Tango Dancer

32 minutes ago, Aruna S said:

I'm very excited to see that Fille is scheduled for the next season, it's one of my favourite ballets. It'll have to be a flying visit since I already have a lengthy stay in London in November when Regent's Opera is staging the Ring. Currently pondering whether to go to Birmingham, which I've never visited, or stick to Sadler's Wells. Any advice on the Hippodrome vs Sadler's Wells, and on possible accomodation in Birmingham would be very much appreciated.

Birmingham is quite a fun place to visit and stay.  I wouldn't agree the area around the Hippodrome is awful, I mean it's the edge of Chinatown and there are some quite good Chinese restaurants.  Hippodrome is quite a pleasant theatre.  I usually sit further back and the view is always decent.  

I've stayed at the Holiday Inn, the Radisson and the New Street Station Premier Inn (which is about 12 minutes walk) depending on prices.  All are fine.  Last time I stayed at the Premier Inn and went to Tim Hortons for breakfast because I think their maple pancakes are fun.  For Sleeping Beauty I'm doing that again because it pleased me and meant I could get my train back easily.  

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

There could be opportunities for dancers not ranked as principals to dance lead roles at matinées. Previously Fille was always danced by soloists, first soloists as well as  principals in the leads. I'm hoping Chou gets London; I've seen a few other principals. 

 

You're right @Dawnstar- that's fast counting! - it's only 13 shows. That's because there's another full length ballet in spring. But there is a gap from 27 Oct to 21 Nov with nothing announced for the company, so they could well be waiting for another theatre to confirm, or there might be scope to add on 1 or 2 extra shows at Sadler's Wells. 

 

Hopefully casting will be announced soon enough for people to book trains and /or hotels if needed, as well as tickets. 😊 I think Sadler's Wells could definitely sell out four performances, though, and probably five. As @FionaM noted, I don't think 3 shows for London would be enough. 

Hoping for Tzu-Chao or Matthias for Colas.  I'll book the date I can do best (probably 28 Sept) and see who I wind up with.

Delighted they're bringing back Fille and definitely worth a trip to Birmingham.  I think the audience will be full of very happy people.  I think it was Matthias Dingman last time I saw it who was just lovely.  I will also miss Brandon though.  

16 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I had tickets for Sat 2 March eve as that was one of the dates he was scheduled to do; unfortunately I can't do weekdays that week. I suppose "remaining shows" is more correct than "new dates" (must admit I didn’t take notuce of weekdays as they weren't feasible for me). Really sad as I always enjoyed Cesar's artistry, great partnering, and  musicality - as well as technical ability. A pity teleporting doesn't yet exist!  I'm very grateful I got to see his Albrecht and Oberon though. 

Yeah that's the one I'd booked as well.  I always book the date I can do and take pot luck on dancers.  So I am disappointed I'll miss the chance to see Cesar in this role as he's not someone I've seen before.  Still I'm sure Max will do very well indeed.  

I get their advert every time I watch something on Youtube (or so it feels).  It doesn't matter how often I say I don't want to see this advert.  It's absolutely infuriating.  

10 minutes ago, Beezie said:

I would further add that I think some of the verbiage around ballet makes people feel like they cannot be successful at dance if they aren’t successful at ballet.  I think that is destructive.  I can see why someone needs to take ballet to develop in other dance types, but they don’t need to excel in ballet in the same manner that a classical ballerina would excel in ballet.  

I think you're right I started other forms of dance first and came to ballet later. So I did street dance, decided I liked dancing.  Then I did tango and decided I liked dancing with people.  Then I tried ballet to improve my tango but didn't enjoy it.  Then I tried Bellydance and discovered I also liked wearing a hipscarf and shimmying.  I tried ballet again and it didn't work for me.  It was only when I was in my 40s and found a good teacher that ballet clicked for me. 

I think it's definitely the hardest thing I do physically.  I'd say tango is harder emotionally because you have to have a relationship with your partners and respond to them.  So I always check before tango that I'm a good headspace and check before ballet that all body parts are working.  

4 hours ago, glowlight said:

Perhaps...'Ballet provides a solid foundation for many other types of dance'?

I'd agree.  It's not the foundation of all dance but it's certainly influenced a lot of other forms of dance and there's a lot of read across between ballet and a lot of other dance styles and it's been adopted fairly widely.  So I do bellydance and there are a number of steps that have come from ballet that are used in bellydance by a lot of teachers now because they're elegant and look good.  So for example arabesque in second position is used by one teacher, another one has us use a rond de jambe fairly often to practice balance and extension and because it looks good in a slowish dance.  

I'd also say that it's very helpful for other dance styles.  I dance social tango and I've found my balance has improved significantly since I started ballet.  I seem to pull up and in more and have a lot more core strength and ability to stay on my axis.  One of my tango teachers was a former ballet dancer who teaches "ballet for tango dancers." I think definitely doing ballet helps with other dance forms. 

I'd also say that dance doesn't exist in a vacuum, it's subject to change, adaptation and evolution.  The type of tango I dance has changed significantly from the one danced in 19th century Argentina, hand positions are different and the leg movements have changed because we're not now dancing in longer skirts.  Bellydance has changed and evolved over the years with new schools emerging (such as American Tribal style) and wide differences between even neighbouring countries and cross fertilisation, e.g. between bellydance, flamenco and burlesque where there's a lot of overlap.  As one teacher said to me the other week, there are only so many ways of moving your body.    

On 18/01/2024 at 13:44, Jan McNulty said:

I doubt it if they are doing lots more dates.

 

I'm hoping against hope that they are doing "up north" dates.

Me too.  I am really keeping fingers crossed for something in the North of England.  

Well I had a great time last night at the Thursday evening performance.  As usual I booked the ticket before the cast was known as it was the only night I could get to London.  

I enjoyed the show very much.  I have always liked Gabriele Frola as he's such a beautiful dancer so I was delighted he was performing (no offence to Ken Saruhashi who is also a good dancer).  I thought he was lovely.  I didn't get the feeling he was madly in love with Giselle.  I had more the feeling that he was playing at love and flirtation and realised the effects of what he had done when she died.  I loved seeing his growing despair and terror and the way he realised that only Giselle could save him. His dancing was amazing, I wish he'd danced for longer during Act 2 as he was captivating. 

I liked Shiori Kase, she's not a dancer I'd seen before but she made a lovely fragile and intense Giselle who had given her heart.  You could see why her mother was so worried about her health and what might happen.  Her performance in Act 2 was absolutely exquisite too and technically really impressive.  

I liked the Wilis very much and the corps did a great job.  Angela Wood was a very good dancer but I didn't think she was quite as scary as I like Myrtha to be, she seemed a bit too nice.  

The other standout to me was the peasant couple.  Miguel Angel Maidana is a seriously good dancer with really great jumps and personality.  I'd love to see him as Espada sometime.  He is definitely going places I think.  Ivana Bueno was also a lovely stylish dancer who really held the audience attention.  They had really good chemistry together and sizzled.  

I would however agree about the darkness.  I was in the balcony and it was impossible to see what was happening to the gamekeepers and Hilarion.  I know lighting should be atmospheric but you need to be able to see what's going on.  

All in all a really good evening.  I was also impressed with how good the view was.  I got a £10 ticket for the balcony with TodayTix and was pleased that I could see almost all of the stage.  I'd have liked more comfortable seats and legroom but it was extremely good value for money.  

8 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

Delighted to hear this, as I’ve never seen it live.

Me neither.  I am hoping they come to Bradford as it's nearer for me than Salford.  

The London City Ballet programme looks really exciting.  I hope they bring it on tour near me because I can't do those dates in London.  

Also the National Ballet of Canada looks great, I'm not a massive fan of Crystal Pite but the programme looks so interesting I'm definitely making a note of the dates.  

32 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

I don't know what he has said elsewhere, but in his autobiography he said that Cojocaru 'was a great Giselle when she first did it with me in 2001. We worked well together and she won rave reviews, but later when she went off onto the guest artist circuit she never recaptured the original impact of her early performances'. Though I have to say that her later performances had no less of an impact on me than her stunning 2001 début.

I didn't see her in 2001 but I thought she was amazing with the United Ukrainian Ballet.  For some reason that performance really touched me and she seemed to be so emotionally engaged and captivated by what she was doing.  

36 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

I have to say, if we have to choose between Cinderella/Fille for Ashton I would choose Fille. Cinderella is a bit too fresh in my mind to want to see it again for Christmas 2024.

 

Regarding the Alain issue, isn't he a sort of knockoff version of Gamache in Don Q (I haven't seen Fille in full so not sure). And they were fine with presenting him as a figure of fun. So it shouldn't be a huge blocker.

Definitely.  I wasn't massively keen on Cinderella (I mean it was ok but the stepsisters were on way too much and the prince didn't get enough time dancing for my personal taste). If I had a choice I'd pick Fille every time because it has more of the individual dances I like, Colas gets a lot more to do and I also really want to see Benn Gartside do Widow Simone.  

13 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Also, Hilarion's actions are entirely understandable, given that Albrecht strides up to the area outside, dressed in peasant clothing but wearing an expensive cloak and with his sword strapped to his side.  The stupid idiot.  Didn't he think when he was putting it on that it might be spotted?   Now why didn't his companion say to him that perhaps the outfit wasn't appropriate and persuade him to wear some rough old coat and swap his sword for whatever peasants carried in those days.

But then, reality has never been a strong point in any dramatic tale....

 

Yeah I've always felt Hilarion got a raw deal.  I mean Hilarion genuinely cared for Giselle and was trying to do the right thing.   But then I always struggle to find Albrecht very sympathetic.  Usually he comes across as a typical upper class twit with no understanding of the impact of his actions.  It takes a really good actor to make him sympathetic to me.  

I usually book the date that works for me logistically and take pot luck on the cast.  Especially now the lovely Brandon has deserted BRB for Zurich (and he was always the one I had a particular soft spot for).  I was hoping for Tzu-Chao (as I love his jumping style) but apparently the day I've booked for has Miki and Cesar which I'm really happy about.  I've liked her every time I've seen her and I've never seen Cesar performing but he looks like a lovely dancer.  

3 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Please don’t you three. 
I liked Cojocaru but what is that current expression :  

“ Recollections may vary!” 

Absolutely, we don't all like the same dancers and some dancers suit some works better than others, and every dancer can have an off day.  It's fine not to like someone even if they're well loved on the forum. 

On 13/01/2024 at 17:51, Linnzi5 said:

Same happens to me - drives me insane! I realise it's probably targeted advertising, owing to my love of ballet, but literally, everywhere I go online that can possibly have adverts, Shen Yun are there - right in my face! 🙄 😡

Me too.  Every time I watch something on Youtube I get Shen Yun despite saying I don't want to see their adverts.  

On 02/01/2024 at 18:20, Jan McNulty said:

I don't know how I managed to not mention Ballet Black!!

 

I'm most definitely looking forward to seeing them in 2024.

I had an email from them about their 2024 works.  I'm really glad they've got Mthuthuzeli November to do something else, I loved Nina.  The first preview performance is apparently at Hackney Empire.  I've pasted the text below.  

On Friday 22nd of March we will present a preview performance of our new 2024 double bill 'Ballet Black: HEROES'. It will be your first chance to see our new works as well as our fabulous new company dancers.

What's on the bill?

Award-winning choreographer, Mthuthuzeli November (Nina: By Whatever Means) contemplates the purpose of life in The Waiting Game, an exciting and energetic work originally created in 2020, infused with a dynamic soundtrack featuring the voices of the Ballet Black artists.

Sophie Laplane, the Franco-British artist and Choreographer in Residence at Scottish Ballet creates a brand new piece for us, after her dazzling 2019 BB ballet, CLICK! Sophie's new work explores the complexity of humanity, heroism and self-acceptance in this celebratory and original piece.

It looks like they're doing a tour but haven't put all the venues up yet.  So far it's Oxford, Barbican, Birmingham and Edinburgh.  

19 hours ago, jmhopton said:

It's a shock to me to find out he's gone! I hadn't realised, which perhaps sums up my interest in his works. My vote as his replacement would have been Liam Scarlett but sadly not to be. The only other available choreographer that I would actually pay to see is Valentino Zuccetti so my vote would go to him. He may not be the most experienced choreographer around or the biggest name but (apart from Liam) he's the only contemporary choreographer whose work I actually enjoy rather than endure as his ballets (though having some modern movements) are very definitely classical. He also selects great classical music to showcase his ballets!

I agree I like Valentino's works.  I also really enjoyed the piece Ben Ella choreographed for Northern Ballet.  For some reason it really worked for me.  

The other one I'd love them to use is Tiler Peck because her choreography is really great and interesting and I think she could do great things. I'd love RB to use her if they want modern choreographers.  

1 hour ago, Fonty said:

With regard to touring companies, they must have a very difficult time deciding what to take to places that get very little ballet.  In London we are spoilt for choice, so we don't mind going to see something we know very little about.  If I find myself watching people in grey underwear rolling about while someone bangs dustbin lids together for 45 minutes, I would just chalk it up to experience, knowing that next month I can book a ticket for something much more to my taste.  Those who attend maybe once or twice a year are not as likely to spend good money on the unknown.  They probably want something more familiar, such as good old Swan Lake.  I seem to remember when the Opera House was closed, and the RB was performing in various places that they struggled to fill theatres at times.  I know a friend of mine took her granddaughter to see something, and the only choice was a triple bill of some sort.  She said it was ok, but the child  was disappointed.  She wanted to see the ladies in gorgeous tutus and pointe shoes, rather than the more modern pieces that were being offered.  That is what ballet meant to her, as it does to so many people who don't go regularly.  

 

No idea what the ACE wants, but my perception is that they are keen to encourage the more experimental at the expense of the traditional, and allot funds accordingly.  Whereas people new to ballet might be more tempted by the sort of fare danced at galas.  Lots of variety with many definite crowd pleasers.

 

  
 

I think this is the key.   If they don't go often or have much choice people tend to want the classics.  (That said Akram Khan's modern Giselle at Manchester was pretty full when I went and so was Ballet Black at Salford).  

I think the problem can be that ACE sometimes wants companies to do modern "improving" pieces (which are often quite depressing) and that's not what people want to see.  People like watching pretty dancers in tutus performing because it's escapist and fun and uplifting. If someone wants to see that they're not going to spend money on modern stuff involving grey underwear and dustbin lids.  Especially given that most people don't have large amounts of discretionary budget.  I try and see 1-2 modern pieces per year but it can be hard finding ones that aren't terminally miserable and woefully unimaginative.  Thank goodness for Tiler Peck.  

16 minutes ago, Peony said:

I looked at enb earlier and all of the dates they’ve released (until

june) are in London. And BRB seem to have dropped many of their previous locations. Are they actually touring companies? A huge part of the country is not served by any of those companies anymore! I think brb2 is an interesting concept so may have to investigate their dates. I saw le corsaire on tour and it was really popular, enb did promote it quite heavily though which is probably needed

I am hoping that London City Ballet and similar companies will bring some ballet to some of the less widely toured theatres.  

BRB does tour more widely and I'm currently debating whether to see their Sleeping Beauty in Manchester or Birmingham.  

Northern Ballet does a really good job touring some of their works and some of their smaller pieces, e.g. Generations sold really well.  So there's definitely an appetite for ballet outside London.  

14 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

I don’t really understand the removal of the other men.  I’m assuming it’s because they feel it’s culturally insensitive and some sort of stereotype to portray an Asian woman as a sex worker in a harem, or is it a concern that a woman is being passed around three different men?  I personally feel the way it’s danced, as an artistic representation of a harem, is in fact quite empowering to the woman: one woman dancing sensually with three men adoring her and presenting her while she looks like she’s in control is very refreshing. It fits perfectly with the beautiful, sensuous piece of music and the flow and dynamic is lost for me when it’s just a pas de deux.  It used to be one of the highlights, but it fell flat for me this time.

I'd always assumed she was the Queen and they were her eunuchs serving her because she's very much the one in charge of the dance.  That said I quite like it as a pas de deux too. 

As a bad amateur bellydancer I'd say none of it is very authentically "Arabian" despite the usual costuming.  No Egyptian / Turkish / Levantine / Emirati dancer dances anything like this and they don't use this music.  So it's very much fantasy whichever version you do.  

I think my favourite version is probably the Bolshoi one which does a pas de deux that really draws on classical Indian hand movements and positioning.  

I come and go on Matthew Bourne.  Some of his work I really think is impressive and some of it not so much.  I'm in two minds about whether to go to see this when it tours my way so would also like to hear views.

Like Jan McNulty I'm really looking forward to NB's Romeo and Juliet. Having moved from London to Yorkshire I'm really enjoying seeing their works more often. 

I'm also looking forward to seeing the Sao Paolo Dance company on tour because it looks really interesting.  

I've actually also booked for the Ballet Icons gala at the Coliseum.  Not sure who from their list will be performing but it looked like fun.  

One of my friends also wants to go to London to see ENB at the Royal Albert Hall in Swan Lake.  I always like seeing ballet in the round, it's such an interesting perspective so I think I will enjoy that.  I may do the Georgian swan lake if I can find a reason to be in London at the time.  

Other than that I'll see what's on that I like the look of and book when I see what's coming.  I like to keep some money back to be spontaneous.  I'm hoping the London City Ballet will tour somewhere near me as I'm looking forward to seeing what they do and I'll probably see the BRB Sleeping Beauty.  

47 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

You are being very diplomatic, Bridiem. I would call it preaching, and sadly there seems to be no escape from it these days. 

I agree so much of modern dance is preachy and depressing.  I'm not sure why there's so little joy in any of it.  I am always pleasantly surprised when anything contemporary is at all upbeat.  It's why the latest Ballet Black programme was such a pleasant surprise to me.