ToThePointe Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 Borrowing from an on going discussion... If you were to "nominate" a ballerina for this title, who would it be? (Of course none, let's just go for Absolut on the rocks is fine too) My vote would be for Sylvie Guillem. She knocks my socks off, and I'm usually left picking my jaw up off the floor when I get to see clips of her dance. Link to comment
Dansuer85 Posted April 4, 2004 Share Posted April 4, 2004 It's really hard for me to say, because I've not seen alot of dancers live, but of those who I have seen, Julie Kent, to me she embodies what a female dancer should be, I know other people differ in opinion, which is their right, but she is gorgeous in my eyes! Link to comment
Hans Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I honestly can't think of anyone who hasn't already retired...such as Asylmuratova, maybe Isabelle Guérin, Elisabeth Platel (though I've never seen her live). And what about Carla Fracci? But the title of Assoluta--that means these people have to live up to Legnani, Kschessinska, Fonteyn, and Plisetskaya. Not at all easy to choose. Link to comment
Effy Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 A friend of mine said when Margot Fonteyn was created Prima Ballerina Assoluta: How could she get an appointment, that was specific to the Imperial Russian Ballet? and I think she is right. In Denmark the term First Solo Dancer have been used on and off, but the way most major ballet companies are run today no single dancer carries as the repetoire, nor is it made for one in particular. Susanne Farrell is probably the most important dancer at NYCB for a long period. Margot Fonteyn is synonomous with the rise of the Royal Ballet.(It always confuse me to call the British Ballet for Royal Ballet and the Royal Ballet in Denmark for Royal Danish Ballet. The later being the oldest and truly Royal in its origin) At present it would say tha Silja Schandorff is the leading RDB ballerina, still she do not get leading roles she is suited for. In short the term assoluta belongs to a era long gone and should be left there. Link to comment
jorgen Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Good point about the Royal Ballet, Effy. I will say the Royal British Ballet from now on. :-) Link to comment
MakarovaFan Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Fonteyn, Plisetskaya and Makarova Link to comment
nysusan Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Fonteyn & Makarova. I never saw Plisetskaya live, but I'm sure she would qualify as well! Suzanne Farrell is one of the greatest dancers I've ever seen, certainly up there with Fonteyn & Makarova in my memory. However I don't consider Farrell an assoluta because I think that if we're going to confer a title from the imperial Russian era, the ballerina has to have been acclaimed in the classical & romantic repertory. As for current dancers - nobody I've seen, certainly nobody currently at ABT or NYCB. I was really impressed with Pavlenko when the Kirov was in DC recently, but one performance does not make an assoluta. I will, however, give her my vote for the ballerina most likely, with Cojocaru also a contender! Link to comment
silvy Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Altynai Asylmulatova Maya Plitseskaya Alicia Alonso (if she is not already - I am not sure) Ludmila Semenyaka Ekaterina Maximova Link to comment
Cygnet Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Altynai AsylmulatovaMaya Plitseskaya Alicia Alonso (if she is not already - I am not sure) Ludmila Semenyaka Ekaterina Maximova Plisetskaya - No doubt about her. That's a given. Asylmuratova - Yes. She was closing fast on Assoluta but she wanted to retire early. I think she would have definitely made it if she had gone on longer. She was (and remains) the greatest and most acclaimed of her generation at the Kirov. She was one of the last to have come fully through the Soviet system. She was the exemplar of the legendary Kirov style that has changed in the last decade. Unfortunately, she is not as revered in Russia as she is in the West. As the most acclaimed Kirov bred dancer of her generation to achieve international recognition, she was appointed Artistic Director of the Vaganova Academy. Maximova - Yes. As a soubrette/ingenue she was unsurpassable. What qualifies her is that she had the chops to break out of that mold, and cover new ground as an artist - solo and with her husband, Vasiliev. I think she may be the only ballerina of the Soviet era to have had the most ballets created specifically for her. That was a privilege and a luxury most Soviet ballerinas, including Plisetskaya, didn't have. Also, this isn't counting the works her husband made for her. She was also the most travelled and beloved of ballerinas during the Soviet era. Her teacher was Elizaveta Gerdt; and she was considered the most classically pure ballerina the Bolshoi had by far produced when she graduated. Gerdt developed her technically. Ulanova developed her artistically and gave her her work ethic. Semenyaka - Prima, yes; Assoluta, no. In the spring and summer of her career, she was quite a remarkable dancer, but I think her Petersburger artistry/technique slowly declined under Grigorovich. In spite of that she never really shed the Kirov training from her body. Also, her rep wasn't as varied as Maya's, Altynai's or Katya's. IMO her dance gift wasn't as versatile as the latter three women. Aurora was her greatest classical role, but success in one ballet doesn't do it. Alonso - Yes. She gave Cuba a national ballet and influenced the spread of ballet in Latin America. ******* I'll add two more: Carla Fracci - If the title were given by category, she was the mistress of Romantic style. Irina Kolpakova: Yes. For me she is the queen of academic dance. Her feet were flawless. ****** Most likely to succeed - if not obstructed, (its the Kirov and the Royal you know), Daria Pavlenko & Tamara Rojo. Link to comment
mohnurka Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 (edited) I'd like to add Galina Mezentseva and Yulia Makhalina. Edited May 12, 2004 by mohnurka Link to comment
jose manuel Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 for me irina kolpakova ekaterina maximova carla fracci galina mezentseva altynai asylmuratova yulia makhalina yelena pankova ps mohnurka , you have very good taste! josé manuel Link to comment
Guest BalletTeacherNE Posted May 22, 2004 Share Posted May 22, 2004 Gelsey Kirkland............... Link to comment
Guest PrinceFinn Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Amy Watson... if you havent seen her dance, you need to... charming is the best word to describe her. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 (edited) As often happens with long threads, this one has gone way off-topic. The original post was to ask who would be named priima ballerina assoluta -- a specific ranking in ballet historically awarded to very few ballerinas at the peak of a long career -- but it's turned into a "who is your favorite dancer" thread. It's time to close it; perhaps the topic can be reopened again later. Edited July 20, 2004 by Alexandra Link to comment
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