On the peremptory criticism

[Meliss]

Some ballet critics sometimes give out things like this:

"Choreographer Jose Limon's "Pavane of the Moor" has bypassed many stages of the world, but this small ballet for four performers was made a true masterpiece by Nikita Dolgushin, Gabriela Komleva, Marat Daukaev and Valentina Ganibalova. Fortunately, the ballet was filmed, and one can see that no one else could achieve such an insight into the spirit of Shakespeare, such a sense of style and such acting in "Pavan of the Moor" . "Pavane of the Moor" performed by Russian dancers was not just their personal achievement, but the achievement of the entire world ballet theater".

After that, I immediately have a question - have you definitely seen all the productions of this ballet to draw such conclusions? I wonder what you think of such critical judgments. The example is from a textbook for choreographic schools, authored by ballet critic Larisa Abyzova.

[lmspear]

1 hour ago, Meliss said:

After that, I immediately have a question - have you definitely seen all the productions of this ballet to draw such conclusions? I wonder what you think of such critical judgments. The example is from a textbook for choreographic schools, authored by ballet critic Larisa Abyzova.

The only way to get the answer to that question is to ask the author.  Critical writing varies in style from era to era and region to region.  Sometimes the opinion is expressed in absolute terms, I think it is more honest to qualify one's opinion by placing it in the context of one's experience.  When analyzing textbooks you have to consider any agenda that the publisher, editors, or whatever powers that be are trying to promote and how they may have influenced the book's content or style.

[Meliss]

17 hours ago, lmspear said:

I think it is more honest to qualify one's opinion by placing it in the context of one's experience. 

Exactly. Personally, I can't stand unsubstantiated judgments at all, which, moreover, reduce the importance of other productions and other dancers.