ToThePointe

Who knows, that's why we need a choreographer to step up to the barre and show us!

Exactly my point Aileen. 

I think it's time that ballet reflected the times more. Why shouldn't terrorism be a subject matter for a ballet? 

Also I've yet to see a same sex relationship explored through a ballet apart from Scarlett's 'Age of Anxiety' and that was clutching at straws a bit...

(Bourne's all male swan-lake doesn't count!!)

I don't think art should have to cater for whether or not an audience is 'prepared'. If it did, we wouldn't have half of the amazing ballets, paintings, music that we have today. 

I agree John about the Judas Tree, can't say I've seen a ballet about gang rape since then! 

Setting a ballet in a tube station doesn't exactly mean it addresses current issues or themes. It just means that it's set in the present day.

I'm talking about choreography that hones in on themes that grip our world such as obsession with celebrity culture, immigration, religion, crime etc...

I think this topic has been discussed before but I find it so interesting that I wanted to raise debate and find out what everyone else thinks! I wrote a piece for my blog (please see link below) sort of as an open letter for choreographers to address current affairs more in their work. 

Did we really need to see another re-working of Carmen? Are there any ballets out there that address themes that resonate with our world today? If not, why?!

http://tothepointemagazine.wix.com/tothepointemagazine

http://tothepointemagazine.wix.com/tothepointemagazine#!Why-Ballet-Needs-To-Get-With-The-Times/cmbz/566870bf0cf20ee65add6223

I agree that they should have had another go, maybe later in the run. It would have been so interesting to see it maybe a couple of weeks later to compare the performances. Also after so much rehearsal time, I'm sure they would have liked another performance!

i think Tatiana is one of the strongest females in ballet actually. Her strength is actually what moves me most in Onegin because she has made a vow to her husband and she refuses to break it. By the time Onegin realises he loves her, it's too late....ahhh gets me every time!

...a situation she finds herself in because she loves Cavaradossi 

Strong women survive - they don't finish up dead.

Interesting that you suggest Tosca is strong - she ends up dead and for the man she loves...

I have started a new thread though to continue this interesting topic!

To get back to Romeo and Juliet, I have written my thoughts about Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball's performance here:

http://tothepointemagazine.wix.com/tothepointemagazine#!A-Debut-To-Remember/cmbz/562d50940cf260076d1d676d 

The Romeo and Juliet thread started to go off on a tangent so I thought it would be nice to start a new thread. Are there any strong female characters in ballet/dance? If so, who? I have mentioned Odette as she sacrifices herself to break the spell...

I'm genuinely sorry if I upset you, I've just realized how very young you are, I realize now you belong to a generation that is perhaps not as aware of sexual politics as earlier ones.

 

Personally I have a very thick skin, please disagree with me and cross swords as often as you like.

My father's a scouser and my mother a New Yorker, believe me my skin is leathered and it takes a lot to offend me! I picked up on your comment mainly because I know that a lot of people are often too shy to post on here because they are afraid that they could face comments such as that.

I would never want to be treated any differently because of my age though and actually it's very interesting that our difference in opinion could also be a generational thing!

On a slightly different note, which female figures in ballet do you, or anyone else here, think of as strong? I guess Odette sacrifices herself to save her swan mates - a pretty big sign of strength no?

 

Frankly those are the sentiments of half the women in refuges, the ones that suffer beating after beating and refuse to press charges because 'I love him'.

 

I think you would benefit from reading up about the lives of women in renaissance Italy, a period that produced female painters, poets and composers, although it was a patriarchal society it wasn't that bleak. 

 

 

I completely agree, however, Juliet isn't the subject of abuse from the man she loves. My point is that it takes courage and strength, during a period in history where women had zero choice or say in marriage, to, as Fonty says, put the plan in motion. Let's not forget that a lot of the play/ballet is also about sex, something which empowers and provides strength for women. Juliet makes the marriage to Romeo happen, mainly so that they can sleep together. A girl of 14 in Renaissane Italy choosing to marry a man she loves, from a rival family, so that she can be sexually intimate with him in her parents house isn't strong? Or at least defying what is expected of her at this point in history?

I don't think there is much reading that I have to do to be honest. Yes women succeeded during this time creatively and intellectually, but stepping away from convention certainly was not the norm. Very few women took that risk. Those that did can only be called strong and a character such as Juliet who does risk it all and at such a young age surely possesses some strength. 

I'm sorry but I find that statement patently absurd.

MAB, I don't appreciate my point being called 'absurd'. This Forum celebrates difference of opinion, all of which are valid. We disagree here and we will agree on other things. I'm fascinated to hear your opinions but I wouldn't dream of ever denouncing them, especially not on a Forum. 

I completely disagree MAB. All three of these women turn their back on convention in one form or another. I see Juliet's decision to marry Paris and live a normal, and probably boring life, definitely the weaker decision. She puts her love for Romeo before everything else. She is willing to fight against her brutal father and take independent steps as a woman, which would never happen during those days. Her contemporaries would have remained silent and docile, would have married whoever they were told to and stay silenced to their man during their married life. Juliet is saying, 'I don't think so, I'm not going to live the rest of my life as Paris's silent partner. Instead I'm going to risk it all to fall in love.' If that isn't strong, I'm not too sure what is. It's also all in the choreography. During the ballroom act when Lord Capulet leads the dance, all of the subdued women end the dance kneeling on the floor with their male partners towering over them and pointing fingers down at their faces. MacMillan is telling us that these women don't have a choice, making Juliet unique in her defiant decision to love a Montague. 

I think dying for love, putting love above all else and turning your back on what has been decided for you by convention is absolutely a sign of strength!

I find it so interesting to see the differences and similarities in MacMillan's leading heroines. All are strong women who know exactly what they want, and all turn their backs on convention in some way or another. Manon is a beguiling creature who is seduced by money and power and allows herself to risk it all, even love, to experience it, while Mary Vetsera possesses a naivety similar to Juliet;  however, she understands men and she knows how to get Rudolph. Juliet is similar in that she turns her back on her family and the life she is expected to see unfold, choosing instead to follow her heart. She differs, however, because she is much more innocent than the other two and has no experience of men or the outside world for that matter.

To see Juliet's journey throughout the ballet and to really believe that her love for Romeo is immediate and overwhelming, I feel that she cannot show any signs of flirtatious behaviour during her scenes with Paris at the beginning of the ballet. I thought Frankie was so wonderful technically, but during her introduction with Paris, she was more Manon than Juliet. I thought to myself 'she knows a bit more than she's letting on!' It all seemed a bit too calculated and too aware for me to be convinced that this was a 14 year old girl meeting a boy for the first time. 

There are very few ballerinas who can capture the spirit of all MacMillan's 'Ladies';  I'd say in my time (I'm only 24) Alina is the only one to convince me. I do think though, that with a bit more experience, the likes of Naghdi and Hayward could mesmerise as Manon, Mary and Juliet...they have each made one of these roles very special on one performance alone, and I look forward to seeing them both do the other roles in due course.  

I feel really disappointed by the Giselle casting to be honest. All the expected names are there which is wonderful and I've never seen Nunez in the role so am excited for that, although it's not a role I've ever connected her to. The problem I have with the casting is that there weren't any surprises. I think Emma Maguire could make a lovely Giselle...Although I'm not usually a fan, I think Choe would be lovely in this role too, and as a First Soloist she should probably be given more opportunities than others for Principal debut roles considering the whole point of a First Soloist in a way is to prepare the dancer for their Principal career. I absolutely love and admire Kevin for really mixing things up and bringing some light on the younger dancers in the company; showing the audience that the Royal Ballet isn't just made up of a few great Principals but instead has phenomenal dancers throughout all of the ranks but I do find it a bit frustrating that some dancers seem to miss out on opportunities that should probably come their way.

I also think that this was an opportunity to play around with some new Albrecht's. The role is demanding, especially Act 2, and could help fish out the Danseur Nobles in the company...

The problem with the casting debate is that we will never know what goes on behind closed curtains (!) and we all have our subjective opinions on who should dance what!

I agree there! Shame that it comes at the expense of other Principals...

I'm all for guesting seeing as it gives us the opportunity to experience dancers from all over the world, however, Salenko has been given a lot to do next season. This would be a bit more understandable if she had been given a title with the RB but she hasn't been mentioned in the Promotions. I find it a shame that Principals like Marquez or Morera, who are so often under used, miss out on opportunities and performances while a guest is given much more to do. I absolutely loved Salenko's Odette/Odile and my issue isn't aimed directly at her, but, I think I would prefer to see Morera have a go at Juliet rather than Salenko, who will be dancing the role with  McRae.

I completely agree, interesting how she is following in his footsteps and no doubt will be as successful! Thanks for your kind words x

Thanks for your kind words! 

 A couple of months ago I had the amazing opportunity to interview Charlotte Edmonds, who will be joining the Royal Ballet for their new Young Choreographer Programme during the 2015/16 season, for my blog ToThePointe. She sat down with me to discuss her training and goals for the future, and addressed those tiresome questions about gender roles in dance. Below is the interview which is also accompanied by a short film where we see Charlotte coaching the young bright star Sharol Mackenzie for Rambert's Student Choreographics show. I hope you all enjoy watching and reading about this talented young choreographer who I am certain we will be seeing lots more of in the near future!

http://tothepointemagazine.wix.com/tothepointemagazine#!ToThePointe-Meets-Charlotte-Edmonds/cmbz/5568460a0cf2adc1ad66a5f8

No I love the McMillan version Janet!! I also loved the Cranko. I'm not sure I've seen Ashton's version but that would be very interesting.

I'm so excited to see Two Pigeons, I've never seen it and everyone keeps mentioning it!

I really just count a 'perfect' ballet as one which I could watch every night of the week and never tire of.

For me a ballet performance is about more than merely reproducing steps accurately. it is a about dancing the ballet which  involves apparent ease and facility in partnering  the gift of apparent spontaneity and appropriate characterization.

 

I couldn't agree more, which is my very issue with Osipova's performance last night. Technically she's out of this world, but I didn't see much spontaneity and I certainly didn't see the same level of characterization that the others have mastered. You're right, she will learn and I'm sure she will improve, but for me, there were no surprises last night. 

 Somehow the idea has developed that Ashton was a small scale choreographer who made miniatures and expected safe small scale performances which is far from being true.

He liked dangerous dancing.

Sure he liked dangerous dancing, just look at the complexity of his choreography. There is nothing safe when it comes to Ashton. What he does ask for though is precision. It's not enough to overshadow his choreography with 'dangerous' attack, because then you're in danger of loosing the Ashton style, something which I know many people fear is happening.

I do not go to the ballet to find something to dislike or criticize. 

Although this is a Forum where we all debate and state our opinions, I think very few of us go to the ballet just to pick out the negative. What joins us all and brings us all together is this beautiful world of dance and I think we all go because we appreciate it and love it as an art-form. Well I do anyway, to go with the intention of finding something to dislike every week would give me a headache that's for sure!!

I would say Romeo and Juliet is near perfect for me but that isn't all to do with the choreography. When you take into account the incredible score, costumes and lighting and the fact we have a story driven by the Bard, it's going to be difficult to find anything negative! It always brings me to tears but I agree that filler sections can be a bit of a bore.

I wonder... when it comes to a narrative ballet, are interpretations of literary works going to be better or worse than those which are not based on a text?

Scarlett's 'Sweet Violets' was based on true events but not on any novel/play that I know of and for me it didn't work...

I wonder if his Frankenstein will be better because he will be able to find inspiration from Shelley's words...

I think that there is a time and a place for showing off and when it comes to McRae and Osipova I sometimes wonder if showing off is really all that they are about. Osipova's Giselle is, in my opinion, unbeatable and I've never felt so moved as when I've seen her in the role (well maybe Alina actually...) but when it comes to Ashton everything from the footwork to the characterization needs to be beautifully precise and timed to perfection. I felt there were times in her performance last night where she showed her nerves and just didn't quite 'get' it. It was almost as if she said, well I'll just give them what they pay to see me do which is big jumps and hurricane pirouettes. I find McRae a bit the same. He was a lot more toned down when he did Colas with Marquez years ago, but with Osipova by his side, I fear he felt the need to step it up and match her 'showy' technique. This is exactly what you need for something like Don Q, but with something dreamy like Fille, subtlety goes a lot further. I had the same problem in Swan Lake, where McRae did his usual 'blurry' turns during the Prince's solo. I was so annoyed as this is the only chance Siegfried gets to tell the audience "look I'm sad, I'm a Prince and I don't want to be, I have to marry and I don't want to and my life is a mess and I'm unhappy because I'm bound by duty". This solo should be slow and moving, so I really could have done without the 'look at me, I can spin' section from him. There's a time and place, and getting the mood of the character right is crucial for a successful performance.

There is absolutely no doubt that here we have two stars, but I feel someone needs to step in and explain that Ashton is about neat footwork, making the steps clear and precise. Morera did just this and displayed every element of the difficult choreography with perfection. With Osipova, I felt parts were rushed or, I'm afraid, a little messy. The humour also didn't seem to come that naturally to her, unlike Marquez who might as well change her name to Lise.