ronny Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 What are the good trends you notice in the ballet world? Link to comment
katharine kanter Posted February 18, 2003 Share Posted February 18, 2003 Debate over what has gone wrong in the last three decades, and how to fix it. On a higher level. Link to comment
Guest kara Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 yes, PK! I totally agree with you- the ballet world is seeing more and more healthier bodies- especially on women. Whenever I look through dance magazines, I see many girls who look as though they haven't eaten for weeks. But, for me, seeing healthier-looking ballerinas has been occuring more often. I say, more power to you! I'm glad that it's your dancing that counts the most, not your weight or bodytype (even though those still count a bit). Link to comment
su-lian Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 This might be true in America, but unfortunately, it seems that here,the dancers are thiner and thiner, and when you look at the newest dancers they are so thin, that it is becoming nearly ugly. They look so thin and so pale! You nearly feel like being sorry for them (but you're not really because they are in one of the greatest companies in the world, so they are quite lucky). At least, that's what I think. Su-lian. Link to comment
Farrell Fan Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 One sees more ballet dancers of color than used to be the case, especially at NYCB. Link to comment
dancermom2 Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 I have to disagree. Aesha Ash and Albert Evans and a smattering in the corp in a company of that size is not integration. That is tokenism especially if you look at how often Albert Evans, a wonderful dancer is used. It is still overwhelmingly white. Link to comment
kfw Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 Maybe it is tokenism, but fans of a particular troupe are always wondering why this or that dancer isn't used more. How large is the pool of African-American dancers? How many African-American kids take ballet? Link to comment
Farrell Fan Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 The "smattering" in the corps includes Darius Crenshaw, Craig Hall, Jerome Johnson, Amar Ramasar, and Henry Seth. Granted, the company is still overwhelmingly white, especially among the women, but compared to the situation just a short time ago, I think this constitutes a trend. Link to comment
dancermom2 Posted February 20, 2003 Share Posted February 20, 2003 Even with the added corp members...that is not integration. I still don't see a trend that makes much of a difference. What came first the chicken or the egg kfw? It's not just blacks...it's Hispanics and Asians...people of color. Will there ever be a Albert Evans Cavalier or a Aesha Ash Sugarplum in Nut? Link to comment
Old Fashioned Posted February 21, 2003 Share Posted February 21, 2003 Dancermom2, you should come to Houston sometime. I can't come up with one thing that Lauren Anderson has not been cast in. She's carried much of the company's weight for many years. When Carlos Acosta was here, he was also as much apart of the repertoire as anyone else. Right now there is a budding corps dancer, Cleopatra Williams, who was featured in an advertisment for the Nutcracker this past Christmas as Clara. Link to comment
Guest Solballets Mom Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Since I'm not a fan of traditional ballet (much prefering contemporary fare) it's a pleasure to see more program offerings with a mixed rep. Also to observe a few more contemporary companies emerging. Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 I don't see any reason why there shouldn't be an Albert Evans Cavalier. After all, there was an Arthur Mitchell Cavalier for some years. Nobody I knew objected. Link to comment
dancermom2 Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Tell that to Peter Major Mel! Link to comment
carbro Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Evans? For crying out loud (an appropriate response), NYCB has a repertory full of roles I'd love to see him dance. He just never gets the chance! Aaaaarrrgggh!!!! There seems to be some timidity in casting him in roles where the color barrier wasn't already broken by Mr. Mitchell. Imagine him in Rubies. In Who Cares. As the 2nd or 3rd Sailor in Fancy Free. Just three examples that come immediately to mind. Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 I'd like to see an Albert Evans cavalier as well, but interestingly, he has said in interviews he isn't particularly interested in doing the classical story roles. Maybe I'm recalling it out of context, but if so, go figure. He's certainly capable of them. Link to comment
E Johnson Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Ok, then, how about an Evans Orpheus? Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 That would be cool!!! Link to comment
Farrell Fan Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 An Evans Orpheus would be cool, indeed. Maybe for the Balanchine Centennial? However. judging from the response the last couple of times Orpheus was back in the repertory, the NYCB audience doesn't "get" Orpheus any more. Link to comment
carbro Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 As an audience member, let me suggest that perhaps, dear Farrell Fan, the fault lies not in ourselves but in our stars. Or, more likely, the ballet masters who direct them. I'd love to see AE as Orpheus. Which brings to mind (and this would be totally awesome!) Apollo. Oh, God! I can hardly stand it!! I have always enjoyed the white curtain in Orpheus, though. Love those billows! Link to comment
E Johnson Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 I think that the audience may not be getting Orpheus because the main, if not the only, Orpheus in recent years has been Nilas Martins. Let us merely say it is not a role that plays to his strengths. Link to comment
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