aurora

Is there such a strong general corrolation between turning direction and handedness? It is true that most people are right-handed and most people are right-turners. But I'm not sure that most left-turners are left-handed. I know that (like Angel Corella) I'm not

I would disagree somewhat (err not with your assessment of Wiles!) Veronika Part would qualify as a promotion from within. Granted she didn't start in the company as a member of the corps, but she certainly put in her dues and time as a soloist... that said, I think the rest of what you said is on the mark.

I apologize if i missed these being linked above, but the times has posted both a commentary saying much the same thing at some length: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/books/07huck.html?hp and a room for debate (with many commentators) on the bowdlerized Huck Finn: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/01/05/does-one-word-change-huckleberry-finn

As someone who was recently priced out of Fort Greene, it isn't like the area is exactly the ghetto. I guess from what you say it isn't attracting wealthy people from Manhattan or the suburbs, although other factors such as the need to build an audience for something new, the fact that a good portion of the run is happening after Christmas (which I do think harms a ballet that people associate so strongly with the holiday) might also be at play here. But you have brownstones going for over 2 million a few blocks from BAM (and it was an area with no real price drop during the recession) and fantastic restaurants like No. 7 greene, so let's not extend the impression, if indeed it exists, that the area is poor.

This is so strange. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I wonder why he did this? Actually I think they were sweat pants (grey) and they were baggy. Richard

Osipova got really incredible reviews in London(?) in the new Bolshoi production of Coppelia. Yes, production itself got great reviews but she got fantastic reviews in the part. I did very much enjoy her Aurora and it is a work in progress and will be better this year than last, but I would probably (if choosing only one) go for Coppelia!

Their insurance is part of their contract so far as I know. Where are you getting this? It isn't like only those who sell point shoes get insurance, and ultimately it is all going to the same funding pool, no?...

one of my favorite clips ever, if only because the beauty of Gregory as Aurora was so unexpected to me. She is such a mature adult dancer that her triumph as a 16 year old princess was priceless. Also, the balances!

Thanks for the visual comparison. The beautiful tension and strength of Guillem's performance is utterly lost in Zakharova's rendition as you say. I found this version with Kondaurova very interesting as well: While she has high extensions, I don't think of her as an ear-whacker of the same ilk of somova and Zakharova. This clip however seems to illustrate how far the choreography has come from what Guillem was doing--the contortions (deliberate) of Kondaurova's upper body in the part that shows the same choreography done by Guillem make the segment almost unrecognizable...

In further defense, Guillem showed a willingness to moderate her ability to hit high extensions when they were inappropriate to the piece (see the attitudes uses in SB--textbook, not the attenuated line popular now). She Also did NOT distort her hip/line of her torso to achieve her extensions, or at least not so far as I have seen. To me that makes a major difference.

This is a wonderful resource! Thank you so much. On a selfish note, as I am moving to Italy, any plans to add La Scala or the balletto dell'opera di Roma? I know that Silvia is happening in Rome in October with guests including Bouder and Semionova (though I can't find who is what date!)

While I haven't seen her do Aurora, and haven't seen her in Giselle in a bit, Giselle is a much better (I think) role for her, so it should be good! That clip (which I had seen before) does not do her justice I don't think. There is a pigeon-head thing going on in the hops on pointe that is seriously unfortunate but which I don't recall from ever seeing her do the part. She is so delicate and fragile appearing that she is immensely believable as Giselle, and the technique has always been better for her (I think) than something like SB or SL. Can't wait to hear about it!

Someone put up videos (tagged only Vaganova)of what appear to be the graduation performance. Most of the text is in Russian. I don't want to id the person in case the videos get pulled (though it doesn't seem an issue in Russia). I didn't see any Somova, though it is true I didn't watch them all. One of the girls however, who did a duet from Esmerelda, I thought quite interesting. At first glance one might think she would be of that ilk--tall-seeming, VERY LEGGY, blonde. But her extensions were not in any way extreme and I thought her rather charming in fact.

ABT did a Nutcracker as recently as 2 or 3 years ago in DC. I don't know what the production was like. I know Part was one of the Sugarplum Fairys. Sleeping Beauty is one production, so let's not extrapolate a bright kitsch aesthetic and call that Mackenzie's based on that ballet. While Mackenzie's productions have their flaws, I don't think the problem with Swan Lake is that it is too colorful, or that it looks kitschy. In fact with the exception of the Swampthing/Purple Rothbart (and there are a lot of other ugly rothbart costumes out there, but swamp thing does take the cake) it is a visually beautiful production. In any case, the lead in such matters would be Ratmansky I would think, though the rest of the ABT executive team would have to be involved in any (such expensive) decisions...

The PATH runs all night doesn't it? I know it does from Jersey City...

Twitter about Hallberg Osipova performance, but from Hallberg himself, so I assume it is ok to post and it comes with a backstage photo My sigh of a seasons end! I will never forget yesterdays show. Once in a career. Osipova and I were one. http://twitpic.com/245y8l

I just wanted to say that I thought the emotional connection between Osipova and Hallberg was really extraordinary. She really had a great dramatic arc for the role and brought out such emotional intensity in him. It was a truly moving performance. Beautiful dancing from both of course as well. An exceptional role debut from her, and a fabulous performance from him.

Nice that Michelle Wiles is doing lilac to Veronika's Aurora--I think one needs a stronger Lilac with Part than Stella, who was beautiful but just not authoritative enough to compare to Part.

Leaving aside the rest of your argument, the implication here is that somehow his having favorites implies that it isn't based on his knowledge and judgment or, conversely, that us "fans" of dancers just 'like' them, without any knowledge or experience. Saying Macaulay has favorites, which he himself makes clear over and over (and he has also point blank said in reviews that there are dancers he does not like) does not in any way imply that his admiration is not based on his judgment, or that in many cases that judgment is not good. Perhaps this is an issue of terminology. What I take issue with is when it leads to reading essentially the same review over and over again. Even dancers he claims to think well of, such as Gomes, can get barely a word of mention, if there is Hallberg, Stearns or Cornejo to review. And in the case of Stearns--well read the comments on ballettalk...Macaulay may be seeing something wonderful, but he is clearly in the minority on that. There is something of the implication in your statement that Macaulay is above us mere mortals who have preferences. I think that is insulting both to us and to the dancers he has made it clear he dislikes, some of whom are considered great dancers. His judgment reigns supreme? I don't think saying he has favorites implies they were capriciously chosen, obviously they are based on his experience and knowledge, which are vast (as he regularly makes clear). But it doesn't mean his taste is unfailing, or his the only correct opinion.

He raved about Cornejo as Puck three weeks ago. Not every review has to be written for readers who've never seen the ballet. I found the contrast he made between Stearns and Gomes instructive, sharpening my image of both. But it wasn't Cornejo last night, it was Salstein, and I would have found it instructive and enlightening to know how the person who actually performed in the performance being reviewed, performed.

Speaking of dancers he can't say a bad thing about (and he can criticize them...just very *very* mildly, and with clear love, and then he moderates the nastiness. Just as he qualifies any nice thing he manages to say about a dancer he doesn't like, as in his compliment of Reyes in today's review)... I found it interesting he managed to review, in today's review, Cory Stearns (his new love), who did not perform, and omit any reference to Puck, a key character in The Dream, and the dancer who performed that role. For someone who cares *so much* about the ballet text, one could have read the review and not known such a character existed... It was a lovely description of the scenery though.

I personally think haircolor as a criticism in a review is a bit silly, but if a reviewer thinks its very important that Basilio has dark hair, I can see that for that reviewer it could be a legitimate critique. That said, the 'looks like a member of the nazi youth' comment regarding Ethan was nasty. I don't know why its even being debated. Maybe some found it so witty (clearly the intention in his wording it thus) that they were willing to overlook it, but it was vile and offensive on several levels, though obviously not meant to be taken terribly seriously. And I don't say this because I'm a particular fan of Stiefel's. I am not a fan of Kistler. I think she should have retired years ago. And I don't think that one should get a pass in reviews of final performances. Still I found portions of this one gratuitously nasty. All the reviews I read of the performance got across the salient issues. His was the only one that shocked me. And it was not because I was an enraged fan. I thought it needlessly cruel, especially the "wretched" line.

Sigh. For the first, no. For a while I believe she was an up and comer, what could be called a "rising star," at the kirov, then her career there flatlined. I do not know enough about Kirov dynamics etc to speak further, and I am certain you do not either. As for the latter, I do not see any reason to rehash this again. I address your "question" (or is it an accusation?) against my better judgment, as it calls attention to the one significant way in which I did misspeak-- I meant to put my statement in the present tense. Vishneva IS a star (in Russia and here), not was Apologies to Vishneva for that!

Had it been in the interest of fairness to Cory Stearns and Veronika Part, they could have mentioned that in the review. As it was, you would have thought opening night was tuesday, featuring Vishneva. And while I'm certain it was unintentional, the combination of the nearly unprecidented ignoring of Part's opening night performance, while using the lead about how (paraphrasing) in all the excitement over Osipova you could forget there is another Russian star at ABT--Vishneva--seemed an extra slap at Part. (yes I know Part was never the star in Russia Vishneva was, but as a lead in, it seemed really cruel given the circumstances...We have another great Russian ballerina here and its not you!)

Maybe I don't understand the business model, but apart from foundation grants or donations, how does a film earn revenue besides DVD sales or runs in a movie theater or money from a TV station that shows the film? If running the video on YouTube increases DVD sales and movie theater ticket sales, however much the distributor or the theater operator takes, that is additional direct revenue generated. Indirect revenue comes from people who buy tickets to a live performance, like the work, and buy the DVD's so that they can see it again or go to see it on a big screen. Or by helping to create a more educated audience, becoming interested in a new art form, or recommending it to someone else (like people do here). Unless YouTube keeps people from buying the DVD or going to the theater more than it increases sales in those areas, not showing it on YouTube generates nothing. Additionally a lot of the videos being taken down are pirated live performances (especially common in Russia). There are no "filmmakers" whose rights are being violated. The performers didn't grant permission, nor did the companies (I don't know the technical legalities, but clearly this IS illegal) but ultimately performances that would otherwise not be available to people are. The availability of these videos is not going to stop people from going to see these performers and these ballets. What it is doing is exposing people to them. Would I have gone and seen Osipova as a visiting guest with ABT without prior exposure to her? Yes, probably. Would I have gone to see all 3 of her performances had I not been familiar with her work from youtube? No, probably not.