cubanmiamiboy

Oh it was, Helene...what a beautiful couple. People were lining to get their book signed, and i just had my little playbill, and when i told them they were like "Oh, please, come over, don't worry!' and he went, "Margo,Margo you write better than me, come on!" and joking like that the whole time. Their stories with Mme. Alonso were really funny too, and they wished me the best luck when i told them i was going to nursing school. Cute people, with lots of class.. (I REALLY miss THAT old school class, totally absent sometimes within the nowadays ballet world...well, not sometimes, but MANY times...) Now, about the program. As I wrote earlier, Miami City Ballet Open Barre # 4 displayed this time ballroom inspired program called “Absolute Cabaret”, to the occasion of the publication of the recently published memoirs of Augie and Margo Rodriguez. The program went as follows: 1-“Ran Can Can”. Part of a longer piece called “Lounge 2200”; it included several members of the company performing a salsa inspired dancing. The performers included Mary Carmen Catoya (very much alive and way far from her somber alter ego Aurora), the two Sarabias (dancing as if they were in the middle of their hometown’s barrio, beautiful Jennifer Kronemberg (which got the Latin beat 100 %) and Renato Panteado. Sarabita bade sure to show off his Latin roots, and added some flavor to a few tours en l‘air, punctuating his dancing with phenomenal spinning and turning. 2-“No Pity” (also from Lounge 2200). Here we had Catoya and Sarabita. They did a very sensual PDD; Great series of pirouettes by Sarabita reminded me of his old Havana days. Catoya, once again, was radiant, which made it easier to appreciate her impeccable technique. 3-“Salsa Number”. This was a number performed by some NY City House Dance International Champions. They are dancers from ballroom dance competitions doing a fine job. Sergia Anderson and Raul Santiago danced the leads, demonstrating ballroom dancing technique with lots of Latin beat. For a moment they took me back to my Havana days and Tropicana. 4-The next two numbers were excerpts from Willella’s “ The Fox Trot: Dancing in the Dark” and “The Quick Step: Unspeakable Jazz must Go!” inspired also by ballroom dancing. Jennifer Kronemberg and Isanusi Garcia danced “The Fox Trot Pas de Deux”. It wasn’t my favorite, I must say, and the costume selections weren’t the best. Jennifer wore a long dress that didn’t suit the demands of the choreography, even getting stock over Isanusi’s head while he was lifting her over his back. Isanusi demonstrated wonderful partnering skills by quickly trying to get the dress tail out of his face. On the other side, he wasn’t really able to show off his great technique. Catoya and Panteado had a great time with their number. She had a little 20’s inspired black wig, and they were obviously having fun. Good. 5-“Hustle Number”again with Sergia Anderson and Raul Santiago. Here we had the classical hustle number with some Brazilian beat. Again, this couple demonstrated the flexibility required for competitive ballroom dancing 6-“Three Smokers” (from “The Fox Trot”), with Jeremy Cox, Renato Panteado and Alexander Dufaur. . Mmm… the old ballet cliché of three men in town getting drunk and playing silly. Kind of bland. 7-“Sunny Ray”. A cabaret number performed by guest artists from the Dancesensation company. Forgettable. 8-“Augie and Margot Wedding Dance”. This was a try at portraying a fantasy of Augie and Margo’s wedding night. Very “interesting” their choice of costumes, which in her case consisted in a wedding outfit that quickly came off at the beginning of the ballet just to reveal a flesh colored body suit with strategically, placed rhinstones . No comments. Choreographically questionable also. Overall they delivered a great evening. Thanks, Eddie...as usual.

Oh, God, yes...i got the DVD recently, and i had to laugh when i saw Nureyev's little head sticking in and out of the fabric...

Of course there was bart. I'm sorry for not being able to post about it right now, but i'm at work, and i forgot my playbill. As soon as i get home, i'll write about the dancers and the program. (That's why i wrote "To be continued..." )

Part 1. What a great evening of dance and memories. Eddie presented his Open Barre # 4 with full blast in a packed house. The night was dedicated to pay a well deserved tribute to this electric ballroom dance couple, the great Margo and Augie Rodriguez. The Rodriguez were pioneers of the Mambo craze of the 50's, when Machito and his Afro-Cubans took the stage and the nation by storm. They presented old black and white videos of their dancing from TV shows , and i should say that even not being myself the biggest fan of ballroom dancing, i was amazed at their breacneck speed, technique and precision. I mean, that guy was doing tours en l'air with such speed that i couldn't sometimes tell if they were triple or quadruples. They are said to be America's first celebrity dance couple to share headliner billing with such megastars as Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez. The program was presented by Villella, who spoke very fondly about the couple as they have been friends for almost 50 years. After the performance they did a book signing of their recently published autobiography "The Opening Act: The Love Story of Augie and Margo Rodriguez". I approached them to get my program signed and talked to them. They are delightful and cheerful, and as soon as they realized i was cuban, they started talking spanish with me-(they are puertoricans)- and telling me about their great memories of dancing in Havana during the 50's at Tropicana and taking classes with Rodney, the famous Tropicana's choreographer. I asked Margo about her training, and they told me they had an intense classical ballet training, although having decided to dedicate their artistry to the ballroom form. They also told funny stories when taking classes with Mme. Alonso back then. It was really wonderful, and even more when they took the stage by the surprise of the audience at the end and did a little number, bringing the house down. Bravo Margo and Augie! (To be continued...)

Ehem, Patrick...again...

Good questions, bart. As for my own experience, i absolutely HATE the fact that everytime i see a commercial on TV in which ballet is involved, 99 % of chances are that it's a "funny" -(aka silly/horrendous)- thing making fun of the art form. In other words, pleeeeease, leave the "Dance of the Little Swans" aloooooooooooong!!! Get some new ideas, for Christ sake...the joke is getting old.

Thank you Mel as usual for your helpful information. According to the article some of the driving forces behing those Chagall's backdrops were the loss of his beloved wife Bella and the destruction of his hometown, Vitebsk by the nazis, along with the feeling of living in a foreign country as an eternal exile .

I found this interesting pic of Mme. Alonso and Youskevitch in Massine's "Aleko". One can see the gorgeous Chagall's backdrops, which in the second link are shown in a recent exhibition in Japan. I was also wondering if this ballet is still performed somewhere, or if there's any comercially released product around. 1- Alonso/Youskevitch in "Aleko". http://cache.viewimages.com/xc/2669759.jpg...55A1E4F32AD3138 2-Marc Chagall's "Land in his Soul" exhibition in Japan. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DX

"Dance to me is life itself.I have lived well. I have achieved a lot. I am aware that I have made history. I planted a seed which grew into a tree and the fruits have been exported all over the world." Mme. Alonso

A good question for the "This or that" thread...!

Always a pleasure. Coming up, Handel's Julius Cesar (sometime during this week) and Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami next weekend.

"Please, tell Alicia that many years have passed but so far nobody has ever danced "Theme and Variations" the way she did" George Balanchine

Thank you bart, for the insights at BF's future. I really hope for the big pockets to open to keep the good work going and for a succesful new season. Meanwhile, i was looking at their website, and i realized that today they are actually dancing the last performance of their 07/08 Season finale!. This is the program: 07/08 Season Finale. The Eissey Campus Theatre at Palm Beach Community College 1-Jerry Opdenaker. "World Premiere" 2-George Balanchine. "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux" 3-George Balanchine. "Allegro Brillante" 4-Lar Lubovitch. "Elemental Brubeck" http://balletflorida.com/index.cfm?fuseact...es.PERFORMANCES 0607 Eissey &x=9293063

Oh yes Peggy, Lorenita surely projects that dramatic aura around-(can't miss Alonso's old school on her). She was also one of my favorites back at her Havana days with Ballet Nacional de Cuba and now through her appearances with the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami. (BTW, she's due to dance "Carmen" for the CCBM's next Season!. )

Last night i went to the wonderful Season Finale of Mr. Michael Tylson's NWS. What a beautiful night did he deliver ... His Orchestra interpreted Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake Act III (with a pre-post Petipa's revision perspective, but still wonderfully played) and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (1967 revision). Bravo to Mr. Tylson and NWS. From his loyal spectator:

... ...

Program IV of the CCBM will be taking place at Miami's Manuel Artime Theater. The Miami Herald announced (thanks dirac!) that the program will include a performance by last CNB's defector, Carlitos Quenedit, who will perform the lead role in Le Spectre de la Rose. "Le Spectre de la Rose", a short romantic ballet depicting a young woman who dreams of a rose that comes leaping to life. Performances are at 8 p.m. May 10 and 5 p.m. May 11 at the Manuel Artime Theater, 900 SW First St." http://www.miamiherald.com/234/story/513843.html Good luck to my boys and girls!

I want to thank dirac for this link... And also from the Herald article... Quenedit went to Mexico approximately a year ago and had been dancing there with Ballet de Monterrey, which is headed by fellow Cuban Luis Serrano, a former principal dancer with Miami City Ballet. On April 21 he headed north, seeking more artistic opportunity, Peña says. ``He's very young, so he comes with all this desire to dance and do everything. For our part, we're very happy, and he'll also get the chance to show himself.''Serrano says that the young newcomer has a lot to show. ''He's a prince,'' Serrano said Tuesday from his company's offices in Monterrey. ``He's got a great physique, tremendous talent, great charisma. He's got everything he needs to dance with any company in the world.''Serrano says he encouraged Quenedit to travel to the United States. ``He always said he wanted to try the U.S., and I always said I'd support him 100 percent. Dancers have to fly, and you have to let them test their wings.'' So i just wanted to give Carlitos a warm WELCOME! . It's really wonderful that even if we (Cubans) can't go and see them over there it's still happening the other way around!. Oh well, once again, i feel very happy to see them coming and showing all they have to show. Carlitos, i wish you the best of lucks and I'll be at the Artime to whistle as a madman as in the old Lorca times. Note: BTW, as per Tuesday 29, his position was that of requesting political asylum. http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=353731 And this is a pic of him as Espada in the Cuban production of Don Quijote. http://www.ballet.co.uk/gallery/jr_cuba_do...nedit_capes_500 I wonder where will he be heading now that he's gone from the MCB roster...

....got it.

Thanks rg for the information, priceless as usual... I have a couple of other shots of Alonso in WA, and will look for them ( for some reason now i'm a little confuse with the absence of a headpiece that i think she shows on those and i can't see in the one with Fernando...) What about the staging without the overseeing of the Trust...? How is that considered...?

You're right, bart. I have that pic saved in my "Alberto Alonso" file-(Alicia's brother in low). He took part in "Pavane" during the Australian tour, while being a member The Original Ballet Russes. It is, indeed, a lovely pic. Here, two shots of it... http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an24146993 http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an24146929

Yesterday while at the beach-(what a great hot sunny day it was! )-i resumed the provocative and wonderfully varied David Leavitt & Mark Mitchell's compilation "The Penguin Book Of Gay Short Stories". Wow...anybody...?

I've always ADORED this beautiful Ravel's piece...

I was recently suggested to post a comment i made regarding a staging of one of Balanchine's "lost" ballets. Here i can't speak for the accuracy of the revival, or the involvement of the Trust/Fundation,if there was any (which i think there wasn't) as well as any other reference other than my memory. In one ocasion, Ballet Nacional de Cuba presented "Waltz Academy" as a part of a Balanchine program. I was a teen, and i can't really remember that much about it (back then i didn't even know who Balanchine was, but i had started going to ballet performances with my mother ). I still have the old program somewhere. Anyway, I dont know if this can be of any interest, given the fact that Alonso has always staged her versions by herself, without being overwatched...and i know how respected the whole protocol on the Trust and coaching is on BT.

Thanks for the information bart!...Anybody coming...?