Euan

I have seen this at my theatre. I have it on DVD where the panto was mixed with the ballet I believe. I preferred the Ballet only that I saw live in my theatre though it is an entertainment and not pure ballet. However that is all irrelevant. I guess this show I would say has been discussed before. For me it is I guess the most magical show I have ever seen, pure theatrical magic and inspired genius in my view. The only thing for me that rivalled it was seeing the Kirov ballet. The flying the whole thing is amazing for me. I remember reading that this would be done and thinking if done well it could be good then I forgot about it.totally. It is one of those shows I feel that even the advertising that blows up things could not tell you how amazing it is. If anyone has not seen it you must see it take your kids beg for a ticket anything. In all my life for pure theatre nothing beats it nor ever will I think. I could say its the best thing ever but it is one of those shows that you really have to see to enjoy it. I was convinced people came who had no interest in ballet but loved it too. Never have I heard so much cheering and applause for the orchestra at the start of the second half. I guess you have all seen it too.

Nureyev always will be a legend now. He travelled The world and promoted ballet so much.

Marie Taglioni, Fanny Essler, Mathild Keshinska, and Carlotta Grisi, Lucile Grahn http://michaelminn.net/andros/history/ballet_timeline/

I do get impression Ballet can be a tough profession. Great dancers talk of being quietly being removed. After you retire as a dancer if there is no work with any ballet company then you have to get a new career. It seems to me only the greatest or top dancers will continue to work in companies as Directors, Maître de ballet etc?

Should I set up separate threads when discussing history of particular ballets. I am new so don't want to cause upset. Eg Romeo and Juliet has history but don't want to tag on a specific performance. I always wish Juliet would learn that the monk is rather slow and use text message or mobile phone so we could go home happy but alas never does and the sad ending always happens. The Bolshoi version on DVD with Ulanova is full blooded and will get you. Amazing ending for me.

What was it called? Not Darcey Bussells ballet heroines. That was my kind of programme history stuff.

I saw them once and they have there modern style. They had one fun piece. The other two are of modern contemporary style which I could not get into. However they are steeped in history and an important company. I guess I like the story stuff having said that I have DVDs of Old Kirov and Bolshoi pieces pure dance so maybe I like pure classical ballet then. I once saw a local dance company (more contemporary) put on a piece in a Local Gala which was fast moving and great too watch. I guess maybe then why Swan Lake is greatest ballet is it is all pure dance from beginning to end. At times I just think bring on the dancers.

Did Rudolph help her at the end as someone said here. Truly life long friends and support to each other?

He definitely had magic about him.

I saw it done by Scottish Ballet. Twice! Robert North was director on one occasion. It is just great fun and really good.

Thanks for remarks as helps me understand better.

Rudolph Nureyev. I think I had to be there too see him. If I had a star from the Kirov dance with Scottish Ballet I would be wow. I think I would have to have seen him live to appreciate him more. Mum saw him in latter stages of his career but she said he still had the magic about him. I read an Amazon review that said a wife was in tears when a DVD came out with his Nutcracker for the Royal Ballet. I watched a program though about him and they showed some early clips where I thought wow. They also showed him doing the Princes Bravura solo in Sleeping Beauty for the Paris Ballet after he defected and his spins were very fast and amazing where he goes round in a circle. I am not sure what the technical term is. I think he did an encore as the applause and cheering was that great. It seems to me and please tell me if I am right or wrong that he was the Male Anna Pavlova. He did more and worked harder than anyone to popularise male ballet dancers and Ballet around the world. Singularly and with Margot Fonteyn. He advanced the Paris Ballet too. Can anyone comment on the remark he made where he felt he was the tea cosy keeping the teapot warm in an interview he gave. I guess in reference to Margot Fonteyn. He broke the rules at the Kirov like staying out late but he always kept the Kirov training style of His teacher Alexander Pushkin. He had a colourful side but will always be remembered in History as one of the greats. It said in a book I read one cannot state enough how much he popularised ballet and dance. Any dancer who can leave people in tears has to be something very special. Anyone who actually saw him want to comment on his presence on stage etc.

Yes the Harlem Guys are on You tube I think and London Dance Company I have not heard of or seen. Tamara Rojo came up to Aberdeen for a Gala and did a quick bit of Don Qs gala. Wow.

Has anyone ever seen this. I call it the Chippendale's only classier. When I see it the woman are usually dressed well! It is a tongue in cheek tribute to male machismo. Samba Music by Bob Downes and Choreography by Robert North. All the men are dressed in Tarzan outfits and when I saw it last, as the first men came on stage there was a gasp by some woman. I just love it and I am a man. You can tell it is on as woman are dressed differently and there tends to be more woman in the audience.

Mine was Peter Darrells Nutcracker aged 7 to 13. I had no interest in ballet then and found it boring or at least the second half with all the national dances. I took a dance class myself in my 30s? and was useless. The turning point for me was when I saw Scottish Ballets Romeo and Juliet. The dancer did a tournier la air? is it? and I went wow how did he do that and I have been hooked ever since to point of total historian geek status. Lets be honest looks play a part too. You do not pay to see ballet company's for just that though. Scottish Ballet are doing a refreshed version of Peter Darrells Nutcracker next Christmas and after seeing Hansel and Gretel how Christopher Hampson integrated young dancers I just cant wait.

Love the Ballet by Bournonville too. Never heard of that one tel me about it better i will google it.

I saw a TV program by him "Bourne to Dance" and he takes his dance inspiration from anywhere Fred Astaire through the lot. He in my mind is a contemporary dance company but he takes what he has Classical ballet contemporary anyone he regards as fitting in and for me he always entertains delivers the goods. Highland fling was so good I liked his version of Scotland better than mine. Tongue in cheek. Men dancing in real kilts. About time too! Only he could have done that and got away with it. I still cant work out his Swan Lake but love it anyway. Looks wise I like the ballet.

By the way I live up North so cant see the big ballets but Scottish ballet history of ballet I like.

Are not all stories not realistic some times? Fairy tales etc. Not bonkers but first time I read plot of La Bayadere took some work to understand. Can you imagine a Royal Prince going home and saying to the queen there is a nice Swan who was actually a princess? Lev Ivanov is my fav choreographer. He was the underdog for me but without him and the theatre manager of the Imperial theatre Ivan Vsevolozhsky in St Petersburgh we would not have Swan Lake. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Lake_(1895) Vsevolozhsky then planned a memorial concert to be given by the Imperial Ballet and Opera at the Mariinsky Theatre in honor of the composer, with the bill consisting of the first act of Tchaikovsky's opera The Maid of Orleans, his overture from Romeo and Juliet, his Coronation Cantana, and the second scene of Swan Lake. The concert was given twice on February 17 and 22, 1894 with the Swan Lake excerpt being presented in a staging by Lev Ivanov, Second Balletmaster to the Imperial Ballet. Ivanov's choreography for the memorial concert was unanimously hailed as wonderful, and though the concert itself was not a success (due to high ticket prices the turnout was poor), Ivanov nevertheless won laurels for his work. The critic Bezobrazov complemented Ivanov, "The staging of the dances in Swan Lake is the work of the Balletmaster Lev Ivanov and does him great honor. Mr. Ivanov revealed a great deal of the finest, most elegant taste. To all the dances the Balletmaster imparted a noble stamp and consistent style."

I loved it. I saw dvd and you actually pick up story better. He is good at what he does.

I am probably what you might call a ballet geek historian wise?

I am a new guy here. Age 47. in North East Scotland. I saw Hansel and Gretel and liked it. Takes me a few performances to take all new ballets in but was good. I like Christopher Hampson and feel he got the feel of our smaller theaters right. I say in nice way but ending got me emotionally with younger dancers and the audience loved it. I think Christopher Hampson is going for the popular ballets that will get in Audiences. Ashley Page was great after a turbulent period of financial issues and but I could not get my head around his modern twists of the stories. I guess I just like the classics. I do wonder if Chris Hampson has a bigger budget or is he just good at getting the best out what he has financially. Either way I am back for Scottish Ballet after a break. Having said that I loved Mathew Bournes Highland Fling and alot of his work. I think Christopher Hampson was inspired by some of Bournes style. The whole thing though whetted my appetite for bringing back a refreshed version of Peter Darrell's Nutcracker. He used youngsters from the ballet schools and I saw it as a kid. Cant wait till next year. I am a ballet geek and my interest is entire history of ballet. Don't ask questions not that good! Just last 500 years please! Help!