sybarite2015@ Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Hi again! I thought it would be nice to list your favourite ballerinas (especially those whom you have seen perform live). So let me begin: Of those whom I've seen live: 1. Lopatkina 2. Osipova 3. Somova 4. Semionova 5. Obraztsova 6. Skoryk Those who I am desperate to see but haven't seen live on stage yet: 1. Zakharova (btw, someone on another thread mentioned her political connections which make her 'untouchable' -- can anyone explain this to me?) 2. Diana Vishneva Those whom I wish I had seen when i was able (i.e. they performed in my adult lifetime although I was not into ballet at the time) 1. Agnes Letestu 2. Cojacuru Those whom I wish I was old enough to have seen in their peak! 1 Maya Plisetskaya 2 Sylvie Guilleme 3 Altynai Asylmuratova Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 (edited) Fonteyn, Makarova, Ananaishvili, Bessmertnova, Evdokimova, Sibley, Park, Collier, Tait, Yoshida, Samsova, Haydee, Guillem, Donovan, Muller, Vallo, Gittens. I would have included Seymour but I really didn't see enough of her. I only saw Fonteyn twice but those memories have never left me. May think of some others later. Sorry, forgot Maximova, Terekova and Asylmuratova. Edited March 28, 2016 by Two Pigeons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Those whom I wish I had seen when i was able (i.e. they performed in my adult lifetime although I was not into ballet at the time) 1. Agnes Letestu 2. Cojacuru I might be tempted to join in later but, for now, just to say that Alina Cojocaru is still dancing at her peak - for example, in Manon in Bucharest in April, at the Royal Albert Hall in ENB's Swan Lake in June; and in ENB's Le Corsaire in Paris, also in June. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Amongst others and in no particular order: Trinidad Sevillano Lesley Collier Altynai Assylmuratova Jayne Regan Desire Samaii Martha Leebolt Sandra Madgwick Victoria Marr Nao Sakuma Delia Matthews Francesca Hayward 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Alina, Sarah Wildor, Sarah Lamb, Natalia Osipova are my favourites that I have actually been to see. I would love to have seen Fonteyn and Seymour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 I had forgotten Trinidad. She was very special indeed. Added to that, some of my favourite ballet memories involve Sandra Madgwick, especially dancing with Michael O'Hare. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 1. Zakharova (btw, someone on another thread mentioned her political connections which make her 'untouchable' -- can anyone explain this to me?) 2. Diana Vishneva I believe Zakharova is supportive of Putin around the Ukraine issue and once did a four year term as a deputy in the Duma, the Russian Parliament, appointed by him. btw both she and Vishneva are well worth making an effort to see. Zakharova in particular seems to divide opinion, but I found her mesmerising, with a hugely commanding presence on stage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 (edited) My current favourites (although some not seen for a while due to logistics!) in no particular order are:- Maia Makhateli - DNB Liudmilla Konovalova - Vienna SB Maria Alexandrova - Bolshoi Olga Smirnova - Bolshoi Ekaterina Shipulina - Bolshoi Ekaterina Kondaurova - Mariinsky Sabina Yapparova - Mikhailovsky Irina Perren - Mikhailovsky Tamara Rojo ENB Alina Cojacaru ENB Veronika Part - ABT Ashley Bouder - NYCB Dorothee Gilbert POB Delia Matthews BRB Nao Sakuma BRB Edited March 28, 2016 by Don Q Fan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstar Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Good fun topic. First the ballerinas I've seen live (I've not seen any of the current Royal Ballet or Russian prima ballerinas) ... Elisha Willis of BRB, I have seen her lead nearly all the Sir Peter Wright productions (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Nutcracker) and her artistry and pristine classical brilliance I think is up there with any of the 'superstars'. I have found her completely convincing in everything I have seen her in. Tamara Rojo and Alina Cojocaru of ENB have been tremendously exciting for me to see live, I've known about them for years and never thought I would see them dance down the road from me in Liverpool and Manchester. I also thought Daria Klimentova was a great prima ballerina and I was lucky enough to see her live in the Nutcracker before she retired. Celine Gittens of BRB really stood out to me the first time I saw her, and continues to do so. Amongst the ballerinas I haven't seen live I would particularly like to see Marianela Nunez of the Royal Ballet, and Sofiane Sylve of San Francisco Ballet. I think there is something so exceptional about Sylve, and sadly I feel it is unlikely I will see her dance live since SFB don't come to UK very often. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Oh, just the two for me. Cojocaru and Altynai Asymuratova. I only saw the latter twice and was bowled over by her. Cojocaru I would follow to the ends of the earth and I miss her dreadfully. I live in hope that Francesca Hayward will be her successor. I like Osipova and am amazed to see that she is dancing tomorrow as I have tickets and most of the other times she has been injured. I am hoping that if she is not fit, they would have told us by now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Amongst the ballerinas I haven't seen live I would particularly like to see Marianela Nunez of the Royal Ballet, You do know she's doing the Giselle live broadcast on April 6th, northstar? (and the repeats, whenever they may be). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 I believe Zakharova is supportive of Putin around the Ukraine issue and once did a four year term as a deputy in the Duma, the Russian Parliament, appointed by him. btw both she and Vishneva are well worth making an effort to see. Zakharova in particular seems to divide opinion, but I found her mesmerising, with a hugely commanding presence on stage Saw Vishneva in Anna Karenina which I loved, but it didn't get a particularly good reception. Anyone else see it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pasdedeux Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 In no particular order: Alessandra Ferri Svetlana Zakharova Natalia Osipova Olga Smirnova Certainly a list that benefits heavily from spending three winters in Moscow. Ballerinas I've really enjoyed but haven't seen in enough works to count as favourites Aurelie Dupont Alina Cojocaru Yasmine Nagdhi - she is a particular enigma, seen her in lead roles of two productions only (Onegin, R&J) but can't forget either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Galina Ulanova is forever for me, the shining torch of my life. Among the present ones - Natalia Osipova, Ulanova’s absolute opposite - but both are mesmerising for me. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Margot Fonteyn. For me, nobody else has ever come close. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
now voyager Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 East to West, grouped in very rough chronological order (of my live viewing, not their debuts or age!) by company: Plisetskaya, Semenyaka, Maximova, Ananiashvili; Kolpakova, Terekhova, Kunakova, Assylmuratova, Tereshkina; Jeppesen, Schandorff, Bojesen; Haydee, Keil; Guerin; Fonteyn, Sibley, Cojocaru, Nunez; Tallchief, Adams, Kent, Farrell, McBride, Peck; Fracci. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coated Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Love at first sight: Natalia Osipova and Celine Gittens Dancers I happily book in pretty much any ballet (from companies I see often enough): Yasmine Naghdi, Marianela Nunez, Alina Cojacaru, Francesca Hayward, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Tamara Rojo, Delia Matthews, Ksenia Ovsyanick, Fumi Kaneko, Momoko Hirata Dancers I rarely see who left a deep impression with 1 or 2 performances: Smirnova, Lopatkina, Zakharova, Tereshkina, Yuan Yuan Tan, Kathleen Breen Combes and most of the Tanztheater Wuppertal cast that has been touring London the last few years. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamicro Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I might be tempted to join in later but, for now, just to say that Alina Cojocaru is still dancing at her peak - for example, in Manon in Bucharest in April, at the Royal Albert Hall in ENB's Swan Lake in June; and in ENB's Le Corsaire in Paris, also in June. ...and Neumeier's Romeo and Juliet in Hamburg on the 6th and 13th of May. Plus a gala on Moscow on the 30th of March and other galas in the next months. But maybe "2. Cojacuru" is another dancer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamicro Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 My top favourites: Alina Cojocaru, Tamara Rojo, Silvia Azzoni, Maria Alexandrova Among the ones I've seen live: Lucia Lacarra, Viktoria Tereshkina, Uliana Lopatkina, Alessandra Ferri, Natalia Osipova, Svetlana Lunkina, Yuan Yuan Tan. And among the younger Olga Smirnova and Francesca Hayward. Among the ones I've never seen live: Carla Fracci, Eva Evdokimova, Monique Loudières, Elisabeth Platel, Natalia Makarova, Altynai Asylmuratova, Ana Laguna (I saw her live just once, when she was over 50) For sure not complete lists... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamicro Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Saw Vishneva in Anna Karenina which I loved, but it didn't get a particularly good reception. Anyone else see it? I saw Vishneva in Anna Karenina and I preferred Uliana Lopatina to her. I loved some recorded performances, but she has always been a disappointment the three times I saw her live, in La Bayadere (awful port de bras) and in Neumeier's Illusions like Swan Lake (a bad and mindless performance, as she didn't know the character she was dancing, she was not well received by the audience and, at curtains, the first violin blatantly ignored her as refusing to be received on stage by her ...an very embarassing moment...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I saw Vishneva in Anna Karenina and I preferred Uliana Lopatina to her. I loved some recorded performances, but she has always been a disappointment the three times I saw her live, in La Bayadere (awful port de bras) and in Neumeier's Illusions like Swan Lake (a bad and mindless performance, as she didn't know the character she was dancing, she was not well received by the audience and, at curtains, the first violin blatantly ignored her as refusing to be received on stage by her ...an very embarassing moment...) People didn't seem to like the ballet which I didn't understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Cojocaru I would follow to the ends of the earth and I miss her dreadfully. Can I ask why you refer to her as if she is no longer dancing? Is it just that her UK appearances are no longer as frequent as when she was with the RB? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Cojocaru I would follow to the ends of the earth and I miss her dreadfully. I wouldn't say that Bucharest (April), the Albert Hall (June) and Paris (also June) are really that far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Can I ask why you refer to her as if she is no longer dancing? Is it just that her UK appearances are no longer as frequent as when she was with the RB? Sorry, it's just that I only ever get to ROH so that's why Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Sorry, it's just that I only ever get to ROH so that's why The Coliseum is only a short walk away.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 The Coliseum is only a short walk away.... I know. Need to get out more! Have booked for Albert Hall, though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 And in my humble opinion, Cojocaru has been dancing much better since she joined ENB than she was in the last couple of years of her time at the Royal Ballet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sybarite2015@ Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Oh! I don't live in the UK actually so I didn't know about Cojacuro still active. I saw some doc where she was leaving the ROH and so i assumed she was retired. -- BTW i have to heretical here and say that I've seen a lot of Fonteyn videos on YT and she really doesn't compare to the current bunch of ballerinas technically. Her arabesques for example.... I understand most film of her available is when she was in her 40s+ but still. I've seen Maya Plisetskaya dance at 60 on YT and she was still amazing. Just saying! -- Quintus, three times I've bought tickets - stall tickets in first 3 rows at over £100+ a pop to see Zakharova only for her to be replaced at the last minute!! 2 times in the ROH and once in Munich!! I'm planning on booking all her shows this summer when the Bolshoi visit and I'll thankfully be in England then! Let's hope she doesn't cancel again!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 BTW i have to heretical here and say that I've seen a lot of Fonteyn videos on YT and she really doesn't compare to the current bunch of ballerinas technically. Her arabesques for example.... I understand most film of her available is when she was in her 40s+ but still. I've seen Maya Plisetskaya dance at 60 on YT and she was still amazing. Just saying! From your list of favourite dancers you appear to have a strong preference for gymnasts over dancers. It doesn't surprise me that the qualities of Margot Fonteyn go completely over your head. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imogensevans Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Zenaida Yanowsky. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 (edited) I know I number of posters on YouTube remain unaffected by Fonteyn. I remember one of them describing her as 'a mediocre dancer at best'. All I can say, and this is totally heartfelt, is that people who think that way can never have seen her perform live. My first trip to the ROH was the gala for her 60th birthday and she performed Salut d'amour and as the debutant in Facade with Helpmann. I may have been young and impressionable (22) and may have known very little about ballet but she is seared into my memory and I remember that performance far more clearly than many of those I have seen in the intervening years. Her technique may have faded but her sheer theatrical magnatism just hadn't. Here was a ballerina who had been dancing Aurora twice in one day in her 40s and 50s. When you think about how much and how often she danced during The War and on very indifferent stages you have to concede she was something very special. A good friend of mine saw her dance Swan Lake with Nureyev in Stratford Upon Avon. What are the chances of most of today's crop of ballerinas dancing that often or that accessibly? It is perverse but the ordinary provincial balletomane has a far greater chance of seeing both Cojocaru and Rojo now they have left the RB. What is the likelihood of ever having the chance to see Osipova or Haywood outside of London? Do not judge Fonteyn or her contemporaries by modern day standards. They may not have the same physical facility but I would suggest that many of the modern ballerinas could not compete with the oldies in terms of performance and artistry. Edited March 29, 2016 by Two Pigeons 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdove Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Natalia Osipova,Maria Kochetkova, Francesca Hayward and Yuan Yuan Tan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I don't really tend to have "favourite" dancers of either gender, more dancers I like in particular roles - although obviously there are some dancers I like (a lot?) better than others. I mean, I very much like Tamara Rojo, but despite that I still wasn't prepared to go and see her in Sleeping Beauty again. So, certain dancers for MacMillan, certain dancers for Ashton, certain dancers for the classics, and so on, and even sub-selections within those classifications . 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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