Juliet

It's just them. No City Ballet. I have seen them several times and LOVE them. A good many of them are older dancers---very young, or older---but they are superb. It is not ballet, but I hope many will go and report..... Many American female dancers I've spoken with don't like the very, very different emphasis and look to the women's dancing. The arms, the cant of head and shoulders, all very beautiful., subtle, exotic. An immediate, obvious reference by Balanchine is the little trees' glide in Nutcracker..... The men are terrifically strong, exquisite grace paired with verve and forcefulness. They have to be strong to carry the costumes, which are heavy, felted wools, furs, cartridge belts, etc. Go. You won't regret it for an instant.

Oh, you lucky!!!! Such a great note to end the day--thanks so much!

Ha!! Now I'm not about to edit that!!!

You're absolutely tight---this was the time they should have programmed Stars & Stripes, Who Cares?, I'm Old Fashioned, etc., instead of on other nights. Last year they did full lengths. This year they do tepertory, and Eifman, at that. Go figure. It's as if they weere cooking up recipes for disaster. Actually, I've enjoyed the Galas in years past! The merrymakers on the lawn don't bother me and it's fun to see all the picnic regalia! Living with years of Wolf Trap picnics (now those are Picnics!) has given me an appreciation for ingenuity in the face of some of the weather disasters I've seen...... The fireworks at SPAC are a highlight, but after Eifman I wonder if anyone will care. Maybe they ought to distribute vodka...... By the way, Save the Ballet was offering things on eBay....now's your chance, folks!!!!!

I think all these suggestions are great! I do this for a living, so I'm not chiming in.... While we're at it, and only tangentially off topic, I think it would be great to suggest plays, mythology and folklore which are the basis for ballets. You would not believe how many audience members have no inkling of Midsummer Night's Dream, Orpheus, et al. There is a good deal to be said for a classical education....I know of several dancers who are reading Homer this summer as well as Harry Potter..... I think Ballet 101 or Balanchine's Stories of... ought to be in everyone's dance bag.....

Balanchine videos (and some are coming out on DVD) are on eBay, too. Do a search under "Balanchiine" and you'll hit pay dirt. The only video I know which is completely devoted to Malakhov is the "True Prince" one mentioned above. Best of luck!

Perfect, just perfect!!! But then, she dances everything as if it were Etudes...... With the exception of Grand Pas Classique, I generally dislike the Pause for a Round of Cannons pieces....if I never have to sit through another Don Q or Corsaire pdd I won't mind a bit. The recent Tchai Pas performance at a gala which was wonderfully memorable, however, was Nina Ananiashvili's at the opening of ABT's Spring Season. 2002. I had not expected to like her in it, much, but she brought such an individual stamp and beautiful definition to her interpretation that it has always remained with me. She also wore red. white, and blue flowers in her hair as a remembrance of 9/11---it touched me very much.

Here's another parrot for the chorus.....it is a superb performance and production. Not that difficult to obtain, as I recall and definitely worth the watching! I love Assylmuratova (in the RB one with Bussell & Mukhamedov) but this is an outstanding example of corps work as well as acting.

On the American Masters: Balanchine video/DVD/TV program there are some really nice clips of Tchai Pas with Verdy, McBride, and Hayden interwoven--it is a grand way to see the differences and delightful interpretations of each dancer. Verdy was Really Something.

From what I've heard about that performance, she must have had the murk totally obscuring her vision for some ballets......

Thank you very much for highlighting this--- when I was in London in March, I went to the shop in Covent Garden Market (there are some wonderful shops there, as well as the usual touristy stuff). Also, the Theatre Museum is right there and very well worth a visit; exhibits always changing and the book/gift shop quite good. Very nice to see the article on Pollock's, though!

I thiink he's getting older and dyspeptic. But I still read him, even though I may disagree with him. At least he's never boring. I hate boring.

Well, you can't tell there's a plot if there isn't some coherency in choreography.....and you know what I'm always saying: bring back the good mime!!!!! You all know there's mime, and there's good mime! I love the latter... I go to Raymonda for the ballerina and the music, otherwise Cortege Hongrois or Raymonda Variations are just fine for my money......

*Some* productions of Swan Lake tell the story!!!!! Who goes to the ballet for the plot? Remember what Balanchine said about plots......

I love Mezentseva. I always have. "I am so sad that the usa americans have these divinities teaching and coaching like mezentseva and kolpakova and you dont appreciate them.... please learn and appreciate men.." I think the above comment is harsh, has nothing to do with ballet, and is uneccesarily critical of our country. Please refrain from such, thank you very much. Mezentseva is glorious, she was also able to teach, tour, and spread her art in the USA. Kolpakova lives and teaches in NY and Indiana..... No one forces them to be here, we are extremely fortunate to have artists of their calibre and they are obviously here because they can make a living and pass their art on to future generations. Who has GM's Giselle on video? Can I get a copy from you? Please, please????Please PM me--

"when you finally do attend a performance you feel like, I dunno this sounds kind of silly, but you feel like you've finally come home" I think this, as a heartfelt sentiment, is lovely. I agree with you completely.

This is wonderful news. I hope others in the same economic bracket will be tempted to follow suit......

I agree with hockeyfan228...... I hope this remark was one of those throwaway, off-the-cuff remarks which, upon reflection, is edited ... If this is truly your opinion, I must say I'm surprised. However, we don't all have to agree, and your opinion is your opinion. I do think it's bizarre that DTH dancers are doing this. The other guest artists have been interesting because of their different training and approach. How DTH is going to differ substantially or illustrate a new facet of these ballets is debatable......

He's right: he IS good!!!! And he's arresting and intelligent and sexy and funny......

Someone has a lot of time on their hands.....!!!!

I saw it on Friday night with Marquez, Stiefel, and Dvorovenko. As I was telling friends, this is not my favourite ballet, but I was so pleasantly surprised and exhilarated by the performances... I am used to a longer version, and while I missed the parrots and the Minou dances especially, I was more than happy with what I saw. I saw Marquez in London for Sleeping Beauty and was not very happy with some aspects of the performance (we won't even discuss this new production, which is dreary and utterly lacking in magic.) I thought she was exceedingly good as Nikiya, however. She is a dramatic ballerina, and her dancing was passionate as well as simply wonderful, technically. I haven't been as moved by a Nikiya since Assylmuratova.....She was heartbreaking as a woman, very spiritual and pure as a shade, and was more than a cipher in the last act, somethiing which very few other ballerinas manage. She is a great partner for Stiefel, their sizes and styles complement and enhance each other. He was as good as I'd hoped he'd be---and I'm certainly happy that he's evidently gained acting skill while his dancing remains stunning. Dvorovenko owns Gamzatti and owned it before she danced a step. She is a beautiful woman and with one thrust of that chin, one sensed that she was Going to Prevail. She did lend a depth to the character in her scene with Nikiya, as one sensed the woman desperate to put on that wedding crown and unbelieving that the one suitable candidate would not be hers by right, if nothiing else. Her chess scene with him is wonderful, as she actually plays with him and one does not want to miss a moment by watching the dancing on stage while this mini-drama is being played out under the palanquin..... Seeing the Shades scene from the orchestra is not ideal, and Misty Copeland's very ungraceful front-row-center thud to earth was unfortunate. However, the corps acquitted itself very nicely as a whole..... I still have no idea why Meunier is dancing corps or demi roles. Infrequently. What a puzzlement, what a pity. Of the three shades, Pavam was excellent technically but blank. Cornejo was fine, but not outstanding, and Maria Riccetto was superb. Craig Salstein looked like a jack-in-the-box, but that is not necessarily a criticism, given this role. He jumps and turns and he did a good job. Overall, a very enjoyable night and much more moving than I expected.

I agree with you--I saw her dance when National Ballet of Cuba was in New York, I believe. Also have seen her this year in Boston, in a wide variety of roles and I think she is beautiful in so many things--

Yes, even the bumps and grinds! She was simply marvelous!

Some quick impressions..... Dances at a Gathering on Thursday night---beautiful performance, overall, especially by Nichols, Ringer and Bouder. I was vaguely disquieted by Sylve (green) as something just did not seem right to me, but this could be a factor of that evening's performance, rather than her overall interpretation. Yes, the lifts and throws were tamer and not as breathtaking, but someone seeing the ballet for the first or second time would not have noticced anything amiss. Actually, I thought that it was (technically) much better danced than when I saw it a few years ago, so someone is Paying Attention. Union Jack was as splendid and enjoyable for me as ever. Some of the rougher edges in the first section (corps women) will doubtless improve with rehearsal and familiarity. I love the panoply of the drums and costumes in the first section and was happy to sit dead center and revel in the coloour and sound and synchronization. I agree that it's not as effective right up close, but I was back at an ideal location. Pearly King and Queen are generally a snoozer for me, but not on Thursday! Nilas Martins showed more animation and enjoyment than I think I have ever seen from him.....his timing and interplay with Ringer were great fun! And I really don't think I have ever seen the woman's role done as well (yes, even by McBride ) Jenifer Ringer has a gift for comedy which is absolutely delicious! She played this wonderful role to the hilt, but not a bit overdone---I think she owns it now, at least for me. Not to mention being stunningly beautiful in the costume! The maritime section was nice, although I still dislike the backdrop, which to me smacks of bad 1950s book illustration.....Damian still cranks it out splendidly, everyone looked suitably energetic and no one messed up in the semaphore section. I will cavil at Kowrowski's choice of pigtails for her role and think that the cheesecake factor could be accentuated slightly....this is not supposed to look like a high school cheerleading squad. ("Korbes is a magnificent dancer but she could lose a few pounds," Oberon said in an earlier post and I disagree. No one could wear those Wren culottes and look as good as Korbes did, were this the case. I say this as a professional costumer as well as an audience member. I also think a public online forum is not an appropriate place for comments about dancer's weight .) I had a change of plans and did not see Shambards on Saturday, so will have to wait for another viewing. I was dismayed by the description of some of the choreography---in Balanchine's house I do not expect or want to see women having their necks broken and being dragged across the floor. Because James Canfield does it, or it's a quotation from The Bride of Lammermoor does not make it alright. As I did not see the ballet yet, I can't jump up on my soapbox and screech to the heavens, but I do not think this is appropriate in a year of honoring a choreographer who made exquisite dances which ennoble women. Lorna Feijoo took no prisoners on Sunday and did a very fine Ballo. She is a strong and beautiful dancer; character and passion in her movement......I thought she looked like she knew what she was doing and delivered the goods a la Regina. Garcia was beautiful, although nt as finessed in his upper body and arms as I like to see in this piece. I remember Millepied a few years ago in Saratoga just flying through this role, splendid from start to finish! Yes, of course, Ashley Bouder should do this, and if her stage persona and performances this weekend are any indicators at all, she knows that she'd be great in it. That woman was sending a message to us loud and clear--she looked in fine fettle and enjoying it! The other demis and corps also looked beautiful--very clean and altogether lovely. What a grand spring season this is......

OK. Froman must be the one who's leaping behind Tess Reichlen--I couldn't see the head enough to recognize specific features. I don't think the garments are particularly outstanding, although they do move beautifully....somehow the visual effect is marred by the necessity of having a leotard or bodystocking on, even if it is a thousand dollar leotard. That made me gag, I'm sorry.....