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betterankles

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  1. betterankles
    It is exactly as you describe, croise devant, plus developpee to arabesque with releve on pointe..No other pet name Not normally in Odile solo, just Odette, in the West done three times one side then three the other, in Russia three times one side, then three times same side.
  2. betterankles
    Yes exactly Anne
  3. betterankles
    It was FABULOUS! She was as great or more so then ever before. Dancing, line, those feet at the service of the role (never just 'look at my beautiful feet, as some are prone to do when they are blessed with them) - from beginning to end, Juliet, with perhaps the last act the greatest. Great acting, but also great dancing, swooping and swooning backbends. Exquisite arabesque and line in general. Many many wonderful minute touches blending into a seemingly totally instinctive performance. Herman Cornejo a great Romeo, the partnership superb, his dynamics, line, ballon and differntiation of Romeo's personality before and after the meeting with Juliet - I could go on and on. A wonderful Paris, whose name I must look up and will add. - as he was the best I have ever seen (usually they are SO bland). Excellent Mercutio and Benovlio, Susan Jones as the nurse, and the whole company dancing and acting beautifully. It would seem that the influence of Ratmansky on them generally can be felt in all their repertoire now. They DANCE - and the acting is believable throughout.
  4. betterankles
    The vision of an artistic director should be the reason they are appointed, to make this vision a reality over time. And this vision should surely includes choices of repertoire, of dancers, choreographers, conductors, artistic staff, casting and promotions...
  5. betterankles
    Just one remark Floss, the Prince's solo in Ratmansky's production is one later interpolated, as the original Prince did not dance a solo. There is some discussion regarding who choreographed the later solo (which I understand was notated), and it certainly does not resemble any Petipa we have known before. Appears to be far more in the Danish Bournonville tradition, choreographically and dynamics used with the music - it curiously ends with brises voles in a diagonal, normally only done by the Bluebird in his coda! There are not the usual enchainements done three times, then a walk to the next starting position etc...
  6. betterankles
    Performing 32 Fouettees is NOT set in stone for third act of Swan Lake, Plisetskaya never did them and was in her heyday one of the greatest. Not do I believe Ulanova ever did them. Fortunately, as it would be a great great pity to lose out on a great Swan Queen just because of that.. They were put in for Pierina Legnani, as a way of seducing the Prince through technical virtuosity - if another step is substituted which still serves that purpose - amen to that! Also some of the greatest Giselles have had difficulties with the hops on pointe in the solo. The entire solo of course was an add on when it was restaged by Petipa in Russia...
  7. betterankles
    Time to start making Shiori and Ksenia's names big then...
  8. betterankles
    Going back to the repertory system would cause even more problems with inadequate rehearsal time....
  9. betterankles
    Fokine would apparently not have wanted his Les Sylphides to be danced anything like in the style of Giselle. He was a tremendous fan of Isadora Duncan, and wanted the Sylphs to move very freely without reference to lithographs as in Giselle. This was according to both Rosella Hightower and Irina Baronova, who worked with him on this ballet.
  10. betterankles
    Best school depends very much on the student. And most importantly what teacher they get! To get a top technique: Cuba (virtuosity, fearlessness) for boys rather then girls Paris Opera (french technique), girls rather then boys? Zurich I believe Stuttgart I believe Kirov Academy (Washington) - not sure how it is now Vaganova (how is it now under Tsikaridze though?) girls Ellison Ballet NY More artistic maybe Hamburg in UK (always 'careful') probably ENBS Very good idea to do as many summer schools as possible. Experience a variety
  11. betterankles
    When dirty linen is never aired - there is little or no chance that it or other dirty linen in other situations, will ever get cleaned up. The way Artistic Directors are treated when they stand for quality, and this disturbs the status quo, is a very sad fact of life in many ballet companies' history. And it assists the 'classical ballet is dead' brigade - to be proved right. Because classical ballet performances without quality has indeed got no life..... Perhaps only transparency of the kind JK is showing on FB will make a difference. Artistic Directors must be allowed to make the decisions they need to make to provide the best for their audiences, and not be handcuffed to hierarchy and 'the way we've always done it'. The minister of culture also has a Facebook page, so it might be helpful if he added the facts and his point of view in relation to the events of the last week.
  12. betterankles
    The Sleeping Beauty only looks boring and static, if it is not DANCED!
  13. betterankles
    I don't think Nureyev ever cancelled a performance - or missed a class - however much he may have been 'living it up' all night....
  14. betterankles
    betterankles, on 06 Mar 2016 - 8:35 PM, said: I imagine all great writers had to learn to read first... Indeed, and choreographers learn to dance - even if late in the day - or at least the vocabulary of dance. Teaching classical ballet dancing, is not teaching choreography - it is the equivalent of teaching to read and write. Have all or most great writers been 'taught' to write?.........
  15. betterankles
    Choreography taught? Really... Don't believe any of the greats of the past had any such thing as 'choreography classes'! I imagine you can be taught to craft a work that has reasonable shape, but beyond that.... And being taught could in fact stifle creativity.. Very much 'born and not made' in my opinion. And if they have a real need to do it, there are far more outlets nowadays then ever before in the history of ballet!
  16. betterankles
    Nothing like just watching a good entrelace done by a really good dancer, and copying... Usually much quicker and easier then 'explaining'... then can be corrected...
  17. betterankles
    The Paris Opera used to do Mats Ek's version of Giselle and the traditional one in the same season
  18. betterankles
    Just like with choreographers, we just need the best possible artistic directors - whether they be man, woman, gay or straight, white or coloured, married or single, with or without children - full stop
  19. betterankles
    Mario Bigonzetti has apparently been appointed to this position...
  20. betterankles
    And if not accepted by one of those four schools, there are lots of other options, including abroad, where in some good schools the training is free if accepted at audition....
  21. betterankles
    No need for more then lots of 'dancey' training before age 8, for fun - and then continue with more serious and regular training after age 8. Lots of improvisation and acting could be good now, and then keep up the same for keeping the priority of 'dancing' over 'doing steps correctly'.... when studying to become a professional dancer...
  22. betterankles
    Replying to post 30: 'Baby lungs' = 'small lungs' - giving abiity to breathe...
  23. betterankles
    'Explaining' how to execute steps can be one of the causes of the dryness and technicality of dancers nowadays. In the old days the gorgeous Russian teachers used to utilize the most wonderful images to make steps and enchainements come alive, even in class, rather then the endless physical explanations of which muscle/tendon groups and other parts of the body should engage... Most often these images were poetic, sometimes funny (although not of the nature of 'shake your knickers' - only for the reason that this would eliminate any RONDS de jambes, of which the step is made...). Ronds de jambe en l'air for instance could be described as 'make mayonnaise with your feet'. Vera Volkova was renowned for the images she used - for instance ' imagine baby lungs in your arms'
  24. betterankles
    I understand they will be touring to the UK in July. They will be performing Nijinski by Neumeier in Australia, not in London.
  25. betterankles
    American companies have totally different schedules, with x number of paid weeks in a year, and that includes ABT (I don.t know exact number nowadays, but probably between 38 and 42). For the rest of the time, the dancers go on unemployment benefits, pay for their own classes, work freelancing if they can, or if in the junior ranks, getting any non dance job they are able, to supplement their income... All other major or middle sized classically based companies give their dancers 12 months contracts including holiday pay. The security offered varies widely. Companies in the USA are free to give notice to their dancers at the end of the season, with or without reason. Canadian, Australian and UK companies offer similar contracts to each other, while in Russia and Europe the sheduling and hours worked depends on a variety of factors. In the USA, dancers only work five days a week - but will usually go to an outside class and sometimes rehearse with a coach of their choice on the free day. UK companies work a half day on Saturdays and have Sunday off. t
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