Dawnstar Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 2 hours ago, capybara said: No. Maybe, when Cesar Corrales is fully fit again, there will be another, but not currently or previously. The double-doubles are pretty incredible and ramp up the excitement in that pdd considerably. Thank you for the confimation. With apologies to the rest of the performance, I think it was my highlight of the evening! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The red shoes Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 13 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Thank you for the confimation. With apologies to the rest of the performance, I think it was my highlight of the evening! Ours too!! It was so exciting … the whole PDD ! But those double double tours were something else ! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Something that often occurs to me, and was certainly in evidence in the beautiful curtain call photos Rob posted yesterday, is how happy and appreciative the soloists and members of the corps de ballet are towards the principal performers as they receive their applause/ flowers. You can tell from the expression on their faces, they are genuinely caught up in the celebration of the achievement of their peers. It’s another lovely aspect to the close knit unit the Company appears to have been able to foster. 16 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 (edited) 5 hours ago, Dawnstar said: Thank you for the confimation. With apologies to the rest of the performance, I think it was my highlight of the evening! I had meant to say that, in this particular instance (it isn’t always the case with ballet pyrotechnics), the sequence serves the story in the way it emphasises the rapture Siegfried feels for Odile at that moment. That connection is what makes the double doubles special for me. Edited April 2 by capybara 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cescablue Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 (edited) This was my first return to Swan Lake since the 1990s, when I saw so many I didn't think I'd ever want to see another! I couldn't resist though when a ticket appeared for Vadim and Marianela as I'd not seen them in person before. Firstly, I was struck by the atmosphere - so much expectation and excitement, not to mention the rockstar welcomes they received onto the stage and after the many dancing highlights. It's the first time I've ever seen the audience back in their seats in good time after the intervals, hushed and waiting for the next slice of wonderful dancing! The corps - I am no expert, but I thought they were wonderful, so in synch, so beautiful and ethereal but strong, just perfect. Also, so many of them had two or three different parts - the quick costume changes and the change of character must be rather challenging. Ashley Dean caught my eye several times - loved her leading the swans in the almost triangular formation where they are en pointe and moving their swanlike arms in perfect unison, facing the audience (there's probably a more technical name for this!). So, the wonders that are Vadream and Nela. I get it now, it was another level. They just seemed so secure in their amazing dancing that they had time and also the experience to luxuriate in the performance. Vadim's double double tours drew gasps in my part of the house. Nela was just so beautiful in Act 2 that I would have been able to go home happy if that had been the whole of the show! Going to be thinking about last night for a long long time! Edited April 2 by Cescablue 21 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Just to clarify the double tours …is this the pirouette turn on demi pointe with the leg in second position ( 90 degrees horizontal to side) or a jumped tours en l’air where there are two turns in the air with leg held in second position? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 12 minutes ago, LinMM said: Just to clarify the double tours …is this the pirouette turn on demi pointe with the leg in second position ( 90 degrees horizontal to side) or a jumped tours en l’air where there are two turns in the air with leg held in second position? The latter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 11 minutes ago, LinMM said: Just to clarify the double tours …is this the pirouette turn on demi pointe with the leg in second position ( 90 degrees horizontal to side) or a jumped tours en l’air where there are two turns in the air with leg held in second position? Neither 🤔 but someone with technical expertise needs to explain! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 It’s the tours en l’air both ending in fifth position - neither leg in second position. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 I really need to see Vadim do this in slow motion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 11 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said: The latter Sorry, misread the question. Here is a lovely example, from the RB's very own James Hay. 8 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 So, Vadim does what James does in the clip above, then immediately does another. A sight to behold! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 And repeats twice again! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 (edited) Repeats consecutively? ….so 8turns altogether from the same point …no step in between? That does sound amazing! Just to add there are different types of tours en L’air so establishing it ends in 5th position is info I needed …thanks Balletfanp! And for the clip of James BBB. Edited April 2 by LinMM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 (edited) Double assemblé, then (or is that only a single turn in the air? Does it need to be a double DA?), land and take off for another one immediately? All done on the spot rather than travelling. I went on the hunt on YouTube for the footage of Patrick Armand doing the same which I found years ago, but sadly it got taken off due to a copyright claim so I couldn't link to it as an example. But yes, they are VERY impressive. If anyone wants to spend loads of time hunting on YouTube, it should come in at about 6-7 minutes through your average Black Swan pdd, gala variety Edited April 2 by alison Getting my terminology wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 6 minutes ago, LinMM said: Repeats consecutively? ….so 8turns altogether from the same point …no step in between? That does sound amazing! Just to add there are different types of tours en L’air so establishing it ends in 5th position is info I needed …thanks Balletfanp! And for the clip of James BBB. There is a step between the two double doubles (a quad double would be ridiculously impressive) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Yes, but only a landing in 5th position then immediate take-off again, presumably? Which reminds me: ice skating ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 (edited) Not quite - he does two turns consecutively, then a couple of steps forward and repeats the two consecutive, and the whole sequence once more. I’d add a clip in explanation, but I can’t find one on YouTube of him doing it that is actually legal! If you go hunting, there are numerous “unofficial” clips, though 😉 Edited April 2 by Balletfanp 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Thanks again that clarifies it!! I thought 8 turns altogether with no step at all in between would be a touch impossible! But anyway still impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 I will look for an illegal shot!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 I'm not sure the above posts necessarily reflect responses to the questions immediately preceding them - just be warned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 OMG there’s a YouTube clip of a class of virtuoses men in tours en Lair. A couple managed three straight off double tours en L’air from same spot and then collapse on the floor lol but then there was one dancer who just kept going …a series of double tours en L’air with no steps in between. It was about six I think but didn’t count just don’t know how he didnt run out of energy!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 ABT's normally useful ballet dictionary doesn't seem to define various forms of assemblé, so I can't be sure I'm right. I thought it used to contain videos of the steps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 At risk of taking off thread subject now so last technique comment…Alison I don’t see tours en L’air as an assemble step🤔as it’s taken from fifth and lands in fifth so a straight up jump as it were. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Okay, sorry, it does appear to be a tour en l'air (even though I thought that term generally referred to turns with leg à la seconde when I'd seen it used) : "Turn in the air. This is essentially a male dancer’s step although contemporary choreographers use this tour for girls. lt is a turn in the air in which the dancer rises straight into the air from a demi-plié, makes a complete turn and lands in the fifth position with the feet reversed. The turn may be single, double or triple according to the ability of the dancer. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plié and push off the floor into the air, turning en dehors (to the right). Land in demi-plié in the fifth position, R foot back. The arms assist and the head must spot as in pirouettes. Tour en l’air may also be finished in various poses such as attitude, arabesque, grande seconde or on one knee. It may also be done in a series." https://www.abt.org/explore/learn/ballet-dictionary/ Ignore my rabbitings-on earlier 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Capricorn Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 12 hours ago, capybara said: It is poorly described. The legal video with Vadim is on ROH Stream Swan Lake 2018, time approx. 1:38:00. Another dancer on the recording from 2022 jumps on single double tour en l'air, not in a series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauxArts Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Just out of courtesy, Silver Capricorn, I think the dancer you refer to is the RB’s Principal dancer William Bracewell. Double doubles are impressive - here is Leonid Sarafanov with a formidable sequence - albeit in class! https://youtu.be/f6SiF_qqSeA?si=sRYxpsyMqQW0nEmL 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tattin Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 I know exactly what a tour en l'air is but what I hadn't realised (or noticed) is that the feet are reversed when landing in fifth, so thank you Alison for that information! I'll keep a sharp eye out next time I see one! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 2 hours ago, bangorballetboy said: There is a step between the two double doubles (a quad double would be ridiculously impressive) In Paquita around 2008 Chi Cao performed 8 double tours in alternating directions (I saw him do it several times) rather than the usual double tour step step dt ss dt finish. Joe Caley achieved 8 but all in the same direction. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Oh dear, in the 2022 Swan Lake discussion thread I inadvertantly kicked off a prolonged discussion of the 32 fouettes & now it looks like I've done the same for double double tours! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paco Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 9 hours ago, Cescablue said: This was my first return to Swan Lake since the 1990s, when I saw so many I didn't think I'd ever want to see another! I couldn't resist though when a ticket appeared for Vadim and Marianela as I'd not seen them in person before. Firstly, I was struck by the atmosphere - so much expectation and excitement, not to mention the rockstar welcomes they received onto the stage and after the many dancing highlights. It's the first time I've ever seen the audience back in their seats in good time after the intervals, hushed and waiting for the next slice of wonderful dancing! The corps - I am no expert, but I thought they were wonderful, so in synch, so beautiful and ethereal but strong, just perfect. Also, so many of them had two or three different parts - the quick costume changes and the change of character must be rather challenging. Ashley Dean caught my eye several times - loved her leading the swans in the almost triangular formation where they are en pointe and moving their swanlike arms in perfect unison, facing the audience (there's probably a more technical name for this!). So, the wonders that are Vadream and Nela. I get it now, it was another level. They just seemed so secure in their amazing dancing that they had time and also the experience to luxuriate in the performance. Vadim's double double tours drew gasps in my part of the house. Nela was just so beautiful in Act 2 that I would have been able to go home happy if that had been the whole of the show! Going to be thinking about last night for a long long time! Very interesting to get your feedback after almost 25 years since your last Swan Lake at RB. I agree with you: the corps de ballet of the Royal Ballet is currently the most mesmerizing one. I travel a lot and see so many outstanding companies, but the corps de ballet of RB stands out and is just on another planet, absolutely unique. 12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 21 hours ago, capybara said: (Similarly, on IG, Joseph Sissens appears to be confirming that Akane will dance O/O with him). That's potentially very good news, but "appears to be confirming" is a little vague...I wonder if you recall more details of his post @capybara, since this is no longer on his IG story feed? Many thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 2 minutes ago, Richard LH said: That's potentially very good news, but "appears to be confirming" is a little vague...I wonder if you recall more details of his post @capybara, since this is no longer on his IG story feed? Many thanks... If it is the same post i saw it was along the lines of “happy to be in the studio with Akane Takada rehearsing for Swan Lake” or words to that effect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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