Juliet

Don't forget the Choreographic Institute which runs for the next two weeks...which will be time for some more hard work for some of the dancers. I hope they know how much they are appreciated!

Yes, several mentioned her performances in California so although I had heard this, I figured that the reported sighting of her was an optical illusion. I'm happy to hear that they have been having fun! And will be able to take a very well-deserved break next week....

I understand your position perfectly, perky. I'm in the same boat. Ballet in Maryland is an elusive thing. Repertory comprised of classical selections and neoclassical or contemporary ballet is almost impossible to find. Especially on a professional level. The company based in Annapolis went through years of hardship, both financially and in buidling an audience base. The dancers were fine, the calibre improving every year--the dedication and verve obvious in alll performances. The company still has the dedication, but the repertory has drifted away from ballet..... Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Carmen (set in the southwest), Scarlet Letter.....all worthy of performance, but they're not ballet. I think it is important to support the company, but I also think it is incumbent upon an audience to tell a director or board what we'd like to see. It can't hurt. Better than not attending or sitting silent and seething.

He was supposed to dance with Suzanne Farrell Ballet...since they cancelled their fall tour, I don't know. Anyone have any idea what's up with that company's future plans?

Well, Shipp is brave enough to say publicly what has been said privately for a long while now. Best of luck to all the dancers......

Sylve Bouder/Woetzel

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Especially the ribbons....... It's not classical ballet, but so what? I also like Cirque du Soleil

I like the one with Zelensky and Makhalina a great deal--I don't think it's dull at all. Isn't that the one with Lezhnina in the pas de trois? (Forgive me if I'm wrong, I haven't watched it in a while and--true to form--lent it to a dancer who has yet to return it. ) Mine came out on VHS some time ago, called The Maryinsky Ballet, and also has some Markitenka on it, etc. I think Zelensky looks splendid. This is the only commercial recording with the pas de trois and variations, I believe. There's Assylmuratova doing the ballerina variation on Backstage at the Kirov, (unless I am fuddled), and she completely nails it. Others are around, of course (incl. the nice Chenchikova/Vaziev at Covent Garden) but I still think the older one is the best.

Well, they're wearing more than dance belts. You'd expect jammies, maybe? (This isn't Mark Morris Dance Group..... )

I love owning books too! but I do this for a living and handle thousands, so if i buy something it is either out of print. rare, a sentimental favourite, or something to which I will refer again and again. I bought (and had friends and relatives buy) beautiful editions of classics for my children and they treasure them, and of course they have multiples! I give books as presents all the time, and constantly weed my own collections to make room for more. I am, however, still surprised to hear that people don't use the library and then buy books they know they love, rather than taking a chance and buying something that is read once and then gathers dust. (Things bought in airports or trains stations are exempt: one MUST have something when travelling!!!!) Everyone is different.... I have my favourites that I reread regularly, too---summer is a great time for this, don't you think?

I wonder why Americans do not want to watch Pharaoh’s Daughter? Who says we don't want to see it? I certainly do. But, they are skipping the entire east coast of the US, so..... I am surprised about the Kennedy Center, however....

There's a lot of scope here.... Do we mean longest? Then Janie Taylor is certainly up there in the pantheon..... Carla Korbes' is long *and* thick and beautiful.... I liked Shearer's, and Maria Calegari's.... a lot of dancer's have beautiful hair simply because they don't blow-dry, or do too much torturing it..... Also Ivan Nagy in his dancing days..... Damian Woetzel generally has good haircuts.....

I attended the Saturday Night 7/31 performance of Universal Ballets Romeo & Juliet on some free tickets for the "press" so I feel compelled to write this review I got my moneys worth, but just barely. Well, I must say, that "free tickets" and "money's worth" rather cancel each other out. I'm sorry that your first Romeo & Juliet had to be this one, though. Vinogradov's choreogrraphy has always left a great deal to be desired, I think. He is talented in many ways, but he is not a good choreographer. (I am trying to be kind.) Given what they had to work with, the company did a fine job. It's really hard to dance beautifully when you have nothing but posturing, overblown melodramatic movement, and a chopped-up score. It was awful, simply awful. This sow's ear could not by any means be made into a silk purse. One thread of very beautiful, and strong silk, however, was Seh Yun Kim, who danced one of the more intelligent and emotionally sound Juliets I've seen. She didn't have a lot to work with, and what she had was bad, but she left no one in doubt that this was a girl who knew her own mind and was not afraid to act on her beliefs Her dancing is delicate, yet strong, her line is simply lovely, and I'd very much like to see her in other choreography. The production is very grand. Heavy-handed theatricality, but costumes, sets and lighting were arresting and creative. The costumes for the ball scene were magnificent, richly coloured and imaginative. The first act fights were bloodless in all respects, and there was rather a surfeit of bronze and silver tissue lame, but if the choreography was heavy handed, one could look at the costumes (please lose the nasty crepe-hair wigs----blonde=Montague, brunette=Capulet. I kid you not.) Vinogradov obviously worked to incorporate Italian Renaissance images into this production, but for every visual quotation from a fresco or tapestry, there was a lamentable, almost laughable, death throes struggle taking center stage and completely ruining the moment. Mercutio as a crucifixion figure; Romeo doing floor gymnastics in the crypt......you get the idea. What could this company do with the resources and dancers at their disposal if they did not have to contend with dated theatrics and overblown effects? I have seen them perform other works and it is regrettable that Vinogradov's taste imbues everything and mires the company in the past. There was certainly enough money spent on the production, and the workmanship was stunning. Now they just need to get another choreographer.

In addition to all the very good suggestions above, Ballerina by Antoinette Sibley. Diane Solway's book on Nureyev is well-written and quite thorough (you can skim if it's too thorough!!!) My all-time favourite is Choura (Danilova.) I am very much looking forward to reading Deborah Jowitt's new book on Robbins.

I hope the dancers are being adequately paid. What a delightful way to begin your break-- I'll cross my fingers for no injuries......

"I also notice that Amanda McKerrow won't be dancing. It seem to me she is becoming the forgotten dancer in this company." McKerrow has been dancing for many years. She gave a "farewell performance", at least once, from ABT some time ago. Mozartiana has, in the coda, 11 dancers on stage...just for a brief time. I think it is a perfect ballet for City Center, smaller stage, and not too deep. I agree about Les Sylphides.....but I doubt that the ABT management care what I think. :rolleyes:

C'mon, Leigh. You've got Angelina Ballerina. You want Ashton, too?

Long runs of Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty.... tiny, very good jellybeans to get me through Les Sylphides Most of my pleasures I feel no guilt about...

I wish I'd been able to go up for this....sigh. Thank you so much, everyone, for your reviews!!!

AND......NYCB will be there, don't forget.....

I'm so happy to read these reports--did anyone else go? Leigh, the fuzzy hats are sometimes large ones that are worn with very large, felted wool capes? I recall this number as an especially arresting visual--the capes weigh a ton, but the men move as rather a fantastic army in one's nightmarish imaginings......they all seem about 8 feet tall..... Of course the angels in Nutcracker use the same step as many of the women's dances--that particularly exotic, fluid glide----it's one of the reasons I've always enjoyed that procession of angels. I don't think 'freakish' is the word I would use for this group of men----splendid,wild.......freakish is Boris Eifman using Robert Tewsley's cavorting with a chair and stage writhing to suggest Balanchine. I hope the people who filled the seats for Eifman and greeted his ballet with riotous acclaim, did hte same for the Georgian dancers. That is a troupe that deserves the financial resources that were squandered on Eifman.

Well, yes, Drew, but can you honestly say that you weren't astounded by that review of Eifman??? I could not believe it. She was not overly effusive about the choreography, to give her her due, but I expected something even a trifle more definite. Fair is fine, waffling is not. I was very disappointed.

"I wish I knew how the dancers, present and past, think about this debacle. I hope they start to speak up soon." They think it's drek, as a good many others do...... But they are professionals, dance for all they're worth, and keep their opinions offline. One likes paying the bills...... Having NYCB commission a ballet for this centennial celebration, and then having the choreographer make it on his own company is insulting, at the least. He did not use the dancers' strengths, he disregarded the tradition, teachings and contributions of Balanchine to NYCB and has obviously gulled or diddled a good many of the critical establishment. I think it is a mess. I can't even write about it without my blood pressure rising dangerously. What squandering of resources, talent, and rehearsal time. One final image sums it for me: those immobile, big tutus surrounding a figure dressed like Gary Cooper complete with black ascot. OK, Mr. Eifman, I thought you did some research...... p.s. the costumes were badly cut, constructed of nasty wrinkly fabric (poor Ansanelli....), and about as far away from the Balanchine/NYCB aesthetic as possible. Vile and amateurish. If it has a rolling chair, it must be Boris Eifman....... I think I need some chocolate......

The ribbons could very well have been replaced--metallic thread and metallic trims always fray much sooner and are always being replaceed. Rather than redo an entire costume, it is relatively easy to replace ribbons/trim. Fringe can be taken off and cleaned, but the fringe on the legs would not have gotten much wear and probably remains in fairly good condition. I've worked on a lot of very old costumes and textiles and frequently one can simply mend tears or frays with matching threads or spare pieces of the trims. This is one reason why costumers haunt old fabric stores, estate sales, etc--we have huge stashes of old furbelows! It is a lovely costume--hope you enjoy it!!! Juliet

This looks likr a costume for a page (a la Cherubino) or a woman en travestie, rather than a woman's costume per se. The 'saddlebags' are used to give pouf and definition to the hip (for a boy or slim dancer) It looks to be around turn of the century-to 1920s or so. It would have had a blouse or shirt worn underneath, I would think. High Louis-heeled buckled shoes (gold, silver, white brocade or red) would have been lovely with it. The handwriting looks European--I believe it is a 'g' before the 'eski' (which would indicate Polish, rather than Russian.) Was your friend associated with ballet or theatre? This might help with identification. Best of luck.... Juliet