Fonty

Yes,she did struggle in the Rose Adagio, but so does everyone else I have seen recently. In fact, I can't remember the last time I saw what I would consider to be a wonderful performance of this. Those balances seem to defeat everyone these days, and even the most experienced seem to frown their way through it. It is almost as if the style required to perform this most classical of roles is disappearing. I didn't notice any serious stumbles, but I wasn't concentrating that hard. It is the first time I have seen Cuthbertson in anything classical, and my only impression was of her nice clean lines, as you say.

I was hoping someone else would have seen the Sleeping Beauty with Cuthbertson and Polunin. I've never seen Cuthbertson in a traditional role before, and I thought she was lovely. However, I was less impressed with Polunin. Lovely technique, but I am struggling to think of the adjective to describe my feelings. Mainly, I thought he didn't have that elegant air required for the pure classical roles. Also, I though his acting was unconvincing. I didn't know it was him when I watched the performance in a post Christmassy lunch haze, so my judgement was not influenced by knowledge of his subsequent behaviour.

Yes, the old ones are the best. Actually, I have decided my New Year Resolution is to promote Emoticons. I have noticed that forum users on here don't tend to use emotions very much. I have no idea why this should be I know some people find them a bit and tend to treat them with But I like them. So let's make this the year of the Emoticon.

Ah, now that would explain something I read, that the arrival of Nureyev put the breaks on Nerina's career. I could not understand it at the time, but that makes sense now. Bruhn and Nerina would probably have made a dazzling partnership. It does seem that Fonteyn was definitely the favourite, as far as the Royal Ballet were concerned. I am not saying this is Fonteyn's fault, and there is no doubt she was one of the greats, but she was given every help in order to achieve that greatness. Other Principal females seem to have been given a hard time in comparison.

Just to add, looking at some of the famous names of the past, did Moira Shearer have a regular partner? And what about Nadia Nerina? I have just come across a book with some fabulous pictures of both of these dancers. They were both so good looking, and they both seemed to ooze glamour.

I've mentioned these on other threads, but I liked: Rojo/Cope Durante/Mukhamedov

Yes indeed. I only wish I could have seen them on stage, it must have been quite something to behold. There are some clips on Youtube, but I have to say my favourite is a clip of her dancing the Rose Adagio. Even though filming in those days tended to be from a strange angle, and the clarity is not great, her personality and sheer artistry shines through. And although critics might say her technique is nowhere near as good as those dancing today, the way she sweeps through those balances - rock solid, perfectly in time with the music, and not a wobble in sight. And the cavaliers stroll towards her in a leisurely fashion. They know there is not need to hurry, Fonteyn will stand there all day if necessary, with her beaming smile. She makes it look so easy.

I remember my parents saying that there was a lot of news coverage about Nureyev's defection to the West. Fonteyn was already famous, of course, but the interest in Nureyev was huge. Once he started dancing with her, they were catapulted to Superstar status. I am sure others will be able to provide the exact information, but it was at one of their first performances together that they achieved the Guinness Book of records for the most number of curtain calls ever. An extraordinary number, wasn't it about 74 or something like that?

I resolve not to make any resolutions, as I never keep them.

Interesting comment by Dowell. They were a perfectly matched pair, and I wonder if he, in particular, would be talked about as one of the greats without that partnership? Talking of later partnerships, I was a huge fan of Durante, and loved her performances with Mukahmedov. I felt they were a very special couple. And I still miss Yoshida, although I cannot remember who her regular partner used to be. If she had one, that is.

That is shocking, MAB. Sorry, I don't remember you talking about this originally. Are the council or police not interested at all? I find that most depressing.

Well, that seems to bring us on to another recurring theme, which is dancers' injuries. The current rep does seem to expect all dancers to master every type of choregraphy, and to push their bodies beyond what is perhaps reasonable or necessary. I can understand the logic, that you have to practise with alternate partners in case of injury/illness, but these days it feels as if I am lucky if I get to see the cast I originally booked for. More and more frequently, the partnership is untested, leading to slightly tentative performances. I feel something is wrong here, and somebody needs to take a long, hard look at the training and techniques of ballet dancers. There are certain things that the human body cannot deal with on a day to day basis without causing damage, however supple the individual may be, and I am pretty certain that hyper extensions must rank high on that list. And perhaps if today's dancers and choreographers could be persuaded to tone it down a little, we might get back to the blissful partnerships of yesteryear. I shall get down off my soapbox now.

MAB, it is interesting that you have reviews from what everyone considers to be the Golden Era of the RB. I remember my old dance teacher saying that Nureyev with Fonteyn was wonderful, but with anybody else it was pot luck as to whether you got a terrific or a mediocre performance. She also said that he had untidy footwork and his landings after jumps could be sloppy, but she was a stickler for neat feet. On the other hand, she raved about Dowell's technique. Dowell seems to have been one of the most elegant dancers, and even today when I see clips of him he is remarkable. When anybody mentions that era, they always talk about partnerships - Fonteyn/Nureyev, Sibley/Dowell, Seymour/Gable. I know this is a recurring theme on here, but you never really hear people talking about those kind of partnerships anymore. Was this what made those dancers so memorable? The fact that each couple complemented and inspired each other, and could perfect their interpretations together? Poor old Wayne Eagling. Never saw him dance, but hat did he do to get such poor reviews?

Thanks, Aileen. I haven't seen the current ENB one, but a friend was telling me the other day she played Clara when she was at Arts, and in her day Clara remained a child all the way through.

I was just thinking about the current crop of male Principals. Although I adore Acosta, I feel that nobody has really filled Cope's place with his ability to look noble. He was perfect in those roles that required him to spend a large portion of his time holding his tutu clad lady in position, whilst gazing with adoration at the back of her head. Watson and McRae are wonderful dancers, but in my opinion they look too modern for the pure classical roles, and not always entirely comfortable. Soares looks ok, but never really seems to hit the high notes for me. And I would be hard put to remember any performances by Bonelli and Pennyfeather in anything, I just cannot picture them in my mind.

People mentioned Morera dancing the Rose Fairy. Have they got a shortage of dancers at the moment because of injuries? The reason I am asking is that this is a very nice role for a soloist or potential solist, so why is a Principal being cast? And I am a little out of touch with current productions, but does any company have children in the child roles any more?

Chrischris, I am with you on this. Whenever I have seen anything by Balanchine, I have found much to admire, and even many bits to enjoy, but on the whole, I find him overrated. Now, I am perfectly prepared to admit that it may be that I need to see the Americans perform his works. The "English" style tends to soften all the steps, and perhaps you need to be trained in the Balanchine style right from the start. However, for me, there seems to be a coldness, an aloof detachment at the heart of all his works that I fail to connect with.

I saw Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty last year, and enjoyed it very much, but it is more pantomime than ballet, and I think it needs to be viewed in that way. I didn't watch the whole of Don Quixote, just the beginning and the very end (although I recorded all of it). I thought it came across much better on tv than ballet usually does. I didn't have a problem with the lilac dresses, other than thinking that it looked as though the two girls went to a different dress maker to all the others!

Drink, eat and be merry, and have a wonderful time, everyone.

Only just seen this thread. I think part of the problem with finances was that, according to one of the stories I read, she financed his high spending lifestyle. I can't remember whether the title of Panamanian Ambassador was not official, and so Fonteyn funded it, or the funds were not adequate, and therefore she paid for all the things that were deemed necessary. The reason she carried on dancing for so long was because she was the breadwinner. He does seem to be a nasty piece of work, who used Fonteyn's fame and money, and responded by carrying on with other women behind her back. And his family seemed to be just as bad. There is a particularly gruesome story in one of the programmes that, while Fonteyn was on her death bed, they were worried about who she had bequeathed her property to, as they had not seen her will. So they drew up a new will, and it was signed by dabbing her thumb in ink and pressing it on the paper.

I've never noticed Watson looking particularly pale on stage, given that he would be wearing make-up anyway. And is there a significant difference between being "ginger" and "flame haired"? Watson and McRae are both redheads, so what? A strange article. 3 of the names mentioned from the 2004 season have only just departed, so has the performance of the current ladies nose dived during the past 3 months? Or is the point supposed to be that only one of the current crop of female Principals are British born and that most of them are not Royal Ballet trained? In which case, he doesn't make it very well, does he!

I shall try and keep my old and new low key, and (hopefully) realistic. Out will go all the clutter I have been keeping for the last few years: - Do I really need to hang on to my university coursework books that have remained on the shelves unopened for the last 20 years? - Do I really have the space for all those elegant books given to me by family and friends which contain wonderful photos and very little else? - Will I ever get around to trying out the complicated recipes in those cookery books written by named chefs, when I seem to stick to a basic repertoire of easy cook, simple dishes? - And do I need to keep vast manuals of various computer programmes that I will probably never use again. The answer is an emphatic No. In will come a new ruthlessness - No more hoarding, no more crammed spaces, no more "this might come in useful one day". Instead, I will have calm, clear, clutter free spaces with one or two striking pictures on the new, bookshelf free walls. Well, that's the plan, anyway!

It certainly could have been much worse. A speedy recovery to all those who have been injured. I should jolly well hope the fire services got there swiftly - the fire station is just around the corner!

Oh, the perils of that scene. I remember many years ago taking part in a production where we had marvellous rat costumes. Unfortunately, the masks really restricted your vision, so we had to be spot on with our positioning. One night, someone had their tail trodden on so hard it came off, and she toppled over. The result was mayhem as we started to bump into each other. In the aftermath of the battle the stage was littered with dismembered tails, feet, whiskers, which the Snowflakes had to dance carefully round. Ah, happy days......

Talking of Christmas cards, one of my pet hates is receiving a card from friends you only see once or twice a year, on about 23rd December, with a note, saying, "Hi there, just to let you know we moved into our new home 3 months ago, and the new address is....."