hydraulix Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Hello, I'm Doug and I live in The Netherlands. I'm 25-years old and I started ballet when I was 5 years old. It started one day by watching television and saw The Bolero (I believed at that time it was performed by Nureyev, but now by looking around it could also be Jorge Donn). Since then, the world of dancing was a big influence to me. When I was 11 (don't know my exact age) I was admitted to the National Ballet Academy in Amsterdam. It was a great time and I have a lot of fond memories; the school worked together with the Dutch National Ballet and so we were able to dance minor children roles in Romeo & Juliet, Swan Lake and Nutcracker. After 4 years, I decided to completely quit dancing (I chose to study, live my life without the strict ballet regime and make more of my social contacts). Although I have some small regrets, I'm happy where I am right now and I still have good contact with my former classmates who are dancing around the world for diverse ballet companies. Since a couple of years, I happened to fall in love again with ballet. This time not by dancing, but by watching it. I really enjoy watching some of the Dutch contemporary companies like the Nederlands Dans Theater, but my biggest dream is to watch La Bayadere danced by the Paris Ballet Opera. Hopefully I will fulfill it next year while they are performing it. My favorite ballets are Notenkraker & Muizenkoning (= Nutcracker, choreography by Toer van Schayk and Wayne Eagling for Dutch National Ballet), Giselle, Paquita, La Bayadere, Suite en Blanc, In The Middle Somewhat Elevated, The Vertiginous Thrill Of Exactitude and lots of work by Hans van Manen. Today I'm still studying (digital communications) and have next to ballet an obsession for music, photography, movies, art, design, architecture and books. Feel free to ask me any questions Quote Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Hi Doug! Our official and inimitable Welcome Lady, Giannina, will have more to say, but I just wanted to encourage you that your big wish is well within reach. It's a very easy trip from Amsterdam to Paris on the Thalys (there are some excellent advance purchase bargains on the national rail websites that are not on the Thalys site proper) so I hope we'll hear about your dream fulfilled very soon. Quote Link to comment
Giannina Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 The "inimitable Welcome Lady, Giannina" has little to add to Leigh's welcome. We hope you'll enjoy sharing in all the information and discussions the site has to offer to you. Beware; it's addictive! Giannina Quote Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 hydraulix, have you had a chance to see PNB's recent export from Seattle to your fine country: Casey Herd?? Quote Link to comment
bart Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Welcome, hydraulix. Your ballet background sounds fascinating. Many of us who post on Ballet Talk share at least some of your intellectual and artistic "obsessions." I hope you'll participate in our discussions whenever you can. Also: Good Luck with your goal of Bayadere in Paris! Quote Link to comment
hydraulix Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Thanks for all your great comments! I'm looking forward in participating on this forum; it's very difficult to find great sites where you can discuss everything around ballet and I feel I can learn a lot more here SandyMcKean: Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to see him perform. Last time I went to the Dutch National Ballet was a couple of months ago while they were performing Giselle (he was partnered with Michele Jimenez, but that evening he wasn't in the cast). Quote Link to comment
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