cubanmiamiboy

A beautiful pic of Mme. and Youskevitch in the BT's old production of the Nutcracker. https://www.allposters.com/-sp/Alicia-Alons...s_i3835359_.htm

I'm posting the first part of the documentary on Dame Fonteyn from which the other clip-(on the Nutcracker thread)- belongs. There's some old footage of Margot-(as back as 1937)-including a priceless one from Giselle Act I, which makes her 18 y.o at the time. Beautiful. Enjoy it!

(Hoping not to be "off season" here...) I just wanted to share this beautiful 1958 clip of Dame Margot and Michael Soames dancing the Nutcracker Adagio in the version that "does it"-( )-for me. I just noticed that the dramatic lift where the ballerina is held on her back upside down sweeping her arms is even more powerful, longer and riskier here. I guess it takes a really GOOD partner to create this effect. I also noticed that there's a more accent on the romantic dialogue...at one point Soames even seems to be whispering to Fonteyn, while at that same lift. She looks so beautiful...all smiles and romantic with her whole body language towards him... The fragment is at the end of the clip. Enjoy it!

Amen!

I am appalled...

I just can't stand the vision of an Opera House that looks like the streets of the homeless section of Downtown Miami, full of empty bottles, candy wrappers, tissue papers and all kind of stuff. I've seen this situation many many times here, and I'm still amazed at how can it even happens... It's still a totally non comprehensible issue to me. Unacceptable.

...what if there's no assumption to make...? What if one KNOWS that this behavior took place as the simple result of lack of manners...?

Yes...I am a strong believer in that old Cuban/Spaniard saying "La letra con sangre entra"-(which in a rough translation would be something like "One certainly learns when bleeding". It used to be the mantra of my homeland old generation of school teachers. They had a wooden stick, which they would use to punish those who didn't want to follow the classroom rules. It was very effective, and until today I will remember those attentive, silent classes, made of respect...and yes, probably fear too. But i DID learn... And yes...I make sure I look deep into the eyes of theater offenders-(candy eaters, cell phone addicts and the rest...)-AFTER shushing them... A wooden stick here and now would probably be too much...

Well...and then when one reads all those LADIES' autobiographies-(Markova's, Danilova's...Baronova's, which I'm currently working on)-and get to know the way they saw the matter of "class", ""post-stage illusion", "glamour" and so on... one wonders what happened to all that... (On the other side...there are current ballerinas who makes one believe that this vision is still alive in the ballet world: Hayna Gutierrez-(CCBM)-Lorna Feijoo-(Boston Ballet)-and Mary Carmen Catoya-(MCB)- are some of this few rare specimens)

WHAT....?!?!?!?!

The message...? It couldn't be more clear! : Translation: "Hey you... I saw what you just did, and it seems to me that: 1-You are showing disrespect for the theater environment.. 2-...revealing your total lack of good manners , so... 3-...pick those up right now!!!-(because I'm still watching you...) "

I usually shush the offender...and if it doesn't work...I shush again...!

When I read all the comments on the issue of the ballet's name-(BI vs. PC#2), I thought that by deciding on BI Villella would do the tutu/sets version. Villella chose the older name, but with the museline costumes-(although they wore big tiaras) and a flat backdrop.

...but let's get back to business. BALLET IMPERIAL OK, so on the first performance-(I know…last Friday, but better a late review than none, right…?)-I was a little bored by the second Intermezzo-(after “The Fox-Trot” and “Mercuric Tidings”, until the reward came at its most exuberant form under the name of “Ballet Imperial”. Another new-(for me)- BALLET… and definitely another visual pleasure. This was surely Balanchine at his most imperial mode, and needless to say, after the first two minutes of it I was loving it already. Now, IF I was to compare-(based on my very limited knowledge of Balanchine to what I’ve seen so far)-BI doesn’t really go to the top of the list. La Valse…Bourree Fantasque…Serenade…all those come first in my humble list. Nevertheless, BI was everything I expect from a BALLET as far as my devouring/amateur eye could see: the demanding technical feats for the soloists, the fluid Corps’ choreography, the powerful score…the big tiaras-(Karinska’s?), the beautiful footwork…on pointe. On Friday night solos went to everyone’s favorite Mary Carmen Catoya who, looking as regal as ever, was singularly impressive in the performance. Catoya’s technique was, again, once of sharp attack and sparkling details. She danced with her usual partner, Brazilian Renato Panteado, who has proved again to know exactly how to get the best of this girl when paired with her. This sympathetic partner was given a few moments of glory and took full advantage. Panteado is a dancer of gentle, shapely phrases and a welcome lightness. Oh, but back to the choreography. I want to mention a moment that I found particularly beautiful, in which I had a “deja-vu” from SL's Love Duet . At some point during the PDD, Panteado positioned himself behind Catoya, who was standing on one foot on pointe, and leaning slightly backward, she rested her body against him, while he slowly took one of her arms…then the other one…to finally embrace her in the most romantic gesture. Just like Odette and Siegfried. So beautiful…Right after this, he took her by her hand and they slowly walked around the stage...Panteado showing off his ballerina to an encircled group of girls, who took turns bowing before the couple as they were passing by. I will never forget this delicate choreographic detail. It was right there that I thought: “Petipa…and Balanchine…and back to Petipa” On Saturday the solos were given to Tricia Albertson and Yang Zou-(a very promising boy…let’s watch him), the third girl given to Katia Carranza, who also danced the role the night before-(as I was just informed). This season I've noticed Albertson's dancing more bland, kind of slowed down. I don't know what happened to the fire machine I saw dancing "Rubies" with Jeremy Cox a while ago. Carranza is always a pleasure to watch, usually kind of a secure ticket to any performance. On Saturday she shined more than the night before, where she was more contained. I’m glad she’s back this season. The end presented an exuberant mass finale in which the Corps, which has become one of the real strengths of the company, was given a lot to do. Here again, Villella’s boys and girls succeeded with accuracy and poise. I want to note the challenge of having watched this ballet on Saturday night from the 5th Ring…the upper level. It was a totally new experience from the the night before. The groupings and re groupings of the Corps were hypnotic from up there. The sets displayed a set of elegant blue drapes flying across the stage against a plain backdrop . I just was wondering how could it had been with the old tutus and the Saint Petersbourg-rendering sets... Yes...BI had all my blessing.

...so they are many "survivors", ah...? (more that what I thought...). I wonder what are they doing seating in there...

I saw the movie. It was Streep's... There was a precious little story within the story involving feathers, words and wind... But hey, no more hints...go and watch it. It's worth it. My word on it. .

(With emphasized nasal, high pitched voice...particularly among some females...): "Oh my Gaaaaaaaawsh..."

Oh Merde!! "Ay, carajo! "

(Note: Post erased by me...by mistake.bart, I hope you got to see my response to your question . Will rewrite it later...Grrrr!!! )...

The exange was real...you guys got Toto and Xiomarita and we had some over there for a while-(Corella, Herrera and others...) This was Mme. doing Grand Bewitchery at her best-(Kevin asisting with the cooking, of course old pal Lucia Chase blinking her eye from up there giving her consent. ..he). The result was realy nice. Meanwhile NYCB were too busy making friends with the Trust.

It was the pointe shoes absence, bart...pointe shoes! (ditto with Fokine's Scheherezade)

According to the accounts, back in the 70s Cynthia Gregory was invited to one of the International Ballet Festivals in Havana. One of the full lengh ballet she danced was Coppelia. When she was asked if she wanted to dance Swanilda's Entree/Vals of Act I to Alonso's staging she said: No... it is to strong for an entree, it is abusive for the ballerina!. After coming back from her US years, Mme. Alonso instituted this version, which suited her virtuosa status, and then all the cuban ballerinas followed her rule. Rosario Suarez: Act I Entree. How can't one take Coppelia seriously after getting used to watch this...?

Before leaving Cuba, news and echoes from ABT and its dancers were usual in Havana. From NYCB...zero. An international phenomenon...?

MERCURIC TIDINGS Nice facts: This dance-(new to me)- featured beautiful red outfits that fade to white-(or more precisely, skin tone)-at the top. The dancers looked very energetic, smiling, and profusely sweaty by the end. The work didn't appear to have a theme. I perceived it as an exhibition of pure movement. Overall, the visual offering was very pretty, including the postures and the costumes design. The dancers were very pleasant to look at, both the men and the woman. The men danced shirtless, revealing a cut and well defined physique. The choreography offered an opening with dancers in two lines leaning to the sound of a flute. The score-(set to the beautiful Schubert's Symphonies # 1 and 2)- was bold and dramatic, and while I liked the energy the dancers put out in response to the energy of the music-(in the fast sections)-sometimes the music seemed a little too much against the dancing, at times much of the dance feeling like a grand finale. Facts...there were nice leaps, lifts and precise rapid turns across the stage, along with several passages where a dancer's movements were nicely offset within groupings, followed by in sync movements. In a slower passage in the middle of the work, the dancers leaned their legs, echoing the opening of the dance, and I specially liked a sequence where one group of dancers performed a series of rotating lifts going left while another group of dancers rolled on the floor going right. The dance returned to a fast passage with leaping legs that revealed a picture of exuberance...Lines forming and reforming leading to the grand finale-(quite effective, IMO)-with a pretty ending ensemble pose with one female dancer raised high. On Friday the leading couple was Patricia Delgado and Jeremy Cox. Delgado was-(as always)-sharp, sparkling and beautiful. Cox was-(as usual too)-THE savior soul of the night. Saturday night performance was lead by Delgado’s sister, the always impressive, strong Jeanette. She was wisely paired with the best ballerina-lifter of the Company, the Soloist category-deserving and physically impressive bailarin-(WHEN is he going to get promoted?!?!)-Daniel Baker. The two couples were excellent. On the other side... ...I wish my knowledge and taste of the dancing spectrum were wider. If I have to say that the whole work didn’t displease me , I must be totally honest and mention also that it neither did it completely for me. There was “something” missing…and I’m thinking, and thinking. Then, one of my two friends/companions-(a totally ballet “non connoisseur”)-made the following interesting comment: “It looked to me like a ballet rehearsal…” And then, I got it. I remembered somebody on this board mentioning Scheherezade and asking me what my position was towards it. Well, I actually went to review my Liepa DVD with his reconstruction...founding myself knowing what was that Fokine’s masterpiece had in common with Taylor’s work. Of course… it had to do with an absence… Done with this. Again, I liked it…overall speaking, but I wish it would had been a performance by the Miami Contemporary Dance Company, instead of MCB… Ballet Imperial-(oh yes…, THAT was beautiful… ) coming next…

Ok, so I saw both Friday night and last night performances, and by yesterday-(before the night started)- I found myself in the knowing that I was just going for charming Ballet Imperial. Will be back. One name thought...MARY CARMEN CATOYA.