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Minister rules out running a ballet company


JohnS

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“There are some things I would be really, really bad at.  You would not want to hire me to run a ballet company, I’d be really rubbish at that.  I don’t like ballet.  I am bored by it.  I’m almost tone deaf.  I feel I want to die when I watch the ballet.  It would be a really, really bad mistake to hire me to run a ballet company.  But if you want someone who really enjoys doing stuff and loves Government and is really proud of the country and feels that’s their thing, I’m really enthusiastic.”  Rory Stewart, Prison’s Minister, clearly ruling himself out of running a ballet company.  But what might help Rory Stewart change his mind about ballet?  I’d plump for Manon - I just can’t believe he’d not be suitably engrossed.

 

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I should declare an I interest.  Whilst Rory Stewart is not my constituency MP, he is MP where I’m the Parish Clerk and I know he is an extremely diligent constituency MP.  Without any comment on his politics, I find Rory Stewart rather engaging - unfailingly courteous in the House and when being interviewed (for a few weeks there seemed to be daily Rory Stewart/Sarah Montague interviews which were fascinating), and I was rather surprised to read of his loathing of ballet.

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John: I very much agree about his style whilst being interviewed, and he has a pretty fascinating back story that sets him far apart from his ministerial colleagues in terms of life experience.  Just a pity he appears not to be keen on ballet.  

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I think sometimes people dislike Ballet because they say they don't understand what is happening on stage. I know some people who feel the same about watching a full length Shakespeare play. I've told some people, as far as Ballet is concerned, that it's not the be all and end all to be able to follow the story or understand Mime. To just enjoy it for the beautiful shapes/patterns of the dancer's bodies, and perhaps accompanied by beautiful costumes and music. 

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Thanks BeaverElliot.  In reading your post I realised that my ‘Manon’ suggestion may be open to misinterpretation as I’d rather forgotten the gaoler!  I’m still very much of the view that Rory Stewart could not possibly find Manon, and the final scene in particular, ‘boring’.  Next time Manon’s on I wonder if the ROH might like to offer an invite to Rory Stewart - as part of Open Up and encouraging new audiences?

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On 26/04/2019 at 18:28, JohnS said:

Without any comment on his politics, I find Rory Stewart rather engaging - unfailingly courteous in the House and when being interviewed (for a few weeks there seemed to be daily Rory Stewart/Sarah Montague interviews which were fascinating), and I was rather surprised to read of his loathing of ballet.

 

 

Me too. I don't live in his constituency but have a home in the larger area (although have to live waaaaay south for work). I've always been impressed by Mr Stewart. 

 

I assume his lack of delight in ballet is lack of knowledge and what seems to be his characteristic modesty. Given his former life as a diplomat & traveller through Afghanistan, I wonder how Mr Stewart would respond to Akram Khan's work? Or other "muscular" choreography - Russell Maliphant or Wayne McGregor?

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I see one of the fall outs of Gavin Williamson’s sacking is that Rory Stewart is promoted to the Cabinet as International Development Secretary where he’d previously been a minister and of course had significant experience before moving into politics.  I trust it’s in order to offer congratulations - although we won’t now see whether performance in prisons has improved sufficiently to avoid Rory Stewart’s resignation this summer.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07873d3

 

Nick Robinson’s fascinating interview with Rory Stewart, the day after his Cabinet promotion.  Interesting to hear the odd comment about learning sword dancing as a 4 year old, which might possibly account for his ballet anathema, and his love of walking, as well as many insights into Rory Stewart’s politics and motivation.  There’s also an answer to my question above - Rory Stewart was confident prison performance had sufficiently improved and he wouldn’t have had to resign this summer.  Nick Robinson’s political thinking podcasts invariably shed light on their subjects and I think this one is particularly illuminating.  

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Just catching up with this thread. Blimey! OK, so he doesn't like ballet... but talk about doing it down!! Nail after nail. :( 'We' don't get many mentions in the mainstream media, so it's a bit disappointing when there's one like this!

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  • 4 months later...

We can't mind if Rory  doesn't 'get' ballet, not everyone does, just so long as he is prepared to fund it and any other arts and culture whether as Mayor of London or any other position. Just give arts the money, we'll do the rest.  

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Ive only just seen this thread!!! 

Only this morning I posted on my Facebook page about Rory Stewart going for the Mayors job as an Independent ....some of my friends know I really like him at the moment after reading his two books "The Places in Between"... about his walk across Afghanistan ( although he actually walked from Iran to India) mostly on his own but with a dog Babur for part of the way....very sad ending ...and also just finished " Occupational Hazards" about his time in Iraq trying to get democracy established in a very dangerous part of the Country.

How he managed to survive these things is a bit of a miracle. He certainly didn't seem to baulk at the impossible.

I don't really share his politics but in the Tory leadership campaign I thought he came across really well. 

Ive also ....probably rather unwisely .....spent a bit of time today defending him on the internet as there are some really cruel comments out there about him. 

BUT ..................BUT.........

So Rory doesn't like ballet.....NO...........I think I need to have a word in his ear!! Can't have that!! 

I wonder if he likes any other sort of Dance. 

I was going to suggest Romeo and Juliet as his ballet .....as he seems to be attracted to places of conflict ....until I read about the sword fighting bit 😢 .....Spartacus could be a good choice as well....but not really practical at the moment! 

Maybe need to find out what music he likes and get to him that way!! 

 

Edited by LinMM
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Apparently back in 2008 he was on Desert Island Discs ...so could be a clue to the music!

If I can find it will give it a listen. 

By the way JohnS as you seem keen for him to see Manon I may have a ticket for sale .....good balcony seat....for October 29th ( Tuesday) 

So if he's free..........I could be very generous about it!!  Get Rory to the ballet I say! 

 

No doubt he will be flat out on the Mayor quest from now on though 🙄

 

 

 

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Thanks for the Desert Island Discs prompt LinMM - a reminder of how good DID is with castaway and interviewer on such form: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b008pdqp

 

I’d got the impression that Rory Stewart’s early brush with ballet was probably very classical with dozens of tutus on stage and thought he might find Manon something of a contrast.

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I agree he may have been "dragged" along to see something like Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty both of which can be a bit overpowering if you are not into ballet that much. His dislike certainly seems quite strong though unfortunately! 

I don't understand his "I'm almost tone deaf" remark though ....as he plays a couple of instruments and is an odd thing to say about ballet anyway perhaps he meant " movement blind"  

I was wondering whether ENB's current Rite of Spring might be okay because of its raw quality and it's not too balletic.

But also the classical style  Raqs Shaki ( spelling may be wrong!) Egyptian Dance but with all the beautiful arm movements .... Probably the right sort of music ....so something at Sadlers Wells first I think!! 

I too think Akram Khan could be interesting for someone coming new to Dance and not that familiar with it. 

 

 

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By the way I did listen to his  DID prog ....and the week before it showed Simon Rattle had been on so listened to that one too as had somehow missed it and used to teach at Speke Primary School in Liverpool with his father ( who was great fun and very musical ....handy on a guitar for a double class sing song!.....I really miss Kirsty on DID she was just right somehow a great blend of seriousness and light heartedness. 

DID is perfect for a late sat afternoon just as getting dark at home on the sofa!! 

Its not so good if you happen to be driving though as quite a few times certain tracks can set you off and I once had to pull over into a lay by to recover! 

I'm very grateful though that  it's introduced me to some great music like the Schubert Quintett ....first heard on DID and a great favourite Beethovens Spring Sonata also first heard on DID.

I liked Rory's last track the song about the Coyotes ....was it Don Williams? 

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