Need a bit of advice.

[whetherwax]

I have amassed various DVD versions of Giselle ,Swan Lake, La Bayadere,Sleeping Beauty and a Don Quixote, Sylvia, and Coppelia. Could people give me some advice as to where to go next. I thought perhaps Pharogh's ( sp) daughter or Prince of Pavillions or Paquita. I am using them to learn as much as i can. I dont think I'll try Balanchine until later.

I fear that whatever I look at next will not have the depth of the BIG white ballets that have been so rewarding. I found Sylvia a bit lightweight although pleasing. I guess there are only those 4 biggies that carry such a charge. So any advice would be welcome.

[innopac]

Are you interested in watching a dramatic story ballet? If you are you could have a look on youtube at the clips of Manon.

There is a wonderful dvd of Macmillan's Manon with Penney, Dowell, Wall, Royal Ballet, Covent Garden (1982). There is also an Australian Ballet version but I prefer the Royal Ballet one.

[whetherwax]

Thanks, I'll check these. I've steered clear of Modernish ballets ( romeo and Juliet for example) for fear of pain. - What a coward - Manon is probably in that category BUT I have to find more ballets to watch so....

[Solnishka79]

How about Le Corsaire, Chopiniana,Raymonda. Paquita is nice also. If you're trying to learn as much as possible, there are many videos with excerpts or famous pas like Satanella, Flower Festival in Genzano, Esmeralda (Diana and Acteon). I wish more people would try to learn about repertoire-congrads for your efforts! (I'm still half asleep-I'll add more later)

[carbro]

Have you seen the Royal Danish Ballet's La Sylphide with Lis Jeppesen and Nikolaj Hubbe? Highly recommended. A traditional 19-C story ballet but very different from what you're used to, musically and stylistically.

If you do a YouTube search with "Herman Cornejo" "Sylphide", you'll see a bit of that amazing dancer with his wonderful sister, Erica, in the lead roles.

Not to be confused with the Chopin-Fokine Les Sylphides.

[Helene]

After the RDB "La Sylphide" I would go with the Kolpatkova "Raymonda". The Dream Sequence Pas de Deux is one of the most wonderful things I've ever seen.

[whetherwax]

Thanks to all. I am blown away by the leaps of the Cornejos - wow. So this is what the Bourneville stuff is about. And have now watched every James on U tube.!! I was delighted to see there Ghislaine Thesmar as the Sylph - she seemed so kind in Dancers Dream coaching Isabel Guerin. I did buy Prince of Pagodas ( still digesting it) and there is a documentary there on MacMillan which has made me brave enough to try Manon.

[Cliff]

Every ballet collection ought to include the two choreography by Balanchine DVDs.