Arky

  Once again, the lighting looked distinctly on the dark side

It was the same in the cinema where we were, especially for Two Pigeons, but we still found the evening most enjoyable, with Steven McRae on fire, and both casts giving of their best.

At Dance Works, central London, on Wednesdays  10am

http://danceworks.net/teachers/roberta-marquez/

I don't disagree with the sentiments that a more serious and in-depth programme could be presented by Ms Bussell but she is still at the whim of what is required by her contract, the writer, director and producer.  If she is categorised as a light entertainment presenter then that is what we will probably get.

Too true, Janet.

FLOSS, on 28 Dec 2015 - 9:22 PM, said:

I hope that the programme was more accurate about the BBC's popular dance output than it was about its ballet output. It seemed to me that the author of the commentary showed singular ignorance of both social history and of the history of ballet in this country..Here are some errors that I identified.

1) Alicia Markova was trained in Russia

Alicia was not trained in Russia, but was trained by a Russian and worked with Russians..

Lilian Alicia Marks was born 1 December 1910 and was sent to ballet when young. Aged 10 she danced in a performance of Dick Whittington. She was then sent to train with a former Ballets Russes dancer, Princess Serafina Astafieva, who taught at her studio at 152 King's Road, Chelsea (The Pheasantry, now a Pizza Express!). Anton Dolin and Margot Fonteyn also studied with Astafieva. In about 1924 she went to dance with Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes in Monte Carlo.

Penelope, I agree with much of what you say.

Obviously we are all entitled to our different points of view.

I don’t object per se to people criticising a dancer. It is the excessive nature of it and the way in which some people are doing it – sometimes in an attacking, spiteful, snide and dismissive manner, which I find so objectionable. As Mary said, considered and balanced posts are preferable.

I would take more notice of what he -or anyone-said if it was considered and  balanced, with some regard shown for what has been good about the companies he worked in, rather than just constant criticism- it sounds like an axe grinding.

 

Actually I think the forum (especially lately) is pretty full of criticism of every aspect of the RB and its policies, dancers, and  staff-far more than of any other company- and also many swipes at dancers-and I am not sure they have really deserved all the swiping.

 

In fact, I really think not -especially in McRae's case, who is so often criticised for -er-being a superb technician. Also, he gets on with the job.

 

Seems a bit unfair to me.

Mary, I so agree. McRae seems to be on the receiving end of much snide and excessive criticism on the forum recently. Of course we all have our favourite and not-so-favourite dancers, that is only natural, but to criticise McRae for being only a technician seems ludicrous.

As you say, he is a great technician and technique is essential for any ballet performance worth its salt. I find that he is also a very moving dancer - anyone who saw McRae’s Romeo in the cinema would have seen him expressing a wide range of emotions as the story unfolded. His Colas in Fille was playful, full of joie de vivre, and yesterday’s Prince and Sugar Plum Fairy demonstrated his and Salenko’s great rapport. He is an excellent, thoughtful and caring partner.

Of course, however hard we try, our views are all subjective to a certain extent, and obviously we all come to the forum with different ideas, knowledge, background, likes and dislikes, but there has been far too much sniping and even arrogant dismissal of several dancers of late. Surely they deserve our respect and thanks for all their hard work and for their many amazing performances, whoever and wherever they are, whatever their company. If you can’t praise, encourage.

This is a forum open for all to see, members, dancers and public alike.

At this season of good will it might be appropriate to quote from the Forum’s Terms of Acceptable Use  -   Please think carefully before making heavily critical comments of dancers or productions.

From ROH website

Carlos Acosta is the subject of an upcoming episode of the BBC's 'Imagine...' to be aired on BBC One on 8 December 2015 at 10.35pm GMT.

ROH is giving us all a chance to have a say!     Pointes of View: Which rarely-staged ballets would you like to see return to the repertory?

Following the first performance of The Two Pigeons at the Royal Opera House for 30 years, which forgotten classics would you love to see again?

http://www.roh.org.uk/news/pointes-of-view-which-rarely-staged-ballets-would-you-like-to-see-return-to-the-repertory

Thanks for that, Yaffa.

Lucky you, Judging by her reviews, you'e in for a treat!

Many ballet companies promote their dancers at the end of the season or a some after a particularly outstanding  performance, but the Paris Opera Ballet has an annual promotion competition. There were two places available for women and one for men as “First Dancers”. Six women and six men competed last week.

The woman had to dance The Spring Variation from The Four Seasons by Jerome Robbins, plus a variation of their own choice. The two winners were Hannah O'Neill, who danced a variation from Nureyev’s production of Raymonda Act III, and Léonore Baulac, who chose Other Dances, first variation, again by Robbins. Hannah’s mother is Japanese and her father from New Zealand; she spent her childhood in those two countries and trained in Tokyo, Auckland and at the Australian Ballet School. She was initially awarded a year’s contract with Paris, which was made permanent in 2013. Léonore’s parents are Norwegian and French; she was brought up in France and she joined the company in 2008.

The men’s competition was won by Hugo Marchand, who danced the set variation Sylvia-Pas-de-deux by George Balanchine, and a variation from Dances at a Gathering by Robbins. He joined the company in 2011.

Fuller details about these and other promotions -

http://www.dansesaveclaplume.com/a-la-barre/35919-concours-interne-de-promotion-2015-du-ballet-de-lopera-de-paris-resultats-des-danseuses/

http://www.dansesaveclaplume.com/a-la-barre/35996-concours-interne-de-promotion-2015-du-ballet-de-lopera-de-paris-resultats-des-danseurs/

The Mayflower has its own excellent restaurant. They do a show and dining package, which we found good value when we saw ENB there last year, or you can book a meal separately.

http://www.ovationrestaurant.co.uk/menu.htm

 

Gerald Dowler – Classical Source

The dancing was of the highest quality too, led by the satisfying (though originally unplanned) pairing of Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae. Both dancers gave fully-rounded portrayals, both initially very young indeed, Lamb a playful, girlish Juliet, McRae a coltish, emotional Romeo. It helped that they are both on the small side for dancers.........

The many technical demands of Romeo hold no terrors for McRae who sailed through all challenges, both in terms of dancing and partnering. His boyish Romeo, whose adolescent infatuation with Rosaline – a beautiful and detailed Lara Turk – dissipates in a flash at his first sight of Juliet. His unaffected broad smile and playful dancing at Capulet's ball struck exactly the right note.

I saw Romeo and Juliet at the cinema. For me Steven McRae was totally convincing as an engaging romantic lead, developing from young man, first seen having fun with his equally lively friends, Mercutio and Benvolio. With the ‘coup de foudre’ for Juliet his personality starts to change. At the ball he shows that he is still capable of enjoying a bit of fun, whilst his romantic, love-sick longing for Juliet’s company shines forth. His love increases and matures as time passes. The joy and passion of his and Juliet’s love grows ever deeper, moving to an emotionally charged level, truly spell-binding. His dancing was of the highest order, always skilful, always beautiful. His love for Juliet showed through the intensity of his acting.

At the end of the performance people around us were full of praise for the “outstanding” , “beautiful” and “exceptional” performance, and especially for Sarah’s and Steven’s portrayal of the young doomed lovers.  

Thanks, Janet. I'm sure many people will be watching and/or recording!

Now even more BRB coverage! The Wallace is marking the 300th anniversary of Louis XIV's death with a range of programmes and activities.

In this lecture, David Bintley, Director of the Royal Birmingham Ballet, discusses his latest work, The King Dances. In 1653 the 14-year old Louis XIV danced the role of Apollo the sun god in Le Ballet de la nuit, and established for himself the persona of the Sun King. In The King Dances, Bintley reimagines the very beginnings of ballet, when men were quite literally, the kings of dance. A unique opportunity to get an insight into the creation of this ballet before its Sadler’s Wells premiere in October.

The children, who danced so beautifully, were British. Auditions were held earlier in the year. 

This is on YBSS website 

There is extensive free parking at Askham Bryan.  Public transport is by Coastliner Buses numbers 840, 843 and 845, which all stop at Askham Bryan roundabout, about 6 or 7 minutes walk from the campus.  For details and timetables, go to www.yorkbus.co.uk.  Alternatively, taxis from York centre cost about £15 each way.

The college website is helpful too http://www.askham-bryan.ac.uk/students/student-transport

A cheaper option to a taxi is to take the bus from the station to the park and ride car park at Tescos and take a much shorter taxi ride to the college from there.

Alison.

It's far from the odd hundred, though figures will alter day by day;  down as sales are made and up with returns.!

Mon 11 May       25  (student amphi )

Wed 13 May     370+

Thur 14 May    426+

Fri 15 May       303+  

Wed 20 May    384+

Thur 21 May    474+

Sat 23 May      386+

Tues 26 May   452+

zxDaveM, yes, but there's still the train fare into London on top, so it's hardly worth it, though I suppose that I could find something else to do in London beforehand to justify the trip !

As you say, Floss, there are well over 100 tickets left for each performance (apart from the dedicated student amphitheatre one) & a look at the seating plans shows just how poor the sales are.

Taking two performances at random - 

1. 100+ in both amphitheatre & orchestra stalls, 59 balcony, 52 grand tier, & 68 stalls circle makes a total of 379 plus - life's too short to count & discover how many over 100 in the amphi!.

2. !00 + in amphi, balcony, stalls circle and orchestra stalls, and 74 in grand tier gives a total of 474 plus.

After Raven Girl I am not even tempted to buy one ticket, even though some of my favourite dancers will be performing. What a pity that next season Connectome has been placed with Raven Girl - I would have liked to see Connectome again, but there are limits!!

It is the Clarke brothers of Scotland, the youngest being Reece. What a family!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17436349

Reece is now a member of the Royal Ballet Company

http://www.roh.org.uk/people/reece-clarke

Couldn't agree more, Bill & Dave. A superb performance. Steven McRae and Iana Salenko were phenomenal!

Congratulations to them all.

Marguerite Porter's planning and work throughout the year and then at the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School itself are certainly very well worthy of her MBE, 

Many thanks to all the forum committee for their work in keeping it running so well.

A Very Happy and Healthy New Year to all on the forum.

Eventually able to buy on line. Thanks to those who gave alerts!