Baryshnikov/McBride Two-Year Partnership

[papeetepatrick]

I started watching one of the Choreography by Balanchine DVDs again the other night, and this time just stopped in my tracks by the 'Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux' done by Baryshnikov with Patty McBride. I had to keep watching it over and over. I couldn't believe how fabulous paired they were--at least for that piece (I think, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was just knocked out). They both have qualities of the 'airborne' about them. He's well-known for that, and in the many performances I saw her in, I never saw a ballerina who could be more so. There are just moments in this unlike anything I've ever seen.

But I never, idiotically, went to see NYCB during that year Baryshnikov was dancing there, or rather, I did go, but not on one of the nights he and Patty were dancing. I think many thought this partnership was imperfect, and it may well have been, although it's hard to say, since a year might not be enough for it to really blossom and develop. Peter Martins talks about it some in 'Far from Denmark'. Would be interested to here remarks on their dancing that year, in other things as well as this, but including this. Sometimes she just seems to float across the floor, it is like a 'walking on water' sensation. I have to say it, there is surely no ballerina I adore more than Patricia McBride. I knew that I always did love her dancing, but watching this again I really did think 'yes, SHE really was made of the same air that Mischa was'. And I had seen this before, at Saratoga, on a balmy night when she did 'Le Baiser de la Fee'. I don't know, Mischa flies, but Patty never seems to touch the ground. I really can't find a single flaw in this performance, though.

[DeborahB]

I started watching one of the Choreography by Balanchine DVDs again the other night, and this time just stopped in my tracks by the 'Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux' done by Baryshnikov with Patty McBride. I had to keep watching it over and over. I couldn't believe how fabulous paired they were--at least for that piece (I think, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was just knocked out). They both have qualities of the 'airborne' about them. He's well-known for that, and in the many performances I saw her in, I never saw a ballerina who could be more so. There are just moments in this unlike anything I've ever seen.

But I never, idiotically, went to see NYCB during that year Baryshnikov was dancing there, or rather, I did go, but not on one of the nights he and Patty were dancing. I think many thought this partnership was imperfect, and it may well have been, although it's hard to say, since a year might not be enough for it to really blossom and develop. Peter Martins talks about it some in 'Far from Denmark'. Would be interested to here remarks on their dancing that year, in other things as well as this, but including this. Sometimes she just seems to float across the floor, it is like a 'walking on water' sensation. I have to say it, there is surely no ballerina I adore more than Patricia McBride. I knew that I always did love her dancing, but watching this again I really did think 'yes, SHE really was made of the same air that Misha was'. And I had seen this before, at Saratoga, on a balmy night when she did 'Le Baiser de la Fee'. I don't know, Misha flies, but Patty never seems to touch the ground. I really can't find a single flaw in this performance, though.

_____

That's such a fabulous DVD! I just watched it again the other day. I was lucky enough to see Baryshnikov a lot when he danced with the NYCB (I was just starting to go to NYCB many times a week). What a treat/honor! (that's an understatement!). I loved him with Patty! I do see Baryshnikov, often, at NYCB these days. He always talks to Peter Martins and is friendly to those of us who recognize him (I sit two row in front of Martins in the First Ring).

[papeetepatrick]

That's such a fabulous DVD! I just watched it again the other day. I was lucky enough to see Baryshnikov a lot when he danced with the NYCB (I was just starting to go to NYCB many times a week). What a treat/honor! (that's an understatement!). I loved him with Patty! I do see Baryshnikov, often, at NYCB these days. He always talks to Peter Martins and is friendly to those of us who recognize him (I sit two row in front of Martins in the First Ring).

Thanks, Deborah! You love them as much as I do. And I'd seen the DVD before too, I don't know why it hit me this hard this time, but if there were ever any complaints of their partnership, I don't think it would be in this piece. i do recall seeing Baryshnikov at Juilliard sometimes during his year with NYCB, there is the big 3rd-floor space for SAB that NYCB uses, of course. How nice that you get to sit there with them, would naturally add to the experience.

[carbro]

It's impossible not to honor Baryshnikov's courage when he joined NYCB, learning at what might have been the midpoint -- prime years -- of his career a whole different approach to dancing. I do not think his years with Balanchine (the second being mostly spent sidelined by injury) were on the whole a success, but had not a plum job at ABT beckoned, given time, he might have grown into the rep.

By the end of the second year, Baryshnikov finally turned in a Rubies that felt like Rubies. But his partnership with McBride? Most of the time it looked a bit strained to me. I much preferred her with Tomasson.

Even in the video of Tchai pas, there's something almost stiff, a bit forced, that was not characteristic of Baryshnikov in his native rep. It's too bad these performances couldn't have been recorded a year later, when he had assimilated more of the Balanchine technique.

Baryshnikov never fully fit into NYCB. Robbins exploited his otherness in Op. 19.

[Drew]

Patricia McbBride was always a favorite of mine--I loved her with Tomasson and unfortunately missed her with Villella, though I saw a fabulous black and white film of them dancing Tarantella with unbelievable speed and brilliance. Like many others, I consider her Swanilda the best I ever had the privilege to see.

I also saw her dance with Baryshnikov a few times--including a performance of The Steadfast Tin Soldier that I thought got it just right, though the ballet itself is not a favorite of mine. Generally, for some reason--perhaps Carbro put her finger on it--Baryshnikov's performances at NYCB never made much of an impression on me. (I saw him about half a dozen times with the company.)

My one vivid memory of McBride and Baryshnikov dancing together at the State Theater is a slightly sour one. He and McBride had given a performance of Other Dances, and I don't remember the performance very well, but I do have a vivid memory of the curtain calls in which his behavior appeared rather rude--he backed up far away from McBride, far upstage, so she was standing way out in front of him (literally the depth of the entire stage was between them) and he scarcely seemed to look at her while this was going on but gestured as if to take in the audience's applause.

At first I thought perhaps this was meant as a kind of tribute to her that went awry (went awry in the sense that, whatever was intended, it looked like a bit of outrageous upstaging) but then I pretty quickly came to feel he was being ... uh... less than gracious. I have many happy and admiring memories of Baryshnikov, but this is not one of them.

At all events, when I think of McBride and partnerships, I think of Tomasson and Villella.

[papeetepatrick]

Thanks, Drew. I usually do too, that's why I was surprised on watching this video the other night. It's actually when they're dancing together that I was most stunned in the Tchai Pas de Deus though. I won't get this quite right in words, but they looked both separate and together, perfectly synchronized--there are moments (toward the end, I believe), that it is so perfect that it almost looks like animation, one image being the way she flies into him like a fish swimming or a bird flying, I can't get it right. Oh yes, Patty's Swanilda, there was nothing like it.

[bart]

This is my favorite Tchaikovsky PDD video, partly for the reasons Patrick mentions: the times they dance together.

I especially love the opening section, which is most romantic versions (in the sense of suggesting a couple in love) I've seen.

I just watched it again, and was struck (again) by the way Baryshnikov promenades McBride at the start of the adagio: his head slightly bent forward, his eyes focused on her face. Or a bit later, when he steps back to present her, arms open wide, exhaling gently, looking at her with a kind of wonder. Or the tenderness of the first fish dive, and the way she turns her head slowly and their eyes meet.

I'm sorry , but I don't notice stiffness or anything forced. To me, they're like lovers who have been together for a while, quite comfortable with each other and still unable to take their eyes off each other. When they exit, McBride's body language is surendering but also triumphant. With other dancers, I usually don't think -- or care -- about what will happen when they leave the stage. With these two, I can imagine that quite a marvelous evening lies ahead.

Thanks, Patrick, for posting about this performance.

[papeetepatrick]

Thanks, carbro, I fixed it, I wonder if it was the injuries that made me think it was just one, but should have known anyway.

[Jack Reed]

I remember a couple of times -- early in their partnership, I think -- when McBride herself tossed in an instant's expression of what she thought of it: A flick of her head in Mischa's direction and then turning to us with a delighted expression. I remember feeling glad and happy for her, but also, purist that I was (and am), a bit startled at the extraneous element in the performance, though it was not so out of keeping with her customary "sparkle" quality.

But in general, I'll endorse my friend carbro's memories of them onstage, and also the comments that it took some time for him to "fit in" to his new environment. He certainly turned up in a lot of roles, it seemed. Mr. B, we thought, wanted to see how a lot of roles looked on him, and it comes to me now, that maybe that slowed his settling in, not to mention Balanchine's medical absence.

[papeetepatrick]

To me, they're like lovers who have been together for a while, quite comfortable with each other and still unable to take their eyes off each other. When they exit, McBride's body language is surendering but also triumphant. With other dancers, I usually don't think -- or care -- about what will happen when they leave the stage. With these two, I can imagine that quite a marvelous evening lies ahead.

THAT is perfect!

[dirac]

It's impossible not to honor Baryshnikov's courage when he joined NYCB, learning at what might have been the midpoint -- prime years -- of his career a whole different approach to dancing. I do not think his years with Balanchine (the second being mostly spent sidelined by injury) were on the whole a success, but had not a plum job at ABT beckoned, given time, he might have grown into the rep.

By the end of the second year, Baryshnikov finally turned in a Rubies that felt like Rubies. But his partnership with McBride? Most of the time it looked a bit strained to me. I much preferred her with Tomasson.

Even in the video of Tchai pas, there's something almost stiff, a bit forced, that was not characteristic of Baryshnikov in his native rep. It's too bad these performances couldn't have been recorded a year later, when he had assimilated more of the Balanchine technique.

Baryshnikov never fully fit into NYCB. Robbins exploited his otherness in Op. 19.

I had the impression from the way McBride spoke of the partnership that it wasn't the happiest of pairings.

Things might have been very different for Baryshnikov at NYCB if Balanchine had been healthy enough to work with him more closely and make new roles on him. A lost opportunity for both men.