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Sergei Polunin - news and discussions - cont'd


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2 hours ago, fromthebalcony said:

No, obviously not.  My point was that I do empathize with him. Again, dancers give up much of their lives to dance for a living, and it is sad they cannot afford to live where they work.  There have been plenty of threads here on dancers' salaries.  For some, it is difficult to even make ends meet.  I do not agree with much that Polunin has to say, but I understand this lament.  

 

They also by the nature of the job work late into the evening (in a very physical occupation) and so it's not good if they then have a long journey home or have unsatisfactory/insecure accommodation. And by the mere fact that they are working as professional dancers, they must be incredibly talented (even at the 'lowest' level). So I also empathize with him in this respect.

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2 hours ago, fromthebalcony said:

No, obviously not.  My point was that I do empathize with him. Again, dancers give up much of their lives to dance for a living, and it is sad they cannot afford to live where they work.  There have been plenty of threads here on dancers' salaries.  For some, it is difficult to even make ends meet.  I do not agree with much that Polunin has to say, but I understand this lament.  

 

15 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

They also by the nature of the job work late into the evening (in a very physical occupation) and so it's not good if they then have a long journey home or have unsatisfactory/insecure accommodation. And by the mere fact that they are working as professional dancers, they must be incredibly talented (even at the 'lowest' level). So I also empathize with him in this respect.

Yes there has been lot's to discussions regarding dancers low pay. It is low. But so are lot's of people's. Dancers are not the only people in London, or the UK who are underpaid. Or the only people who have to travel a fair way after finishing work. I love dance - enough to have wanted a career in it, and believe you me my teachers never failed to inform/warn us that it was a short career, that very few made it & it was very badly paid. But we loved it enough to continue. And it was all true. Is it fair that these exceptional dancers have to struggle? No. But I would strongly argue that it's not fair that bin men, teachers, all health care workers - anyone who works hard, or is overworked, is underpaid and therefore finds it a struggle - never mind being unable to buy accommodation in one of the most expensive cities in the world...

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1 minute ago, Sharon said:

Yes there has been lot's to discussions regarding dancers low pay. It is low. But so are lot's of people's. Dancers are not the only people in London, or the UK who are underpaid. Or the only people who have to travel a fair way after finishing work. I love dance - enough to have wanted a career in it, and believe you me my teachers never failed to inform/warn us that it was a short career, that very few made it & it was very badly paid. But we loved it enough to continue. And it was all true. Is it fair that these exceptional dancers have to struggle? No. But I would strongly argue that it's not fair that bin men, teachers, all health care workers - anyone who works hard, or is overworked, is underpaid and therefore finds it a struggle - never mind being unable to buy accommodation in one of the most expensive cities in the world...

 

I completely agree with you, Sharon. A lot of what I think are the most important jobs are amongst the least well paid (and vice versa). But I can understand why Polunin would be frustrated at the situation in respect of dancers.

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49 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

They also by the nature of the job work late into the evening (in a very physical occupation) and so it's not good if they then have a long journey home or have unsatisfactory/insecure accommodation. And by the mere fact that they are working as professional dancers, they must be incredibly talented (even at the 'lowest' level). So I also empathize with him in this respect.

Err, the same would apply to nurses, bus drivers, hospital porters, cleaners, etc......

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3 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

Err, the same would apply to nurses, bus drivers, hospital porters, cleaners, etc......

 

Yes - see my post further up. But also previous comments re the length and rigour of dancers' training, the shortness of their careers, and the exceptional level of talent required. I realise that if society doesn't really value dancers (as it clearly doesn't really value many other jobs, for reasons I fail to understand), that will be reflected in their pay. I personally do value them and so would like to see them being better paid. But that's not really the point - I just understand why Polunin might feel that dancers don't earn enough.

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8 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

To state the obvious, because I am interested in dance.

 

I go on another Forum and only read threads on there that interest me.  If I have lost interest in a topic I stop following it.

 

I wouldn't be bothered reading interviews by someone who only repeats the same thing over and over again...

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9 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

Agreed.  The trouble is that with him lamenting is on repeat play...

 

The repetitive behaviour is, apparently, infectious — criticising him is also on repeat play…

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He was in the audience at the gala last night, looking very handsome in a lovely suit.  I wonder if there is a little piece of him that misses dancing on that stage.  I thank the ballet gods for sending Vadream to fill the gap!

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1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

I go on another Forum and only read threads on there that interest me.  If I have lost interest in a topic I stop following it.

 

I wouldn't be bothered reading interviews by someone who only repeats the same thing over and over again...

I suppose with me its the triumph of hope over experience!

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Well that's your opinion Alison.  In my opinion he certainly is.  I and many others would have felt bereft of a great male classical dancer after Polunin left had it not been for Vadim's presence in the company.  

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Sergei Polunin is a wonderfully talented dancer. Vadim Muntagirov is a wonderfully talented dancer. They come across to me like chalk and cheese - both as artists and as people, although I feel that our focus should always be on what dancers show us on stage.

 

I'd be very happy if we could see them both on a regular basis but, since one has unfortunately opted out to a significant extent, I am completely happy that the RB has Muntagirov who is, in my view, a superlative dancer - nay a GREAT one who I value in his own right.

 

Also IMO, the RB's cupboard would currently be looking classically very bare if he were not there - even though Ball, Clarke, Bracewell, Ella (and Hay last night) also float my boat. Indeed, it is doubtful whether the new Swan Lake would have got off to the flying start it did with the critics (and most of the audience) if anyone else had been cast as Siegfried.

 

 

Edited by capybara
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Who said the word 'mere' ?  All I said was that, in the absence of one fabulous classical dancer, we were very lucky to get another one of equal stature to fill the void left by the first one, and so quickly.  That doesn't often happen in a ballet company.   I don't think anyone would or could ever consider Vadim "a mere gap filler".

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21 hours ago, Amelia said:

I shan't be rushing...!

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There is quite a nice two page article about Polunin in the week's Radio Times.  Nothing new really, but quite a positive tone, admitting he made mistakes in his younger years and not blaming the Royal Ballet at all, in fact thanking them for their support.

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