Sharon

I know a lot of you will get mad - but I really don't like Michael Some as a dancer. I just can't see what was so great about him. He looks like a man in tights - not a dancer. His technique is very poor. I watched one old film of Sleeping Beauty and he was incredibly rough in partnering Fonteyn, how she kept that gentle smile on her face I'll never know.

Just beautiful! Her bouree's are unbelievable 😍 Is this available on DVD?

So, so lucky! I'm going on the 10th. Unbelievably excited. Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos 💐

At the moment my favourite is Ballerina (2016). A delightful cartoon. I bought it for my niece and ended up loving it myself. A lovely fairytale of a poor orphan wanting to join the Paris Opera School. I know, I know - but at least it's not pretending to be a serious ballet film. 😉

If it wasn't so expensive a lot more people may attend. I definitely would get to London a lot more it the theatre prices weren't so high. I'm too old with knee problems to consider standing, or sitting way back....

There is also a recording of the full pdd with Sibley and Dowell on the Ed Sullivan Show recorded in 1965. It is amazing quality, and with close ups - they are both incredibly beautiful, Dowell is only 22 yet appears so assured. The ballet is only 1 year old at this stage and I think it is the only clear and complete recording of Sibley and Dowell in the pdd. It's still unbelievable that the original cast were never filmed in a full performance.

The cost of tickets is already quite expensive if like me you couldn't stand for a performance, or are very small so prefer a closer seat. Add that to train fares and hotel costs..... Attending the ballet at the ROH, (& other London venues) really is a BIG treat. When will I win the lottery???

I saw them in 1977, performing Romeo and Juliet, the dancers were Nicolas Dixon and Susan Crow.

Etudes as I have never seen the Royal perform this only ENB. Symphonic Variations & The Dream are my Ashton choices. Four Schumann Pieces - can't you just picture Muntagirov in this? Square Dances - cast on the young principles and soloists. I would love to see L'Arlesienne performed again. I have such wonderful memories of it with Peter Schaufuss and Mirielle Bourgeois.... And no Wayne McGregor for a few years please 🙄

Fantastic! I literally laughed out Loud. 🤣😂 Just what I needed after finishing a 4x night shift, and waking to a very windy,rainy day in Liverpool. Thanks.

So enjoyed reading this Ivy Lin. I'm feel totally ignorant about the dancers and company these days. I was a fan way back when and was a huge Merrill Ashley fan..... You mentioned the current females. What male principles do you admire?

Happy New Year to you all. I'm relatively new and I want to tell you just how much I appreciate being part of this ballet community. It's the best members club! To take part in discussions, actively or just reading, is so rewarding. Thank you all, Moderators and members.

ENB were experiencing lots of financial problems during the making of Nutcracker as the TV series showed. Surely with all the recent successes and the fact that the board agreed to increase the AD's wage there is some money in the pot to spruce up the Nutcracker as suggested by Irmgard.

As mentioned David Bintley who has not only run BRB successfully for years, but has choreographed many ballets and was also a very talented dancer. Lesley Collier for her wonderfully long and successful career as a ballerina and now as a coach in the RB. And most definitely Lynn Seymour, the ballerina who created some of the most important roles in the repertoire, three of them performed this past year. She was awarded the CBE in 1976 - 41 years ago! Lynn Seymour is now 78years old - when is she going to receive the formal recognition she deserves? When she is dead?? I think that the RB should be planning something also, ahem Mr O'Hare! All I can think of is all the glorious dancers past who were never considered for such a recognition of their artistry.

Wow wasn't she a fantastic actress, the way she uses her eyes - sorry off topic but how amazing!

Yes me too, Rina Kanehara's dancing was the best thing about the whole show last year. Much more believable and refreshing than Rojo who I thought was miss cast. I loved Alina Cojocaru also, but it's almost impossible for her to perform badly. I remember glancing at my watch - always a bad sign.

Love these tutus, however not keen on Nureyev's transparent tights! 🙄

Haha I've not really thought about the tutus either but your right cavycapers. This clip made me think of the video of Viviana Durante dancing the 3rd Shade that used to be on YouTube. But it's since disappeared. Any idea why? I loved Viviana dancing that.

Sorry I don't think I came across clearly - Cesar was excellent in Giselle, really clear and strong in his interpretation. I only meant to say as a young dancer he is still developing his acting skills which is of course normal, as I think acting/interpretive skills grow with experience. His enormous potential is obvious.

Tamara may well be miffed, who knows?? But I doubt that many of the young men at the RB will be. I have seen Cesar dance many times and he is fantastic, such a great technique. A bravura dancer - in the same vein as Steven McRae, but a lot younger. If anyone was inclined to be miffed it could be him. But I seriously doubt it. He, Cesar, has along way to go in developing his acting skills/artistry. I think his fantastic technical ability will encourage the other dancers and they will probably be full of admiration. They should be secure in their own ability and let his arrival be an opportunity to sharpen their own technique.

Also it's not as if he was touring for years & years- he only joined ENB in 2014. He is 20yrs old. And yes touring is tiring especially in the Nutcracker season, but I'm sure for the corps de ballet, who are in every performance, it's a lot more exhausting for them. As I said he is only 20.

But it does mention that they dedicated time and resources to help develop them...

Sounds really interesting Jan, might visit myself one day....

His leaving isn't really that much of a surprise in my opinion. He had previously stated that he hoped to join ABT one day. And let's not forget that dancers leaving ENB is not a new occurrence, despite what some members believe, they have lost some very fine dancers under Rojo. I'm sorry that ENB is losing yet another wonderful dancer and I will miss his performances when the company perform in Liverpool. I am however happy that he has decided to remain in England, although I wonder if his partners position in ENB was part of that decision.

For once I can say 'never mind the dancers' - especially since we'll be treated to the velvet voice of Morgan Freeman 😉