annamk

I've seen him dance quite a few times at ENB this season including Emerging Dancer. I think he has great potential, certainly already a very good technique but I also feel that he could easily go down the slippery slope of the "look at me" dancers which would be a pity. 

James is an interesting role for him because it doesn't just require the dancer to show (not show off) his technique, the presentation of the character is important too. 

Yes it is Alina with Yermakov. 

I went to see this film which is still showing at the Curzon. Osipova talks at length (in english) about her ballet journey and what drives her - she is charming, smart and funny. There are plenty of sequences of ballet and dance rehearsal - Bayadere and contemporary. Highly recommended even if you are not particularly an Osipova fan. 

My highlights (in order ! ) 

Corrales/Hayward (RB)- 3rd Romeo & Juliet, one of the greatest performances

Morera/Bonelli Mayerling (RB)- very fine portrayls from these exceptional artists

Cojocaru/Caley ENB Manon - Alina, Alina, Alina

Muntagirov in Winter Dreams & Month in the Country (RB) - he was simply magnificent and I held my breath.

Cao/Arrieta ENB Swan Lake - a beautiful production, a fine orchestra and conductor, a well rehearsed corps de ballet and central performances full of nuance, pathos and melancholy

Shklyarov/Yevseyeva Don Q (St Petersburg Mariinsky) - fun and pizzazz in spades

La Sylphide (St Petersburg Mikhailovsky) a rare opportunity to see the still great Sarafanov

Ratmansky Shostakovich Trilogy (San Francisco Balle) for the brilliance of the choreography

Ratmansky Bayadere in Berlin for the spectacle

15 minutes ago, Mary said:

A quite superb end to a wonderful year.

Muntagirov in Month was perfection. Ashton with a Russian soul. Sublime. 

Indeed. 

A marvellous Month cast with an exceptional performance from Muntagirov. What an extraordinary artist, how lucky are we to have him in London    

I didn't look at my watch last night but judging by what time I got home I don't think it finished much after 10.30 ........

Naomi - I hope you are going and will be able to report back to us. 

Wow - I would really like to see that R & J pdd and Muntagirov in Winter Dreams - what a treat ! 

Well I wish him good luck. I saw quite a number of his performances over the years and I never really thought he was a good fit for the company. I have also enjoyed his character roles recently but I think the RB is well provided with very fine character artists and if the way forward is to allow existing principals a shot at what might be classed as character roles - thinking here Ball as Tybalt then maybe there simply isn't room for him. 

On 11/06/2019 at 20:12, HappyTurk said:

I'm not yet sold on Corrales' artistic presence. So I think he needs a bit more time developing it. 

So I am guessing you didn't see his Romeo either .... especially the last one, not sure how much more artistic presence it would have been possible to show. 

On 08/06/2019 at 17:20, penelopesimpson said:

my thought too, Capybara.  They don't need another female Principal and I guess Corrales will be the next male, I hope.  But  if they are going to use Halberg a lot, that cuts out the need.

I also so hope so re Corrales. Perhaps it depends who, if anyone (other than Soares), is leaving the principal ranks this year. 

Sambe timing was presumably because of Japan. 

So BBB must be right, oh dear. How embarrassing. 

I wondered if it was done because of the tour ? But then I guess why announce it in the paper ...... 

2 hours ago, MRR said:

just that Campbell (for me) tends, slightly, to "milk" some of his big technical moments in the ballet, and has a somewhat exaggerated way of relating to his partner. I wish I could explain it better but that's how I saw it, and I don't intend these as major criticisms. I know not everyone will agree and am happy for those who enjoyed his performance 

I agree with you and I don’t think he used to do this. It seems to me that some dancers develop this way (McRae springs to mind) and it’s not wrong, it’s just not something I like but I’m perfectly happy that others don’t have any problem with it. 

7 minutes ago, Lindsay said:

 

No, he wasn't even there.  But that doesn't get in the way of him having a Definitive Opinion on the Royal's Balanchine

Are you sure he wasn't there ? I thought I saw him and his Instagram posts certainly suggest he watched the performance ! 

It's a very enjoyable triple bill. 

I don't love Firebird, it's fascinating for it's history but as an engaging piece of ballet it only enthrals me towards the end where all the groups dance fiercely. Naghdi was very good. 

In Month Hay danced everyone off the stage, Hayward showed great expressive and natural acting. Ball's looks the part and his acting was good but as someone said he isn't Dowell when it comes to movement. In fairness to him, he's had a heavy work load recently so I am sure he will develop in this role. Nunez danced beautifully but I thought her portrayal needed to be toned down - she was too melodramatic for me, no subtlety of expression or gesture anywhere. I wondered why Laura Morera had not been cast. 

I adore Symphony in C. It was generally well danced with stand out performances for me from an entirely regal Kaneko who owned the stage, Muntagirov (of course), the serene Sarah Lamb and the sweet Hayward and Hay. 

58 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

I’m not really knowledgeable enough to give a review like others here 

Dear Rob S no ! Don't feel you can't comment if you would like to say something. There are many different levels of knowledge on this board, some people have been going for years but have never danced a step themselves (me !) and others it seems to me to me must be ex dancers such is their knowledge of the detail. Personally, I enjoy reading all the different ways of seeing ! 

There was plenty that I really enjoyed in this afternoon’s performance although it didn’t move me. 

Sambe was a terrific lead mandolin - first time in this run I’ve heard spontaneous applause - is there anything he can’t do ? Maybe he should have tried Tybalt too !

Ball’s acting was intelligent and interesting, his solos well judged, his partnering strong and he looks wonderful. But for me he still doesn’t show that internal fire that makes me unable to take my eyes off the main man on stage - Polunin in his prime, Shklyarov, and now Corrales. Maybe it was something to do with me not feeling the chemistry between Ball and Naghdi. I feel in the 4 years since their debuts they’ve gone in different directions, she is without doubt a beautiful classical dancer but on the basis of today’s performance I am less persuaded that she is a natural MacMillian actress. I’m sure I’m in a minority here and the live relay will be a very good performance. 

Terrific review MRR, my experience was as yours, even down to failing to consult the synopsis beforehand .... when will I learn ? 

25 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said:

Delighted to see Alexander Campbell fully and properly cast, including as Des Grieux. No Des Grieux for Reece Clarke though

I thought Reece Clarke Des Grieux was excellent - he has a beautiful line and his adagio was one of the loveliest,  so very disappointed  he doesn’t have an opportunity to repeat it. 

At least a number of forum members will be happy about Campbell 😢

23 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said:

and remains a beautiful dancer and a great artist ...

On the basis of his Romeo (Hallberg)  I can’t agree with this; but more importantly, there are few enough opportunities for the talented younger company dancers as it is and to fill a number of them with a guest star who is past his best is really disappointing. 

6 hours ago, FionaE said:

Heartfelt thanks to the supportive commentators here and in my personal messages.  Without those I wouldn’t be bothering to write.

 

I don’t think many on this forum HAVE ANY IDEA what Sergei is achieving with his current dance programmes.  You do have to change yourself and your perceptions, before you can be open to understanding what he is doing.   If you are looking for the pure classical ballet of his years at RB or Stanislavsky then you will not get that.  Don’t come expecting it.  It’s dance based on ballet technique.  

 

As an aside, are you aware of his many years of classical ballet brilliance at the Stanislavsky?  From what I read on here I doubt it.  IMO many of those performances were far more perfect than his younger days at RB.  I recommend you watch the many clips on YouTube of him in Don Q, Coppelia, Giselle, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, La Bayadere at the Stanislavsky or guesting with the Bolshoi and La Scala.

 

Back to this week at the Palladium.  You’ll be pleased to hear it was another near full house, and, standing ovation tonight (Thursday).  I’ve noticed principals and dancers from ENB and RB attendees at the shows I’ve seen so far.  

 

NO ONE ELSE gives the audience the emotional experience that he can and does.  He is also an incredibly hardworking dancer - 6 performances in 5 consecutive days where he is carrying the entire show.  And this format has been repeated in Prague, Moscow and elsewhere.  Even principals in your usual classical ballets (can’t?) don’t do that.

 

It’s my view that he may well be the misunderstood mentally fragile case aka Nijinsky or Yuri Soloviev of our times. (Google Soloviev if you haven’t heard of him).  In which case I want to make sure that I see and experience everything he does before he implodes.  And if not, then I look forward to many years of fascinating performances feeding my soul, making me think and marvel.

 

He does have a very supportive group of friends and colleagues around him now.  He is commissioning very interesting works with all sorts of creative people.  I am hopeful for his future.

 

He is a wonderfully caring man for any woman - you can see how he supports his dancing partners with a lightness of touch.  Use slow motion - you’ll see.  And oh my word he expresses himself through THE most beautiful hand movements ever in dance.  

 

You can choose to believe he is homophobic from some of his Instagram comments.  If so, you haven’t read them properly.  He was talking about male and female energy, and used Elton John as an example of male energy on stage.  There are earlier comments he has made which were supportive of LGBT people and which some have chosen to ignore.   Just one question to consider - if he were truly homophobic how could he have collaborated on projects with gay people and have gay friends.

 

It is not morally ok to label someone immoral just because you have different beliefs, or don’t like tattoos, or their choice of tattoos.  Many young people in the UK now have tattoos.  It’s a fashion.  And they are often chosen to provoke - it’s the ‘up yours’ culture.

 

I don’t even notice the tattoos when he dances  (in Sacre he wears a jacket and a T-shirt so there’s not much to see).   I’m focused on the artistry, the emotion, the use of the body and of course the technique.  He fills the stage and auditorium with his portrayal.  It’s unexplainable.  You either get it or you don’t.  

 

Oh, and his technique is still fabulous - the jumps, the turns, the soft landings, the perfect 5th positions - and oh the height of the jumps.  It’s the combination of ALL these things that make him so wonderful to experience. 

 

So excited for the Rasputin premiere tomorrow.  

 

 

 

 

I think the majority of people who post on here regularly are very well aware of Sergei's many years at the Stanislavsky. Like myself, I expect many ballet/ dance fans followed him with interest (and the hope that he would achieve success and find contentment) when he left the RB. That interest was only lost through disappointing experiences of watching him as his technique deteriorated. I could not describe much I saw in the Stanislavsky years as classical ballet brilliance. 

As for not having any idea what he is achieving with his current dance programmes, and needing to change oneself and ones perceptions to enjoy him, all I can say is that the last programme I saw in which he was involved was naive, excruciatingly boring, and poorly danced. 

There are plenty of other dancers who give the audience an emotional experience. 

3 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

I think quite a few people re-homed themselves in the gaps, as it was sadly not sold out. A shame, as I thought it was bloody fantastic triple bill!

I re-homed downstairs  and yes I agree it was fantastic !

Returned to the BO.

I have sent you a pm Linda. Anna

I have double booked myself so I'm selling D22 & 23 standing at the back of the circle £10 each. Message me if interested - they are e tickets. Anna