cubanmiamiboy

I gave up Suzanne's "Holding..." for a while-(honestly, due to some boredom)-and just got my hands in Alexandra Danilova's autobiography, which I'm enjoying tremendously... Then, i'm still working on my DSM-IV copy...

Thanks dirac for the link. When i was in high school in Cuba, "Farewell to Arms" was a must read book within the school syllabus. Other lectures fallowed, which i enjoyed tremendously...("For Whom the Bell Tolls", "Fiesta", "The Old Man and the Sea"...) Honor well served to a great master.

Every time i hear one of this icons is gone, i can't help but remember the following quote-(don't remember the author) "somewhere, beyond the blue, i'm willing to bet she's enchanting the angels" RIP, Mme. Baronova.

Balanchine's...well, as i said before, it lacks what i consider to be the stylistic heart of the work, the "Sugar Plum Fairy PDD". I beg pardon to the majority of this board...but i find this version mutilated. Vainonen's i have it, and saw it only once, but honestly, i don't have too many memories of it...have to revisit it. Vainonen? I remember how deeply frustrated I was when I first saw it. There are six people in it. I'm a big fan of the Ivanov, and Balanchine's version frustrated me too, but not as much as the Vainonen. As presentational as pas de deux are, having other partners in there seems to spoil the intimacy of the work. I could never quite figure out why, in the Bonynge recording for "Art of the Prima Ballerina", he took the cut that he did, but it became more obvious to me after reading Wiley. He was working from Markova's performance cuts, and she had cut the music used for the "magic" effect of the little wagon under the chiffon. Ok, so i just revisited my Vainonen's DVD, and Mel Johnson just perfectly described all that can be said about it. Way to many people in the PDD!... There is also the Bolshoi's production, with Maximova and Vasiliev, which during the beggining of the Adagio are almost motionless, using some praying-like postures and too slow patterns...also a definitive turn off...

If you want to cause a riot, go see the Mihail Chemiakin/Kirill Simonov version done by the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet that was released on Universal/Decca DVD late last year. Its very weird take on the Nutcracker story made me wonder did Quentin Tarantino or the Wachowski brothers had anything to do with it. Oh, God...

Well, at least they were able to perform...They don't even dare to stop nierby Miami, with all the threating and histeria of some population...(not all of it...BTW)

Balanchine's...well, as i said before, it lacks what i consider to be the stylistic heart of the work, the "Sugar Plum Fairy PDD". I beg pardon to the majority of this board...but i find this version mutilated. Vainonen's i have it, and saw it only once, but honestly, i don't have too many memories of it...have to revisit it.

I really hope she can produce something better than "Nightspot".

It has to be a real speed. If taking a look, let's say, at the Dudinskaya/Sergueiev "Black Swan PDD" from the Glory of Kirov, one can see that everything goes at a normal tempo-(Adagio and variations)-until Dudinskaya stumps in her surrealistic fast series of pique turns at the coda, which are way faster than those we're accustomed to see nowadays.

Unnaceptable. Productions to look at: Sir Peter Wright's and Mme. Alicia Alonso's. Don't be afraid. It is totally acceptable I do Wrong way I do, besides Wright and Alonso It wasn't intended to be. .

He,he...no reason not to believe you, right? (BTW, if I got to manage the forum, you'll get there too...)

Oh, so beautiful...(Thanks rg!)

OBLIVION!!

Sad news. Another icon from those old glamorous days gone. RIP Mme. Vinogradova.

It was in that costume that I first saw 'Serenade' with the Denham Ballet Russe. The colors were shades of brown and beige, and the ladies wore head bands, which you can see on Roudenko's head There's a pic of Danilova in her autobiography book wearing a slight variation of this costume-(kind of a shorter version, with the line dividing the two colors on her skirt being curved, and a headpiece or band too)-with Freddie Franklin in all black.

Sweet...here's my applause for your little one!!

Unnaceptable. Productions to look at: Sir Peter Wright's and Mme. Alicia Alonso's.

Chaboukiani was magnificent in "Flames"...such speed...!

..He,he, i smell Cult material all around...

Because she is divine...

Cultural framework, understanding and knowledge sound to me like attractive atributes to possess...even for a dancer... Worst than that...very often this deficiency-(even plain ignorance)-is in full public view, via verbal display..sad,sad.

Oh, for sure i would be reticent of giving the crowning title to no other than divine Bessmertnova. She is MAGNIFICENT.

Oh, well...and here we go with the old "Think vs. Dance" issue. "I think too much, far to much, to dance. For years i've been told this by friends, lovers, teachers and messiahs. Maybe I should have listened and stopped thinking. But must thinking be the death of my career?" Toni Bentley: "Winter Season: A Dancer's Journal"

Coppélia was one of the first titles chosen by Mme. Alonso for the Cuban National Ballet's repertoire. Leon Fokine staged a version after Petipa for the company, which starred her and Igor Youskevitch. This Coppélia premiered on December 28, 1948, at the Teatro Auditorium, which is now the Amadeo Roldan Theater in Havana. In 1957, Mme. premiered her own version of Coppélia with her company at the Los Angeles Greek Theater. There she interpreted the role of Swanilda, and was partnered by Andre Eglevsky as Franz. For this new production, Mme. Alonso meticulously worked to recapture and protect original elements of Saint-Léon and Petipa. At the same time, she enriched the choreography with moments of great technical virtuosity, established classical demi-caractère (semi-character) style, and took great care of the narrative coherence of the plot. It's been reported by some accounts that his was the first time that in the US was staged the full-length choreography of this ballet (?), which Mme. alonso staged it, directed and danced it. This is also the current version of CNB. I hope you all enjoy this little gem...(and talk about sautees on pointe..!! )