Lana

For now, we will be using Balance Yoga Studio in Huntington...the first performance is set for May 12 at Suffolk County Community College, where Miss Patel is a professor of Math! Long Island is, how shall I say, a cultural slum. I used to dance with Frank Ohman of NYCB and I've always felt he regrets coming out to LI from the city...he calls it the land of "fast-food dancing schools".....

Viviana Durante also did some modeling for an automotive company, I believe. Robert LaFosse and Alexia Hess from New York City Ballet also did a very cool and sexy Gap ad in the early 90s.

I work full time but found out through my yoga instructor about a choreographer from NYC who was looking to start a small dance company on Long Island...mainly modern and contemporary dance. I auditioned and found out last night I was chosen. I can't WAIT to dance again!!!! Thank goodness I kept my technique in shape! I'm dancing with Smruti Patel; the company will be called PatelWorks.

I was recently thinking about her because I had taped a documentary on SAB's graduation performance on PBS (years back) and she was dancing with Benjamin Millepied and she was wonderful. I knew she'd gone to RB, but had lost track. Thanks for the update......

I can't believe this one hasn't been mentioned yet! Or perhaps it has and I missed it. "The Children Of Theatre Street" is definitely a favorite of mine. I often wonder what ever happened to Lena, the young dancer the film centered around. Balanchine Celebration--I have the whole thing on tape and my favorite parts are Darcey Bussell doing Agon pa, Darci's Theme and Variations...even though the way she moves her foot in fourth before EVERY piroutte is a total peeve of mine, and the Who Cares? finale. Gotta love when they all do shots at the end, too. Also, someone mentioned the special "Ballerina" with Makarova as narrator. I loved this, too. Lastly: Joffrey Ballet in Billboards. Just about the coolest, sexiest thing (at times) next to Agon pas de deux.

I once saw Judy Fugate take a fall in Who Cares, during her solo. She was right near the curtain and it happened at the end. She got up, and leaned on the curtain, which really worked in this number anyway. She clung to it in a way that made everyone cheer. I fell once doing fouttes center stage. I bounced up like a cat....but I was devastated. My teacher, former NYCBer Frank Ohman smiled and patted me on the back. He said: "You went for it. I liked it."

Ana Sophia Scheller was simply brilliant as Dewdrop. Not as brilliant and quite disappointing was Yvonne Boree as Sugarplum. Her first solo was wonderful but it was obvious as she came downstage in the pique turns that she was a bit off. The pas de deux had rough moments....the tricky step up turn to arabesque required her cavalier to step in and grab her wrists sooner than the choreography calls for. After that, she couldn't get back on track and the final promenade caused everyone in the audience to get worried at once when she couldn't hold the balance. Guess she had an off night; I usually enjoy her dancing. But that Dewdrop.........ballerina in the making for sure. What a turner! Absolutely no fear whatsoever in her dancing. Quinn was brilliant as the conductor; the orchestra sounded beautiful. The corps was neat, sharp, and together.

Ben used to perform Cavalier in my local Nutcracker with one of our former stellar student dancers. To this day, he is the Best cavalier I have ever seen. Dances and moves with such grace and fluidity.....thanks for the update!