cubanmiamiboy

Oh, that's all right, Cristian. Sir Walter Scott wrote in "The Lay of the Last Minstrel": Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, "This is my own, my native land."? That's lovely I'd never heard this one, and I am so tired of people who don't understand something so basic. Patrick, That's lovely indeed. Thanks Mel...The hardest part is when I watch a US v. Cuba competition...It's really hard...

I got a little emotional when i saw the Cuban delegation. I must confess that even after having left Cuba a few years ago, my heart still goes for my fellow competitors...

I can't wait to see his upcoming Basilio and Siegfried...

Note: Edited to answer "yes"

God, just saw Valdes' coda with simple-triples-simple-triples and finishing with quintuples..!!! Of course, she danced within a dime space, working leg at perfect 90 degrees . Just out of this world. This should be shown as "How fouetees are supposed to be done". Bravo!

Glamorous.

Winslet must be around Ryder's age, right...? I thought of Ryder because she had always such charm and elegance...she was my favorite back on the days, and i can see how keira knightley is now being promoted by Hollywood almost like a former Ryder's copycat...(they even look alike). I would love to see Winona back on those types of roles again....(She was great in Period movies...)

1-Wasn't NYCB originally created to counteract all of the above...? and if so... 2-Did they succeed...?

During the soviet goody-goody days, drug consumption was a forbidden topic, as it was considered part of the highly criticized aspects of the then so called "imperialist corruption" and "capitalism vices". I wonder if with their newly acquired freedom of expression and action the practice it's also being spread out within the Marinsky and/or the Bolshoi troupes.

OMG...i'm just watching my recently acquired copy. This is definitely THE Don Quijote to have. Astonishing!

Winona Ryder...(too old..?) Well..mmm...Anne Hathaway maybe...?

From my own daughter's (and some of her friends') experiences in today's companies, it has not changed for the better at all. Thanks for those words, Marga. Still, my drug-related questions are still on the air. For those of you guys who are more knowledgeable on Company current policies. Is there any help offered to addict dancers...? Is the issue still as big as back on Kirkland's times...? Is it properly acknowledged nowadays...? or on the contrary...Is the "don't ask don't tell" policy still current...?

Interesting...those lifts if well done are really spectacular.

Thanks for reporting. Will do.

Here's some of her lyrics from her solo Hit "Fergalicious". I hope you'll enjoy it... "Listen up ya'll, 'cause this is it The beat that I'm bangin' is delicious Fergalicious definition make them boys go loco They want my treasure so they get their pleasures from my photo. You could see me, you can't squeeze me. I ain't easy, I ain't sleazy. I got reasons why I tease 'em. Boys just come and go like seasons. Fergalicious (so delicious) But I ain't promiscuous. And if you was suspicious, All that s... is fictitious. I blow kisses (mmmwwahhh) That puts them boys on rock, rock. And they be lining down the block just to watch what I got " Definitely some really deep concepts...

...and now Fergie...Good God! (Why not Lil' Kim?)

Something that I remember the most about Kirkland's tales is her questioning of the "don't ask don't tell" mantra within ABT's directives on the drug issue back on her days, as well as the lack of resources or helping mechanisms available to addict dancers due to the unwillingness to acknowledge the problem. She also wondered, as well as i do, if written policies related to this are being implemented nowadays, or if official medical help-(Company Primary Health Care Providers)-is available for those in need.

No, there is not. Sickening.

Well...old Soviet Union-(and its towerings)-is out...new Russia is in.

Well, if mentioned by me, I guess this would be the wrong forum, for which this is basically a discussion about dislikes. Anyways, a little I just want to add that Dreiser has always been one of my favorite American writers. It's been years since I read him, but i have great memories of "Sister Carrie", "An American Tragedy" and "The Financier".

Today I passed by the Colony Theater (South Beach) and saw the following ad. BALLET ETUDES CO. PRESENTS: "BALLET ON SOUTH BEACH" PROGRAMME: PAQUITA SYLVIA LA FILLE MAL GARDEE COLONY 1040 LINCOLN RD MB SAT AUG 9 2008 8:00PM So, needless to say, i'm in... Here's some info on this Company: Ballet Etudes Maintains Tradition by Richard Phillips "Ballet Etudes, the Company founded by Susana Prieto in 1975, is continuing in the tradition of the world's great classical ballet companies. Still, Prieto remains true to her Cuban heritage. Prieto took her first ballet classes in Cuba, which has a rich history of the ballet. From that cultural legacy, Susana continued her ballet training in Miami with Sonia Diaz and Martha del Pino. Prieto was a soloist with Ballet Concerto Company, but answered the call to teach and direct her own company. She struck out on her own and founded Ballet Etudes, her ballet school, in the City of Hialeah. Not long after, the Company was born. From the earliest, Prieto and Ballet Etudes Company danced at various venues in Miami-Dade County. As Director, Prieto gained valuable experience in direction, staging and lighting as well as business expertise in running a ballet company. Ballet Etudes Company focused on the classic ballets, Giselle, Sylphides, and The Nutcracker. As the company grew, the repertoire expanded to take on full-length productions of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Coppelia. Ballet Etudes Company’s performances are full-length productions, complete with a live orchestra. During the early days, Prieto danced in her company’s performances in Dade County Auditorium. In 1984 Susana Prieto made two momentous decisions. Both carried tremendous risk. The first was to move Ballet Etudes Company to The Jackie Gleason Theater, which had hosted American Ballet Theatre for two week engagements as well as Broadway touring companies. Susana Prieto became the first Cuban-American woman promoter at the Jackie Gleason Theater. Prieto’s next move was to invite soloists from American Ballet Theatre to dance with Ballet Etudes Company. Alina Hernandez, Yoko Ichino, Janet Shibata, Ethan Brown, David Cuevas, Peter Fonseca, Robert La Fosse, David Loring and Roger Van Fleteren were the first to dance with Ballet Etudes, once they learned of the quality of professionalism and production values of the company’s performances. Friendships were forged, and soon other stars came to dance with the company. Merrill Ashley, Cynthia Gregory, Amanda McKerrow, Magali Messac, Marianna Tcherkassky, Gil Boggs, Michael Cusumano, Joaquin de Luz, Marcelo Gomes, John Gardner, Robert Hill and Johan Renvall have appeared with Ballet Etudes Company. Another milestone in Ballet Etudes’ history came when Rudolf Nureyev, one of the greatest danseurs of the twentieth century, appeared with Ballet Etudes Company in Giselle. Cheryl Yeager and Wes Chapman starred in several engagements for with the company. Charles Askegard, principal dancer from New York City Ballet, has performed frequently with Ballet Etudes in recent years, first with Dagmar Moradillos and in the past two seasons with New York City Ballet co-stars Maria Kowroski, Sofiane Sylve and Darci Kistler. With attention to every detail from big name stars, demanding choreography, lavish costumes, spectacular scenery, to the thrill of live music from a full orchestra, Ballet Etudes Company’s productions are memorable. What does the future hold for Prieto and Ballet Etudes Company? The answer is in the classics. Prieto and Rodolfo Rogriguez, Ballet Etudes Company’s Artistic Advisor want to stage other famous ballets. The company has the talent and the people to do so".

Peggy, are you in the US? I ask because I noticed both French websites classify the DVD as Region 2, which means it's formatted for DVD players sold in Europe. Or do you have an All-Region DVD player? I'd like to buy the DVD but wonder how Americans can watch Region 2 on their DVD players... unless they're All-Region. I usually play those on my laptop-(which i have hooked to my surround sound system)-...it has always worked so far...

Both. Valdes is not that much of an "allegro" ballerina, you're right. Her stuff is more about pyrotechnics: amazing jetes, pirouettes-(quadruples, quintuples...ridiculous), loooooooooong balances-(never saw such a thing before) and the fiercest fouettes ever, working leg ALWAYS in perfect a la second-(never lower than 90). Well, as i said before, the thing is that Valdes sometimes seems to want to say in balance for the rest of the variation...there's a time when she needs to realize that there's still the rest of the choregraphy waiting to be danced...(oh, never mind, i love her surreal balances, to tell yout the truth... he,he... ) Look for their "Diana&Acteon" on Youtube. THAT'S amazing. No, i haven't...but now i want to go to "ballet heaven" too...gonna check it out. Thanks.

Interesting...I, on the other side, absolutely ADORED all of Zola's books, and devoured everything I found of him. including Germinal. Other favorites i found fascinating during my teen years were Stendhal and Balzac, both of whom i also extensively went trough. On the other side, i didn't find Dickens that appealing back then, so i basically flipped trough his works...

I just got my last copy of "Pointe", and found a brief article, "Street Dreams", by Jocelyn Anderson, which tells us about the upcoming appearance of Cubans Lorna and Lorena Feijoo-(Boston/SFB Principals)-in an episode of "Sesame Street" to be aired on its next new season, which starts on August 11 on PBS-(check local listings). The article is nice, but there's some fantasy elements on it...(where in earth was Sesame Street EVER aired in Cuba. Even more...where are their supposed recollections of Celia Cruz IN THE SHOW coming from?!...Ms. Anderson.. Cruz was, and still is, a forbidden topic in Cuba! )