. I saw the recently-closed "Moscow Cat Circus" in Manhattan, and thought they were all most graceful and disciplined.

I saw it when it came out, and was enthralled. I recently purchased the DVD -- haven't had time to watch it, but am eagerly anticipating it. Think I'll read the entire thread cited above first. Just reading these 10 posts has been very informative. Thanks, all of you!

High point: Bouder in "Ballo."

Can't manage to scrape up a low point. But, I must have missed something that everyone else sees, because when I saw Reichlin do "Rubies," I thought she didn't/couldn't "finish" the steps. Maybe it was an off night for her....or me.

It occurs to me, as we're talking about Farrell's reactions and expressions to certain things....that entire broadcast was edited down (obviously) and it could be that the reaction shots etc we saw had nothing to do with the visual we saw preceding it!

Ever the cynic......

He was skirted (long, black) in Peter's Bernstein thing. Forgot the name. And everything else except the skirts.

Well here's something ironic and interesting: every morning I stop in a little old-fashioned bakery (for coffee) near work. It's in a working class, ethnically mixed neighborhood, and I've gotten friendly with some of the local patrons.

One woman, a retiree, always has her hair done but dresses very plainly (and doesn't look to have a lot of money), surprised me by mentioning a while back that she goes to many galas and performances at the opera, ABT, the Met museum, the modern, and NYCB.

This a.m. I asked her if she'd watched the Kennedy Center honors, and she said yes. I asked her how she felt about Suzanne. She said that she loved the Company, expecially Alexandra, but that Suzanne herself seemed very cold, unfriendly and unsmiling, as if she didn't want to be there. I was stunned.

"Here we report that there are strong positive associations between symmetry and dancing ability, and these associations were stronger in men than in women. In addition, women rate dances by symmetrical men relatively more positively than do men, and more-symmetrical men value symmetry in women dancers more than do less-symmetrical men. In summary, dance in Jamaica seems to show evidence of sexual selection and to reveal important information about the dancer."

Maybe we have an innate need for symmetry -- in any form. In cultures where the body is obscured by costume, such as most forms of Indian dance, symmetry in the choreography could compensate for the fact that we can't really see what natural symmetry there is in the body. Bharata Natyam, for example, is rigorously symmetrical in the "pure dance" segments (though not in the dramatic sections).

And don't forget makeup!

I realize not everyone is old enough to have seen Suzanne dance in live performance. That's too bad, because nobody who saw her leading the WRENS in "Union Jack" could ever again think of her as "glacial."

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..or anyone who saw her in "Tzigane," or "Slaughter," or "Meditation," or "Midsummer" (even on film) or "In Memory of..." or "The Four Seasons," or "Afternoon of a Faun," or "Chaconne," or........anything could think of her as glacial. She could be flirtacious, sexy, serene, serious, aloof, as the ballet required.

Suzanne, especially when dancing with Peter, would come onstage with a cool expression until the dancing brought a radiant smile and expression to her face: the joy of dance.

And, though I've tried to resist this topic, Suzanne's hair, was naturally always a bit thin and limp (forgive me!!), though beautifully enhanced onstage. I was surprised to see it colored and coiffed -- but pleased. She's never seemed self-conscious about her hair.

Jacques is ALWAYS terrific! I was surprised that they didn't say how, as a child, she had a chair named Jacques d'Ambois that was her "partner." I was also very, very moved because I've known Julie Harris since I was a child, and the things they quoted her as saying were things that could also be said about Suzanne. They both put "truth" before anything.

I was very impressed by her company, too, and noticed this one ballerina when she came to a sudden stop, leading me to recognize her as "stop-on-a-dime Ansanelli!" She looked really wonderful.

In her Dancer on Dancer interview with Golbin, Bouder talks about her many falls onstage. One especially goofy one was in the televised MERCURIAL MANOUEVRES

a few years ago where she wasn't doing anything difficult but suddenly landed on her butt. Hyltin should not feel discouraged, she joins the ranks of recent fallers who include Fairchild, Borree, Meunier, Ansanelli, and even the normally ultra-stable Wendy Whelan. These things just happen, and can happen to anyone. I am never shocked when people fall; on the contrary, I'm surprised at how rarely it actually happens...considering how fast and intricate many combinations are.

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I made a comment about houw Balanchine would be proud of Bouder's falls: http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...ndpost&p=170974

The important thing is to give your ALL!

I just checked the website, and yes, Lydia is no longer there, Deanna is. I also noticed Carole Divet is not in the costume shop anymore. (And I know I saw something here about her, but....) Here's the External Affairs listing:

External Affairs

Executive Assistant to Mr. Ramsey: Rose Ferraro

Manager, External Affairs: Deanna McBrearty

Endowment Campaign Manager: Maria Grady

I agree, Carbro, that there is a difference between various degrees of outside coaching.

I know of at least one strong response sent to the Observer (don't know if it has been/will be printed), and I am curious as to whether there will be more. (Not curious enough to buy one!)

A friend reminded me of Ms. Kisselgoff's article in the NY Times about Martins' bashing from last January 6. Ms. Kisselgoff reminds us: "All right all you Balanchine-sobbers – remember what Mr. B said: 'I don’t have a past. I have a continuous present. The past is part of the present, just as the future is.' And…'you see, everything finally will be different. It wouldn’t be any good 50 years from now to do what we do now. It will be something else.' "

I know I am bored with the whole deal... Let's deal with the present! and on to the next tempest in a teapot!

What I see in the article is a confusion of many issues: reporting on Ann Bass leaving the SAB Board; dredging up old gossip about Peter Martins and his long line of lovers; the use or non-use of coaches at the school AND the Company; comings and goings of staff at the school (but they never mentioned Tom Schoff, hmmm); and, the many tangled connections of faculty, staff, Board and Company members (Bellas and Mazzo, Martins and Kistler, etc).

Horowitz truly is a horrible writer, and I think he has done the Company and the School a gross disservice with this article. It is not enlightening and can do nothing but harm.

I think we should not fall into Horowitz's errors of mixing up SAB issues with NYCB issues. We should remember that Balanchine did not encourage (or tolerate) outside coaches (remember Gelsey). I can't believe that he dug up 20 year old skirmishes (Mary Porter, but not Schroeder) and grudges. It reminded me of an article in Vanity Fair that ran around 1987 or so.

There will always be dirt, there will always be layers and layers beneath every happening in an institution such as SAB or NYCB where there is so much history, where the players are so intertwined, where passion is a prerequisite. And as far as I'm concerned, the underside is none of anyone's business -- we're here to see the dance.

What a fun topic, how great that it's been revived.

I'm a shoulder person, my votes for most beautiful shoulders (among NYCB women that I know): Helene Alexopolous, Lourdes Lopez, Saskia Beskow.

Tilt of the head: Helene A.

Eyes: Patty McBride, Sofiane Sylvie

Backbend: Karin Von Aroldingen

.....maybe I'll think of more later!

He was in Madison last weekend guesting with the Madison Ballet. I didn't go but he got good reviews in the newspapers.

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Which Madison???

I was alerted to an interesting article about Damian in a Boston Paper. There was a nugget about this in the New York Times the other day, but Boston claims him as one of its own.

Here's a quote

Tonight and Dec. 21, Woetzel, a Boston Ballet School alum, returns to his roots by dancing the role of the Nutcracker Prince in Boston Ballet's production of ''The Nutcracker." Woetzel has also spent the fall at the Kennedy School. He's studying for a master's degree in public administration, one of the rare students accepted to the program without a bachelor's degree.

As the article indicates, Damian is impressive to more than just a ballet audience. Here's the link:

http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/arti..._turning_point/

It mentions that at 38 he's been with the company for about 20 years. Seems like yesterday we were first dazzled by this incredible dancer. He doesn't dance like a 38 year old, either: he's still spectacular. Long may he dance, and may he have as great an impact in the area of the intersection of culture and government; his chosen area of study.

....and Barnes and Noble has it for $29.00!! (How bizarre!) I just ordered two copies (from Amazon): one for me and one for a friend who gave me a copy of Anton Dolin's book, "The sleeping Ballerina" (about Olga Spessivtzeva).

What an incredible thing to have done. I wish her many more years -- hopefully happy and healthy ones. Mme. Hermine, where are those clips available for viewing?

Thanks for letting us know about her birthday.

Guess it's all a matter of personal preference, but I think Tony Bennett's inclusion is as appropriate as Astaire & Rogers (for example) but Tina Turner??? I enjoy her, but...... I just don't see Rock n' Roll getting all trussed up in Black Tie.

Julie Harris is surely deserving, and, having just turned 80, is more than overdue for the honor. There is an exhibit about Sarah Bernhart in NYC, and one of the items is a handkerchief that has been passed from Ms. Bernhart to Helen Hayes, to Julie Harris, to Susan Strasbourg and now to Cherry Jones. So there are other ways to acknowledge greatness within the performing arts community.

Mark D., thanks for letting us know. Those outside the NYC area can listen live on the web, and I think that things are available in archives later.

Thanks for the alert! I just love Bouder -- her clear definition of every shape and every step, her ebullient joy in dancing, her expressive eyes, her daring and flirtatious nature. I saw two of her famous falls in person, and one on TV during the 10th Anniversary of the Diamond Project, and my reaction was always admiration. She was clearly giving everything she had, and just picked herself right up and went on. I thought, "Balanchine would have loved it!"

"Ansanelli will be dancing the Girl in White all week, with Ritter her ardent and elegant partner. As the innocent ballgoer during rehearsal, she expressed shock when presented with the black bouquet. I liked that. She expressed no such surprise in the evening. The orchestra, especially, in that little theater, were a delight all evening."

Do you mean Alexander Ritter???????? Be still my heart! I adore him, and am so glad to hear he's dancing again.

I wonder if one was Bart Cook's ballet, which had an elaborate set

You may be referring to Bart's "Into the Hopper" which emerged from a set like Hopper's "Nighthawks." That is not one of the ballets I mentioned. (I think Bart only did two ballets. I thought they showed great promise but he didn't have an editor.)

The clown one with the bra (which I don't remember) MAY have been Ricky Weiss -- someone please, please redeem him and correct me if I am wrong -- and I think the "underwater" one was by Meija.