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A small "heads up": I will be posting the 4-minute fine-cut trailer to my doc within a week. If I'm allowed, I will post a notice, (or link to it?). There is no dialogue because it is for an international audience, and hopefully self-explanatory. For the moment it will be "read or view-only" not downloadable. (A few legalities must still be worked out before that happens.)

Your example of Rick and Ilsa (Bogey and Bergman) is the tense required for a "treatment" which is the format used before the actual screenplay is written. The accepted standard treatment format is present tense (historical or not I wouldn't know), and has endless punctuation and spacing rules (ditto screenplays) which must be followed if you don't want the 'clueless ones' who "read" your masterpiece to toss it into the trash before the 'great ones'-behind- the-big-desks get to see it. If the reader likes it, then the real negotiations can start.** Now you can look forward to seeing your resultant screenplay optioned, put into turnaround, or shelved for numerous years and unexplained delays, and eventually become so changed by the director, star, or marketing/business execs no one recognizes it. Consequently, you have to take your name off it to preserve your integrity, thereby saving everyone a lot of money, until you sue them for stealing your original story/treatment idea. At which point, the studios/networks/distributors will cry poverty because they overpaid everyone but you and so didn't make any money on theatrical releases, ancillary income, or overseas sales, which causes the WGA to call for a strike. END RESULT: We get 'same ol' same ol' forever and ever, endlessly re-run because no one in Hollywood wants to risk anything or trust anyone. (**All the above assumes you have a means of getting the treatment "read" in the first place.) Sorry this is OT.

Great story, nothing like that has happened here, despite numerous trips to the local library (with screens visible to many) when I, too, had no access to a computer. I've also met with some reluctance by the few non-arts/dance fans I have shown my doc trailer to, only to be unsurprised when they almost unanimously praise what they have seen. (I'm still hoping to convert a few of them.) I, too, have read the chapter Kaiser wrote about his tenure at Alvin Ailey, ABT etc. online, and then later purchased his more detailed book. Both were quite informative. I also am most interested in his Institute at the Kennedy Center, and hope others emulate this step forward in practical arts management training.

Ah yes, why there aren't any recent ballet performances broadcast on PBS, or past/present performances released on DVD... The first reason of course is MONEY. To create a program or production costs money. But to get money, you have to prove you will make money; an unfortunate truism even if you can show the arts enhance lives in other ways. So...Is there proof of a sizeable enough audience for ballet performers, performances, broadcasts or theatrical showings to entice funders to support the production, or provide them with a return on their investment? Or is there possibly a benevolant philanthropist (is that a redundancy?) willing to give without receiving a large return? Often there is not, so many projects are CO-PRODUCTIONS between organizations, venues, and/or distributors, with numerous funders listed in the credits. Gone are the days of single sponsors. FYI: 1) The original proposal for the "Jewels" project was for a production to be performed by the respective companies of each musical source: eg. FRANCE-Emeralds, USA-Rubies, RUSSIA-Diamonds. But the money, timing, negotiations fell through, and so we have POB alone, distributed to USA by PBS. 2) ABT's performances of "Corsaire" and "Swan Lake" were filmed at, respectively, the OCPAC or Kennedy Center, because ABT had a CO-PRODUCTION deal with each venue to help finance their production(s). PBS-DiA just picked the least expensive place to do it of the choices given them, not because one or the other venue had better camera placements or sight-lines. Money is also needed for...RESEARCH, PRE-PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION, POST-PRODUCTION, MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION of a program or dvd. Seven words that leave out my four attempts to list the details in less than a 50 page document. But all or either of which can cost, at the least, several hundred-thousands of dollars, and at most, many millions. Meanwhile, no one outside those directly involved, has even seen a frame of film yet. FYI: Why there are no PBS dvds of all those DiA performances of the past: They don't own the rights anymore. PBS usually gets a 3-year broadcast window, sometimes renewed, more often not. (A case in point--not an arts program, but a major problem & subsequent achievement--was securing the various rights necessary to re-broadcast "Eyes on the Prize" which took over 10years to get again.) No rights, means no broadcast or other distribution method allowed. Currently, PBS does not have the time, incliniation, or money to research and re-purchase the rights to the various ballet performances in its archives, unless it is shown they will get a good return on their investment, which leads us back to that money issue again. (In the interest of full-disclosure...I am currently producing a documentary, that's taken untold amounts of time and money to film, partially because I wanted to demonstrate that it was possible to create a classical company in this day and age, AND that the audience existed for such a company or video program.)

Hitchcock in 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' and 'Torn Curtain', if not even more examples. C'est normale. That's extreme. I mean, Orson Welles alone--all the European directors think he's the greatest. And even Fritz Lang in Hollywood was too talented not to continue being original even though he was definitely willing to cooperate with the bottom-line when he thought he had to. Sorry, I was thinking of more modern times--say in the last 30 years or so. What innovation occurred IMHO (other than technical) was a re-do of previous genres, but to better effect because the directors/crew learned from the past instead of just trying to copy it.

TIME magazine this week misused the word "disinterested" in place of the correct "uninterested". To paraphrase "Casablanca": I am "shocked! shocked...." And I believe it was "the usual suspects'" fault.

You'll NEVER get another "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" again, because no one these days has a script as meticulously plotted as the novel it's based on, a cast as experienced and collaborative as the creme de la creme of British theatre used then, or a willingness to tell a story over 4-6hrs with only one car chase--(in the very first episode, the next time someone (Michael Jayston's character) drove too fast, Guinness' Smiley told him to slow down)--and no explosions at all. And yet, I was tensely alert throughout the entire series, listening to every word, and trying to analyse every inflection or nuanced expression. And to this day, the first frames are still the best nonverbal character(s) delineation I have ever seen; as the opening credits are for the plot. Geoffrey Burgon's score, like his one for "Brideshead Revisited" (1981 tv series), is also appropriate and gorgeous. They do not make them like this anymore. I was SO glad when it was finally available on dvd, I waited years. Coppola used opera in his operatic OTT Godfather III, and others before him (Hitchcock I think) used symphony orchestra concerts, and even I think a ballet performance, as cover for "dastardly deeds" taking place in the theatre. Everyone borrows from everyone all the time. There is NO such thing as originality in Hollywood ever, they are too afraid of their audiences and the bottom line.

Yes I saw it. It's okay, after only one quick viewing. I noticed some differences in choreography--not always for the better. No major complaints re the dancers, except the phrasing at times bothered me. (But I tend to be more acutely observant of that in Giselle.) One of the supported hops in Act II stuttered slightly, or was it just a sticky floor? Overall: Good, but I have seen better. IMHO: a "mixed" review. I'll write more, when I've had chance to see it more.

As a former So.Cal. gal ('SC alum too) I remember a few fires, and Santa Anas, and smoke so thick the freeways were closed or very slow going (once had to open my door so I could see the lines on a road). My thoughts are with all residents and hope all goes well. PET PEEVE: I have NO sympathy for smokers, the epitome of self-centered, inconsiderate behavior. And thanks to all the kind, thoughtful, people who prevent their damage from spreading beyond them. Random observation: I used to think it was good to be poor in S. California...If you lived in the more ritzy hills/canyons you had to worry about fires, then when the rainy season came, you had to worry about mudslides because the fires burned away all the trees/undergrowth that held the soil. And if you lived on the coast, the winter storms (El Nino, or El Nina) washed your house into the sea. If you lived in Malibu you had to worry about all three, usually simultaneously.

Elgar's "Enigma Variations" have, of course, already been done by Ashton for the Royal Ballet. I also remember seeing a version (mid-late '70's) by a regional US company that also used the entire Enigma Variations to tell a story rather similar to Tudor's "Jardin aux Lilas". The Nimrod variation of that version was a very beautiful pdd between the male protagonist and the "other woman", or in this case "other girl". The male protagonist did reconcile with his wife at the end, but don't remember offhand which variation was used for that scene.

As I wrote above, the complete short film of the original cast --including rehearsals of For4 with Wheeldon--was posted at the bottom of the RuTube post from which drb linked this newer version film. Hope this link works: http://community.livejournal.com/kingsofthedance/ The excerpt of For4 by the "2nd Edition" of Kings which was performed in Russia in 2007 (with only Corella as an original returning member) is visible in the "VIII Mariinsky Festival, Part 4" clip on YouTube. From viewing only the clip of the current edition, and my knowledge of the original cast's choreography (I did see it 2x at OCPAC, and 3x at City Center): Hallberg = Stiefel, Carreno = Kobborg, de Luz = Corella , Tsiskaridze is one of the originals and does his original part.

THANK YOU! for both the Starbucks explanation--I always ignore their silliness and simply say "small, medium, or large" and let them translate my order--and for once again reminding the grammatically illiterate of the correct forms of "a lot", "all right", and "every day" or "everyday". You made my day. (Sorry, if that's an annoying saying too.)

And me! I've been choreographing The Moldau in my head for years, with scenic and lighting designs, and some costumes too, and recently, have started considering the other sections of Ma Vlast. (Unfortunately, without being as knowledgeable about the backstories.) Also unfortunately: No funds to do it, but who knows, maybe I can interest some smaller company some day to consider it.

Thank you drb for posting this link to what I call the "3rd Edition" of the "Kings of Dance". I saw it earlier on another website which linked to it. But anyways, it was nice to see this new version and a new film. The site also includes bios of each of the current 'kings', but it was in cyrillic so I couldn't read it. Glad the franchise is still going strong and giving opportunities for performers and audiences to learn and compare. I was struck by slight changes in Wheeldon's choreography to accomodate different strengths of these dancers as compared to their predecessors. In addition, if you scroll down to nearly the bottom of the posting, you can also view the 2006 short-biographical film shown before the performances of the original kings: Corella, Kobborg, Stiefel, and Tsiskaridze. There is also an excerpt of "For4" danced by the 2007- (or what I call the "2nd Edition") - Kings visible in clips from the VIII Mariinsky Festival video program posted on that other well-known clipfest site. Great to compare everyone if you're interested.

1. "Paradigm" (sp?) was overused as a business term throughout the 90's 2. "ACKS" instead of "ASK"... The word is only 3-LETTERS!!! long and people still cannot pronounce it correctly?!!! 3. "The fact of the matter is/was..." Whatever became of, "the fact is/was..." 4. I actually heard an NPR anchor say "you betcha" tonight (Was he kidding? It didn't sound like that to me.) 5. "Wonk" (still have no idea what or who that actually refers to) A slang term that was never defined but used constantly in the 90's. I thought it might be the psychological definition of an obsessive-compulsive disorder? Sorry, it's late, so will have to think of more (Noooo!) later.

Just wanted to say... I am so desolate I cannot attend ABT at City Center this year (low funds, other committments),but wanted to give many many thanks to all who posted impressions, reviews, memories of these performances. I am sincerely grateful.

I am so saddened by this news. Joffrey Ballet re-introduced me to so much; first on those many early "Dance in America" performances, and later live when they would come to L.A. for 2wks every year. I remember being stunned and overjoyed to see so many works that I had yearned to know... * The revivials (reconstructions?) of "Petrushka" and "Parade" (and didn't they do Nijinsky's " Jeux" and "...Faun" too? or was it just Nureyev?) * John Cranko's "Taming of the Shrew" and "Romeo & Juliet". * And of course Arpino's works as well. To this day, and from the first moment I saw it, "Round of Angels" is still my favorite neoclassical/contemporary ballet. There are many others that I admire, but that's the one that reaches deepest. I will also not forget the time he personally wrote me back, after I had filled out one of those survey cards with a very long complaint about rep & reps (ie. shuffling, & repeating scheduled works too many times in a week) and lack of depth in casting. Of course I didn't realize the financial crisis that was occuring at that time. But I will never forget that was the first time anyone that important in the dance world had ever listened to me and responded. And finally, one of my favorite teachers was a former dancer with his company. Dear Mr. Arpino RIP. I will not forget you or the company you and Mr. Joffrey created.

I too would be most curious to see some statistics regarding bart's query. In the meantime, there are always 990's to cross-reference. Below, are my most recent experiences... 1) BOSTON The first thing I noticed in Boston some years ago, was that BB did not make balcony tickets available for any performances at the Wang Center, only the front Mezz (same top price as front Orchestra). So a major reduction in seats available, and probably because of a lack of attendance? However, finally this past May, I was able to sit upstairs in the balcony section again, with ample opportunity to move forward if I wanted to into the front balcony. (The Mezz section was full, and at least the first 10+ rows of front balcony.) Whether BB anticipated better attendance and opened up the balcony section or saw early subscription returns and did it, I'm not sure. Or maybe it was a better rep.? I know they did a big push for Cranko's R&J, but not living in Boston now, I don't see any other media/p.r. so can't determine its impact on the b.o. The fall Gala night usually does well, as I suppose the spring Ball does too? But despite the above, BB is leaving the Wang Center after this coming season to go to a smaller venue. They are putting a happy face on it, but it is still a demotion. Of course, two years ago (or is it more now?) the Wang Center had supplanted BB's Nutcracker, (despite it supposedly being the largest/best attended one in the USA--take that NYCB), with those NY interlopers: The Rockettes Xmas Show. Nothing new about that: A similar fate befalling other companies across the USA. Actually, I do wonder how BB is doing financially? Their AD's previous position received accolades for rep, but also groans for excessive expense and leaving a large deficit. BB has always had a great rep, (though I could do with less Elo), and I've seen more smiles than before, so maybe they are ok. But with the state of the present economy, and MA's rather precarious finances, it may not be all smiles this year. 2) NY: I've attended ABT regularly each summer, and 2-4 times (though this year 1-2) at City Center, and have observed the same things other BT'ers have posted. 3) EUROPE: London (2007)- for ABT (Feb.) and Morphoses (Sept.) - I was up in the balcony for both companies, and it seemed to be quite full. The one time I was able to attend the RB at the ROH, it too was very full (I had to get a very expensive orch.ticket, which was all they had left.) Spain (2008): At all times (Barcelona, Madrid, elsewhere on tour) the performances were either sold out or very nearly sold out. Also, there was no such thing as a "cheap" ticket; prices were DOUBLE what they are in NYC, Boston, Chicago, or Los Angeles (all of which I visited in 2007-08). 4)THE GOOD OL' DAYS: I remember ABT filling Shrine Auditorium in L.A. at least 3/4 full (almost 5600 seats) for three weeks at a time in the late 70's - mid 80's. (sigh).

Few choreographers today seem to want to make significant points about the Meaning of Life. But there are still plenty of ballet cliches around (uses of music, uses of choreography, ways of presenting dancers or "characters", attempts to manipulate the audience). It would be great to hear about the cliches that you yourself have observed and found grating. Who knows, we might help a few would-be choreographers to avoid them in the future. For all the reasons Croce says, I dislike Mahler too. However... the one ballet I love that is set to Mahler is Arpino's "Round of Angels" to the Adagietto. I saw it live almost 25 years ago, and never forgot it. I think it was the setting (that beautiful velvety starfield), lighting that limned the silvery unitards and made them almost glow, and some of the choreographic images. I don't remember it having a point at all; it was simply beautiful images and dancing to a beautiful piece of music. (Am I being cliche now?) Too bad the music has been overused since then (or was it the movies that did that?). But as for M's "heavy" darker music or vocal music--sorry, I'd prefer not. re bart's topic: I'll think of some the hateful cliches later, but after reading BT'ers views, I can only nod my head and ruefully smile.

So glad someone got it right, I'll have to find the POB's version--I've only seen RB and La Scala dvd's. During my own recent experience, it was quite a chore to shoot, even using professional HD, when Act 2 and Act 3 (Makarova's staging) had a stage-wide scrim throughout both acts, and the tech people hadn't figured out how to light it correctly so that the light levels (and consequently my exposure monitoring) varied continuously, not only during each act, but often during a variation or pdd itself! Case in point: My editor complained about a soft focus once, until I showed him that that shades var. was shot from a back balcony , through the scrim, with a too low light level, and at +9dB at the least.) Lucky for me I shot it more than once and could compensate. **An interesting note about that scrim: I asked the dancers what they saw from their POV, and as I suspected, was told "a black wall". If you can't feel the audience's 'energy' or 'breathing' on the other side, it must be very strange.

I saw Morphoses do AB in London last year. Now that was an interesting performance. Fun? Maybe, but there were also several times I wondered who was going to smack whom (however inadvertantly) during some of that quick partnering. So maybe not as fun for them?

Nanarina: I have actually seen this pdd done by ABT during its City Center season about 4 years ago, and I think it was scheduled for a opening night gala once too. I seem to remember Irina & Max being scheduled to dance it. I also know one other company that included it in a short 'suite' from the full-length.

I, too, have noticed the ubiquitous presence of prostitutes/whores/courtesans in Macmillan and wondered. And since I am sensitive to re-arrangements, interpolations, re-interpretations of Shakespeare, I at first disliked their presence in R&J, until I understood why they are there... I believe they are there to provide a contrast between the more carefree (careless?) youthful amour(s) of Romeo's past to the mature, committed love he has now for Juliet. (Notice Romeo rejects the advances of one of the whores in Act2, though he is still friendly enough to dance with her.) Another interpolation, the passing of the wedding party in the second act, makes Romeo pause and consider marriage himself; whereas in the play, we know he and Juliet have already discussed marriage and how they would meet the next day. Finally, I've seen productions of Macmillan's R&J, where the "prostitutes" were changed to 'gypsies' and didn't wear frizzy hair, so their presence in Verona was a little more understandable. (I didn't check to see if they still had red heels.)

How come no one has linked to ABT's MET performances in 2007? There was much discussion of Macmillan, Manon, and the dancers as I remember. That year I saw Vishneva do it once (or was that '06?). Ferri & Bolle do it twice, Ethan Stiefel's Lescaut before his injury, a surprisingly funny Gillian Murphy as his mistress, and an unexpected, unannounced, but astonishing Ferri-Corella matinee. I've always loved Macmillan's R&J (though I do recognize the many "borrowed" elements--or dare I say some choreography?--of the Cranko version) for its fluidity, and ability to accurately illustrate both the music and Shakespeare's text through both choreography AND dramatic detail. I've seen many other versions, but that is the one I always return to in my mind. I also love "Manon", and totally agree that it needs a strong Des Grieux to make it resonate because he has less chance than Manon to illustrate the character through choreography. Also, the more corruptable characters of Manon & Lescaut need the innocence of Des Grieux to play off of. So though everyone talks about the evolving character of Manon, I also think it is very hard for someone to make Des Grieux's innocence likeable or understandable without causing contempt for his gullability or pity. So yes, good dancers are required, but also great actors are needed to make this ballet work. And again, I am facinated by the way Macmillan can translate text and emotions and even lurid details into choreography both recognizable and understandable. Unlike the more simplistic emotions of "R&J", "Manon" has some very "adult" emotions and action, all distinctly visible in the choreography. Having never seen or heard the opera, I only know the music of the ballet, and so do not have a problem with it, but rather was more impressed by how a "pastiche" was assembled to cohere with the action/choreography. I've only seen excerpts of "Mayerling", because I haven't had the time (or incliniation yet?) to sit through the entire dvd--since I've never seen it live. I have, however, seen "Gloria" and "Requiem" which I liked very much. Didn't he also do "The Wild Boy" for Baryshnikov way back when?--which I was rather bored with. I would very much like to see the full-length "Prince of the Pagodas", even though Britten is not a favorite composer. All the above only IMHO.

Apologies for being incommunicado so long; I have not stopped moving since I left for Spain (for the 4th time) August 25 until now. But after much difficulty (including my luggage and equipment--but luckily not the camera in my "carry-on" bag--being "lost" by the airlines for 5 days), I was able to complete filming of the rehearsals and performances of Corella Ballet in La Bayadere at the Teatro Real in Madrid. Now, after 3 wks of long drives and longer editing sessions, I was finally able to show a rough-cut of the promo-demo of the documentary to Angel and some interested parties during a recent trip to NYC. I will be editing the fine-cut demo next week, and if a few legalities are ironed out, should finally have something to show the rest of the world. (At least until the full-length doc is released.) Many thanks to Carolina et.al. for keeping all of you informed in the meantime. And for her generosity and kindness to me.