Giannina

Ballet has always been a part of my life. My mother, a very wise woman, introduced me to ballet. As soon as it was physically possible she started me on ballet and piano lessons. To fortify the lessons she would take me to piano recitals and ballet performances. I much preferred ballet. I don't think she realized that in order to pursue a career in ballet I had to take several classes a week rather than just one (or maybe she did; as I said, she was a wise woman!) Though my ballet ability did not increase, my knowledge and love of ballet did. Mama and I attended every ballet performance possible. This was in San Francisco so not only did we have San Francisco Ballet (where I studied) but also the traveling major companies. After my classes I would watch the advanced classes. This is where I truly learned not only to love ballet but also what is involved in dancing ballet: the muscles used, how each part of the body must be held, the correct way to do each step; I saw the effort involved and then saw the dancers disguise it. When I married I hit a 15 year hiatus; it took me that long to get my husband into a theater and there-by convince him that ballet wasn't all that bad. My love for ballet constantly increases; I simply cannot get enough of it. As soon as our youngest leaves the nest (at my age I have a 16 year old; don't ask!) my husband and I plan to travel extensively, keeping ballet always in the travel plans. I can't wait! Giannina [This message has been edited by Giannina Mooney (edited 11-19-98).]

No, I don't want to moderate, but I'll put in the first request. I've already stated it in my other posts. I'd like a copy of a commercial TV presentation of Royal Ballet's "Sleeping Beauty" with Merle Park, and also a copy of a PBS presentation of ABT's "Sleeping Beauty" with Cynthia Gregory (I have a bad copy of the latter and would like a clearer one). There are many other TV offerings of which I'm not familiar (I was taught never to end a sentence with a preposition). I remember Peter Martins and Kay Mazzo dancing (in leotards or something like that) to music played on a piano on stage. I'm not sure how we'll work out the mechanics of these exchanges. I'd be willing to pay for the tape and postage; I do not have the means to copy a tape myself. Giannina Mooney [This message has been edited by Giannina Mooney (edited 11-16-98).]

Alexandra...Chenchikova is on a Wolf Trap performance that was shown on TV. Good in that; better in person. Giannina [This message has been edited by Giannina Mooney (edited 11-15-98).]

I've already admitted I'm a technique-person, and I have to add I'm also a foot-person. I've also admitted somewhere (where? here? aab?) that technique alone does not necessarily a ballerina make. Having said all that, to me techique is most important. Having studied ballet in my youth at San Francisco Ballet (I was lousy) from the likes of Lew Christensen (!) I learned what it takes to dance ballet, and to me you follow the rules or it's not good ballet. I can tell from Odette's technique in her entrance and first bow in "Swan Lake" whether or not I'm going to like her. You'd think that that would make Guillem and Herrera my candidates for greatest ballerinas but they aren't (even tho I'd walk over broken glass to see Guillem). I'm not sure I can define the other quality. It could be acting ability, which is imperataive in the story ballets, but then what about the plot-less ballets? I think I'd call it "soul". The ballerina has to let the me know she cares about what she's dancing. If she tells me "I love this choreography" or "I am Giselle", if she tells me that now that she's started this ballet she's consumed and can't stop (I'm getting chills just writing this) then she's got me. There's always the exception. For me it's Kirov's Olga Chenchikova, who has retired. She came to Los Angeles at the same time Asylmuratova came. Fans and critics were raving about Asylmuratova and I was going bananas over Chenchikova. She is a large woman (which turned those up-side-down lifts in "Swan Lake's" 2nd act to mere shoulder lifts) and she can't act. Her technique is something else again: rock solid. Even though I knew her performance lacked "soul" I was stunned by her technique and loved her. (The guy sitting next to me called her technique "levers and pullies"; he was right!) Giannina Mooney

Asylmuratova is a favorite for most, if not all, of us. Interesting note. I watched the PBS special featuring Zizi Jeanmarie (spelling). In it they showed clips of her in "Carmen". It then showed scenes of her coaching Asylmuratova for the same role. Now I consider Asylmuratova's technique better than Zizi's, but there is no way in the world Asylmuratova was ever going to match Zizi's protrayal of Carmen! Zizi is more the woman, more the vamp, more the actress, and (I can't believe I'm going to say this, being the weight watcher that I am) Asylmuratova is too thin. Fascinating stuff. Giannina

There's a tape of Makarova rehearsing one of Robbins' ballets with Robbins. He's telling her to dance ON the beat and she says she isn't doing that because she wants the dancing to "flow". "It'll flow, just do it on the beat", pleads Robbins. No meeting of the minds there! Makarova did play with tempo and was a fanatic about "phrasing". I have much of "Swan Lake" memorized but not all of the solos. Unlike Jane I would often get the impression that Makarova was making up her "Swan Lake" 2nd Act solos as she went along. It's as if she was thinking, "I think I'll show them a little [name a step] here; I feel like throwing in a [name another step] here". I forgave her just about anything. Giannina [This message has been edited by Giannina Mooney (edited 11-12-98).]

I agree with Alexandra; see all of them! I've seen MacFerrow (good) and Ferri (super!). Having seen Anaiashvili in "Swan Lake" I'd assume she'd be the "pick of the litter". You can't go wrong with Jaffe. Kent is fairly new and I'm sure she'd be very good. One of the great joys of ballet is to compare: one dancer against another, one production against another; even the same dancer one night against another. I do love ballet! Giannina Mooney [This message has been edited by Giannina Mooney (edited 11-09-98).]

OK; it has nothing to do with videos! First time I've submitted a topic; next time (?) I'll do better. Giannina

If you had the choice of a perfect moment with a ballet personality what would you choose? I was presented one of my "perfect moments" a few years ago. My daughter and I were at a San Francisco Ballet performance. In the ticket line I spotted Makarova, my all-time favorite ballerina. I grabbed a program, asked for her autograph, and was struck speechless! No "You're my favorite ballerina"; no "Thank you for the years of happiness you've given me". I just stood there as she wrote, mumbled thanks, and watched her walk away. Of course I giggled the rest of the evening! My choice of a favorite moment would be to have Merril Ashley (in point shoes) and her book "Dancing For Balanchine" in a dance studio for a day and have her explain/demonstrate Balanchine to me. Giannina

There's a commercial TV broadcast of Royal Ballet's "Sleeping Beauty" starring Merle Park. I was never much of a fan of hers but she danced like nobody's business in this one: terrific. I'd love a tape of that one. Giannina Mooney

I'd love to wax poetic on this subject but I feel I can't until I see Paris Opera Ballet. From what I've read I think my favorite ballerina might reside there. Asylmuratova is certainly high on the list. Great question, Alexandra. Giannina

She WAS Myrtha in "Giselle". Giannina

I'd like to see Cynthia Gregory in PBS's "Sleeping Beauty". I have a fuzzy tape of it but would like a clear one as I think it's Gregory at her best. Giannina

I'd like to see "Monotones II". The only performance of it I've seen is the Joffrey tape. I'd like to see dancers with extremely solid technique do this since I think it's a gorgeous example of ballet technique. And that music! Giannina