Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

Buddy

Senior Member
  • Posts

    2,650
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Buddy

  1. Again, I’d like to say what a remarkable performance Chinara Alizade has given. I’d now like to continue this at the Polish National Ballet topic, because I think that it gives some added perspective into what she’s accomplished and also gives due recognition to that company and how it contributes to her artistic fineness. https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/40326-polish-national-ballet/#comment-443921
  2. I’d like to continue discussing Chinara Alizade (formerly Bolshoi) here for a moment because I think that it might go unnoticed posted at the Polish National Ballet topic, because she really does deserve the attention and because her Bolshoi fineness does remain very apparent. From the video I’d like to highlight her lovely and airy dancing at 9:00 and 35:30. The iconic duet dancing can be found at 1:35:00. Although physical prowess can lessen somewhat with maturity, artistry can grow noticeably. The elegance and refinement of her dancing is very evident, probably improved. Her expressiveness, almost always emanating in ballet from the facial expression, is truly embracing throughout — light and vibrant in the Act I village scenes, dramatic and transcendent in the Act II other-worldly setting. Although she’s dramatically compelling and artistically masterful throughout Act II, I’m most touched by her mixture of dreamy loveliness and deepest emotion at the very end (1:48:20 —) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4HIbwU7YzE&t=4s I would say that she’s grown remarkably in artistic fineness.
  3. I continue to watch the video clip of Lar Lubovitch's "Elemental Brubeck.” I’m very impressed to see this kind of dancing from ballet dancers. Their versatility is quite noteworthy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmGJh0LfGiQ
  4. Could I offer some more ideas, perhaps a sort of outline ? “Lyrical” Here are some definitions of the adjective “lyrical” that I like. (an * represents one that I particularly like). *songlike lyric *melodic *musical *melodious rhapsodic *poetic (of literature, art, or music) expressing the writer's emotions in an imaginative and *beautiful way. the poet's combination of lyrical and descriptive power (Oxford Languages) “Lyrical” — as a dance style. It would contain lyrical qualities with the addition perhaps of charm, pleasantness, joyfulness.... High Art < > Entertainment High Art As dance it might also contain grace, flow, dreaminess, refinement…. An example…. “After The Rain” (Christopher Wheeldon)— as close to ballet as you can get without actually being ballet. . Entertainment An example…. “Let's Face the Music and Dance” (Fred Astaire (with Ginger Rogers)) Entertainment of High Art quality Christopher Wheeldon and Lar Lubovitch are two creators that, for me, are quite interesting when they work in this area.
  5. From the ‘Do you remember Chinara Alizade ?’ Department here she is elsewhere, but lovelier than ever — Giselle. https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/40326-polish-national-ballet/#comment-358126
  6. Chinara Alizade — Giselle I just watched a few minutes so far but it’s really nice to see her. (thanks to keriluamox at Dansomanie)
  7. With all his admiration for Fred Astaire, did George Balanchine ever wish for a collaboration ? I believe that I read that he did. Well, if he wasn’t able to get Fred Astaire, how about Suzanne Farrell ? Take a look at her performance in Der Rosenkavalier from his Vienna Waltzes. A female Fred Astaire, at least in the eyes of George Balanchine ? A tribute to Fred Astaire ? Intended or not, this dazzlingly beautiful creation certainly could be one.
  8. Some more about Fred Astaire and ballet from The New York Times. “He was also a paragon among his professional peers. George Balanchine, the artistic director of the New York City Ballet and a man whose supreme standards rarely allowed for superlatives, called him, simply, ''the greatest dancer in the world.'' “Anna Kisselgoff, dance critic of The New York Times, gave this description of the Astaire genius: ''At its most basic, Mr. Astaire's technique has three elements - tap, ballet and ballroom dancing. The ballet training, by his account, was brief but came at a crucial, early age.” https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/23/obituaries/fred-astaire-the-ultimate-dancer-dies.html And getting back to the overall idea of “Lyrical” (‘ballet related’) for a moment, for me, Christopher Wheeldon’s “After The Rain” remains very significant.
  9. A ‘Cornerstone’ to what I’m trying to describe as “Lyrical Dance.” Officially posted. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers — “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” 😊
  10. From a few weeks ago, here’s some behind the scenes with a few nice glimpses of dress rehearsals, etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fvERfi_n2Q
  11. This is a performance by a young dancer. It’s her own choreography, but it’s typical American Lyrical Jazz or Lyrical Dance. It’s much more athletic than what I’ve been thinking about as “Lyrical Dance,” but it does really captivate me. And I happen to love the song. For me, she expresses it beautifully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvHpfsfRtN8 It also makes a very interesting contrast to the Raisa Struchkova video from my previous post.
  12. From ballet itself, I find this to be a rather charming example related to what I could call “Lyrical Dance.” I might even go as far as to say that I see some Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers here, although these performers probably had no knowledge of each other and very little of the technique of the others’ dance form. Raisa Struchkova (1964) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUkFbFFTqYs
  13. This would be essentially correct, but for me, “fluidity,” or flow, seem to be a basic part of what’s generally called Lyrical Jazz or Lyrical Dance as well. Hi again, Sandik, and thanks for your comments and interest. For the moment, I’ve taken to using quotation marks — “Lyrical Dance” — because it’s a somewhat personal idea, I guess, and perhaps likely to become more so. I’ve used the term for ages without actually looking up any exact definitions. I’ve always thought, that in one way or another, that my use also fell into the general category of what’s called Lyrical Dance. One thing that seems to appear in many definitions is this kind of wording…. ** “Ballet combined with….” ** This would be consistent with much of my thinking. Maybe the video examples that I’ve been referring to and posting explain it best. For one thing, an essential part does seem to be…. ** Graceful Flow ** And again, a totally personal element perhaps, is a sense of pleasure, even joy. So, “Keep Dancing!" and maybe even do it “Lyrically.” 😊 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmGJh0LfGiQ
  14. This is a group that I saw years ago and liked very much. I guess that they’re going as strong as ever. Complexions Contemporary Ballet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBt--XMWTOU
  15. Claudia Schreier's Pleiades Dances has recently been mentioned at a discussion about the San Francisco Ballet. I’m still liking it very much. https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/46886-2023-rep-season-to-include-9-new-works/page/2/#comment-443470 Another work for the Atlanta Ballet that I’m flipping over is Lar Lubovitch's "Elemental Brubeck'" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmGJh0LfGihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmGJh0LfGiQ I hoping that this sort of work will continue, both here and at the San Francisco Ballet. I’m watching them both with interest.
  16. “Lyrical Dance” — Swan Lake Meets Fred Astaire This is an element of it all that I like very much. 😊
  17. I’ve not heard anything new, but I keep checking every day. Perhaps after the holiday season we’ll hear some more. This is an article from November 22 that just appeared on the internet. It does give some more personal insights. “When war separates people, arts reunite them. That was the goal celebrated last Saturday in Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, where dancers impacted by the war in Ukraine danced together for the first time since the invasion, on February 24th. ““If I had stayed in the Mariinsky Ballet, it would mean things were fine but they weren’t, even if I love my mentors and colleagues there. It’s sad when politics has that kind of effect on art”, says Xander. “It was very hard for every dancer. We are all against the war, but at the same time, we are all grateful to Russia for all it taught us in arts. “Although Reunited in Dance was designed to be a one-night celebration, dancers were so excited with the project and happy with the long and warm applause of the audience that some of them have plans to join again soon. Parish, for instance, is thinking about forming a ballet company that embraces talents in exile. He explained why. “I believe that the spirit of that place, what we know, what we learned, who we became and who we are, can be preserved, and can be reunited.”, https://www.fairobserver.com/culture/reunited-by-art-and-against-the-war-in-ukraine/
  18. (continued from my previous post) And then even more like this. Jerome Robbins -- “Dances At A Gathering” — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoigxYt5Hgk And then perhaps this. Christopher Wheeldon —“After The Rain” — start at 14:10 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D316-KMBU8
  19. This is probably what is generally considered “Lyrical Dance” or “Lyrical Jazz.” This would be a somewhat less gymnastic version and there are things here that I do like. Lyrical Jazz - Sia "Chandeliar" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERreyw5_AVs&t=3s Still, with my personalised definition, I’d tend to go in a more artistic direction. "The Legend of Ten” by Lar Lubovitch -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gk-6cmpoMs
  20. Welcome back, Sandik. I’m not that familiar with the exact names and definitions, but I essentially agree with what you have written and believe that I’ve maintained the distinction between “lyrical,” the timeless quality, and “Lyrical Dance,” an essentially ‘modern’ style. My definition does have a personal emphasis, but not enough of one for me to search for a new name. My first sentence attempts to define this. “Lyrical Dance — A combining of the lyrical beauty and style of the classical with the natural.” To be more specific, I’d like to see the aesthetic, feel and some of the technique (especially upper body technique) of ballet essentially, to be preserved and combined with a more natural form of physicality. Something else that’s occurred to me, is perhaps totally personal. All my examples and suggestions have a definite desire for positivity and pleasure in them. I hope that this helps. I’ll keep thinking about it and try to clarify as I go along. And I hope that you enjoy this, because that’s part of my intent.
  21. In what I think of as Lyrical Dance, that can vary from Swan Lake-like refinement to jazziness, this delightful ‘influence’ exudes an aura in between that I enjoy very much. Swing Time ('36): “Pick Yourself Up” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06RlwN0nddQ You want more refinement ? I like this one a lot. It’s by Jerome Robbins, whose effect on Christopher Wheeldon’s lyrically beautiful duets I think can be seen. New York City Ballet MOVES: Dances At A Gathering https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoigxYt5Hgk Added: And if you want to see it as good as it gets, take a look at Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers -- "Let's Face the Music and Dance."
  22. Lyrical Dance — A combining of the lyrical beauty and style of the classical with the natural. It has the dreamlike quality that one can associate with Swan Lake, Giselle and even Far Eastern Classical. It’s a direction that I’d really like to see more developed. Here’s one nice example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIKo7HqHdRs It’s an area that Christopher Wheeldon moves in and out of with some very good results, this one being perhaps one of the finest works in all of dance. “After The Rain” (Start at 14:10) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D316-KMBU8 It’s a style used by some choreographers that in group presentations can take on an orchestral dimension. Here’s one example from Lar Lubovitch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gk-6cmpoMs Stylistically, here’s a more high energy one from Lar Lubovitch that I like very much. Although it might be largely contemporary, even Broadway, there is a sense of classical and artistic composition and refinement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmGJh0LfGiQ (all videos were already officially posted) Coming at this from the non-classical side, Fred Astaire might be considered an early influence. A collaboration between him and George Balanchine, which George Balanchine might have loved since he considered Fred Astaire to be the finest male dancer, could have produced some fascinating and highly significant results.
  23. Here’s another like it for Atlanta Ballet from about a year ago. It also had the Mariinsky’s similarly oriented Maxim Petrov, whom I often like very much and have often mentioned, as a choreographer. As a matter of fact, this video has elements of Maxim Petrov. This is another company that I want to keep an eye on. Pleiades Dances by Claudia Schreier https://vimeo.com/545680558 (I hope that “Do Not Copy” doesn’t mean no Link)
  24. From the World Ballet Day program, one work that I like a lot is Dana Genshaft's Future Paper performed by The San Francisco Ballet School Trainees. It showcases their fineness and versatility in a style that I like very much because it combines the lyrical grace of ballet with a sense of naturalness. It could also be called orchestral. I think that Dana Genshaft does a very nice job with her take and I hope that the company continues working in this area. It’s a style used by some choreographers and here’s one example from Lar Lubovitch, which is a more lyrical example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gk-6cmpoMs It’s the dreamlike quality that I can associate with Swan Lake, Giselle and even Far Eastern Classical. The rehearsal of Katherine Barkman in Giselle with Jasmine Jimison echoing her in the background (a beautiful if not intended composition) shows this. A combining of these two lyrical forms, classical and natural, could produce some fine results and I hope that the company will pursue this. Added: And here’s a more high energy example that I like very much. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmGJh0LfGiQ
×
×
  • Create New...