BMC

Unable to add anything more to the comments above but making a quick post to echo 1) general disgust at any abuse given to the moderators and 2) grateful thanks to them all for the time they put in moderating this site, and providing us with all sorts of interesting press links and items we may not have been aware of. I used to work with a very articulate colleague but occasionally words would fail her and she would just exclaim 'for goodness sake' at something which beggared belief which is exactly how I felt when I read Sim's post on the abuse she and her colleagues have received. Similarly it always makes me feel very hot and bothered when I go to AGMs and meetings run totally by volunteers and they get sniped at for the most ridiculous things. So a huge thank you to all the moderators for everything you do.

In which case, Fiz, I feel even more sympathy for her and the way her career was ended.

Yes, it was the triple axel, Alison. Apparently she was the first woman not only to execute it but to even try it - the other women were too scared to try. I don't really follow skating so don't know whether that is still the case but it clearly generated huge excitement when she achieved it at the time.

Hope I'm not going wildly off topic here, but have just got back from watching the I, Tonya film about Tonya Harding. I thought it was absolutely excellent as a film and really interesting to learn more about her. I can remember the incident with Nancy Kerrigan of course but had no idea about the background to Harding's skating career. Assuming that not too much dramatic licence was taken (and an interview with her in today's Telegraph seems to indicate it's relatively accurate) she was not only going through the rigours of Olympic training, she was continually fighting domestic violence (mother and husband) and being from the wrong side of the tracks, and not the feminine princess the skating authorities wanted representing the US. I ended up both really rooting for her and feeling very sorry for her - perhaps naively! It was also interesting to read elsewhere that it was difficult to find someone to do the skating in the film because Harding's technical standard is still so high all these years later. Looking forward to the John Curry documentary now.

I, too, hesitate - as an occasional poster but avid reader - to jump into this fascinating debate. For what it's worth, my own opinion is that we all pay for our tickets and all therefore have the right to express our opinions, whether we have been going for decades or weeks (I have been watching ballet for 40 years but still my knowledge of the technical side could fit on a postage stamp). I really enjoy reading why people have enjoyed certain performances, but equally interesting is why they haven't been particularly enamoured of dancers in certain roles, choreography, stagings etc. I think what I always try and bear in mind (but don't always succeed) is a discussion on this site a few years ago when Clement Crisp described a dancer as 'irredeemably pedestrian' which seemed incredibly harsh, but if he had said 'irredeemably pedestrian in this particular role', it would have tempered the comment and made the criticism seem a bit gentler. I do hope people won't stop posting comments because I have always found the discussions on this site to be very civilised and fair (even if I occasionally silently bridle at criticism of my own favourites!!). Looking at some of the below the line comments on mainstream journalism, this site is an absolute haven - and I'd like to add my thanks to those above to the moderators who obviously pay a great deal of care and attention to keeping it so.

Thanks so much for that, Lynette - really looking forward to it.

I seem to be fated with these Francesca / Yasmin debuts. For Francesca's Sleeping Beauty a child needed to be taken out, with the whole row having to stand up, during the grand pas de deux, completely spoiling it. For Yasmin yesterday, I was next to a wriggling child on a plastic cushion who whispered through most of the ballet. To be fair it was a tiny whisper but a bit like when my neighbours put on their wash machine at 2 in the morning, the decibel count isn't high, but once you hear it, you can't unhear it! That I had a lovely time nevertheless is testimony to Yasmin's wonderful performance!

She is almost single handedly responsible for my love of ballet. My mum took me to Birmingham to see LFB in a Sleeping Beauty when I was about 11 and I can still see Elisabetta Terabust in my mind's eye now in her beautiful tutu. Although ironically Sleeping Beauty is not one of my particular favourites now, it holds a special place in my heart for making me fall in love with it in the first place, and Elisabetta is the one dancer I remember clearly from that performance - and the feeling that I want to go to this gas us and again and again ...

Amphi D39 - £24 (very annoyed I can't go now). Pls let me know ASAP as I will need to drop it in the post.

Apologies for commenting on a rehearsal (and only part of one at that as unfortunately had to miss second half of La Sylphide) but I thought Tamara was absolulutely wonderful in Song. Despite having seen her dance time after time over the years, she still somehow manages to surprise with just how incredibly expressive her dancing is. She is one of those dancers who make you see things in the choreography that you hadn't noticed before. I thought it was a terrific performance all round. Looking forward to full Sylphide but the reel with the swirling kilts is irresistible!

I think Vivienne Leigh was a ballet dancer in Waterloo Bridge - a favourite film of my dear, long departed, Mum - and a good old fashioned black and white tear jerker if you're in the mood for that sort of thing on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Hated Black Swan!

Agree - would be wonderful to see both Les Noces and Les Biches again (Zenaida would be a very hard act to follow as the Hostess). And apologies to Fonty for not noticing mention of Fearful Symmetries first but somehow reassuring to know that someone else feels the same - it really was very enjoyable, actually exhilarating if my memory hadn't gone completely haywire!

My top five: Onegin Two Pigeons Symphony in C (much pleasure to be had with fantasy casting) Coppelia - it seems an absolute age since the a Royal Ballet did this Tombeaux (David Bintley) - can't remember too much about this except (shallowness alert!) the absolutely beautiful tutus but can recall enough to know I would really like to see it again Plus: a blast from the past - Fearful Symmetries. Again can't remember too much about it except loving Irek Mukhemedov and Deborah Bull dancing up a storm. It may look really old hat now as it was a long time ago but I would be intrigued to see if it could hold its own, both without that amazing original cast and just generally in terms of how things have moved on

Yes, she was a lovely Rose Fairy this afternoon - and an all round lovely performance by everyone. I took my brother for a Christmas gift - he hadn't been to the ballet for over 10 years but having seen the Nutcracker documentary last year, he was interested to see Francesca who more than lived up to his expectations. In the interval he turned and said 'I know nothing about ballet but the dancer in red really stands out as being really classy and elegant' - a very discerning comment about a James Hay IMHO!

Tony - I was right at the top which I don't suppose helped matters but I have always struggled with ballet at the Albert Hall. I think it must be personal as I can never remember enjoying any ballet there despite seeing quite a few performances with ENB and now BRB. It's a shame but you win some, you lose some and I suspect I was in a tiny minority (perhaps a minority of one) in not having a good time today.

Just got back from today's matinee at the Albert Hall. I has been really looking forward to seeing the BRB Nutcracker again after quite a while - I remember really loving it and feeling it was at least on a par with the Royal Ballet production, if not slightly superior. After several years, I can still remember the Christmas tree growing and filling the stage. Having said that, I do have real reservations about ballet at the Albert Hall and really wish I had acted on my instincts and booked a trip to Birmingham. I don't know whether anyone else feels the same but wherever I sit, I feel completely disengaged from what is happening on stage (in a way that never happens when I sit in the back row of the amphi at Covent Garden or the Coliseum, from where I can easily get totally lost in a production). Added to that, the venue also meant another of my pet hates - dancers speaking, in this case Drosselmeyer narrating the story (fortunately quite briefly). I was all ready for things to pick up in the transformation scene but the normal sized tree was wheeled off while we simply watched fir tree branches growing on a screen. I am really sorry to be so negative as I always enjoy watching BRB whenever I get the opportunity and my gripes have absolutely nothing to do with the dancers - Celine Gittens was a beautiful Sugar Plum. I think I have now learned my lesson that whatever the temptation, don't book for the Albert Hall for ballet (particularly for ballets where the sets are an integral part - a bare stage, mirrors and lighting just aren't the same). It's definitely the train to Brum next year!

Now feeling a little bit bereft having just completed my run of Sylvias at this morning's very lovely matinee. I have been lucky enough to see all three casts (sadly not Bonelli this time round) and, thanks to earlier postings, realise I have been lucky to see every cast since the ballet's revival several years ago. This is going to sound extremely bland but, looking back, I've loved every performance I've seen. Yes, there are standouts (Muntagirov of course, for example) but I do agree with the person above who commented that this ballet is almost dancer proof. Given it's demands it shouldn't be - but there is so much to enjoy time after time: the music, the costumes, the sets, yes, the silliness of the story but above all the wonderful choreography - there is so much in there that you see new things every performance. I am surprised every time that a second act of only 20 minutes makes you feel you've seen an amazing amount of dancing. Do hope that we don't have to wait too long to see it again but hope the gap is long enough to fall in love with the ballet all over again. And thank you to three lovely Sylvias, two fantastic Amintas and assorted goats, Dianas etc. I've loved every minute! Finally had to pop into the box office after the performance only to see Bonelli in there. No idea what his injury is but no outward sign of anything major. I shouldn't really make personal comments but no-one will be surprised that he was his usual extremely courteous self in a very busy box office!

I think I am with those who are moved to tears by 'the beauty' - and trying to find any rationale as to what moves me and what doesn't is a hiding to nothing. Sometimes there is an obvious reason - for example seeing Requiem soon after my father died left me a sobbing wreck. But other times I find my reactions inexplicable. Manon is one of my all time favourite ballets and I have seen many fantastic casts over the years but have never cried at it. However, despite being a bit ho-hum about Romeo and Juliet, every time she wakes up in the tomb - whoever is dancing it - brings a lump to my throat. Many posters have mentioned Cojacaru in Giselle and I totally agree with that. Even in her recent performances with ENB where it seemed to me her technique wasn't as good (particularly in Act 1) she is second to none in loosening those tear ducts in the second act! Other crying memories: Hay and Takada in Two Pigeons - made me cry properly ie tears rolling down cheeks. Francesca Hayward's debut in Rhapsody - beautiful and a star was born. Muntagirov in Sylvia on opening night - the sheer beauty of his dancing made me feel really emotional. Jenna Roberts and Tyrone Singleton in the Concerto pas de deux - again sheer beauty and sheer simplicity: unbeatable. Watching students at the Royal Ballet School and thinking of all the years of blood, sweat and tears that goes into making a beautiful movement - and wondering how many will actually make it. It also really moves me when a dancer pulls something totally unexpected (to me at least) out of the bag eg Bonelli in Mayerling, Matthew Golding with Osipova in Onegin. Could go on and on but enough already!

Muntagirov on wonderful form. I've seen him many times now but each time, and despite being a huge fan, he always amazes me with just how beautiful his dancing is. Makes me sigh - happily!

I'm afraid the start for the programme did for me - the monologue was absolutely excruciating (I'm not sure who the joke was on, but even it was me being not bring cool enough to get it, it was still dreadful ). Always happy to cut people some slack as it's not easy to mount a programme (and all credit to those such as Putrov who can pull together such an illustrious group of dancers) but surely there must have been a rehearsal process where someone watched and listened to that speech and realised it was like a 15 year old thinking he was being clever. It put me in such a bad mood that I couldn't get going again afterwards. Not for repeating IMHO!

Sadly I am no longer able to use a stalls seat I bought for BRB Sleeping Beauty matinee at 2pm on Thursday, 1 Feb at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton. Anyone who can use it is more than welcome - just pm me with your address and I'll pop it in the post.

Me too - got that 'cat that got the cream' feeling ...

I've always been a bit reticent about stage doors but I did once see a Irek Mukhamedov on a very crowded Piccadilly Line tube during rush hour. For once I had a seat but willingly jumped up to very hesitatingly approach him. He could not have been more charming or friendly and we had the most interesting conversation about some of his roles. Needless to say it remains my best commute ever by a country mile!

The ushers showed them in - it was literally at 'curtain up'. Really felt for them as clearly not intended and they could have taken their seats with minimal disruption if allowed!

For me this was very much a curate's egg evening and I suspect one one of those that when I look back at the cast list I will be floundering around a bit trying to recall. Sounds as though I am going to be in the minority by not liking Illustrated Farewell. I'm afraid I had rather a lot of shopping list moments - though it was very well danced, lovely to see Sarah's return so warmly welcomed and I kept noticing Joseph Sissens and Anna Rose. Stephen McCrea of course danced fantastically but I did wonder how some of those sassier moves might look on a dancer with a different personality. Anyway, for me, just a bit disappointing but will still look forward to second viewing later this week which, as we all know, can suddenly make you see things in a different light. I find myself 75% in agreement on bridiem's 'bonkers but brilliant' view of The Wind - think I would go for 'bonkers but enjoyable' although I had had quite enough of the wind by the end! It took me back to a recent discussion on this site about visuals - there was certainly some very arresting stage imagery - suspect Osipova and her bridal veil will long live in the memory, even if the rest fades quickly. There were some very strong stage presences cast in this ballet and again I will be interested to see how it fares on a second viewing and with different cast. I did enjoy the sheer novelty of it though. Think I am now done with Untouchable - I've seen it three times and liked it first time round, and have had a 'diminishing returns' response for the other two viewings. Having said that, from where I was sitting it seemed to be the most enthusiastically received of the night. So for me not a vintage evening but interesting nevertheless. Finally, this bit should go into audience behaviour, but we got off to a rather bad start when an unfortunate couple arrived about a minute late - very apologetically taking their seats. They had to get past three people including myself but the two men beside me swore at them (yes, the F word - totally unnecessary) and just about refused to get up. Left me bristling for some time during Sarah's and Stephen's opening number - think we have all had transport problems occasionally and arrived flustered at the theatre and to be greeted in such a hostile and unpleasant manner, to my mind, beggars belief. Did make me smile though when the late couple made a point of thanking them for their kindness in the interval.