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Arky

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Posts posted by Arky

  1. When I decided to read the comments on the Forum about Darcey Bussell being made a Dame I commented to my husband that I was going to check if the Darcey bashing had started again. From a minority of Forum member it had, though some posters have begun retreating for their initial hyper-critical comments. Equally “a gush fest”, as one member puts it, is not necessary, just plain common decency in our comments and rejoicing that a former Principal of the Royal Ballet has been honoured thus.

     

    One aspect of the criticism included Darcey’s name.

    Changes of name for ballet dancers have happened often enough in the past. To give just three well-known examples -

    Alicia Markova’s birth was registered as Lilian Alicia Marks

    Anton Dolin was registered as Sidney Francis P C Kay,  and not as Encylopaedia Britannica and Wikipedia would have us believe as Sydney Francis Patrick Chippendall Healey-Kay [his mother’s maiden name was Healey].

    Margot Fonteyn’s birth was registered as Margaret Evelyn Hookham

     

    However, Darcey Bussell did not start to use her middle name to be noticed, as has been suggested. Her name at birth was registered as Darcey Andrea Crittle  [https://www.freebmd.org.uk]. After her parents’ divorce, her mother remarried Mr Bussell; obviously I do not know whether or not he adopted Darcey but she took his name.

     

    Congratulations, Darcey, on your honour!

    • Like 5
  2. I too couldn’t agree more, Mary, about Steven McRae.

     

    Both Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae were brilliant last night, giving a highly technical, stunning performance with great panache. As Sim said, they “just can't be bettered in this piece. They make what looks like easy work of the difficult choreography, and to boot make it look like lots of fun”.

     

    They both clearly enjoyed every moment of it and their smiles and joy shone throughout.

     

    • Like 1
  3. An absolutely great show on Saturday. What a delight! It was pure joy from start to finish.

     

    Usually I see the performances in the Linbury, but I didn’t make it to Holland Park, so missed seeing the additional works not performed at ROH. This meant that I was disappointed to see so little of 1st and 2nd year upper school. Out of 29 2nd years there were only about 11 dancing, and out of 30 1st years only 5 dancing, plus a few men involved in the Mistake Waltz as carries.

     

    I realize that those not dancing on Saturday will presumably have danced at Holland Park, but it is sad that so many missed out of dancing on the main stage at ROH. Yes, their turn will come, but it seemed strange that there was time for virtually every member of lower school to dance, several even in two items, yet no space for showcasing, even briefly, the majority of 1st and 2nd year upper school students. Also it would be disappointing for parents and families who attended.

     

    However, as I said initially, it was a most enjoyable performance, and congratulations to students, teachers, and all those involved behind the scenes.

    • Like 1
  4. However, I had to restrain myself from giving loud hoots of mirth upon hearing Darcey's mangling of Vadim's surname! Oh dear, oh dear....WHAT did she call him?? Come on Darcey, it's not that difficult! :))

     

    Poor Darcey!  Yes, she did stumble over the pronunciation of Muntagirov, but we can all do that at times. OK, we’d prefer it if she had said it correctly [presumably, though not necessarily, Muntageerov], but that was the only slip she made.

     

    Anyway, do we all pronounce the various Russian names we come across correctly? I once asked Natalia whether she pronounced Osipova as Oseepova or Ossypova, the main variations we hear on her name. It was neither!  Even after three or four attempts, with her correcting me each time, i could not pronounce it 100 % accurately. I apologised, and she smiled gracefully. She was not hung up about it. Foreigners have a habit of funny pronunciation!

     

    Do we all castigate the BBC and other news channels for their pronunciation of Putin as Pewtin, when the Russians pronounce it Put – in?

     

    I have had the same problem over the years with an unusual English surname as a maiden name, then also with a relatively common married surname, both being mis-pronounced,. Obviously I prefer it if people make an effort to get it right, but it now flows over me if they make an error or a slip. Life is too short.

     

     As Sunrise said of Darcey “her interview with Cuthbertson and Collier was nicely done” and that with Thorogood was “good”. Apart from that one slip with Vadim’s name, I felt that Darcey presented  the programme well and with several interesting insightsPoor Darcey!  Yes, she did stumble over the pronunciation of Muntagirov, but we can all do that at times. OK, we’d prefer it if she had said it correctly [presumably, though not necessarily, Muntageerov], but that was the only slip she made.

    • Like 2
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