SwissBalletFan

37 minutes ago, Sim said:

The English Premier League has very few English players and it is considered the best football League in the world.  Just sayin'.....

The UK is not the best place for ballet in the world... with or without foreign dancers...just sayin’.

Edited to add that the football analogy itself is rather hotly debated. That’s probably for another forum...

very few of the worlds best players play in the premier league. (This season may be considered an anomaly if you read today’s news based upon the success of the 2 UK teams in the champions league last season.

I’ve said my piece, I am not a Polunin fan, and I think my comment about ‘Yawn’ on RB,ROH, or ENB stands even if the person was also British. However I am too polite to test it.

I don’t really have a chip on my shoulder about foreigners, I think the comment about Yawn stands even if the person was from the UK. 

I am not bored enough to give a long response, but of course reading a thread an inner yawn or three is expected, even at a dinner party, when that crosses into actually yawning or posting it, then it to me it becomes uncivil.

In terms of anyone posting about Polunin’s performance, of Kobborg (it’s of course not all about Polunin) etc..how comfortable do you think a member will feel to detail their thoughts here? Without feeling each word will be picked over like bones on a carcass?  It isn’t a fan site, but who decides how positive it can be before it becomes too much?

About the chip on my shoulder...There once was a time where the British vernacular, humour, wit and manners were a shining beacon, sadly ever more the beacon dims like a welcome lighthouse on your shores. Not only on this forum, but in politics, news and with Brexit. I much prefer the wit Oscar Wilde over boorish Nigel Farage humour.

For reference I’m not a fan of Polunin, I can’t comment much on his dance, and disagree very much with his social media posts. 

10 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

Possibly because some of us are very tired at the constant cheerleading on here by a couple of people - it's enough to make me want to leave this forum completely.

 

If I want to see Polunin's instagram, I'm more than capable of looking at it, there's really no reason to copy it on here.  I don't follow him on instagram for a reason.

 

I'm entitled to my opinion as much as anyone and my opinion is "yawn".  It may be forward, but it's not uncivil and it's the truth.

To be fair, this is a thread called Polunin/Kobborg etc etc... so if you don’t want to read about him either, you might not want to read the thread if it’s a boring topic to you, also given that it was started by a fan of Polunin.

oh but wait... you want to hear about the performances and a review of the show? 

Oh and it makes you want to quit this forum? Or as in other threads stop being a moderator? 

How many ballet fans fans are driven away from this site due to such comments? To be fair, it is called balletforum.COM, and I can say if any of the international fans went on any of the Royal Ballet, ENB or UK based dancers and said ‘yawn’ it would be deleted in a second, and treated as unproductive (which would be fair).

The Polunin thread was already closed down, and really due to non-Polunin fans criticizing the OTT admiration of a few members.

Why not just let the fans of Polunin, chat among themselves and if you like you can choose not to read it? However to commment how bored you are about the topic...???? How much more bored must you be to open a thread about Polunin, read the comments about something that bores you, and then choose to comment?

If you say you must do this as a part of your moderator job, then, I would say, it’s important to act as a moderator, which is very much appreciated, unproductive comments are not.

Just a comment on civility... It’s always a nice check upon oneself to wonder if the thing you are about to post is something you would say in public, to a group of people, or fans of a certain dancer.

I for one, would never walk around ROH and when overhearing a fan I know loves a certain dancer and always raving about them, lean in and say ‘YAWN’.

Wouldnt it also be worse if you were an usher (person of authority) at the ROH, and did the same? 

I would walk on, and ignore it, which I think would be the civil thing to do.

Also, as my own check. If I saw a person do this at the ROH I would say to them exactly what I have written in this post, and if it was an usher, I would ask for their manager and complain. Also and then if that manager didn’t take my comments seriously, then I would reconsider visiting again.

EDITED to add:

You might have felt compelled to read this thread as there are not so many new contributions on the many aspects of ballet - especially non UK. You and the owners of the forum might like to consider why that might be. I for one, have been turned off from starting threads or contributing for this exact behaviour.

13 minutes ago, Sim said:

We don’t need a glossary, nor to start splitting threads.  As with verbal discussions, it’s natural that threads veer off course.  When they do, a moderator or member usually pulls it back on course.  

 

It is a moderator’s job to be fair to everyone, and we try to do that as well as we can.  Jan’s comment was simply a reminder that not everyone is privy to nicknames, no matter what company is being discussed.  She certainly wasn’t trying to offend anyone, or indeed stir such controversy.  She was simply doing what a moderator should do and see the bigger picture.  Personally I was glad of the reminder because a couple of days ago I, a mod, referred to a dancer by his nickname without thinking.  I will remember now that there are lots of people who probably have no idea who I was talking about, so going forward I will use proper names, and we ask that everyone else do that too, to avoid confusion or causing people to feel excluded. 

 

I hope this matter is now closed, and that we can move on to discussing what we all love.  

A few observations and learnings for me.

1) This thread was started as an optional discussion topic, that people can read if interested, not really integral to ballet information itself, so an off topic about names and surnames is fine by me.

2) as to the original point of the thread, I am glad that the discussion of names has been taken away from the RB Japan thread, so it kind of shows a separate thread can help.

3) I think that the discussion has been fruitful and people have been polite and the thread was gaining some convergence in how to use names.

4) I don’t know If there is some hierarchy or authority between the mods or in the forum administration, but @Sim it was my impression that all mods speak on their own behalf, and to close off discussion that we don’t need x or y, and this discussion should be closed is rather unnecessary. if It is your opinion, then its better to say that, and of course opinions are what makes the forum go around (and around.. and around). Of course please accept my apologies if you are the nominated authoritative voice of the administration of the site.

Wonderful to read such detailed reviews from all the posters. Thank you.

Also I really think Naomi always has great input on these forums, and it was clear from her post, using nicknames for the two huge names in ballet, and full names for all other mentions that it wasn’t an ‘in the know’ post, just enthusiasm for wonderful dancers.

I am sure noone meant any issues with the names, though maybe just a usual polite Janet reply of thank you for the review FYI Vadream is Vadim Muntagirov and Nela is Ms Nunez. I don’t think many if any other dancers have popular nicknames, so its only a matter of a small clarification.

Many threads tend to split from the amazing input of the posters sharing their knowledge or views on the subject, and other ‘OT or comments on comments’. I will start a new thread to discuss the merits or otherwise of a proposal that any thread with an offshoot discussion or posts that go into OT or offensive content be separated into an Separate thread by a mod with Spin Off of O/T followed by the name of the thread. 

In this way, the focus of the thread remains as described, and also especially when it becomes closed due to heated discussions that do not apply to the original topic.

23 minutes ago, Sophoife said:

If you look at both of their public Instagram posts, that is what they both (separately) said before the start of the 2018/19 season. Which is why I posted the comment 😉

Well, from their initial posts about leaving, there is no comment about a sabbatical.

5 hours ago, Sophoife said:

 

I think both Miss Guérineau and Mr Bittencourt only took a one-year sabbatical from POB. Certainly she has a young child and a husband who stayed in Paris.

I can tell you that that this was not the agreement at all.

57 minutes ago, Angela said:

Next season at Zurich Ballet is online here

 

Premieres: The Little Match Girl, choreography by Christian Spuck, music by Helmut Lachenmann (until now, it was produced as an opera, the composer calls it "Music with images")

A Forsythe Evening with Second Detail, Approximate Sonata 2016 and One Flat Thing, Reproduced

Triple Bill with Walking Mad/Johan Inger, Kleines Requiem/Hans van Manen and a third piece

 

Check out the new company roster here - Igor Zelensky's Munich principals Jonah Cook and Ksenia Ryzhkova are heading for Zurich,  Éléonore Guérineau and Yannick Bittencourt are leaving.

The inaugaural season of  ‘Zurich Dance Theater’  has finally arrived.

Interesting about the new joiners, Ksenia joins as one of many female principals and Jonah Cook only as a Solo.

@alison and Stevie,

If you have all your files on your computer I think the best option and simplest option is to buy a cheap device to stream your files to your TV. Like chromecast for £35 or Apple TV. (There are lots of options just google stream to TV)

all you you need is a tv with a hdmi cable (no need to retune your channels) and a WiFi network.

its a very small device that you can  put in and take out easily without any need for retuning or messing your tv up. You can also stream YouTube, and lots of other video streams from the internet to your TV.

if you have any technical  questions you can PM me.

Works with Apple TV so can stream direct on TV or Beamer, with 14 day free trial too.

I have freed myself a weekend next month to having a ballet-binge

17 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

European orchestras had a concert master before America even had an orchestra!

It seems the etymology is more usually from the German ‘Meister’ predating the UK or US terms.

the roles of this person can be found in the wiki page too.

From Wikipedia :https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concertmaster

The concertmaster (from the GermanKonzertmeister) in the U.S. and Canada is the leader of the first violin section in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band) and the instrument-playing leader of the orchestra. After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most significant leader in an orchestra, symphonic band or other musical ensemble. Another common term in the U.S. is "First Chair." In the U.K., Australia and elsewhere in the English-speaking world, the term commonly used is "leader."

Boston Ballet have announced they will tour their new William Forsythe world premiere that builds on the ENB premiere (playlist tracks 1,2) called Playlist (EP) along with Forsythe’s Pas/Parts and Kylian’s Wings of Wax in Paris April 9-11th.

They will be performing at the Theater Champs Elysees. Photos and videos from social media show that the new playlist extension has female variations and pdds building on the all-male ensemble ENB playlist hip hop fun.

I am excited to be attending.

https://www.theatrechampselysees.fr/en/season/dance/boston-ballet-mikko-nissinen-en

On 07/10/2018 at 07:34, John Mallinson said:

In defence of the price, this isn't a book. It's a collection of 30 very large format prints (65 x 50cm) with an accompanying booklet, presumably all in a nice box. That works out at about 30 quid a print which isn't bad if one thinks of it as an art publication.

 

Wouldn’t this forum be a perfect place to find people willing to each buy a print for 30 pounds? You could use an internet cash raising program to ensure all pay, then every fan could put theirs in a nice frame. Drawing straws for order of preference of which print to select. With Christmas around the corner it would make a great gift.

On 22/06/2018 at 15:26, Sim said:

I can understand that from a ticket sales point of view, but what a shame that Japanese audiences miss out on so many wonderful dancers who aren't quite there yet.  

Its a long road and of course there will be many opportunities in the future to see them when they are ‘quite there’ 😊

@Dear Angela, I am afraid I have no idea. I have seen that she is joining a new company but cannot say where. It is a real shame, but understandable considering the repertoire in the company under Spuck. I hope

whereever she goes her talents will be noticed and appreciated, she really is kind and beautiful ballerina. I am not sure it is a secret, I guess the use of ‘cannot say’ on social media is more that the new company will announce it. Any way I will miss her as will a lot of the audience in Zurich.

I have heard lots of stories And so it is a surprise and shame that his contract is lengthened. So many dancers also leaving the company, and lots of unhappy dancers.

But I guess such a small theatre of 1,000 seats is easy to fill, and so the issues are not readily noticed. 

11 minutes ago, Vanartus said:

Oh dear...I really liked their Ratmansky Swan Lake though...

Yes, it is a great piece of work. Because of the beautiful Odile/Odette, the only shining light in the repertoire, the only one...

Sorry to say Vanartus, Zurich do not score higher points at all. I would rant if I wasn’t feeling so downtrodden by such a depressing black repertoire each Spuck season. 

Its like a poor imitation of NDT unfortunately, with only one classical performance each season.

As fifa is based in Switzerland. Viktorina Kapitonova and Elena Vostrotina featured in their magazine. Great photos of ‘Footballet’

https://www.fifa.com/mm/Document/AF-Magazine/FIFA1904/02/92/46/23/12_EN_2017_LowRES_12_Neutral.pdf

A friendly reminder that this is a thread about Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 

21 minutes ago, Xandra Newman said:

 

I am frankly really tired of this Post, we had a similar Post not so long ago in "Snowflake - No not another Nutcracker review...". How tiresome did that become! I stopped reading at some point. It created such an animosity so much so that several knowledgable posters stop posting and commenting all together.

 

It feels as if posters are regularly told by some other posters what they can and cannot say. What's wrong with a fan who raves about a dancer they really enjoyed watching? Honestly, are we not free anymore to express our joy after seeing a performance?  Since when is it frowned upon when a poster raves about a dancer (or two or three).

 

Where is the freedom of speech and expression without being "told off" by someone for expressing ones view and feeling? 

 

You are free to moo as much as you wish but I won't hold myself back when I want to rave about (a) dancer(s) who gave me immense pleasure. You can always opt for not reading the many gushing fan posts. 

 

The whole thread agrees that people have their favorite dancers and people can wax lyrical about their favorite dancers, I don’t mind at all. 

That you go from a lighthearted  moo to worrying about freedom of expression is a bit of a stretch.

Everyone is free to go crazy about their favorite dancers, but they also need to be balanced about replying if people do not share their own views. It is actually usually those who have these ‘sacred cows’ that complain and act so defensively if people don’t share their views as I expressed in my first paragraph.

Edited to add: also reacted so strongly to light -hearted comments.

I could have cried Xenophopia about being a Swiss cow-lover, but I take it with a sense of fun.

One of the downsides of contemplating sharing any thoughts on this forum are the strong reactions when any poster mentions a favorite dancer of other members (sacred cow) in anything but the most glowing of terms.

However, since reading this thread, I love the term sacred cow, and when I read any of the many gushing fan posts, I now automatically ‘moo’ in my mind.

Sorry for stating the obvious I wasn’t aware of the significance of the term

I will stay away from any comment about the UK government.

The partnership description seems like something an arts council or government would be responsible for anyway, so I hope it is successful in reaching more of a diverse group of fans.

I am not sure how many of the original diverse inhabitants still live in East London after the redevelopment for the Olympics etc.. but hopefully it seems that there will be some television/cinema screenings to reach such a larger number of people and benefit everyone.

22 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

Probably not because RBS' "beleaguered" shareholders may not be amused!

 

Great news for ENB!

You are all majority shareholders of the company, as the UK government still  has a roughly 70% stake in RBS.

About the typo, probably just someone forgetting to change the letters after an update of the brochure from last year. A very common human error.

even google Translate would know this, which is actually very sophisticated these days.

however the link seems to not work when I last checked