cubanmiamiboy

It didn't take too long, once I landed in US, to realize that Americans are indeed quite reticent to other cultures kisses salutations. I quickly adapted accordingly.

There's no way to limit what a victim feels. It is what it is. Remember those famous words... "Never forget"...? It is even a popular hashtag now

Gomes has been busy. I say GOOD FOR HIM!!! 🤗

Agree 200 %

Just ruminating that for every Waterbury out there belonging to the #metoo movement there are quite a bunch on the other side who fall under the #theyknew one. Double standards and hypocrisy are usually rampant in this type of situations.

Exactly. And remember...ever since Gelsey wrote her guts off many of her ballet world contemporaries sort of looked the other way with disgust at her for having done so. Fraternity type. I don't see why hushing ought to be different now than then.

What's probably in everyone's minds is who knew what, how much and since when.

Quick update on Womack. She's back in Russia... she's "so over the conventional world of ballet"-(verbatim)- and tired of "proving yourself to some old guy"-(I assume AD's). She's also looking into her post-performance life. Teaching is in her horizon, so she says.

Pandora's box is is just in full blown shaking state. I can't imagine what's to come......

I always think of the Rockettes own history with the racial issue when it is applied to ballet. At some point I believe the very original idea of the Rockettes having to keep a legacy of uniformity and exact physical replication has applied and still applies in many ballet companies. Except of course, in ballet and unlike the Rockettes, there is a pyramidal system implanted where artistic excellence and capabilities are supposed to catapult the most capable. Still...it is no secret that such uniformity is greatly desired at the ballet stage. Whitening makeup has been indeed used, and many times in quite an extreme form for blending purposes. Raven Willkinson even talks about it and how it helped her save her from being pulled out one particular night the KKK was on her searching backstage. I remember a black Cuban ballerina...Caridad Gonzalez, who wore layers upon layers of thick white pancake makeup. From the distance one could tell she was NOT white, but it definitely changed, rather dramatically, her real skin complexion. Viengsay Valdes is also mixed, and she too wears EXTREME white makeup. Edited to add: Now...Giselle Alicia didn't allow Caridad to dance Giselle, citing primarily racial issues.

Wow...al these veterans....Dupont, Cojocaru, Kobborg, Valdes, Alexandrova, Rojo, Ferri, Bolle...all in one gala. Indeed...quite impressive.

That's a nice little search you did. Thank you for the time and effort. Now, as you just rightly said...we are entitled. Lacotte to produce and present if he's given the legal green light, audiences to feel offended or not and doubtless I for maintaining that I have definitely perceived such instances in which Misty purposely makes her race pop up for her well known aggressive self promotion campaign. And yes, MadameP...I indeed grew up with a similar type of show. In Cuba they come from the XIX Century, and until today they are produced in live theater and cherished by the whole nation as a national treasure. It is called "teatro bufo". They portray comical situations from the society of the turn of the century, where three characteres representative from those times interact. One is "el gallego"-(a Spaniard guy making fortune in the conquered territory), ..then there is "la mulata"-(the typical sultry woman product of the union of an emancipated slave and a Spaniard), and "el negrito"-(a first generation free black man, who is historically portrayed by a blackface). El gallego and el negrito are always competing to win the heart of la mulata.

I was also referring to the darkening and whitening of her skin depending on the purpose, on the message being conveyed. Beyonce has also done it. She might wear an afro and DEFINITELY darkening makeup in certain events when she wants to look more African American. Certain famous social activists like Shaun King and Rachel Dolezal have been infamously criticized for "passing" as blacks while being white using, among other things, darkening makeup and African-American inspired hair styles. This examples might be different instances than Pharaoh's or Bayadere -(although perhaps even more scandalous), but they exist...and they exist with a purpose.

I might be cyber-shot here with my next statement, but I have seen the opposite phenomenon. In certain interviews with Misty Copeland on TV which heavily relay on her "first African-American Principal dancer" agenda, I have seen her wearing makeup that dramatically darkens her natural skin, along with very curly hair, whereas onstage in certain roles her face can be seen definitely whitened and her hair is more straight than mine.

But no darkened skin makeup for the Indians of Bayadere...🙄