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Have you guys seen Giselle/ Kirov video staged in the early eighties ( 83 I guess ), With Mezentseva and Zaklinsky? To me, the best Willis ever!!!!! And Myrtha is Tatiana Therekova ( sp? )!

And, with a time travel machine: Gelsey Kirkland Darcey Bussel Martine Van Hamel Ekaterina Maximova

Sir Anthony Dowell Mikhail Baryshnikov Rudolf Nureyev Manuel Legris I just don't want to be in the coreographer's shoes for this one!

I would try to have a little bit of different styles. I'd choose: Zenaida Yanowsky Agnes Letestu Julie Kent and Maria Alexandrova. By the way, I'd also love to have a time travel machine to cast retired dancers ( at their peak) !

Nureyev and Zaklinsky when they were young ( add Andris Liepa and Vasiliev here, too ) Ethan Stiefel Angel Corella Roberto Bolle Federico Bonelli Marcelo Gomes (I'm Brazilian - love'm tall, dark and sexy ) and Ruzimatov for extra sexyness

Well, if someone could purchase only one, then it definetly had to be the Kirov one, for all the reasons mentioned above. Terekhova is amazing and I'd never thought of Ruzimatov in Don Quixote ( before I've seen it) but it works perfectly! It also looks more "complete" than the other vertions, if I can say that. It might be a little old, but I don't think it's affected by that. The ABT version is colorful, pretty, I really like Cinthya Harvey dancing ( wish there were more videos on her ) and there's Baryshnikov! Jumping! Besides that, the role really fits him! And Patrick Bissel does a terrific "matador"!Somehow I think there's little dancing in this version. I always finish watching it wishing the corps had more to do! Now, if only someone thought of pairing up Terekova and Baryshnikov.... I can´t wait to see the cuban version! Have high expectations on it!!!

I agree with Ceeszi, the Baryshnikov/Kirkland version is beautiful and definetly a must have. I think it´s still available and has a very interesting Snowflake Waltz in it! ( With a young Cinthya Harvey as soloist, if i'm not mistaken). There is a Kirov Nutcracker with Larissa Lehznina and Victor Baranov, filmed in 1994 at the Maryinsky Theater, wich I like a lot! Kirov corps is perfect, the costumes and sets are beautiful and match perfectly, specially the forest in the Snowflake Waltz. It doesn't has a Sugar Plum fairy. Instead, it seems to be about Clara romantic awakening ( wich a very young and extremely good Lezhnina makes believable ). And Victor Baranov, who is not that famous, plays a handsome prince and is a very competent partner. I'm interested to Know more about Nutcracker Sweeties, with Birmingham Royal Ballet. I might me able to purchase it in near future but I don't know much about it. I'd love to hear from someone who has seen it!

Hello! I'm a 32 years old female former amateur ballet dancer from Brazil. I've been lurking around this forum for a while and finally decided to register and post. First of all I'd like to apologize for my english - not my native language - and possible future mystakes. That said, I'd like to thanks the moderators and who had the wonderful idea of creating this forum! It´s the best place to go to learn and understand the fine aspects of the most beautiful art form of all ( in my humble opinion)! I studied classical ballet for 8 years and danced non professionaly for another 7 ( 3 years in the corps and 4 as a soloist). I stopped when I graduated from college - I'm a Physical Therapist. It´s been 9 years now. It´s one of the few regrets I have in life and probably I'm just gonna start taking classes again sometime! In Brazil, dance ( in all it's forms ) is very popular and so is ballet! Well, not as popular as soccer, but every time I go to a ballet recital ( from local or foreign companies) it's full house! Of course we don't have the same access you guys have in Europe or North America: we only have one official repertory ballet company ( that I know of ) and foreign companies just don't tour here often enough! Besides, I don't live in Rio or São Paulo, wich makes things more difficult. But I do have a large and expanding dvd and video collection and try to keep track of everything happening around the world ( the net makes it easy ). It's not the same as if I was able to see it alive, but is better than nothing... And, I don't believe ballet is dead or dying! Not while there are efforts like this forum around! Did I say thank you guys yet? Best wishes for all!