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Partnering Skills


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I'm not a technical expert and I have never danced but I suspect it is because partnering is a skill that grows with experience.  Dancers can come with solo skills straight from school and I know that they do partnering work but I suspect working solo may be easier than partnering.

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I suspect that there is also the question of whether the male dancers believe that fine partnering skills are as important as other aspects of their technique such as elevation or the ability to perform multiple pirouettes.Being a good partner requires the dancer to understand the need to be self effacing and unobtrusive in that role,as it is the ability to present the girl to her best advantage at precisely the right angle and assist her when necessary without the mechanics being too obvious,which counts.  

 

Partnering is not easy as every female dancer has a slightly different weight distribution and centre which makes it necessary for the male dancer to adapt to the partner with whom he is dancing. This explains  why ,if a substitution has to be made mid performance, time generally has to be given to the dancers  to prepare by undertaking some rehearsal backstage before the performance resumes.It takes time to learn the essential skills of partnering.One problem which Xander Parrish described in a talk he gave is that the young male dancer generally goes  from regular  pas de deux classes in school to the corps where,because of the repertory,he is  rarely required  to use those skills and when after a

considerable period of time has elapsed he is  given a role which requires partnering skills it is almost as if he has to start from scratch.

 

Some dancers can appear more interested in their own performance than in "holding someone up". It used to be said of Nureyev that when he danced at Covent Garden without Fonteyn his partner was almost invariably someone who did not need much assistance from a partner. It can appear that a star female  dancer has selected a rather bland partner who will provide no competition to her in performance the truth generally is  that the dancer in question is a rock solid partner who is elegant rather than showy and flexible enough in approach to adjust to the needs of the dancer who he is partnering. I remember that Donald McLeary retired and was then called out of retirement to partner Markarova when she first danced Ashton's Cinderella. Lynn Seymour  said that he was the only male dancer with whom she was prepared to dance without a rehearsal. McLeary is still the finest partner I have ever seen.He is reported to have had the uncanny ability to see that something was going wrong even before his partner was aware of the problem. He has said that anything that needs to be done to assist the girl should take place as unobtrusively as possible preferably behind the girl's back. He was not a "paddler" and does not seem that keen on those who place their hands very conspicuously on their partner's waist and clearly turn them whether or not they need assistance. I have to say that I am not much of a fan of conspicuous paddling when it is required by a dancer who is not a turner and even less so with a dancer who can spin like a top.

 

The management at RB does not seem that keen on regular partnerships except in the case of Naghdi and Ball where you can see the advantage of keeping dancers together,and,as is always the case the a regular partnership gives the audience that extra something. As to the precise mixture needed to create  an effective partnership, being the right height for each other, hearing the music in the same way are significant factors but  the essential elements which provide the space for artistry come from good partnering skills  as they provide the dancers concerned with the security and confidence which comes from reliability and dependability. At the end of the day there is little or no room for artistry if the pas de deux in a ballet are little better than a white knuckle ride for both the dancers concerned. It has always struck me that the men who have gone all the way through the school seem, in general,to be more attuned to the finer points of partnering than those who have only received a token baptism in the ways of the school.

 

Edited by FLOSS
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Couldn't agree more with Floss's estimation of Donald McLeary. I saw him many times, particularly with Lynn Seymour (wonderful) and a few times when he got a partner through a slightly sticky patch. I wonder if the fact that more attention is now paid to male dancers and their greater prominence in new ballets means that rather less emphasis is placed on partnering skills, especially in the more traditional ballets?

 

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I recall being told by a male dancer who was in the corps in the early 70s of one occasion when Nureyev, dancing with a partner he did not like, deliberately went off on an unrehearsed, unchoreographed solo spree leaving his partner balancing on one pointe for what seemed like an eternity. Although, as always, Nureyev was catnip to the audience, to his extreme annoyance his partner, who retained her balance thoughout, brought the house down. 

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3 hours ago, FLOSS said:

I suspect that there is also the question of whether the male dancers believe that fine partnering skills are as important as other aspects of their technique such as elevation or the ability to perform multiple pirouettes.Being a good partner requires the dancer to understand the need to be self effacing and unobtrusive in that role,as it is the ability to present the girl to her best advantage at precisely the right angle and assist her when necessary without the mechanics being too obvious,which counts.  

 

Partnering is not easy as every female dancer has a slightly different weight distribution and centre which makes it necessary for the male dancer to adapt to the partner with whom he is dancing. This explains  why ,if a substitution has to be made mid performance, time generally has to be given to the dancers  to prepare by undertaking some rehearsal backstage before the performance resumes.It takes time to learn the essential skills of partnering.One problem which Xander Parrish described in a talk he gave is that the young male dancer generally goes  from regular  pas de deux classes in school to the corps where,because of the repertory,he is  rarely required  to use those skills and when after a

considerable period of time has elapsed he is  given a role which requires partnering skills it is almost as if he has to start from scratch.

 

Some dancers can appear more interested in their own performance than in "holding someone up". It used to be said of Nureyev that when he danced at Covent Garden without Fonteyn his partner was almost invariably someone who did not need much assistance from a partner. It can appear that a star female  dancer has selected a rather bland partner who will provide no competition to her in performance the truth generally is  that the dancer in question is a rock solid partner who is elegant rather than showy and flexible enough in approach to adjust to the needs of the dancer who he is partnering. I remember that Donald McLeary retired and was then called out of retirement to partner Markarova when she first danced Ashton's Cinderella. Lynn Seymour  said that he was the only male dancer with whom she was prepared to dance without a rehearsal. McLeary is still the finest partner I have ever seen.He is reported to have had the uncanny ability to see that something was going wrong even before his partner was aware of the problem. He has said that anything that needs to be done to assist the girl should take place as unobtrusively as possible preferably behind the girl's back. He was not a "paddler" and does not seem that keen on those who place their hands very conspicuously on their partner's waist and clearly turn them whether or not they need assistance. I have to say that I am not much of a fan of conspicuous paddling when it is required by a dancer who is not a turner and even less so with a dancer who can spin like a top.

 

The management at RB does not seem that keen on regular partnerships except in the case of Naghdi and Ball where you can see the advantage of keeping dancers together,and,as is always the case the a regular partnership gives the audience that extra something. As to the precise mixture needed to create  an effective partnership, being the right height for each other, hearing the music in the same way are significant factors but  the essential elements which provide the space for artistry come from good partnering skills  as they provide the dancers concerned with the security and confidence which comes from reliability and dependability. At the end of the day there is little or no room for artistry if the pas de deux in a ballet are little better than a white knuckle ride for both the dancers concerned. It has always struck me that the men who have gone all the way through the school seem, in general,to be more attuned to the finer points of partnering than those who have only received a token baptism in the ways of the school.

 

Thank-you, Floss, for such excellent information.  Would you say that there are standout partnering skills in all the RB's male Principals?  As an amateur, they all seem excellent at the job to me but would appreciate any further insight.

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31 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

I recall being told by a male dancer who was in the corps in the early 70s of one occasion when Nureyev, dancing with a partner he did not like, deliberately went off on an unrehearsed, unchoreographed solo spree leaving his partner balancing on one pointe for what seemed like an eternity. Although, as always, Nureyev was catnip to the audience, to his extreme annoyance his partner, who retained her balance thoughout, brought the house down. 

 

If that is true, I am surprised any of the ladies agreed to step out on stage with him.  Are we allowed to know who the partner was? :)

 

I never saw McLeary, but I think Jonathan Cope was the partner of choice for several of the females during his time at the RB, wasn't he?  And wasn't Acosta meant to be a very steady pair of hands as well?

 

 

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I am reluctant to identify the partner as she is well known. And clearly able to hold a balance for an absolute age. Suffice it to say it wasn't Fonteyn .And I think that the difficulties in dancing with Nureyev were equally well known at the time. I should add that I remain an absolute, unreformed fan, however difficult he might have been as a partner.

 

I'd be interested, by the way, to learn what others think of Muntagirov's partnering skills. To me, he can scarcely do wrong, either solo or as a partner.

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Nureyev's hectic schedule was the main reason why he delegated rehearsals to other dancers, fair enough if the dancer was aware of what was happening, but I remember one dancer (with little English) after rehearsing SB with a completely different dancer thought it was a cast change and was completely thrown when Nureyev showed up to partner her on the night.

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Regarding the great Donald McLeary,  I was at the famous performance when Marguerite Porter as Cinderella saw her first Prince,  David Wall, go off injured to be replaced for his variation by the Winter Fairy cavalier,  Julian Hosting who was being coached from the wings by Monica Mason.  She must have been so relieved when Donald appeared in costume to dance the pas de deux with her.

 

Always a nervous dancer who found it hard to cope when a mistake is made she relaxed visibly in the care of the prince of partners.  

 

I am so glad I was at that performance as it was my only chance to ever see him in a danced, classic role.

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And I remember a stunning performance of R and J with Annette Page, just about the best of the many performances I have seen. We've got used to the choreography now, but when it was first performed it was considered to be pretty revolutionary. But I wish I'd seen that Cinderella!

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Actually I am surprised I booked for it as I was never a great fan of Marguerite's but I do love the Ashton Cinderella.  However, I am really pleased did and I remember that performance far more clearly  than many of the better ones I did see.

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On 4/23/2017 at 14:52, Scheherezade said:

 

I'd be interested, by the way, to learn what others think of Muntagirov's partnering skills. To me, he can scarcely do wrong, either solo or as a partner.

 

Muntagirov's partnering? :) :) :)

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With regard to Jonathan Cope, I recall a South Bank documentary about Sylvie Guillem in which she 'sings his praise' followed by some  lovely footage of the pair in rehearsal at a studio in the South of France.  Darcey has also noted her appreciation of him in various footage, most recently in the documentary at Christmas. The Royal Ballet are fortunate that he, like  McLeary, are passing on their experience . Dance autobiographies provide a source of interesting comment about partnering - Gesley Kirkland, who readily admits she could be a nightmare to partner, provides a very frank assessment of her contemporaries and is particularly cutting about Schaufuss with whom she had little rapport. Her summary assessment is an astute one, "Partnering is the heart of each ballet. When the heart is empty, the dance becomes at best a gymnastic exhibition, a sport."

 

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I sometimes deliberately focus on the man partnering in a pas de deux- it can be very rewarding and engrossing to just watch him ( in case of a good partner) and many times did I watch Mr Cope with great admiration. Muntagirov reminds me of him in his partnering style. He seems to be fully focused on his ballerina, to be watching her with loving attention, to be poised at all times ready to respond to her in a way that can be very beautiful to see. In a sense, a good partner is trying NOT to be noticed, but that is a great art in itself.

 

Of course, this really only works if you have seen a piece many times.

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On 4/23/2017 at 06:01, Scheherezade said:

I recall being told by a male dancer who was in the corps in the early 70s of one occasion when Nureyev, dancing with a partner he did not like, deliberately went off on an unrehearsed, unchoreographed solo spree leaving his partner balancing on one pointe for what seemed like an eternity. Although, as always, Nureyev was catnip to the audience, to his extreme annoyance his partner, who retained her balance thoughout, brought the house down. 

Nureev was notorious for such things, he absolutely resented that his partners might garner more applause than him. On occasions he did things to them much worse than what you mention. My information comes directly from the source: his former partners, colleagues and assistants.

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6 hours ago, Odyssey said:

With regard to Jonathan Cope, I recall a South Bank documentary about Sylvie Guillem in which she 'sings his praise' followed by some  lovely footage of the pair in rehearsal at a studio in the South of France.  Darcey has also noted her appreciation of him in various footage, most recently in the documentary at Christmas. The Royal Ballet are fortunate that he, like  McLeary, are passing on their experience .

 

At an Insight evening years ago, I watched Donald McLeary coaching Nunez and Pennefather in the last act pdd from Sylvia.  It was fascinating and McLeary was so informative about the details that make this pdd such a moving one.  Rupert was much more interested in the spectacular fish dives but McLeary taught him not just the best way to support and help his partner but how the little gestures such as the position of his hands on her face demonstrated the emotional bond between the characters.

 

He also coached Jonathan Cope all through his long career and Muntagirov has now been coached by Cope in roles such as Des Grieux in Manon.   It's wonderful to see the tradition of great partnering being continued in this way.   Personally I hate male dancers who treat the pdd as a mere warm-up for their flashy solo afterwards.  To me, the pdd is the heart and climax of the classical ballet and it only works if both dancers dance in a true partnership.

 

Guillem was notoriously picky about who she danced with, demanding that her partner had 'heart and soul' as well as great technique.  I love the fact that she referred to Cope as 'my Rolls Royce'.

Edited by loveclassics
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  • 2 years later...

Like style and or particular styles of classical ballet (yes, there is more then one!!), partnering is a skill that some have a natural affinity for, while others struggle all their careers.   Experience is of course an invaluable help.

 

Peter Martins was one of the greatest partners, and of course in old days so was Anton Dolin.   The ability to make the ballerina feel 'like in an armchair' while partnering her at the greatest distance possible and whenever feasible with one hand, is born and then enhanced.   Others need to partner closer, but it is not as beautiful for the line and interpretation.    

 

I cannot condone the idea in any pas de deux that the male partner should 'try and make himself invisible' - he should of course assist the ballerina to look at her best, but at the same time be interpreting the music and the role together with her, it is after all a 'pas de DEUX', not an assisted solo!   And the communication shown and felt between the two is paramount in tandem with the partnering.   

 

Some male dancers love to partner, as Xander Parish for instance.    

 

It is very tiring for the male dancer to be partnering/lifting the ballerina and then in classical ballets going straight into his solos.   For the woman less tiring, as she gets to breathe while he dances his solo...   and in any case the pas de deux are usually less tiring for her then for the male dancer.

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15 hours ago, betterankles said:

... partnering is a skill that some have a natural affinity for....

I agree, and was thinking about this last night when watching Muntagirov partner Nunez.  Although he is a great dancer in his own right, he gives the impression (eg in interviews etc) of being quite self-effacing yet considerate, and I think this shows in the way he is rather a selfless and skilful partner.  Probably the complete opposite character from that of Nureyev (whom I also adore).

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Robert Curran, now AD in Louisville, Kentucky, was the partner par excellence for me, and many of us here in Australia a) think he retired much too soon, b) wish he had been called upon to coach after he did retire, and c) are still waiting for his replacement. Rudy Hawkes was shaping up pretty well, but then he, too, retired much too soon. But Mr Curran made anyone and everyone look good, I've been told he was very caring and generous as a partner.

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21 hours ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

I agree, and was thinking about this last night when watching Muntagirov partner Nunez.  Although he is a great dancer in his own right, he gives the impression (eg in interviews etc) of being quite self-effacing yet considerate, and I think this shows in the way he is rather a selfless and skilful partner.  Probably the complete opposite character from that of Nureyev (whom I also adore).

 

I agree, Muntagirov always looks like he wants his partner to shine whoever he is dancing with.  He seems like a really nice person whenever I've seen him interviewed and has a really sweet, shy smile. Steven Mcrae always strikes me as someone who is considerate of his partners as well, when I've seen him in rehearsal. I love Nureyev too but more when he's dancing solos and can really let rip with the jumps and spins. 

 

I've never danced ballet with a partner, but I dance tango and swing dance with many different partners and to me the best ones are those who are considerate and responsive, not trying to show off how many complicated steps they can lead and how flashy they can be, but simply enjoying the embrace and the feeling of unity in the dance and the music and the moment.  There's a quiet intensity to me in a good dance with a partner and I come away from the dance feeling good about myself. 

 

 

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