Lilian88
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Posts posted by Lilian88
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On 6 aprile 2017 at 17:49, Amelia said:
Polunin in "Mayerling" - guest appearance of Stanislavsky Ballet:
I was fortunate enough to have a ticket to the show on Thursday. It was wonderful, I'm happy to say that Polunin responds to criticism with facts: I never see a German audience so enthusiastic. At the end of the show, Polunin was called on stage I think five times, the audience would not stop applauding.
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Lilian 88 I do appreciate you must be a real Polunin fan and that's lovely ...but to be honest from where I'm sitting he has achieved not that much! And unless things change in the next few years...which I sincerely hope they will ...He will not be remembered 20 years from now ....and certainly not if he starts watering begonias right now...though realise this not meant seriously.
None of my non ballet going friends has ever heard of him but they certainly know Nureyevs name ....though we are all in our 60's now!!
Well, also all my non ballet lovers friends know Nureyev, but they know Polunin too, in fact he is the only classic dancer of our days who they know and remember.
The fact that you quote Nureyev is interesting, because for me Nureyev perfectly summarizes all the reasons why Polunin will be remembered: Nureyev was fiercely criticized and often shunned by critics and ballet lovers of his era, but eventually all remember Nureyev , few remember many of his colleagues and no one remembers who criticized him. So it was for many other artists and so it will be for him, but he is only thirty, and we cannot compare him to Nureyev, now...
I believe that Polunin will be remembered for much more than twenty years, while on the contrary in twenty years no one will remember most of his colleagues and their career as loyal employees, apart from some ballettomane and I would think this even though I hated him because his success is a fact, not a personal opinion: is a fact that he is the youngest principal of the Royal Ballet's history, a fact that he has played some of the most coveted roles of ballet, a fact that there is a documentary about his life, a fact that he has worked with renowned photographers and artist and even more concrete, are the results of these collaborations, which have been included in famous magazines, books, art exhibitions around the world, even museum exhibitions. Not to mention the virtual world: we can be so naive to ignore the direction taken by the concept of communication today, but from an entirely pragmatic point of view, it's a fact that in Internet, a song, an image, a video can be endlessy played and replicated, so he could really retire tomorrow and would have done enough to remain virtually the young and talented dancer / model / actor who is now, forever. (Yes, maybe we'll be dust, but our Pinterest boards will still be there to shock our grandchildren that under the innocent title "Ballet and dancers", discover a disproportionate number of photos of this half-naked tattooed guy and what meant their granny when she talks about her roaring years of ballet).
In any case, say that a career of Nutcracker at Christmas and Swan Lake with perhaps a jump in the contemporary dance and a charity gala toward the end, is a successful life while the thirty years of Polunin are a failure, is arrogant and basically ignores the history of any art from...I don't know, from the creation to the present.
Of course I not to say that you said this, I speak in general...
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Hmm. Horribly sad to disfigure ones body in that way
And 'driven to distraction by his art and fame' What, at 21?
I think he will look back in years to come and think what a waste, what a mess
Disfigure? The "disfigured" body of Sergei Polunin is considered one of the sexiest bodies in the world and it has been portrayed and photographed by world-renowned artists and photographers such as David LaChapelle, Gus Vas Sant, Mario Sorrenti, Jacob Sutton...
Also I remind you that Polunin is not yet thirty and he is an international ballet star with a repertoire that rivals any dancer, his name is synonymous with sold out, he created his own project which will debut at Sadler's Wells, he has a documentary about his life, he has a very successful model career and he has starred in three major Hollywood productions; not to mention all the love and the admiration, all the demonstrations of esteem and affection he has received from people in this years: in short, he has achieved so many successes and awards, that if tomorrow he retired to private life and spend the rest of his days watering begonias, he still would have made more than what most humans normally made or gets in a lifetime
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Two short video-interviews with Sergei Polunin after the premiere of Dancer in London. I found particularly nice his words about the importance of dance
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Polunin's reasoning is really simple: if a dancer is happy and satisfied to live and work as an employee of a big company, good, but if a dancer wants to manage, independently, his life, his career and his creativity, well, there is life outside the big companies and he can do it or if a dancer wants to have more say in decisions affecting his career, or want to be more protected, he has the right to ask for it, without risking repercussions.
I really don't understand what's so wrong, offensive or immature in this. When I try to explain the "Polunin-scandal" to people who are complete strangers to the world of ballet, they simply don't understand. I told them the story and they asked me "Ok, but what's the scandal?" and this is because we are not in the Middle Ages, and The Royal Ballet should be an institution, a point of reference, not a sect!
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Art is not, or at least should not be, a matter of allegiances or loyalties. Polunin has done nothing criminal or immoral and nothing even verging on malicious or vindictive. He has hurt no one except possibly himself.
And his talent is such that anyone who knows and values good dancing would rather see him dance than a less gifted dancer who has behaved in a way the ROH audience considers "correct".
Of course art cannot be detached from the real world. But I wonder whether the people who think Polinin should be persona non grata at Covent Garden would give a moment's consideration as to whether they should be happy to see Gergiev conduct or an Israeli state sponsored company perform? There are indeed issues which would give me pause concerning artists' behaviour but I cannot see how Polunin's "sins" are even remotely in that realm...
Well said! Art is art, and artists aren't employers. If all the artists had followed certain reasoning, today we wouldn't have some of the most beautiful expressions of art in every sphere. And, I hope to not offend anyone, but I find that there is a certain hypocrisy, perhaps unconsciously, in judging Polunin: if in the same conditions, he had fled to the Royal Ballet from Russia, for example, do you think honestly that the press would treat him in the same way? I think no.
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I don't think that Polunin is ever going to give a consistent account about how he feels about being a dancer for the simple reason that he does not really understand it himself. He is one of the most gifted dancers who I have ever seen but he has ambivalent feelings about being a dancer. He has all the gifts that a great dancer needs except the one which Jonathan Cope said was the most essential and that is the burning need to dance. At the end of the day being born with the perfect body for a dancer, having amazing technical facility, great interpretative skills and musicality will only take you so far. The burning desire and absolute need to dance will take you as far, if not further.
At one time the pushy ballet mother who decided on, and mapped out the career of her offspring was something of a cliche. In Polunin it seems we have an example of one of the victims of the ballet mother. It would appear that Polunin began his training because his mother thought that it would be a career which would be of benefit to the family. He knows the sacrifices that his family made so that he could train and he probably feels responsible for the fact that his parents split up. Knowing that you are good at something which you don't particularly want to do; knowing the sacrifices which were made for you to enable you to do it; feeling that you need to repay the debt and knowing that the only way that you can do that is by pursuing a career which was wished on you by one of your parents seems to me to be an almost impossible burden for anyone to bear.It also seems to be a more than sufficient explanation for all of his erratic behaviour including the contradictory statements which he has made about his time at the Royal Ballet and his long term plans.
I totally agree with you. No child should suffer a pressure like that, whatever are the reasons behind it and the fact that instead this happen and also very often, doesn't make the thing more acceptable or the child less deserving of our understanding. Among other things we're not talking "just" about a pressure linked to the achievement of success, but of a child growed with the idea that his family was separated because of him, first temporarily for the work, then definitely for the divorce of his parents ... Add to this, he was alone, in a foreign country ... I mean, I'm not a psychologist but I would say that here there is more than enough to make life difficult for anyone.
And in short, a dancer, even the youngest principal of the Royal Ballet history, is a human like everyone; if there is someone who at nineteen already had everything perfectly clear and has never changed his mind since then, good for him, if I think back to my quite ordinary teenage years, I got chills...
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I passed him once walking down a London street. He gave me such a sweet smile. I have seen him dance at the ROH and he was extraordinary. He is clearly a gifted young man. A dancer's career is already short enough and I hope whatever he does will bring him happiness and peace of mind.
Less of the tiresome "bad boy" style reporting would also be good.
Totally agree with you!
The contexts change, but people always say almost the same thing, after having heard so much about this mythologycal bad boy, they are dumbfounded when instead faced with this guy so shy, polite and kind. Not only he doesn't reflect in any way the common image of a bad boy, but even of international star ...
For example, the first time I met him in person, there were two old ladies who, choosing a very unsuitable moment to tell the truth, wanted each other to click a photo with him, but were unable to use their digital camera. I have observed the scene from a distance, he lost five minutes to explain them how to do it, then another five minutes because the ladies had to find the right pose, then he had to explain them how to see the pictures and how to turn off the camera; in the end, he gallantly helped them to go down a step, listened their recommendations and also taken a pinch on the cheek from both the ladies ( ???? ), all with a smile and with a kindness and a patience that I probably wouldn't have even with my grandmother. From that moment all my previous impression were confirmed and I had no more doubts about the stupidity of the nickname "bad boy". Indeed the reactions of the elderly are the ones I find most interesting (and fun): often they arrive muttering against tattoos and his hot-head and after seeing him dance and met him at the stage door, they leave the theater talking about him like a beloved grandchild. I find it a perfect metaphor to describe Polunin
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The Telegraph article is odd. It's a rehash of his mindset shortly after leaving the RB. In other more recent articles in other sources he's given the impression he's moved on...Curious.
Not so odd, this kind of "article" is made specifically to arouse the usual low-level gossip that is so pleasing to the media. After all, this is much easier and profitable to work as serious journalists!
Leaving aside this nonsense, I am very curious and interested about the collaboration between Polunin and Vladimir Vasiliev for Project Polunin; I know that Polunin has always had a deep admiration for him and that Vasiliev has been one of his models during his training and I find it's always nice when the old generation meet the new, especially at such a high level!
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After reading this article I am not so sure the Royal is in any hurry at all.
Well, too bad for them, for the people who come literally from all over the globe to see Polunin dancing change little or nothing; choose Münich or any other city instead of London, it's just a click on booking.com
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Definitely more interesting for me! Well, the Royal must hurry or will risk being overshadowed by the Bayersiche Staatsballet! ???? ;POr alternatively:
"“I would love to do a show with the Royal,” he says. “And, yes, we are in communication.”"
I cannot wait to see Polunin dance Mayerling, those who saw him in Moscow speaks of it as something really exceptional as much as Marguerite and Armand with Tamara Rojo and watching the videos, it's easy to understand why!
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Sorry but it seems to me the same old story, the ballerina who arrived at a certain point in her career, and experimented new ways in contemporary dance, ways, however, that rarely are really new; as Cat said, not all can be Sylvie Guilleme. The pieces were "commissioned" by her, while Polunin who has already known and appreciated Maliphant for example, has always said that classical dance is his own language also appreciating the expressive possibilities of contemporary dance; then personally I have no doubt about who did what just to support the partner.
I'm sorry to sound bad, but it seemed to me from the beginning the pretentious attempt of a ballerina, in my very humble opinion, too pampered by the public, although she has never done anything but Natalia Osipova on stage regardless the role, the ballet , the plot ...
The demonstration that a big name on the bill doesn't make a great show, while a great artist on the stage is great also without his name on the bill.
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Well, this is the topic of the news about Sergei Polunin, with whom he dances, it should only be an additional information, I suppose; then if there is also a topic Polunin - Osipova, I guess it's normal that some information are repeated...
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As reported in the article by Robert Dex, Evening Standard 15/4/016, Sergei Polunin will appear as hologram in Symphony to a Lost Generation, "a new show by the composer Adam Donen, which uses holograms to create the illusion of a full stage performance" with Natalia Osipova; "they play a pair of lovers doomed by the approach of the First World War.
Donen said he wanted to "create a work making use of the world's finest musical performers which could be seen, heard and experienced everywhere".
http://www.symphonytoalostgeneration.com/#!book-now/a7dgu
I am very curious about it!
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For me personally, the more I hear of this, the more protests, the more dignitaries getting involved, and more social media posts, it's too much!
For dignity's sake JK and AC leave, walk out the door, don't turn around now.... you're not welcome anymore.
its embarrassing now, and to a point that I really have lost some respect for them.
Slightly off topic.... Alina doing this, Osipova and Polunin doing their own crazy things, Zakharova not prioritising Bolshoi tour...please ballet gods, who should be my heroine now?
In Italian we have an expression, something like "don't wash your dirty laundry in public"; It never liked me. True, there is a lot of media exposure, but it's also true that in these cases the alternative is often cover up the affair, so if dancers are tired of having to suffer in silence decisions made by others that impact on their lives, their art and professionalism and they seek the support of the public, I totally agree with them. After all we are talking about artists, not puppets!
Yes, the risk is to exaggerate, especially when you are emotionally involved and you are not able to evaluate things with the right coldness; it would certainly help the advice of a professional figure, but in this field is an almost unexplored territory...
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In my opinion, the problem continues to remain the way the general menager acted:
if for him this public adjustment was so important, why he couldn't simply release a brief statement where he explained the situation? It's possible that his first thought was to change the website instead of sitting at a table with all the parties involved (JK but also the corps de ballet, for example) and have them properly informed? I find absurd that so often the artists have so little relevance in theaters decisions, considering that without them the theaters would be only very big and luxurious conference rooms!
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Good news!
Yep! I cannot wait to know when Dancer will be release!
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Polunin and Osipova were scheduled to appear in Dubai just a few days ago. They did not, and according to the
management this was because of an injury to Osipova. Is this true?
There is no official statement, so it's just a guess.
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I'm happy for the solidarity that Kobborg is receiving, I hope it's a consolation for him!
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In view of his considerable achievements with the company, this must be a political and not an artistic decision. Like as at the Bolshoi, contracts don't seem to matter in Eastern Europe - I suspect it's a case of "Sorry but the board and I have decided we don't like the colour of your eyes".
I doubt he'll be out of work for long - surely many other companies in the world would be delighted to snap him up. I certainly hope so for both his and Alina's sake.
Linda
Ed. for clarity.
I agree with you! Although I find that these problems are specific to the world of ballet and theater in general, though perhaps in some places in less dramatic ways than others...
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A short article about it :
http://slippedisc.com/2016/04/just-in-bucharest-erases-ballet-chief/
It's really very sad, I find absurd especially the way...
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"massacred" is a bit harsh, don't you think? Making the journalists responsible? I don't know. Most dance journalists have a very wide understanding for dancers and their tempers or caprices, because they know enough divas (female and male) and their demeanor from dance history. I guess in Polunin's case it was just way over the top.
I wonder how so many other great, fine, serious dancers have bloomed and grown within that terrible system that Polunin is about to change... All slaves of artistic directors and managers? Zelensky the saviour? What about Sylvie Guillem, don't you think she made the best choices for herself some decades before Polunin?
Sergei Polunin is a human being, audiences do not have a god given right that he dances or performs for them, nor do people really have a right to comment on how he lives his life.
Sergei Polunin is an amazing dancer, he has a gift, and he has worked like crazy as a child/young man to ensure he meets his goals.
The issue audiences are allowed (IMHO) to have is when he is unreliable and does not attend a scheduled performance, and for this I agree with the public, it is very disappointing, and not very professional at all, and this is damaging his reputation as dancer. This has cost Polunin a lot, in that many of the big houses are not very keen to book him as a guest for their performances.
That he is still an amazing dancer and he is still very young, means there is time for him to change, to mature, and to learn. Igor Zelensky is his father figure (and even the subject of a tattoo on Polunin's body), and could help facilitate this,
If he was announced to dance, I would buy a ticket depending on who the replacements would be, and how good the choreography is....then if he actually turns up I would be extremely happy that he does. The same goes now for Osipova performances now.
I very much hope in a few years all of this settles down, and we get to see Osipova/Polunin becoming the Nureyev/Fontane of the stage....dance will be all the better for it, as will Munich.
What is the idiom..? Plan for the worst...hope for the best.
Yes, probably is a too strong expression, my English is not very good and I try using too idiomatic expressions, I'm sorry, I want to say that when Polunin left the Royal Ballet, journalists have created a media event.
Also I didn't say that all the dancers are slaves, but they certainly are not the category of artists currently more protected; Margot Fonteyn was Margot Fonteyn, he was a nineteen year alone, foreigner, without support nor knowledge; Zelensky has the great merit to support him from a human point of view before professional and I just loved the fact that he hasn't taken advantage of his position for exploited the name of a so famous pupil.
Also as a fan I can absolutely understand the disappointment, but I wouldn't call a whim to have left the Royal Ballet for example, it was a very difficult choice for him, he had devoted his whole life to achieving that goal, but the inner discomfort and depression are not controllable things, are personal choices that we cannot really discuss because none of us was there in his shoes at that time; yes it's true, you buy a ticket and you expect certain things, but ballet is a "living art", isn't a finished product, if you know what I mean, the only way not to run certain risks would be robots-artists but at that point I don't think it would be more worthwhile. The things that make special an artist are often the same things that make him fail and make mistakes, it's the human factor...
And statistically speaking, it's rare that the most brilliant artists were balanced, rational people with a stable life and a linear path and even rarer in their youth.
About theaters, well I'm never very tender with them, too often they lay all the responsibility on the artists after having sold tickets using their name (not only for ballet) not to mention interests, inner politic, power plays, jealousy, envy ... In short there are many things to evaluate in this context, because hardly an artist, no matter how famous, has an advantageous position in relation to a big theater, especially as outsiders and I don't think I said anything so unimaginable or new...Besides, I've always preferred a brilliant artist though unpredictable and "problematic" compared to an entire team of perfect and reliable employees, but of course this is just my personal opinion! ????
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I don't think Nureyev ever cancelled a performance - or missed a class - however much he may have been 'living it up' all night....
I love Nureyev, but he was well known for his bad and arrogant temper and another dancer reported him for beating; there are dancers who have deleted entire seasons with no other explanation that a vague mention of "injuries", Polunin has cancelled some performances in a bad time of his life, he has openly admitted it, and apologized for this; then if there is someone who has never made missteps in his life or had bad times, well cast the first stone. I'm much more inclined to consider his good qualities as a person and his incredible artistic talent, which until now have never failed.
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Sergei Polunin - news and discussions
in Ballet / Dance news & information
Posted
A beautiful performance, I felt very sorry for the little fall of Zakharova, who still doesn't have a negative impact on her excellent performance, thankfully. Polunin remarkable as ever in that role