cubanmiamiboy
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Posts posted by cubanmiamiboy
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I saw a round of "Revelations"-(one of my favorite pieces of dance, period)-in December, at City Center, and then once again here...just last weekend. I'm not familiar with the past of the company, but as we all know, this is not a heterogeneous dance company, racially speaking. From the performances in NYC and here again, I noticed two white dancers, both of whom were portrayed in "Revelations". I did some researching, and found that Mr Ailey wasn't particularly fond of trying for the company to look homogeneously black , but it is also a reality that the company and its repertoire has heavily targeted and speaks to the black community. And I was thinking while watching the red haired, ultra white girl with the hat and the fan toward the end surrounded by black dancers how much of the core of the piece-(like slavery or Gospel church services)- and its significance within the black community would be as relevant as the dance quality itself?. Or in other words and to put it simply...would the fact that this very few white dancers within this company are very good technically be enough to make their spot a non spot for a black dancer...? I know that this same issue is constantly discussed in this forum but in the opposite way-(few black dancers within classical ballet companies)-,but it still raised my curiosity, given the historical and racially sensitive significance of the issues told by "Revelations".
Going further...would you imagine "Revelations" being danced by your favorite ballet company...? Say...NYCB and its all white ensemble...?
Honestly, I don't.
Thoughts...?
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I am not a big fan of 4 T's-(sacrilegious...? 😉 ) Oh well...not a fan, but I don't dislike it either. I can appreciate its groundbreaking aura-(even if it wasn't originally designed as a pure leotard ballet). But at least it doesn't bore me, particularly Choleric and the finale. But generally speaking I'm not a fan of the contortionist musings of Balanchine-(being Agon pdd, Stravinsky violin concerto pdd or any other of those). If anything, Lauren Fadeley made me peak my curiosity on her movement-(Choleric that was), and she looked really imposing there. She's tall, muscular, blonde...always reminding me of a young Anastasia Volochkova. Next day I saw the movement done by Jordan Elizabeth Long, to a lesser effect.
Duo Concertante came after, and there's really nothing that can make me like it. I don't like its music...i don't like the angularity of the movements...I don't care about the whole lighting scheme at the end. It just doesn't speak to me at all. Dancers were MCB veteranl katia karranza and the young Renan Cerdeiro. So next...
And next it was a rarity in MCB. For some reason they decided to counterpart Balanchine's contemporary pdd with one that screams XIX Century from the top of its lungs: Flower Festival at Genzano pdd. What?!?! THAT in Miami...???? But yes...there it was. No corps...no backdrop...only the couple. It was danced by the very elegant and unassuming Jennifer Lauren who, along with Soloist Shimon Ito, gave us a delicious taste of what I believe to be the grandest incarnation of the art form. Romanticism-(I'm definitely more Giselle than Beauty). Lauren is a very intriguing dancer who can look cold to some eyes. One can tell she doesn't die to do the ultra extension or the extra turn...but whatever she decides to do, she delivers in excellent form. Very "Reyeresque"-(as in Xiomara Reyes.. 😉 ). Shimon Ito needs to be made Principal NOW. The guy is a great reminder of Alex Wong back in the days.
Heatscape I really don't even care to comment. It looks totally irrelevant to me, but...audience loved it, and it was heavily marketed. And that's what count i guess, as I always say.
In any case, I love watching my dancers here. They are really a pleasure.
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I saw it, and enjoyed it... although realized about the liberties taken in its historical accuracy. I also didn't care for the "shock value" of the lesbian scenes. They looked forced.
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6 hours ago, canbelto said:
Who wore it better, Maya Rudolph or my mattress? (That's my actual bedspread).
That was hideous. At first I thought it was sort of a maternity thing.
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I stopped watching award shows a while ago, after they became too political. But I saw the red carpet, out of curiosity, and here are my picks, three on each side.
Best Dressed.
JLo in Tom Ford.
Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton.
Emilia Clarke in Balmain.
WORST DRESSED.
Maya Rudolph in ...some drapery.
Laura Marano in something...
and singer SZA.
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As soon as she joined the company Messmer was given opening nights in all the Principal roles. As fast as she could she danced Odette, Giselle, Titania, The Fairy in The Fairy's kiss and everything in between. As an audience member I thought it VERY pushy and sort of ...unfair for other lower ranking emergent talent that was, in my subjective eyes, more deserving of the opportunities. Or at least her inception should had been more balanced, and it wasn't. I really never saw anything brilliant about her dancing. Yes she's tall, and pretty and all..but nothing too distinctive.
I wish her well.
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57 minutes ago, pherank said:
About MCB we don't know yet, but she's talked about previous experiences with ABT and SFB. And as Dreamer stated, "she disappears from companies’ rosters (ABT, SFB and now MCB) without any announcement or wishes of farewell". And these are companies that do celebrate their departing dancers.
MCB has always been on pointe about quietly erasing dancers, either due to retirement, contracts unrenewed or else. The only farewell I know of was the one they did with Patricia Delgado, Justin Peck's fiancee.
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Messmer is indeed no longer employed by MCB.
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Courtesy of John Clifford.
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21 hours ago, Helene said:
The trickier issues are where there is government-required binary gender selection options..
A lifelong of medical career usually places your brain into binary gender mode. You know... working with organs, labs and such. What can I say.
Understand that this is really off topic now. My apologies.
Back to Polunin.
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On 1/16/2019 at 7:22 AM, nanushka said:
It seems reasonable to think that many aspects of our identities are culturally constructed, so why should it be just one or the other?
Because there is one "truth" for each individual. Some are factual...some are not . Identities are very intertwined with feelings, and we all know that "facts don't care about your feelings".
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I hate be the discordant sound here but I'm sure I'll voice what many might be thinking. When picking a head of a ballet company I pretty much agree with what Clifford has been voicing on his controversial videos. Shouldn't the BB get someone more in line with the tradition of this troupe's past...? And even more... couldn't they get a British to really carry on this British ballet company which I assume has its own particularities and style that might make it unique and different from, let's say, a Cuban or a Russian company..? It is not a secret that ballet is becoming more and more globalized, and that more and more the RB is seeing less of Ashton, ABT even less of Tudor or that the Mariinsky doesn't look-(to me)- as the current ultimate repository of Petipa. So...in line with what Clifford always repeats... wouldn't it be more appropriate to get someone older...with more experience with this company's repertoire and style...? To be honest....I was hoping Acosta would soon substitute Alonso, who's close to be 100 already. He seemed the perfect candidate to reinvigorate the Cuban company which looks stucked in 1955.
Just sayin'....
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I went to the ballet last night and tonight. Same cast both times. Dances at a Gathering is a ballet I don't particularly love, although I appreciate its poetry and musicality. It is just too long and -(in my eyes)-repetitive. I always think of "In the Night as "Other Dances" with a bit of a buster...and "Dances..." as "In the Night" in steroids. I definitely like some of its numbers more than others. The first male solo-(veteran Renato Panteado in brown)- was very charming, but I particularly liked the "green" girl solo, which I give my own little story of self reliance and "joie de vivre" no matter the circumstances. I find the fact of anybody brushing off rejection or "invisibility" very alluring and encouraging. And just as my life saying goes..."if it happens, fine...if not, then fine too" . Lauren Fadeley was that girl, and her particular buoyancy and strong persona she projects onstage might had added to the success of her solo. I also loved Shimon Ito-(in brick)- and his relentless pursuing of Nathalia Arja-(in apricot).
Robbins/Tharp "Handel/Brahms" was quite a musical/dancing extravaganza. Dancers from the Robbins team owned their more classically inspired idiom, and Tharp's were showing more of her contemporary take. It is all very fast paced, and quite interesting. A friend of mine from Cuba, not too used to the speed of American choreographers remarked that he was impressed by the speed and quickness of both the choreography and the dancers. "That was a killer!" he told me. And it is, it seem. During curtain calls dancers were heavily perspiring! The four soloists were Jennifer Lauren/Kleber Rebello and Nathalia Arja/Alexander Peters. Bravi tutti!!
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3 hours ago, Khoretskaya said:
I assume you mean Ukrainian - he's from Kherson. From his name, and given his political opinions, I would think it likely that he's one of the many 'ethnically Russian' Ukrainians.
Yes. My bad.
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Gelsey Kirkland, of course, comes to mind. She's been talking about this for years. Glad someone else is taking the baton.
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Thanks for the link, Deflope. Watching the dancers talk about how grateful they are to have such source of knowledge within the company made me think of how Clifford constantly reminds his viewers of the names of Kent, Farrell, Villella or McBride...and how they should be given a more permanent coaching space-(just like the one Kolpakova has at ABT)- at NYCB before they're gone.
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For all of our Orthodox friends, wishing you a fulfilling Christmas for you and your loved ones. And Happy Epiphany to those who celebrate it! "El dia de Reyes"-(The Three Kings Day)- which was a much sought afer feast among kids in pre-Castro Cuba because it was the day that toys deliverance occurred via the camel-riding Kings.
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On 8/15/2018 at 3:57 AM, pherank said:
Here's is the link to the NYT article:
"The search for a new leader started with a listening tour: 175 people inside and outside the company talked to the search committee and Phillips Oppenheim, the recruitment firm it hired. Out of that came a five-page job description — a “wish list,” in the words of Barbara M. Vogelstein, the chairwoman for the school’s board and one of the leaders of the committee."
Oh lord...how complex this whole thing is ...😶
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I went to the New Year's Eve performance. Rachelishvili's voice pierced through the auditorium with such force that she ended up owning the performance. Beczala was more than adequate, and same with Netrebko...but it was Anita who had the biggest impact. She was magnificent.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156334141874191&id=647664190
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7 hours ago, vipa said:
I recall Lopez being interviewed on Conversations on Dance. I'm paraphrasing but I believe she said she didn't have "vision" per se, but wanted to hire and develop good dancers, build an audience and grow the rep in ways that please and challenge audiences and dancers. She certainly seems devoted to the Balanchine rep, but has also shown an interest in new works (she was co-director of Wheeldon's company, Morphoses). Of course she might be happy in Miami, and not want the job, but I think she'd be great.
She has basically follow on Villella' steps. Mix programs...a couple of Balanchines, and one Taylor, Tarp, Ratmansky, Wheeldon, Peck et al. Not much has changed since she took over, and she has said so in pre performances talks. The one thing I noticed is that She drastically added many more Nutcracker performances, increasing the number every year, and adding Naples to Miami, Broward and West Palm Beach. It was a real marathon this year for the dancers.
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On 1/4/2019 at 9:44 AM, Helene said:
There are also people who carried Tiki torches in Alexandria and plenty of people from another part of the same society who sided with the marchers' view. There are people for whom Polunin speaks and other people who are appalled by what he says.
And considering how strong Russian nationalism has become during Putin's era, his political views-(him being Ukranian)- sounds pretty appalling to his countrymen. The whole gender thing is a totally different animal in my book.
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7 hours ago, canbelto said:
So basically Polunin is simply factually wrong.
I was referencing to his point of men being the "strong sex" vs women as the "weak sex". By doing so, even if perceived wrong by a big part of society, he's also voicing the sentiment of another part of the same society who sides with his view.
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12 minutes ago, vipa said:
I'm still holding out hope for Lourdes Lopez - A woman, worked with Balanchine, worked in the media, is running a major company. To me she is the perfect candidate. I don't know what her Miami City Ballet contract is like or if she wants to relocate, but IMO she has it all.
Let's keep Lourdes here. 😉
"Revelations" out of AA...?
in Modern, Contemporary, and Other Dance
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I also read that he was invited to stage a work for ABT back in the 70's. The work had one big solo for a male, and ABT insisted on giving it to the only black dancer of the company...nor the best. I don't know how the story ended, but it met Ailey's displeasure.
Still wondering about the shock value of "Revelations" being danced by any other ballet company.