toeprints

I am sure that many of you have met dancers over the years. It would be interesting to share your stories.

I was very fortunate to have met and talked with Rudolf Nureyev numerous times. He was very warm and friendly, interesting and interested - never rushing through a conversation and giving one his complete attention. We had a great chat after Boston opening of "The King and I." It was still early in the tour, so Rudi was still enjoying the play and having fun, but greatly missing dance. He had such a terrific sense of humor.

I also knew several former Boston Ballet principles, David Brown, Marie Christine Mouis, Daniel Meja, and the beautiful Laura Young. Very nice people, but rather shy (as are most dancers). Bruce Marks was the BB's AD then and a wonderful, personable man. He did a lot for the BB.

Please share your memories.

My father recently published a book of his never-before-seen photos of Rudolf Nureyev during his tour with the Dutch National Ballet in 1978. It is a labor of love.

Please enjoy the description and photos at the below link, should you have the interest.

http://www.nureyevlegacy.com/home.asp

This project began as a gift to Rudi van Dantzig at his retirement and has matured through years of effort. It was developed with the collaboration of Rudi and Toer Van Schayk. It has been created with close attention to detail and extreme precision. It is included in the archives of the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts.

For those in the NYC area, a presentation of the photos and the stories behind them will take place at the Port Washington Library during the coming year. This engagement is still being scheduled. I will provide an update if there is any interest.

Warm regards,

Joe

Thank you for the information on this book. I have seen a few of the photos on the on the NYPL website as well as the Flickr.com website, and they are phenomenal. I look forward to attending

the presentation.

I just had the Rudolf Nureyev Alla Scala DVD translated from European Region 2 to the U. S. Region 1 at a local recording studio outside of Boston (they handle commercials, tv promos, etc.). They cannot translate menus, but is there are subtitles, they will translate with the English subtitle. Very good results, and very reasonably priced.

Thank you for the info. I'm sure I'd need at least a week to view everything I'm interested in.

The Rudolf Nureyev/Carla Fracci DVD, from 1980, was wonderful. Rudolf's Albrecht was brilliant, and his entrechat six always left me breathless. Carla was a beautiful Giselle, ethereal and fragile. Their partnership was lovely.

I love the Italian audiences. They applaud and holler until the object of their affections acknowledges their ovation.

This DVD continues through the curtain calls. Rudi's curtain calls were legendary. He was the master of the art, and no one gave them better. I saw him dance Giselle the following year, and he was even more compelling. Albrecht was one of his greatest roles. His interpretation was so powerful and incomparable.

the library at Lincoln Center has this:

http://catnyp.nypl.org/search?/Xgiselle+an...=g&6%2C6%2C

from performance(s) in 1969 in Washington, marked as being a gift of Violette Verdy.

apropos of our board discussion of her Giselle a few days ago.

I'm glad you told us this information. I wish there would be a DVD of her performance; I'd love to add it to my collection. I have never been to the library at Lincoln Center. Do you need an appointment to see the collections, or can one just walk in off the street?

David Wall was ballet master of English National Ballet until a short time ago. He did a remarkable job and was very highly spoken of. He has now officially retired, though I'm not certain that he has entirely stopped working. I saw him at a performance only a month or so ago with his wife, the former ballerina Alfreda Thorogood.

Thank you for the info on David. I have to keep reminding myself that most of my favorite dancers are of retirement age now. I hope he will teach or give master classes, etc.

Does anyone have current information on a few of my favorite Royal Ballet dancers - Anthony Dowell, Lynn Seymour, David Wall, Merle Park, or Antoinette Sibley?

I know Sir Anthony retired from RB as AD in 2001, and Lynn left the Greek National Ballet last year. I believe Dame Merle retired from the RB Dance School a few years ago. However, all of these dancers were so talented, I hoped that they continued to teach or run a school or company.

Thank you for your help.

I have the 25th anniversary commerative book for the Boston Ballet, from 1989. There is a lovely photo of Violette and Edward Villella in "Giselle" - she made her debut in "Giselle" with the Boston Ballet, in 1968. George Balanchine was the Artistic Advisor to the BB. He would send dancers from the NYCB to Boston occasionally. In November, 1968, a gala was held to celebrate the BB's 5th anniversary with stars of the NYCB as guest performers. Ms. Verdy really was a beauty - and still is.

Thank you for the responses. It is good to know that people continue to read the older threads. There is so much information available in this forum about my favorite dancers.

I am new to Ballet Talk and just read this forum about Cynthia Gregory. I realize it is a few years old, but I just wanted to share my memory of Cynthia.

I saw her dance Swan Lake in 1979 (April 27) with Rudolf Nureyev at the Met in NY. It was the most phenomenal performance I have ever seen! Rudi was 41 and Cynthia was in her mid-thirties, I guess. They did an encore of Act III - the audience cheered and whistled so much that they just had to do the encore. The encore was actually better than the original pas de deux! The applause was so thunderous, I expected the building to implode. After acknowledging the applause (the crowd expected a second encore), Rudi just wiped his brow and mimed "no more." The two of them were just thrilled, and it showed. Cynthia was a sensational Odile, so alluring and dramatic.

Even though she preferred dancing with tall danseurs, she and Rudi just melded together. Of course, he always stood tall on stage and danced tall. And he was so strong that he could support her very well. Her Odette just broke my heart because it was so heart-felt.

I remember this performance as if it were yesterday.

Unfortunately, DanceView is available by subscription only.

There is a link to its subscription info. In fact, after having lapsed for too long, I'm going to take care of it now. Thanks for the prod!

Thank you for the info. I'll be mailing my check this week.

One thing I did forget: there's a photo in the last photo section that I think is the most wonderful photo of Nureyev of all I've seen: taken by Alexandra della Porta Rodiani, it shows Nureyev at the end of his life in full conductor's garb with baton on a lawn with trees blurred in the background. He looks relaxed and happy and his smile is spectacular. Definitely a candid shot, with his mouth partly open.

:DEAR HELENE

When I took the picture Rudy was really happy....We had great times together...

Alexandra della Porat Rodiani

I am thrilled that you responded to Helene. The picture of Rudolf is beautiful. It is a wonderful memory of your friendship. Thank you so much for sharing the photo with us. It helps to ease the pain of losing him.

JK obviously didn't like or respect Rudolf. Just another writer obsessed with his private sex life. It was salacious and rude.

The Rudi I knew was always kind, warm, very funny, and generous (that will surprise a few people!). It seems that she didn't want to include good, positive memories of him.

I was appalled that JK included so many details of Rudi's horrific illness and suffering. It is none of our business. Shame on those people who provided the information. And, whatever happened to patient/doctor confidentiality? Also, it was shocking that she had the heartless audacity to ridicule the physical appearance of a dying man.

And, to think that Rudi's money, via his Foundations, paid for the research of this authorized book.

bart (thank you!) summarizes Percival's review here, on the thread titled "Julie Kavanagh's Nureyev Biography".

Thank you Carbro and Bart. I just knew Mr. Percival would hit the nail on the head. I would like to order the Winter 2008 issue of DanceView. Do you know if it is possible (please say yes!), and how much would it cost.

Thanks again for your help. I just love Ballet Talk - I am having a wonderful time reading and learning.

The Spring 2008 DanceView is out and contains the following articles:

Stepping Up: The New York City Ballet's Winter Season, by Michael Popkin

Winter in Paris: Paris Opera Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and West Side Story, by Marc Haegeman

Olds Friends in New Guises: Jewels and The Nutcracker at the Miami City Ballet, by Carol Pardo

Slovak National Ballet: A Sampler of Ballet in Bratislava, by Julie Van Camp

and New York, London and San Francisco reports by Gay Morris, Jane Simpson, and Rita Felciano respectively.

DanceView is a quarterly print companion to danceviewtimes that makes readers wish there were 8 seasons and 8 issues a year. Subscriptions are available here.

I just learned about DanceView by reading through the Forums (I'm new to Ballet Talk). I read that John Percival had a review of that book by Julie Kavanagh in the Winter 2008 issue. Could some one tell me what his opinion was?

Thank you for the information.

Nearly everyone has favorite critic. We love them or hate them, but we always read or listen to them (often mumbling in disagreement). I have deep respect and admiration for a few; Clive Barnes, John Percival, Patricia Boccadoro, Jennifer Dunning, and Anna Kisslegoff.

Who are your favorites? Who are the prominent critics that we should be heeding today?

Welcome toeprints to BT from a fellow member from Massachusetts, who also has many memories and viewsings of Boston Ballet and other companies. Maybe I will see you next season at BB performances? I haven't been in their new venue for a zillion years, so hope it's okay for BB and our views of them.

Hi 4mrdncr,

I also hope the Opera House works out ok for the dancers. It must be big enough since they have used it for the Nutcracker the past few years.

I was there a few years ago, after the remodeling was completed (or nearly). It's very lovely, of course, not as gorgeous as the Wang. I love that place - it's so European. Boston has also laid off @30 dancers. Do you remember when all the foreign companies used to dance there? When I saw Alicia Alonzo and her company, there was such a mass of protesters and police. It was very exciting, scary, but exciting. It was just like being in a movie!

Toeprints

Hello everyone. I just discovered Ballet Talk, and I'm thrilled! I have worked for an airline for ages and traveled extensively; however, being from Boston, I naturally follow the Boston Ballet. Dancers always astound me.

I love dance and have been a huge fan of Rudolf Nureyev for many years. Because of his influence, I learned a lot about ballet and its history. It is unbelievable to me that it has been 15 years since he died. I miss him.

Those golden days of ballet were indeed glorious. I hope some of that excitement will return, especially in the United States. I cannot even find books on dance in book stores anymore. Thank goodness for Amazon.Com!

I look forward to reading and learning from all of you.

Yes, toeprints, it's true that the Golden Age of ballet, at least in my memory, was in the 1960s and 1970s. Remember all those performances that were broadcast "Live from Lincoln Center"? Those were the years that Nureyev and then Baryshnikov were dancing, and Makarova was mounting La Bayadere for ABT. During the 1970s I lived in Bloomington, Indiana, a university town with a very fine music school. At that time I was home raising my children (in those days a family could still live on one income) and I used to run what I whimsically called a "Ballet Alert" service. Whenever ballet was going to be on TV, I rounded up all the girls and boys on the street and we would gather around the biggest TV we could find and watch all together. For awhile I taught the little girls ballet in my living room, just for fun.

But I think we're due for a revival. For one thing, although it appears to me that Alistair McCauley, the new dance critic for the New York Times, prefers Balanchine and NYCB to ABT and the 19th century classics, we are definitely seeing more dance reviews than in recent years. For another, I think the quality of dancing at ABT is going up all the time, especially the male dancers, but the women as well. As they say, there is talent "deep within the ranks." The male stars, e.g., Corella, Cornejo, Stiefel, Gomes (and when are they going to promote Sascha Radetsky to Principal?) have that "superstar" quality again, in addition to their exquisite ballet line, like Nureyev. I think Malakhov must be one of the most underappreciated dancers of all time. He was thrilling to watch. Where is he now?

Looking ahead to the future, on a personal note, I've been playing the DVD of Nina Ananiashvili and Alexei Fadeyechev dancing Swan Lake with the State Ballet of Perm (Nina was 29 years old when it was made) for my now 3-year-old granddaughter since she was a year old, and she was and still is completely mesmerized. She also knows Giselle, Nutcracker and La Bayadere. When she watches Swan Lake she dances along in her white tutu for Odette and her black tutu for Odile, and makes her father (my son), who never had a ballet lesson in his life, play the role of Prince Siegfriend, supporting her and lifting her at the appropriate moments. It's a hoot to watch them. I am grooming her to carry on the torch.

Angelica

Hi Angelica,

I'm sorry that I was not able to properly send you a reply. I'm new at being a member of a discussion group. I did send you a couple of messages, but they are in cyberspace probably.

I miss seeing ballet on tv - Boston PBS rarely shows any dance. I wish I lived in New York as WNET still has class. The Golden Age also included the 80's. It really began to dwindle when Rudi stopped performing; he always made news, which, in turn, kept ballet alive in people's minds. Ghislaine Thesmar made a statement, after Rudi died, that there was nothing remarkable left in their world. I agree.

You said you lived in Bloomington, Indiana - I know that Violette Verdy is a dance professor at the university. She loves it and still travels world-wide to teach as well. She also believes there is a dance revival happening. It is difficult to see that since so many companies are having financial problems. Boston Ballet just laid off @ 30 people and have to move to a smaller venue.

I just love the image of your granddaughter dancing in her tutus. You're doing a great job.

Toeprints

We have some good discussions going here, but since this is a welcome forum it doesn't get much traffic. If other topics come to mind put them on a pertinent forum and they'll get a larger audience; they get lost on Welcome.

Giannina

Hi Giannina,

I don't know if this will work or not. I'm not doing very well in responding to people who are nice enough to reply to me. I guess I'm just having a difficult time figuring out how to manage the forum. Believe it or not, I really am a smart person; I have just never been involved in an internet discussion group before.

Toeprints

Hi Angelica,

I agree that the Golden Age was during the 60's and 70's - but also the 80's. It really began to fizzle as Rudi's performances slowed. I believe he was the catalyst, and when he died, Ghislaine Thesmar said it best - that there was nothing remarkable left in their world. I hope there will be a revival - Boston Ballet has a lot of difficulties now, laying off 30 dancers, plus moving into a smaller venue. I wish PBS aired more ballet, well, Boston PBS seems to have forgotted the art. I wish I lived in New York. WNET still cares.

I love the image of your granddaughter dancing in her tutu. You're doing a great job! You said that you lived in Bloomington - Violette Verdy is a dance professor there, and she still travels the world teaching as well. She has hopes for a dance explosion also.

I occasionally enjoy Mr. McCauley. He is rather acerbic and, yes, he does favor NYCB. Lately, there are a few British critics who think they are Simon Cowell. Your Ballet Alert service appears to have been a terrific concept. Good for you. I wish there were more dance magazines around. I suppose I'll have to revert to the British mags again. Have you ever read "Culturekiosque.com" - it is really terrific for artistic revues. Their dance critic, Patricia Boccadoro, is fabulous.

Toeprints

Hi Cristian,

I hope this works this time! Thank you for the welcome - I'll be sure to let you know about Lorna as soon as I hear. There is a big shake-up at Boston Ballet - lots of lay-offs, plus they have to relocate to another theater - a smaller one. They haven't announced the names of the dancers affected by lay-offs yet.

Toeprints (Kathy)

Hi Angelica,

I just joined Ballet Talk also. Welcome. I've been around a while also. It's wonderful to have seen so many great dancers, isn't it. Congratulations on resuming dancing. Good for you.

Toeprints (Kathy)

Hi!...and welcome. Mmm...Boston Ballet. How do you like my all time favorite ballerina Lorna Feijoo...? (I really hope she gets full recovery from her injury and comes back better than ever!)

Meanwhile, nice to have you here!

Hello everyone. I just discovered Ballet Talk, and I'm thrilled! I have worked for an airline for ages and traveled extensively; however, being from Boston, I naturally follow the Boston Ballet. Dancers always astound me.

I love dance and have been a huge fan of Rudolf Nureyev for many years. Because of his influence, I learned a lot about ballet and its history. It is unbelievable to me that it has been 15 years since he died. I miss him.

Those golden days of ballet were indeed glorious. I hope some of that excitement will return, especially in the United States. I cannot even find books on dance in book stores anymore. Thank goodness for Amazon.Com!

I look forward to reading and learning from all of you.