Mashinka

As a Londoner I'd say the male star in the making at the RB is Marcellino Sambé, unfortunately off with an injury for a while he's back to fitness once more. My guess concerning Shklyarov is that they felt as a starry guest was originally announced it is was sound policy to acquire another as a replacement. Shklyarov was always a class act but his rather self effacing stage presence was initially a problem for me. He is now a fully fledged virtuoso, his performance in Bayaderka last summer was jaw dropping.

Rosalie, I suspect you are far from alone with that view.

BRB has a very distinct personality based on Mr Bintley's creations and some of the most wonderful revivals from the Royal companies past, who ever thought we'd see Ashton's Dante Sonata or Helpmann's Miracle in the Gorbals? I do hope whoever succeeds him stays true to his artistic heritage.

Ouch! Not how things are done at the RB, but I've seen her do great (toned down) things there. Her partnership with Steven McRae is one to cherish.

In your opinion.

First of all this article is quoting from a much longer article by Charlotte Edwardes, (who is neither a ballet critic nor an arts specialist) in The Standard, though acknowledged in the print version of the Telegraph piece. It is the first response to the allegations made in The Times and the follow up in Ballet Position. A reminder of the second article ttp://www.balletposition.com/blog/the-two-faces-of-english-national-ballet Those of us that support ENB are incandescent with rage at this missed opportunity to cross examine Rojo concerning the charges laid against her and for dragging the interview down to a celebrity mag level. She is not being held to account at all. Having been supporting this company since before most of the posters to this forum were born I can emphatically say the situation is very much unique, the company has been in existence since the Festival of Britain hence its original name and over the years has had a great many directors, some of which enjoyed little popularity with the dancers, but never has a situation like this arisen before. What is also unique is that so many outside the company are being made aware of what is happening. It is a cry for help and it should be listened to.

As it happens, the most virulently anti-Putin Russian person I know is also a dancer. I am trying to be charitable here but perhaps Tsiskaridze is supporting the status quo because there is currently no viable opposition.

These galas vary in quality in my opinion but this years was highly enjoyable as was last year's. Massive numbers of Russians in the audience, some dolled up to the nines, but you need an oligarch's money for the price they charge. I wouldn't be surprised if it was filmed, they were certainly filming the audience! I would happily write out the programme for you but my companion put my programme in his bag and forgot to give it back. The following Russians appeared: Ekaterina Kondaurova and Roman Belyakov in the premiere of a new pdd, "A Flashback" Polina Semionova in Duarte's Cello duet Maria Alexandrova & Lantratov in Don Q pdd and Nureyev pdd Anna Tikhomirova and Artem Ovcharenko in La Sylphide pdd Victoria Tereshkina in Black Swan pdd (with Parrish) & Legend of Love pdd (with Sklyarov) Ekaterina Krysanov and Kimin Kim in Corsaire pdd.

Kevin O'Hare at the Royal ballet is in exactly the same position and although I never thought I would ever say this, he has brighter talents with the likes of Hayward and Naghdi and a couple of others beginning to emerge than the currently poor offerings in Moscow. At the RB the dancers choose when they retire, Leanne Benjamin retired at the age of forty nine. If Mr O'Hare can juggle youth and experience, I don't see why Vaziev can't.

The trouble is directors' whims don't always coincide with the audience's wishes. The bottom line is that here in London we pay premium prices for Bolshoi seasons and expect not just a high standard but also appearances from those dancers that have become favourites, should Krysanova and Obraztsova also lose favour there would be no reason for me personally to watch the company anymore.

Alexandrova and Lantratov appeared in this evenings Russian Icons Gala. Firstly, to thunderous entrance applause, in the Don Q pdd and in the second half they danced the Margot and Rudolf pdd from the controversial Nureyev ballet. The latter I found deeply moving and hope the full ballet survives if all of it is of that quality. Judging from what I've just seen, it seems pure insanity for her to have been sacked/demoted/whatever.

John Percival and for very early stuff, Cyril Beaumont.

Both Skorik and Somova were absent from last years London engagement, consequently it was one of the most enjoyable seasons in recent years.

It depends on context, a remark like that wouldn't get you sacked in Britain, under some circumstances such as a history of offending colleagues it could result in a reprimand from HR (three such reprimands and you're out) but if said in a jocular way, it would offend no one. The London theatre scene is notoriously louche and if sexual innuendo offends people they are in the wrong profession. There is total incredulity and a great deal of anger here over Copley's treatment, I have no doubt that in the UK he could make a case of unfair dismissal and win.

Thank you so much for posting this, that is probably my favourite SB production of all time.

I stand corrected, Dronina is now a principal after having previously been a guest.

That would depend on the terms of an individual contract and the goodwill of the director. I would say that apart from Rojo herself only Alina Cojocaru has an international profile.

I used "I have heard" to refer to a radio programme in the public domain, there is no way that can be regarded as hearsay.

I think Watts may be trying to close down debate, but he must be aware that Rojo has been controversial from the start, with the manner of her appointment being discussed in the ballet press (Dance Europe took a very keen interest) and concerns expressed to the Arts Council. Whatever he says actual evidence does exist that dancers were forced to dance when injured. Although on the face of it her relationship with Hernandez appears a private matter, I've heard there has been disquiet about her hosting a BBC radio programme in which she publicized a charity that Hernandez is involved with, and his father an employee, without I'm told, disclosing her relationship with him. This in addition to the discomfort the dancers felt by his presence in female classes as outlined in the article. Mr Watts admits he knows Tamara Rojo well, which would suggest he isn't unbiased over this, though there was a time once when critics kept a distance from dancers in order to maintain objectivity. A point concerning anonymity, many contracts in the UK contain clauses regarding speaking to the press or bringing the company (any, not just ballet) into disrepute, if a settlement is made on leaving the ex employee must sign an agreement of non disclosure. Therefore they cannot speak freely. Ironically, those with the biggest axes to grind, to use Watt's repellent expression, appear to have remained silent so far no doubt out of loyalty to the company they once loved. It seems there is an attitude of put up or shut up, also that dancers should not expect to be protected by employment laws enjoyed by those outside the profession. Nobody should not be employing anyone based on their sexuality either, especially if they're making claims about promoting diversity.

Ballet Position were presented with documentary evidence to back the dancers concerns, The Times article skimmed the surface but I imagine more revelations will come to light in the wake of this. When that happens I'll comment further. There are a couple of points I would like to make about Graham Watt's Facebook post though which has by the way been cleaned up since it was forwarded to me. I would say define better. ENB, like all state supported arts organizations is obliged to publish details of its finances so it is possible to compare the financial health of the company over a very long period of time. Rojo's predecessor, Wayne Eagling, had inherited a company deeply in the red, I imagine part of his remit was to turn that around and he managed to do that quite brilliantly, remaining in budget and maintaining a healthy surplus in the six years he was director (admittedly the surplus dipped sharply in his final year). In her first year as director Rojo put the company firmly back in the red to the tune of £!m+, although that has not been repeated in subsequent years, the figures compare very poorly to when Eagling was in charge. The exceptional male dancer who curiously wasn't named was Vadim Muntagirov no less who had built up one of the most remarkable ballet partnerships seen in years with company principal Daria Klimentova (also departed) with that chapter of his career prematurely closed he decided to move on. The other male dancer unnamed is Cesar Coralles whose loss is a body blow to ENB, he joins the RB shortly and his departure was not amicable. One of the earliest departures was for me the most tragic when the incomparable Elena Glurjidze left, to echo the words of another critic, the company is diminished by her loss. Now this is really interesting as it appears that Rojo has ceased recruiting gay men, all the more noteworthy when you consider that the revolving door that is ENB's employment situation means there are always vacancies for male dancers. I was made aware of this by a dancer who is himself gay and better informed about these things than me. but to avoid the minority group that historically has contributed more to the art of ballet than any other strikes me as perverse.

Wrong terminology, JC isn't a perpetrator, that makes him sound like a criminal, he made an innocuous comment that took offence to. Had Copley said 'I'd like to bash your brains out and see your blood on the floor' - then you complain to management. By the way little has been said about Semiramide, the opera being rehearsed, it's dripping with sex. Making a mildly sexual comment in that context matches the on stage action

So you're saying the chorus member is black? I imagine what Copley has learnt and I imagine a lot of other people in the business will take on board is that it is extremely unwise to work in the US.

Where did I say they're making it up? However I do rather like the principle of people being innocent until proven guilty.

Off topic I know but has this Weinstein bloke actually been convicted of something in a court of law?

We all know a great deal about Copley, as the years pass and opera productions become more bizarre and ugly, John Copley stands as a beacon of reliability and artistic integrity, never disregarding the text or imposing silly interpretations onto works. However we are told next to nothing about the complainant. According to Sarah Connolly he had a poor grasp of English anyway, which does make the incident even stranger. Is he still working at the Met? Has he been sent to Coventry? Has he been blacklisted yet? I agree with the poster who suggested there might be more to this than meets the eye. There can be no other explanation. J