nijinsky1979

There's a newly-posted video on YouTube of her and Anthony Dowell doing the balcony pas de deux from MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBbs3UzIQqY She really lets go in this one, and of course it's breathtaking. I think this is from the mid-'80s, after she left ABT. It seems she left her demons behind in New York, as well as a lot of her self-consciousness. By the way, I haven't read The Shape of Love.

Yep, she's incredible. I saw her in the third movement of Symphony in C last year. The image of her leaping offstage is indelible. And yes, it seems she never loses momentum.

It's Coppélia, with an acute accent over the e. Also: Dr. Coppélius. By the way, it's one of my favorites. It's not very deep or anything, but indeed, why should it have to be? It's one well-known ballet that has no element of magic or tragedy. Really, it's a ballet for the Industrial Age. Yes, it has a fantastic score — and I agree that's one of the reasons it's endured — but I'm beginning to like the music of Sylvia better: There's more of an emotional scope in Sylvia.

I saw Edward Barnes a few times when he was with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. I hope he gets to perform with the main company frequently.

This is sad news for those of us who see ballet exclusively in the U.S. And I can't say I'm altogether surprised. Whoever is disappointed with this news might take heart because he will become a source of national pride internationally. Like I said about Sofiane Sylve leaving City Ballet, I'm glad I had the chance to see Radetsky dancing in New York.

I saw their Nutcracker when they toured in Cleveland in 2007. Their version is better than many, particularly the party scene, where so many productions can fall short. Many small details made that scene special. For example, the adults drank champagne before dinner and red wine afterward. As for the Drosselmeyer, danced by Nahat himself when I saw it, he seemed to be simply an eccentric old man, up until the very end of the scene. He's the last to leave the party, and the double doors at the back of the stage close "magically" in front of him, while he's winking to the audience and pressing his fingers to his lips, as if to share a magical secret. I swear he was looking right at me, and I understood it! He may or may not really have been looking in my direction, it was a powerful moment nonetheless: He was revealing to the audience that he was not just eccentric but magical, and he was hinting about what was to come. What makes their production stand out is that there are several scenery changes in the second act. Music is added and rearranged, which can annoy purists. But believe it or not, it's still pretty cohesive and impressive overall. What's the use of being a purist, anyway, when it comes to The Nutcracker? There are just too many versions out there to be fussy. I'm just glad the tradition is being carried on at all these days, given our economy. But yes, the San Jose company has a great one.

I saw her in Symphony in C, second movement, in the spring of 2007. Glad I got the chance.