cubanmiamiboy

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..!! )

When i got my copy of Farrell's book, i noticed the name of Bentley as a cowriter, which prompted me to buy this one. I just finished it, and i must say i sure enjoyed it a lot. After the over tumultuous pages of Kirkland's, Bentley's was a truly sight of relief. It was interesting to see her view of things from the "back row"-(as she self describe her position as a member of the NYCB Corps). Bentley's journey to frustration and back was aparently way quicker and easier than that of Kirkland'-( which seemed to struggle longer and with more pain)- in their respective -(almost endless)-search for identity. Insights at Balanchine, the Company, its members, the Theater, costumes, diets, and everything else were put on paper by Bentley with great detail and sense of humor. Finally, there is the enigmatic story of "Isabella" and "The Duke", which wasn't to hard to descifrate... Nice little book, indeed...

They do look lovely, indeed...both great technicians, jet black hair and the perfect all femenine/ all masculine yuxtaposition...PERFECTION.

Every time Mme. Alonso talks about Y., she does it with an almost mystical veneration . She always said that the feeling of security transmitted by his hands while partnering her had no rival altogether... Thanks rg for that wonderful pic !

I just got my copy of Farrell's autobiography. This will be my 4 th approach at Mr. B and NYCB-(after Joan Brady, Villella and infamous Miss Kirkland). I know many of you guys got through it already, so i would like some input on it. (Farrellfan, are you out there...?

Oh, just a little detail. In one of the sequences she wears the famous pink tutu...

I'll try to catch a couple of performances from this ongoing Festival. Katherine Kramer's "Stop, Look, Listen" scheduled tomorrow. http://www.floridadanceassociation.org/perform_series.htm

Yes, and while on the Soviet Union tour, out of a sleepless frustration caused by her room's nightstand radio, she gave the hammer a different use... "I grabbed the hammer that i used to soften my shoes. After giving the radio a few good shots, i gave up.(...)It was still crackling. I decided to match wits with this infernal device.(...)I figured i had every right to smash a defective radio that was keeping me awake". Gelsey Kirkland. "Dancing on my Grave" But back to the noisy toe shoes...

Angelica, there's a whole thread devoted to your request. Dig in there and report back. Good luck! http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=3312

What 1877 happy ending? In the '77 and '95, the ending is happy only because both lovers have endeditall and are reunited in spirit, hovering over the surface of the lake. Right, which is why i never understood the "happiness' of the situation...One way or the other THEY ARE COMMITING PLAIN SUICIDE!!..HOW CAN SUICIDE EEEEEEEEEVER BE CONSIDERED HAPPY?! ( Oh, Gold, i hope not to get into a religious discussion here... ) On the other side, the cuban finale-(the only element taken by Alonso from the soviet era)-is definitely the happy one. Rothbart gets killed, Odette is transformed into human form along with her maids, and then reunited with Siegfried in a final apotheosis.

It is indeed very sad. Back in Cuba when i was a kid, there used to be a weekly TV show which presented old american movies. Among the opening images on the show, the most vivid one that i have is that of Charisse and Gene Kelly in the "Broadway Melody Ballet" sequence from "Singin' in the Rain". I found her soooooo glamorous!...and still do. http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp...in_the_rain.jpg RIP, Miss Charisse.

There's something i found curious. Among all the ambivalent feelings of Kirkland regarding choreographic issues and choreographers-(Balanchine one of them)-there's only one character which she seems to venerate and praise with high regard, describing his artistry and mastery with profound respect: Antony Tudor. Curiously, this is the same only character from the ballet world which Villella, as he tells us in his "Prodigal", couldn't stand to work with at all.

Toeprints, i suspect you're trying to type something that's getting lost along the way somehow...! Don't give up, you'll get there. (Oh, God, was i a mess when trying to post at first..! )

Carlitos in "Afternoon..."?...Mmm.. don't know, but i can't place him. For me he is Spartacus, Acteon, Basilio...but not the delicate image of Robbins' boy/character. I hope you can see him in more flamboyant roles, those that he has mastered. Is this the way you feel about his Franz with RB? Because I didn't think that was right for him, but it's the only thing I've seen with him in it. I didn't see his Franz-(I haven't see him dancing after he departed from Havana)- but I've seen his Colas, and even though he displays the proper technique and humor required for the role-(excelling on it, IMO)-, i still couldn't place him on character. Back in Cuba i remember him very well in things like "D&A" and "Flames", and boy, was he a total WINNER on those!

Carbro, to the best of my recall she does present both events, the amphetamines given by Balanchine and her initiation in the cocaine habit with Bissel in an objective, factual, simplistic way, just recollecting the way her body and mind reacted. On the other side, several times she mentions her self destruction as a sad product of her own choices. I really didn't detect a guilty implication of her surroundings, including Balanchine's "vitamin" story, which is not even linked to her upcoming display on drug abuse. Some images are really horrifying and raw...