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Xandra Newman

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  1. Xandra Newman
    I understand and appreciate your position on posting a review but personally I have no intention to refrain from posting my praise for (a) dancer(s) whose performance I was totally moved by. Praising him/her/them doesn't imply I degenerate the others. I love to express my personal view and share the pleasure of having attended a performance.
  2. Xandra Newman
    I have no doubt whatsoever that by the end of this Season the RB will add Matthew Ball to their roster of Principals. He's been outstanding throughout the Season.
  3. Xandra Newman
    If we here on the UK Ballet Forum don't sing the praises of (or are slightly biased towards) our great British dancers...which country will sing their praises? (but we also sing the praises of Latin-American, Australian, Spanish, Portuguese, USA dancers in the RB too )
  4. Xandra Newman
    I guess we'll see him less and less with his initial partner Yasmine Naghdi with whom he danced Olga/Lensky in Onegin very early on in his career, followed by Romeo & Juliet, Sugar Plum Fairy/Prince and Aurora/Prince. He is not even cast to dance with Naghdi next Season in La Bayadere nor in The Nutcracker...sad news for us fans of the Naghdi/Ball stage couple
  5. Xandra Newman
    I don't feel Stix-Brunell is under-appreciated, under-rated and under-used at all. She always figures centrally and as 1st cast in any ballet Wheeldon has created/creates; in Corybantic Games she got her own solo to dance (already in the very early days in her career she danced the principal role in Prince of the Pagodas, she had Alice too from the very beginning, etc) , she got to dance some big roles in the past, and still is at present. She was much talked about in her early career but she got injured for a whole season after she was fast-tracked and promoted to Soloist after only two years of joining the company - having danced few corps roles. It's hard to keep up that rhythm if a dancer is trust in the limelight so very early on in their career. ...and there are three young female principals to keep on their toes too
  6. Xandra Newman
    I don't think this Forum has created "sacred cows". Most posters are (very) knowledgable, well informed and experienced ballet goers (but I also enjoy reading a post from a not so experienced ballet goer or a complete newbie as their view is often fresh and makes me look at things in a different light). Most posters know enough to see who is outstanding and who is not so outstanding (baring in mind that ballet is art and opinions will often be subjective). Yes we all have our favourite dancers and that is acceptable and normal. What is important is that one can be objective (not always easy!) and also praise a dancer who has given an outstanding performance who is not a favourite; ... the same goes for when our favourite(s) did/do not produce an outstanding performance. We mustn't forget that dancers are also humans and have their off moments too! I appreciate any dancer who has an outstanding technic, a beautiful classical line is a true bonus, and who has the ability to move me (in the form of goosebumps or tears).
  7. Xandra Newman
    I usually mention those dancers who are truly exceptional for one reason or another (as in Capybara's Firm favourites list). If their dancing is just nice (which is the least I expect of them as they are Royal Ballet dancers after all) I don't mention them. I attend RB performances to be bowled over and to be moved. Just nice dancing won't do it for me (but there are dancers whose technic bowl me over but don't move me at all!)
  8. Xandra Newman
    It is truly remarkable and it intrigues me how the previous Director of The Royal Ballet School, Ms Gailene Stock, managed to produce so many outstanding dancers now filling the various ranks of The Royal Ballet Company, dancers who not only have an outstanding technic but who are also very versatile as well as good actors. This new generation of dancers have turned the RB into the most exciting company to watch and surely, in my opinion, the best in the world for above said reasons. A quick glance at the ROH website/Dancers shows: 6 out of 16 Principals have trained under her directorship (Lauren Cuthbertson, Yasmine Naghdi and Francesca Hayward trained at both sections of the School - Alexander Campbell, Steven McRae and Vadim Muntagirov trained at the Upper School) 5 out of 11 First Soloists 11 out of 17 Soloists and in the Corps de Ballet: 13 out of 17 First Artists 12 out of 17 Artists (Aud Jebsen Dancers not included) 47 dancers were trained during her tenure as Director of the RBS (that's over half of the Company dancers). Character Artists not included as I believe none trained during her Directorship. Surely by the end of this Season a new male Principal - who also trained at the RBS under her Directorship - will be added to the list making it 7 out of 16 Principals. Mr Kevin O'Hare also deserves full credit as he clearly understands the needs of his most talented young dancers, and knows how to nurture their talent and guide their career. The result is there for all to see.
  9. Xandra Newman
    At first I was also surprised not to see Yasmine Naghdi cast to dance O/O during the Madrid tour but it is such a very short tour and there are only six performances. Obviously the RB must show Principals such as Osipova, Nunez, Muntagirov, McRae, Cuthbertson, Lamb and Bonelli to the Madrid audience. Nunez/Muntagirov get 2 performances whereas the others just 1 performance thus Naghdi, being the youngest Principal, clearly has "to pay the price" for the limited amount of shows. At least here in London we have all her O/O performances to look forward to!
  10. Xandra Newman
    At least we are served this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/dance-season
  11. Xandra Newman
    It was a very informative evening and it must have been a huge effort to reconstruct those works, especially Laiderette (from a B/W film). "Laiderette" was my favourite and full praise for Yasmine Naghdi (whom I was told learned the ballet at very short notice, having to take over from Francesca Hayward). Yasmine's shy girl characterisation was so delicately portrayed and her public humiliation was very palpable. Praise also to the rest of the cast whom I felt gave it their all. Bravo to everyone involved and especially Viviana Durante for undertaking the reconstruction.
  12. Xandra Newman
    I am so overwhelmed by tonight's STUNNING performance by Osipova/Shkykarov/Naghdi/Sambe I can't find the right words now. The atmosphere in the audience was electric and as Sim said THE most passionate Manon I have seen in ages, this one surpassed them all. This should have been the Opening Night of Manon.
  13. Xandra Newman
    She's a dancer I like a lot too but wasn't she only just promoted to soloist last season? I think it would be a tat too fast for her (knowing there is also Magri and Heap and last but not least the beautiful Fumi Kaneko who's been a soloist for several years now).
  14. Xandra Newman
    Correct, she danced one performance as Aurora and it is only normal to have at least danced one full length classical tutu role when one has become a principal don't you think?
  15. Xandra Newman
    Who became principal first is totally immaterial. Dancers are cast by the AD and/or choreographer in roles deemed suitable for them. Naghdi has a very strong classical technique, her physique lends itself to dancing classical tutu roles, besides having wonderful musicality and being a good actress. Hayward was cast very early on in her career in roles deemed suitable for her such as Rhapsody, Clara, Alice in Wonderland, Lise in Fille mal gardee, Manon, Titania in The Dream, Princess Stephanie in Mayerling,.. all in which she shone but she did not dance any full length classical tutu role until her 1st season as a Principal... The first time I saw Hayward dance a classical tutu roles was as Sugar Plum (as a 1st year Principal). It is very rare that a dancer is suited to all and just about any role in the company repertoire. We didn't get to see Naghdi as Lise or Titania or Manon... but Naghdi danced highly technical Ashton roles such as Symphonic Variations and Monotones. They are both such very different dancers and it is clear from the recent casting (Odette/Odile and Gamzatti) that of the two Naghdi is considered by the AD to be more suited to dance highly classical roles. There may also be reasons unknown to us why Hayward is not cast in classical tutu roles. Both dancers give us great performances in their own unique way.
  16. Xandra Newman
    I had my hopes up high too for her to dance the title role in Mayerling (as she was not Manon this time around). There are no debuts at all in the title role, but the great news is we'll get to see her in La Baydere as Gamzatti, a fab role for her!
  17. Xandra Newman
    La Bayadere....that will be an expensive run....= at least three tickets for me! Osipova/Muntagirov/Nunez as Gamzatti Nunez/Corrales/Osipova as Gamzatti Takada/McRae/Naghdi as Gamzatti
  18. Xandra Newman
    https://australianballet.com.au/artist/kevin-jackson Kevin Jackson, Principal - Australian Ballet, is guesting with The Royal Ballet as announced a few days back. Now it's clear why there is an exchange (!) : he will be the partner of Yasmine Naghdi. (what about Matthew Ball??)
  19. Xandra Newman
    It's a bit regretful that ticket holders have to figure it all out. It's clear from the dancers listed on the Barbican website that they have omitted mentioning Principal dancer Yasmine Naghdi but she is listed as a dancer on http://www.viviana-durante.com/
  20. Xandra Newman
    http://www.viviana-durante.com It says on this website the Barbican performances will run from 18th to 21st April, and all the dancers participating are listed on there.
  21. Xandra Newman
    I asked my ballet buddies and they said yes there is a performance on the 19th (so weird it doesn't come up on website. Why?)
  22. Xandra Newman
    ...and Yasmine Naghdi, in the Ballet Association interview report revealed "that her Mistress wig weighs a tonne, so does her corseted and boned costume" .
  23. Xandra Newman
    Thank you Alison. I am pretty sure but I will double-check with my friend who booked the tickets.
  24. Xandra Newman
    https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2018/event/kenneth-macmillan-steps-back-in-time I am going with a few ballet friends to this event on 19 April. The ROH Manon cast on 19th April shows Hayward is replacing Morera so I am wondering will "Laiderette" be cancelled that evening? There is no information on the Barbican website whatsoever.
  25. Xandra Newman
    I went to see Manon last night and really liked Osipova dancing with Shkylarov (never seen him dance before). He was rather hesitant at first and nerves did show. Yes it was his debut but I think as a Principal it shouldn't really show at all. I couldn't take my eyes of Yasmine Naghdi, dancing as Mistress, whenever she was on stage. Every fine detail registered and, as a member of the audience (sitting close to the stage), I could really see and feel what was going through her mind. Her absolute contempt for the "intruding" Manon was so clear and visible and I was totally mesmerised by all the fine details of Yasmine's portrayal. She was telling us her story too, alongside Manon telling us hers. Fascinating it was!
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