cubanmiamiboy

That's my kind of girl!!

Beautiful stuff...Thanks for the links!!

Agree. “Self-interest”…One side of the dialogue…(or maybe a monologue…?). Yes, it does sounds indeed as the perfect explanation, but I have to wonder…Did the effort succeeded in "defusing" the whole thing…? That would be a question for the dancer being “let go”. Again...questionable…did both sides of the meeting agreed that the phrase “minimized” the harshness…? Every time a contract is renewed it sounds like a re-hiring situation to me, whereas every time one is called upon the boss office to be notified that “We can’t afford to keep you here”…well, it can’t be more explicit. That is very true. I remember another thread in which something similar was being discussed. Well, I’ll repeat myself now…I’ll never get use to the “Thank you but not thank you and thank you” stuff or the “sorry-excuse-me-thank-you-very-much” formula repeated thousand times with no real meadning. I don’t appreciate it, I don’t believe on it and I truly think I’m being very disrespected if being played that evil wordy game. Yes, shame on them!! P.S-I confess to be biased in this whole thing, as I’ve been in this same situation before, and for which the only truly thing I wanted at that moment was to jump on top of the person playing the wordy game to scream “Shut up with your nicey/nice stuff…give me my termination notice and let me get out of here already ..!!” P.S 2- Oops, I hope to still be within the limits of the "Agree to disagree"... P.S 3- Edited to add...I found the thread that I was referring earlier...for some reason it sounds VERY close to the "nicey-nice" wording subject. Post # 64... http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...st&p=236410

I can't stand the double standard of the use of the "letting go" phrase when it's obvious they're just looking to mask the sour flavor of a an unconfortable situation like that. I "let" you go if you ASK me to let go...but if not-(which is the case here)-...c'mon, let's be brave and use the real words..."I'm FIRING you..!"

Yes, thank you very much for the link. I'm one of the shameless addicted/watchers of the One and Only Toube...

umm...maybe a little?

Oh, and BTW bart,let's not forget that Cox is definitely GONE for good...just as Isanusi Garcia...both vanished, all of a sudden, just when BOTH had been promoted to Principals. This, plus Wong just basically telling us that he's very ready to experiment in other aspects of dancing after his SYTYCD appearance, let us down here with very...VERY few options...1-always reliable Guerra and 2-Sarabita, who is currently just the shadow of the wonder boy he promised us he was going to be...long ago. Sarabita's brother doesn't do it for me...don't know why. Give me some time to think about him to try to elaborate a more decent explanation...

Yes, I think of Jeanette Delgado as the potential "Grand" Giselle. One of the ballerinas that impacted me while growing up in Havana was Rosario Suarez-(AKA Charin). She had this extravagant projection onstage that made her a separate entity from the rest of the Company, whenever she danced. Delgado reminds me Suarez in this sense. She is not shy in showing off, and her aggressive attack plus that radiant smile of her always makes me believe in the heart and soul that should be behind the technical points of certain choreographies. Giselle is not Balanchine, and that performance I saw back in 2002 proved it. Your point about Villella's boys is very valid. I can only think of Sarabita and Guerra as suited for the Prince roles. Cox nor Wong , although being technically superior, are even candidates in my own casting. If anything, I prefer to see a believable prince in character, even if technically weak rather than a great jumper that can't convince me in the role. That's why I URGE Eddie to start thinking of Baker. He promises in EVERY aspect.

You know bart? I'm glad I saw Miss Lopez dancing, even if it was only one time. She danced all the performances of Carmen during BG's last season, and she excelled in the role. Great personality, strong technique, she had it all. At the time I thought of her as one of that extinguished specimen of ballerinas who, besides mastering the technical demands, have a strong stage projection, or as I call it, the "diva thing", which I haven't seen in ANY * of our current MCB's ballerinas-(although we can enjoy it via both Lorena Feijoo and Hayna Gutierrez with the CCBM). You mentioned Giselle, and this is very interesting. Those performances are back from 2002. For some reason, I did not see any ballet in Miami during my first year in US-(I came in may 2001), but I DO remember that the very FIRST time I went to see the MCB at the old Jackie Gleason was with their Giselle. It was my first performance here, and right after I came out of the theatre, I swore that that was going to be my very last while in exile, and that I was to live from the old memories from those other Giselles of the past. Well, eventually that didn't happen, realizing that exile was probably be a bit longer than programed, and desire to batch ballet overcame dissapointment, even if it was not going to be at my pre-acquired standards and the repertoire that I grew up with. I really can't remember who danced in that first and only Giselle I saw. I tried hard to forget it, to tell you the truth. Maybe it was Miss Lopez...? Who knows. Edited to add: * Perhaps Jeanette Delgado is "getting" it...

I saw this documentary a couple of nights ago, and...well, what can I say other than get out and watch it if it plays in your area. “A NITE OUT” 17 FRI, 18 SAT, 19 SUN | 9:00 PM AN MBC PREMIERE HD DIGITAL PRESENTATION! / IN COLLABORATION WITH EMERGING PICTURES / MIAMI HD THEATRICAL PREMIERE! OUTRAGE (Directed by Kirby Dick/2009) Featuring Congressman Barney Frank, Governor James McGreevey, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, and some who preferred not to be mentioned *. From Oscar nominated documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick (This Film Is Not Yet Rated) comes OUTRAGE, a searing indictment of the hypocrisy of closeted politicians, with appalling gay rights voting records who actively campaign against the LGBT community they covertly belong to. OUTRAGE takes a comprehensive look at the harm they’ve inflicted on millions of Americans, and examines the media’s complicity in keeping their secrets. “ONE OF THE BEST-MADE FILMS I’VE SEEN THIS YEAR * Florida Governor Charlie Crist among them . http://mbcinema.com/

I guess this is just a regular thing to see these days, but one still can't help on feeling upset. It is kind of old news, but I just found out, when looking at their website for the upcoming season. Ballet Gamonet was an interesting alternative to our mainstream Company-(MCB)-and I really enjoyed a lot their Carmen last season. Fewer donations suspend Miami's Ballet Gamonet troupe BY JORDAN LEVIN-(MIami Herald) "Ballet Gamonet, the determined contemporary ballet troupe run by former Miami City Ballet choreographer Jimmy Gamonet De Los Heros, has suspended operations for the rest of the season. The troupe's two remaining programs for this spring have been canceled. The troupe is the latest arts group to suffer from decreasing donations amid the economic crisis, which has already caused major cutbacks at the Miami City Ballet and the Florida Grand Opera and the closing of the Florida Concert Association. The troupe, which was founded in 2005 with the merger of Ballet Gamonet and Maximum Dance, had received positive critical reviews and was popular with audiences. But it had struggled to find funding in the past year, and dancers and staff members were frequently paid late. The two remaining programs were to have been staged at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami, the Colony Theater in Miami Beach, and, in Fort Lauderdale, at the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the Bienes Center for the Arts." http://www.miamiherald.com/277/story/935297.html And now, when going to their website, this is what it's found... http://www.balletgamonet.org/

bart, try this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic_(1943_film)

Great news Patrick!. Another Pfeiffer's fan here...

Also during those festivals we had the opportunity to see many dancers from international companies, even from ABT and NYCB-(those who could travel to the island without restriction by the means of a non American passport). So there, I was able to see performances by Julio Bocca, Maximiliano Guerra, Alessandra Ferri and even Paloma Herrera and Angel Corella. There were some Russians too.

More info on this movie, which real title is "Un dia en el solar"-("A day in the courtyard" 1966)-by William Johnson. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1210400?seq=4

Ah, this is Sonia Calero, Alberto Alonso's second wife-(he was first married with fellow Ballet Russes member Alexandra Denisova). Calero was a funding member of Alicia Alonso's company, as a Principal character dancer. She had a national success also as a cabaret/variety shows dancer, including in the famous Tropicana, for which her husband was also an important choreographer. This clip is part of his well known creation "El Solar", a story that revolves around the life of the lower cuban social class within the "solar"-(sort of a semi-communal existence within the limits of run down Havana mansions that once belonged to the upper class that eventually left the island and now suited for the housing of various families.). This is the "Brum Pas de Deux", one of the highlights of the work. After seeing Calero dancing this at a performance in Russia-(Moscow, I believe)-Maya Plisetskaya approached Alberto Alonso and asked him to choreograph the story of "Carmen" for her. Alberto Alonso was thrilled to do so, as he has always been fascinated with Merimee's heroin. In the recent documentary about him, he tells that he had Calero in his mind when he created his Carmen, and that it had always been his desire for her to dance the part. That never happened, either because of the tyranic control that Alicia Alonso imposed over the character, not allowing anybody to danced it for more than three decades, or also because Calero wasn't really that comfortable with pointe work-(I don't remember having ever seen her in pointe shoes). As we all know, both Alberto and Sonia eventually chose to defect, and until his death, Alonso coached several dancers in his Carmen-(including Svetlana Zakharova). About Sonia, she took charge of the staging of the ballet for the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, for which she works as a coach. This next clip is from a Miamian TV show that presented Calero right after the release of his late husband's documentary. At the end there is a rendition of "El Solar" And this is Miss Calero's page. http://www.myspace.com/soniacalero

Love the plasticity of their hair and heavy makeup...Oh, those were the good old days were the "less is best" mantra could still been ignored without any remorse...

It was 1960, and the caption reads that Alonso was to perform Giselle at the Met. By then she was most of her time in Cuba reorganizing her Company helped by Castro, but US/Cuba diplomatic relationship still existed. I wonder if she was to perform as a member of her own Company, or if she was still in the BT roster, or if she had become some sort of BT "guest" dancer. Those were probably her very last performances in US before a very long time until Americans got to see her again I believe around the late 70's, when she returned with her Company-(I believe to dance Carmen and Giselle. atm, correct me if I'm wrong)

I LOVE it too!! Patrick, there you go, your girl and my girl having some fun... Thanks, rg!! (P.S- Is that a short dress Mme. is wearing...? Wow...NEVER saw any pic. of her being that risque...)

...yes..they are indeed moving, bart...very...

...true.

Oh, I'm green with envy... All those years living in the island, and never got to see an event like that before...now that I'm here, they go there...grrr!! Well, if anything, I'm TRULY happy for my friends...I know they must be analyzing EVERY SINGLE millimeter of Cojocaru's steps...

Thanks, Leonid for the Heads up!... If possible, keep an eye on Veronica Corveas...

That sucks...

This is my choice! http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/thumbnail/1...ll-1832-9-2.jpg ...a little creepy character, if you ask me.