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toeprints

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Posts posted by toeprints

  1. i just received my copy of Dance View - thank you for the wonderful tribute to Rudolf Nureyev,,beautifully written by Judith Cruikshank. She did an outstanding job of reminding/informing us of the numerous contributions to dance made by Rudi. I believe every current dancer should read this piece. So many of them only know the gossip.

  2. Thank you for remembering Rudi.. I wish there would be another documentary on PBS - one that would remind the world of his great importance and influence on the world of dance - and not dwell on his horrific illness. I know a few European companies will be honoring him this year - does anyone know if an American company will do the same?

  3. California, I'm sorry for the delay in responding to you - Nureyev and Gregory encored immediately following the pdd! After the thunderous applause died down, the music started again - and they were off! I assume Rudi had signaled the conductor to start right away. I don't know where they got their energy, but the encore was even better than the first - and they knew it!

    The late critic, Clive Barnes, was there, but left early to write his column for the next day's paper - so it was not mentioned. I am sure he was kicking himself for missing it.

  4. Rudolf Nureyev and Cynthia Gregory performed an encore of the Black Swan pdd in April, 1979 - ABT's performance of Swan Lake and the Met. It was absolutely phenomenal! I'll never forget it. Rudi was 41 and danced as if he were 25. The audience was on their feet the entire time - and, of course, roared "encore" after their 2nd pdd. Rudi mimed "sorry, no" by wiping his brow and bowing elegantly.

  5. July, 1981, was a busy month for La Scala in NYC. Thank you, Mme. Hermine for including the link to the NY Times review of Giselle on 7/25/81. The previous week, Carla, Rudi Nureyev, and Margot Fonteyn performed Nureyev's magnificent Romeo and Juliet. I flew to New York from Boston to see it, and it was thrilling! I often flew to NYC to see Rudi. I always regretted that I just didnt' have enough $$ to return the following week to see Giselle. Thankfully, I have the DVD of their performance. They were amazing, especially when you consider that they were both in their 40's!

  6. I thoroughly agree with Leonid. "Dancer" is a piece of trash - insulting and vulgar. The author admits to knowing very little about Nureyev before he wrote the book. I don't know who he spoke to prior to writing, but obviously they were folks who disliked Nureyev or had never seen him dance. Just fabricated trash. I am surprised that Rudi's doctor stated that he thought it was great - shame on him. Of course, that doctor appears to enjoy the limelight a little too much. No patient confidentiality in his vocabulary.

  7. Imagine - 50 years ago, this week, newspapers world-wide heralded the news, and the ballet world was thrown into a tizzy!

    We all know of Rudolf Nureyev's great contributions to dance -his influence in the popularity of ballet and modern dance and the enhanced prominence of male dancers; and, to those of us of a certain age, the excitement and happiness of seeing Rudi in performance.

    I was very young when he defected and remember my Mother being so worried about him, as well as his Mother, and my Father, a great student of Russian history, knowing the terrible dangers Rudi faced; but I just knew that he was one of the bravest men on earth!

    I am surprised that there are so few celebrations of this historic anniversary. I only know of a couple - an exhibition of Jamie Wyeth's paintings of Rudi in New Britain,CN and Linda Maybarduk presented "The Nureyev Effect" (consisting of lectures, films, and master classes) in Southern California and Florida.

    What are your memories of this momentous event?

  8. There will be Jose Manuel Carreno Dance Festival on December 21 and 22, 2010, at the Sarasota Opera House, Sarasota, Florida.

    Jose will perform Holiday Favorites with special guest stars, and he will give a Master Class. The website info sounds wonderful. I wish I could attend.

    The website address is:

    www.CarrenoDanceFestival.com

    (I hope the above link will connect once you click on it. I usually do not have much luck with links.)

  9. This is a fascinating autobiography, by dancer, choreographer, artistic director Robert De Warren. He was AD at Northern Ballet Theater, Iran National Ballet, and La Scala (recommended by Rudolf Nureyev).

    Most important to me were the 100 plus pages of his dignified remembrances of the 20 year professional relationship and close friendship between Robert and his wife with Rudolf Nureyev. These chapters include interesting contradictions to Kavanagh's book, as well as a lot of intrigue.

    Has anyone else read the book?

  10. Methinks Jennings is bored or lonely - he wrote this list knowing that it would be controversial and elicit letters, e-mails, etc. How could anyone print a "10 best dancers" list and exclude Nureyev, Bruhn, Fonteyn, Ulanova - to name a few. I am stunned. Hence, my theory that Jennings is lonely and wanted people to correspond with him.

  11. I noticed this dvd also - I clicked on the title for more info and just saw "Ann Marie Duff" listed beside the title. I believe that this is the British tv film which was shown in the UK last November. The title does suggest a wonderful idea for a documentary though.

    Is it this dvd?

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002QH4R36

    thx

    -goro-

    Goro, the UK Amazon lists a lot of product info. The US Amazon doesn't give any info, except the blurb "Margot and the Royal Ballet: Ann Marie Duff" - quite silly on Amazon's part to not have additional info.

  12. Marika Besobrasova (Academie de Danse Classique Princesse Grace) passed away last weekend. Her funeral is to be held today in Monaco.

    I am saddened to hear of the passing of Madame Besobrasova who was a distinguished ballet pedagogue.

    I met her on a number of occasions and she was a most delightful and charming woman.

    May she rest in peace.

    MARIKA BESOBRASOVA: “Beauty of soul mysteriously reflected in the beauty of body“. This idea is the basis of teaching which I try to follow and take in into account in searching for a real talent. Only a person with rich inner world can become a great artist. A body is an instrument of a dancer. A musician, if he is not satisfied with the sound of his instrument, can always buy a Stradivari, a dancer cannot get another body. He must leam to control it. It is necessary to have simultaneously a sense of discipline, persistence and iron will, along with wide range of vision. However, the combination of all these necessary qualities will remain only a scheme without that indefinite „aura” which cannot be obtained and is called a talent. It is the finest sense of motion reflecting emotional experiences exciting and shaking the audience. A young dancer with the help of his tutor must discover in himself something. „I don't know what” which is mysteriously hidden deep in his soul: he must identify it, subdue it and carry it till realizatin of unique wonder once at night — “PERFORMANCE”. FROM PRIX BENOIS DE LA DANSE WEBSITE

    This was a beautiful quote, Leonid. Thank you for sharing it. Madame Besobrasova's words gave me chills. May she rest in peace.

  13. Has anyone read Robert deWarren's memoir, "Destiny's Waltz - In Step with Giants?" I just learned about it. He was the former AD of LaScala, Northern Ballet, etc. The recap of the book sounds interesting. He has led a fascinating life.

    Thanks for any info you have.

  14. A huge mea culpa - I just re-read my original posting and realized that I neglected to include two people I greatly admire - Jane Simpson and Robert Greskovic. Both are very thoughtful as well as possessing a great deal of knowledge and perception.

  15. The documentary, "Rudolf Nureyev - l'attraction Celeste," aired on French tv in January, 2009, will be available on DVD. In the United States, the release date is 4/27/10, according to Amazon.com; and in England on 3/29/10, according to Amazon.co.uk and Europadisc.co.uk.

    Friends and colleagues of Rudi will appear; i.e., Charles Jude, Patrice Bart, Ghislane Thesmar, etc. It will be in French, with subtitles.

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