Ann Williams

'...>The fact the Royal Ballet has three internationally renowned choreographers at its helm (all of whom have works performed/commissioned worldwide)<,...'

David, can you clarify which three choreographers you're referring to?  If you mean Wheeldon, McGregor and Scarlett, I'd separate McGregor from Wheldon and Scarlett; to me he's a movement  choreographer only, whilst the other two are dance choreographers and therefore comparable in their different ways to those two giants of 20th century choreography, Ashton and MacMillan. 

Doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed some of McGregor's work, but...

'What about Prince of the Pagodas? When I went to see the recent Royal Ballet revival..'

When was this revival, David?  I seem to have missed it - I actually thought a revival had been planned about two or three years ago, then cancelled.

'....Yesterday I met Janet McNulty and renewed my acquaintance with DonQ Fan ....  I am delighted to meet folk with such entusiasm for, and extensive knowledge of, ballet and I look forward to seeing them again soon,...'

It 's good of you to say this, Terpsicore and though I can't speak for either, I'm sure both Janet and DQF will be pleased by your words. Most of us long-time Ballet-coers are similarly enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and you must be very pleased indeed to have found us at last.  Actually, you have made a promising start here yourself - long may you stay!

Aileen , I'm glad you have said that you are a great admirer of Vadim and that you wish him well at the RB (as we surely all do).  Let that be enough 

Very mixed feelings about this.  I'm delighted he's joining what I consider to be my 'home team'  but sorry for ENB's loss, and - for different reasons in both cases -  sorry also for both Tamara and for Daria.  Whatever, he has probably made the right career choice and I wish him the best of luck.

BBB, that poor horse - he must have been so nervous that he was taken short!  Since the evidence was not something that could be discreetly booted off stage by a dancer, you'll have to tell us how it was dealt with.

Irmgard, thank you for your brilliant review above - what a pleasure to read it.  I agree with all your comments about the production;  although I saw a different cast (led by the dazzling pairing of Cojocaru and Muntagirov) the overall performance seemed to have the same effect on us both.

I'm so glad you singled out Dimitri Gruzdyev for praise, as I did myself (see my posting. No. 221 ).  He's an amazing dancer.

'...>I just follow 'quixotic' and say Don Kwiksot<...'

I don't believe it, Jane - you of all people!  Don Kwiksot  harks back to the notorious 'Donkeyshot' once seen (by me, anyway) on an ENB gala programme and has odd echoes of the Kwikfit Fitter TV ads.  I've been happy with 'Don kee HO tay' for years, however, I'm so thrown by your confidence that it will be 'Don Q'  for me from now on. 
 

I once sat next to a woman at the ROH who pronounced 'Mukhamedov' as 'muck-me-'ead-off'', so now I never worry about how I pronounce foreign  dancers' names.

I was also at yesterday's (Sunday's) matinee of Le Corsaire, and agree with LinMM and JMHopton that it was an outstanding peformance, one where it was difficult to decide who was having the most fun, the audience or the cast!.  I was with a friend who had actually seen Thursday's performance with almost the same cast (apart from the role of Gulnara; I've lost my cast list so can't say who danced the role yesterday but she was excellent).  My friend said that yesterday's performance was so much better than Thursday's that it felt almost like a different ballet to her.  I agree with all the positive comments about the dancers - I'm of course familiar with Alina and Vadim, but Junior Souza as Ali was new to me and I though he was a thrilling dancer - his huge, easy leaps and fast spear-like jetes mark out a very promising future for him,

 A special word, though, for Dimitri Gruzdyev as Lankadem.  I saw him dance here with the Kirov in the  early 90s when I was quite new to ballet , and to me  - even then - he was the best male dancer on stage.  I think he just just stayed in London when the Kirov went home, and ended up  with the ENB. which was a lucky day for them.  That was more than twenty years ago so I'm guessing he must now be in his late thirties or early 40s, and he's still the most amazingly strong and powerful dancer - his jumps and spins still look effortless - long may he last!

Thank you all for these helpful responses; actually the cinemas you list are those I had already picked up from my excursions into PictureHouse and Cineplex, but since they seem unusually sparse I was hoping that someone would magic up showings in the two Vue cinemas in Shepherds Bush or the Curzon Richmond, all comfortably within my reach (and all three being exceptionally nice cinemas, unlike one horribly uncomfortable  experience I had with the recent Don Q in a local Odeon). 

I'll check my favoured venues in person and report my findings (in case they're of interest to anyone else).

Has any bright spark here managed to put together a list of UK cinemas  - especially London cinemas -showing the Bolshoi's 'Jewels' on Sunday 19th January?  I went into Cinepix and PictureHouse but found only a very few, and I'm sure there should be more!

Scherezade (sp?)- anyway, the 'exotic' one with the golden slave.

Not sure where to post this, but I thought it of sufficient interest to put it here in News and Information. I've just spotted that tonight's 'Antiques Roadshow' (BBC 1, 7.30-8.30 pm) has been recorded in the Royal Ballet School in Richmond Park.

Probably won't include anything to do with dancing, but of interest anyway.

'..>I've been led to believe Fonteyn's step-daughter was devoted to her<..'

MAB, I really hope this is true - I had the impression from what I read that the Arias family became dependant on her earning capacity - they actually needed her money. It seems to me that the whole Fonteyn's life was weighted with responsibiities, all of which she took very seriously and which left very little time for herself. Her career, the care of her mother, her job as the wife of the Panamainian ambassador, later her job as her husband's carer and even her honororary role as chancellor of the University of Durham where, touchingly, she took her role so seriously that she knew the names - and something about - all the students she came in contact with - all came before herself.

She was an extraordinary woman, not just an extraordinary dancer.

LinMM, I've just pulled Sibley's book from the bookshelf and discovered that it's not in fact written by herself but by Barbara Newman - it's more or less a biography.  It's called 'Antoinette Sibley - Reflections of a Ballerina' (ISBN 0-09-164000-8).  It's a fascinating read and there are some lovely photographs.

Welcome to the forum, Terpischore, and remember we were all new here once and all had to feel our way around the site, so don't worry too much about not spotting things immediately -  it takes time!  In the case of our invaluable daily links,  very little little gets missed but I do know the links team are always grateful if you bring something to their attention which appears to have been overlooked.

I too would love to see the Sibley/Crisp event (have you read her book? It's wonderfully informative).  I may see if there's cancellation list.

Congratulations to both.  I'm particularly delighted about Jane Pritchard's honour.  It's  richly deserved   -  I always feel we're in safe hands when Jane is speaking at a ballet symposium.  She so obviously knows her stuff and has the gift of communicating it with warmth and directness. 

Aileen, I can't see McRae as Apollo either. He just seems too slight in stature to be thought of as a 'god' and his fair colouring doesn't help - I'd be more than happy to be proved wrong though!  Apollo is an incredibly important ballet to me.  I saw it fairly early on in my ballet-going career and it was the first time I  realised that ballet was a serious art form and that choreographers could be geniuses too. That realisation was almost like a shock to me and changed the way I looked at ballet forever. 

So chrischris, be a little patient with Balanchine and I'm sure you'll be richly rewarded!

If the choreography and dancing are half as wonderful as the decor and design, this version of SB could be a world-beater.  I'll have to look at it again this evening - it is simply ravishing. 

A happy and a safe Christmas to all, and very special thanks to the hardworking links team and administrators of BalletCo .  I'm sure I speak for all when I say we're very grateful to every one of you and never take you for granted - bless!

I think these announcements should be more detailed and rather more blunt.  They should point out that the use of mobile phones, whether for texting, tweeting or  making/receiving calls is not only distracting for the performers on stage but is also  extremely annoying for other members of the audience.  Current announcements are far too polite!

Has anyone suggested the superb Herbert Ross-directed 'Nijinsky' (1980)?  I found it an absorbing and beautifully made film.  It was as much about Diaghilev as about Nijinsky himself (Alan Bates was Diaghilev and George de la Pena played (and danced) Nijinsky).  Everybody but everybody in ballet at the time seemed to be in it (check the IMBb listing http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081235/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm).

Sigh.  They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Why 'brave', Aileen (assuming you mean the move from ENB to RB)?  Rightly or wrongly, to have the Royal Ballet on your CV still carries a huge cachet, and must be a a considerable plus for any young dancer seeking employment in major ballet companies world-wide; there's no doubt ENB's reputation is catching up fast - and not a minute before time - but the RB's name is still the bigger lure.

My brain is ticking over at Fonteyn22's suggestion that we might soon be asked to stack the shelves ourselves - what if they'll expect us to be the cleaners and security staff as well?  There'll be no stopping them......Tescos are the worst, IMO, but Sainsburys aren't far behind..