BW

Thank you for the information, Farrell Fan.

Farrell Fan, this sounds as though it was an interesting performance - too bad I missed it! I wondered if there was any mention in the program notes about Timothy Draper's (as in the Rochester Ballet) tragic and sudden death? Don't mean to cast a shadow over your review. Next year I hope to be more aware and attend. It's hard to believe that not even one other alertnik attended. :eek:

dancemomCA, after you've seen "Swan Lake" please give us your own, and/or your son's, review!

Hope you'll give us a full review of your own, Treefrog, and perhaps the mini Treefrogs will chime in too.

Treefrog, check out this over on the links forum, today.

Well, monte, that is one way to get those "wah, wahs" out. Now, we just need a "real time" editor.;)

monte, I think that the crying baby sounds on your performance video is terrible!! There must be some way to give these parents a heads up that noisy children are not allowed! Believe me, though, I've been at those end of the year recitals and, sadly, there are often some of the most poorly behaving parents with their noisy children! As the saying goes: "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

In reading the link today to Ismene Brown's searing article in the "Telegraph" about Eifman's ballet Tchaikovsky, I'd venture to say that she has no qualms telling us about what she considers to be "in bad taste" - her article is entitled "Genius reduced to a self-loathing zombie" and if you check out the links page today, you'll find the article. (For some reason I couldn't seem to post that link here.) This sounds as though it could fit that idea of universal bad taste, doesn't it? And yet, I'm sure there may be some who will have considered it quite artful. Not having seen it myself, it's impossible for me to make any valid comments. Is there really no accounting for taste?

JaneD and beckster, I appreciate your comments and feel the same way. I only wish I had seen Mayerling so I could comment on it intelligently! During the month of December there was a thread on Nutcrackers...the original story and its many ramifications over the years... I believe it was on this forum. In particular, we were talking about the sexual under and overtones of certain versions... At the time, I had just seen Pacific Northwest Ballet's film version on TV and various poster's pointed out the more obvious hints at the sexual awakening of the young Clara (or was she Marie?!)... Since I hadn't caught the whole show on TV, I hadn't noticed these. Later having received my own copy, courtesy of Juliet:cool:, I could see the vying for Clara that was going on between her two admirers. In thiscase, it seemed to be in perfectly good taste, as it did not go overtly overboard at all and, let's face it, it's a mainstay of family entertainment in ballet form during the "holiday" season.

beckster, I think "tacky" is a great vehicle for parody, although I am certain there could be differences of opinion on the appropriatness of parody itself - as you've noted you wouldn't like to see Aurora come out in a pink puff ball costume for her big moment. ;) The question of likes and dislikes, and the "there's no accounting for taste" assumption do make it difficult to really label what is "in bad taste"...at times, anyway. There is also the question of what is "art" and is the artist's use of what we might consider "bad taste" something which they have the right to use in order to make their artistic statement? Mayor Guilliani, the former Czar - I mean Mayor - of NYC, didn't think so. I do think there is a basic understanding of what is bad taste, but, then. I am fooled everyday. Don't mean to digress, but hoping to fan the embers here... There are some of us, here, in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern parts of the US that are snowed in today but our Internet connections ar fully functioning.

Yes, Hans, and you did it with such diplomacy! The hope you expressed in your last line may well be Ballet d'Enfant's only saving grace. I just hope these little tutu clad children are able to move on to proper training without too much trouble - psychically or physically! I think the normal pre-ballet programs are great, for a variety of reasons, but this one does make me feel rather ill - but then I've never been big on pink and purple bows. The really scary part is that some people will think this is what ballet is about.

Leigh, I have to say that I throw my hat in with all the previous posters. All children mature at different ages...some never do. Agreed, however, that a note of suggestion to ticket buyers might be a good idea, and I think it should be de rigueur that when there is an offending human being of any age and there are other members of the audience savvy enough to complain to the powers that be, during the first intermission, they should do it and do it quickly! Perhaps the offenders might be placed in "stocks" in the main lobby for the duration of the performance? dancermom2, your story reminds me of that recent Metropolitan Diary (section of the NY Times) where the well behaved couple in the audience was moved to another section of the theater in order to join "the witness protection program"!:eek: And, vagansmom, aren't you thankful for your religious upbringing, now? ;)

Well, thankfully, I'm don't have a Barbara Cartland complex so I didn't take offense! ;) Interesting topic, Alexandra. Taste, in all of its states, is so subjective, isn't it? I'm barely making a dent in the lid by writing this, but is there really something that is universally in bad taste? There may well be someone who'd love those corps members in bikinis and swastikas... though it wouldn't be me. There have been some ballets that I've seen that I did not particularly like. For example, Schumann's "Davidsundlertanze" by Balanchine... I know many other people loved it. Perhaps I might say that I found the men's costumes, and in particular poor Charles Askegard's, to be in bad taste... does this count? Alexandra, I'm sure you're after something much deeper than my comments on costumes, but I figured if I started...others might follow.

I just received a flyer from City Center about their Spring programs... Besides the other dance programs, such as the New York Flamenco Festival, Paul Taylor, and Eifman Ballet... the Stuttgart Ballet is going to be there... I'm very ignorant regarding Stuttgart Ballet. I will read the threads below, but was wondering if people might give me some overview and background information. I feel that this may well be an opportunity that shouldn't be missed. Thanks!

Thanks so much, Tracey, Beckster and, yes, Bilbo with your American abroad's perspective, for all of your input on this article. I'm happy to hear that you feel the author's description of the audience was accurate and not insulting. Sometimes, I think that we Americans have a tendency to take things, such as ourselves, much too seriously, whereas the British have such a wonderful self deprecating sense of the absurd. I will add that in the NYC ballet scene one does see quite a variety of fashion statements, as well. One article like this (and even that article by our American humorist Dave Barry that there was another thread on) is, in my opinion, helpful to the cause - but it's really the follow-up article to this one that I'd like to read! I want to know that this first taste of ballet - of "perfection" - was so seductive that he just had to go back for more. Please do let us know if the author takes another trip to the ballet and writes about it!

I think we stayed in a Best Western during the beginning of race week, while visiting our daughter at NYSSSA and it was the only place we found with a fair and normal price. Clean, comfortable and a nice boring ambiance! ;)

Last spring or so, there was a nice thread in which people offered up their suggestions as to where to stay, etc., but I can't find it... Here is a link that should be helpful: http://www.saratoga.org/ We stayed at a B&B called The Union Gables, that was quite reasonable...before race week!

Here is a quick link to the schedule: http://www.nycballet.com/nycballet/html/ti...saratoga03.html Last summer was our first visit to Saratoga Springs and SPAC and we were not disappointed! The setting at SPAC for ballet is so different than at NY State Theater - it's magical and the dancers appear to feel it too. My vote goes for Midsummer's Night Dream, if we can arrange to be there, we will.

Thank you BB. I especially enjoyed your comments at the end when you wrapped it up by saying:

Hans, thank you for your thoughtful and detailed explanation.

Thank you Treefrog!!

Yes, Juliet, can't wait until you have a chance to see this film - please get back to us eith your professional opinion about the "costumes" in question. NancyHJohnson, your second paragraph is so perfect! And I agree with the other comments you made as well. Although I am still glad it aired, and that I saw it... I still don't understand why Mark Morris was chosen as the choreographer for a documentary about any ballet dancers.

Dale, in this case, there is no guilt by association....at least as far as you're concerned! I like Mel's suggestion...perhaps under the cover of darkness?

sneds, the Morris piece was performed at SUNY Purchase about a year ago. I did get a notice about it...think I even posted about it, but couldn't attend. Agreed about the helmetless riding being very stupid. I, too, enjoyed seeing a bit of their nondance lives...especially the childhood part but also wished there'd been more on their training. I will say that they do all seem to be very likeable fellows - no airs of superiority, which was a plus!

I actually saw "The Natural History of the Chicken" and remember thinking it was quite entertaining...of course, here in New Yawk, we saw it quite a while ago! ;)