vipa

Doesn't get what?

Well, since the "beautiful proportioned" expression doesn't contain any specifications, every single answer to that question is going to be based in personal preferences,so beautiful proportions here will be linked to specific sets of preferences. Then why is this thread "beautifully proportioned" not "my perferred body type" or "the dancer who has a body that I think best for ballet" or "a body that I think amazing." Are there body proportions that are beautiful as a classic archtypes? If so I stand by my vote for Fonteyn and Weese.

Is there a difference between beautifully proportioned body and preferred body type?

For beautiful proportions I'd vote for Margot Fonteyn and Miranda Weese.

I couldn't find Lane/Cornejo in the Ballo casting. Am I missing it?

Thank you - that's what I meant.

Oh dear! I am being so unclear. I mean the ppd in the 2nd act that does not involve Titania. I don't know what to call it. Can someone help? It is a true gem.

I was one of those that mentioned Bananchine's MSN's Dream, but I didn't mean the Tatania/Oberon ppd. I meant the ppd in the 2nd act. I think it is divine. Sorry, I just wanted to be clear.

I second the vote for Balanchine's Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux for a favorite all purpose ppd. The one I particularly love, however, is the ppd from the 2nd act of Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream. It never fails to move me.

I had the privilege of seeing him at Carnegie Hall this year singing an "American Songbook." He is a very charming performer. I'll have to get the recording.

I think The New Yorker is at fault for categorizing this under "Dancing" instead of a feature article in the center of magazine, as Arlene Croce's attack on Bill T. Jones's "Still/Here" was. I don't think it's a flaw that The New Yorker has a single dance critic. In the '70's and 80's I used to go to the newsstand and go straight to the Table of Contents of the magazine and look for Croce's byline. During the dance season, the weeks she skipped were painful. If I did this for Acocella's reviews, I'd be starved between articles. Makes you think, doesn't it? Just wanted to remind folks that Croce's "Writing in the Dark" is a terrific collection of her New Yorker reviews.

Just as a small point of information -- MM's dance background is not as limited as the show implied in the brief bio. He studied ballet, I don't remember with whom. He worked for Lubovitch, Feld and others. He also was involved in the White Oaks project along with Baryshnikov.

A former ABT soloist named Christine Spizzo was/is very articulate. ABT was always sending her to TV and radio shows to represent the company. I think she now teaches at North Carolina School of the Arts.

I was thinking of her at ABT, you are right she certainly was used by Feld. Last I heard she was teaching for the Feld school which has a connection with the NYC public school system.

A great topic. I don't know if my thinking fits in. I was thinking of Christine Sarry who was maybe not underestimated as much as under-used. I don't know if that is the same thing or connected. BTW I remember Renvall as guest with the Eglevesky ballet. He was wonderful

For many years I had a subscription to NYCB and went to see ABT occasionally. At one point I didn't like the way NYCB was dancing so I reversed and subscribed to ABT and went to see NYCB occasionally. Now I think NYCB is back and ABT is still great so I subscribe to neither but attend more performances of both than ever. I love Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake but other than that I love rep programs more than full length. ABT, which does have a history of full length, also has a strong history of rep - Lilac Garden, Dark Elegies, Gala Performance, Theme and Variations (done on ABT), Billy the Kid, Intermezzo, Fancy Free, Variations for Four (which would be fun to see again) etc. etc. I just named a few that came to mind that are part of the ABT tradition but that are with the exception of Theme not Balanchine ballets. My point is that ABT has a strong history of rep as well as full length ballets. As an aside (I'm sure that most of you know this but I've just discovered it) the ABT web site had a great archive of all the ballets the company has performed, who was in the first cast and other information. I was surprised by the number of ballets I had never heard of.

As some others have said I would like to see Figure in the Carpet. Some dancers who were in it were quoted as saying it is a shame it was lost and others say it is just as well. I'd also like to see the earlier version of Valse Fantasie. The most recent version has a principal couple. I've been told that the earlier version had several "ballerina parts." Correct me if I'm wrong.

Amen to all of that. I thank everyone so much for reporting from CA. This board is the best!

That's wonderful. I bought a ticket to see Kent in NY but she was injured. You've described what I expected to see. I wish I had the chance. Did anyone see Cornejo/Lane? Did it really happen?

It is an exciting season. I can't wait to see the casting. I figure Murphy & Wiles as possible leads for Ballo (Lane if Cornejo does the male lead but he might be cast in gigue). Kent and maybe Part for the Gelsey role in Leaves are Fading. Pick any three men for Fancy Free -- How about, Gomes, Cornejo, Stiefel? Many possibilities. Does anyone know who is staging Bakers Dozen?

California is lucking out! Kent as Aurora (I bought a ticket in NY but Kent was injured), Part as Lilac Fairy and Sarah Lane as Aurora (I hope it happens). Are there any eye witnesses out there?

I'm reading Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. You might remember the murder of the Dutch film director, Theo Van Gogh. Ali wrote the screenplay of the movie that brought about the death of Van Gogh. The book is a very interesting story and thought provoking. Has anyone else read it?

Not to mention the adroit way Lincoln disposed of the dangerous ones. Gore Vidal gives a nice account of the goings on in his novel, "Lincoln." I understand that the popularity of biographies has been rising and they are now the most popular form of historical non-fiction. Also recall reading BTW that many men prefer reading non-fiction and some read no fiction at all -- it's a major difference in the reading habits of the sexes, apparently. Wonderful book

I liked that program too. Sarah Lane made a very favorable impression with Theme. When I think about it I always come to the same problem. ABT has always been built on big ballets which rely on stars. Stars are imported as needed which reduces the opportunites for the "in house" talent. Murphy and Wiles fill a technical need and are both developing artistically, but without their technical prowess they would not be principals. In terms of ticket sales -- I don't know how excitement is created but that is best left to PR departments. From what I've read both Sarah Lane and Misty Copeland make good stories.

I believe there is an audience for rep programs. I think the problem with the Dream/SC program was that it wasn't really rep or full length. It was more like because Dream isn't long enought to carry an evening, they put another ballet with it. An evening of three ballets and one pas de deux would be very welcomed to a lot of people.