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Florine

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  1. Florine
    Jeté, relevé, backbend, recover facing upstage OP
  2. Florine
    That was the 1968 Frederick Ashton production, set vaguely in the Middle Ages, and featuring his sublime 'awakening pdd'.
  3. Florine
    I so agree with this. The score almost suggests they are tip-toeing off a rainbow, and certainly I remember the fairies entry with a kind of radiance directed towards the little princess. Mostly they now do 'just enter' and don't convey (and add to) the sense of wonder (so crucial for Carabosse's to violently smash). Was is Alastair Macaulay who also commented on the stringy line up with double pirouette into attitude, so many out of line and out of sync. I so want to love this ballet in every way, but this season it has lost much of its magic, except perhaps for the Vision pdd. That said, Frankie Hayward absolutely cracked Aurora, exquisite balance of artistry, technique, strength and lyricism - sublime. Her Aurora was utterly real and three dimensional, developing over the three acts from girl to monarch-in-waiting.
  4. Florine
    Thanks so much - this folklore is fascinating and inexorably tied up with so much of Christmas and winter. Much appreciated.
  5. Florine
    St Nicholas' Day is 6 December: in the Netherlands he arrives from Spain (nowadays to different ports). He and his helpers throw sweets for children and it is the day children often receive Christmas presents instead of on Christmas Day (when a small present may be received). St Nicholas' Day is also taken seriously in other European countries. The Krampusse that 'arrives' with St Nicholas are symbolic of St Nicholas's ability to cast out devils. Krampusse are also seen in other Swiss/Germanic/Austrian countries during Fasching - a single or series of carnival-like celebrations to cast out evil/devils that occur between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday. Wright's production is faithful to the the Germanic origin of the story (I'm not referring to choreogrphy) so as Silke points out, it is absolutely in keeping that St Nicholas should make an appearance throwing sweets, accompanied by Krampusse.
  6. Florine
    There are a lot of misconceptions about how 'clouds' are created on stage. It is not 'ice' as we conventional know and is not experienced as ice as we conventionally feel. It is a vapour - but I will stop there else I will get bogged down in physics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatrical_smoke_and_fog
  7. Florine
    I appreciate this is extreme, but for me the transformation pdd between Clara and Hans Peter (with it's crescendoing, richly emotional score) followed by the snowflakes, initially 'falling' is ones/twos, then gathering momentum to drift with the slowing of the score is the magical climax of the ballet - or was. Dropping 8 snowflakes on a stage that is more than adequate for 24, vitiated something so beautiful for me that I returned my second ticket. I wonder who the 'someone' was who thought that fewer snowflakes make the patterns more defined? I can't see it myself. I agree with Fonty - I love a proper snowfall over a light dusting. And with PeterS, prefer not to be reminded of climate change in such an otherwise glorious production. Sadly, clearly you can .... down to 16 from the lockdown 24 ...
  8. Florine
    Does anyone else feel a distinct 'absence' of snowflakes in the post lockdown ROH Wright production? They seem to have diminished from 24 to 16. For me this makes a big difference in terms of evoking snow gathering momentum and drifting, and definitely loses a chunk of the magic. This is the ROH stage that can easily take 24 corps ... There seems to be too much scenery and not enough dancers. Ditto the toy soldier's diminished numbers - disproportionate to the mice.
  9. Florine
    Whether a monarchist or not, it seemed remarkably discourteous of a national ballet company with the Royal Charter, not to play the national anthem at the first night of a brand new production on an historic Platinum Jubilee at the Royal Opera House. No matter that there was a technical hitch that delayed curtain up: it was well publicised that transport would be running until late (even in this forum). This historic event even spawned an extra public holiday. The Ukrainian national anthem was played before each show, preceded by a brief word by Kevin O’Hare, for around a week. EIiR is emblazoned majestically on those unforgettable crimson curtains The music sheets has been seen; most other West End theatres honoured Her Majesty with far less affiliation, so what informed what seemed like something bordering on indifference?
  10. Florine
    A double pirouette pushing off from two feet onto the supporting leg (the illusion of throwing in a double at the start) is a clever way to generate initial speed to propel momentum for the actual fouettés ....
  11. Florine
    In the flurry of fouetté debate, I omitted to thank you all for your welcome to the forum 🙂
  12. Florine
    Technically you are right Jan: We have all been talking about a double fouetté as a double TURN on the supporting leg, not a double extension and ronde de jambe of the leg en l'air.
  13. Florine
    I also agree, but add that for gifted turners who are aware of the musicality and consequences of getting behind, a single double ever fourth fouetté is as impressive visually as doubles, or randomly mixed doubles, throughout. The uniformity of every fourth fouetté as a double turn is visually contrasting and therefore pleasing to the eye. It also allows time for 'catch up'. But I'd rather well executed singles throughout, performed with the intense single minded objective of hypnotising Siegried ...
  14. Florine
    Spot on, Pas de Quatre! As timing becomes more random, at some level there is the inherent need to 'speed up'. But once behind the beat, the only way to speed up is actually to slow down, and revert to singles to recover the timing (or something else entirely as has been so helpfully explored and discussed above). Once timing has gone and speed accelerates, it only takes a tiny loss of alignment or balance (or loss of spot), to begin to fall out of balance and/or positioning. Simple biomechanics and anatomy. Doubles (even trebles) may be thrilling, but they need a very FAST turner, confident of timing. If you think back to Rojo (a consummate turner) she would always revert to a 'single-single' if ever she was a fraction behind time. That way she maintained momentum, balance and position. A sympathetic and observant conductor also comes into it ...
  15. Florine
    Anyone who has repeatedly done or performed 32 fouetté's to the Odile or Minkus music (or equivalent), does not need to start counting to know how many are achieved. Anyone very familiar with the music, even without the fouettés, would also probably be able to state the number with some accuracy. So it's not a matter of starting to count: it's arguably an innate performance understanding in the context of an entire interpretation that can sometimes contribute, in a different way, to a rounded/informed commentary of a dancer's ability to portray Odile (as argued in my previous post). That's not intended as criticism or any sort of 'put down', just to explain that it's not necessarily a matter of 'starting to count'.
  16. Florine
    In the 2017/18 SL run, Osipova omitted the act 3 fouettés in favour of piqué turns in all her shows. Changing the subject: the ghost of Liam Scarlett will forever hover over this production for me. I am so glad he kept the Ashton Neapolitan pdd, one in which he was often cast and memorably performed. In the wake of all that has gone, it is a kind of positive valediction to him.
  17. Florine
    You've summed it up in a nutshell 🙂
  18. Florine
    With you all the way Jenny, beautifully articulated (see above) and very much in agreement. Regards all three recent debutantes coming from WL: I don't remember Naghdi struggling with the fouettés in 2018. WL/RBS has its own training syllabus that is much more nuanced and, I'd argue, balanced, than many national schools globally. Of course fouetté's are part of it, but they aren't a focus. Some dancers are natural turners, some have natural elevation etc. And yes, in some schools the focus is on fireworks like fouetté's. It is very rare for all aspects of training, interpretation and physiology to come together for every single (for the purpose of this debate let's say) 'classic'. As has been noted, pressure comes into it; having a bad day comes into it. Getting behind the music by throwing in a double on on the fourth (as O'Sullivan on her swan debut) and subsequently trying to catch up with momentum throwing you off balance (think of a top) comes into it. Hayward had the weight of debut expectation just before lockdowns to deal with on top of newly awakened expectations, but will never be a 'natural' turner in the way she is a natural Ashtonian/MacMillan interpreter. Ospiova is a natural turner, but delicate choreography can leave her feet looking buttery, and her arms are characteristically Russian even now. There isn't a 'right' or 'wrong': we all prefer different things. Of course, when the fouetté's are pulled off - like Aurora's balances - they are noteworthy and additive, but (as already stated in my forum debut) for me, they are not the sum of a performance parts. With regard to counting the fouetté's, if you've done them many times and know the music, there probably isn't any need to count?
  19. Florine
    I am puzzled by such focus on the fouettés: of course they can be spectacular, but if it's a few fireworks you want, go to instagram to see hundreds of dancers showing off 32+ triple fouettés and crotch extensions, dotted around in studios all over the world. Any ballerina or danseur is is the sum of technique, musicality and artistry throughout the show, not the single firework. Anna Rose fell out of hers towards the end yesterday afternoon reverting to piqué turns, Frankie stoically got through to just over 25 last night, but does that REALLY matter in the context of outstanding performances? I have never been a fan of Swan Lake, but for the first time EVER, the tender lyricism; luscious arms; gorgeously precise technique (Ivanov merging with Ashton); overall control, and sense of wonderment at Siegfied's love, manifest in Frankie's act 2 swan, coupled with William Bracewell's sublime line, wonderful elevation, gracefully strong presence and superb chemistry with Frankie, left me in tears. Frankie's nonchalant sexiness in act 3 remained linked to Von Rothbart (skilfully developed as a three dimensional character by Gary Avis, seamlessly joining apparently disparate appearances not least through bird-like arm/hand movements - the only Von R to devote such thoughtfulness) making the dramatic theft of the crown belong to them both. William's solo shone, the epitope of princely strength and grace. The final act belonged to all three - echoes back to act 3 when Siegfried held out his arm to Odette as Von R had held his arm to Odile: Odette, torn and protected by her swans, Siegfried's unwitting betrayal and begging for forgiveness powerfully poignant, Von R's reminders to Siegfried of his betrayal increasingly desperate. Frankie's gently tender forgiveness extending beyond betrayal ... Anna Rose and Marcie Sambé were altogether different, as would be expected: Anna Rose's hallmark soubrette style was softened and lyrical, Marcie's Siegfried explosive and flamboyant, but for me, although both were wonderful, both still lack the depth and maturity of Frankie and Bracewell's sublime final show of this run. I hope the latter is a partnership we will be privileged to see develop in many roles: their shared grace/lyricism; beautiful elevation and footwork, and growing chemistry is just asking to be nourished.
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