cubanmiamiboy

I just got a flyer on the mail. It seems it will be a one-time-only performance. Planning to go, of course... "See the Music, Hear the Dancing" Performance and Benefit Dinner January 29, 2009 7:30 p.m. "Two of America’s great performing arts organizations – Miami City Ballet and The Cleveland Orchestra – join together for one magical evening of music and dance at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center. The program includes George Balanchine’s Symphony in Three Movements with music by Igor Stravinsky and Symphony in C danced to George Bizet’s stirring symphony – and more! Performance is followed by an on-stage Benefit Dinner."

BTW, bart...the BF's website reveals an impressive preview clip and beautiful pics of the production. If i'm not mistaken this Nutcracker seems to be my type...(did i see a Snow Queen, another different couple for the SPF PDD and what seems to be a glimpse of the Sergueiev notated choreography too on this Pas...? Are there any more clips of the whole Pas? ) Edited to add: I just added the dates for BF's production on the top of the thread. Sorry again for the omission.

...and then, the only Nutcracker performance of the CCBM will be taking place at the same time of that of MCB!

From the Ballet Nacional de Cuba's official website, as per Google's translator. "Some considerations on The Nutcracker PDD" by Mme. Alicia Alonso "Although for some years the Ballet Nacional de Cuba did not maintained in its repertoire the complete version of The Nutcracker, it has often been interpreted in various stagings of significant portions of the work, like the Sugar Plum Fairy Grand Pas de Deux from the second act, the Snow Scene from the first act, the Russian Dance (inserted in the excerpt from The Sleeping Beauty presented with the title of The Marriage of Aurora) and the Waltz of the Flowers . The full version of the Nutcracker was revived along with the happy coincidence of the fiftieth anniversary of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, being conceived in the first place as close as possible to the original style of the play set up by Ivanov, who contributed his own nuances within the heritage of Petipa and his choreography. In terms of the drama, without violating the conventions that require theater-style and practices of the time, just as with other works of the nineteenth century I have tried to achieve the synthesis and logic that the nowadays public demands even in the most authentic representations of these classics. I gave the utter importance to the Grand Pas de Deux from the second act, and to some extent I've taken it as a stylistic basis or starting point for the assembly of all the work. So I find useful to address and establish some details about this Pas de Deux, given its exemplary character in the classical tradition and also because, fortunately, the version that we submitted to the National Ballet of Cuba corresponds closely to the original created by Ivanov, both from the point of view of choreography and style. The Pas de Deux of the second act of Nutcracker was, for decades, a significant number in my repertoire. I often included in concerts and continued dancing its big beautiful adagio almost until i left the stage. Because of the historical importance of this Pas de Deux in the ballet I have put special care in the purity of style and strict adherence to what is preserved of the choreography devised by Ivanov. Nowadays, you can see different versions onstage, not always successful in its conception and its choreographic style. Back during the forties when I was getting prepared to dance for the first time this famous classical duo I basically followed the choreography then interpreted by Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin. The version of Markova was reliable in terms of its loyalty, as she had centralized the first entry that was made by the choreography of Ivanov outside Russia, made in England by Nikolai Serguéiev earlier in the thirties. When The Nutcracker premiered at the Mariinsky Theater in 1892 Serguéiev was a student at the Imperial Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg. He then went quickly to integrate the Ballet Company to later become, for many years, its ballet master and regisseur general. He always had great prestige in taking care of the classical tradition, to which he was a great connoisseur, and later after the soviet revolution he arrived in London with choreographic notations of a dozen ballets from the repertory of Mariinsky. Aside from his years of work in the care of the classics at the Mariinsky, Serguéiev dominated a choreographic notation method. This was very important, because the choreography of Ivanov was starting to be forgotten. At the end of the twenties, Fyodor Lopukov had made an entirely new version of The Nutcracker for the Kirov in Leningrad (former Mariinsky), and while Serguéiev staged the Nutcracker of Ivanov in London, Vasili Vainonen premiered his new version at the Kirov. As for the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, from many years before Alexander Gorski had done his own version, which in turn was replaced later by that of Vainonen. Although I already knew the Pas de Deux as it had been brought to London by Serguéiev, I also started an exhaustive labor of investigation of all the sources available, analyzing everything that I could, trying to achieve the finest choreographic accuracy and stylistic purity of the original agreement with Ivanov. To do this I counted with the invaluable assistance of Alexandra Fedorova, who had been one of the most influential teachers in my training. Fedorova, sister -in-low of Mikhail Fokine, had graduated very early in the century in the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg, to later become an outstanding soloist at the Marinsky, where she belonged for many years. It was also a person of great ballet culture and possessed a remarkable choreographic memory, which had enabled her to mount with great success in 1928 the full version of the original Ivanov at the Opera Ballet of Riga, where she worked for a long time, and in 1940 bringing that version to the Russian Ballet de Monte Carlo , where I danced it in 1957. Right then and there I brought piece by piece the choregraphy that i have danced from Markova and assembled by Serguéiev and compared it to the version remembered by Fedorova, and we found that the Pas de Deux from the second act was essentially identical. It should be understood that interpreting a classic work faithfully in choreographic style is not to say exactly the same thing of the time of its premiere. The technical and performance staging are not kept static, but evolve. The technique becomes more perfect, and from the point of expressive view it is going to be of a greater simplicity, a synthesis. The talent of the artist will demonstrate whether he or she is capable of reaching the audience of today, to match its psychology and culture, without betraying the choreography nor the style, with regard to the most valid and characterized landmarks of this elements. In the interpretation of the Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker it should not be forgotten that, while this is a pas de deux purely academic, its spirit and its wealth of details have, in the classical style, different characteristics to other pas de deux, as the Aurora's Wedding's Pas de Deux, for example. The characters of the Nutcracker Pas de Deux (in English-speaking countries, the female role is described as The Sugar-Plum Fairy, and in France as La Fee Dragée), belong to a world of fantasy. In this matters they do match the Princess Aurora and Prince Desiré of Sleeping Beauty. But Aurora and Désiré are within the story , within the fantasy, real characters. And as such, its elegance is more "courtesan", the dynamics of their movement more "human", the mechanics of academicism is a little more conscious or accentuated. Aurora and Desiré seek a more clear line and elegance, the aristocratic or noble gesture. Meanwhile, in The Nutcracker, the characters of the Sugar Plum fairy and his knight are the quintessence of fantasy. They come from an impossible country of dazzling sweets, conceived in the dream of a girl. This dream world is manifested in a fabulously delicious manner, just as the illusions of children are able to create. Therefore, while being a classic duo, their dancing always expresses a certain dazzling romanticism . It's like a sweetness with flashes, within the classical sobriety. Here the male dancer plays a gentleman who is a sort of a military fantasy. Is a prince who, without ceasing to be a classic, has a demicaractère tone. That brings in some candor, some martial aura carried on in his positions, and the musical accents of his dancing are a little more marked, or "cutting". The ballerina , which in this case is a fairy, ought to display romantic majesty, femininity and modesty. Her dancing should be light, airy, highly sensitive, with the focus very sharply upward. It's a sensation similar to that of the romantic ballet, the second act of Giselle, for example, but this effect is achieved within the specific ways in which technology is used in the classic style, which is different from Giselle. It is not easy, of course, gathering such a wide range of elements in a pas de deux that also imposes major technical requirements. I pointed out that these differences, exemplified with the comparison of two classical pas de deux, are of great importance because these are nuances of different levels within the unreal that distinguish these very similar works at first glance . In general, if we fail to qualify our dance and our interpretation, denying the different shades and colors to a technique which basis is the same, the dancer's interpretation can sadly impoverish the high quility of the art of ballet. Another very characteristic of the ballet The Nutcracker is the Snow scene . Here the main focus is on another major central Pas de Deux, which is interpreted in the first act by the Snow Queen and her King, a duo that requires extreme classicism, but with a totally unrealistic projection, to convey to the viewer the sense of what is seen is completely ephimeral... these are beings made of snow, which can be dissolved at any moment. That's why they are impersonal and airy, which makes them very difficult to interpret, reason that explains why this Pas de Deux is sadly removed from many versions nowadays. In this scene, the corps de ballet should have also that ephimeral character, consubstantial with the snowflakes. All that distinguishes the Snow scene, in terms of style and form from the so-expressive features scenes of "ballet blanc" acts of other works of the great classical repertoire". Note: I'm happy to get to see this version again staged by the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami this year. It's been 7 years since i don't see the PDD onstage, and i miss it...

...I hate all this weird stuff around this masterpiece. Let's move it from "seasonal" to "regular/soviet" schedule to get it over with. Done deal. (Don't hate me)

Peekaboo!.. Beutiful. Thanks for add BF to the list. Now I remember that you've mentioned their "Nutcracker" last year. Have fun up there, and report back..!!!

Doing some research, this is what i've found so far: Miami City Ballet. Broward, @ Broward Center. 12/12/08-7: 30 P.M, 12/13/08- 2: 00 P.M, 12/14/08- 7: 30 P.M. Miami. @ Arsht Center 12/19/08-7: 30 P.M , 12/20/08- 2: 00 P.M/7:00 P.M, 12/21/08- 2:00 P.M7:30 P.M, 12/23/08-7:30 P.M http://www.miamicityballet.org/ Ballet Florida West Palm Beach @ Kravis Center 12/23/08 at 1pm & 7pm 12/24/08 at 1pm 12/25/08 at 7pm 12/26/08 at 1pm & 7pm 12/27/08 at 1pm & 7pm 12/28/08 at 1pm http://www.balletflorida.com/index.cfm?fus...r&x=8552460 Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. Miami, @ Dade County Auditorium. 12/21/08- 2:00 P.M / 6:00 P.M http://www.cubanclassicalballet.org/ Ballet Etudes. Miami, @ Dade County Auditorium. 12/13/08- 8:00 P.M, 12/14/08- 3:00 P.M SPF- Maria Kowrosky-(Guest , NYCB). Cavalier-Charles Askegard-(Guest, NYCB) http://balletetudesco.com/ Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida. Miami, @ JL, NMB Center. 12/13/08- 7:00 P.M, 12/14/08- 3:00 P.M http://artsballettheatre.org/ Thomas Armour Youth Ballet/New World School of the Arts. Miami @ Dade County Auditorium. 12/06/08- 7:00 P.M, http://www.thomasarmouryouthballet.org/ http://nwsa.mdc.edu/component/option,com_j...,view/extid,74/ Boca Ballet Theatre. Boca Raton @ FAU University Theatre. 11/28/08- 7:00 P.M, 11/29/08- 2:00 P.M / 8:00 P.M, 11/30/08- 2:00 P.M. http://www.bocaballet.org/

Jeannette Delgado. She's becoming my new favorite...YOU GO GIRL!!

A couple of nights ago i went to see this French movie, curious about some praising that it has gotten already. The film, which was directed by Phillipe Claudell and stars Kristin Scott Thomas, opens with the reunion of two sisters who haven't seen each other in 15 years. The opening credit sequence goes back and forth between Juliette (Thomas), sitting alone at a table in an airport, looking lost and desolate , and younger sister Lea (Elsa Zylberstein), coming to pick Juliette up,in a nervous mood. Without a single word of dialog to tell us as to what's wrong with Juliette, we know this much: this is a woman who has suffered some horrific trauma; she is lost to herself, locked away, not there... Then the whole story starts. I strongly encourage my fellow BT'rs to go and try to catch this little French piece. It deals with judgment, compassion and also the right to die...

Well, well...i just came from Ms. Madonna's incredible performance. I'm exhausted from a couple of hours of non stopping singing and dancing... At 50, she was dancing along dancers half her age... Amazing.

I wish you all the happiest Thanksgiving Day. Life is beautiful. Let's celebrate it. Best:

...so this is not based on Vainonen's...? And if not, what's the source...?

One of the things i always found fascinating, and i still do, is the whole surplus value/surplus labor theory. Back in the days many tests questions were based on resolving this type of problems in a numeric format, in which specific data was given to us to calculate the amount of exploitation taking place to the worker by " the capitalist"...I had the tendency to found the concept pretty reasonable...(and still do)-although not being totally clarified and/or resolved.

Good to know. So...there it goes, Mr. Frederick Franklin.

...revisiting Marx's "Capital" after many years since I read some of it...(last time I did it was included as a mandatory textbook in one of my college classes: Marxism-Leninism Theory). Now it has a vintage feeling, at least to me. Oh boy...time has changed for sure...! Anybody with a similar experience with the book out there, by any chance...?

Beautiful. Great to know that BF is surviving and taking its well deserved place, given all the economical strains that it has face in the past. I hope that this troupe grows even stronger for the sake of the south floridian ballet future. Thanks for the report, bart. Hope to hear from many upcoming performances. P.S- Are they doing the Nutcracker this year...?

I agree, Leonid. I'm a strong believer that many things are to be done. Mme. Alonso and Sir Frederick Franklin are still around, and it's a blessing that they are very active and clever. Both of them have a marked interest in passing all their knowledge, and they are very eager to tell and teach. Is their eagerness being addressed enough? That would be the experts task. I read some type of work was being done with Franklin's collaboration-(either oral recording sessions or written, can't remember), but what about other old timers..? Did we give Hightower the chance to do so...? Zurith? Tallchief? Did Baronova or Krasovska had it? On and on I know i go over the same, but i'll say it one more time, i don't care. If there's something i admire about Alonso's work is her interest in the creation of a whole system and school with a primary goal of PRESERVATION, and the only weapon she had to do so in the beginning was her voice and body. As per 2008, Nijinska's Fille, Fedorova's Sugar Plum PDD or Balanchine's Waltz Academy are spread out to hundreds of new students via older teachers that vere Alonso's pupils during the late 50's and 60's-(Mendez, Araujo, Bosh, Pla), and more than that, the most beautiful thing is some of this knowledge and tradition has even crossed the ocean back to US-(where Mme first got it)-in the form of Magaly Suarez, ex teacher in Havana and a fierce defendor of preservation, now leading the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. And guess what. I'm sure that Suarez has recordings and tapes with her, but is her MEMORY and her VOICE what have made the miracle possible. This is oral tradition at its best. (By the way, her new Nutcracker production this year is Alonso's staging after Sergueiev/Fedorova, whole PDD included, which i believe is the only Company in South Florida to do so)

Amen. And then, having seen Alberto Alonso demonstrating to his american class how Fokine tought him how to do a grand jete for "Petroushka", or Mme. Alonso on her cuban troupe about how curious Mr. B observed-(and approved)-hers and Youskevitch own pseudo-romantical characterization of the Pas de deux from "Theme and Variations" is so wonderful, and helpful to understand that sometimes this gods/choreographers were as human as her dancers, and results were beautiful even if the original idea hadn't been fallowed 100 %. These stories should be gossiped, talked about, recorded, filmed, written, and everything possible so they run away opposite the saddest case scenario: oblivion...

No swim trunks this time for Bond...? (And i was really hoping that Craig could have been the beginning of a trend within the American population against the "speedos/trunks=No,No" current mantra. ( Can't stand the knee lenght beach swimwear, BTW... )

Check out BalletTalk. I've found atm's blog particularly valuable in recreating the New York scene a generation or more before I arrived. It would be wonderful if we could have an atm in each of our ballet centers. In the meantime, there are the contributors to BT who individually and collectively reflect the zeitgeist and trends, the personalities, and their own experiences. Wonderful! thanks Carbro.. If there's something i truly enjoy from BT is atm711's posts with their so many sharp and wonderful reminiscences...(oral history, right...?)

The English, at any rate, is an abbreviation for balletomaniac. Not the most flattering term, and certainly not preferable to "fan." When referring to one of our kind, my ballet circle tends to use the term "balleto." "She's a long-time balleto." "Just a bunch of meshuggah balletos." etc. Still, an "informal collection of anecdotes" can, and SHOULD- be passed on-(and it certainly does, as it happens with regular family elders, like my grandmother, who was an excelent oral source)-and be of great value if trained specialists are not available. If history has to wait for people to be specialized in order to gather oral info, many important sources will be six feet under by the time these professionals exist. I strongly believe things can be done before that happens...

Great topic. Oral history is vulnerable, hard to gather and prompt to disappear in front of our eyes in a blink of an eye. This is why every time one of this old honorable members of the old ballet times dies, i know that something is lost forever. Even if they have written autobiographies while still alive, or they've been recorded coaching younger generations, that's only a little tiny part of their vast knowledge. In Havana there's a whole museum that Mme. Alonso opened a while ago with everything on earth that she possessed-(costumes, videos)-and during the 40 plus years that she's been leading the Cuban school she has make sure of being recorded, hundred of times, speaking about her memories, ballets, choreographies learned, specific steps, EVERYTHING. That's all preserved in tape. I know that Frederick Franklin has been very active also in trying to spread all his knowledge in every single way, including orally, but i also know that there are still some of this dancers hiding out there and dying without having the opportunity to do so. As per the term, "balletomane" is the most popular in Havana-(in its spanish translation, "balletomano")

I've seen Lorena Feijoo's Giselle-(here in Miami with the Cuban Classical ballet of Miami). Interesting to note that she was never offered the role while she was a member of Ballet Nacional de Cuba, as she was never one of the "lucky" ones...(and never becoming a Principal back then and there), althought being very popular within the balletomanes circles. Her Giselle might not be technically the best of this world, but her charisma wins you right away. I guess she still displays some hints of Mme's schooling...

Same here, bart. I love the way her upper budy-(inluding her face)- seems to have a life of its own, with such serenity and relaxation, no matter how hard her legs are working on the south...

Jack, a while ago, when i had my first experiences watching MCB, one of my first posts in BT was about how beautiful Kronenberg looked onstage, no matter what was she dancing... If i may, i want to add that i've met her in person backstage, and she is certainly a physically gifted dancer, and a very sweet girl. I missed her Odette-(thanks to my car getting slammed right on my way to Broward that Sunday)-but I truly believe on the effect of her captivating manners. I would love to see her Kitri.