GoCoyote!

Wonderful pics Dr. Coppelius (love the Don Q!). Am missing the company here in London during their summer break. Thanks! .... and more please!

I am lucky enough to see the Royal Ballet often including quite recently open-to-the-public coaching sessions of some rather wonderful Ashton choreography and there is a very particular delight and satisfaction of seeing a dancer who 'has it' - dancing choreography which has it too, of course. Being a musician I would liken it maybe to adding an additional melody line to produce two melodies playing together, counterpoint... and of course the great thing being that at any given moment you do not always get the harmony you might have predicted. Maybe the analogy is too obscure... anyway it looks awfully difficult*..... sort of like ballet² *hats off to those who make it look so easy

That's wonderful that you made it, and with 9 long mins to spare, too! Bizarrely, living and working in London means it can often feel like just as much of a day long mad dash to be able to make the ROH on time (OK, minus the air travel bit). Anyway, so glad you got to see it. I saw this cast on the opening night and I'm sure they are worth a journey from any corner of the globe. Would love to hear more thoughts on the performance when recovered from the trip.

Thanks kfw - I remembered the Blake reference but just muddled the composer ... I have done a little research since my last post and the RB version was definately by Ashley Page. I also just remembered seeing what looked like a very different 'Fearful Symmetries' more recently (perhaps 5 years ago) by a visiting company - possibly SFB - but more likely Pacific Northwest Ballet. That MUST have been the Martins version and I remember not liking it so much. The RB version seemed much more daring... aggressive even. From Blake's 'The Tiger': 'TIGER, tiger, burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?'

I think I saw this danced by the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in the early '90's with, amongst others, Irek Mukhamedov and Tetsuya Kumakawa... however, as the title refers to the Philip Glass score (I think!) I wonder if it was the same choreography? Can anyone tell me? There were I think quite a few 'Glass ballets' made in the '90's - wouldn't suprise me if there are different ballets in existance using this same score. Please excuse my ignorance - I wish I still had the programme and cast sheet! I did enjoy it at the time - although it was too long ago for me to comment on it now. EDIT: OK OK so it's not Philip Glass it's John Adams ... sorry it's been a long day.... and I even HAVE the score on CD somewhere (sure it was Glass) anyway I'd still like to know if it's the same ballet if anyone can tell me!

I started learning sign language this year (as a hearing person) and have just taken my BSL level 1 exam (British Sign Language). As I was watching a ballet the other day here in London I was trying to figure out if it would be possible to interpret the orchestral music in any way to a deaf person. I would love to know if there are any deaf people out there who go to the watch the ballet, and if so what it is like as an experience.... obviously this is going to depend to a great extent on the nature of the hearing loss. I am just wondering if any system of music interepretion has ever been devised? (I was thinking perhaps a 'hands on' system perhpas akin to the type of sign language used for deaf and blind people). If there are any deaf people out there reading this: would you even be interested in any type of interpretation? ...... perhaps not! Although I have spent a few months talking with my deaf tutors and quite a few deaf people who come to my college I have yet to find a deaf (or hearing) balletomane! So if there are any out there I hope you can put right my ignorance on this subject. In fact I would welcome any feedback from anybody. Thanks!

Leigh, a rolling case and bag *should* be fine to check into the cloakroom (although they obviousley prefer most people not to bring luggage). Worth ringing to check, if only to be able to say that you rang in advance in case anyone objects. However, they do bag searches these days so be prepared for that! Prepaid tickets are collected form the left end of the box office counter (as you look at it). No need to join main queue. If you have a standing place you are far more likely to be allowed in during prologue, although I'm still not sure if you would be. But make sure they know it's a standing place if you arrive late and it has started. If it's not possible to get in they have screens in the corridors and Crush Room which you can view the performance on (sitting down!). They will direct you. If you are thinking about getting the tube - perhaps you could check this link on the day? (click piccadilly line for more info) http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/realtime/?mode=tube&time=now If you are arriving at Terminal 4 read it now. Good luck!

I'm only a lowly adult beginner :blush: but the way I see it the proper definition of a 'good position' is one that still has the quality of movement built into it. It should be seen (and felt!) as dynamic state which is held, maintained in time (even if that means for a couple of minutes) rather than a static (statue like) form which is adopted to please the eye only. It seems to me there is a potential for conflict between the right position based on actual movement (you could call it the correct fifth for actually dancing) and one based on an ideal of 'perfection' which may or may not be be unrealistic from the point of view of the dancer's body type... and for beginners like me add:current flexability/conditioning/strength. Me? ... I have what is known as a naturally 'perfectly rubbish' fifth.

MacMillan's Song of the Earth - together with Mahler's music of course! - a very simple and 'grounded' ending scene which is at the same time beautifully ethereal.

I don't see why it has to be taken as a religious observance, whatever MacMillan's intentions were. Surely one can instead take not clapping as a means to create (or at least not disrupt) the atmosphere of this profoundly contemplative and serene piece. If MacMillan really wanted the audience to remain quiet throughout then I feel that silence becomes a part of the piece too - along with the music and lighting and so on. Why take that aspect way from it? I have seen this ballet performed with and without any capping and I prefer it when the audience doesn't clap. I like the difference ....and why not watch it in silence? - There's certainly enough clapping at ballet the rest of the time!

Talking of Guillem, when her latest collaboration with Maliphant ('Push') premiered in London last year she danced wearing a very short wig. Naturally, she left it on for the special post performance talk session which directly followed the perfomance (with Guillem and Maliphant coming back onto the stage) and of course being Guillem she enjoyed refusing to confirm or deny whether she had actually cut her hair cut short or not. There was some mild speculation for a day or two afterwards.

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!)