Shirley Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I wonder how many people would be thinking that Darcey Bussell was so great if she hadn't had so much non-ballet-related publicity. Actually I wonder how many people would have even heard of her, outside the small group of ballet aficionados. It almost seems insulting that she's on the list and Lynn Seymour isn't. I'm not sure what you mean by non-ballet related publicity Melody? Are you referring to publicity after Ms Bussell retired or when she was a principal with the Royal Ballet? I wonder how many dancers on the list the general public would be aware of. Apart from Fonteyn I don't think any of my non ballet friends would know any other name on the list. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) Oh, I mean things like appearing in an episode of Vicar of Dibley and doing modelling and turning up in glamorous ads in magazines and whatnot. I seem to remember that she was about as well known outside the ballet world for her looks and her personality as she was inside the ballet world for her dancing. Wouldn't your non-ballet friends know the name Pavlova? Or do they just think it's a meringue dessert? Then again, I wrote a short piece about Margot Fonteyn for a Facebook group about famous women in history, and one of the group members from Britain said something like "that was very interesting, I didn't even know she existed." Must have been a real youngster. Edited March 3, 2014 by Melody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Yes, I don't know how well known Fonteyn is to young people. Has the average 25 year old heard of her? I agree that 'greatness' can only really be attributed retrospectively after a period of time. Will Bussell, Rojo, Cojacaru and Osipova be remembered in 50 years time? Guillem is often mentioned as an inspiration by other dancers and I think that that is one of the hallmarks of a great dancer. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betterankles Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Marie Taglioni, Carlotte Grisi, Anna Pavlova, Olga Spessivtseva, Tamraa Karsavina, Alicia Markova, Margot Fonteyn, Svetlana Beriosova, Yvette Chauvire, Nina Vyroubova, Carla Fracci, Galina Ulanova, Maya Plistetskaya. Natalia Makarova Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakisfrance Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Being inspirational to other dancers, pushing the boundaries of the body language, as well as having a certain aura and impact on the public is important in my opinion in what makes a great dancer. The historical context and importance of a dancer is also important this is why, Pavlova would be justly included in such lists. If I were to make such a list (I would include ballerinas starting from the twentieth century since we do have some records of their art as well) would be besides Anna Pavlova: Sylvie Guillem, Maya Plisetskaya, Margot Fonteyn, Gelsey Kirkland, Carla Fracci, Yvette Chauviré, Alessandra Ferri, Natalia Makarova, Noëla Pontois, Ghislaine Thesmar, Alicia Alonso. Now, If I were to make my own personal list of my 12 favorite ballerinas (included are the ones I could see live on stage and/or in recorded performances) would be the following: Sylvie Guillem, Maya Plisetskaya, Margot Fonteyn, Carla Fracci, Gelsey Kirkland, Lucia Lacarra, Alessandra Ferri, Isabelle Guérin, Ghislaine Thesmar, Ulyana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Monique Loudières. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betterankles Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 True I need certainly to add, Alicia Alonso, Gelsey Kirkland and Alessandra Ferri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirley Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Wouldn't your non-ballet friends know the name Pavlova? Or do they just think it's a meringue dessert? Only the dessert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I'm told that when the RB Touring Company did its 1958/59 tour of Australia and New Zealand, dancers would often be greeted in restaurants or cafes with "We've got something special for you folks - Pavlova Cake!" (Use your best Oz accent for that.) So back then it sounds as if the name and the origin were associated in lots of minds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Like Peach Melba? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrischris Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I think the pronunciation of 'pavlova' is probably very different from the correct pronunciation of 'Pavlova' now, so people probably don't associate it as being a Russian surname. In the UK at least the emphasis seems to be on 'pav'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I think the pronunciation of 'pavlova' is probably very different from the correct pronunciation of 'Pavlova' now, so people probably don't associate it as being a Russian surname. In the UK at least the emphasis seems to be on 'pav'. Isn't that the correct Russian pronunciation? I'd always understood that the stress should be on the first syllable of Pavlova. Maybe our Russian speakers could confirm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Isn't that the correct Russian pronunciation? I'd always understood that the stress should be on the first syllable of Pavlova. Maybe our Russian speakers could confirm? Yes, I thought so as well. In the UK, we put the stress on the lo - Anna PavLOva. Well, I do, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrischris Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Sorry that's what I meant. Didn't read it before I posted it. In the UK we stress the 'lo', instead of the 'pav'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 In Russian there are no rules concerning the stress in surnames, indeed it isn't unkown for a name with the same spelling to have the stress on different syllables according to the family tradition e.g. IVANov or IvaNOV. In Russia it is PAVlova. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euan Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Marie Taglioni, Fanny Essler, Mathild Keshinska, and Carlotta Grisi, Lucile Grahn http://michaelminn.net/andros/history/ballet_timeline/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelm Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) When you search for Prima Ballerina Assoluta on Wikipedia (not necessarily an authoritative source, but still helpful)- there is a list of dancers who were bestowed the title: 1Pierina Legnani Italy and Imperial Russia 1893 2 Mathilde Kschessinska Imperial Russia ca. 1906 3 Alicia Markova United Kingdom 1933 4 Galina Ulanova Soviet Union 1944 5 Alicia Alonso Cuba 1959 6 Maya Plisetskaya Soviet Union 1960 7 Eva Evdokimova Bulgaria & United States 1976 8 Margot Fonteyn United Kingdom 1979 9 Anneli Alhanko Sweden 1984 10 Phyllis Spira South Africa 1984 11 Nina Ananiashvili Georgia 1988 12 Alessandra Ferri Italy 1992 I must admit to never having heard of three of them! Quite different from the Telegraph list! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima_ballerina_assoluta Edited March 11, 2014 by Rachelm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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