cubanmiamiboy

He seems to be living and dancing in Rome. http://www.rolandosarabia.com/wordpress/biography/

An update on Daniel Sarabia. He is listed as a Principal dancer with the Arts Ballet Theater of Florida, the same company where Mary Carmen Catoya is dancing now. http://www.artsballettheatre.org/dance.html

Catoya will be dancing Swannilda in the Arts Ballet Theater of Florida's upcoming production of Coppelia. This is a minor-(although professional)-company in which Catoya has danced ever since her departure from MCB. She was my favorite Swannilda/Coppelia in Villella's production. I'm going to see her. http://www.artsballettheatre.org/p3.html

Ok...so this is a recurrent fantasy that I always have on ballet. There are some wonderful PDD's that were created as gala performances showpieces, and otherwise we never get to see them. Have you ever fantasized on the idea of including them as a part of a whole ballet, so said full lenght work would look enhanced and more exciting to watch...? I have, and every time I watch Tchaikovsky PDD I wish it could be as a part of a whole Swan Lake, either on the ballroom scene or in the first act. Other times I think of Grand Pas Classique, and given the VERY limited amount of times that we get to see it, it woyld be-(in my mind)-a wonderful addition to my Fantasy Nutcracker-(another opportunity for Fee Dragee and Coqueluche, and an extra chance to show the usually neglected male dancer here). Other times I'm even more ambitious, and I would put the WHOLE Sylphides within Act II of Giselle!! He,he...call me nuts, but hey...one can always dream, right...? ;-) Any other ideas...? [meida] [/media]

I have read enough books by both Markova and Alonso to know that, back in their days, this was a role reserved only to the capable ones. There were only a very few Giselles in the world, and even some famous ballerinas of the times didn't feel up to it, so they passed. Nowadays everyone dances Giselle...and even choreographic esentials, like the sautes in question, are being chopped off, and this is simply non acceptable. I always go back to this two legends of ballet, the two Alicias, when I want to refresh how the Pas Seul OUGHT to be danced. About the sautes, let's look how a blind 43 years old takes them in such a slow pace that the strain on that pointe must had been unbearable. The hopes seem to go forever, and Shapran...THAT is how the section must be danced. Alonso, Moscow, 1958 Alonso, Havana, 1963. Markova, 1954

Welcome, pilarsings!

But Natasha...this last video also shows the diagonal being modified. She does some sautes, but still interchanges them with off pointe sections...

I think there is a generalized lack of strength around the ankle section in the contemporary ballerinas when compared to those from past generations. Sautes on pointe are here and there in different sections of choreography-(the Cuban black swan coda, Balanchine's lead Marzipan, and the Tarantella in Anyuta, to cite some examples). When Anyuta was revived, Obratzsova changed the section of the choreo in which she is supposed to do the backwards traveling sautes in arabesque, from pointe to flat feet. Maximova, @ 0:43 Obratzsova @ 0:47

"Rodeo in the Upper Room" (Ehem, I think I liked a lot your title, Kaysta, so I stole it....)

Her pirouettes on the left went only en dedands, and the sautes on pointe section looked like it had been carefully changed and re choreographed to suit her weakness. That's not a role for her. There are many adagio-based/Juliet type for that type of dancers. Leave the technical roles for the capable technical ballerinas.

So Dvorovenko and Herrera were the only ballerinas who danced in the full production...? How about Kent...or Murphy..?

My traveling partner-(my mom)-who is still an active teacher, doesn't get off her school schedule by then, so I will have to settle for June.

But...the original libretto calls for a double suicide, so I don't see how keeping Odette and Siegfried alive can be considered a faithful rendition.

Thank you Natasha. I was just thinking about mid June. I won't wait for details. I need to ask for that time ASAP.

Let's add some other memorable moments. Best. The two retirement performances of Giselle, specially the magical night with Reyes/Cornejo. Bolle's Albrecht. Worst. Poor Osipova's huge fall during her Giselle...

Hello! I'm trying to put my dates for my summer vacation...this year to Russia! I've been delaying the request at work trying to see if the website of the "Stars.." gives performances info, but to no avail so far. It's there any way to have an idea about it, or which month-(between June or July)-would be the most convenient...? Any info appreciated!!!

Seeing the recon at La Scala, it's easy to see why it is almost impossible to take the religious aspect off the ballet. The whole thing has a heavy emphasis on the crusades, with De Brienne kneeling before Raymonda, the spear and everything. Oh, and those big crosses on the knights. I think the Holmes production looked a bit silly after trying to convert the libretto into a quest for love between two knights. I don't think it worked.

What's with the fate of ABT's Raymonda...? Is it too risky to revive the tale of the winning situation between a Christian Hungarian princess and her crusader fiancée against the Muslim bad guy...? Is this ballet defunct for good from the company due to lack of political correctness..?

ABT's. It is the best rendition of the double suicide original version.

Let's not forget what made us clap with excitement or yawn with boredom! Best: Ratmansky's "Sleeping Beauty" Worst: MCB's "Carmen" Your picks..?

Just read it. Very interesting indeed. Thanks!

Cubanmiamiboy's list. Worst Dressed. kate Hudson in Michael Kors. Gina Rodriguez in Zac Posen Melissa McCarthy in....something.

Edited: Double post

Edited: Double post.

Hi Jack. I think you meant to write "La Source" instead of "La Valse". That said, Lourdes Lopez went onstage and gave a little pre performance talk, in which she stated that Merryl Ashley had come to stage it, along with Nilas Martins to stage his father's piece. Tricia Albertson and a lovely Renato Panteado were the leads, with Zoe Zien as the soloist girl. I liked the piece, although I don't see it being a favorite of mine a la T&V, Symphony in C or Diamonds. It has an elegant allure though. Then came the Martins thing. It had something to do with two couples onstage, one representing classical ballet, the other modern dance. Boring stuff...completely forgettable. And then.."In the Upper Room", which by now it seems to be the presentation card of MCB. It looks as it is danced every other season. Can we have a break from it..? Of course, the audience was whistling and cheering by the end. Miami LOVES this type of stuff, as much as they adore Cirque de Soleil. Oh well. By the way...I also remember fondly Mary Carmen in the segment you mention. She was wonderful. I really miss her dancing a lot. I was sitting in a box, and my neighboring box was full of MCB dancers who were very enthusiastic by the end of the Tharp piece, screaming and encouraging their peers. ;-) Now...let's go back to the Raymonda conversation....