cubanmiamiboy

honestily,,,du you really liked that. Instead let;s do Giselle

In this case, the Delgado sisters, even being Cubans, are not a product of the "Cuban School"-(they might not even ever visited the island)-whereas others, like Guerra, got it due to their physical involvement with the training plus their national heritage. It's important to note that there is a fact that CNB and its School/Method/Style has been historically,and currently, represented only by nationals, but not due to any "exclusivity" policy at all. Same with everything else-(sports, musicians etc). Big, empowered nations, like US, will always present their delegations permeated by a wide variety of "made by choice" nationalized citizens, in which ABT fits.

This is the clip from "Ballet Russes" in which I think Toumanova gets in position to execute the steps...(It's a shame the clip is truncated ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFXrEYQAnPo...feature=related

Oh, it has survived already. Remember that she's been legally blind from a long time ago, so the "thing" has been passed by already to hundreds of others, teachers and dancers, for a while now. Continuity has been basically carried on by some of her most beloved pupils, Mme. Mendez (RIP), Mirtha Pla (RIP) and currently Mme. Araujo and Mme. Bosh-(both Varna winners during the 60's, BTW). This is without counting the long list of principals that still bring the style to their respective current companies out of the island.

The equation certainly contains that factor, but the fact that Mme. had tight links with Lucia Chase and de Valois in the past and now with McKenzie, also plays a key role..(that's how she can go over Constitutional laws, and Carreno has the freedom that we don't have to come and go between the two countries). This doesn't apply to Acosta, thought.

Let's not forget that Carreno lives and works in NYC, far from the old Cuban-based politically invaded Miami. It's not a secret either that McKenzie has a personal friendship with Alonso, and that Mme. is best friends with Castro. The math can't be easier.

It was very emotional to watch German weightlifter Matthias Steiner jumping with joy after winning gold and fulfilling a promise to his dead wife to make the Beijing Olympics. One could tell that Steiner was choking back the tears as he held up a photo his wife, Susann, killed in a car crash in July last year, two years after they were married. At the time of the accident she was trying to save money in order to join her husband in Beijing during the competitions.

"Escaping" is the key word. Acosta and Sarabia both left the CNB roster. The first one "went to dance abroad", as the official remark went. The second doesn't get that lucky. Not being diplomatic relationships reestablished between Cuba and US since the early 60's, the fact of him deciding to stay in American soil means fitting into the Cuban official-(and even constitutional)-category of "traitor to the motherland", and hence, loosing all types of legal status. Then this is how he-(along with other thousands of us)- becomes a "defector". I guess it was the same during the Soviet years.

I'm assuming-(and I'm pretty positive that this is the general feeling)-that the term "defection" in ballet nowadays is usually applied to those escaping from a communist country against official premises. (Hence, that's why I called earlier "a limbo" Acosta's and Carreno's current situation). Again, this is acknowledging that this would be just a chapter in a longer story , as bart just noted.

Cuban defections are, as i said earlier, endless. First there was Jorge Esquivel, one of Cuba's finest male dancers of the 60's, 70's and 80's, whose departure from the island in 1992 was considered a major defection. He joined San Francisco Ballet where he is now senior character dancer and teacher. More recentlyt here is this list, out of my head... The Girls Lorna Feijoo-Boston Ballet Principal Lorena Feijoo-San Francisco Ballet Principal Hayna Gutierrez-Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami Principal Adyaris Almeida-Corella Ballet Principal Dalirys Valladares-Monterrey Ballet (Mexico) Principal Alyhaydee Carreno-National Classical Ballet of Dominican Republic Principal Lisbell Piedra-National Classical Ballet of Dominican Republic Principal Catherine Suaznabar-Maurice Bejart's B.of the XXth Century Dagmar Moradillos-Ballet Etudes/Miami Principal Rosario Suarez(Charin)-freelance teacher-(currently in Miami) Caridad Martinez-Residen Choreographer at Brooklyn Ballet The boys Rolando Sarabia-Miami City Ballet Principal Isanusi Garcia. Miami City Ballet Principal Carlos Guerra-Miami City Ballet Principal Joan Boada-San Franciso Ballet Principal Nelson Madrigal-Boston Ballet Principal Reyneris Reyes-Boston Ballet Principal Cervilio Amador-Cincinnatti Ballet Principal Lienz Chang-Roland Petit Ballet Principal Osmay Molina-Puerto Rico Ballet Principal Angel Laza-Monterrey(Mexico) Ballet Principal Daymel Sanchez-Monterrey (Mexico) Ballet Principal Taras Domitro-SFB Principal Miguel Angel Blanco-Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami Principal And then, there's that famous limbo where the deceased Fernandito Jhones (RIP), JM Carreno-(and ex wife/ex CNB Principal Lourdes Novoa)- and C.Acosta belong...

From Ballet Nacional de Cuba the list is endless-(I posted one somewhere, but i can't remember where...)

Question: Does Bourmeister uses the original "Tempo di Valse"-(female variation)- music on the Merry Makers PDD ? How does he portray these characters...? (I'm very curious about it, as they were totally thrown into oblivion) What about his Odile's variation..? Is it the original one-(TPDD)- or the common taking from the III Act Pas de Six-(with the oboe)...?

Aaah, lovely Feijoo will do Paquita ...lucky you guys in Boston..

But then there's the great chance to get back the now well known Tchaikowsky PDD music...such a beautiful piece that i can't stop wondering why was it decided to erase it afterward.

Smolen was scheduled to dance in August 9 at the Gala of International Ballet Stars of Ballet Tech Cincinnati, along with Helimets. ( And a little , while browsing Smolen, i also discovered that Hayna Gutierrez and Miguel Angel Blanco, Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami Principals, were scheduled to be there too...I had started wondering what these two were doing...) http://www.ballettechcincinnati.org/2007-2...ASTgala2008.htm

My fellows are leading the latinamerican position, and ranking the country number 14 in the total count. Not bad at all, considering all the post-Athens defections. This is the first time in 40 years that Cuba doesn't qualify a boxer in all 11 Olympic weight classes. In the past two years, the Cuban team lost five gold medalists from the 2004 Athens Olympics and a 2005 world champion. Four defected and are boxing professionally, one was punished for attempting to flee and another retired.

to Phelps...Swallow that, Thorpe!

Beautiful. You just made me feel green with the most indecent envy... Happy to have you home. Keep on the great work man...!

I know it's , but did you go to Havana to Mme.'s School...? How was it...?!

“Beings whose organs have suffered, Lifespan exhausted or declined, beset by vicissitude, Abandoned by gods, hated by relatives, … Under mutual strife, decline in wealth Under fear, destitute, under evil days ‘and constellations… These are washed away, and purified…” (From the Vajravidharan Dharani, Kagyur: Tantras: Vol. ‘ma’, 16) Yesterday I had an amazing experience going to see the performance of the Tibetan monks of the Gaden Ngari Monastery of Tibet at the Colony Theater in South Beach. The Performance, a national tour, is called “Wisdom&Happiness”. It was very powerful, and at the end, they sold some arts and crafts made by them- (everything soooo inexpensive)-to support the Tibetan cause, which I do. -(I got me some CD’s of their meditation and a nice bracelet). Here is the program, which even included some dancing. PROGRAM: 1. Tentue Yultrue: Healing: Group, environment, on the basis of Vajravidharan. 2. Dagjug: Self-generation of Vajra Bhairav. Related to Manjushri. Originator: Mahasidha Lalita Vajra. Highest Yoga Tantra. Propagated in Tibet in 10th century by the translator Ra Lotsawa (b. 1017). Anecdote against all forms of death and obstacles in life. (Original source: Tengyur: Vols. ‘bhi’, ‘mi’. 45, 46) 3. Sacred Black Hat Dance. Originating with Lhalung Paldor (9th century), one of the twenty five chief disciples of Padmsabhava, the Zhanag or Sacred Black hat dance is a symbolic act. The dancer, usually a spiritual master, through appropriate techniques, takes on the mental attributes of a fully enlightened beings. And in this heightened state of awareness, execute steps and movements and gestures purifying the inner life of the viewers and their physical environment. 4. Kangso: Rite for the fulfillment of commitments. On the basis of Mahakala, the manifestation of Avaloketeswara in the form of Dharmapala or Protector of Righteousness. Brings the patron and practitioner closer to the concerned Dharmapala, and hence to enlightenment, by rejuvenating ethical, moral and interpersonal relationship lapses in one’s life. Removes obstacles and helps to succeed in rightful undertakings. 5. Choed: Cutting off. Dagzin Tsarchoed text. Source: The Prajnaparamita sutras, especially the Heart Sutra. Technique developed by Machig Labdron (1103-1201 A.D.). Helps to see the true nature of the world, and removing fear and misconceptions thereby, expedites progress in one’s spiritual life. 6. Tsoepa. Tibetan monastic debate. Based on reason and dialectics. This life is one brief moment in the long cycle of life and death that continues till one breaks the bonds of a limited existence in Samsara and become Buddha. The mind trained in virtue, common sense and reason becomes the path for this great journey. With the words of the Buddha and dialectics as the twin tools of inquiry, Tibetan monastic debate sharpens the mind to look within oneself and the world without blinkers, and helps progress along the path without wasting time. It is action-packed, it is spiritual, and it is hilarious. 7. Yak Dance. A very cute portrayal of a buffalo dance by twomonks in a giant animal costume. 8. Dedication Prayer. After every meaningful endeavor, a dedication is worthwhile. It preserves and multiplies the effect of the virtue. Let us relax, take stock of the program, and dedicate our merit and ours, towards the happiness of all sentient beings on this planet. Best Regards:

Wow, Helene, now THAT'S an image...

Should they be? Trust me, nobody is angry. "Nobody" can be subjected to objection-(If i may)-..."angry"...not really...

And don't forget, way before all of them, the first "in" BT's partnership, where the Caribbean met Europe: Alonso/Youskevitch.

"Americans" meaning citizenship, either being born with or aquired...?

I don't see ABT having a problem this way. If anything, the company "looks like America", which has a long and honorable tradition of welcoming the immigrant and the refugee. Many of the foreign-born artists at ABT have become naturalized, and to discriminate based on national origin is simply abhorrent. At the very end, ABT TRULY is what US is...a melting pot. What's more american than that...?