printscess

How about that short men cannot be princes and do not partner taller women?

Thanks for the photos. They are all fabulous

From my understanding, there is a great divide between the pro-Canfield faction and the Stowell camp.

I have seen a few performances this year and was very impressed with the quality of the dancing. Stowell is adding new, young and vibrant dancers and the company is poised to become more than a regional company.

Their performance at the Kennedy Center will be the second time that they have appeared with PNB. They have already been on the same billing with SFB.

Almost Mozart and and Just are 2 ballets that push envelope. Their command of Balanchine is outstanding. As for Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker....you need them to fill the seats to pay the bills....nothing wrong with that. They are good ballets as well. I would think that dancers only dancing neo-classical ballets yearn to do the classics as well.

I enjoyed reading your opinions and since I don't always get out to see them, look forward to reading about them on the board.

Had to think (is it old age, or is it starting to blur?)...

Old age? No, no no. It's just that we come to value thinking more. And, as you mention, "remembering" is something well worth doing too.

Was it last year that the wonderful Ms Ferri's performed her farewell perfomances? The one I attended was unforgettable as was a talk she gave about Shakespeare and ballet. I so miss her on stage.

4mrdncrand SanderO, you both count Ferri as a "High Point." What a long and remarkable career. Just yesterday I came upon a reference to her dancing Marie in Mayerling at the Royal -- in 1983!

Nineteen-year-old Alessandra Ferri is the best Vetsera I have seen since the role's originator, Lynn Seymour, whom she resembles, not only physically -- in the shape of her legs and the ligh arch of her points (whare are emphasized in the choregraphy) -- but in the combination of headlong impulsiveness and implacability which makes us see Vetsera as Rudolf's dark angel.

25 years later, bringing those qualities to Manon and Juliet. A miracle.

High points:

- Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in "Don Quixote"

- Carlos Acosta in "Spartacus"

- Osipova's debuts as Giselle and La Sylphide at the Bolshoi

- Ashley Bouder in the NYCB season in London

We're lucky to have you there writing about them and photographing. Thanks, Marc.

The highlight for me was Oregon Ballet Theatre's "Midsummer Night's Dream and "Slaughter on 10th Ave".

Dirac posted a good review of MN'sD on Links, I believe. I hear they had a super Puck.

Oh you........

Fabulous topic.

The highlight for me was Oregon Ballet Theatre's "Midsummer Night's Dream and "Slaughter on 10th Ave".

I love the recent NYCB Jewels, especially Rubies. Ashley Bouder owns the roll of the short girl. I found Diamonds a little sloppy and too similar to the Snowflakes in Nutcracker in some parts. This year, Les Gentilehommes, which I went to the ballet especially to see, was hard to watch in spite of its stellar cast of men.

Oh for the day when the SAB workshop is televised! And why shouldn't it be--I don't believe there are any unions involved.

Does the theater have more than 299 seats? You better bet that there are unions involved!

and of course there is the Balanchine Trust.

What a difference casting must make.

I was at the Saturday afternoon performance and found the cast of "2 & 3 Part Invention" to be overly rehearsed. I could almost hear them counting in their head. If dancers can over enunciate, I thought that is what they were doing. Since I have not seen "2&3 Part Inventions" before, perhaps it was the choreography?

I enjoyed Concerto Barocco and thought that Megan Johnson was outstanding and had a lot of charisma on stage. The music and dancing were wonderful.

I liked the piece for the intermediate men and jr. advanced men. It is about time that they had their place in the Workshop although I found the choreography a bit of a cliche. There are some outstanding young men coming up the ranks.

I was embarrassed to be sitting in the audience watching the performance of "Fanfare." It must have been hard for the students who were there "forever" to end their SAB career with that. That was all I could think about watching it....as well as what they must have thought when they went for costume fittings?!?!? I wondered when the last time NYCB performed that piece?

I am glad that Ryan Cardea was featured as the Percussion (matinee and evening) and in 2 & 3 Part (evening). In the afternoon he was only in Fanfare and I was sad to think that that was all he was in after 11 yrs at SAB.

I would like to extend my congratulations to all students for hard work and wonderful dancing and good luck in all of their future careers.

And merde to the cast of "Concerto Barocco" going to The Kennedy Center.

It would be nice if other companies would do this. It sounds like a wonderful time.

Found this link from the NY Times. The photos are stunning.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/05/2...IDESHOW_10.html

Alison Roper, OBT

Alison Roper was stunning in Midsummer Night's Dream

It sounds like it was a wonderful night. Thank you for your comments. It made me feel like I was there.

Even if it were poorly written, which I emphatically believe it is not, it would be an essential record of the personal and artistic development of the dancer who was, , and for whom he made the most distinctive group of male roles.

I agree. I appreciated Villella’s candor about the rewards and difficulties of his relationship with Balanchine, his account of life in the company, and his later struggle with injury. He provides a view that no one else, not even another male NYCB star, could supply. I also enjoyed reading what he had to say about his work with Stanley Williams.

printscess, what was ‘dreadful’ about the book? It’s not perfect by any means, but I wouldn’t say anything that harsh about it. (By asking, I don’t mean to put you on the spot or on the defensive. I really do want to know what you thought.)

as Arlene Croce correctly points out, the most important male dancer with whom Balanchine ever collaborated

"All those girls.....and Edward Villella."

Dirac,

I read it about 6 years ago. I remember that it was so dry. I had to force myself to get through it. I had known a lot about his life before I read the book and thought the book just didn't do him justice, even though he wrote it. My opinion of the book has nothing to do about my opinion of him as a dancer and a trail blazer.

Yesterday i started Eddie's autobriography, which has captivatedd me right away. I wonder if there's already a thread on this book...? If so, please redirect my post . If not, i would like to hear your experiences on its reading.

I could not get through the book. As exciting and breathtaking he was as a dancer, I found the book dreadful.

There was also a video released by the Paris Opera Ballet in the 1980s which had a stunning version of the Grand Pas Classique, danced by Sylvie Guillem and Manuel Legris. And then it had some of the worst choreography I've ever seen. I forgot the exact names but I remember cringing with disbelief that it could be so bad.

I have two words for you: Norbert Schmucki...

And yes, his choreography is as bad as the name sounds...

I finally had a good out-loud laugh today.

Peter Boal, Jock Soto and now Damian. It is truly the end of a special era.

drb,

Thanks for the posting and the link, I fully enjoyed it.

What beautiful use of his amrs and hands. They seem to be an extension of the music

Speaking of the height of dancers.

Are female dancers shorter than the "average" female, the same or taller? How about males?

My sense is that ballet dancers might be shorter than the average person out there, but I have no reason why I think this. It's very hard to get a sense of "scale" on a stage for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is the sets which are often distorted for visual effect.

The Kirov seems to stamp their corps out of a cookie cutter mold (almost)... does anyone know how tall they are?

It seems that 5'5" to 5'8" is the going height these days. However, if there is an amazing talent who is on the short side (male or female) the A.D. will usually hire a dancer of similar height so that they can be partners. Therefore the shorter dancers do not look totally out of place (Herman Corjeno and Xiomara Reyes of ABT, Joaquin de Luz and Megan Fairchild of NYCB).

While her implication that Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream is a narrative ballet with scenery and costumes is true, I'm not sure Manon would be my choice of comparison.

I'm comparing with Manon because it was recommended to whetherwax as a next step after 19th century classics in that other thread (which retrospectively was where I should have posted this recommendation)

I was disappointed when Erica moved to Boston since it's rather improbable that she'll be filmed there (except by hand cams) but here's hoping that there will be soon more videos of Herman. It may not be a live performance but it's all us living away from New York have. Please film Herman!!!

Tsk, tsk, you know that hand cams are not allowed in theaters.

I'm getting quite paranoic about being too short.In many auditions for male dancers they require 1,80 m height at least (from Bejart's company,to Nederlands Dans Theater,to Bavarian etc)and I unfortunately am a little bit less.I was 1,75 m last year but I think i've gained 1 or 2 cm.How important is in your opinion the height of a dancer?do you know how tall are some of them?Do you think it is a real problem nowadays to be less than 1,80?

I know Bolle is 1,87....I wonder if Malakhov or Corella are as tall or less.Please understand the paranoia of a young(mmmm....getting old;-)) dancer:D.

I'm 1,78 m right now....I've grown a bit!I'd be happy if I got to 1,80 :-).

5/13/08 2:40pm from Genedancer; Soon you will be the right size to languish in a corp for years. Is that what you are looking forward to? Wouldn't you rather be hired for your talent and specialty expertise. Stop worrying and work harder, learn more, and win competitions. Do that and you will be discovered as the fantastic dancer you will have become. You've got lots of time. Do more classes, on your own at home with books and videos. Then get correction from a teacher. If you explain what you are doing, you might even be given a scholarship - or at least a partial. Good Luck.

Genetics are genetics and you will be as tall as you were meant to be.

There have been many short men who have danced "tall": Angel Corella (ABT) , Joaquin De Lux,(ABT and now NYCB) Herman Corenjo (ABT) just to name a few. What sets them apart is their proportions and their artistry. No one who sees them ever says, "oy, are they short dancers!!!" I agree with Genedancer, do you want to get to the right corps size and languish there?

My son is 5'6" and dances like he is 6' tall. Were we worried that he would never be a professional dancer? Yes, but all of his teachers told him that there would be a company out there for him. He was offered 3 contracts last year at the age of 17. During the grueling year of auditions, he knew he had to show the A.D.'s that he wasn't a short dancer, but rather a dancer who just happened to be short. He chose a fantastic regional company where he has danced mostly soloist and some principal roles. That is because he is not the "correct" size for the corp. He dances tall and big and takes up the stage. He partners taller women but you don't "see" a short male partnering tall women.

So don't use your height as an excuse, use it as an advantage. Don't be a short dancer, dance as tall as you can. And best of luck.

Since this game is played incessantly on other message boards, I thought it'd be fun to start this off here.

Who Cares? or Vienna Waltzes?

Two completely different school of technique and approach. Is it possible to compare?

Sorry for the above post, I was answering Canbelto. Must have press the wrong button.....

Vaganova Academy or SAB?

Since this game is played incessantly on other message boards, I thought it'd be fun to start this off here.

Who Cares? or Vienna Waltzes?

Two completely different school of technique and approach. Is it possible to compare?

Danilova.

Jumpers or turners?

Jumpers...but oh boy if they can turn as the jump

A completely fanciful one, if I may: A cooking lesson from Balanchine or a garden tour from Ashton?

Cooking with Balanchine. (I can't cook. Would he do vegetarian?)

Another fanciful choice: Being able to hear a piece of music through Balanchine's ears or Ashton's?

I prefer Russian cooking to English

square dance or western symphony?

Lovely Square Dance!

The unanswered question, again...

Giselle's Peasant PDD in or out...?

Peasant PDD in

Square Dance

Caller or no caller

no caller

Peter Boal or Nicholi Hubbe in Square Dance

Tess Reichlen

Daniel Ulbricht or Herman Cornejo?

Herman, hands down.

square dance or western symphony?