Jacqueline

Headline in our local newspaper reads Automatic Doors Installed in Town Shopping Centre. Accompanying article reads Automatic doors have been installed in the town shopping centre. Er, that's it. There is a nice pic tho. Knowing our local rag, this will still be breaking news in August.

Just watched my dvd of the Royal Swedish Ballet's Swan Lake, which was every bit as good as I remember, beautifully staged and full of nuance. Among the extras, there is a charming interview with Nathalie Nordquist and Anders Nordstrom, in which they talk about their roles and how they go about creating the characters. He is particularly good describing how many factors go into making the role what it is, not least how his own mood affects how he plays Seigfried. Essentially, they are saying the characterisation is important, otherwise it is just about technique and technique alone is boring, however good it may be. Prince Seigfried is a much more developed character in this production, there is more of his sense of devastation over the death of his father, and what it means to him as a young man facing new responsibilities. It does make more sense of the narrative if he is depicted more like a man at a crucial point in his life, than just over privilaged and under occupied and as a result rather unsympathetic. This interview reminded me of Darcey Bussell's memories of rehearsing Giselle and Sir Peter Wright telling her, with regards to playing the character, that as well as dancing the steps, she should remember who she was and why she was there. Darcey said that was the best bit of advice she was ever given.

Doh! You beat me to it.

There is a mini interview with Cesar Corrales in '3 to watch' in Culture today.

I too, had a rather limited ballet viewing experience in 2016. However, of what I did see I particularly enjoyed the second half of Carlos Acosta's Classical Farewell at Nottingham. His guest artists from Cuba were outstandingly good in some of these pieces, although as has already been mentioned, regrettably the nightmare of his 2015 Carmen was revisited in a pdd. I also enjoyed, primarily for the quality of dancing, The Invitation and Golden Hour in the RB triple. Obsidian left me cold as does most of McGregor's work and I have no desire to see anything by him again, whoever is in it. If I can include dance I have seen on dvd, I would award Elizabeth as many stars as are in the firmament, so many wonderful features to this production, not least its two leads. Frankenstein, as seen on tv, gets no stars. Admittedly, I only watched/endured the first act but words fail me. Best on tv would without doubt or hesitation be the Sir Peter Wright documentary. There are several things of interest on the 2017 horizon and I must make more effort to get out more.

The Royal Ballet calendar for 2017 is rather good in my opinion. There are some really nice photos and a lovely one for November of Zenaida dancing In The Night. I am so glad I actually saw her in this role. She was a wonderful Raymonda as well.

Indeed they did. I was thinking of Quintus starting his journey from Suffolk!

Is it not travel to the east? Depends where you start though. Just follow the star! As for the frankincense, it has a variety of uses, depending on form and quality. I believe the resin can be chewed as relief from indigestion, but check with your doctor first! The smell is very nice if you like that sort of thing and have a incense burner, but only a little at a time. I think you can also put it in your bath as it has medicinal qualities, but again be careful if you have sensitive skin/allergies. It is also sometimes used as a natural cleaning agent. Failing all that, you could put it away in a cupboard until next Christmas, then wrap and give it to the lucky recipient of your choice!

Thanks for that, I did find one on ebay for about 8 pounds or thereabouts, but it was preloved as it were. I want one that's never been loved before! As to your comments re: the BBC, in my opinion there have been some absolute gems on over these festivities, some good drama - particularly the new Agatha Christie, wonderful animation such as Revolting Rhymes, the documentaries discussed here and there is still more to come. Having been adrift in recent years, in a seemingly unstoppable tide of dumbed down, hold my hand and I'll walk you through it slowly dross, there is hopefully some light if progs such as the Sir Peter Wright one can not only be commissioned, but so skillfully realised. As the saying goes, beauty fades but dumb is forever. Perhaps though, even dumb has a shelf life. We can hope!

Well, at least now it's behind them!!

Many thanks to you both. I have followed your link and ordered a dvd. Don't know what I was looking at to think it wasn't available! I see it was recorded in 2002 which sounds right, as I also distinctly remember recording it on a video casette, now long gone. I look forward to seeing it again.

Did the boy say Oh yes it is!?

With regard to Sir Peter Wright's Swan Lake for the Swedish Royal Ballet, I may be imagining this as it was a few years ago. I am sure I recall this ballet being on tv one Christmas, introduced by Deborah Bull and starring Natalie Nordquist, who was then very young as mentioned by Miss Bull. She is only 37 now I believe. Anyway, I am sure Natalia Markarova had something to do with the choreography in this version, but I can find no reference to it now and the dvd is currently unavailable. I remember it being a particularly good production, with much more being made of Prince Seigfried's role in events, plus the dancing by the corp was stunningly good in the final scene, with the score used to maximum effect. Did I imagine Markarova's involvement? I would be most grateful if someone could help me out with this one!

An excellent example of how to make a really interesting and intelligent programme about a fascinating subject. Sir Peter is clearly regarded with huge affection and the man himself is a delightful presence, witty, thoughtful and thoroughly engaging. It was packed with well chosen footage, interviews and snippets of information about productions and people. As has been said, it also treated the audience as an intelligent life form. I got really involved and wished it could have gone on longer. So much better when people are just allowed to speak for themselves, particularly when what they have to say is so interesting. I look forward to watching this programme again and reading Sir Peter's autobiography.

Quite. I wasn't having a dig at her either, merely asking why she was there. Now I know she was there to coach, my question has been answered. It would indeed have been helpful for the commentary just to mention this simple fact.

That seems fair enough, I hadn't thought of it like that.

Thinking back to the Nut prog, one moment that jarred for me, was the very brief appearance of Darcey Bussell, coming in to appear to be looking at the notice board. The voice over said something to the effect that you never knew who you might see, such as a famous ballerina for example. Then in walked Darcey. The assembled tiny dancers all recognised her of course and started excitedly whispering her name. One even mentioned her surname as well, helpful for any viewer perhaps, who did not recognise Miss Bussell. It may have been entirely spontaneous, or meant to be a liitle bit of magic. But to me this scene felt totally contrived. I have absolutely nothing against Miss Bussell but I would have preferred the ballerina to be Lauren Cuthbertson, if this scene was indeed a confection. Perhaps I am just overreacting. It's been a rather long weekend!

Can I just get the following in under the stretching definition of dance radar, to include something that isn't dance, but related, loosely, to last week's fairytales. It's called Revolting Rhymes. Part one was on BBC1 at 6.30pm this evening. I found it by chance as I was channel hopping. Part two is on tomorrow, both are repeated on New Year's Day. It is an animation of the book by Roald Dahl and his spin on Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella. It is full of visual jokes and very funny as well as quite sinister. The head wolf is voiced by Dominic West and has the most unnerving yellow eyes. All quite brilliantly imaginative.

So sorry to hear this news. George Michael was a truly gifted singer and songwriter, such a clever lyricist and that wonderful, soulful voice. My particular favourite was Different Corner. Such sadness and longing in the words and that soaring vocal. A great loss. RIP.

I enjoyed the Nutcracker prog, it was ideal Christmas afternoon fare and I would say had something for everyone. I was particularly impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm of so many people in different departments, that make these productions possible. Particularly, the careful and thoughtful nurturing of talent by the teacher at casting, who was disappointed for those that were not chosen, but philosophical. That's how it goes sometimes, but you pick yourself up, get over it and focus on the bigger picture and the next opportunity. The same with the casting director who only does perfection. And why not? We should all aspire to give our best. If things weren't right, he said so and then demonstrated clearly, what he was looking for, firmly but kindly. There were no hysterics or insults, nobody was made to look stupid. All the children looked healthy, happy, engaged and were beautifully articulate. I could not have anything but the utmost admiration and respect for the way these children were treated, in what is obviously a fiercely competitive arena. An inspiring and uplifting programme.

You won't be disappointed, it's brill!

That reminds me of a Sleeping Beauty performance by SPBT at Sheffield some years ago. It was eye bogglingly bad and seemed to go on for about three months. When Bluebird came on the second time, a member of the audience very audibly groaned Oh please god, not again!

I watched the Darcey prog last night. It contained a lot of footage which was interesting to see again and see how La Bussell evolved over the course of her dance career. She appeared supremely confident from an early age, despite the diificulties she has talked about elsewhere. Then again, as she also said you have to work very hard to get to and stay at the top. I only saw Darcey live once, in Viva la Diva, about which the less said the better. Watching her dance last night, I could appreciate the beauty and precision of her movement and her extraordinary physique. As Eric Morecambe said of playing the right notes on the piano, Darcey - to my eyes anyway - danced all the right steps and quite probably, in the right order. And yet, I got no sense that she was feeling the music and the story. There was a clip from Sylvia, involving a dramatic looking tussle between Sylvia and her captor, whose name escapes me. It was all going on and when the camera gave a close up of her face - nothing was registering there. She could have been waiting in a queue somewhere. I found myself comparing and contrasting, given the news we had yesterday of Zenaida Yanowsky's retirement. Not only a fabulous dancer but a terrific actress with a hugely expressive face, most recently seen, for me to great advantage in Elizabeth. So much of effective dancing is in the face, the eyes and so on. Sarah Lamb is another fine example of the sort of understated expression I find compelling. I wonder if Darcey's career had taken a rather less turbo powered trajectory from such a young age, she may have had more time to develop her acting skills. We'll never know. Anyway, it was interesting to see Darcey dance again. She seems so associated now with Saturday night tv and glamour, it was a reminder of where it all started.

It's on Christmas Day afternoon at 4pm on BBC2 and called Dancing the Nutcracker - Inside the Royal Ballet.

Sorry to hear this but not altogether surprised. At least there are some more chances to see this wonderful and unique dancer, will make the most of them. Very best wishes to Zenaida for 2017 and whatever she may do next.