cubanmiamiboy

...i feel that THAT is just on the way to change.

Thanks a lot to all BT’s who chimed in with this thread. Here are some thoughts, from The Saturday night performance: Swan Lake: A plus for Deanna Seay and Rolando Sarabia. Still my favorite MCB’s pair. Experience gets to be noticed on their dancing for sure. Sorry if I’m repeating myself about this. Deanna Seay did a series of Piquee turns to die for. What a pleasure to watch. Brava! Sarabita is still the best combination of Danseur Noble/magnificent technician I’ve ever witnessed. Bravo! This time I watched the Corps more carefully. Find its patterns more alluring each time. Noticed at one point a perfect Willi-like diagonal formation. Beautiful. The Pas de Neuf was danced with a special brio, and loved the series of Grand Battements done by the girls during the “Valse Bluette” 4 T’s First Theme. Wu/Zou. I saw a conscious sense of delicate plasticity on both dancers while dancing this piece. They did for me here better than in SL. Second Theme. Albertson/Bramaz. Albertson has a vintage ballerina-looking aura that works big time for me. Maybe is just my imagination, but that’s how I tend to perceive this elegant looking ballerina, who also has a beautiful lines. Third Theme. Patricia Delgado/Guerra. The Delgado sisters are quickly escalating both within the company ranks and in my personal taste. Patricia did a terrific job, along with Guerra’s usual display of subtle correctness and appropriate virility. Great. Melancholic. Wong. As usual, the silent jumper and airy dancer with a lovely cambre. My favorite Melancholic so far. Sanguinic. Jeannette Delgado/Panteado. Jeannette is the newest full force within the Company. Love her fearless attack. Can’t wait for her Quiteria. Panteado showed a great deal of good partnership. Phlegmatic. Cox. One more time, Cox displays his unique individuality in style and interpretation. My favorite Mr. B’s-(or Mr. Villella’s)- dancer within the company, as I’ve said earlier. Choleric.Spiridonakos. The allure of a tall ballerina always has worked for me, also during Spiridonakos’ performance tonight, even not being the best technician,-(a la Veronika Part) "In the Upper Room". WHAT’S UP WITH THE FIRE ALARM LIGHTS?! They went at some point, and I kind of woke up and started looking around wondering if Tharp had decided to add the theater device as part of the ballet. You never know with her, and as anybody else seemed to be alarmed, I decided that maybe that was the case and I was showing poor knowledge regarding the work. I decided to go back to my daydreaming. Note: Mary Carmen Catoya stood out big time. She showed a newly acquired radiant expression that along with her superb detailing during the piece made her the big winner of it. Note 2- The best of all was to get to meet Jack Reed and NYSusan - What a pleasure to put faces on their words finally! Sunday: More stuff coming about the matinée performance, but I wanted to mention that I also met lovely Natalia, and we had a great time chatting while sipping coffee after the performance. Thanks for the invitation Natalia!

Thanks for the link, Figurante! http://www.miamicityballet.org/ (I love the front page pic of Jeannette Delgado! )

I noticed it too, just when the Season started, his name absent from all the works. And he had just been promoted to Principal. Too bad if he's gone, a real loss, as he would have been perfect to partner the Delgado sisters-(same latin style, atack and brio) As per Quenedit, he was the latest defector of Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Here's a little thing I wrote about him, along with a pic of his Albretch when he danced Giselle with the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...mp;#entry226004

More pics of SB and T&V. http://www.slideshare.net/ihoscordo/havana...al-presentation

Anne, the few times that I've been there-(tonight included)-I've been seated at Orchestra center, due to my less than perfect eyesighting,so I really have no idea about the upper levels situation.

Thanks Natalia for those welcoming words to my homeland company.

Totally agree. At the very end, MCB's choice is not Petipa/Ivanov work, but Balanchine's, which he CREATED-(or RECREATED?...and not from scratch, as i could observe)-recycling elements of the well known XIX Century ballet-(title, storyline, character names, and some steps sequences along the way). This made me think that it would be probably the same case as "Mathew Bourne's Swan Lake", and here is how Wikipedia resolves the whole conflict: "The ballet-(M.B's)- is based loosely on the Russian romantic ballet Swan Lake, from which it takes the music by Tchaikovsky and the broad outline of the plot". Period. Done deal. I also wondered how would it have been if Mr. B would have decided to have the ballet being stripped off from all its costumes and backdrops a la "Ballet Imperial" or "The 4 T's", all the way down to his minimalistic practice clothes and monocromatic backdrop. Interesting.

Friday 11/07 @ Broward Center. I-95 was easy on my way back to Miami, so here i am, in time to make a few comments on tonight's performance. Swan Lake. Odette was danced by Principal Haiyan Wu, and Siegfried by Soloist Yang Zou, the two of them very light and airy young dancers. The atmosphere was more "impersonal" this time than that of provided by Seay and Sarabita-(i suspect that this is Wu and Zou's own style rather than Mr. B's SL's call for "blankness" or "expressionless" faces). Anyway, my thoughts remain the same on this production. One can tell that there is a love story going on, with an easy to follow pathos, and even enhanced by leads like the hunters and the mechanical swans. Thanks to Jack Reed, who showed me a beautiful picture of the original production-(with Tallchief and Eglevsky)- showing the Corps wearing long romantic-inspired tulle tutus with wings. He also can't tell where the current -(and weird to me)-tutu designs come from. It was a pleasure to finally meet another real person from this board. The 4 T's I could "see" more of the ballet tonight. I found the very end with the leaping lifts very beautiful, and Andrea Spiridonakos was a revelation in Choleric. I love tall ballerinas, and she certainly stands out, sparkling with joy while displaying an effortless-(at least visually)-footwork. Melancholic-Alex Wong. Another air entity. This short dancer reminds me of a ping-pong ball, graciously rebounding all the time. Always love him in Balanchine's ballets. Sanguining. Jennifer Kronemberg and Renato Panteado. Kronomberg is so beautiful that her stage presence always makes the whole thing work, along with a solid technique and great partnering. A plus. Phlegmatic-Jeremy Cox. Now THIS boy is something. What an interesting body language does he displays... He's certainly becoming the Company Balanchine's male speaker, with that particular boneless appearance to his dance. Nice job, Cox. Love your Grand Battements, BTW. Choleric-Andrea Spiridonakus. A true revelation, as i said earlier. This soloist certainly will be knocking soon in the promotion doors. Or at least i hope to. Very energetic, with a direct step attack. Great. Intermission: In the Upper Room-(. Nothing further to add to my earlier comments on Tharp.

Last night the Mariinsky Symphony Orchestra was in town, doing some beautiful stuff. From Prokofiev they played two ballet scores: "Cinderella" and "Pas d'Acier". The public was more receptive to the fairy tale music than the other one, which i totally enjoyed tremendously. I was laughing inside while looking at some faces in the audience, many of them in total disapproval of the sound...ha! But anyway, personally it did it big time for me.It was a marvelous performance, and these Russian musicians are certainly playing up to their finest tune. Bravo! P.S- Can somebody tell me more about "Pas d'Acier"...? (What a fascinating score...!)

Maybe a tour by the National Ballet of Cuba? :blush: I'll vote for that...Have you ever have the opportunity to see the company... live...?

Here's a pic of Valdes and Frometa on the Opening night. (I see they're wearing the old fashioned baroque-inspired white wigs...which i hardly see it being done nowadays in Beauty) http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2008/octubre/juev30/ballet.html

Great info indeed. Thanks, Leonid.

From "Granma", the Cuban Official Primary newspaper: 30 October, 2008 Sleeping Beauty at Havana Ballet Festival by Toni Pinera. The second night of the 21st Havana International Ballet Festival featured Sleeping Beauty, with choreography by Alicia Alonso based the original by Marius Petipa. The majestic piece, performed at the Garcia Lorca Gran Theater in Havana by the Cuban National Ballet, met the expectations of the audience that had long awaited a return of the classic to the company’s repertory. Viengsay Valdes and Romel Frometa dance the lead roles to be performed on Thursday by Anette Delgado and Joel Carreño.The National Symphonic Orchestra interpreted the score by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, conducted by Elena Herrera.Among the public at the full house performance were President Raul Castro and Vice President Esteban Lazo Hernandez. P.S-(If the emoticon is ainnapropriate, please remove it...just in case) P.S 2-Believe it or not this is the FIRST TIME that I see that Raul Castro is being officially addressed as Cuba's President instead of Fidel.

...which makes two of us now. This is even more confusing-(and sometimes frustrating)- for someone who might have a little knowledge of ballet-(by having seen a considerable amount of performances in his/her lifetime)- but may be not familiar to Balanchine's works, because of several different reasons.

This is true, Jack. Mr. Villella always looks and acts very humble and down to earth. In the last company's Open Barre, I happened to barely get on time to the Studios, rushing as usual, just to find the place jammed packed-(seats are not assigned)-when suddenly i spotted an empty spot next to him on the first row. I didn't doubt for a second to ask him if the seat would be used-(the lights were off already)-, and he graciously told me to "please, seat, seat.." right away. During the intermission i briefly spoke to him and thanked him for his work. He was absolutely charming, and even looked shy during my cumplimments...

Don't have the playbill at hand-(think i lost it)-, but yes, usually all MCB's Balanchine's costume designs are Karinska's-(faithfully reproduced by Morales). In the case of SL i'm still confused, so i was wondering if the newyorkers who grew up watching this version can shred some light on the subject...bart?

...in no other better place than Ocean Drive, Miami Beach.

Another Icon gone..The little group of true old-timers is getting smaller and smaller. RIP, Miss. Hightower

..Hey, you could come and stay in South Beach. Lots of cheap hotels, fascinating Lincoln Road at walking distance and MCB studios right around the corner, with their huge glass windows for everyone to see their rehearsals and the Arsht Center-(MCB's main stage)- just across the bridge-(if you get to go see DQ).

Jack...i'll go to the Broward Performances. Let's meet there. Look at my pic in my profile to get an idea, but the easiest way for you to identify me would be by looking for a guy with a blond loose hair above the shoulders. I will pm you to give you details. Now, can somebody explain me about the Corps tutus in SL. I find them weird. Are they Karinska's...?

That's exactly what Gelsey Kirkland noted-("Dancing on my Grave")- when she first when on tour to the Soviet Union and visited the Marinsky and the Vaganova Academy. She realized with some distress that both stages were raked, and began wondering how did the soviet dancers coped with their backs by dancing like this.

Here...some options... Miami City Ballet-(MCB): http://www.miamicityballet.org/ Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami-(CCBM). http://www.cubancbmiami.com/performances/ Ballet Gamonet-(BG): http://www.balletgamonet.org/php5/index.php Arts Ballet Teater of Florida-(ABTF) http://artsballettheatre.org/ Ballet Etudes-(BE): (warning, site is currently kind of messed up due to refurbishing, but info is all over the place, even on this board Miami Contemporary Dance Company.-MCDC): http://www.miamicontemporarydance.net/ Museum of Contemporary Art of North Miami-(MOCA): http://www.mocanomi.org/schedule.htm Miami Art Museum-(MAM): http://www.miamiartmuseum.org/ Historical Museum of Southern florida -(HMSF): http://www.hmsf.org/ Florida Grand Opera-(FGO): http://www.fgo.org/ Miami Lyric Opera -(MLO): http://www.miamilyricopera.org/ Brodway Across America. http://www.arshtcenter.org/perform/?cid=6 New World Symphony-(NWS): with our adopted Thylson. http://www.nws.edu/ Cleveland Orchestra/Miami Residency-(CO/MR): http://www.clevelandorchestramiami.com/ Seraphic Fire/Firebird Chamber Orchestra: (SFCO): http://www.seraphicfire.org/seraphic-fire Concert Association of Florida Program. http://www.concertfla.org/ Miami Symphony Orchestra 20th Anniversary Sesason. http://www.miamisymphony.org/ Orchestra Miami 2008/2009 Season. http://www.orchestramiami.org/home.htm ...and hundreds of more stuff...believe me. Just have to get to the places thru the horrible traffic. and taking some liberties... The Gay Mens Chorus http://www.miamigaychorus.org/

Oh!, and one more thing that i found fascinating from Mr' B's SL. It was the first time that i saw the original Tchaikowsky's music for the Coda of the Love Duet being used...

Last night i went, full of expectations, to see the Program 1, as it happened to be the only time i would be able to. (Couldn't go on Friday night and same with the upcoming Sunday matinee, due to personal issues). Right now i'm a little hurried up, so i'll try to write some words on the performance Swan Lake. There are few things i would like to hightlight of this "sui generis"-(at least for me)- take on the work. First, to thank Deanna Seay and Rolando Sarabia for being the leads. They always make a beautiful pair. Seay totally shows the command and experience that all this years as a Company Principal has given her, and Sarabita was , as usual, there, always attentive, always in place to enhance his ballerina's performance. He certainly has mastered the art of the partnership, and his variation-(didn't know it was going to be taken for the original Act I Pas de Trois!)- was, as usual, impecable too. Even many years later, and with a limited offer of his old Havana Petipa roles, he certainly dominates the dancing, the stage, his partner and the audience as good as when he was the newest wonderboy back then. Keep the good job, barbaro! Now, here are some points that right now I can recall thinking while watching Mr. B's choreography: 1-The mechanical swans . Never saw them before, and they were a bit distracting althought i found the idea candid, but still they made me smile for sure. 2-The Corps tutus...not pancake ones, nor long romantic either, but sort of a short version of a romantic one, above the knee(with the exception of Odette). Karinska's...? 3-The hunters. They didn't dance, nor partnered, just showing up for a couple of seconds to quickly stand by the maidens in pose at some point, just to rush out right away. 4-Most of all, the fact that all along the ballet my overall impression was that this was just another case of restaging of the classic lakeside story that we all know. I'm sorry if i couldn't detect "blank"/"expressionless" faces, or ballerinas "inhabitating roles" who were just dancers and not characters. What i saw tonight was Miss Seay clearly portraying old Odette one more time as vulnerable and dramatic as it has been from the Russian imperial times , and very beautifully, by the way. Everything was there to tell the story...the backdrops with the castle in the distance, the hunting party, the usual mime gestures-(minus Odette's sequence telling her story to Siegfried, but this is even erased from the most of the current productions nowadays, so no big deal...), the suffering faces, the love gestures, and most of it, the very explicit story of the romantic encounter between a Prince and a Princess who gets to be cursed to inhabit her swan nemesis during the day for the rest of her life. Basically, i saw a cropped/arranged version of Ivanov's SL Act II, with some changes in the choreography, musical additions-(from Acts I and IV) ,substractions and the name of Balanchine instead of Ivanov on the Playbill when crediting the choreographer. The 4 T's. I loved the minimalistic sets and costumes, the modern atmosphere, the peculiar dancing. Among all the dancers i want to point at Jeremy Cox as Phlematic. He's so charismatic, and seems to understand very well Balanchine's dinamics. I certainly need more future visual contact with the work to talk with a wider comprehension, to be fair. The other dancers were: Melancholic: Alex Wong Sanguinic: Jeannette Delgado/Renato Panteado Choleric: Andrea Spiridonakos. I need to watch this ballet for a second time for sure. In the Upper Room. I left the Theater before it even started...We all know i have my issues with Twyla (Oh, well... just like Miss Danilova-RIP-)