Figurante

I tried correcting the link......

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...CFP04/708190486

Here is the article anyways.... just in case...

Michael Anderson is the new associate director of the Michigan Ballet Theatre.

Dancer returns to his Rochester Hills roots

He's named MBT associate director

August 19, 2007

BY BEN LaMOTHE

FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER

Earlier this month, the Michigan Ballet Theatre (MBT) announced Michael Anderson -- a former student of the Rochester School of Dance -- had been named associate director.

His return to Michigan is a punctuation mark to a storied career in dance that has taken him all over the United States, to South America and to Asia. He spent 13 years performing with the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City before retiring in 2005.

For Anderson, it all started at the Rochester School of Dance, where he trained from 1989 to 1992 under Cornelia Sampson, who is now the artistic director of MBT, which is based in Rochester Hills.

Anderson, who lives in Rochester Hills, says he hopes MBT's increased presence will encourage local dancers to stay and perform in the metro area instead of going onto bigger markets in New York or Chicago.

QUESTION: Why ballet?

ANSWER: I fought it for my first semester at school (Southern Utah University) and I finally took a ballet class and found it was for me. It was difficult, musical, athletic and it just kind of combined everything I was looking for. To me, it was the strength and the power and the grace and the beauty all kind of wrapped into one.

. . . .

Q: Finish this sentence: If it weren't for ballet, I'd be...

A: Snow skiing. I grew up loving skiing. It was one thing I kind of had to put on the back burner ... when I was dancing professionally, it was high risk.

Michael Anderson is returning to Rochester Hills, Michigan to become Associate Director with Michigan Ballet Theater.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article.../CFP04/70819048

yay!

Edward Villella is rather vocal. He gives pre-performance talks before many of the ballet's performed by Miami City Ballet, where occasionally he reveals much about his past.. it is fascinating!

Horray!

I always get very emotional at the end of Giselle Act I. This love/deception/madness formula simply gets me very deep.

I am definitely with you there. I have cried onstage at the end of act one as a peasant after watching Franklin Gamero and Iliana Lopez in Giselle. Have you ever seen them?

Just simply defining "line" is quite difficult. Putting it in the simplest of terms from a technical standpoint, in my opinion, "line" is a specific position a dancer makes that is found aesthetically pleasing to the eye, no matter what length of legs you have, how beautiful your feet are, or what kind of choreography you are dancing.

Than again, that is the simplest of terms in my opinion.

Going back to the original question you asked about classical lines.

Obviously, we all know that certain famous dancers are well known for their beautiful bodies (Sylvie Guillem, Svetlana Zahkarova, Polina, etc.). These are very classical dancers in my opinion (which is not to say they can or cannot dance neo-classically or contemporary, etc.)... and I'm sure if you were to search for pictures of them on the web, you would (in my opinion) see what a classical line is. They have "ideal" bodies for ballet.

There are also neoclassical lines, which are very different from classical lines, and are also hard to achieve as most of them are off-balance.

I wasn't sure where to put this, but here is an article on ABT and Payless Shoes / Sarah Lane ..

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008087930

ABT's own Soloist Dancer, Sarah Lane, will be the new face for the brand and will be featured on the shoe boxes, as well as in-store signage and ads. Lane was the recipient of a 2007 Princess Grace Award, which recognizes emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships.

I've seen a few ad's already .... neat.

Was anyone able to make it to see the show?

Here is a review: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...4/DDI0RHNDN.DTL

But the heart of the afternoon was George Balanchine's "Divertimento No. 15," to Mozart. When done right, it is not merely pretty but life affirming. And at Stern Grove the nearly moral conviction of its well-manned beauty could make you forget the bucolic surroundings.

Sounds great!

Here is a great article giving some interesting insight to the MCb collaboration with Elvis Costello and Twyla Tharp....

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content...ee_no_2_co.html

I’m a little disappointed that a rock band will be on stage for the dance along with an orchestra, but perhaps the scenario for the ballet requires it. I would have hoped that were Costello to make another attempt at a ballet that he would try to just use the orchestra, as he had done with Il Sogno.

Putting a band up there sounds crutchy, and I imagine its appearance will have to be integrated with the action or it’s just going to be a distraction. It also seems to say: This is a piece of celebrity performance art, and therefore you’ll excuse us if it’s less than Stravinsky.

This sounds really interesting and innovative.... I have to wonder how the dancing is going to be incorporated around such a thing. Hmm...

Another change that I like is that there seems to be more consideration for injuries. Many dancers take quite a bit of time off for injuries, which is probably much healthier for the dancers than the old "If you can stand you can dance" attitude. Not saying that dancers don't dance through pain and injury, just that it seems more acceptable to take time off for serious injuries.

The other change is more acceptance of dancers having children.

I am not so sure about consideration for injuries. In my experience, companies still view it as a complete liability (as they should.) I feel it is harder for apprentices and corps de ballet members when you get injured. This goes for having babies as well.

Well, enough about the bad side of things...

I absolutely LOVE the opportunity companies have when Ballet Masters/Mistresses/whomever from other companies can set ballet's on them.

I especially love this because these people are so revered in the ballet world, and it is always interesting to receive their imput and view on a certain ballet.

Unfortunately for us, choreographers like Petipa and Balanchine are no longer with us, so we must rely on other's who have been tangibly influenced by them to help us less fortunate people understand why we are flailing our arms around! It's such a great opportunity!

Les Noces.

I'm not wild about that one, but the Robbins ballet based on folk traditions that really bored me the one time I saw it is "Dybbuk." Perhaps it would grow on me with further viewings.

I LOVED Dubbuk. I saw it three times I think. I was confused at first, but not bored. Rutherford is an absolute jem in this ballet.

You don't like contemporary? Hmm. If I may, I would like to recommend a dvd to you. Perhaps you've already seen it? It is one of my favorites, and is some of the best compelling contemporary choreography I've seen, (and not even in person!).

Netherlands Dans Theater in Jiri Kylian's Black and White Ballet's. I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed.

If you end up looking at the Dvd, all of the segments are fabulous, and humorous. My favorites are Sarabande and Petit Mort. (It's a blast to dance as well!).

I am assuming by contemporary, you are meaning this type of performance? What other contemporary ballet's irk you?

I was thinking too... at least after that bed scene, there is the amazing snow scene. It totally makes it worth it!

Hmm.. I'm not sure if it is commercially recorded. I will get back to you later today. I taped my version off of the tv when i was like 10 and it is now sitting as one of my treasured belongings in my living room. In any rate... I will do some research, and let you know.

Hello all! Yes, I am sorry for the misclarification on my part. It was a mish-mosh of "Aurora's Wedding," last season.. meaning all of the fairy variations were also included as well as the court, and well as Puss and boots, red Riding hood, and Blue Bird. It ends in the Mazurka and everything... basically all the highlights of Sleeping Beauty combined into the Wedding. It was nice because it gave a lot of people opportunity in the company to perform semi-featured roles. I believe the same version will be performed for this season as well.

Bart: I would love to see Tricia Albertson and Jennifer Kronenberg in Emeralds as well. I'm hoping the Esty twins and Michael Breeden will be the pas de trois.

I would love to start a thread about Rubies, but I think I may go off on a tangine wish list of casting choices!

Two more new things to announce!!!!!

Most of the headshots have been added to the MCB website, so now we all can put faces to the names!!! YAY!

Rebecca King has been promoted from a Student Apprentice, to a Company Apprentice. Headshot and bio pending.

speaking of Snow pdds.... has anyone seen the snow pdd with Eddie Villella and Patty McBride? It is phenominal!!!!!!!!!!! I believe it was a televised version if I'm not mistaken. And I am thankful at the progression of snow costumes to date after seeing the snow scene in this particular production. For some reason, the Blue Bird pdd is also included in this version of the Nutcracker. I don't remember the dancers' names, but they were amazing as well!

Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I suppose this doesn't belong in this topic...

I was contemplating the whole bed situation. I have to say that after being in the production, I appreciate is SOOO much more because (at least in the 2 company productions I was in) .. there is a dancer on his hands and knees pushing that bed around with all their might. I know that many dancers get knee problems after this, which is a shame. In any rate, I don't necessarily care for the bed scene.. (perhaps a pas would be better...) but I have come to respect it because of what the dancers have to do.

Are there any productions where the bed is motorized?

I've actually seen a bootleg dvd of Suzanne in Walpurgisnacht! It was incredible! Perhaps it just isn't the same anymore.

One of my favorite ballets, Balanchine's Walpurgisnacht, has a weird moment I cannot get over. At the end of the female principal's variation, she finishes her diagonal in a tendu derriere (arms fifth high I think, but I could be wrong), and then the dancer randomly and rather sharply (which I dislike SOOO much) brushes her skirt while bringing her arms into a first arabesque elonge, head to the audience, to end the variation. I suppose it is so odd for me because after her diagonal sequence, she already has a posed ending position with her arms fifth high. To make another movement seems rather pointless to me. Almost as awkward as forced applause from an audience during curtain calls.. (another one of my pet peeves). I suppose something had to be done there to fit the music, but in my personal opinion, there could have been something different and less awkward. Perhaps I am going overboard with this little thing, but I can't even describe my emotion when watching this from the audience. It is almost remorse for the dancer because the movement looks so odd, and out of place no matter what dancer performs it! ....sigh. Ah well. It is still one of my favorite ballet's of all time. If I ever get to dance saute, glissade, pas de chat in that finale to that incredible music, my career will be complete!!!! (and now I will go turn on the finale music and attempt to travel the step in my meagerly sized living room).

Responding on her website to the rather delicate question:

"What is your weight?"

Diana Vishneva answered:

"Sufficient for today's terrestrial gravitation."

Haha! What wit!

Well, that is incredible news! What a great way for fans and others to communicate with such an amazing individual/dancer!

Wu and Zou Yang danced in MCB's Sleeping Beauty last season. It would be wonderful to see them both in this role again at least. Luckily for us audience members, Sleeping Beauty is on the roster again. Yay! I believe they also danced the Nutcracker pas de deux together as well. Wu would be amazing in Emerald's pdd no matter whom her partner may be.... That is one of my wishes for this season!

I have to say that Wu in Liturgy was something to DIE for as well!

Zou Yang performed one show of Giselle with Tricia Albertson last season. His stage presence was phenominal, and so believable! It was the first time all season where he really shined through as an artist. It was actually one of my favorite Albright performances to date. I know he is cast in some certain wonderful things this coming season through word of mouth, but until casting is finalized and posted, nothing escapes from my lips!

In any rate, these two dancers, no matter what ballet they perform, or whom they are paired with, are both full of integrity, and a definite delight to watch!

See below:

Here is a great article on Joseph Phillips, the coined "Golden Boy" of ballet, who has now joined MCB this season.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...T/70806016/1025