BW

I'm sorry for you Angel2Be.

You might want to read the article posted in today's links forum. I found it quite interesting - yes, much I'd heard or read before, but somehow this article got me to thinking a bit more about Ms. Farrell's past and present together. B)

Caro, Eve27, kleighfer, Adrienne, temple dancer, floss, ivy'smama, Swiss Chard, A local foreigner in Almaty, and Marianna - many thanks to you all for helping to create a more united group of nations and countries here on Ballet Talk - and for the extras you bring to the cyber table as well! It makes for a much more well rounded conversation. :gossip:

koshka wrote:

As a frequent balletgoer at the Kennedy Center, I truly don't care what people wear as long as they conduct themselves appropriately.

Now that is the truth!

cricket, you sound as though you've got it under control. Some people will be extremely "well dressed" but my guess is that most will be tastefully attired from a somewhat casual style to the business suit, blazer, etc. approach. Though I haven't been to this Cleveland venue, I'm assuming it's similar to NYC's. At City Center last night the garb worn ran the full gamut from blue jeans, to a "hip" silver lame sort of uniform shirt, to tweed blazers, and the rest.

For the teens, I think "no jeans" is right on - and no bear midriffs or t-shirts of that "certain" kind, either. Naturally, I'm speaking as a parent! :sweating:

What a nice thing for you to be doing! Please be sure to report back on your whole experience, too! :yes:

I'm almost half way through this book and I, too, love it. I just read everyone's posts and they're all very heartfelt and I find myself nodding throughout.

As Ed Waffle wrote

It is the type of book that has become scarce—one written for the normally literate layperson with an interest but not much specialized knowledge in an art form. There are now many more books devoted to science that do this than the performing arts. The reader doesn’t have to know much about the technical side of ballet to appreciate this book—although those with that knowledge certainly may have a more profound understanding of it.

Even the "normally literate layperson" can not only read this book - but fall in love with Henning Kronstam as well. And the photographs within the book are fantastic, too - they're a great touch stone and show the maturing process of this dancer from that of a young boy to a man, as well - very important.

Speaking of photos - I love that picture of a 10 year old Kronstam as McDuff's son.

And thank you purelyballet for jumping in with both "feet" to post your views in your very first post! Now I am even more annoyed that I won't be seeing it because it sounds as though it was a great deal of fun and, no doubt, full of Draculean "humor". I wonder what Edward Gorey would have thought of Stevenson's ballet?

By the way, welcome to Ballet Alert's Ballet Talk! Take a look around at all the different forums and you might want to stop in at the official Welcome thread to introduce yourself if you have a chance, too.

Oops, sorry Leigh - I just missed your post while I was editing. Apollo - yes but not exactly...I thought Peter Boal looked fantastic and godlike as Apollo the other day in Brooklyn. I think it's just for me - the "old modern" style of things... Enough said.

Leigh - you do have a much better way with words than I and I found myself agreeing with so much of what you said - but I just couldn't put it into words. You've got the vocabulary and the understanding to do it...but think of me as the nonballet educated audience expressing myself. And I don't mean to sound self-denigrating either - just being realistic.

Seriously - all very well put.

Just an aside here re "The Max and Irina Show" - it did appear that way to me too, I just didn't have the gumption to post it. I did, however, get a kick out of Irina D., in particular, but kept wondering if my reaction was their intension? Also wondered if the size of the stage at City Center and where I was sitting, just off center in the sixth row of the Grand Tier, had a negative effect of making me feel as though they were in my lap? It did have a bit of a circus like feel to it.

cargill, thank you for addressing my question about the era of choreographies - perhaps my feelings stemmed purely from the stylized nature of the costumes? No matter, really... And I too did like the classical touches, especially, on the women's costumes.

I'm with Michael - could not take my eyes off of Zhong-Jing Fang. She truly is exquisitely beautiful - both as a dancer and as a woman. And as to your comments on the back drop - I kept thinking this was 1940's "modern"...along with the men's costumes. In some strange way I kept thinking of Prodigal Son - something about the time these ballets were made maybe? I know when a ballet is performed the original costumes, if at all possible, are used and I am assuming that's why the men had to wear these unfortunate outfits. I found them very distracting - they looked as though they were either wearing aluminum beanies and the half shirts didn't do it for me either. The women, on the other hand looked great - much more flattering costumes for them.

My reactions to last night are not what I expected. I attended wanting to love the Ashton and Tudor pieces, but I really did not. I hesitate to even post this but since I can't be pummeled with tomatoes, ;) I'll just say Pillar of Fire kept reminding me of Thorton Wilder's "Our Town" - it was so incredibly somber. It's not that I was expecting a light and happy tale, but for me it was not something I'd rush out to see again. However, Amanda McKerrow certainly expressed her character's withdrawn sadness deeply. Unfortunately towards the end of the piece Ms. McKerrow appeared to be bleeding on the front of her right ankle, a bit on her heel - and there was a huge stain of red on her knee as well. I believe this was real for it appeared to stain the front of her dress as well. I can imagine that this was an incredibly draining performance for her as Hagar from an emotional point of view. She received quite an ovation at her curtain call.

Irina Dvorovenko was her usual spitfire self in Raymonda and really knows how to milk the crowd - I couldn't help but laugh several times, but I did think she was very good.

As for Martha Graham's piece Diversion of Angels - why does a ballet company choose to perform a modern piece? I don't really think it's their calling. Just my opinion, of course.

Seems to me that "Jail" would be "Physical Therapy" because if you're injured you're out and most injured dancers can be found at their physical therapist's. :shhh:

Thank you DorisR - we had hoped to make it down but, now, don't think we'll be able to - so it's especially nice to read your report! B) I hope they'll be others who'll comment, as well.

Yes, thank you minty! And Nora, too, for asking - I know I've come away with a better understanding of the word.

"Plastique" means - plastic...as in something that has the ability to bend or move...or be molded. In the sense of a dancer I would think this refers to the dancer's fluidity of movement in the sense of their body's ability to bend and mold itself to the music/movement. Think the opposite of static? Clay is "plastique"...it's moldable...easily formed...

Perhaps another more versed than I will add to this?

lillianna, thank you for giving us the good with the bad on this one. It's good to know that even though you found Streetcar disturbing, you didn't let that stop you from attending again - you just excused yourself during that piece. Good for you!

I noticed that there are a number of tall women dancers that you've mentioned - that's a nice thing to hear, especially for those of us with taller would be dancers coming along.

If you see any news coverage, and it doesn't get posted, I hope you'll make sure to post the articles, OK?

Interesting decision to show all in Streetcar Named Desire, I wonder how it was received by others who attended. Perhaps this is an example of too much reality, something that's been talked about in other threads on Ballet Talk of late.

But despite the supernatural shenanigans spooking the staff, don't expect a Halloween party there tomorrow night. "Every day here is Halloween," Von Shats laughed.

Gotta love Von Shats!

LOL! Tancos, don't worry - this is fantasy land! Hmm, maybe I should renege on my Little Red Riding Hood and go for Titania in Ashton's Dream? B)

Little Red Riding Hood from Balanchine's Sleeping Beauty. :grinning:

Thanks kfw and Farrell Fan. B)

Who has reissued it and where is it available? I checked Amazon and they only show used versions available.

Great reviews - I wish I'd been there!

Pretty soon, I'm going to do a read through of this thread and make a preliminary "accounting" of what countries are represented here. I know there are more of you out there, and we'd love to hear from you.

Just as an aside here, I believe that when Ballet Talk changed its server, etc., certain things didn't always make the cut - as in poster's "locations"...so if you do want people to know where you hail from - whether it's Germany or Kansas - go in to "My Controls" and update your profile, if you feel like it, that is.

Thank you all for taking the time to respond to my thread's question and more.

The repertory doesn't reflect it -- is that your confusion, BW? Or something else?

Yes, Alexandra that is what I meant. I felt as though what McKenzie said, even though he may very well believe it, just didn't jibe with what I've seen and read. As Thalictum notes, Tudor is "barely a presence in ABT's repetoire", much to many people's apparent dismay. And the other aspect that I found confusing was that, unless I misread him, McKenzie was saying that ABT became a star vehicle but was no longer - and that I do disagree with.

It was thanks to an earlier thread this season in which Victoria described working with Tudor and, I believe, the discussion of Nora Kaye's (do I have the name right?) portrayal that I made sure to get tickets for November 5th. I'm not sure, but I believe Amanda McKerrow will be in Hagar's role that night, and I'm expecting good things from her.

From today's NYT article that can be found on the Links forum.

DUNNING What is Tudor's place in Ballet Theater's history?

McKENZIE When we first started, there were creators creating, but they were all doing the circuit.

DUNNING Their hearts wouldn't have been with this new company?

McKENZIE That's what I think. And along came this guy who said, "I'll call this home." He took this group of dancers and made these incredible works and I think it gave Ballet Theater a unique profile.

It was such a special moment in history. Frankly, it ground to a halt somewhere in the 50's and I'm not sure why. It's almost like as these great stars emerged, people started trying to find star vehicles instead of the works themselves creating the stars. It got backwards there for a while. But certainly the groundwork of what he did in the 40's and into the 50's is still the identity, in my mind, of what Ballet Theater stands for. All I can say is thank God for him.

I read this yesterday and found myself scratching my head a bit. Does anyone else find this last bit confusing?

I just hope that this movie will be playing locally and not just in NYC. Fortunately Altman is a well respected film maker, but sadly the majority of movies shown in the suburbs of Manhattan are your run of the mill sorts.

Thank you kfw, I'll probably still go see it if I have the opportunity, but I do appreciate your review. I know there was another long thread on here about the movie, but I sort of lost track of it. So thanks for bringing it up again.