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Everything posted by zxDaveM
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can't be listening to the right radio station! 🙂
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RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
He was jolly good - certainly looked the part, very regal and elegant. Excellent partnering too.- 697 replies
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Christmas & New Year engineering works 2023
zxDaveM replied to alison's topic in Ballet / Dance news & information
I think it leaves at 11am, which isn't a time I often pass through Victoria (ie after 10am, when it's parked up) -
Christmas & New Year engineering works 2023
zxDaveM replied to alison's topic in Ballet / Dance news & information
The routes from Southern are going to Victoria Christmas week - but my route on Southern to London Bridge isn't! Darn it As an aside - saw the old 'Orient Express' (or whatever its called now) awaiting departure when I passed through Victoria this morning. One of those things where I do wish I had more money than sense! 😉 -
RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
lol 'ok' I guess, but then not many can do them as well as Laura Morera. The rest of the variation was simply sublime -
RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
nothing wrong with that 🙂 -
RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
Completely agree bridiem - I was coming on to say pretty much the same thing about the performance (though not the lift conversation obviously). Yasmine Naghdi never lets me down, and I really enjoy watching her SPF. She brings such assured majesty to it. Was also deeply impressed by Viola Pantuso's performance - full of character, joy, enthusiastic 'zip' - as well as being beautifully danced. And Gary Avis did what Gary does - masterful showing.- 697 replies
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RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
My understanding of the gargouillade (which I realise is a bit scant) is a 'rond' motion of the right foot in a clockwise direction (2-3 circulations), then do a rond with the left in an anticlockwise direction (won't concern the arms for this discussion) in the same jump. In the SPF variation, repeat twice more, then change diagonal and do 3 more, change, do 3 more. Most seem to do the right foot, then just flick the left out at an angle. What Sarah did was two gargouillades, then step out of the diagonal with a little bit of a hop (I think), then crossed the front shin with the one that had been behind. I thought it looked much prettier than the unnecessarily tricky and ugly gargouillade step, in this dance watchers personal opinion (and of course I know I'm wrong, cos 'that's not the choreography'...) Of course, it might all have been an unintentional wobbly on the first instance, which she covered by repeating it on all the others, and I'm embarassing her by being a numpty! -
RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
'googlies' make it look distinctly refined though... -
RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
I really enjoyed Sarah Lamb's SPF last night - exquisite is a neat summation. I have an observation/question though for her solo variation. When doing the Gargouillades (googlies!), instead of three runs of three in each, she sorta stepped out of the last googly, and did an elegant hop/step and crossed her lower legs. At first I thought it was a 'oops!' moment, but she did it on all three runs. It was an elegant, beautiful step, so much prettier than the googlies, putting a rather lovely full stop to the diagonal. Did anyone else notice it? Has any other SPF done this (ie it it a Peter Wright change)? Or have I just been blind to it all these years! -
RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
I think it's a colour cast from the spotlights, which are a blueish white (for the red runs). The general lighting for the stage curtain calls is more 'rosy' (and Rose's spot is definitely very pink). Our eyes/brains just naturally adjust; the camera tells it like it is though! -
RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
just preparing you, is all... -
RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
not that I'm biased or anything but the evening shows Tuesday and Friday will be brilliant! 😉 -
Ballet Theatre UK and Ballet Cymru
zxDaveM replied to Pulcinella's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
We were even luckier in London - when they perform in the Lilian Baylis at Sadlers Wells, Cerys will perform live with them. Which is doubly marvelous. I will always make every effort to see them when they do come to London, for sure (as you might be able to guess from my avatar!) -
I'm with Sim on Strapless - think it has had its two runs, so obvivion awaits. Sorry Rob S!
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RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
Indeed - I always remember when Caroline Duprot was Clara there was always a kissy-lips imprint in lipstick on Drosselmeyer's cheek as he scurried into the wings 🙂 I remember being very envious! lol -
Sarah Lamb / partner selections
zxDaveM replied to a topic in Performances seen & general discussions
not by me - she is one of 3-4 dancers I will always book -
Symphonic Variations, Symphonic Dances, Symphony in C Marvelous!
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Lovely tribute on 6Music this afternoon - listeners writing in with their experiences of having met and/or interacted with the man. He really sounded like a decent and interesting man, that's for sure. And was only some 8 months older than me, so definitely too early to exit the world! RIP Prof
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RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24
zxDaveM replied to Ondine's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
Initial thoughts: Fumi Kaneko was just gorgeousness personified, William Bracewell look calm and elegant and their partnership was a joy to watch; Sae Maeda so adorable! Gary Avis drove the action along - surely they should just rename the part from Drosselmeyer and have done with it! Feeling a lot more like Christmas now - inspired to get those decs up asap! -
The Dante Project, Royal Ballet Autumn 2023
zxDaveM replied to MJW's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
they must give the website update tasks to the work experience bods... -
an update - the 'wrong' location forwarded my mail to the right location, and new appointment sorted inside an hour. So hats off to the Moorfields' admin teams!
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Much as I believe in the NHS, they can be frustrating at times! Just had a letter saying my appointment changed from the 3rd Jan, to the 27th Dec - which I cannot attend as I'm Nutcrackering. So I replied to the email address in the letter to ask for a change - and the auto-response says that the location I am due to attend is amongst the list of locations that can't be dealt with at this email address!!!
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The Dante Project, Royal Ballet Autumn 2023
zxDaveM replied to MJW's topic in Performances seen & general discussions
I think what we learn over the course of the evening, is that 'heaven' is even dingier and dirgier than 'hell', and 'purgatory' just seems like hell, but on hallucinogenic drugs... which give you monster flashbacks if you do make it to heaven (That weird screen in the last act just makes me think or Warner cartoons, and I'm expecting a "That's All Folks" to appear)