cubanmiamiboy

I loved her Sugar Plum Fairy... Here's the whole PDD. Her Cavalier is Primer Bailarin Romel Frometa

http://www.anettedelgado.com/1.html

A unique Cuban troupe has taken dancing to new heights, as a therapy that is transforming the lives of some young disabled people. For all those doing this marvelous job, THANK YOU!

Amen.

I know it shows enough to be considered by some as "out of place". Still, I can't think of it as being harmful in any case. I just thought of it as...edgy, risky and...beautiful. Then, I know it was enjoyable by many others.... I thought about taking it down, but then decided not to.

How can't I...? Well...I just don't Oooh, I would never dare thinking to do so in a million years...

It's amazing how what was "new" at a time then became increasingly "old", and now it's back to be fasiohable after the "new-old" is loosing it's "new" aura...

Why can't they keep both at the same time...? Definitely future generations should be able to know about what was being done during that era which was, at the end, a top winner time in Ballet. As i see it, the more is preserved, the better. The more ballet options, the more visual pleasure...

If you read my statement above with what i think it should be included in a choreographic work to be called a Ballet work, you'll have the answer. The way your question goes, asking about "Balanchine's Nutcracker", contains itself the concept of the whole thing, including Act II with its pointwork. So there...it already falls into the requirements for a "yes". Now, on the other side, if I am presented with an isolated 3 minuts excerpt of a chunk of a bunch of little kids running around-(doesn't matter if it's Balanchine or not, Nutcracker or not)-without the rest, meaning that it would be, let's say, the "party scene excerpt from Balanchine's Nutcracker", then I really couldn't have the same answer. What about if I'm not familiar with Balanchine's kids scene...what about if someone is not familiar with the whole Nutcracker whatsoever...? At the end, it would be just that...a bunch of kids running around-(and again...maybe even it would be impossible for me to identify it as Balanchine, if I'm not told before that it is his choreography). I have had the same trouble with things like Villella's "Nine Sinatra's Songs". I can't understand why is it called "Ballet". For me it doesn't look different at all from what I've always seen as Ballroom Dancing. About Sheherezade, I can't really speak about, having never seen it, nor would I dare to go as far as questioning Fokine. That really goes beyond my knowledge, which, of course, is extremely limited. I'm not an expert, nor did a came with the "official" denominations of what a Ballet is vs. a Choreographic Work. In Spanish we never use the word "dancer" within the Ballet domains-(there's not even a translation for it)-so i guess that makes it simpler for us, whereas i see that sometimes here in US people talk about "Ballet Dancer" or "Ballerina" with the same meaning at times. In Cuba we call the women who dance on her toes "Bailarina", and the male who dances in a Classical Ballet Company "Bailarin". They don't belong to the same category as those who dance in other companies-(folk/contemp./modern...etc, even it they can point their toes the same) But now I'm intrigued with Sheherezade. I will try to find Youtube clips of it-(I know there is a reconstruction in DVd done by Liepa)-to see what's going on.

Well, Leibling already clarified the Delgado "mistery", but here's my chance to talk about my "other" fav Delgado, Annette. No, Susan, she's a 100% product of Alonso's schooling in Havana. (Ooh...I too got excited at the possibility of a little exhchange, but nope...no yet )

I'm first in line for that performance, remember...

Oh, Jack...I'm afraid that I can be thought of being too repetitive if I start writing-(again)-about my well known issues with GB's Nutcracker, but I'll answer you.-(I hope the others won't be paying too much attention now, but I still will try to be brief, I promise...) My two main complaints are: 1-The Kinder feeling and 2-The SPF PDD-(reworking/ variations omissions) among other things...

Maria Elena Llorente was the only blond ballerina within the Cuban troupe, and also the most subtle dancer of the golden Age generation. She was not another Alonso's physical nemesis like Mendez, neither possessed the stage sumptuousness of Bosh or the technical va-va-voom of Suarez. She was the delicate, shy, but ALWAYS precise and kind of modest dancer. The great thing about Llorente is that she was the assured type, the "constant per se" dancer, the secure show. In other words, when holding a ticket for one of her performances people KNEW exactly what was going to be shown and that they knew they would not be disappointed. It was what it was, an always pleasan performance...nothing more…nothing less. Llorente, like her peers, began studying ballet in Society Pro-Arte Musical in Havana and then continued learning at the Academy Alicia Alonso. The range of her teachers was wide, among the most prominent Alicia Alonso, Marta Mahr, Fernando Alonso, Alexandra Fedorova, Jose Joaquin Banegas and Jose Parés. She became a member of the Cuban Corps in 1962, was promoted to soloist in 1967 and Principal in 1976. In 1968 she was awarded the bronze medal at the Varna Ballet Competition, and in 1977 she danced as a guest artist with the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. In 1981 Llorente worked as assistant maitre of Mme. Alonso in the assembly of the Cuban version of Giselle at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Her repertoire included all the principal roles of the classical-romantic Ballets as well contemporary creations of Cuban and foreign choreographers. After retiring from active dancing, Llorente devoted her life to develop an important educational work in the Company and the National Ballet School, currently being an Associate Professor at the National Institute of Arts, also being responsible for the first year of the Cuban School of Ballet in Valencia, Spain in 1999. Llorente was also the stager of the Cuban version of Don Quixote in collaboration with Marta Garcia headed by Alicia Alonso in 1988. She is a current maitre of the Cuban National Ballet School,as per its official roster Note: If there was a role that Llorente made her own in Havana like nobody else, it was that of Lissette in Alonso's after Nijinska's "La Fille Mal Gardee". She kept an innocent youthful air towards the end of her career onstage that really allowed her to master this role. And yes…she knew she looked "different" as the only Company Anglo-looking blond ballerina, always keeping this element working on her advantage. Llorente was also the last one of generation to retire...dancing with the same vitality and perseverance for three decades straight. I will, again, borrow a phrase that one ot this Ballet generation fans-(Quintajoya/5thJewel)- wrote about Llorente on Youtube: "...certainly Arnold-(Haskell)- forgot to keep Maria Elena Llorente in his jewelry box..." Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Maria Elena Llorente: As Grahn, in Grand Pas de Quatre. As Cerrito, In Grand Pas de Quatre.

Oh, I'm a fan already. As per today I think she's finally been recognized by the killer Cuban balletomanes as the real inheritance of the old school. Viengsay had been thrilling everyone with her beyond-reality technique, but she lacks the aura Delgado projects. I personally saw the raising of Viengsay, which really didn't occur until Feijoo and Carreno had defected, which allowed her to fight for the Prima position in people's minds. She certainly got it...until now. Now people is starting to remember what was like having lyricism and poetry on the Cuban stage. Here's a clip of Delgado in "Sylphides". This is the infamous,controversial version that Alonso has and which she staged without the permission of the Fokine Trust, which forbade her to show it onstage the last time the Cubans toured US. Alonso, as usual, did this version on carbon copy of that she said was being taught personally by her by Fokine. The 5 Jewels also danced this version during the late 50's, and had helped keep it alive within the Cuban repertoire.

Me, too. I haven't seen this ballet for a long time -- and then only at ABT -- so I'd appreciate comments from those who have more experience. What I see on the clip seems so tentative, so sketched -- at times, almost like marking? Considering what Anettefan says about the relative lack of time and attention given to preparing the ballet, it seems rather unfair to all the dancers. As to the condition of the stage: There's an unscheduled and rather dramatic slide on pointe about 2/3s of the way through which suggests something very wrong with the surface. Again, not fair to the dancers. I did like it though...

beautiful poem, Mel

Pause- ( )...( ) Ok, let's set this right From the etymological point of view: "The etymology of the word "ballet" is related to the art form's history. The word ballet comes from the French and was borrowed into English around the 17th century. The French word in turn has its origins in Italian balletto, a diminutive of ballo (dance).Ballet ultimately traces back to Latin ballare, meaning to dance." so literally I must agree that Ballet=Dance, whereas from the way I look at it and refer to the word as per Ballettalk would be more like: "...Ballet dance works (ballets) are choreographed, and also include mime, acting, and are set to music (usually orchestral but occasionally vocal). It is best known in the form of classical ballet, notable for its techniques, such as pointe work and turn-out of the legs, its graceful, flowing, precise movements, and its ethereal qualities" and no...I agree that National Dances are many important things-(an esential ballet work component, a basic ballet dancer training asset, and so on)-but I still don't think of a 2009 Czarda done in character shoes, either being danced in a Swan Lake production by trained ballet dancers or in a Hungarian village by its folks, to a ballet itself, or a ballet work, so to speak. Basically; If it is choreographed and has pointe work i do think of it as Ballet. If it is choreographed, doesn't include at least one pair of pointe shoes on it and it is done by female dancers, I see it as Dance. (This does NOT applies, of course, to the male components of the Ballet art form, which doesn't include pointe shoes by nature, unless they do drag a la Trocks, which I highly dislike) Hence, Dolin's "Variations for Four" is another shade of this topic... But back to the Nutcracker...

So you don't consider the large amounts of character/mime dancing in La Bayadere, Lavrovsky's R&J, and Balanchine's Nutcracker ballet? Just curious. Mime is mime. Can be a PART OF ballet and yes, it is generally associated with it, but not necessarily exclusive to it. National/Folk Dances vs. Ballet...maybe...?

Ha...Miss Somova again on the spotlight . Is this her first DVD...?

Just a question. Why does it have to be "pointe work" to be considered "real dancing"? No,no...not about being real or not...(of course Duncan danced for real...) As i see it, Pointe work=BALLET

Pointe work...

Marta Garcia was considered by many Cuban balletomanes as the 5th jewel. (There’s even a fan and great connoisseur of her dancing on youtube who has adopted that nickname in her honor, Quintajoya-(fifth jewel), and from which I will borrowing a couple of comments that will better describe this ballerina). Within the generation that followed that of the 5 jewels, Marta Garcia was that who kept the most solid technique and dominated the stage like only she knew. Besides that she was always extremely gifted in characterization, and was famous interpreting those roles which required great demand of facial expressions. She was a truly master of the face as a vehicle and used this skill with no shyness at all to enhance her always thrilling performances. Garcia was also a master in those ballets which required some Spanish flavour. She was particularly superb in the Cuban version of Lorca’s Bodas de Sangre-(Blood Wedding), which became her trademark . Another ballet that she shined in was Alberto Mendez’ “Tarde en la Siesta” (see link above), which is sort of like a XIX Century Cuban recreation of 4 female characters-(sisters) to the unique music of Ernesto Lecuona. This wonderful ballet at times pays homage to the great Antony Tudor, and it’s has been a trademark of the Cuban Company for many years. Garcia created the role of Soledad-(Loneliness), which describes the tormented soul of the woman. Quintajoya made the comment that : “How fitting that Mr.Tudor-(I recall him standing after a performance of Marta’s Soledad clapping feverishly)-loved it so much. What a "HAGAR" Marta Garcia would have been in his "Pillar of Fire" I can only dream..” I had the opportunity to see a lot of her dancing well into the ballet feast that was the 90’s in Havana. Her Giselle was ravishing. Again, this is what her fan Quintajoya said about it during her entrance in Act II: “By going on pointe in the "Initiation" the Cuban ballerina gives this difficult variation an added dimension into the wili sisterhood.” Today Garcia is a coach and Maitre of Scaena, the 1st. private Dance/Ballet Center and School in Madrid,Spain. She is currently excluded from the Cuban National Ballet official roster, where she used to figure as a faculty member. Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Marta Garcia: In Grand Pas de Quatre. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT2BVz_B6Ik Initiation of Giselle Act II As “Soledad”-(Loneliness)-in “Tarde en la siesta” In Spanish-flavored “Majisimo”-(doing the diagonal of fouetees/chainees) Scaena’s official site, where Garcia teaches. http://www.scaena.net/sob_scaena.html

I was told that she still does those fan-driven appearances in the role in Havana. He,he...these ladies certainly know how to work the audience. As per today Miss Araujo, along with Miss Bosh, is one of the real forces in charge of the Cuban Company and School, due to Alonso's blindeness.

Mm...only one pic...? not fair. Yummy runner ups: Pierina Legnani in 1893's premiere of Petipa/Ivanov/Cecchetti's "Cinderella" Spessivtseva in Diaghilev 1921 opening of "Sleeping Beauty" Alonso's 1947 premiere of "Theme and Variations"