Nanarina

sorryif I have gone Sorry if I have gone but it just seamed to go on. Perhaps the comments regarding The Cuban Style could be transferred to another new Topic?

Oh, if anything, he is certainly very STRAIGHT. And you're right...it is definitely a particularity of the Cuban male dancers... That's SO comforting to know! Isn't it...? Ha, double entendres aside, I like the 'upright' nature of the Cuban trained men when it comes to their pirouettes. Jose Manuel Carreno has that incredibly 'pulled up' feeling to him too (I won't say 'straight' - lol). For me the Cuban training doesn't look as good for some reason on some of the women, esp Viengsay Valdes, or maybe it's just a body type preference. Carlos Acco. I think I had better clarify that I meant "Pulled up", sorry. obviously I was refering to his technique!! I just could not think of the correct term at the time (It is the rampages of age you know!!) Back to the subject of the Cuban Style, I just do not find Carlos A. appealing. But now Jose Manuel Carr. has a different quality for me. I think he is superb. and I cannot help saying I put him in a completly different catergory. I have not seen this live at all, so I hope to go up to London when the Cuban Company are at The Coliseum later. Maybe I will learn something.

For myself I usually try to see ballets where both principals are of a certain standard, but surely only Yanovsky in the RB is unusually tall and until he retired last year Mason imported Kenneth Greve to dance with her. The idea of male dancers gaining the status of principal on the basis of height rather than achievement quite appals me. I think it is so unfortuinate how often we hear nowadys that this or that Dancer has been promoted because of any relationship they may have in their private life within companies. They have a saying in France "It is the tongues of Vipers". To be realistic how could this work in a large professional organisation like an Opera \house or Theatre. When you consider that relationships occur between both Dancers, Stage crew and Orchestra Members, not to discount other staff members. It would make the running of the organisation rather difficult if this practise was really followed. In 2007 Aurelie Dupont's husband Jeremie Belingard, already a Principal Dancer, having won various competitions in the company to achieve the rank, was promoted to Etoile. There was quite a lot of comments to the same effect. But you only had to see him dance to understand he was more than worthy of his promotion. The critiques he was awarded for his role of Frederie in L'Arlesienne soon quelled the trouble makers.

I think she is excellent as Myrtha in the second act of Giselle, featuring the wonderful Alina Cojocaru & her partner Johan Kobborg, I often watch this DVD. and find it very good. Although Alina is my top favourite dancer with Aurelie Dupont at the POB, I would be very interested in seeing Marianela Nunnex and also Laura Morera, in preference to Rojo who I just find rather boring I am sorry to say. and does not compare to the others for me. I have the DVD of Snow White and I find her quite disapointing. The other dancer mentioned who I regret to say, despite his many achievements. is not to my liking is Carlos Acosta I prefer a more lyrical style even if it is a guy. There does not seem to be much flexibility in his technique, and I just do not enjoy watching him dance. Maybe it is the Cuban style training.

This DVD has been released in Europe and the Uk, it is also available from Amazon over the net. I would imagine it is super on the wide cinema screen. I think it is excellent, as it is a whole new concept, which has no relation to the original Cinderella being set in Hollywood. You can reconise the characters in the story, and the wonderful Prokiev music still exists. Glamerous costumes and scenery to match the theme take you on a magic journey. The cast is absolitely amazing. The Step Mother in her elegant clothes, on pointe,has some very subtile actions which are quite hilarious. Her horrid daughters played so well by Laeticia Pujol and Stephanie Romberg, are extremely funny. You simply cannot help laughing at them. I am not going to tell too much about this production, wait to see it and be very pleasantly surprised. Look out for the magical waltz when Cinderella arrives at the studio, the Pas de deux on the stool, with the Actor and Cinderella, and the final most beautiful ending with the lovers, a wind machine and the floating silk.

It seems to me, that from all of your posts, partically the last two, that we are gradually coming round to acknowledge my own feelings., and why I posted this thread. My own excperiences set my thoughts in motion One day I can watch say La Bayadare, mainly on DVD, although I have seen it live a number of times. At the end I find myself thinking how enjoyable it was, and look forward to the next time I watch it. Maybe I choose it the next time I have a "Ballet Evening at Home" but it may be a different version. All the same if it is a production I like I still think to myself "Yes La "B" is my favourite ballet. I will then see Raymonda, for an example, if it is the Bolshoi version where Aberadam is a Saracen Warrier and danced by Gedimas Taranda, rather than Nureyevs production where he does not represent the true character in my opinion. (though I have not seen the full work) I cannot help but really liking Raymonda as much as La Bayadere. Then it is time to see The Stone Flower and that takes presedent at the time over the others. And so it goes on, I suppose I am a lover of Ballet in a general sense. Which includes a wide spectrum of works. I do have some very strong dislikes though. I should think anyone looking at my Playlists on YouTubs could see my preferences, from favourite Dancers, past and present, actual Ballets, both major classics and the modern repertoire, which includes things such as Scene en blanc, Etudes,Serenade, Western Symphony, Bizet Symphony in C. And not surprisingly new ones added on a regular basis. Perhaps it is simply a case that I cannot make my mind up (Or I am Fickle!!)

: Hi Cubanmiamiboy, I have posted a few more suggestions to this tread below. If anyone wants to know the details of DVD's such as where to obtain them, I would be happy to post the information. Just ask. Best wishes Nanarina.

Some more to consider, moving forward to current productions, Pierre Lacotte - Restoration of the following original 1800 ballets, all of which he has painstakingly researched. La Sylphide(1832 Taglioni not Danish version) POB Les fille de pharoah (for Bolshoi) Paquita POB. * Sir Peter Wright{ Coppelia, The Nutcracker,(Royal and BRB) Swan Lake (Swedish Ballet) * Dame Ninette De Val. 1945/6 production of The Sleeping Beauty (from notes smuggled out of Russia) now revived by Monica Mason again for The Royal Ballet recently) * Awaiting release Don Quixote/Quichotte, Raymonda (full versions) Barishnikov, Nureyev.* * Raymonda A/R It may be difficult for those of you in America and Canada to have seen these productions, but most of them are available on DVD *

In Memory of Patrick Swarze . May he rest in peace. my thoughts go out to his wife and family. "Dance,Dance, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the Dance said he".

For some time now I have found it difficult to name just one ballet as my favourite when asked the question. My immediate response would be to say The Stone Flower, choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich, and danced by both the Bolshoi and Kirov Companies. But it is little known of in the west. I first saw it at the ROH in the 1960's when the Kirov visited and I worked helping their wardrobe staff. It is a fantastic ballet, with wonderful character dancing.brilliant structured esembles and soloist's. It has had a marked effect on me over the years. The music is some of the best written by Prokofiev for Ballet. There is a DVD released by NVC Arts - Warner Music Video in 1991 but I do not know if it is still available. Every time I watch I recall the excitement and wonder I felt all those years ago. It was modern for the era, and we had seen nothing like it before. However, being true to my interest. and saying I do not have one particular favourite ballet, but I like different parts of many ballets. All of whom I am quite happy to watch from beginning to end. There are so many varied and entertaining productions in existance these days I find it very hard to choose just one. Then the question arrises concerning different versions of the same ballet, some I like others i do not. I am not that keen on Nureyev's re-workings of the classics, but I love Peter Wright, Pierre Lacotte, John Neimeirer John Cranko, Jerome Robbins, Serge Lifar, Keneth Mc Millan, Sir Fred Ashton and others to many to name.(Excuse my spelling!!) It would be good to hear your comments.

[To you all for your responses, I agree the video was very informative. However, when you look at the Tutu bodices they are not in fact, strictly of a traditional pattern. They are more modern in style. They look as if the panels are cut differently. Appearing as an enlongated triangle from the top to the waist line. (Like a fan shape). This is not a truly tradition pattern, which has much wider panels. If you look carefully, the fabric does not look very smooth between the seams either. The tops do not fit the dancers bodies very well due to this. I have not heard of bodies being made so tight that they stretch or shrink, they should fit the body perfectly with room for breathing and movement. The apprpriate fit was obtained by the fastenings on the back, which were usually made of corset hocks and eyes, on tape which was cut off a roll. To see thr dhape I refer to you would need to look at a DVD of Swan Lake there is some examples in the DVD Etoiles Dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet, where they are rehearsing that ballet.

Imagine the situation when a dancer from another company helps out due to injury, This was in the Royal Ballet touring company, during a run of Fille mal gardee. Every male member cast for Colas was ill or injured, they went down lierally like flies. To help out, The Royal Danish Ballet Company was approached, and they sent a guy by plane to stand in for the performances. With much relief all went well. The story even made the local press.

Thank you Innopac for thias post, it certainly brought back a lot of memories. Our production department at the ROH was quite similar, but I was a Wardrobe Mistress/Costumier, and had to do the same job as they were doing in the video on tour, very often making a complete new Tutu or repairing an already existing one. We used to wash them quite frequently by hand to remove makeup and freshen them up. It was quite a task to remove all the decoration clean it than sew it all back together between performances. My apprenticeship covered all the department in the ROH workshops. It was really a dream come true.

:dunno:May not have been Guiness, the more refind alternatuves are Murphys, a similar product, or what older ladies drank Milk Stout. Dame Ninette or Madame as she was known, was avery sharp lady who everyone respected, she would stand no nonsense not even from the top dancers. She mellowed a bit as she grew older, I remember writing to her about a project I was working on for young dancers and she was very supportative and helpful. Yes she was quite well spoken, but her Irish accent slipped in sometimes.

Great News for the American Ballet Lovers, but sad for us here in Europe, my immediate thoughts were "Good perhaps I can go and see him nearer to home" good luck to him, I think he is fantastic. All the same I feel sorry for the up and coming Guys who are waiting for their promotion. When all the top positions are full, do the management give chances to those waiting in the rank below to dance the leading roles other than just as an under study?

I do not know if you are aware that you can alter your DVD player to be able to play any region DVD@s it is very simple, you just need to enter specified numbers into your remote control. you can access the model and numbers required by looking on Google. Enter how to modify your DVD Player to Multi Region. A list of makes and model numbers will appear, and you look up the dtails of your player, which will give you the numbers to use. It is very easy and works. Good Luck and Happy Viewing.

I think I saw Herman Cornejo recently in Le Corsair, in London. was excellent and danced the role very well, I enjoyed his performance very much. I was quite surprised with the cast. It was a Saturday matinee, and the cast were all the top rank of dancers. I love both of the two main companies in New York.

So many remarkable and memorable dancers, through time, an excellent response to the thread from you all, so thank you very much. This does seem to prove that our favourite dancers are in fact appreciated by us, in their own right. Even if personal preference does play its part. Enjoy your dance.

JANE, I think you summed David Wall up perectly, he was a lovely guy, with his wavy aubumn hair, and beautiful eyes. He was probably one of the first english dancers that Ruddi influenced. I loved him in Fille mal Gardee, Les Deux Pigeon, and Manon. He and Alfreda his wife, were very good friends with John Sale and Merlyn Holmes. My mother was renouned for her bacon sandwiches, and we all used to come back to our house. When everyone would request them. Happy Happy memories.

The Stone Flower, in Russia, how wonderfuil, it is brilliant, full of character, and those superb Gypsy dances, wow... I saw it in London with The Bolshoi years ago. Pity it does not come back again.

Your height does not seem too short to me, most companies will make provision for a dancer who shows the qualities they seek for their performances. There must be female dancers who vary in height, who fit within the same criteria, who would match your physique. So good luck, keep on with the auditions.

It would be most interesting to learn what makes your favourite Male Dancer special Perhaps some video footage would be helpful, you can join YouTube free, but you need to read the rules regarding using the facility.

Back to Nureyev, Just to bring back your attention to my "udd" list of Male Dancers. What I was comparing was for people who have an interest in Ballet, not just the general public. I do not deny that Nureyev was exceptional at the time. But lets show some appreciation to Margot Fontryn, she without doubt helped make Ruddi what he was in terms of his artistry, and how he reacted to her on stage. They both lived the roles they danced. If you saw them in the restuarent, or the corridors of the Opera House, at rehearsals etc, they seemed to live for each other, and this showed in their partnership. They were both very passionate about each other. I knew them both, as I looked after their costumes for their private tours. I also witnessed those first perforamnces of Giselle, when nearly everyone in the audience, on stage and back stage were in tears.(myself included) All the same, I still think Barishnikov was a better dancer technically than Ruddi, and I prefer his Don Q, to Ruddi's, but that is just my preference. Perhaps it would be interesting to ask what are the qualities of your favourite male dancers? It would make very interesting reading.

I knew Svetlana very well, she was a lovely person, and would speak to you in a quiet Lithuanian accent, her father Nicholas Beriosov had been involved with Ballet as well, but she never mentioned her Mother. I always remember her dancing in Antigonie, wearing a bright red dress which was cut on an angle across her legs, she looked stunning. As Odile/Odette she was really beautiful with her Russian style of dancing. She would have spoken to you at the stage door, even though she was a little shy, but friendly. She often danced with Donnie Mc Cleary, and they made a superb partnership.

I should think by all accounts the company were pleased to leave for home and their holidays. Seems Australia being "downunder" has it's downside for the POB as during an earlier tour there were difficulties!!! Or is it just not Herve's scene???