Buddy

Last night Xander was indeed promoted to Soloist after his performance in Sylvia, according to Catherine Pawlick, who was backstage at the time. (I didn't see David's post above when I first wrote this). http://www.ballet-dance.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37746&start=30 (scroll down to Catherine Pawlick's post at the bottom of page) Stucha, Sylvia was beautifully performed and very well received both nights. (You can see my comments at the above post). Viktoria Tereshkina's first evening was especially applauded with numerous curtain calls. Xander was great the second night with Alina Somova, an evening also greatly appreciated by the audience.

Performers, ticket sales dates, etc. Xander's in. http://www.roh.org.uk/about/mariinsky (thanks to sophia at Dansomanie for posting this)

I believe that I saw Compagnie III at the South Bank as part of the London International Mime Festival about eight years ago and liked it very much. By tilting various sections of the stage the distinction between standing up and lying down became fascinatingly blurred in their dance acrobatic performance. It may have incarnated several times since. Is this the same company? I certainly look forward to seeing them again.

I never thought that such a thing existed, Alison. Maybe a good coach or two. Great to hear! I wonder what the Mariinsky has? Do you know how I could take a look?

A very interesting and sympathetic day to day account. http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/xander-parish/diary-of-dancer I would like to add that I'm more and more impressed with the 'Shakespearian' brilliance of Xander's Swan Lake. "Now, I get the chance to put my theory into practice: a story ballet is about the development of emotion and character; wonderful technique is lovely to see, but it's the emotion of a piece that does it for me." Is there a school of high ballet theatricality hidden away at The Royal? From four Mariinsky Festivals I recall Alina Cojocaru's amazing interpretations of various classic leads (she's maybe the best) and at another, Tamara Rojo's compellingly real Odette/Odile.

Thanks, Amelia. I've only had a chance to watch the famous Odette duet, but I'm quite impressed. As I wrote above, I've not tried to analyze it, but I like Xander's performing here very much as I've liked him very much since his beginnings at the Mariinsky. Do I detect a bit of Shakespeare in this young lad? He's always had a distinct and nobly undefinable manner. Yulia Stepanova is lovely. (By the way, he's scheduled to debut in Sylvia with Alina Somova at next month's Festival. Once again, Bravo ! ) http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2014/4/4/2_1930/

When I go to the ballet I generally focus 99% on the women, 110% on the lead ballerina. It can be a thankless job being the male dancer. You have to make the ballerina shine. Male dancers from Russia are especially excellent at this. There are several that I do focus on. Kim Kimin is one. He's exciting and he's humble. As brilliant as he is he never tries to upstage the ballerina. Timur Askerov is another. I just like him. He's very good and he's a very solid and sympathetic partner, especially for Oxana Skorik, whom I adore. Xander Parish has to be included. I've written reviews where he's been the only man that I've mentioned. When I've seen him he's always danced in the secondary pas de deux or trois. Still he stands out. I've yet to really try to analyze why. Noble, statuesque, supportive, poetic….definitely distinct. He's still a Coryphee while the other two have already been made First Soloists, but maybe his time has come.

It's official. Xander -- Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake) -- March 6 ! It couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Bravo ! (with Yulia Stepanova, a double debut) http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/pla ... /6/1_1900/ (thanks to sophia at Dansomanie for finding this)

Maybe you could post some more of your paintings sometime, Anjuli. That would be great to see.

Painting by Anjuli_Bai http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/4682-swan-lake-rhymes-and-bouguereau/

I love this one although I sense that I'm drifting further and further away from you intent, Anjuli. Once again Olga Smirnova. I think that as a facial portrait it captures the 'ethereal' beauty and poetry of this remarkable young artist. http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02519/Olga_2519177b.jpg The Anna Pavlova one that I posted first has been perhaps my favorite dance image since I first saw it almost ten years ago. It's taken from the film clip made of her and the graininess of the black background looks like stars in the heavens, where I can imagine her dancing. The second one of Olga Smirnova in warmup clothing simply suggests an Earth-Goddess. I've yet to find a photo of the last three ballerinas that captures their visual enchantment and fascination.

This is the best that I can do for the moment. Guess who ? (I would photoshop away the spot) http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/QMEBFhVMZpU/hqdefault.jpg And this one previously posted. Olga Smirnova https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cj3ZYpG8PJw/UhMWcLBPD-I/AAAAAAAAP5o/HgiQTPQ-CNE/s837/bolchoi_londres0008.jpg If I can fine "The" classic photo of all times I'll try to post it as well. These are several of the most visually *Fascinating* ballerinas that come to mind. Veronika Part http://www.abt.org/images/db_images/dancers/partweb.jpg Simone Messmer http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/13846_228670781857_3734678_n.jpg Ekaterina Kondaurova http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aeQpYFJmtUA/ThLtiLOW3GI/AAAAAAAACqI/ut17w4DQbQA/s400/KondaurovaHeadshot.jpg (and as The Blues Brothers ) http://now-here-this.timeout.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/3D_Shades_EvengyIvanchenko__EkaterinaKondaurova.jpg

A quality that I liked very much in Marianela Nunez's Diamonds was her ability to transition seemlessly from a lovable almost Broadwayesque liveliness into some of the most graceful motion (arms, etc.) that I've seen.

Saw this also and agree totally !

Catherine Pawlick at Critical Dance who is in St. Petersburg and speaks fluent russian just posted: "It's actually technically incorrect. It was not extended in full but only until Dec. 31 this year. The same as all the other pro-rector positions. "Lenta.ru just now has a similar article out as well."

According to Gazeta.ru Altynai Asylmuratova's contract as Artistic Director of the Vaganova Academy has been "extended in full." "The Ministry of Culture confirmed that the agreement with Asylmuratova was extended in full, it is the artistic director and provost at the Vaganova Academy." (Google translation). http://www.gazeta.ru/culture/news/2013/ ... 3445.shtml Google Translate: http://translate.google.com/#ru/en/ (thanks to kbarber at Ballet Alert for posting this) Added comment: Further discussion at Ballet Alert questions how long this will last.

Rave comments coming in today at New York City Ballet Twitter. https://twitter.com/nycballet (thanks to Helene at Ballet Alert for posting this)

Thanks, LinMM. I've posted my comment there so moderators are free to close this topic or delete it.

This is an excellent documentary. It's a very sympathetic and comprehensive look at the New York City Ballet that I would definitely recommend viewing. http://on.aol.com/sh...isode/517957280

This is an excellent documentary released today for internet viewing. It's a very sympathetic and comprehensive documentary about the New York City Ballet that I would definitely recommend viewing. http://on.aol.com/show/cityballet-517887470/episode/517957280

Also in regard to the discussion here about the nature of Russian dancers, the article posted at Balletco, Sunday, about Tala Lee-Turton, the ninth UK student to be accepted at the Bolshoi school gives some very interesting and pleasant insights. Tala says, "I guess it doesn’t help that to English ears, their [Russian instructor's] accent sounds really harsh, but they are really encouraging." Tala's mother after a visit to see her daughter: "She looked like a different dancer and she just didn’t stop smiling." http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/yorkshire-living/arts/tala-lee-turton-a-leap-into-the-unknown-1-5969208

Another thing that the preceding video shows is Olga Smirnova's *Beautiful Long Lines*. A word that I throw around somewhat loosely in my posts is "genius". I've mentioned that I think that Olga Smirnova and the Mariinsky's young Oxana Skorik possess this. What is it ? Possibly it's simply being born able to do something slightly better than anyone else. What do you do with it ? This will be the fascinating thing to watch for in these two young artists. I feel that Oxana Skorik can 'knock someone out of their chair' with hers because she's done it to me. But for the moment I would say that she is getting more subtle, using it to highlight her her Lyrical Beauty, and this I Love. In regard to our previous discussion about the 'seriousness' of "Russian" ballet dancers, here's Maria Kochetkova's (SFB, Bolshoi school) response. She's apparently a lovely individual as well as being Amazingly Talented ! https://twitter.com/balletrusse/status/344880463590080512/photo/1

Thanks very much. Her dancing here (39:12) has a warm, relaxed quality as well as being delightful, pure, airy and -- Lovely. It's a real pleasure to watch. What more can be said about Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev ?! Lucky London next season. The finale, also, is very enjoyable.

A photo that I like very much. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cj3ZYpG8PJw/UhMWcLBPD-I/AAAAAAAAP5o/HgiQTPQ-CNE/s837/bolchoi_londres0008.jpg (see all photos here) http://www.forum-dansomanie.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1338&start=975&sid=844a29244ced5c4c8987f8a2995ad15c