BW

I can't wait to get home next weekend to snatch up my own copy that's waiting there for me! :bouncing:

Wonderful thread!

I think I need a crib sheet to keep handy during ballet performances... Perhaps we could make one up with the Ballet Alert! logo and have them made gratis by someone in the plastics world...you know, sort of like those little "tips" guides?

ballerina1023, thank you for writing your thoughts in regard to this thread. I'm sure you'll get more replies from some of the previous posters but I wanted to let you know that many points of view are encouraged on Ballet Talk and that the more people who actually do write, the broader the spectrum of response will become.

As I am a newcomer to the ballet world, I do not have the same background as many of the posters do. I was not an audience member during Balanchine's heyday nor during many of the NYCB icons of yore's either, so I am sure the lense with which I view the ballets at The New York State Theater is quite different than most...

I've enjoyed my year there and plan to continue attending as often as I can. Why I even liked a number of the non Balanchine pieces performed...even some by Peter Martins, himself! But that's another thread all together, I'm sure....

You've made some good points here. I'm sure that NYCB often feels it's damned if it does or doesn't.

Vive la difference! And on with the discussion.

Thanks Ed, I thought it looked like a book I'd really enjoy. It's on my list, after my Harry Potter tome!

I'm so sad to have lost these two. Here is a link to the NY Times' obituary about Katharine Hepbun.

I have just received two copies of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - one is the British edition, the other is from the USA. Initially I'd heard there were differences between the two...at least in earlier books...but so far these two seem to be the same.

I am thinking of reading Seabiscuit and will have to scroll back through this thread to see if anyone else has commented upon it.

Unfortunately the Da Vinci Code just doesn't seem like my cup of tea. On the other hand, I loved Umberto Ecco's The Name of the Rose, which was filled with its own cryptic/religous mysteries.

I second Dale's suggestion to have "our own" Balanchine Celebration.

As disturbing as this NYCB program is, and I know that you all have deep feelings about this, there are only a few options: Begin a letter writing/email campaign to NYCB with copies to appropriate entities including The Balanchine Trust and make your own plans for the centennial celebration.

It does seem to me that Dale's suggestions are really worth considering for those of us who are interested and able.

P.S. All this said, I'm sure I'll still be in attendance during the year at The NY State Theater. ;)

Is it odd that American is not in this piece? Or are American dancers just an amalgam

I echo dirac, SwanQueen, and offer a hearty "Welcome aboard!" ;) to you Tracey...glad that trawling paid off for you in more ways than one.

zerbinetta has asked:

Do we need a thread about Dancers Who Have Disappeared without Notice? I was wondering what happened to Jerry Douglas, who had a promising season last summer, despite being too big for the small boy roles in which he was cast.

As far as I know, the only thread that dealt directly with this was about former NYCB dancers.

Why not start a generic "Where are they now?" thread in the Dancer's forum, zerbinetta?

Alexandra has written in her sticky about "Styles, attempts at definition"

I think it's also interesting to talk about what happens when a style changes -- what is changeable? what is not? -- or ossifies. How do you keep the style living without changing its essence?

Today in the Links forum there's an article by Apollinaire Scherr Lonely Swan - The confused populism of American Ballet Theater which, I think, speaks to this.

I found this piece provacative and it really got me thinking about a number of discussions that have been ongoing here on Ballet Talk - whether they've been about the "marketing" of a ballet company, the comparisons of the men of ABT vs. the men of NYCB (let alone those in all the other ballet companies!), the issues of whether one company's version of such and such ballet is really accurate, etc.

Take a look and see what you think.

Old Fashioned, oddly enough just this past week while sitting in the audience at two NYCB performances I couldn't help but think about some of the things you've brought up in your post... I kept wondering how people could not be bowled over by what they were seeing?!

Unfortunately, I am not able to write with "authority" on the sometimes subtle nuances of ballet technique - however, I can respond as an audience member. ;) I find the "men of NYCB" to be extremely strong, compelling and exciting.

I agree that in large part the issue has more to do with the ballet performed by these two companies... Due to the type of venue the story ballet offers, both male and female dancers are given those special "come out and look at me do my stuff" opportunities...It's just the way this type of ballet is choreographed. The NYCB still has some of these moments in their performances but, I believe, on the whole that theirs is not of this style...

This past week I attended both Tuesday evening's and Saturday matinee's performances and, if any thing, I was nothing but "wowed" by the men of NYCB.

Another thing to keep in mind - at NYCB - the men of the corps do get do do a lot of real dancing.

I'm beginning to think one's taste in ballet is akin to that of a wine lover's.

I cast my vote for Jonathan Stafford - I enjoy watching him on stage. He's tall, strong and I feel that he stands out on stage. I admit it - I like to see a tall dancer... I'm looking forward to seeing more of him next season.

As an aside, one thing about NYCB is that their corps members do get to dance when they're on stage.

For those that might not know it - here is the website of The 7th New York International Ballet Competition.

Hope to hear more about it as it progresses.

For those of you who are local, and have not seen West Side Story Suite - get thee to The New York State Theater ASAP - Sunday, I believe is the last performance this season.

Attended today's matinee and it was just as wonderful today as it was on Tuesday.

Also saw The Cage in which Alexandra Ansanelli danced a role so outside of anything you could ever imagine and did it so well, that even though I thought the dance was very strange - I still appreciated the program and was astounded at the versatility, once again, of the NYCB dancers!

OK, I've held off until now but since I'm a native New Yorker... I have to say New York is the dance capital of the world! ;)

Illinois, USA. "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." ;)

Mike I don't know if you caught this alternate thread on PBS' airing of Othello or not.

I'm not necessarily suggesting you need to add your post there...but, rather, just letting you know it exists.

Thanks for the official news, Leigh. Congratulations to all! I'm looking forward to seeing them in some Winter season performances.

How interesting! I wonder if she is listed in that book that WNYC is offering now as a "gift" for one of their membership levels...about authors and their homes in NYC...

I did check out Amazon for this book and, though it is hard to get new, there are some very inexpensive second hand copies for sale.

Thank you Mme. Hermine - that sounds like an excellent book! I'm putting in on my own must read list, right now.

No, grace, as far as I know Ms. MacLaine does not have Alzheimers but she does seem to believe in "past lives" and some more unusual things of that nature. ;)

SwanQueen, you found Ballet Alert! through the BA SI Survey?! That's wonderful to hear. I am so glad to know that the links that were set up worked to bring you to this board. From the number of posts you've got beneath your name, I'd have to guess that you're glad to have found your way to here, too.

I'm happy to report that our fourth ring seats at the NY State Theater turned out to be absolutely wonderful for the first two pieces by Jerome Robbins...Glass Pieces and Piano Pieces... perfect to get the total view from above and to see the patterns made by the dancers... It was even good for West Side Story Suite, though I did have my binoculars up more often.

Given my druthers, I'd still choose the just about the middle, center of the orchestra...but now that I know about the Fourth Ring Society deal with NYCB, I think we'll be attending much more often. If you have a good pair of extra wide angle, auto focus binoculars it makes a huge difference.

Saturday I'm returning to see NYCB's West Side Story Suite because I loved it so much and this time, though the Treefrogs won't be with me, I will be bringing my husband and daughter - we've got orchestra seats for this one so the comparison should be interesting for me - in re the point of view question.

We only saw about 10 minutes but I do have it on tape. My reaction was that Richardson was one of the most powerful looking ballet dancers I've ever seen and that Ms. Tan was lovely...but it didn't strike me as being a ballet.

I didn't especially like what I saw, sad to say...and that was quite disappointing. I may give it another try but I have a feeling it will be taped over, eventually.