MeGaNDaNcEr198521

If you remember there is a scene in "Center Stage" where Sascha and Ethan as "Charlie" and "Cooper" have a little dance competition in the studio. (They are buddies offstage and offscreen) Ethan/Cooper blows Sascha/Charlie out of the water with some virtuoso chainés of pirouettes and leaps. Sascha/Charlie says "Okay, I give up" - well, today Ethan would perhaps not be able to recreate that level of technique and Sascha might be able to match it.

I do know the part that you are talking about, but when they actually perform Sascha ends up doing the combination that Ethan showed him up with earlier in the movie. Not trying to be picky or anything. I agree that "Giselle" or "Prince Siegfried" would require someone more experience than Sascha. Although I don't think he is too far away from getting those types of roles.

I knew her when I was a student in Columbus, Ohio. For a while she was associate director of Christopher Ballet Company, a regional company I danced with through junior and senior high school. That was in the late 60's and early 70's and I lost touch with her a long time ago.

I was hoping to find some pictures of her when she was a dancer, but I can't find any anywhere.

I know most of us hope that Steifel overcomes his latest difficulties and returns to the stage after a complete recuperation. But ABT has many very promising young men in its soloist and corps levels. Sascha's a lovely dancer, but he is not necessarily the "obvious" next principal.

Who do you think would take the place of Steifel if he retired or if his knee injury was too bad?

Hi my name is Megan. I am 21 years old and I am from Salisbury, Md. I am currently living in Pittsburgh, PA and am still dancing. I have been dancing since the age of 5. I have taught a number of classes at my old dance studio in Maryland. Right now I am at Point Park University and am loving it.

Was she on Broadway as well? Maybe in Jekyll and Hyde?

Ms. Smith was a teacher of mine in Salisbury, MD. She also teaches in Milford, DE at First State Academy of Dance. I have read that she danced in Yugoslavia for King Alexander and was a soloist for the National Opera Theatre in Yugoslavia.

I was just wondering if any of you have heard about her and if you can impart any other wisdom about her to me.

I have not personally seen Sascha dance, except for "Center Stage". But I think that he could be the next big name for ABT. I think that with Ethan Steifel having problems with his knee's, Sascha could be the next person in line to step up and be a Principal.

It also doesn't hurt that he is a cutie pie either.

Personally, I think that it is wheat and not corn. When I was in the production it was wheat and that it what it will always be to me. I think that when different companies do the same production they are looking for a way to make the ballet their own. In order to distingish themselves from other companies. I also found this description of the ballet and it describes it as "Listen to the wheat" .

Coppélia - Synopsis of the Ballet

Suddenly a disturbance in his house propels a startled Dr. Coppélius into the village square! Not wishing to join the villagers, he returns to his house. The Burgomeister suggests that Swanilda "listen to the wheat:" if she hears anything when she shakes it, then Franz is her true love.

The Ballet Met

However I also found this synopsis from the ABT website:

The Burgomaster enters to announce that at a celebration the following day the Lord of the Manor will present dowries to all couples who wish to marry. Asked if she will marry Franz, the pouting Swanilda puts a sheaf of corn to her ear. Thus, according to old custom, the corn will tell her if her lover is faithful or not.

ABT

I also found this from the Ballet of San Jose Silicon Valley:

The priest, Father Jedermann, who arrives to bless the wheat harvest, tells the legend of the stalk of wheat, which when shaken will tell who is to be married. Only Swanilda hears the prediction of the wheat, but since she is still angry with Franz, she pretends to hear nothing. Franz listens and hears the wheat's message.

San Jose Ballet

I also found this:

Instead she will hold up an ear of wheat to her ear and if it rattles when she shakes it, then she will know that he loves her. When she does this however, it does not rattle. When Franz does the same thing he tells her it does rattle. She does not believe him and runs away heartbroken.

Classical Ballet Synopsis

As well as this:

He suggests the old custom of shaking a stalk of wheat to hear the special sound that will tell her that Franz still loves her. Everyone gathers around, but to their surprise, Swanilda hears nothing. Franz, of course, just laughs it off.

Cinemavii

From the results that I have found it seems that the general idea is that it is wheat and not corn that Coppelia uses.