lyn

Just noticed that casting is up..! http://www.roh.org.uk/mixed-programmes/afternoon-of-a-faun-in-the-night-song-of-the-earth Afternoon of a Faun 29 May: Bonelli, Lamb 30 May: Muntagirov, Hamilton 1 Jun: Muntagirov, Hamilton 4 Jun: Bonelli, Lamb In the Night 29 may: Maguire, Campbell, Yanowsky, Kish, Nunez, Soares 30 May: Lamb, Bonelli, Kobayashi, Hristov, Marques, Pennefather 1 Jun: Lamb, Bonelli, Kobayashi, Hristov, Marques, Pennefather 4 Jun: Maguire, Campbell, Yanowsky, Kish, Nunez, Soares Song of the Earth 29 may: Cuthbertson, Pennefather, Watson 30 May: Morera, Kish, McRae 1 Jun: Nunez, Acosta, Soares 4 Jun: Cuthbertson, Pennefather, Watson

Well I see from Twitter that Marianela was doing some phenomenal pirouettes..! So hope all who went enjoyed that at least! It's a shame that Golding doesn't get to do it though, couldn't he have danced with another Kitri? :/

and a delightful picture from behind the scenes.. https://twitter.com/AshleyWoodfield/status/542045912831639552

gorgeous photos! Thank you! :)

Could not agree with you more there! I did ballet from age 5 to about 20 and while at times it was liberating and satisfying, it was really quite the emotional wrecking ball. I don't think I handled it well at all and always saw it as a competition and judgment on myself. I lost so many opportunities to improve because I refused to embarrass myself -- I'm furious that I never learnt how to do fouette turns just because I would always stand at the back and hide when that part of class came. Ridiculous. I don't know how much you can really protect young kids from feeling this way in ballet though, to the point that I seriously wonder if I should let my kids do ballet in the future. It really is such a hyper-critical activity where you're basically training to critique every little detail about yourself (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11693698) -- confounded by the fact that the truth is no teacher really focuses on how the artistry of it is supposed to move you, or just broader ways to appreciate the whole art form in general. Thankfully, some 20 years since I started, I'm finally getting back into it again with the right mindset, and enjoying it hugely. There's delightful security in me (and the teacher) knowing there's no stakes involved except for how much I want to feel like Odette or Juliet today, how good whipping around in that perfect pirouette would feel in and of itself. And it totally helps with the balance when I'm imagining I'm Aurora doing hers! Yes so getting back on topic of improving balance (sorry ).. CharlieChuck, since you mentioned your hyper extension before, I thought you might appreciate this revelatory post! http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=24388

Especially because it might increase her own risk of injury!

I always thought thhe Palais Garnier design was pretty neat, with fold out seats for the centre aisle! Those in the centre are the last to be seated in the theatre and they get in from front row to back, folding out the seats that are hinged on the edge of the centre aisle. How optimized. (Sorry.. That's quite terribly described for anyone who hasn't seen them!)

"it could have all been a dream of his" Oh wow! What a very lovely interview, Sim. Thanks very much!

Haha you guys made a difference! They did in fact fix it. Last Wednesday when (foreign-visitor-me) got there I was indeed dismayed by broken taps and no soap. By Friday there standalone soap dispensers, by Saturday there were new handles and freely flowing soap! (and some extra dispensers just in case.)

Hm never tried gel for knee pain. But have years' worth of chronic pain and wayward ligaments to attest to the injurious potential of hyperextension! Though if the pain is on the outside of your knees.. do you also have varus knees/bowlegs? To help with hyperextension, like you mention, avoid keeping your knees fully straight on a day to day basis, like just standing around or what not -- small thing but goes a long way. I keep my straight knees for ballet class only, but even then don't fully lock them.. make sure the rest of you is well pulled up so the force doesn't go to your knees. congrats on the splits! Don't know if you're trying for a >180 split now, but if you were doing it by putting your front foot up on a pillow/block or something that wouldn't be good for your knees

Yup it was with Makhatelli all the times she did Sylvia Gosh what a shame. But seeing what a tall and expressive partner could do for her, I suppose I see the value in waiting. Then again Cope could have easily been her DG too, no? Is there traditionally a size bias for Manon herself? I guess I can see the bias against her doing a diminutive teenage Aurora or Juliet (which I would still die for her to do anyway), but Manon doesn't come across as a 'small' woman on paper. For the record, I'd also love to see her do Hermione! Haha! I should've been more perceptive!

I hadn't noticed that at all, thank you for pointing it out!! MacMillan truly was genius. So much of the last act echoes the first that I really wish I had the chance to see it a few more times. If I'm not wrong the music in the Gaoler scene copies that of the bedroom pas de deux (at least it sounded very familiar), and even the quill has an intentional repeat appearance? Also I don't know the symbolism of having the ballet start with a seated Lescaut, but it seems poignant indeed. Then there's the ratcatcher who Manon recoils away from both at beginning and the end, who symbolizes... ? As Jenny mentioned it's a delight to relive the night through others' takeaways! Many random but amazing little touches are coming back to mind, even as the raw emotion of it fades all too quickly... Yanowsky cheekily tugging on Bolle's coat tails for one last kiss, him scoping out the port in a surprising ac of chivalry before letting her descend the gangway. And he particularly impressed me with this one gesture in the bedroom pdd where he gives her a double take. The choreo is such that he looks at her, then away, then at her again in the space of a few seconds, and in the first look Bolle is beaming, and in the next, his face is suddenly completely serious as if he's so passionate for her it hurts. I know it sounds like the smallest thing but the fact that he bothered to tweak and interpret this.. 3 second choreography for his head, well it's pretty awesome. Was the Queen's Jubilee black swan pdd the only other time Yanowsky and Bolle danced together..?

Do carry on posting Frank! I enjoyed your own review and analysis of the contrasting reviews very much. I too wonder why there aren't more Cassandra responses, but I shall throw mine into the mix! You're very right that the reviews are so strangely contradictory, most probably as you infer, because of subjectivity around mental health. Despite the uniform praise for Cowley, I actually didn't find her outstanding. Don't get me wrong, her dancing was excellent, she was very emotive, but I didn't think to dwell on it because I can somehow see other dancers doing an equally fine job, perhaps even better. I feel like the choreography was most responsible for her performance, and that emotion-wise she only needed to furnish them with some hesitance or far-off glances. It was moving, beautiful, but not captivating. I found myself being much more intrigued by Galeazzi and Avis, who seemed to say something a little extra than what the choreography scripted. Maybe I'm biased because I was already looking very much forward to Cuthbertson in the role. Plus I'm far more given to maturer dancers. I personally was most appreciative of the choreography and the music, which I suppose I don't know how to encapsulate any differently than what I've written here!

Exactly, it will be while even before I can sit through another ballet, both for being emotionally spent, and the fact that I fear anything else would pale in comparison. Both Zenaida and Roberto were on such fine form last night, and they both knew it. The bedroom pas de deux was spectacular, their bodies in perfect symmetry. I've never seen such exquisite partnering before, where he whips her around but resists just at the end to guide her in gently to an embrace, or throws her then catches her just precisely to decelerate to a gentle loving lull. The way he dips her into the sequence of penchés is so smooth she doesn't even seem to touch the ground, where on Wednesday she kept crashing jerkily into it. Sigh. The timing between them is impeccable. And overlaid on this perfect dancing were their own gasps, laughter almost, that I sat blessedly close enough to hear. Thick with emotion, these two really enjoyed playing with each other, swatting cheekily, and I especially love their innocent joy when she takes over to "partner" him. Between the perfect motions, they find the time to smile at each other, touch lovingly, display time and again just how deeply their falling in love. They sat together at the end in each other's arms, just soaking in the cheers and not wanting to get up, grinning both like lovebirds and principals who just had the pas de deux of their lives. Roberto is finally the partner worthy of Zenaida's expressiveness. His Des Grieux is so textured, so infinitely more layered than what I saw on Wednesday that I really wonder what got me so hyped up then. He takes all these shy boyish glances at her through Act 1, is really troubled by her rejection in Act 2, and earnest in his attempts to moralize her. I almost want to say it's not worth it for Zenaida to dance without someone of his caliber. From the get go she was so obviously more relaxed (can't blame her, Wednesday must have been nerve wracking) and she kept running wantonly, full tilt at him for those incredible lifts and spins. He brought out the best in her for sure, I've never seen her technically better, nor emotionally, because her expressions finally had something to reflect off then build off of. The applause and whoops and stamping and standing really were enthusiastic. I too am sure this is Zen's last Manon so I'm glad for her it was so perfect. She certainly was very, very happy after

Rare indeed. What a magical performance. I'm completely speechless.

Such a joy to have gone and met all the dancers (Yanowsky! Golding! Acosta! Avis!), and it was truly gratifying to finally let Zenaida know in person what an amazing dancer she is (I somehow feel the need to make up for her years as an under appreciated principal). Gosh she is such a warm and earnest lady. I've seen so many dancers who are in tears after a show over the slightest mishap, so It's great she took all of it in stride and could laugh about it after. Of course, the night's dancing was so magical in the end that nothing else really mattered anyway! They are all indeed so nice, obligingly taking photos, though perhaps I was overly imposing and I also met nice people!

Wow I don't know where to start with last night's performance! As Patt said it was quite the emotional roller coaster. Act 1's pdds really were worrying.. In the first pdd, I think he actually dropped her one lift, the the motions were jerky and clumsy, and then at the end, (not really a technical fault but just a boo boo) they crashed into a chair on stage and toppled it. Not only did it fall flat technically, one could see it was slightly affecting their expressions as well.. Yanowsky actually seemed a bit nervous through Act 1, Golding tentative in his 'proclamations of love', such that I don't believe Manon ever fell in love with Des Grieux. But that's the thing, the strange pairing added a rather unique narrative to the whole thing. Because they really did seem to lack chemistry, to the point that despite their individually fantastic performances (even in the last pdd they felt a bit like ships passing in the night), it somehow spun into a very Manon-centric story where Des Grieux was nothing but one more fleeting play thing, like the passing jewels, that she tried to cling to for a sense of self (or for self preservation) but failed with time and again. The viscerally exhausting last pdd almost looks like an infuriated fight against herself, a truly tragic expression of personal loss and railing against circumstance. Thus as the dancing and expression markedly improved over the night but their chemistry didn't, it actually made for a riveting story. (This was actually my first Manon ever so I don't actually know what the detailed story is supposed to be..! Hopefully someone could enlighten me on exactly what Yanowsky did to make it different?) It really is commendable how they both made last night work. At the stage door Golding said they only started rehearsing the day before, and Manon really doesn't look like the kind of ballet you can do that for. Actually the night's dancing improved so exponentially probably because with every Act was probably doubling their rehearsal time. I think there was an audible sigh of relief with the success of the last pdd, even if he didn't throw her quite death defyingly and even despite her cramps. Yanowsky after exclaimed quite in shock that she'd never had an experience like that on stage before; both her calves went out and as Patt said she couldn't make the first curtain call. She was flexing her feet during the choreography and as a Manon newbie I thought it was part of it :x so such was her skill and tenacity regardless that I didn't even realize she was injured till practically she said so. Well, it all certainly added to a truly moribund Manon at the end of it. It was so heart wrenching and depressing I truly had to sit in the theatre a while longer after to collect myself. Some parts about everything else.. Acosta was BRILLIANT. I've never seen him live before or any other Lescaut, but the drunken dancing sure seemed extremely original and refreshed. I was bowled over laughing. Also a note to Francesca Hayward, who i've never seen but kept catching my eye even as part of the corps. And Gary Avis was truly horrifying. I felt nauseous in his pdd w Yanowsky, I can't believe how real that scene felt. Honestly disturbing. I will surely wax lyrical about more elements in a bit, but that's the gist of it for me! Edit: sorry too excited on the phone and replied too early!

Yes i remember watching that bayadere with Golding and Yanowsky.. Technically he was an alright partner but emotionally I felt a lack of connection so I too am worried she won't have enough to work off..! But I'm optimistic from his Des Grieux reviews and actually quite excited to see him flex his expressive muscles. Shall report back this evening! Yup Bolle was well and rehearsing with Yanowsky just up to a couple days ago..! http://instagram.com/p/usL82BFs36/

Oh dear, Golding's replacing Bolle on the 29th due to a hand injury! Hope he'll be alright by saturday, but glad i get to compare another Des Grieux now..! http://www.roh.org.uk/news/cast-change-matthew-golding-to-dance-in-manon-on-29-october-2014

pc/opinion/whatnot issues aside, i just wanted to momentarily gush about this forum and declare how much it is has expanded my appreciation of ballet! I've know close to nothing about Ashton but have learnt so much from this thread alone, and this and all others have helped me to really refine my understanding of the dancers' and choreographers' intentions and interpretations. It's one thing to have done ballet and to know just how much ridiculous core strength is behind that perfect penche, but it's another thing altogether to appreciate the history, culture and context of it that expose the myriad ways a ballet can make me feel -- so that i may graduate beyond my prior caveman-tinged "ME LIKE". For example I never even knew a dancers' relationship with the rest of the ensemble was something discernible before, but now will look out for it. So um, thanks!

RB has put the Kim Brandstrup/Zenaida Yanowsky/Tommy Franzen piece up on youtube, Yay! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJz6KmtGX9A

This finally made it's way all the way to Singapore..! The audience here absolutely loved it. Jonathan Ollivier is such a wonderful dance actor. Here's a full review if anyone's keen! http://fot4w.blogspot.sg/2014/10/matthew-bournes-swan-lake-esplanade-11.html

Gosh I had no idea..! Thanks very much! I'm being chastised for wanting to go to the stage door when I'm no longer a teenage ballerina wannabe.. but ah heck it, i'm going to anyway

Splendid! I am now galvanized, especially after being granted twitter permission Now I'm wondering how to keep flowers tucked away all Manon long, or if it's alright to show up empty handed but bursting with praise..!

What a delicious thread. My favourite in London is the Athenaeum but it's pretty pricey. The ROH tea doesn't sound very enticing Perhaps only if they had an event to look over into at the floral hall. Not too many good afternoon teas in Singapore I'm afraid, ;/ but I recommend the Shangri La, Fullerton or Grand Hyatt ones when you're here again! Wasn't staying there, but once I wore wore my swimwear up and walked in confidently for a lovely dip I think security's a little tighter these days though.