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DON QUIXOTE - ROYAL BALLET AUTUMN 2023

capybara
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Linnzi5

Linnzi5

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12 minutes ago, Rob S said:


The first tankard was placed way off centre and (from where I was viewing) too close to the second tankard so I knew one was going to get knocked.

I thought so. I'm just glad it was just knocked and that Buvoli didn't trip.

12 minutes ago, Rob S said:

As mentioned above it was Stanislaw that recovered the fan. Much as I don’t want to see them have issues with things they are holding it’s always interesting to see how they’re retrieved and returned to the right place and I thought he did that very well. 

Yes. It's the way the dancers solve the issues that I think is amazing. It was very slick and Buvoli handled it really well too, I thought. 

12 minutes ago, Rob S said:


I have to commend the guitar handling of the Basilios and, usually, Casper Lench during the entire run…I don’t think I saw it hit the floor once in fifteen shows I saw 

I absolutely hate the guitar throwing! Well, I don't hate it but it makes me nervous. Every time my heart just hammers as some of the dancers lob them into the air so high! I agree. Casper Lench deserves a medal for catching every time! 

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JohnS

JohnS

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21 hours ago, JohnS said:

Lukas B Braendsrod as Espada didn’t seem as assured as when I saw him earlier when he really impressed but he did well to hold an early slip. That earlier performance put him high on my list of Espadas.


Apologies - it was Leo Dixon who I thought very impressive in earlier performances. It was my first time seeing Lukas B Braendsrod as Espada.

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alison

alison

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1 hour ago, PeterS said:


 Caspar (IIRC) did drop an orange thrown to him from the balcony in an early show. He covered it well, retrieving the pieces and sharing them with his companions.

 

I'm getting to like this guy 😀. He may only be being used as "background" thus far, but what he does in that background is always well considered and detailed without detracting from the main action.  (Actually, I think you could say that of several of the recent intake).

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capybara

capybara

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Just now, alison said:

 

I'm getting to like this guy 😀. He may only be being used as "background" thus far, but what he does in that background is always well considered and detailed without detracting from the main action.  (Actually, I think you could say that of several of the recent intake).

 

Caspar Lench does seem to being given quite a bit of prominence - definitely not in the 'background background' if you know what I mean.

He has an immensely likeable stage personality.

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Linnzi5

Linnzi5

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1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:


I liked Leo Dixon’s Espada too but I do always find him particularly watchable. 

I liked his Espada too. Very slick and technically excellent, as was Richardson.  I have to say that Hirano is my favourite. He is a principal though, so maybe it's not fair to compare?

35 minutes ago, alison said:

 

I'm getting to like this guy 😀. He may only be being used as "background" thus far, but what he does in that background is always well considered and detailed without detracting from the main action.  (Actually, I think you could say that of several of the recent intake).

Well, you say in the background but I noticed him in every performance, so he must have something that draws me to his on stage persona? His dancing is excellent too. I liked his acting and he just smiled all the time.  He also  looked very confident.

32 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

Caspar Lench does seem to being given quite a bit of prominence - definitely not in the 'background background' if you know what I mean.

He has an immensely likeable stage personality.

Yes. I agree. Unless I just notice him more than the other junior male dancers? The only other Aud Jebsen dancer I have constantly identified and enjoyed watching is Bethany Bartlett - she is lovely! I do hope she will be a snowflake soon. Mind you, they all look pretty much the same when in costume, so I will need help identifying her and anyone else!  I need to identify the others though.  I'm looking forward to spotting them all in Nutcracker. :) 

10 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I think I read that one of his teachers always felt cheered up when he was in the class as he was always smiling and looking eager for instruction! 

Yes. He exudes warmth and is always smiling.

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Shade

Shade

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What a joyful end to the Don Q run. I count myself lucky to have been there as I didn’t realise that there would be a flower throw (first time that has happened when I have been at ROH). 
 

I did enjoy the performances and was happy that Cupid was danced by a woman, very delightfully too. In fact Act 2 was a pleasure to watch but I can’t get used to the shouts etc. I did think the music seemed very slow though or was that just my impression.

 

Osipova and Clarke they were funny and charming and lit up the stage.

 

It helped buoy me up on the very long journey home due to signal problems 

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Emeralds

Emeralds

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23 hours ago, alison said:

 

I'm getting to like this guy 😀. He may only be being used as "background" thus far, but what he does in that background is always well considered and detailed without detracting from the main action.  (Actually, I think you could say that of several of the recent intake).

I've mentioned this a long time ago but Caspar Lench was one of the most remarkable Fritzes in The Nutcracker I've ever seen. Now all the boys who portray Fritz in Peter Wright's production can do it slightly differently and put their own spin on it- bratty, cute, mischievous, spoilt, cheeky or funny, and all the boys I've seen in the role over the years have been brilliant. But how Caspar stood out was that amidst the acting and various actions with the props, when he started dancing either in the group or on his own, it was quite extraordinary-  it was like watching a mini Vadim Muntagirov or Steven McRae: he had the polish and mastery of an experienced principal even though he was still a child.  The line, the neat pointed feet, the polished ports de bras, the height of the jumps....it was amazing (I don't use that term often). So rare to see that in such a very young dancer. I took note of his name and hoped he would join RB or ENB in future. Now that he has, fingers crossed he will get a featured part, even a small one, so that I can see how he's progressing. 

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Scheherezade

Scheherezade

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Last brief thoughts on the portrayal of Mercedes which, though danced impeccably on each and every occasion, was thought by many, myself included, to be a tad underpowered in the sass and fire department. 
 

I didn’t see Magri’s Mercedes, which may well have ticked that box, and whilst Mendizabel topped my list of those that I did see, I do wonder what Meaghan Grace Hinkis might have made of Mercedes had the original castings remained in place.

She has never been my go-to dancer but she was, iirc, convincingly animated and sassy in Like Water for Chocolate. Street dancer sassy? I’m not sure. Maybe next time …

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Ipazia

Ipazia

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2 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

Last brief thoughts on the portrayal of Mercedes which, though danced impeccably on each and every occasion, was thought by many, myself included, to be a tad underpowered in the sass and fire department. 
 

I didn’t see Magri’s Mercedes, which may well have ticked that box, and whilst Mendizabel topped my list of those that I did see, I do wonder what Meaghan Grace Hinkis might have made of Mercedes had the original castings remained in place.

She has never been my go-to dancer but she was, iirc, convincingly animated and sassy in Like Water for Chocolate. Street dancer sassy? I’m not sure. Maybe next time …

 

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LinMM

LinMM

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Yes Caspar stood out in class when only in year 7 at RBS and looked so happy to be there!…..and of course was in the Tv programme a few years back about the Nutcracker which Francesca Hayward was in. 
Very glad to have seen him dancing in this Don Q. 

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Linnzi5

Linnzi5

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8 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Yes Caspar stood out in class when only in year 7 at RBS and looked so happy to be there!…..and of course was in the Tv programme a few years back about the Nutcracker which Francesca Hayward was in. 
Very glad to have seen him dancing in this Don Q. 

Was he? I;ve watched that several times and will need to go and watch again now! 🤣

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Ipazia

Ipazia

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3 hours ago, Sim said:

Hi Ipazia....you have posted a quote but no comment.  Was this in error?  If so I will hide it as a blank post.  

It was a mistakes. I just said that up to me Mercedes is Spanish, but a street dancer , she’s joking, funny, seductive and “coquine” . She is not Carmen. Thank you

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Ondine

Ondine

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This IS the Don Q thread isn't it? Just checkin'...   I know I posted the snowscene but with a nod to the mods I tried to tie it in with Don Q...  😇❄️🌞

 

You've all gorn *** (Edited the word out as it's ableist language. Sorry.  🤨)

 

 

 

 

Edited by Ondine
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capybara

capybara

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Instead of adding more 🌰 🌰s to the Don Q camp fire, I thought they might be worth a separate thread.

(Speculation alert). Is it possible that, in the light of the COVID experience, companies might have agreed with Equity to reduce the Snowflake load on dancers? After all, the RB has some 28 shows, some of them doubled up in one day, others ‘back to back’?

I think that ENB has even more (44?)

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Ondine

Ondine

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52 minutes ago, capybara said:

Snowflake load

 

Counted 32 in the old RB snowflake scene. 16 in the recent.

 

Is this to do with global warming?

 

It isn't the same. It looks like a light dusting, small flurry, not a wonderful landscape of thick snow which is what we expect. The magic is diminished. ❄️

 

 

 

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Ondine

Ondine

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1 hour ago, LinMM said:

I thought there were originally 24 and it went down to 16 but have never actually counted them. 

 

Yes. Sorry. I'm not good at counting!   It just looks more! A proper blizzard! 

 

For anyone wondering, the link has been moved here so... back to Don Q on this thread.

 

 

 

 

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MJW

MJW

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At the RBS, James Hay recently discussed how he prepares to inhabit a role. As he discussed Gamache, I thought I'd include it in this thread:

 

https://www.royalballetschool.org.uk/2024/01/12/the-art-of-acting-with-james-hay-first-soloist-with-the-royal-ballet/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=2024_JAN_ALL_latest_news&utm_term=james-hay-talk&utm_content=image

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