Ann Williams

These are my brief thoughts on the programme, recorded immediately I got home last night (well before I had read any of the critics - still haven’t read any..): Wheeldon’s ‘Polyphonia’ with its controlled , surprising and witty choreography was, with hindsight, probably the strongest item of the triple-bill ….. Scarlett’s ‘Sweet Violets’ proved what a thrilling prospect he is; the choreography was a triumph over the too-ambitious target he had set himself with the murky and confused tale of the painter Walter Sickert and the 'Ripper' murders - I grew bored with the theme of Victorian prostitutes and their scummy clients doing things to each other on beds, but couldn’t tear my eyes from Scarlett’s lusciously logical and tender choreography. McGregor’s ‘Carbon Life’ was the first piece from him that I have liked – it was fast, fun and the live music - provided by a distinguished group of on-stage muscians – was a plus.. (Sorry, couldn’t clearly identify any of the dancers in any of the three pieces – was sitting too far from the stage and at an angle to it (and I need new glasses anyway…)

Agree, Norman S - I was there too. The relentless pace did remind me somewhat of ice dancing (that, and the lifts at every possible excuse - often even when there wasn't an excuse). I did though enjoy his work for the corps men, particularly the 'marching' movements, but I couldn't forgive the total absence of anything remotely resembling romantic or lyrical dancing for this particular story- none of the steps provided for poor Nina Zmievets as Anna flowed organically from one into another to make the movements look soft and lyrical when they needed to be. But to be fair, most of the audience enjoyed the performance sufficiently to give it a standing, shouting and whistling ovation (but to be be really strictly fair, a lot of last night's audience were Russian). I opted not to buy a programme so can't credit the set and costume designer(s), but I loved the splendid set for the ballroom, which in the effective final scene was adapted to become the menacing steam-filled railway station. The lack of a programme also meant that I was taken completely by surprise at the recorded music. Obviously, I am a totally spoilt ballet-goer.

I recall Monica Mason at an Insight evening several years ago desribing what it was like being taught 'Les Noces' by Madam Nijinska. The dancers were all rather terrified of the old lady, who would work them for hours on end without a break. One of the male dancers called, I think, Keither Mason, was able to persuade her to let them stop for a tea break by the simple method of wordlessly holding his fingers up in a 'T' formation! Funny how these little details stick in the mind - I just wish I could remember more of what Monica said of this privileged experience, but I'm sure when the RB does 'Noces' again there'll be another Insight evening and she may be persuaded to roll out her treasured memories again.

Stirrups - why on earth would Eric's review put you off? Read between the lines here - he really enjoyed himself! He just needed to hedge his bets a little... I've long wanted to see an example of Eifman's work but have hesitated because of the negativity about Eifman's work on serious ballet websites (like this one !), but Eric's review has decided me - if I can get a ticket for 'Anna' I'm there!

Very, very short notice, I know but I have an excellent dress circle ticket going for tonight's performance - £10 only! I got two this aftenoon after reading John's comments above about Apollo, Suite en Blanc etc. I thought I could easily get one of my friends or neighbours to take the second ticket but it was too short notice for everyone. Let me know. I'm aiming to get there by 7 p.m.

I'm devastated - I was only able to watch a for a limited time on Friday and managed to catch the daily class and whole of Scarlett rehearsing his new piece, but missed a lot of the rest, esp. Marinela being interviewed and the 'Pagodas' rehearsal; now I can't get into the missed pieces even though they're stil listed. Is this just some tiresome quirk of my system, or is this how it's meant to be? And who is 'George Lamb' anyway? (was stunned when he had to ask who 'this Kenneth MacMillan' was!).

This is exciting - new Wheeldon, new Ratmansky and new Scarlett plus an earlier-than-expected showing of his Viscera...also v. good to see an all-Ashton programme.

I was there last night, and was impressed at the passion and anger of the piece. True, it’s strongly text-based but the ten performers moved as well as spoke, and moved in a way that only dance professionals could - I spent quite a lot of time wondering how they managed to have enough breath left to speak their lines and came to the conclusion that they were miming to their own recorded voices. ( may I be forgiven if I’ve got this wrong!). The problem I had with the show was that although it didn’t come over as a rant, there was no doubt that this was at heart simply a retelling of what we already knew about the extreme aspects of Islamism. The words used – and some were shocking - were taken from actual statements made by people who have had direct experiences of this extremism; I did begin to long for just one reasonable statement from a leading Muslim - after all we know that there are probably at least as many reasonable Muslims as extreme ones in the UK, but as suggested by some of the statements we heard, they don’t dare to speak out, and one of Newson’s points is that the fear of these Muslims is beginning to spread into the non-Muslim majority here in the UK - what a mess! The house was packed (with the fearless?) and the mostly young audience was gripped to the end - DV8 and Newson have surely won some keen new fans.

Tim - my programme says that 'Raymonda' will be shown on Sunday 24th June at 4 pm, likely at the same cinemas.

I wasn't overwhelmed by the performance either, and was surprised to find that the choreography (a lot of it, at any rate) had been done by Ratmansky - it didn't seem to me to be very special and was rather repetitive. Its worst failing - for me at any rate - was that it simply couldn't hold a candle to the beautiful recording I have on video of a Kirov performance from the late 80s with Altnai Assylmuratove as Medora; I can't wait to root it out and see if I can get it converted to a DVD so that I can watch it again and marvel at its lyricism and subtlety. This isn't to say that the dancing in the Bolshoi film today was anything but brilliant, as one would expect from Bolshoi dancers like Svetlana Lunkina and Nina Kaptsova, but the choreography and the tone of the production robbed them of any chance to seem anything but rather brittle. I'm hoping that 'The Bright Stream' (Sunday 29th April) will show Ratmansky's choreography rather better. One further disappointment; the audience appeared to be made up almost entirely of OAPs (like myself!). I can't help feeling worried about this...

Oops! made a mess of the subject line and wasn't able to edit it - sorry!

Tonight is the first night of this Lloyd Newson/DV8 production at the National Theatre (Lyttelton), and I wondered if anyone here was going? If so, if would be good if they could let us have their impression of the performance. I'm booked to go on Tuesday myself, but would be interested to know what to expect.

Yes. I think the bottom line is that he's extremely immature in everyday life in contrast to his calm, commanding stage presence (I'll never forget his first Solor at the age of only 19 - or was it 18?). Ian, I think your comment that he will likely sink below our horizon as quickly as he rose above it is spot on. But worse things happen at sea, after all....

I've just managed to get myself a ticket to the Clapham Picturehouse - I'm assuming I'll be able to get there one way or another.

'...>especially as they've never danced in London...<'. John, I'm pretty sure it was MCB I saw dance an all-Balanchine programme here in London in the early 1990s, and I'm pretty sure they were totally electrifying - young, sleek, fast and fresh - a revelation. I think it was the first time I had seen 'Theme and Variations' - I'll try to dig the programme out later. Please don't tell me I dreamt all this....

That Miami City Ballet programme is to drool for - Villela is certainly bowing out in wonderful style! Now that we know San Francisco Ballet is making a return vist to the UK, would it be too much to hope that MCB might do the same with this particular programme?

Best news I've heard so far this year!!

Interesting though that the reviewer of the RSBS's 'Fille' - Alison Norton - apparently knew so little about ballet that she had no idea that she what she was seeing was NOT one of the most familiar and most loved ballets in Britian, and one known by heart by nearly every British ballet lover - nor did two of the three people who commented on the review!

I hardly ever see 'Bayadere' listed as a 'classical' ballet but I see its choreography as purely classical, and furthermore the story -as sily as it is - is at least on an understandable human scale. I can't get enough of it.

Thanks. Bluebird - good news indeed. I actually didn't much like 'Pagodas' the first time around, but that was quite early in my ballet-going career and I'm anxious to have another look now that I know what to look for! (I do recollect that MacMillan had provided some meaty choreography for each of the main characters).

Agree that Monotones has been sadly neglected by the RB - it's well overdue for an outing. I would also love to see Nijinska's fun 'Les Biches' again And are we going to see MacMillan's 'Prince of the Pagodas' revived at last? It was promised a few seasons ago but plans were abandoned. Wouldn't mind seeing Balanchine's 'Prodigal Son' again soon (although admittedly the gap since we last saw it hasn't been that long). I will think of more...

Agree that AkaneTakada is the most exciting principal-in-waiting the RB have had in years - I'd like to see her in nearly all the principal roles, but I dream above all of seeing her as Nikiya in 'Bayadere'. As for the men, Liam Scarlett may be making it 'large' as a choreographer, but to me he is one of the RB's most distinctinve and noticeable male dancers because of the evident pleasure he takes in dancing, so I hope some day someone will let him be Mercutio or even - dare I hope - Colas.

Ian, I’m not sure if this is the right place for the following comment, but hopefully nobody will mind! I'm happy with the way the links are being preserved by both you and John M – very grateful thanks indeed to you both. I believe that whatever else has to go in this new slimmed-down Ballet.co, the links should stay in whatever form possible - they were the first thing readers turned to in the old Ballet.co and - as you can see from the comments – they still are. The demise of our unique database is sad but understandable; however the majority of ballet.co’s readers simply wanted quick and easy access to relevant print and online reviews, comments and articles, which is exactly what the old links provided and hopefully still can provide. You’ll have to forgive me if this is already under consideration, but I wonder if in the new structure a named links ‘co-ordinator’ could be appointed, someone to whom we could all send whatever links we were able to find. The co-ordinator could then, um….co-ordinate them and present them each day (if possible) with a comment acknowledging the contributors. This would have two benefits: it save one person a lot of search time, and it would probably mean a larger and more comprehensive set of links.

I don't think this has been posted before - the latest Evening Standard piece on SP (from today's edition) - a bit more hopeful-sounding than some: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24032012-ill-dance-again-says-ballet-star-who-quit.do

Anna, I absolutely agree. Reading between the lines (probably as reliable a way of getting to the truth as reading anything 'official'about the matter) I'd say it's all about everyone being too hasty: Polunin is young and inexperienced and may have been overwhelmed at the burden of his upcoming RB commitments, and the RB management - instead of reassuring him - have gone ahead and made an immediate announcement. Fingers firmly crossed that the situation can be resolved and that SP is not permanently lost to the RB. .