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Favourite male dancers!

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MAB

MAB

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Kimin Kim should be on the list, his virtuosity is jaw dropping and after watching him dance McGregor I realize he is far more versatile than I originally imagined.  He also has the highest elevation I've seen in decades.

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Scheherezade

Scheherezade

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Janet had no idea he was Australian!!

 

 

On another thread have been thinking of possible suitable dancers for the role of Petrushka.

 

Do you think "your boy" would be good in this?

 

I didn't realise he was Australian either. And I would definitely be there for his Petrushka.

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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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My memories of male dancers in BALLET - although ever growing in the present - are still shaped by the past in this specific regard.  Amazingly for the simple balletic 'wow' factor I STILL think Baryishnikov reigns supreme (although I realise he had limited exposure in the UK in terms of his overall balletic career.)  Next to him - without question - remains Damian Woetzel - who had, sadly, even less of a show on British shores - indeed just one movement of a one act Balanchine ballet in the year of his retirement.  Baryishnikov said of Woetzel that 'he out-Baryishnikoved ME'.  The best technical dancer (from a balletic perspective - given that this is the BALLETcoForum) is - without hesitation - Fernando Bujones.  (You could well understand why Baryishnikov was jealous).  Hugely high on my list of artistic admiration would be V. Vasiliev, E. Bruhn and P. Boal.  In terms of character dance - and this may sound strange - I would list Nureyev; he obviously profited much from his work with Bruhn.  For partnering - such a life enriching art - I would single out Anthony Dowell - surely one of the world's best EVER; Jock Soto and today's glory that is Tyler Angle.  

 

I think that today's RB has some wonderful male arbiters of the balletic artform such as Ball, Clarke, Sambe - just so much potential to mine.  Blessedly all are still young.  For this we must thank K'OH.  Such confidence leads one to believe there will be more.  

Edited by Bruce Wall
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LinMM

LinMM

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Well I've had "my go" at this but one is always seeing new dancers who could go on the list!!

 

Just back from St Petersburg I saw a very exciting dancer at the Mikhailovsky called Victor Lebedev his elevation and ballon were terrific and as with all great dancers seemingly just thrown away making it all look as effortless and easy as pie.

 

Definitely worth a look if ever over here.

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MAB

MAB

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My memories of male dancers in BALLET - although ever growing in the present - are still shaped by the past in this specific regard.  Amazingly for the simple balletic 'wow' factor I STILL think Baryishnikov reigns supreme (although I realise he had limited exposure in the UK in terms of his overall balletic career.)  Next to him - without question - remains Damian Woetzel - who had, sadly, even less of a show on British shores - indeed just one movement of a one act Balanchine ballet in the year of his retirement.  Baryishnikov said of Woetzel that 'he out-Baryishnikoved ME'.  

 

Yes, that was all I ever saw Woetzel do.  Watching him in that one performance was a revelation and I reacted with total disbelief when told he was about to retire.

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alison

alison

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My reaction before I saw MAB's post:

 

Next to him - without question - remains Damian Woetzel - who had, sadly, even less of a show on British shores - indeed just one movement of a one act Balanchine ballet in the year of his retirement.

 

Yes, but that was enough.

 

 

Hang on, though.  If you'd asked me, I'd have sworn he was in the Wheeldon Carousel number.  Am I imagining it?

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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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Just wondering whether there is a tendency to remember dancers from the past through slightly tinted spectacles and, maybe, especially given the amazing array of world talent before us today, to cast a more critical eye over current stars?

 

I think your comment, Capybara, may have been targeted towards mine above as I gave reference to the 'past' of my own experience.

 

In that same past, Capybara, I too would have subscribed to your suggestion as being more than well placed.  Blessedly with the extraordinary resource that is now left to us by film we can much more readily check/source our memories.  I believe we should.  We must.

 

Certainly I do this frequently ... and I say that most specifically in terms of my own work.  I feel it is vital that one should.  (I am always shocked when so many say they don't/never have/are not interested in doing the same.  Our forefathers sadly never had such easy access.)  An example:  In February of this year I found myself - during a break from a project in NYC - sitting in the NYPL (what a fantastic resource - especially in terms of dance - and free to all comers) and watching a film of a production I had directed in the mid-80's of an Ibsen.  Of course, I remember being there ... Of course I remember the people - some now sadly no longer with us - but it was glorious to be able to objectively watch that same - shot with a single camera at the back of the theatre - as literally thousands of American productions have been as part of their Equity contracts - after all this time.  I had forgotten so much of its detail.  At the end of the film I was incredibly moved.  (Indeed I had only intended to watch a bit of it - but got caught up in its telling of the story.)  My memory of it had been that it was good.  I, as you suggest, Capybara, thought that had been in part resulting from my happy personal memories at that time.  Sitting there - at that karol - with the advantage of the mists of time - I can proudly say - watching only the work itself -  as there could be nothing else to get in the way - it was in its whole even better than I had recalled.  

 

For creative work to survive in the future there will have to be just such an effective testament.  ACE have now recognised this in their current demands.  Quite rightly I believe - if a little late in the day.  That testament should become part of the creative education process itself.  It should be seen as an effective tool.  Personally I find the 'tendency' that such resources are - in so many instances - not even sourced now sad.  In the vast number of master classes I teach - but in the UK and beyond - I frequently find the knowledgeable outreach of even senior students really quite shocking.  I hope in time the tables might turn.  

 

For me this puts - or certainly can - the due owing to 'the amazing array of world talent before us today' you reference, Capybara - somewhat out of kilter.  Personally - in those instances - I believe that 'they' - and certainly 'we' - deserve better.  

Edited by Bruce Wall
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capybara

capybara

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I think your comment, Capybara, may have been targeted towards mine above as I gave reference to the 'past' of my own experience.

 

 

I'm sorry if you received my comment as targeted towards you, Bruce. That would not be my way and I have to admit that I hadn't read your entry closely enough to notice your reference to the past. 

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Two Pigeons

Two Pigeons

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I can still remember the first time I saw Fonteyn. She was 60 but her sheer magnetism has never left me. I do not dispute that modern ballerinas are more technically gifted and can inspire me with awe but very few of them have moved me as much.

 

Ditto Irek Mukhamedov when he first performed Spartans at the Opera House. Ditto Sibley and Dowell in Cinderella. My first great balletic love was Lesley Collier and I can still see her whizzing through so much of the Ashton repertoire which just doesn't happen so much these days.

 

I am sure some ballerinas these days are the technically better as the Sylph than Eva Evdokimova but they may not be so affecting. Dancers today are stronger in so many respects but that doesn't mean they are better in every aspect of danice and performance. Your first loves remain with you your whole life and as you get more experienced you do realise that technically they may not have been that good but they touched you in a way you cannot recreate.

 

I do not doubt that Mr McRea in Rhapsody is vastly technically advanced to Anthony Dowell. However, slightly soulless virtuosity is not everything and so Mr Dowell is not diminished in my eyes.

Edited by Two Pigeons
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MAB

MAB

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Just wondering whether there is a tendency to remember dancers from the past through slightly tinted spectacles and, maybe, especially given the amazing array of world talent before us today, to cast a more critical eye over current stars?

 

Well, we're nominating favourites so a degree of subjective opinion should be allowed.  I don't think anyone here is denigrating a present day dancer in favour of someone dancing a few decades ago, but it's possible to catch some of the greats of the past on DVD if anyone seeks to make straight comparisons.

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assoluta

assoluta

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Seeing this old thread revived I can't help but say that (nearly) all my "favourite male dancers" are French: Ganio, Heymann, Bullion, Thibault, (the list can go on), the order depending on a particular day, mood, performance. In male dancers I value la finesse et  l'élégance more than manhood.

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jmb

jmb

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At the start of this thread, somebody asked of David Hallberg, 'He's still dancing, right?'. Well no, at the time he wasn't, but he is now. Two years off with a debilitating foot injury, the last year in intensive physio/rehab with the Australian Ballet and a return to the stage as Franz in Coppelia last week: December 13 to be precise. He talks about the experience in the AB's Ballet Blog - Behind Ballet. It was a wonderful come-back and real Christmas present (for us!).

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bridiem

bridiem

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Seeing this old thread revived I can't help but say that (nearly) all my "favourite male dancers" are French: Ganio, Heymann, Bullion, Thibault, (the list can go on), the order depending on a particular day, mood, performance. In male dancers I value la finesse et  l'élégance more than manhood.

 

I know what you mean but I hope it doesn't always have to be either or! Though I suppose it depends on how 'manhood' is defined. I can think of quite a few dancers who I would say combine both qualities (e.g. off the top of my head amongst dancers I've seen recently: Alexander Campbell, Marcellino Sambé, Akram Khan, and I'm sure others - too early in the morning to remember!).

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