Springbourne3

50 minutes ago, Tony Newcombe said:

Read the response from Leanne Cope on her Instagram page. Quite magnificent

Thank you Tony Newcombe

The ‘Good Morning America’ host Lara Spencer has been accused of bullying by the dance world and beyond, regarding her comments (and laughing at) Prince George doing ballet - absolutely shameful.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/23/entertainment/lara-spencer-prince-george-ballet-trnd/index.html

2 hours ago, bridiem said:

Although Fiona Chadwick reached principal rank at the RB (in 1984) I think she was somewhat underappreciated (and certainly ill-treated in the timing of her departure from the company). She was technically secure but what I loved about her was her slight air of gravitas, no matter what she was performing. She was unshowy but an excellent actress, with a long neck and lovely line. Claire Calvert rather reminds me of her, which is one of the reasons I like Calvert so much. (And I'm afraid the latter is in danger of joining the ranks of the underappreciated...).

I hope not (re - Calvert) but you have echoed my thoughts exactly Bridiem!

17 hours ago, Jamesrhblack said:

I loved Ann Jenner and Rosalyn Written, and Deborah Bull has been one of my favourite female dancers ever. We are now seeing more of Romany Pajdak and I absolutely agree that she is much under-rated artist. I’m not sure how many wider opportunities her relatively late promotion will afford, but I am very pleased it has happened.

I couldn’t agree more re - Romany Padjek and I think she is one of the

most lyrical and musical dancers currently at the RB.

Here is my list of the the dancers I felt weren’t fully appreciated when they were at the ‘height’ of their dance careers;

Ann Jenner

Deborah Bull - an amazing and athletic dancer and I preferred her to D Bussell to be honest

Fiona Chadwick (overshadowed by Briony Brind Maybe?) Beautiful lyrical dancer

Rosalyn Whitten

and more recently,

Romany Padjek - thankfully she has been recently promoted though!

Emma Maguire (now left the RB but I always felt she was a bit under-appreciated)

Poor woman - renal colic is excruciating - I hope she gets all the pain relief she needs and gets back to the UK ASAP. 

One of my all time favourite ballerinas - the best Sugar Plum Fairy of all in my opinion.

RIP John - condolences to your family xx

Bit of a strange and sweeping statement from Dame Darcey,  who has been President of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) since 2012 - a dance teaching organisation that promotes the highest standards of dance training and teacher training worldwide.  

21 hours ago, LinMM said:

Looking at the piccies of the Grads I couldn't understand why Hanna Park wasn't there!! 

Then when I looked at my programme from last week I see she is only in the second year of the Upper School....she is the young dancer who did the main role in Paquita ....I am assuming she got through to the third year! 

But am not sure how graduation works at RBS.

If you have completed two years in the Upper School but don't get into the third year would you just join the third year graduates for the big day or deemed not to have fully graduated!!

And wouldn't you be 18 anyway after just two years so officially eligible to look for work in a Company....or do you have to do a third year somewhere else?

Do they all stay on for a third year who get chosen to? 

 

Hanna Park was only 15 years old when she won a PDL scholarship (back in 2018 and came second behind gold medal winner, Shale Wagman)and joined the Upper RBS in the second year group (missed out the first year).  I think it’s highly likely that she will join the Graduate year next term - but that’s just me speculating!

18 hours ago, Lynette H said:

 

 

https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/discover/alumni/graduate-contracts-2019/

 

 

Thanks for posting this Lynette H - not one direct entry into the RB corps and unusual to see two graduates joining the cast of a musical but good luck to them all for the future.

Bravo on Shale’s début!  Spotted him a few years ago at the Academy Princess Grace and he reminded me of the late Patrick Bissell of ABT in looks and exuberance.  I thought that after the PDL he only had a year’s contract with ENB - but I cannot find that information at the moment.

Maybe he’ll join the RB (wishful thinking on my part 🤔).

I wouldn’t be surprised if he joined the Mariinsky though - what an opportunity.

Delighted for Padjek (at last), Gasparini and Yudes - well deserved.

Just now, alison said:

Oops, Springbourne, has something gone missing from the bottom of the press release?  If you can post it in another post, I'll edit it.

Thanks Alison - I think it’s only missing the last few letters of ‘relationship’ at the end of the press release.  This was posted on the ROH’s Facebook page.

https://www.abt.org/2019-promotions-announced/

Pleased for the talented Aran Bell.  

10 hours ago, LinMM said:

Have I misunderstood something here.....he hasn't left ENB to join the Mariinsky has he? I thought he had just been invited to do this performance ( of maybe there's more than one) 

The surprise here to me is that they would ask a non principal from another Company to dance with one of their Principal ladies. In that way it us an honour of sorts but though I like him a lot he has not danced enough important roles as yet to be considered ready to be a Prncipal ....but these opportunities are great in working towards that.

There are always exceptions though - an example would be the rapid rise of May Nagahisa (also a past student from Academy Princess Grace) within the Mariinsky ranks - here’s a little snippet of her in her recent  ‘Giselle’ début at the Mariinsky;

8 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

He's got principal dancer quality already now, there is no doubt, and someone saw it 😉

I completely agree Sabine0308 - I saw him at last year’s PDL and he immediately stood out from all the other candidates - not only because of his very polished and clean classical technique, but his confidence and presence in performance which was way beyond his youth.

6 hours ago, capybara said:

 

Not yet to me, I'm afraid, although Shale is undoubtedly very talented indeed technically.

 

Yes he has a beautiful technique and I also think that he has huge  principal dancer potential - this was clearly recognised by the prestigious panel at last year’s PDL as he not only won the gold medal, but they also awarded the Nureyev prize to him.

4 hours ago, Mandy Kent said:

I suppose that’s a possibility. He has already guested at the Mariinsky in a Gala earlier this year. I’m keenly ‘watching’ his career. He has so much potential. 

Yes I agree and I am also watching his career progression. He certainly has that ‘certain charisma’ about him.

Wow - are we thinking an imminent permanent move to St. Petersburg maybe on the cards for him? I saw him in the Pas de Trois (ENB’s ‘Swan Lake’ last year) and he’s certainly got some stage presence -  and that’s apart from his virtuoso technique.

4 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

It’s not. The Rose Adagio is the tribute to Margot Fonteyn.

Hmmm - it’s the way that the performance is listed that made it look like the ‘Manon’ PDD was part of the Tribute to Fonteyn - thank you bangorballetboy.

I mean how glorious is this? Personally I see Hayward or Stix-Brunell in this - sorry to deviate but I couldn’t resist...

In what way is the ‘Manon’ PDD a tribute to Fonteyn?  Why not something from ‘Cinderella’ or ‘Giselle’ which were some of the roles that Fonteyn was renowned for?  But ‘Manon’ ??? A PDD that she never danced...it really gives the wrong impression of Fonteyn’s career.

7 hours ago, SylviaLiu said:

 

Yeah it does seem so! I certainly would be happy for her if she continue on her RB journey next season! It just seems to me a bit unusual for a young dancer to dance with two companies during the same season.

Yes me too - unless she has to finish her year with the RB which may include the end of season tour before moving on to another company - but it’s purely speculation!