Legwarmer

Could somebody explain her technical shortcomings in these clips to me? I'm interested in "schooling" my eye better for such a thing, but since there's nobody who can really teach me, I am quite lost... please?

I cannot really recall the policy for this board on this, but here's a link to some Sylphide videos: http://www.videobalet.net/ I have never seen any other Sylphide, only Aurelie Dupont on DVD - and of that, only a couple of minutes. I cannot really compare. But I have to say: Natalia Osipova really surprised me. She is incredibly light, and this role seems perfect for her since she's an effortless jumper. Wonderful. Her arms are exquisite, very soft and floating. I cannot judge much of the emotion, for that I would have needed some "closer" looks - but her gestures were not only with her ha

Oh boy, I meant this one and... ... I only now understood that you were talking about the students and not about the actual professional performers. (: Sorry.

You found Nadja Saidakova not convincing and un-professional? That surprises me a lot. Can you maybe explain?

That's another interesting point: would one prefer to have a few dancers who perform very, very often or rather a huge variety of dancers but therefore not see them often enough?

I wish I could see more of Bejart's pieces! I saw "Serait-ce la mort?" at the Malakhov & Friends Gala 2007, (you have to know that I usually hate modern choreographies) and I was deeply touched and very impressed. As to the internal politics: yes, how does it all function? What "type" of ballerina is liked at the POB? I know this is hard to answer, but I could imagine that the Bolshoi for example wouldn't exactly allow a non-super-skinny ballerina on stage, whereas the Royal Opera House has numerous dancers who don't look as though they were malnourished. What type of face is preferred?

Then again, what isn't there on the DVD (facial expression) can barely be there in the theater, can it? If a dancer doesn't smile honestly, you catch it on DVD and in the theater likewise.

Oh, cygneblanc, thanks for the explanation. That's the problem with being new to a board: sometimes, phrases or jokes can't be understood... now, tell your friends they all looked splendid. No, really, I saw the ladies and thought - "The POB most certainly knows how to chose beautiful ballerinas." So the Corps dancers can decide whether they want to dance classical repertoire or modern repertoire? Is this balanced or are too many dancers fond of modern works? Estelle, thanks a lot for giving me some insight. This is something one can barely find out over the Internet, you see? I'm very very

Yes, if what she does concerns arts, I'm definitely in for it. I just thought she'd get to decide more general things.

Oh, I am so sorry! My eye is not taught enough to recognize new dancers. As I said, I am very new on the field of the POB and there are so many dancers! I could not possibly distinguish Myriam from Géraldine. Then again, their hair colour matched and well ... I'm sorry. I have to correct what I said: One of the Snow Flakes, Géraldine, must have been nervous and a bit thrown-off for replacing such a part and therefore looked very concentrated. They were rare, yes. But the Waltz of the Flowers had, in comparison, an astonishing amount of 'mistakes'. Wait, could you explain further on? Are

I am impressed that you say Zakharova dosed her extension. This is another huge issue with flexible dancers of today, and I'm glad to hear that she caught this.

I have a question: Is Irina Golub really as good as Masha? I watched a Swan Lake DVD in which she was in a Pas de Trois with Ekaterina Osmolkina and she had an extreme class-like facial expression of concentration. There was no joy whatsoever. I am thinking about buying this DVD but am unsure. Then again, how much does Masha appear in this ballet? ...

Zakharova and Politics? Why does that seem wrong? I'm sorry, she might have wonderful views on what there is to "change in the world", but all the time she spends rehearsing and performing and being famous, I reckon she lacks the needed amount of time to really know the things going on in the world. When I saw her perform Giselle with the Bolshoi in April '06, the lady sitting next to me told me that I was very lucky to catch her with her 'original' company. She barely performs at home anymore, or so the lady said, and she's abroad a lot of times. She only dances as much in her hometown as

31st December 2008. Casting: Clara - Svetlana Lunkina (invited) Drosselmeyer / Le Prince - Jérémie Bélingard Luisa - Géraldine Wiart Fritz - Mallory Gaudion Le Père - Vincent Cordier La Mère - Nathalie Aubin Le Grand-père - Stéphane Elizabé La Grand-mère - Cécile Sciaux Le Royaume des Neiges: Deux Flacons - Myriam Ould-Braham, Ludmilla Pagliero Danse Espagnole: Aurélia Bellet, Vanessa Legassy, Karine Villagrassa, Bruno Bouché, Vincent Chaillet, Axel Ibot Danse Arabe: Isabelle Ciaravola, Christophe Duquenne, Charlotte Ranson, Valentine Colasante, Marina Guizien Danse Russe: Natacha

The light haired dancer in the Pas de Trois is Yekaterina Osmolkina and the other is Irina Golub, I believe. But you're right, Yekaterina would make a brilliant Aurora!