cubanmiamiboy

I recently acquired a 1925 gramophone in a yard sale in perfect working conditions. Today, in a thrift store, I bought a 1945 Spike Jones 78 RPM hard record of his version of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite", arranged by Joe "Country" Washburne with lyrics by Foster Carling. It cost me a mere $2. The scratchy sound of it is very charming, even with its "murdering the classics" approach... Gotta go wind up the machine...again.

bart...Jack, what I'm starting noticing is that the Company is maturing artistically. It is obvious that they are perhaps one of the troupes with such few principals, nothing at all like NYCB or the Mariinsky, where there are so many. But I think it is perfect that way...Villella's dancers get to dance A LOT, and then there's the interesting detail, as it has been said before here, of getting to see corps members and soloists sharing important roles along side with Principals. That's one of the things that we had also in Havana...only a few bunch of Principals at the time-(in between the hardship of scaling the never ending ranks and the continuous defections)-so one could really see the progress and work of a given dancer in many different roles. I really like it that way. Congrats again to Eddie.

I totally agree with all your praising, bart. Honestly, if Alonso/Fedorova version gets me to the analytical point in terms of dancing and choreography, what I felt yesterday was different. I was literally being transported to a MAGICAL world...a dream-like place where beauty reigns. I didn't even got annoyed this time by the crazy bed patterns or the children, something that I couldn't cope with too well in the past. I don't know if it is because the kids parts were PERFECTLY REHEARSED or else, but I was loving every second of the whole thing. And then, when the Nutcracker shows up onstage walking sideways to suddenly been stripped down of his garment and mask to triumphantly reveals himself as the little prince...well, I was literally moved to tears. Am I becoming a teary old guy...? I CAN'T BELIEVE I missed Jeanette and Sarabita in the PDD. But to tell you the truth, Kronemberg and Guerra were just PERFECTION. Kronemberg looked so regal and feminine...every gesture done with such delicacy....and Guerra was so gallant with her...and they are so beautiful to watch that they really looked like a pair of vintage porcelain figurines. Baker as the Peppermint Stick was amazing. He has danced the part for some seasons now, and he's just as athletic as the role demands. He got lots of applauses. Wong, well...in between his never ending elevation and out of this world ballon, he made the audience gasp during his Chinese sequence. His Asian features made him even more believable for the role. Tricia Albertson's characteristic restrained demeanor wasn't a shocker this time, for which her role was the leading dancer of the Marzipan's Merlitons. Jeanette Delgado was FIRE as Dew Drop, along with the VERY ENERGETIC Corps of flowers in the Waltz. This year the piece looked grand, passionate, no trace whatsoever of any subtleness. We don't need that. And then...a special acknowledgment for the Corps during the Snow Scene. They were MAGNIFICENT!!! To each and every member of this company, CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE GREAT JOB!!!

I went to the Nutcracker performances at the Arsht Center on Friday and Saturday. I should report that for the very first time the ballet "got" me...A perfect casting: Kronemberg and Guerra as the SPF/Cavalier, Wong in the Chinese Dance, Baker as the candy cane and Jeannette Delgado as Dewdrop... It just couldn't get any better. It was so beautiful...

A recent addition to Mme. Charin's well deserved channel on Youtube. Her amazing Myrtha. As Aurora in Sleeping Beauty-(warning: Andres Williams is not the partner she deserved here.. As Swanilda, in Coppelia

When trying to get a global idea of an unknown to me ballerina I try to get a glimpse of a Giselle performance-(specifically the Spessivtseva's Solo, which is both technically and dramatically very hard to execute). In her case it is obvious that her technique is solid, and that she can turn like there's no tomorrow. Still...she left me cold here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvv2FAXgZdY

CCBM's director Magaly Suarez' Nutcracker is an ambitious project. This is her second year doing it, and one must aknowledge the labor of love she does with such scarse sources. So before talking about the production, I want to recognize her hard work, along with that of Pedro Pablo Pena, her co-director and an rabbid enthusiast of the development and showcase of the Cuban Ballet/Style in Miami. Also, on the second performance and during the intermezzo, I did some chit-chatting with my neighbors next seat, who happened to be Miss Suarez' parents. They recounted how they recently decided to permanently move to the States for good to help her daughter with the company. Her mom told me about the countless nights she herself spent sewing costumes and reworking old numbers for the production, sometimes 'till the morning hours. So about the performances. On the first night, I was able to attend only to the first Act, due to the fact that on the same night I was watching another Nutcracker production, that of the Youth Ballet-(which I will talk about a little). I had timed both performances by calling the theaters in advance, and the timing was perfect. After I was done with the Youth Ballet, I drove across town all the way to the charming Manuel Artime Theater-(an old refurbished church in the heart of Little Havana)-just in time to get in during the Intermezzo, prior to the second act of the Cuban Company. This is a production that Miss Suarez has staged according to the guidelines of the one she learned and danced in Havana during her performing years. As I have said before, this is basically Mme Alonso after Fedorova staging, to which Miss Suarez has been faithful in the most important numbers, like the Grand Pas, the Snow PDD and the Three Ivans-(Russian Dance/Trepak). The first act, which I was able to attend the second day at the matinee, also followed some of Alonso's guidelines: the children are played by the youngest members of the company, the girls featuring pointe work. There's also an interesting character, listed as "Herr Drosselmeyer's assistant", a masked, mischivious boy who keeps running and jumping around, helping Drosselmeyer with all his tricks. This guy-(pretty much a la Swan Lake's jester)-added some flavour and technical tricks to the usually not very exciting Stahlbaum's party. Airy Gleidon Vasconcelos did the part really good...being a very light, fast jumper, a la MCB's Alex Wong. Oh, and among the guests they included a priest...who limited himself to watch the party goers from his couch. Go figure. About Mr. Vasconcelos, I want to recognize all his dancing, which was A LOT. From being Drosselmayer's assistant he suddenly dissapeared and came back as one of the party boys, to suddenly get lost again and reappear as Harlequin-(one of the life-sized dolls), to later on become the Snow King on day 2 and finally the Spanish dancer on the Act II divertissement. Quite some dancing,right...? THE BATTLE The battle of the mice wan't that elaborate as Alonso's, which uses adult female corps and a choreographied battle also done on pointe, along with male adult corps for the Nutcracker's troops. In Suarez version both troupes are played by kids. After the battle, and before the Snow PDD the Nutcracker takes his human form-(played by a young company member)-and dances a number to the "transformation" music with Clara. Here Suarez makes them dance an Adagio number, much like Alonso, although less elaborated, but still very cute. This was the opportunity to show off some dancing for Clara-(Clarissa Ferrer on Sunday...having missed Michelle Chaviano the previous night, both of them girls in their early teen years)-and the Nutcracker Prince-(elegant Thomas Bettin on Saturday, Walter Garcia on Sunday) THE LAND OF SNOW The land of snow had 20 snow flurries and the Snow Queen and her cavalier, who danced along the whole scene all the way 'till the end. The costumes were also done inspired by those used in Cuba, but instead of the headpieces with multiple wires and little snow balls on the tips, they had this similar devices in their hands. .The snow Queen was Juliana Saenz both days. Her Cavalier was Walter Garcia on saturday-(couldn't see him)-and Gleidson on Sunda. ACT II The initial parade of little angels opened the second act, with all the customary uuuh's! and aaah's! of the pleased crowd of parents. No, no matryoschka dolls like Alonso....Balanchine's substitution triumphed here. As soon as this was done came the biggest surprise of the night. The Sugar Plum Fairy's entrance...and guess who's making her grand entrance on day one...one of my last ballerinas of my Cuban years...Alihaydee Carreno, whom I haven't seen since she danced in Suarez production of Giselle a few years ago. During her Havana years, Carreno-(cousin of Jose Manuel)-was always a very reliable ballerina, with a solid technique, great charisma and none of those flashy fake tricks that one can see nowadays. She is not a 180 degrees dancer, nor a weightless/stick-like, thin one, but again, one with great personality, which she has reinforced as she has matured as an artist. I was happy to have her back. On the second performance. it was Grace Ann Powers, the current darling of the company who did the honors. The divertissements. The Spanish dance was danced by Carla Oliveira and Gleidon Vasconcelos. Vasconcelos, again, was great...daring jumps, lots of panache and beautiful epaulement. Marzipan's Merlitons were Natalia Barulich, Jessica Fernandez, Madison McDonough and Marianne Mumford. The Chinese Dance had diferent costumes this years, the old black tutus recycled from the Satanella production giving path to a more adequate chinese inspired attires. Lots of sautees on pointe. The Trepak was beautifully executed the first day by Walter Garcia, acompannied by two women, Karen Mata and Ana Robles. What a pity that there were not another two dancers good enough to dance The Three Ivans, another variation from last year. Still, Walter was AMAZING, doing the whole choreography by himself, finishing with some spectacular Grand Ecartes...BRAVO!! Mother Cigogne-(not my perticular favorite divertissement)-was charismatic Jesus Sanfiel, along with the usual brunch of little polichineles. The Waltz of the Flowers was one of the highlights of the production. Here Suarez got some Balanchinean inspiration and added the Dew Drop Fairy character. I must say that I was very pleased with ballerina Emily Spencer, another dancer that has grown and matured within the company, and who exhibited a PERFECT line, placement, EXTREMELY solid technique and elegant demeanor. I was VERY impressed with her dancing. I hope she would move on to keep developing her skills in the future. There's some great material right there. The Corps/Flowers were lovely. Grand Pas de Deux. The heart and sould of every "after-Fedorova" production is without a dubt the Grand Pas., and I was prepared once more to enjoy this lovely chunk of Ivanov. The first day, along with Alihaydee Carrenno we had Raydel Caceres. I'm not sure if this was a wise pairing-(well...this is not true...it was NOT). Carreno is a veteran dancer, with a certain projection, demanor...characteristic of the Alonso's ballerinas who are not, in any case, shy to show off and steal the show-(just think of Viengsay Valdes). Carreno is not as flashy as Valdes, but still, next to her Caceres was obscured. He is a very young bailarin, and so certain partnering mishaps were shown. Still, they both did their best to connect, and it was obvious that they were enjoying the dancing. The Adagio went fine, everything as planned until the moment came to execute the most characteristic and beautiful segment of the chreography...those pendulum swinging-like upside down back lifts. Well...they never came...they omited them...both days. Too hard to exsecute...? Perhaps...I don't know. I was dissapointed. Next day Miss Powers was paired with Miami City Ballet's soloist Carlos Quenedit, who showed better partnering skills. Both Caceres and Quenedit danced very well the male variation. Quenedit did graceful entrechat-sixes. Both ballerinas also danced lovely the iconic celesta variation. When Carreno danced, I could see accents, little clues of her Havana days. they can run, but they can't hide...Pas de Deux coda and general coda continued and then Clara woke up in her living room, next to the Nutcracker. The end. Among the highlights of the production, it should be mentioned the ingenious way they came out with to make up for non existent props. They used a computer generated program that projected the backdrops images. On the Second Act they used the original Konstantin ivanov's 1892 sketches.

Just came from seeing the film. Very intense, yes, shocking...perhaps...(not INSAAAAANELY shocking though..or at least not the most I've seen), but very coherent, and straight to the point: a shameless ode on guilt and insanity, feeding one another to the very edge...or even BEYOND the edge. I liked it. Only two actors, but one powerful statement. William Defoe was great on it.

One by one they are all falling... RIP BalletForYou...

Oh, I believe you. One of the things that I remember from that Swan Lake was how EXTREMELY DARING her Odile's fouettes were...I kept praying that she would be able to finish them without having an accident...

Ah....I've seen Adiarys Almeida's SL live-(when she came down here to dance it with the CCBM). Her Odette was beautiful, but her Odile was even better...

Would that have been an ABT offer instead, the situation would have been different... Still, I don't think that the Carreno/Correa situation is a permanent one. They probably will keep going back to dance in Havana, like Jose Manuel did for a while, or even Acosta... Let's not forget that they're not considered "defectors"...yet.

Among my extensive-( )-Giselle DVD collection, I find myself playing mostly Bessmertnova's, second only to Alonso's. I love the highly theatrical atmosphere of the Bolshoi and the old fashioned/vintage feeling of it, along with Miss Bessmertnova's fragile demeanor-(here she was a very young ballerina).

and... The Cuban Style

Sweet gesture. Roses for La Rose... http://image1.findagrave.com/photos250/pho...25752091667.jpg

Both are still listed as Primeros Bailarines in the CNB website...

I've been trying to locate my playbill...(can't seem to get over my costumary tradition of loosing them for a few days post performance... ). If I don't find it, I will try to go over some points of the production trusting in my less than perfect memory...

Hello there!

Just came from the movie theater, and WOW...Miss Mo'Nique was SUPERB in the film. I can almost smell her Oscar approaching... Has anybody seen it...?

In Mr. Zoritch's website it says that one can order it right from there, at the lesser price of $45.00 plus S&H. I wonder if this is currently accurate. I too want to buy it...

(Did she get her inside the studio...?)

What about those two runs in the Sleeping Beauty Grand Pas Adagio...? or... this..?

Here is goes again...

My two cents to this thread. My mother is an Arts teacher-(college level in Cuba, elementary school here). She's not allowed to show her students images of Laocoön and his sons, Venus de Milo, Michelangelo's David, Goya's Naked Maja and so on. Meanwhile video games depicting rape, murdering and plain sauvage behaviors are legally allowed. What's wrong with this picture...?

So back to the topic, here is a clip that shows the dolls in the back, right after they greet Clara and the Nutcracker.