Lolly

I have an RAD one which is good. There are two of them, I have the first. There are several bits of music for each exercise, so 2 plies, 4 tendus etc with different time signatures and speeds. There are 61 tracks so plenty of choice (of course you don't have to do the exercise they suggest for the corresponding piece of music!) It is all piano music, adaptions from ballets and well known songs etc so you will find yourself humming along! You can buy them from the RAD website, www.rad.org.uk Click on "Online Shopping" then "videos and CDs", they are right at the bottom of the page, called Studio Series.

Ed, if you haven't seen (or even if you have, for that matter!) Onegin, do go and see it - I haven't seen RDB dance it but I have seen it danced by the Royal Ballet here. It was wonderful - I can't wait to see it again when it returns for a brief summer run next month. It was so different from anything I had seen before. There are lots of reviews of various companies' productions here, if you put "Onegin" into the search feature they will all come up.

I love this ballet! I'm afraid I don't have much time today to discuss it but I remember writing quite a bit about it in Leigh's "Interpreting Ballet" thread in the Aesthetic Issues section, [edited by LAW to include the link to that thread: http://www.balletalert.com/forum/showthrea...=&threadid=4424 ] if you are interested (I was asking more questions than answering them really though!) On Ballett Frankfurt's website you can listen to an extract of the music: http://www.frankfurt-ballett.de/middle.rm I hope that link works for you, it should just start playing the music, but if you don't have realplayer, just go to the main page and click on "music", then "Willems" and you should be able to download it there. You can get a good sense of the piece from that.

I found this site with a lot of photos of ABT Studio Company: http://pbase.com/c_kuiphoff/abt I still don't know if Jared Matthews is dancing with RB in Australia - although John Meehan, the director of the studio company did email me back to say that they think Jared is very talented too!

Hazel, don't worry about dressing up to go to ROH! Half the time I go in jeans and trainers, it really doesn't matter! Yes there are times when I like to dress up (if I have a really good seat or it is an important night) but honestly I think I get more strange looks for wearing a dress and having flowers in my hair than I do for wearing trainers! And there are always matinees if you don't live in London (I don't either) - or of course taking that last train home which gets back VERY late!! (But it's always worth it even if I vow every time that I will never do it again - that journey is sooo slow!) And tickets are not that expensive either - I often decide to go at the last minute and gets slips seats for £3 or £4 - and even my favourite seats only cost £12! Have I convinced you yet? Attitude, I hope you will write a review of Alina in Giselle! This Swan Lake one is great!

Another belated report! I liked Tryst. But my overriding thought was "Gosh, you can tell Christopher Wheeldon has been in NY" - it was Balanchine and Gershwin and Stravinsky on first look. I haven't seen much Balanchine but it seemed to have certain things distilled into it. It was very clean, very leotard if that makes sense! The corps were good, as Sylvia said, very well rehearsed. I absolutely LOVED the ending where they were all on diagonal lines doing small movements (port de bras and tendus etc changing alignments), it was so perfect and precise - I was incredibly jealous of all those fantastic 5th positions! (I was in the slips) Darcey and Jonathan's pdd was nice - Darcey walked on and stood near the wings, she looked so beautiful just standing there. I did think some of their steps were a bit too forced though - the lift Sylvia described was odd. And I didn't "get" the part where it seemed as if a plane flew overhead and they watched, then curled up and writhed around on the floor - it looked like a nuclear attack or something - I don't know. And their section did seem to me to be very separated from the rest - I thought they must have rehearsed it separately so it couldn't be integrated easily. I can't wait to see it again though - it definitely needs more than one viewing. Leaves is very pretty but I didn't enjoy it as much this time around. It reinforced my opinion that Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg are perfect for each other though! Month I enjoy more each time I see it - there is so much to see. I love the part with the misplaced keys, and the pas de quatre at the beginning is fantastic, and Kolya flying his kite around the room and over the chaise longue is just breathtaking, it is so poetic. I was sorry Ivan didn't dance - I had wanted to see him again in this but couldn't make that date. I hope his not dancing was precautionary rather than necessary. He and Jonathan both dance the role so well. Like Sylvia, I am lost now they are on tour - shall we form a support group?!!;)

Thank you Flo - hopefully we'll see him on stage here then! I wonder if he has gone on tour with RB? They are away for a month, then come back to do a few Coppelias, Don Qs and Onegins before the end of the season. Do you know what sort of style he has? (What did he dance in the ABT show?) He looked like he fitted in well here but one class is not much to go by!

I'm sorry I haven't reported anything lately, my new job is very tiring, then there is class etc! Doesn't mean I haven't been to ROH of course... Stupidly I only booked for one performance of R&J, I must have has a moment of insanity as it is my favourite ballet! What was I thinking?! When I realised what I had done I was on the phone to the box office every day to ask about returns but no luck:( But this has a happy ending - I ended up going to opening night as planned, then took a day off work to queue for day seats, and also went to watch the live screening in the Piazza - hurrah! First up was Darcey Bussell and Roberto Bolle, who were lovely - I think they were my favourite cast. I hadn't seen much of Roberto before but I'd certainly like to see him again, he did the youthful impulsiveness thing very convincingly. Ivan Putrov was Benvolio, Ricardo Cervera, Mercutio and they worked so well together, they really danced like a team. One of my favourite sections is the pas de trois with Mercutio, Benvolio and Romeo outside the Capulet house. So in the pas de trois they were perfect - the three of them looked like a little gang, like they were having so much fun! I think they were the neatest and most polished cast. Then I saw Sylvie Guillem and Nicholas LeRiche with Ivan and Ricardo again. I liked this cast less but I was so thrilled to be seeing it again I didn't care who I saw! I find I am disliking Sylvie less, the more I see of her, if that makes sense! I'm not a fan but I can appreciate her now, which is good. Nicholas was very good at the abandoned passion thing, but he is a bit too wild and unpredictable for my tastes - it seemed as if he would fall over sometimes (but of course he never will!) They didn't look so good in the pas de trois as Ivan and Ricardo are so noticeably cleaner technicians than Nicholas it looked unbalanced. His final scenes with Sylvie in the tomb were stunning though - very moving. In the Piazza screening Sylvie was dancing with Jonathan Cope, with Ricardo as Mercutio and Edward Watson as Benvolio. It was a nice atmosphere outside ROH, but by act II it was very cold and windy! (I did hear a lot of people during the first act saying they would leave at "half-time" - which amused me! Not least because it is a 3 act ballet...) I liked Sylvie more with Jonathan, he brings out the best in her I think. He did the joyful love and longing thing the best. The pas de trois didn't work at all this time, I didn't feel. Their timings were so different they didn't seem to dance like a unit at all, it looked messy. Jonathan is much taller than the others to start with and Edward and Ricardo hear the music differently so they were all over the place. (I think Ricardo anticipates the beat, yet he isn't ever early - complicated!) None of them danced badly at all, I think they were just badly matched. The cast came out to take a bow for us outside, which was lovely! They looked a bit stunned, but very happy. It was nice to see them out of context almost, but they did look like they were in fancy dress or something, without the stage around them. I saw Johannes and thought "Oh, there is Johannes in a Paris costume!" It was surreal! (And bizarre to see Sylvie in a jacket and leg warmers over her Juliet costume!) This ballet really is amazing though. In the Piazza screening I heard a lot of gasps when the curtain came up for the Dance of the Knights, so much of it is spectacular (sword-fighting was BRILLIANT!), and there is so much movement, that the contrast with the quiet parts couldn't be more marked. Special mention for Johannes Stepanek as Paris, who was lovely. Paris seems a bit of a wet blanket sometimes, he doesn't get to do much, yet Johannes injected so much feeling into the role - I felt so sorry for him when Sylvie finally rejected him. Ricardo was a fantastic Mercutio - he has made it his own, certainly. I can't imagine anyone else having more speed or cheek than him! (That is another part where he and Ivan bounced off each other well - the ballroom scene where they dance to distract attention from Romeo - they were so cheeky and boyish! Ivan's barging through the couples and apologising was hilarious!) Well, apologies for the belated review! I do recommend the Piazza screenings though, if anyone is considering going to another. It did get cold (it was fine till the sun went down about 9pm) so wrap up well. The screen was huge and the camerawork good enough so you didn't feel like you were missing anything. Hurrah for RB!!

Yes, we are all VERY concerned about the amount of Ashton works which are currently in the rep, as I'm sure you know! But I shan't turn this into another "new director" debate...;) I managed to see The Dream three times in its short run here last season (it was paired with Song of the Earth and also featured in a mixed bill of pas de deux etc) and I loved it. I saw Carlos Acosta dance it with Sarah Wildor and they were great, although I much preferred Johan Kobborg in the role as I felt it was more "him". The person I thought came closest to dancing like Sir Anthony was Hubert Essakow, who was, I think, third cast with Alina Cojocaru! He was very calm and precise, a very pretty dancer who we don't see much of these days. (Haven't seen him for months actually - perhaps he is injured. He is still on the company list!) But I think he only got one performance so he wouldn't have had time to develop himself in the role really. The main reason for me writing this is that I'm sure I have a piece of video somewhere of Sir Anthony coaching Carlos as Oberon - I'm not sure how the guardianship of a ballet works but I thought it would mean at least that if the owner/guardian didn't coach, they had to be happy with the finished production - so did Sir Anthony coach everyone there? I must say after seeing Angel Corella and Ethan Stiefel here I can't imagine what they would be like as Oberon... I'd love to see them though. It is such a unique role that I bet there are a lot of disappointments (like the woman who missed Carlos' fireworks - she should have gone to see him in Don Q instead;) ) but as well there must be a lot of nice surprises when someone unexpected dances it really well. I hope you all enjoy it though - you must have got our share of Ashton this season! If anyone is dithering about whether to go and see it, please, go for me!

Can anyone tell me anything about Jared Matthews from the Studio Company? I saw him taking class with RB a few weeks ago (I'm not even sure why he was here) and can't find any information about him! He looks like one to watch from what I saw of him in class. Thank you.

I know a song about Thumbelina, I can't resist... Thumbelina, Thumbelina, tiny little thing, Thumbelina dance, Thumbelina sing... Can't remember any more, it could be Disney as I think they did a cartoon version of the story. I believe "moldwarp" is a mole.

As far as I understand it, if you have an OBE, you are referred to with your title and your first name, not your surname, so Alicia Markova is Dame Alicia and not Dame Markova. The same with men, so Anthony Dowell is Sir Anthony and not Sir Dowell. Although if you are the wife of a Knight, you are Lady Surname and not Lady first name, if you haven't been awarded the title on your achievements. I could be mistaken but that is how I understood it. So that is why the Queen cares about names, the etiquette is down to her!;)

As far as I understand it, if you have an OBE, you are referred to with your title and your first name, not your surname, so Alicia Markova is Dame Alicia and not Dame Markova. The same with men, so Anthony Dowell is Sir Anthony and not Sir Dowell. Although if you are the wife of a Knight, you are Lady Surname and not Lady first name, if you haven't been awarded the title on your achievements. I could be mistaken but that is how I understood it. So that is why the Queen cares about names, the etiquette is down to her!;)

I agree Estelle, the level of interpretation and the need to analyse depends on the work. I've been thinking more about Forsythe and Middle in relation to this discussion, and I think maybe I'm more interested in his motivation to create the work, rather than what the finished product 'means'. After reading more about it, two things struck me, firstly that Middle is the central section of a longer work, Impressing the Csar, and secondly, that Forsythe admired Jacques Derrida. I thought maybe I could come up with something here as I did a bit of deconstructionalism at college... but I just realised that yes I would have had something to say if only I had listened in my Critical Theory classes! (I seem to have filtered most of it out as my tutor was obsessed with psychoanalysis and brought everything back to Freud. Larkin wrote "I spent my second quarter-century losing what I had learned at university" Well, I'm not in my second quarter-century yet but am making good headway with forgetting everything already, oh dear!) But I'll give it a shot! Derrida was famous for saying "The centre is not the centre", meaning that the centre only exists because it is defined by its boundaries - it is not a thing in itself. So if Middle is actually the central section of a longer work, its function differs depending on whether it is performed on it's own or inside the full length piece. I read that the title of Middle can also be interpreted as simply being the middle piece of a longer work. If it is performed on its own, it removes it from its meaning - it is no longer the middle, it is a whole thing in itself. Derrida is saying that the centre doesn't exist in itself, it is only there because of the other elements around it. But clearly Middle still exists without Impressing the Csar. I don't really know how to make conclusions from this (maybe someone else does?!) but I found a good word to describe what I mean! It's 'autotelic' and I think it means that art is it's own goal - an end in itself and therefore doesn't merit further explanation. However, this word isn't in the OED so I don't know if it is real!! I found some interesting quotations from an exam paper too, I don't know who said them but they are thought provoking and hopefully relevant here! "A text has to represent somebody's meaning - and who has better claim than the author to be the determiner of a text's meaning?" "Books are like a picnic, to which the author brings the words and the reader the meaning." "Without appropriate research into the historical context of a literary work, interpretations will only ever be impressionistic, anachronistic and irresponsible." Which brings this back full circle to Leigh's first post about social and historical contexts! It made me think more about Middle, knowing about Impressing the Csar, and Forsythe's connection with Derrida, so maybe Forsythe has achieved his goal by making me think about his work? Even though I find the theory of the whole thing confusing, knowing what direction I'm facing does help align my thoughts with the choreographer's. Hopefully!;)

I agree Estelle, the level of interpretation and the need to analyse depends on the work. I've been thinking more about Forsythe and Middle in relation to this discussion, and I think maybe I'm more interested in his motivation to create the work, rather than what the finished product 'means'. After reading more about it, two things struck me, firstly that Middle is the central section of a longer work, Impressing the Csar, and secondly, that Forsythe admired Jacques Derrida. I thought maybe I could come up with something here as I did a bit of deconstructionalism at college... but I just realised that yes I would have had something to say if only I had listened in my Critical Theory classes! (I seem to have filtered most of it out as my tutor was obsessed with psychoanalysis and brought everything back to Freud. Larkin wrote "I spent my second quarter-century losing what I had learned at university" Well, I'm not in my second quarter-century yet but am making good headway with forgetting everything already, oh dear!) But I'll give it a shot! Derrida was famous for saying "The centre is not the centre", meaning that the centre only exists because it is defined by its boundaries - it is not a thing in itself. So if Middle is actually the central section of a longer work, its function differs depending on whether it is performed on it's own or inside the full length piece. I read that the title of Middle can also be interpreted as simply being the middle piece of a longer work. If it is performed on its own, it removes it from its meaning - it is no longer the middle, it is a whole thing in itself. Derrida is saying that the centre doesn't exist in itself, it is only there because of the other elements around it. But clearly Middle still exists without Impressing the Csar. I don't really know how to make conclusions from this (maybe someone else does?!) but I found a good word to describe what I mean! It's 'autotelic' and I think it means that art is it's own goal - an end in itself and therefore doesn't merit further explanation. However, this word isn't in the OED so I don't know if it is real!! I found some interesting quotations from an exam paper too, I don't know who said them but they are thought provoking and hopefully relevant here! "A text has to represent somebody's meaning - and who has better claim than the author to be the determiner of a text's meaning?" "Books are like a picnic, to which the author brings the words and the reader the meaning." "Without appropriate research into the historical context of a literary work, interpretations will only ever be impressionistic, anachronistic and irresponsible." Which brings this back full circle to Leigh's first post about social and historical contexts! It made me think more about Middle, knowing about Impressing the Csar, and Forsythe's connection with Derrida, so maybe Forsythe has achieved his goal by making me think about his work? Even though I find the theory of the whole thing confusing, knowing what direction I'm facing does help align my thoughts with the choreographer's. Hopefully!;)

Yes, Martin was a very good Mercutio! Although I was in the Amphi so couldn't see his face - I haven't made that mistake again! I think Johannes and Edward would make nice Benvolios and I agree it would be good to see Ricardo as Mercutio. But then if it was up to me I'd let R&J run and run, then everyone could have a go! Alas... I'm sure they will all learn it even if they don't get to dance this time around, but I suppose that isn't much comfort! Just thinking about this new faces thing, one of the best moments of walking into ROH is going to pick up a programme, looking at the cast sheet and seeing who is dancing! Half the time it's relief that your favourite is in it, but the other half it's exciting to think what someone will make of their role. I saw the pas seul William choreographed for Darcey to the Seguedille from Carmen, it was beautiful, I would love to have danced it! I wouldn't write him off yet!!;)

Yes, I try and get to see everything but as I don't live in London it makes it more difficult, and as I have ballet class almost every day it limits when I can go! Although my teachers never mind too much as I'm still learning about ballet even if I'm not in class, so I'm let off if I absolutely have to see a certain cast! But yes, I like the stuff in the Linbury and the Clore, did you see The Misty Frontier - Javier de Frutos? Martin was great in that, and Marianela too of course. I saw Martin's first Mercutio last year so I hope he gets to do it again this time around. And I'm looking forward to William Tuckett's thing in the Clore next week too.

When Miyako and Ivan took their first bow, Miyako looked gracious and lovely, Ivan looked a bit stunned, as if he was thinking, "I've danced... and they loved it! They are applauding us!" When he took his curtain on his own he just enjoyed the applause, it was very loud indeed! I might try and get a slips ticket or something to see it again, it seems like there are a few still available as the upper slips weren't packed last night (nor some of the boxes). I think Ivan should be made Principal, but I'll compromise on First Soloist with you! (For now!!);)

Jonathan Howells was in the Pas de Six in last night's Giselle. He was in Por Vos Muero too. I like him, he is interesting. The more I think about who I like in RB, the harder it is to pick dancers out, we have so many good ones! I completely agree about Johannes - they need to promote him too or he will end up languishing in the corps but getting good stuff to dance anyway!! Martin Harvey is a great dancer too, and sparkling personality. Ben Gartside, Edward Watson, who says we haven't got any male dancers ready to dance?? I'd love to see Ivan and Alina do R&J together! Golly! And I hope we get to see the new dancers in some sort of showcase, I want to know who they all are!

Yes, they aren't just pretty pink shoes I agree! I saw a photo of a model on a catwalk a couple of years ago wearing pointe shoes, I bet she got more blisters than she would have in high heels! It's a strange world.

I just noticed that Scottish Ballet are advertising their latest work as "The Two Pigeons - from the choreographer of La Fille Mal Gardee". I thought it was quite amusing, it makes it sound as if it is new and Ashton is still creating ballets! (Alas...)

I saw Miyako Yoshida and Ivan Putrov last night. Ross Stretton came onstage and asked that we stand for a minute's silence before the performance. Miyako was lovely, she is so perfect, her smile is beautiful and she looked so delightful and girlish. Her mad scene was very reproachful towards Albrecht, as if she was saying "How could you do this to me?". I think she had died of a broken heart well before she stabbed herself. However, I couldn't disagree more with Sylvia about Ivan - I think he is just amazing. He is very romantic and so gentle - maybe he played Albrecht more as being idealistic and completely in love with the thought of being in love, rather than any hot fiery passions - which would surely look out of place in this ballet? (I had the thought that because he is so technically dazzling, maybe that is why some don't find him a convincing actor - you can't suspend your disbelief that he isn't "just" a dancer, as his dancing is so incredible.) He partners very carefully too - I wouldn't worry about being dropped if I had been Miyako! It all seems so easy for him, he doesn't seem to make any effort in his jumps, yet he gets so much height and clarity into them. His entrechats were so light and fast, I turned to my friend and mouthed "WOW!!" - his beats are so fluttering it looks as if he does hundreds. His sissones just paused in the air for a while in the soubresaut before separating his legs, you could actually see this happen where he stayed in the air for a few moments like an illusion or something, I was astonished. Didn't Nureyev say something about how it was easy to do that, you just go up, wait a bit and then come down? Ivan certainly has that incredible gift. In his grand jetes chasing Giselle in Act I, you could see him trying to hold himself back as he was catching up with her too much - he covers so much ground. I didn't feel any kind of resentment towards his Albrecht for deluding Giselle, I felt very sorry for him, the look on his face when he was almost dying... and in the final moments of the ballet when he walks slowly downstage as the curtain falls, well, I could have wept. I think it was probably me who Sylvia quoted as saying Ivan should be promoted, I truly believe that he should be. You have to remember until the end of last season he was only Corps and was doing big roles back then! He's a Soloist - not even First Soloist... surely he deserves promotion? Also, he wasn't even cast for Albrecht at the start- he is covering Johan Persson's two shows with Miyako, and Nathan Coppen's two with Jaimie Tapper! With four performances, he gets more shows than any of the other dancers. The management seem to be quietly confident in him. The Pas de six was okay. Ricardo Cervera seems to hear the music differently to the others, he is a beautiful dancer but with the others something just wasn't quite right (Maybe if I was more musical myself I could put my finger on it.) Jaimie Tapper was lively and engaging but had noticeably turned in glissades! Gillian Revie was Myrtha, she was quite good. I didn't think she was threatening enough towards Hilarion and Albrecht though, I think they could have got past her if they had tried! She's very pretty though and I hope she is given interesting things more. (She's the kind of dancer who I wouldn't book to see, but I'd be pleased to see her name on the cast sheet when I get there.) Laura Morera and Mara Galeazzi were her attendants, they looked very similar (on stage, not in real life!) so they gave a good unity to the Wilis. The Wilis were amazing, they are what I remember from seeing Giselle this time last year - I walked away that time with complete satisfaction our company as a whole really is wonderful, because we had such a fantastic Corps. (I barely remembered I had seen Tamara Rojo and Johan Kobborg!!) They are still great, but I didn't get the same first time thrill from seeing them. I'm starting to worry I'm seeing too much ballet now, I find it hard knowing everyone's name but still being absorbed into the story ballets - it's hard not to think "Oh, look, there's so-and-so being a peasant!":)

My goodness Sylvia, how can you say Ivan Putrov is sub-standard?!! I'm off to the Giselle topic to explain myself! Give me the debut any day, you never know what might happen on stage and it might be something quite wonderful... and often is.

My goodness Sylvia, how can you say Ivan Putrov is sub-standard?!! I'm off to the Giselle topic to explain myself! Give me the debut any day, you never know what might happen on stage and it might be something quite wonderful... and often is.

Leigh, when you said you sometimes help the audience out by explaining a title, you reminded me that when I saw Middle a few weeks ago, I read afterwards in the programme notes that the title refers to a bunch of cherries suspended above the dancers - well, I didn't notice any cherries! I felt embarrassed, I couldn't work out if this was my "fault" for not taking in the whole spectacle of the stage, or the choreographer for not making them prominent, if they were so important to the work. (Of course if they were there, they may not have been visible from my seat!) But then I realised that to me, what does that ballet have to do with cherries, or the middle of anything?! I don't think it's about anything, just light and speed, sound, movement... or cherries?? So to me it just seems like another anti-interpretation device, like although a ballet's title isn't necessarily an indication of its meaning, it does foreground certain aspects of it, leading you to think it is significant. If Middle had anything to do with cherries, I would have the dancers wearing red... It could have been grapes hanging above the stage, or oranges. Does it matter if I have missed the point? If, when there are answers, you come up with different ones? I loved it without the cherries. How did you feel when the NY Times said Green was set in the woods? Did you think they hadn't paid attention to what you were trying to do (by neither reading the notes nor the ballet as you had intended)? Or they had just discovered some new aspect of it you hadn't seen or anticipated? I think I'd be a bit cross that they has missed my point, yet of course an audience can read a piece of art however they want. It seems it is hard to reconcile the need to be illuminating enough to satisfy the curious, without being totally prescriptive to those who want their art to be more open ended, to do their own thinking.