BBC Dance Season 2020 Discussion

[Balletfanp]

I’ve read all the thoughts on the “Men at the Barre” documentary with interest. I’ve taken my time to mull it over as I find I need to do that these days rather than rush straight into a review.

 

I had mixed feelings about it. On balance, I enjoyed it - I’m happy to see any documentary on ballet on the TV these days, if I’m honest, especially one that attracted some positive attention in the press. Yes, it had some shortcomings, but in the article with the maker that was in one of the newspapers a few days before, he was chosen because, by his own admission, he knew nothing about ballet, and it was therefore deemed that he would approach it from the position of the average man on the street.

 

I must say that I rather approved of the approach to the “What do they wear under their tights” section - very much “OK, we know that’s what people always wonder about, there’s no point ignoring it so let’s get it out of the way and move on.” They didn’t linger on it.

 

I don’t think that most of the clips shown did justice to the dancers concerned or necessarily illustrated whatever point was being made, or indeed pursued that point in any depth, e.g. as others have said, it would have been good to explore just why Vadim is seen as being so good - likewise they referred to Matthew Ball of being “the epitome of grace and strength” but the accompanying clip wasn’t, to my mind, the best they could have shown to illustrate that. I found it frustrating as there are so many fantastic clips out there of all the dancers that they could have used to impressive effect.

 

I did very much enjoy the interviews and the insights into life backstage - the teasing of Francesca Hayward, Alex and Vadim and their basketball fixation, Marianela visiting Vadim’s dressing room to congratulate him etc.

 

I’m not a fan of Steven McRae but felt great sympathy with him after his appearance in the programme. I didn’t get the impression of him being portrayed as older and “past it,” which is what he seemed to be saying in his statement following the programme, although evidently his injuries have taken their toll and he looked tired and strained (understandable). Whilst I appreciate that he is probably very sensitive about things at the moment, I’m afraid the statement rather made my sympathy with him evaporate.....it felt like a bit of an overreaction to me although others will, I’m sure, disagree!

 

I did like the fact that the film tried to look at different dancers at all stages of their careers - and nice to see Joseph Sissens getting some well deserved praise! I think questions have been asked about how the dancers were selected, and “What about X?” It did occur to me that perhaps not everyone wanted to be filmed or to take a full part in it.

 

Overall, there were flaws - and it would be good to see a follow up, perhaps, going into a bit more depth, at some stage - but I did enjoy watching it, and confess to getting a bit tearful at the shots of the ROH and the view from the terrace, and wondering when it will be possible to be back there and watching a performance!

[Tango Dancer]

5 hours ago, LinMM said:

They do but I heard that they chose to share 😊

 

They looked like they were having a good time and laughing together while playing basketball.  It was rather nice to see the friendship between them.  

 

 

 

[jmhopton]

Balletfanp.  'confess to getting a bit tearful at the shots of the ROH and the view from the terrace, and wondering when it will be possible to be back there and watching a performance!'

 

hear, hear, me too!!!

[J_New]

Me three ...

[bridiem]

2 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

As he was choreographing it on the Upper School students I wondered if it could have been intended for the RBS's end of year performances?

 

Ah, I didn't registered that it was students. Yes, maybe it was for the end of year performance then.

[Balletfanp]

I forgot to mention in my review that I badgered a friend of mine, who is not into ballet and knows next to nothing about it, into watching the programme - which she did just to shut me up, I think! To her own surprise she was “enthralled” by it, and fully appreciative of the dancers’ attributes by the end. So I suppose it achieved its objective in some degree!

Edited May 30, 2020 by Balletfanp

[alison]

6 hours ago, oncnp said:

 

I believe the women principals do get their own "dressing" room while the men share "changing" rooms. Apparently they don't have to dress. 

 

I've always understood that all the principals have to share dressing-rooms, simply from the point of view of maximising use, as you don't tend to get more than one principal on at a time in the "big" ballets, although my impression had been that it was one between two, so I've been quite surprised at indications in recent months that 3 are sharing one.  Certainly I've seen/heard numerous references to "X" sharing a dressing-room with "Y" over the years. 

[alison]

I've just watched the programme through a second time so as to be able to clarify my thoughts a bit.

 

On ‎28‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 10:35, capybara said:

(where was Reece Clarke BTW?)

 

On ‎28‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 17:20, Bruce Wall said:

I saw a notice on BcoF that spoke about/promoted this programme that featured a picture of James Hay .... That made me smile.  I think he is one of the most special male dancers the current Royal Ballet roster possesses.  I was shocked therefore that he wasn't even mentioned ... let alone seen - even in passing.  In my book - well, to my mind - I found that sad.  

 

Clarke appeared for a couple of seconds somewhere ... more than could be said of James Hay.

 

On ‎28‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 17:49, ninamargaret said:

interesting to speculate who selected which dancers would be featured. Was it the RB or the BBC? 

 

I'd imagine largely the programme-makers.  As in all such cases, I imagine there's a lot of footage left lying on the digital version of the cutting-room floor.  Indeed, I saw a reference somewhere to an interview with Federico Bonelli, which obviously didn't make the cut either.  (Bonelli getting back to full performance level after a long sabbatical could have been an interesting aspect, too)

 

On ‎29‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 11:35, LinMM said:

As to editorial control you usually don’t get that with BBC and you never know quite what slant they may take on an issue no matter what impression is given. 

 

As the ROH found out some 25 years ago with "The House"  

 

On ‎29‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 07:38, Richard LH said:

 

I haven't revisited the programme yet, but at the time I don't recall getting the impression that it suggested his dancing career was coming to an end (unlike the section on Ed Watson). Indeed the section on Steven's rehab, including the psychological coach (?),  indicated the steps being taken to get him back to performing.

 

On ‎28‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 22:57, bridiem said:

"Unfortunately I was painted as a dancer of a particular age, riddled with injuries and having to come to terms with my career coming to an end......" 

 

I double-checked when I rewatched, thinking that my "insider"-ish knowledge might have affected my reading of it, but I don't think it had.  The above certainly wasn't how I read it, and I wouldn't have thought that anyone would have unless they were conflating the section on McRae and the section on Watson.  Both have red hair, obviously, but I wouldn't have thought that was sufficient reason to confuse the two   Yes, there was an acknowledgement that as you get older you are more prone to injury, but that was about it: otherwise, I saw someone who had had the misfortune to get injured shortly after returning from a previous injury, and who was working hard at recovering physically and perhaps emotionally from the second one.  It's all about timing: a year earlier, and the segment might well have been on Watson having returned, I think from surgery?, only to sprain his ankle or whatever it was shortly before he was due to dance Mayerling.  I do think they could have picked a more typical clip of McRae as Florizel, though - that one was a bit "meh", as were some of the others selected.

 

On ‎29‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 10:25, jmhopton said:

However, like others I felt it slightly lost focus and didn't make its points clearly enough.

Though it showed traditional ballet clips with some more modern ballets it didn't really emphasise the huge range of dances modern ballet dancers have to master and the very different ways they need to use their bodies; often on the same day.

• To talk about a typical ballet day with class, rehearsals and evening performance would highlight the tremendous amount of training and stamina needed everyday, not just occasionally like many athletes. Also unlike athletes they are not allowed to show the effort and exhaustion they may feel and often need to smile a lot as well!
• The gym training which might have been a revelation to the uninitiated  was touched upon but there again not really focused.
• Partnering is all important. [...]
• Solos. Perhaps too much focus on Bluebird. I would have liked a clip of Vadim doing the act 2 solo from 2 Pigeons or act 3 solo from Coppelia. Both only last about 90 seconds but are obviously a real work out.
• Ballet technique. As has already been pointed out no effort was made to analyse or explain why Vadim is perceived by some to be somehow 'better'. Needs to be explained more that each dancer, especially principles or would-be principles, all have their own very individual qualities that make all of them special but in different ways. They are not all cloned men in tights.

 

Largely agree with the above.  Most of the bullet points could have been covered in a sentence or two in passing - I wouldn't have minded sacrificing a bit of Bluebird, or the rather repetitious bits about Zucchetti and how he might have gone to a different company if he was motivated by getting meatier roles.  The partnering I suppose was covered by implication: firstly by the video of all the men raising the women nonchalantly over their heads etc. and secondly by the mention of the ballerina being able to choose her partner because of needing to feel secure, etc.

 

On ‎29‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 11:35, LinMM said:

While still on possible career endings it was interesting I thought that Ed Watson was revealing his dancing/performing career had come to an end but is the first time he has sort of formally expressed it or have I missed this? I was more sort of assuming this because of his lack of appearances but perhaps I missed any previous statement? I knew he was coaching as saw a terrific master class he rehearsed with ENB dancers on Song of the Earth but didn’t know he was now more formally in this role. 

 

I'd not seen any prior reference to it before, certainly.  We had known that he was coaching intermittently (Song of the Earth, as you say, Stuttgart's Mayerling last year, and whichever insight evening he and Leanne Benjamin were coaching in last year come to mind), but nothing more specific.  (Incidentally, although he originally expressed an interest, some years ago, in coaching the roles he had created I was fascinated to see that he was also coaching more Classical works, too!)

[Beryl H]

I enjoyed NBT's Dracula very much, thought it captured all the essential elements of the story very well without being too repulsive, but mostly it was pure dance almost non-stop, the choreography was very expressive and the acting tremendous, I liked the various composer's music too, and although the scenery was obviously dark, the dancers were well lit, quite an achievement these days!

[alison]

I recorded it but haven't actually watched it yet (ditto with some of the other programmes).  Looking forward to it.

 

Did anyone watch the Ballet Black programme?

[Shya100]

Watched it last night. Some bits were great. Some not. It was put together badly with little coherance. Sambi, Corrales and Hayward just appeared silly and immature and actually should have been left out. Corrales in particular just seemed young and flippant (and that would have been interesting to look at too. The flippancy at the relative beginning of your career when you have some security) and their part in it was jarring. It was at its beat when it dealt with McRae and Watson and the older dancers. Ball was good too. Zucchetti would have been I teresting if it was done better.

 

I wonder if the pandemic interfered with the ability to edit it even adequately.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Shya100

[Jan McNulty]

12 minutes ago, Shya100 said:

Watched it last night. Some bits were great. Some not. It was put together badly with little coherance. Sambi, Corrales and Hayward just appeared silly and immature and actually should have been left out. Corrales in particular just seemed young and flippant (and that would have been interesting to look at too. The flippancy at the relative beginning of your career when you have some security) and their part in it was jarring. It was at its beat when it dealt with McRae and Watson and the older dancers. Ball was good too. Zucchetti would have been I teresting if it was done better.

 

I wonder if the pandemic interfered with the ability to edit it even adequately.

 

To which programme are you referring please?

[Shya100]

15 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

To which programme are you referring please?

Men at the barre