Buddy

"Astronomy Picture of the Day" — Well, sort of. 😊 https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200614.html “Explanation: What are these humans doing? Dancing. Many humans on Earth exhibit periods of happiness, and one method of displaying happiness is dancing. Happiness and dancing transcend national boundaries and occur in practically every human society. Above, Matt Harding traveled through many nations on Earth, planned on dancing, and filmed the result. The featured video, one in a series of similar videos, is perhaps a dramatic example that humans from all over planet Earth feel a common bond as part of a single species. Happiness is frequently contagious -- few people are able to watch the featured video without smiling.”

I thought that this might be a nice place to recount something. It was a lovely afternoon yesterday and I was walking down the beautiful, tree lined Avenue of Beautiful Trees when I looked into the window of Loves Department Store. It was full of cheerful, sunshiny colored clothing. Suddenly a bright pink 1956 convertible pulled up to the curb and out jumped four beautiful young women dressed in cheerful, sunshiny colored dresses. The car radio wasn’t on but I was sure that I heard Mozart arias being sung by Elvis Presley. Two of the young women dashed into Loves Department Store. Another grabbed a hurried young businessman and started dancing the Bugaloo, I Love You — For Two. Out came the young women loaded with toys that they gave to every little child that they saw passing by. Then they all jumped back into the car except for one who undauntedly strutted into the crosswalk, wowing all onlookers and stopping all traffic, to help an elderly lady find her way to the other side of the avenue. She got back in and they all drove off into the setting sun, leaving behind a giant mist of butterflies and roses.

I think that Raymonda’s advise above is very correct and very good. I always try to attend more than one performance just in case that the one that I wanted to see wasn’t what I thought it would be and there’s alway the chance of a delightful surprise in another. I’ve only been able to be in Moscow once, primarily to see the Bolshoi, and I liked it very much. I also took three Russian Aeroflot flights this year, for the first time, and found them to be very good with exceptionally nice personal everywhere. I do have to say, pay a little more attention to scams that you might normally. I’ve run into very few in my sixteen years of visiting St. Petersburg, but at the Moscow airport this year, a very official looking man with a printed card around his neck saying “Transportation Director” (or something like this) in english (but not a licence card) drove me around the airport, instead of taking the convenient tram which I was instructed to do, because he knew that I was late and then tried to get an exorbitant fee (which I only paid part of). If you’re in a situation where you don’t know what to do, try to get advise from the most responsible folks around and don’t let someone else, no matter how official looking, try to get you to do something else. I must say again that I’ve had almost no problems like this on any of my other visits to Russia. Folks often bend over backwards to help you. I stayed at the historic and lovely Hotel National in Moscow, which is expensive but well worth it. Ask for a quiet room, if this is important to you. I usually do. It might not have a view but it can also be the least expensive. It’s only a ten minute walk to the Bolshoi and there’s also a long and nice pedestrian street nearby for meals and hanging out, also only several minutes from the Bolshoi. The Hotel National also has a large ground level cafe, always open and reasonably priced, with a lovely view of the picturesque historic Kremlin just across the street. I’m sure that there are other fine hotels as well.

Thanks, Sheila. I read somewhere that Anna Pavlova was also impressed by her. You might enjoy this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2WIpgVBNok

And speaking of Ashley Bouder, Bruce…. From * Frederick Ashton West * ( keeping in mind one of the greatest works I’ve ever seen, “Les Patineurs”) George Balanchine’s “Donizetti Variations” As Eric Taub would say, ‘If you don’t watch anything else, watch the feet’. I’ve also been told that some of the steps are indeed possible to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H4zb84ogG4&feature=youtu.be

Bruce, since you called attention to Tiler Peck’s “Isadora Duncan” beginning I’ve been watching her. I still try to imagine what Isadora Duncan’s dancing was really like. Do you or anyone else have some insight into this? Any dance artists that are examples of this? How might it compare to what Tiler Peck is doing or what Sara Mearns will be doing tomorrow? I would think that Tiler Peck and Sara Mearns are understandably more ballet oriented. Probably there would be more ‘looseness’ in the curving of the back, for instance. Both are beautiful, though. Sara Mearns will be doing her interpretation tomorrow, Wednesday, May 27. https://www.jacobspillow.org/events/celebrating-isadora-duncan/ Here’s a quick preview. Whether it’s authentic Isadora Duncan or not it is beautifully rendered. https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/lori-belilove-isadora-duncan-dance-company-featuring-sara-mearns/rose-petals-art-isadora/

You're video didn't work for me, Bruce, so scrolling down slightly here and clicking on "A Part of Together" might do it. I thoroughly enjoyed it as well. https://www.nycballet.com

I missed Cristaux. Can it still be seen? Where? I also like this one which is being shown at its site now. Depouillement (2015 re-staging) And another.

I mentioned your quote at Ballet Alert! which has a large Balanchine following. Nobody had noticed this and the two posters that responded were surprised, wondering why it happened and very glad for this insight. Thank you. I recently discovered (for myself) the video of Tanaquil Le Clercq performing Afternoon of a Faun and think that it's an excellent performance (someone at Ballet Alert! called it the "gold standard") quite different from more recent ones by others. By the way, I thought that this broadcast of excerpts was very fine. A particular favorite of mine is Teresa Reichlen in Western Symphony. The broadcast can be seen here until tomorrow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXnL56aKzww

This looks interesting. It would be nice if they can keep the momentum going. Or as Sam the Poet says, " Click ! " And some thoughts.

Sam should have been quoted as saying, " You don't "necessarily" have to be "Cool" to Rock ! " He's not that abstract yet.

I hope that we can see a lot more of this sort of thing from them ! -- Click!like in particular. So where does this leave the Swan Lake crowd (I'm a card carrying member) ? Well, as Sam the Poet says, " You don't necessary have to be "Cool" to Rock ! " Added: I've just discovered that there are Sam the Poets on the internet. He's not one of them. 😊

So you always wondered what it was ? Well, here it is (until next Sunday). CLICK ! There should be a new one each Sunday for awhile. Look at the top of this page. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ballet+black

Must be seen ! "Serenade" -- "Ballet Imperial" Thanks to Jeff-sh at Ballet Alert!

"Things we took for granted...." Maybe we could keep some of the new clean air and relative peace and quiet. A happy medium perhaps. (personal comment) With thanks to Helene at Ballet Alert! who thanks Scott Merrell on Opera-L Facebook for this.

I wouldn't say that she was 'my' highlight, but she was excellent. I remember during one of the 'Bolshoi' television contests (not related to the Bolshoi Company) that Farouk Ruzimatov, famous dancer and judge, said that she performed some sequence that he’d never seen a woman able to do before. She's also one of my favourite 'Mariinsky Sweethearts' along with the rapidly emerging Maria Iliushkina. They both radiate like smiling sunshine. Mathieu Ganio -- the French Xander Parish ? Either of them could just stand there and be a success, they're so handsome. And very fine dancers. I liked Igor Kolb as Hans. I remember the early days of Diana Vishneva when she was more the 'cosmic athlete' and Igor Kolb, her partner in Alexei Ratmansky's "Cinderella', would keep her from flying off the stage into the audience (it seemed).

I thought that Diana Vishneva was Magnificent ! The rest was Excellent ! Can now be seen here.

“Somewhere Over The Rainbow” will do it for me every time. Thank you, Jan. Heres a video that you might enjoy. I also like very much the young lady’s dancing at 3:10 (upper left frame).

I just bought it. 😊

I would say that it's definitely worth the 4 pounds rental fee, Jan. Might do it myself to see it again, or even buy it someday. Skip the opening discussion and go right to the actual performance, if you prefer. https://www.streamingmusicals.com/#!/

If anyone wants to rent or buy it that can be done here. https://www.streamingmusicals.com/#!/

Pride & Prejudice: A New Musical — Free World-Premiere Livestream **** I watched it tonight (Friday, April 10), enjoyed it thoroughly and would highly recommend it ! **** The final encore performance will begin on Saturday, April 11 at 9am ET / 14:00 BST If you can’t get the sound to work, like me, click on the “f’ (FaceTime) top right and watch it there. https://www.prideandprejudicepremiere.com

I don't know about a laugh, but hopefully this will make you smile. 😊 “Kensington Palace shares sweet video of royal children thanking healthcare workers.” (Scroll down page if top video doesn't work to watch) https://www.aol.com/article/lifestyle/2020/03/27/kensington-palace-shares-sweet-video-of-royal-children-thanking-healthcare-workers/23963498/

My understanding is that the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi are closed. I'm in Moscow with a reservation to leave for LA tomorrow on Aeroflot. Hope to be back as soon as possible. It was great to see the folks I know even for such a short visit. I wish them the best.

XIX INTERNATIONAL BALLET FESTIVAL MARIINSKY 11–22 March 2020 https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/festivals/fest2019_2020/new8 Probable highlight will be Olga Smirnova in Giselle. Oxana Skorik (Swan Lake) and Alina Somova (La Bayadere) could be outstanding as well. Diana Vishneva will be appearing in Anna Karenina. Maria Alexandrova and Vladislav Lantratov will appear. Lauren Cuthbertson and Xander Parish will perform The Sleeping Beauty and Vladimir Shklyarov will have his own evening. Two evenings will be devoted to Alexei Ratmansky.