Figurante

I yearn for those tights.

Well, I think "the rest" is fantasy -- if hte fantasy of hte Sleeping Beauty could be filled out completely without hte costumes, and it's possible, I guess, with a REALLY imaginative company, then thatwould be the shw of hte century.

"Ballet is about creatures" as Allegra Kent said -- and she should know. She came onstage in "The Concert" channeling Felia Doubrovska, entering the space EXACTLY as Mme Doubrovska entered the studio -- in her nothing pale blue costume with the scarf tied around her (as both Danilova and Doubrovska dressed to teach). How much more do you want? But the fantasy has to REALLY inform the movement -- and remember, the way the lighting can be changed now, with computerized instantaneous changes, means that costumes don't have to do so much work, the lighting can change the mood incredibly.

Great quote Paul!

I think the "rest" is like that over the top, sugary rose on top of an overly frosted cake. This is why I love Balanchine's work. It is striped down to simplicity rather than extravagance to sell tickets. His choreography leaves things to your imagination but most notably "shows" you the music through movement. While this is still possible through more extravagant ballets with lavish Oscar de la Renta costumes, and pyrotechnics, what really is the bottom line? The movement, and the music. Simple and clean.

I feel as though some may argue that "No! It's the story too!" I can't even count the number of times I have talked to members of the audience after a full length performance, and asked, "Did you like the ballet?" and many said, "We didn't understand what was going on, but we enjoyed the dancing."

I remember dancing in Ben Stevenson's Dracula right around Halloween a few seasons ago, and thinking, 'Wow. Is this ever a money-maker." I was dressed in a shredded nightgown, with a mullet of a blonde wig on, and opaque white painted skin. I was told to 'grovel', (wave my arms around wildly like a Zombie) to call my 'sisters' back from the dead, and all for the sake of "ballet. I've learned that, in my own personal opinion, I tend to prefer neo-classical and more modern ballet works in comparison to any kind of full length. For me as a dancer, it is more challenging to be simple, and stripped of all nuances and bothersome distractions rather than covered up by a bulky costume, or overshadowed by some massive explosion when Dracula flies (with the aid of a wire) up into a chandelier. It is easier to stand on the side in the corps de ballet of Don Q, clapping my hands while Kitri does her diagonal of pirouettes, being in full peasant character, than to, say, do one of the variations in Raymonda Variations, or even be in the corps of a leotard ballet. I like a challenge, and I come off stage from those ballets feeling like I accomplished something, rather than having stood around filling the position of a supernumerary in a ballet, doing a few 3 minute 'peasant dances.' Perhaps it is an acquired taste? Maybe I'm backwards. Or maybe I will find more respect and love for full lengths when I am actually doing the principal dancing roles.

Who knows!

One of my favorite visual movies, What Dreams May Come, I think, would make a fantastic ballet.

Bart, I was going to mention Stevenson's Cleopatra already having been done, but to somewhat agree with you, it's almost not worth mentioning.

Am I hallucinating? Or do I see wings on the dancer in the far back stage left side of the stage? In which case, I am thinking Sylphide? But, I'm probably crazy.

I too, am awaiting to hear of the other invites. Might I suggest, Miami City Ballet? Many SAB alumni are found throughout every rank in the company!

Great video Mme. Hermine! It was really great to see some of my friends in rehearsal with the new company! Yay!

I might be off-topic here, but are we talking about Glinka pas de trois, or Glinkaiana? In any rate, I can help with a small story about Glinka pas de trois, and why it disappeared from MCB's rep.... But we may be talking about a different ballet....

I remember when I was training with Miami City Ballet School before joining the company, I was cast with two others to dance Glinka Pas de Trois. We rehearsed with Nancy Raffa at the time, for about four months, and the day before the performance, the director of the school, Linda Villella, informed us that the school no longer had the rights to perform Glinka Pas de Trois. Our teachers later informed us that the company was stripped of their rights to perform the work, because whomever came to stage the ballet on the company, didn't feel the dancers were fit for the roles.

I then had to plod through Swan Lake pas de trois, and was all but less than thrilled.

Again, sorry if this is off-topic.

A few dancers are now off of the Pennsylvania Ballet's website: paballet.org

Principal, James Ady, retired at the end of last season

Corps de ballet, Alexei Charov, Thomas Baltrushunas, Joaquin Crespo Lopes, and Emily Waters are no longer listed on the website.

Good luck to all of them in their future endeavors!

Did you mean Breeden as a coryphee? I believe Hurwitz was an apprentice last season. In any rate.. they both deserve a promotion! Hurwitz also did Hoops this year if I'm not mistaken, and Breeden has been a prominent corps de ballet member since his inception as an apprentice in the company two seasons ago (Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Symphony in Three, Square Dance, etc.) Congratulations to both of them!

The company has announced that Jermel Johnson, corps de ballet member, has won a 2008 Ballet Fellowship from the Princess Grace Foundation!

Here is the link:

http://www.paballet.org/news/pressrelease/detail.aspx?id=278 - PA Ballet's website

http://www.pgfusa.org/ - Princess Grace website

Definitely one of my top ten.

Dislikes:

1) I don't like the Methody mumble Christian Bale uses when he's Batman. It makes perfect sense that Bruce Wayne would employ different voices as Bruce and Batman but the voice Bale uses as Batman is so mumbled that half the time I couldn't even understand what Batman was saying.

I completely agree! I've seen the movie four times now, and I still can't get over the 'batman voice!' I also don't like the aesthetic of his mouth when he's talking. All of a sudden, he looks like he is developing a severe underbite while chewing on a bite of food that is too big for his mouth. I also agree that it is difficult to hear what he is saying. I was on a bit of a batman kick, and went back and watched Batman Begins, and it is the same thing there too.

These are really intriguing questions....

I don't necessarily feel that Balanchine's "style" is Russian-American. I think it depends on the ballet, and what company it was choreographed on. Symphony in C, has more of a French influence due to the fact it was choreographed on Paris Opera. Symphony in Three Movements however is very neo-classical. I remember when I danced the ballet, Edward Villella would give pre-performance talks. By the end of the run, I almost had the speech memorized verbatim. The gist of the talk was centered around when the ballet was created: Post-WWII. The specific movements in the corps de ballet were to mimic the movements of an army, airplanes, etc. I don't think that it could possibly be considered Russian-American due to its influence.

The 2009 winter season will also feature a special one-time-only program on Wednesday, February 14, celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the School of American Ballet. The program will consist of George Balanchine’s Serenade, The Four Temperaments and Vienna Waltzes. The evening will also feature a number of guest artists who trained at SAB and now dance with various ballet companies throughout the world.

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This will be so interesting! I wonder what companies they will be drawing these guest dancers from?

I know a lot of dancers that have deals with artistic directors like this. I know some people that were in San Francisco Ballet for 10 years in the corps, and they decided to join a smaller company in order to get promoted to soloist and be respected as a dancer. After one year in the corps in that company they will now be soloists next season. Doesn't that sound reasonable? I mean, you need to know the dancer inside and out before you put them onstage. Especially being so young, and from overseas. It just boggles my mind! Just because he has won a bunch of prestegious competitions, and has a bunch of videos on youtube (which I will not deny are technically perfect), doesn't mean that he should be able to just waltz into America and overstep all these people that Kevin has known for so long! Whatever happened to promoting from within?! The same thing happened at Miami City Ballet last season. People were fired, and held at the same rank to keep the financial situation under control, so Edward Villella could hire eleven new dancers that have surpassed people who have been in the company their whole life. Maybe it will still happen for the dancers in ABT. I suppose it is still early. Sigh.

I will second your comments, Darla. I find this extremely weird. For one example: Misha or Mikhail Iliyn, formerly a PRINCIPAL of Miami City Ballet (born in Russia and trained, yadda yadda) has joined ABT in the CORPS DE BALLET. He has over 10-15 years of performing expoerience. Now this young kid comes in as a soloist. Artistic decisions such as this really baffle me. While it is great for Danil, You can't help but to think of people like Misha, and others who have put in so much time at ABT waiting for that soloist promotion, only to have the place taken by an outsider. Sounds like a cute little deal was cracked.

Just wondering if anyone else had the pleasure of seeing this true, talented artist take the stage for the final time in Pennsylvania Ballet's Coppelia on Sunday. He was absolutely breathtaking. It is sad to see him go, but Pennsylvania Ballet wishes him all the best for his new chapter in life.

I wonder if that is any reflection on any kind of supposed programming change? hmm..

if only.

There are two video excerpts of Miami City Ballet in performances of Balanchine's Tarentella and Raymonda Variations

Tarentella: Tricia Albertson and Renato Penteado

Raymonda Variations: Alex Wong and Mary Carmen Catoya as the principals, Ashley Knox (1st Variation) and the corps.

Tarentella

http://www.mccarter.org/Trailers/viewtrail...spx?page_id=126

Raymonda Variations

http://search.live.com/video/results.aspx?...d=1462700212527

Now... I know everyone may freak out about the copyrights for this post... but Miami City Ballet is touring to the McCarter Theater on April 27th, 2008. I am hoping that because it is on the official theater site, you guys will allow me to post this. Anyways.. if there aren't any problems... ENJOY!

News & Press › Press Releases

Barbara Weisberger: En Pointe

March 11, 2008

Stay tuned for this dynamic documentary about the remarkable life and career of Pennsylvania Ballet's founder, Barbara Weisberger.

March 18/ 9 p.m./ WHYY

March 21/ 11 p.m./ WHYY

Barbara Weisberger: En Pointe, produced by WVIA, a PBS affiliate serving Northeast and North Central Pennsylvania, is the fourth in a series of documentaries called Great Pennsylvanians. It features interviews with dance luminaries Edward Villella, founding Artistic Director and CEO of the Miami City Ballet; Clive Barnes, current dance critic for the New York Post and former dance critic for The New York Times; Kirk Peterson, Master Teaching Associate of American Ballet Theatre; Carol Bartlett, Artistic Director of Peabody Dance; Barbara Sandonato, Pennsylvania Ballet’s first dancer; Roy Kaiser, hired by Barbara in 1979 as an Apprentice and currently serves as Artistic Director of Pensnylvania Ballet; and of course, “Miss Barbara” herself.

For more information about Barbara Weisberger: En Pointe, the link below:

http://www.wvia.org/docFilms/enpointe/enpointe_index.html

YAY! SO MUCH BETTER! KUDOS GUYS!

This is incredibly sad news. Here is to a fast recovery!

There are many companies that are "shorter" based. Miami City Ballet for one, has a lot of short male dancers. I also know that Colorado Ballet has hired short dancers in the past. I think it would more be timing on your part, when you would be auditioning for companies, and what previous dancers have left the company.