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Spring 2015: The Sleeping Beauty


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Sandik, that's what cements my attendance to a dance company. I too love to watch the dancers develop. It's almost like watching your family grow up. I think that's what draws so many people to NYCB. We get to know so many dancers so well over the years. I love noticing when a dancer who maybe has had trouble with certain aspects of technique finally masters it.

It's like having a favorite baseball team. I followed the NY Yankees for decades, only quit when I gave up the TV. But I loved watching the team players grow in ability and in the most human way, I considered them "mine" and felt proud. I have the same response to ballet dancers. But I've always found that ABT doesn't offer up enough of that to me, whereas NYCB is a follower's dream.

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Question: what is the meaning of the mime gesture performed by the Fairy Candide during her variation, where she looks like she's sliding long gloves off her arms, from her elbows down to her wrists? Carabosse mocks her for this and it's later repeated by the Lilac Fairy just before the Vision Scene, when she's describing Aurora to the Prince.

Each fairy gives Aurora her own characteristics, according to the following passage written in the rehearsal score above Candide’s variation:

Elle exprime et donne son caractère à l’enf[ant] qui est dans le berceau.

I'm quoting this from “Tchaikovsky’s Ballets” by Roland John Wiley. Translation: She expresses and gives her features to the child who is in the cradle.

The gesture means “beautiful arms”, which Candide has, and so Aurora will too.

The piece of Carabosse’s mime you are referring to goes like this, according to the notation as described in the same book:

“You are feasting here—you with the tender hands, and you, little Canary, and you here, and they forgot me, but I will not be angry. You will see how I dance here.”

Russian word “ruka” means both “a hand” and “an arm”, but I suspect “arms” would have been a better English translation here.

Carabosse then repeats this gesture during her curse (quoted from the same book):

Carabosse next walks over to the King and says, “You listen to me. She (your daughter) will grow up, will be beautiful. Her hands will be beautiful.” The King and Queen are delighted. But Carabosse then says, “Wait. She will prick her finger with a pin, lose consciousness, and die.”

The bit of the Lilac Fairy mime you mention is (again, from the same book):

“Listen. I will bring forward from over there a lovely girl, with beautiful limbs. Do you want to see her?”
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I believe that the National Ballet of Canada hires most of their dancers from their school. So, with the identical long-term training, it would make sense that they'd have the kind of unity you speak of.

My impression is that the "monopoly" of the National Ballet School is not as strong as it was in the 1970s and '80s. Among current principals, 60% received at least part of their training at the NBS, although in the case of Evan McKie, it came at the beginning of his training, while in the case of Xiao Nan Yu it was as a "finishing school." Other NBS alumni include 70% of first soloists, 44% of second soloists, 56% of the corps and 57% of apprentices. Only a handful of dancers received all of their training at the school. This suggests that most of the credit in forging stylistic unity goes to the company's ballet masters and repetiteurs for running a meticulous rehearsal process.

I am surprised to see this diversity of training, but to be honest, I'm not surprised by the end result. For as long as I have been watching the two companies I've thought that the National Ballet of Canada was better at the 19th-century repertoire, even though it's a shame to observe that its facility for mime roles has declined significantly. Having just seen NYCB, ABT and the NBoC, I'm sorry but not surprised that ABT came across as the weakest company. A year ago I saw the Bolshoi, NYCB and ABT in the space of a week, and in that case, too, ABT was not in the same league as the other two. Lots of room for improvement.

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For me, I saw the new SB 3 times, twice with Vishneva/Gomes and once with Lane/Cornejo. I agree that it's a great vehicle for ABT but I really much prefer the more "traditional" version danced by companies like the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi. In fact, I took out my blu-ray

of the Zakharova/Hallberg SB to watch this week as a refresher. I liked it SO much better! Maybe I'm crass but I far prefer the traditional prologue fairy variations and especially mourn the loss of the Lilac fairy variation. And I loved the "traditional" Prince Désiré role and the jumps. In this new/old version, this role is reduced to almost nothing.

Would I see this SB again (unlike Ratmansky's Nut)? Probably, yes, but just once. That's enough for me.

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For me, I saw the new SB 3 times, twice with Vishneva/Gomes and once with Lane/Cornejo. I agree that it's a great vehicle for ABT but I really much prefer the more "traditional" version danced by companies like the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi. In fact, I took out my blu-ray

of the Zakharova/Hallberg SB to watch this week as a refresher. I liked it SO much better! Maybe I'm crass but I far prefer the traditional prologue fairy variations and especially mourn the loss of the Lilac fairy variation. And I loved the "traditional" Prince Désiré role and the jumps. In this new/old version, this role is reduced to almost nothing.

Would I see this SB again (unlike Ratmansky's Nut)? Probably, yes, but just once. That's enough for me.

Interesting Amour. I agree with this. I'm not sure who I would recommend this version to and perhaps that is a problem. When people I encounter find out that I had been a professional ballet dancer they often ask if I have suggestions for a first timer. If they are looking for a story ballet, and it's available, I suggest NYCB Midsummer Night's Dream, and am invariably thanked for that suggestion. I would never suggest this version of SB. I don't think someone new to ballet would become a fan of ballet after seeing it. I don't thing moving backwards in time is useful for audience building.

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I wouldn't recommend SB to ANY "first timer" going to the ballet. No matter which version it is. It's a very long ballet and can without excellent dancers become very tedious. I think ballets with a clearer story (Giselle, Swan Lake), or more family friendly shows with lots of kids dancing (Nutcracker, Midsummer's Night Dream) are the intro ballets. Sleeping Beauty has always been sort of a rarefied taste. Nothing wrong with this, i mean, I love Liebeslieder Waltzes but I'd never recommend that ballet for first-timers either.

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After a weekend of playing SB myself due to disagreements with a certain meal, although I cannot claim the “Beauty” part, I hope to catch up to some of the entertaining and insightful thoughts about this SB. After all said and done, I would have to say I am in agreement with a few comments about the Garland Waltz, I feel that perhaps this can be “thinned out a bit”, the idea of less is more comes to mind. I am not one to ask for it's removal or change it, but a few less dancers so it doesn’t feel so conjested on stage, and it may just let the dancers dance and the audience actually see their moves vs them seemingly running into each other.

Then there is the case of wardrobe causing malfunctions with dancers, too much fabric and otherwise, IMO perhaps a few extra pieces in costume creations can be reduced to give the dancers more freedom of movement? I can certainly understand even some of the most talented ones show slight difficulty in handling so much fabric while trying to show us their technique as we have come to love with less material. I know this is what was done, but again, modifications is not asking for full change. Again less is more, less clutter ... more room to show off the dancers.

I know there have been a few disappointing posts about Teuscher too, she is a beautiful dancer and I have always loved her as Myrta in Giselle and think with the right coaching she can perform that role as well. I do have to say that even if she didn't deliver what some of the Lilac Fairy expectations, I do feel Teuscher demonstrated the Candide/Sincerity fairy gesture beautifully, as did Waski, both projected the thoughtful and sincere movements to reflect the characteristics required for this variation.

In response to vagansmom about the ABT school, indeed quite a few of JKO students have come up through the school if you look at their posted list, of course the ever amazing Hallberg! Actually, the “future list of ABT” as mimsyb mentioned too of Brandt, Shevchenko (ABT Studio Co.) and Trenary all came from the JKO brood, and since names are mentioned I would just like to add Waski as one to watch IMO. According to her bio, Waski was selected at 16, that has to say something about the training of JKO, since I believe that is quite a young age to begin a professional career, although Misha did hire Paloma at 15, but then again that is quite a while ago.

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I wouldn't recommend SB to ANY "first timer" going to the ballet. No matter which version it is. It's a very long ballet and can without excellent dancers become very tedious. I think ballets with a clearer story (Giselle, Swan Lake), or more family friendly shows with lots of kids dancing (Nutcracker, Midsummer's Night Dream) are the intro ballets. Sleeping Beauty has always been sort of a rarefied taste. Nothing wrong with this, i mean, I love Liebeslieder Waltzes but I'd never recommend that ballet for first-timers either.

I guess my question is - What audience is this aimed at? People who have seen other versions? People who are interested in dance history? First timers who think Sleeping Beauty sounds nice to take their kids to? In my inarticulate way I'm wondering who will come to see this production and come back for more. I just don't see this as a winner for ABT.

BTW I never recommend Nutcracker to first timers. A lot of people find the first act really boring.

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I guess my question is - What audience is this aimed at? People who have seen other versions? People who are interested in dance history? First timers who think Sleeping Beauty sounds nice to take their kids to? In my inarticulate way I'm wondering who will come to see this production and come back for more. I just don't see this as a winner for ABT.

BTW I never recommend Nutcracker to first timers. A lot of people find the first act really boring.

Well in a way I think it's good that ABT is looking beyond simply targeting audiences who haven't seen ballet before and just want to see a ballet, OR the certain type of ABT audience member who simply wants to see their favorite dancers in star turns. I think it's that kind of mindset that has resulted in year after year of R&J, that awful Swan Lake, and the 2007 Disney Sleeping Beauty.

I mean, what kind of audience is Four Temperaments or Pillar of Fire aimed at? Doesn't mean that they shouldn't be done.

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And speaking of lots of people on stage. The extras that walk in for the Prologue and also appear throughout in other scenes are a stitch! Some of those men look like they are truly on their last legs and are being dragged along by the women. Are the only guests invited to these parties all that old? (as another aside; I found it so re-assuring last week when I saw all the same old guys lining up in "Bayadere". They have been there FOREVER! One could barely walk and keep up. A job for life in that temple, I assume. Hahahaha!)

I was told that some of the supernumerary performers have been doing this for 40 years! Some are big donors, so I suppose they want to please them. With limited rehearsal time, I guess it makes sense to go with people who know what to do, but perhaps they should think about updating a bit in this arena as well.

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Well in a way I think it's good that ABT is looking beyond simply targeting audiences who haven't seen ballet before and just want to see a ballet, OR the certain type of ABT audience member who simply wants to see their favorite dancers in star turns. I think it's that kind of mindset that has resulted in year after year of R&J, that awful Swan Lake, and the 2007 Disney Sleeping Beauty.

I mean, what kind of audience is Four Temperaments or Pillar of Fire aimed at? Doesn't mean that they shouldn't be done.

Thank you canbelto. I find this line of thought so interesting. 4 T's and Pillar of Fire are different IMO in that they have to be part of a rep night. Throw Fancy Free in there and everyone is happy, and hopefully some are taken with the other ballets. My experience has been that a lot of first timers go for full length story ballets, thinking it will be easier to understand. Truthfully I'd warn most people away from this production.

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Ok then looking at full-lengths I'd never recommend Raymonda to a first timer -- too little storyline, and the parts of the storyline they do get might seem very offensive. But it's an important ballet and ABT's attempt to water it down did not end well. People also criticized Makarova's Bayadere -- why do it? why not just do the Shades scene.

And if we were to make an opera analogy, there's a certain type of opera fan that only goes to La Bohemes and La Traviatas. In fact, I'd say a huge portion of the "opera audience" really only likes maybe 10 operas at most. But that doesn't mean works like Lulu, Pelleas et Melisande, or Khovantshina shouldn't be done.

I guess my point is the Ratmansky SB is not a watered down production. It requires patience on the part of the audience, and also probably a certain background knowledge. But I think this is good for ABT -- to give the audience more than instant gratification classics or watered down "classics."

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Ok then looking at full-lengths I'd never recommend Raymonda to a first timer -- too little storyline, and the parts of the storyline they do get might seem very offensive. But it's an important ballet and ABT's attempt to water it down did not end well. People also criticized Makarova's Bayadere -- why do it? why not just do the Shades scene.

And if we were to make an opera analogy, there's a certain type of opera fan that only goes to La Bohemes and La Traviatas. In fact, I'd say a huge portion of the "opera audience" really only likes maybe 10 operas at most. But that doesn't mean works like Lulu, Pelleas et Melisande, or Khovantshina shouldn't be done.

I guess my point is the Ratmansky SB is not a watered down production. It requires patience on the part of the audience, and also probably a certain background knowledge. But I think this is good for ABT -- to give the audience more than instant gratification classics or watered down "classics."

If I could like this post a thousand times I would.

This Sleeping Beauty is a classical work of art and I'm proud that ABT and Ratmansky had the guts to do it. Who knows how well it will do in subsequent years (although all three of the performances I went to sold VERY well), but sometimes it isn't about the money, it's about the art.

I'm not sure, but I think that balletomanes are giving the general (non-ballet) watching public too much credit. They don't stare at the feet the whole time, and don't know the difference between demi-pointe and full pointe when the dancer is turning so fast. My best friend had no clue that this wasn't how every company danced SB. She was just wowed by the scenery and costumes. She did get a bit bored by the third act, but the first time I saw SB three years ago (before my ballet obsession started), I was bored, too. It took me time to appreciate what I was seeing.

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Admittedly, it's been a while since I've last seen a ballet as my interest waned over the past year. The only other performance I saw this year was the Balanchine Black and White III compilation by the NYCB earlier in the season.

Nevertheless, I was tempted enough by the new Ratmansky production of SB to give it a shot - and Vishneva/Gomes did a good job on the final performance in ABT's run this year, as far as my dilettante eyes could see. However I did have some mixed impressions:

-Songbird fairy variation in the prologue was a bit strident - this was never my favorite part of SB

-Loved the Garland dance - great costumes and energy

-Excellent Rose Adagio, great balances by Vishneva, as well as variation - definitely the highlight of the evening

-Did not like the Carabosse costume - makeup was garish and looked too caricaturized

-Act 2 for some reason felt very abridged in this production, especially the panorama and awakening scene, which made it lose some of its magic. I think this act was met with a lukewarm reaction and I groaned when I realized there would be a second intermission

-Act 3 - come on, did we have to reuse those Roman columns again

-Fantastic Bluebird (Simkin) and Florine which was very well received

-Good comic relief from Puss-In-Boots and White Cat

-Final pas de deux was well-danced but a bit soporific at this point after almost 3 hours of dancing

I think I was a bit tired going into the ballet in order to truly appreciate all the great dancing for the whole evening but I figured I'd throw in my two cents

Next up - I may attend the Obraztsova R&J since I've never seen her live...

Cheers

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Well, frankly, I feel like this SLEEPING BEAUTY is a big bore. A pedantic experiment that dampens the efforts of the finest dancers and flattens the whole evening out. Is this what is necessary to achieve a "better unity" of style and coordination of the company as a whole? I thought Trenary/Simkin looked very good in their costumes, and Carabosse's look was great. But everyone else looked less than their best. Combination of wigs, costumes, makeup and lighting had the principals mostly looking haggard, drawn and elderly. No wonder Paloma didn't want to go out in this production. Concepts like blond wigs just don't work for everyone - or in this case, really, for anyone. I thought the Vision Scene was a big bore. Gomes and Vishneyva were fantastic in the fish dives in the last act. However, when I got home, I played the video with Fonteyn and Michael Somes and with Bolle and Vishneva (Nuryeyev staged) and found myself saying "wait a minute! I don't remember Marcello doing all this great stuff" (cause he didn't). Cutting or toning down the most challenging and exciting parts rob the artists and the audience of the optimum experience. I think it is a great thing that over the years, ballet has lifted the importance of the male dancers to equal that of the female. McKenzie has contributed to that development. I think trying to turn that clock back is a big mistake. I can't wait to see R&J and Swan Lake and see some real DANCING!

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I don't thing moving backwards in time is useful for audience building.

YES!! Really, I know Ratmansky did all this research, etc but who wants to dance like it's 1890? Or, for that matter 1990? Dancers now have greater technical facility than ever before.. I say, use it. Don't be vulgar; we don't need to always see 120 degree arabesques. But all these really low legs and demi pointe chainees? I don't care for them and they are NOT flattering to a small dancer like Sarah Lane. I agree with you about your recommendation. Midsummer is a perfect recommendation for those who want a full length ballet. Also, Peter's SB isn't too bad (I like it better than this Ratmsnsky). Do, I'm with you, vipa.

PS. I don't think there was one jump in Ratmansky's SB. Yet not even 20 years later the Mariinsky/Vaganova (for a brief period of time) produced one of the greatest jumpers ever: Vaslav Nijinsky. Do you think the Vaganova taught jumping just for the heck of it, so no one would see it in a ballet (and yes, a Petipa ballet). I don't buy it. I think there must have been jumping in Petipa ballets. Remember these notes Ratmansky worked from were done years after the ballet was created. Maybe Doug Fullington can speak to this because something doesn't totally add up for me.

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Well, frankly, I feel like this SLEEPING BEAUTY is a big bore...

If this were an exercise in pure pedantry,I doubt the interpolated fish dives in the wedding PDD would be there. Instead, this seems to be more of a work of repair, to rid the production of empty gymnastics and emptier, de-contextualized panto. Sometimes, to move forward, you need to go back at first.

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Maybe those who would prefer something different to the god awful, empty dreck served up by the 2007 production?

I certainly wasn't proposing we stick with Gelsey's awful, Disney production ; if you thought that you read my post incorrectly. I just would have preferred something more modern. I'm not sure I'm on board with the sudden trend of reconstruction. They tried it at the Mariinsky in the early 2000's and it ultimately failed (I saw the reconstructed Bayadere they brought with them in 2002. It was the first time I ever saw Diana, who was Nikiya). I don't think even one of those ballets is in the current Mariinsky rep.

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I don't really get why low arabesques and smaller dancing in general looks bad on small dancers.It's fair to assume that ballerinas in Petipa's time were shorter than today's ballerinas and I'm sure thy looked fine doing the low arabesques and everything. Making even small movements and steps register doesn't have that much to do with the height of the dancer, but with his or her skill and talent, I think.

From what I have read about this production I think I would love it and I hope they keep it. This has probably been discussed before but will they film it? That would be absolutely wonderful.

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Maybe those who would prefer something different to the god awful, empty dreck served up by the 2007 production?

I concur and would never want that to return, even though there are flaws in this production, it is IMO far more entertaining and I just feel this is still a "work in progress" especially since this is the first year. I am sincere when I mentioned in my earlier post that there can be some modifications to fix several of the issues, but then this is quite subjective and many may not agree. It also seems that many of the dancers did better as the days go on, so that would lead me to believe more rehearsal time is needed and I don't think they have this luxury like most companies who have permanent homes with stages to do this. I recall an earlier comment about jamming 9 months into 8 weeks, perhaps this is the issue? I will reserve my judgement till the next time and hope Ratmansky continues to refine this.

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