Jump to content

Polunin (not) to guest in POB


MAX

Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, Toria said:

I think someone used to run his social media accounts for him over the last couple of years. Something about the way things were phrased made me feel like it wasn’t really him. I run the social media for the company I work at and Polunin’s updates tended to have the same odd formality that I end up using when posting about events I wasn’t actually at! So I could be wrong but I think it seems like this is him taking back control over his accounts. It would explain why his English has gotten worse. 

 

I believe there are other dancers who rely (relied) on people to post for them, possibly because they are not sufficiently confident with their grasp of English. And that's fair enough, of course.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 66
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Let's not forget either that he is scheduled to dance Jean de Brienne in Munich with the Bayerisches Staatsballett next weekend, and Spartacus with the same company in March. Zelensky was, if I remember correctly, one of Polunin's mentors/supporters after he first left the Royal Ballet. Does he share Polunin's publicly-expressed views or will he cancel these contracts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, Sophoife said:

Let's not forget either that he is scheduled to dance Jean de Brienne in Munich with the Bayerisches Staatsballett next weekend, and Spartacus with the same company in March. Zelensky was, if I remember correctly, one of Polunin's mentors/supporters after he first left the Royal Ballet. Does he share Polunin's publicly-expressed views or will he cancel these contracts?

 

Offering someone a contract does not imply (or require) agreement with their views. That said, these pronouncements are so obnoxious that they make me wonder if Polunin really understands what he's doing. I assume that he doesn't have an agent/manager/PR adviser; if he does, he's clearly not listening to them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Sophoife said:

Let's not forget either that he is scheduled to dance Jean de Brienne in Munich with the Bayerisches Staatsballett next weekend, and Spartacus with the same company in March. Zelensky was, if I remember correctly, one of Polunin's mentors/supporters after he first left the Royal Ballet. Does he share Polunin's publicly-expressed views or will he cancel these contracts?

 

It’s a good point. I had been thinking some time ago to check out their Raymonda, but timings not good. Anyway I wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole as ‘twere. Will keep happy memories of him at the RB and when he first left. And I hope Osipova keeps her distance. What a mess he is. Re Zelensky, since he brought Polunin to his senses before, perhaps he can do it again. But how? Tough love?

Edited by Vanartus
Omission
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also think it would be good for Polunin to have one friend left who might have some influence on him... On the other hand, how will he hide the Putin tattoo in the Spartacus costumes at Munich? "Career over" is what Matthew Bourne twittered about the tattoo...

 

And it seems he is out of the Paris Swan Lake - that was fast:

https://twitter.com/dansesplume/status/1084162675440013314

Edited by Angela
three links instead of one :-(
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Angela said:

I also think it would be good for Polunin to have one friend left who might have some influence on him... On the other hand, how will he hide the Putin tattoo in the Spartacus costumes at Munich? "Career over" is what Matthew Bourne twittered about the tattoo...

 

And it seems he is out of the Paris Swan Lake - that was fast:

https://twitter.com/dansesplume/status/1084162675440013314

 

Really fast! Good for Opera de Paris and Ms. Aurelie Dupont to take a stance against people like Polunin (no matter how high he jumps....) 

We need good examples as the world is already full of stupidity! So happy to read they cancelled his guesting. A person like Polunin doesn't deserve it.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still, everything about this makes me sad. Such a talent does not come "around the corner" daily. It's just sad to see that he is so misguided. Maybe his upbringing and lonely life until a too early fame are reasons. If it is correct what I read about his childhood, then I think it's difficult to fix a shortcoming in love in your adult life. Somehow, this sticks with you forever and brings rather distance than connection to other people. Much room for a big ego.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is tragic to see him throw away his special talent.  On the one hand he railed against the discipline required to be in a ballet company; on the other hand as soon as he removed himself from that discipline he started a downward decline that has now reached the bottom of the barrel.  He clearly needs lots of love, patience and professional help.  I hope he gets them before it’s too late to help him.  

  • Like 16
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/01/2019 at 23:32, balletyas said:

I can’t help wondering if someone else has taken over his account or - and this is a more worrying thought - does he just do it for the publicity??  I just find these posts so different from his old style / his English has got worse for starters... 

But what of his Putin tattoo - that's not 'fake'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Should we really be giving space to this attention seeker.  Would love to see the Palladium - and any other venues - cancel his upcoming project(s) in the UK.  Silence is what he deserves; the best cure surely.  The kindest thing I think I can say is that the poor man is ill.  

Edited by Bruce Wall
  • Like 16
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Angela said:

I also think it would be good for Polunin to have one friend left who might have some influence on him... On the other hand, how will he hide the Putin tattoo in the Spartacus costumes at Munich? "Career over" is what Matthew Bourne twittered about the tattoo...

 

 

 

I think Zelensky was "the friend" the last time Polunin  went off the rails post-RB departure, but Zelensky is-it would seem (CF: Crimea ballet school and theatre project inter alia) - aligned with Putin so is perhaps going to be conflicted on this issue. In any event, I am wondering if Zelensky will come under pressure at Munich to re-think Polunin's permanent guest status with that company.

 

The POB invitation seems to me to have been wholly unjustified on artistic merits: if you had your choice of leading male dancers to invite to guest in Swan Lake would you seriously consider Polunin on artistic merit? He is surely a shadow of his former self as a classical ballet dancer. I am not sure the invitation reflects well on Dupont's own judgement in the first place.  All in all, a sad sequence of events, and until Polunin withdraws from social media and addresses whatever is going on for him  it seems likely to continue on its downwards trajectory...

 

As to the tattoo: I think that he is seen covering up all of his earlier tattoos in the Dancer film when performing in Giselle, so I guess this is one more to be included!  

Edited by BeauxArts
  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/01/2019 at 22:49, Sim said:

It is tragic to see him throw away his special talent.  On the one hand he railed against the discipline required to be in a ballet company; on the other hand as soon as he removed himself from that discipline he started a downward decline that has now reached the bottom of the barrel.  He clearly needs lots of love, patience and professional help.  I hope he gets them before it’s too late to help him.  

Sim:  Too late, already.  I have railed against Polunin for some time but my anger was always based on sorrow.  As we've often discussed, nobody has to do anything just because they have a talent for it, but to throw something so wonderful away and wreck your life almost simultaneously seems tragic.  It was always clear that Sergei, perhaps more than most, desperately needed the discipline and rigour of belonging to a major dance company and that without that routine, he would implode.  Since leaving he has flitted from one thing to the next, all the time denigrating anybody and anything connected with ballet.  He has had his five minutes of fame so many times;  a walk-on here, a photocall there, a starlet who used to be a star and whose light is fading fast.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, BeauxArts said:

In any event, I am wondering if Zelensky will come under pressure at Munich to re-think Polunin's permanent guest status with that company.

 

As to the tattoo: I think that he is seen covering up all of his earlier tattoos in the Dancer film when performing in Giselle, so I guess this is one more to be included!  

 

Polunin is still in the cast list. I'm pretty sure the Munich dancers and some fans know about his posts, but until now there's no public outcry, nothing on their facebook or instagram pages, or I can't find it. He is part of the company (well, kind of), so the situation is a little bit different than in Paris, where they should have enough danseurs etoiles to dance Swan Lake. 

 

You can't cover a tattoo that gross for a whole performance, I fear... not with make-up, only with tape.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As Sergei Polunin had the Russian president Vladimir Putin tattooed on his chest, Polunin must be a great admirer and supporter of Vladimir Putin (if not who in his right mind would do such a thing!). To me Polunin made a clear statement.

For no money in world would I buy a ticket to watch Polunin "dance" knowing he is a walking bare chest advertising board for Putin.

Such a shame. I loved watching him in his early days when he was as the RB, so much talent, so much to offer and so much to give to ballet lovers all over the world. It was not to be... and now he simply ruined it all (for me).

 

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Polunin  Polunin expressed his support for Putin in November 2018 and for Donald Trump in December 2018. Says a lot about Sergei Polunin.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Angela said:

 

Polunin is still in the cast list. I'm pretty sure the Munich dancers and some fans know about his posts, but until now there's no public outcry, nothing on their facebook or instagram pages, or I can't find it. He is part of the company (well, kind of), so the situation is a little bit different than in Paris, where they should have enough danseurs etoiles to dance Swan Lake. 

 

You can't cover a tattoo that gross for a whole performance, I fear... not with make-up, only with tape.

 

I posted my views on the Munich Ballet website...was verrrrry polite and restrained 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just how old is Polunin now?  Surely he's not a boy anymore?  It's very sad to see such talent thrown away but the best thing anyone can do for him now is to simply ignore him.  When he doesn't get a reaction, maybe he'll realise how pointless all these stupid, childish stunts really are.  He may yet return to ballet but if he doesn't learn how to behave I doubt he'll ever get, or keep, a contract with any of the major companies.  And I doubt he's winning any friends amongst his compatriot Ukrainians. 

 

Poor deluded fool.

 

Linda

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/01/2019 at 09:42, bridiem said:

 

Offering someone a contract does not imply (or require) agreement with their views. That said, these pronouncements are so obnoxious that they make me wonder if Polunin really understands what he's doing. I assume that he doesn't have an agent/manager/PR adviser; if he does, he's clearly not listening to them.

 

He doesn't have to agree, that's true. But to bring in someone who's being openly homophobic into an environment where there are a diverse group of dancers is a slap in the face to those dancers. To a degree, this is what happened with Dupont. I read more than one dancer on Twitter saying they had expressed discomfort at the idea of sharing the studio and the stage with Polunin after those comments.  What company that respects and upholds its LGBTQ dancers is going to be comfortable bringing him now? Do we really think the LGBTQ dancers won't say anything?

I mean, he just did the Nureyev movie, he has to know the degree to which LGBTQ dancers have always been a part of ballet. 

 

On 13/01/2019 at 17:00, penelopesimpson said:

Sim:  Too late, already.  I have railed against Polunin for some time but my anger was always based on sorrow.  As we've often discussed, nobody has to do anything just because they have a talent for it, but to throw something so wonderful away and wreck your life almost simultaneously seems tragic.  It was always clear that Sergei, perhaps more than most, desperately needed the discipline and rigour of belonging to a major dance company and that without that routine, he would implode.  Since leaving he has flitted from one thing to the next, all the time denigrating anybody and anything connected with ballet.  He has had his five minutes of fame so many times;  a walk-on here, a photocall there, a starlet who used to be a star and whose light is fading fast.

 

This is exactly how I feel and what I've been saying for some time. 

And I can only imagine that the reason people keep bringing him on is because he has made a lot of noise for himself since leaving the ROH. People who watched his music videos may be inclined to buy a ballet ticket when they wouldn't have for someone else that we'd consider a better (or at least more centered) dancer.  But I agree, he's had his chance so many times. Lately, I feel like he didn't just renounce the discipline of the company life, he just renounced discipline in general. Maybe because of his upbringing or maybe because of how quickly he found himself at the top. But nonetheless, it always made me sad how instead of finding comfort in the discipline and routine of ballet tradition, he rebelled against it at the expense of his mental and physical health.

 

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is major article about this in the Telegraph today entitled Is This the End of the Road for Sergei Polunin? Although it's by Mark Monahan, who should know better, there are some unnecessary errors:

 

"the Royal Ballet bagged him when he was just 20" - no, he joined aged 17 but became a Principal at 20

"upon joining the Royal Ballet in 2003" - no, even if his arrival was calculated to be at age 20, he would be 36 by now, not 29 (he joined in 2007)

"creating the twin role of Jack and Knave in Alice" - errm, wasn't that Bonelli? [ Edited to say that someone has just told me I'm mistaken - sorry!]

 

Nevertheless, the article makes some very valid points and concludes with this: "There may - conceivably - be a way back for Polunin, and here's hoping there is. Because, right now, this dancer once destined for greatness is fast becoming the art form's all-time most tragic disappointment."  I do so agree.

 

 

Edited by capybara
Typo re date!!!!
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, capybara said:

There is major article about this in the Telegraph today entitled Is This the End of the Road for Sergei Polunin? Although it's by Mark Monahan, who should know better, there are some unnecessary errors:

 

"the Royal Ballet bagged him when he was just 20" - no, he joined aged 17 but became a Principal at 20

"upon joining the Royal Ballet in 2003" - no, even if his arrival was calculated to be at age 20, he would be 36 by now, not 29 (he joined in 2017)

"creating the twin role of Jack and Knave in Alice" - errm, wasn't that Bonelli?

 

Nevertheless, the article makes some very valid points and concludes with this: "There may - conceivably - be a way back for Polunin, and here's hoping there is. Because, right now, this dancer once destined for greatness is fast becoming the art form's all-time most tragic disappointment."  I do so agree.

 

 

He joined way before 2017!!  He was made a First Soloist in 2009 and a Principal the year after.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, capybara said:

There is major article about this in the Telegraph today entitled Is This the End of the Road for Sergei Polunin? Although it's by Mark Monahan, who should know better, there are some unnecessary errors:

 

@capybara if you message Mark Monahan on twitter he will ensure the article is corrected. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, Lynette H said:

Well, tickets for his London Palladium performances are still on sale. Prices range from £23.50 to £409.50. 

 

I assume the 50p bit is part of some booking fee arrangement. Can't say I'd be tempted at £9.50, let alone with the 4-0 in front of it...

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think Mark Monaghan absolutely hits the spot.  This silly boy could have had it all.  Apart from fame, I don’t think he has a clue what he does want.  When he flounced out of RB, we got a lot of guff about his need for artistic freedom.  Well, Project Polunin at SW was a lot of things, (most of them acutely embarrassing bordering on laughable), but artistic it was not. Contrast that with what John Curry created.

 

I trust Osipova is keeping her distance.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

 

I assume the 50p bit is part of some booking fee arrangement. Can't say I'd be tempted at £9.50, let alone with the 4-0 in front of it...

Well, quiet.  There is really something quite tragic watching one of the greats slowly dying in front of you.  At SW I was too shocked to laugh and too sad to cry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...