Naomi M

It's not over yet

I am glad that this was a good opportunity to show National Ballet of Japan to the world, plus a splendid performance by Vadim Muntagirov and Yui Yonezawa (one of the best ballerinas in Japan) Now Manon is over but Don Quixote by National Ballet of Japan, Yui Yonezawa as Kitri is online for a week (She has such brilliant technique). Sadly Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland cancellation was announced today (Anna Rose O'Sullivan was supposed to guest) but I must comfort myself with this. https://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/ballet/sugomori-donq/

Yes I do remember Calvin Richardson's Swan which was quite beautiful. Also there was quite a weird Swan solo choreographed by Radu Poklitaru and danced by Igor Kolb of Mariinsky Ballet.

32 premier ballerinas from 22 dance companies in 14 countries perform Le Cygne (The Swan) variation sequentially with music by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by cellist Wade Davis, in support of Swans for Relief. Organized by Misty Copeland and Joseph Phillips, 100% of the funds raised will be distributed to each dancer’s company’s COVID-19 relief fund, or other arts/dance-based relief fund in the event that a company is not set up to receive donations. To donate please visit, https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/swansforrelief Ballet companies are largely dependent on revenue from performances to pay their dancers and fund their operations, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, all performances have been halted. Consequently, many dancers are unable to depend on paychecks and are facing the hardship of paying rent and/or buying food and other necessities. Below are the featured ballerinas and their respective companies: •Stella Abrera American Ballet Theatre, USA •Precious Adams English National Ballet, England •Nathalia Arja Miami City Ballet, USA •Isabella Boylston American Ballet Theatre, USA •Skylar Brandt American Ballet Theatre, USA •Misty Copeland American Ballet Theatre, USA •Monike Cristina Joburg Ballet, South Africa •Ashley Ellis Boston Ballet, USA •Greta Elizondo Nacional de Danza Mexico, Mexico •Nikisha Fogo Vienna State Ballet, Austria •Angelica Generosa Pacific Northwest Ballet, USA •Sarah Hay Freelance Ballerina, USA •Francesca Hayward The Royal Ballet, England •Robyn Hendricks The Australian Ballet, Australia •Whitney Jensen The Norwegian National Ballet, Norway •Yuriko Kajiya Houston Ballet, USA •Maria Khoreva Mariinsky Theatre, Russia •Ako Kondo The Australian Ballet, Australia •Misa Kuranaga San Francisco Ballet, USA •Stephanie Kurlow Freelance Hijabi Ballerina, Australia •Sara Mearns New York City Ballet, USA •Ginett Moncho Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Cuba •Katherine Ochoa Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Cuba •Hannah O'Neill Paris Opera Ballet, France •Denise Parungao Ballet Philippines, Philippines •Tiler Peck New York City Ballet, USA •Tina Pereira The National Ballet of Canada, Canada •Ida Praetorius The Royal Danish Ballet, Denmark •Jemima Reyes Ballet Philippines, Philippines •Ingrid Silva Dance Theater of Harlem, USA •Bianca Teixeira San Francisco Ballet, USA •Xu Yan The National Ballet of China, China Le Cygne (The Swan) with music by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by cellist Wade Davis (USA)

Same thing happening in Japan, Beethoven Project was available last time, but not this time. And it was broadcasted on television here (NHK) last week, so I guess it seems to be because of rights issue here.

A lovely collaboration by the dancers of Polish National Ballet, dancing the Jardin Anime scene of Le Corsaire (Manuel Legris version)

National Ballet of Japan MacMillan's "Manon" (with Vadim Muntagirov as Des Grieux) is available now. https://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/ballet/sugomori-manon/ 2 remaining performances of this Manon was cancelled.

Compania Nacional de Danza will be offering more videos on their YT channel. Por Vos Muero by Nacho Duato (3 to 7 May) Gods and Dogs by Jirí Kylián (7 to 11 May) Hikarizatto by Itzik Galili (11 to 15 May https://cndanza.mcu.es/en/

Compania National de Danza is streaming Don Quixote with Maria Kochetkova and Joaquin de Luz (their current AD), choreographed by Jose Martinez.

There is an English press release for this streaming from National Ballet of Japan (New National Theatre). https://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english/news/all/nntt-at-home.html

For a week!

National Ballet of Japan will stream 2 works, from May 1st to 8th MacMillan’s Manon (with Vadim Muntagirov as Des Grieux) and from 8th to 15th Don Quixote, both has the fabulous Yui Yonezawa as Manon and Kitri. https://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/release/detail/23_017336.html

Madison Young is going to Munich as soloist and Scott McKenzie to National Ballet of Canada, both announced on their Instagram

The Kabuki will be available till April 29th 22:00 Japan time which is 15:00 UK. There are a few more videos for this event here. https://vimeo.com/user111665080

No more details on the website but here is a snippet of the performance, with Kaori Nakamura in the title role.

The new ensemble of Vienna State Ballet can be seen in this brochure. Many changes could be seen. https://www2.wiener-staatsoper.at/fileadmin/Presse/Saison_20_21_PK/Textmaterial_Saison_20_21_PK/Saisonbuch202021_Presse.pdf

More Japanese videos, The Kabuki (choreographed by Maurice Bejart, The Tokyo Ballet) Bournonville's La Ventana Act 2 by The Inoue Ballet.

It is based on an ancient myth in Japan, Lunkina's character(Sugaru Otome) is a shrine maiden(kind of Bayadere) chosen to wed to the Dragon God because of her talent in dance. She accepts her destiny, but then a peasant man (Iwatari, Skvortsov's character) who was her friend in their childhood appears, and they fall in love. There is also another dragon maiden who loves the dragon god. Eventually Sugaru Otome is punished and falls dead in Iwatari's arms. (on the revival performance, the ending is altered and Sugaru Otome did not die, she was forgiven) https://www.ambt.jp/past2018/asuka/

Some more videos from Japan Jiri Bubenicek's L’heure bleue by Tokyo City Ballet Asami Maki Ballet's Asuka (with Svetlana Lunkina and Rulsan Skvortsov as leads) a condensed version.

Tokyo Ballet's Giselle (with Vladimir Malakhov as guest) streamed for a very short limited period, only until 22:00 Japan time (8 hours ahead of UK, so 15:00 UK time) This is a part of a ballet festival called "Ueno no Mori Ballet Holiday" with many companies and dancers participating, and there are more videos and events to come. https://balletholiday.com/2020/info/

Japan's Star Dancers Ballet is currently streaming Ballet Dragon Quest, based on the popular video game. The streamed version was filmed at Japan Expo in Paris last summer, and is a condensed 40 minute version but very enjoyable.

Love this delightful video created by Year 7 students at RBS on their Easter holidays.

Saw this live last summer. This gala had quite fabulous participants as well as Irina Perren, Andrei Yermakov, Oksana Bondareva, Victor Caixeta, Laura Fernandez, Vitali Amelishko and Nika Tsikhvataria.

Chinara Alizade got injured on her next performance of Sleeping Beauty, she tore her Achilles.

François Alu's video made me laugh a lot.