Queens of the Dance - would it work - would you go?

[Anjuli_Bai]

In todays links page there is a review of the concept and performance of  "Kings of the Dance" in which the reviewer makes the comment that a "quintet" of female dancers would not work as well as five men but doesn't say why not..

 

If you agree - why?

 

Would you buy a ticket to a "Queens of the Dance?"

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

I can't decide whether it would work or not.  I suspect the thought of male pyrotechnics may be a draw for the "Kings" but could there be similar pyrotechnics from ladies?

 

This is probably more about me than dance but I find it much easier to remember men I have seen dance rather than women!

[Pavlala]

'Queens of the Dance'? It's already happened

Carlotta Grisi , Marie Taglioni , Lucille Grahn , and Fanny Cerrito in the Perrot/Pugni Pas de Quatre. London, 1845!

[Anjuli_Bai]

'Queens of the Dance'? It's already happened

Carlotta Grisi , Marie Taglioni , Lucille Grahn , and Fanny Cerrito in the Perrot/Pugni Pas de Quatre. London, 1845!

 

Well, unfortunately, I missed that one.  

 

Do you think it would work today?

 

As for "pryotechnics" - is that what we go to see?  Or is that what imprints most?  And yet - I have no problem remembering some exquisitet female dancing.

 

And yet - I wonder if it would work today?

[annamicro]

In todays links page there is a review of the concept and performance of  "Kings of the Dance" in which the reviewer makes the comment that a "quintet" of female dancers would not work as well as five men but doesn't say why not..

 

If you agree - why?

 

Would you buy a ticket to a "Queens of the Dance?"

 

It has already happened, called Reflections and organized by the same Ardani, with

 

Maria Kochetkova (San Francisco Ballet)

Yekaterina Krysanova (Bolshoi Theatre)

Olga Malinovskaya (Ballet Estonia)

Natalia Osipova (Bolshoi Theatre)

Polina Semionova (Berlin Staatsoper Ballet)

Anastasia Stashkevich (Bolshoi Theatre)

Yekaterina Shipulina (Bolshoi Theatre);

 

"Supported" by

 

Ivan Vasiliev

Alexander Volchkov

Vyacheslav Lopatin

Denis Savin

 

 

"The initiator of this unique ballet evening is producer Sergei Danilyan (Ardani Artists) who was responsible for the sensationally successful (already in several series) parallel male Kings of Dance project"

 

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/about/press/articles/2011/1535/

 

I feel there is little art in these things (even if Kings first edition was better constructed, IMO) and since my answer to your other question "As for "pryotechnics" - is that what we go to see?" is NO, especially when it comes to performing Ladies, I'd say I can survive happily without self nominated Queens and Kings. :-)

 

(BTW:  lokking at Review – Kings of the Dance, London:  GJ Dowler, Classical Source

It should also noted that Kings of dance took place not just in the US but also in Russia.)

[zxDaveM]

simple answer (already coined by someone of note!!):

 

Ballet is woman

 

 

Nuff said

[Jan McNulty]

Pyrotechnics is not why I go to see ballet but I do like the occasional blast in a gala style performance!

 

I can remember, what were for me, exquisite performances by lady dancers but not in gala pieces but again (and this is probably more to do with me) overall I can remember more about the men I have watched, or partnerships I have seen.

[Jan McNulty]

simple answer (already coined by someone of note!!):

 

Ballet is woman

 

 

Nuff said

 

 

Someone of note may have said it but I don't believe in that.  I believe ballet is woman and man!

[Anjuli_Bai]

Perhaps ....just perhaps.....in addition to the other many reasons we go to the ballet - is that ever present, sometimes denied - how shall I say it? - allure of the other gender.

 

Opposites do attract - and I am speaking here not only of gender but of dance vocabulary.

 

In the vocabulary of the male dancer there seems to be a greater range of opposites.  He can go from the coiled power of adagio to the trumpet blare of a blazing trajectory through space.  Even when he is still, we know that possibility is there and only an inclination away.  

 

This range and contrast of vocabulary for the woman, it seems to me,  is a bit narrower.  Except for fouetté turns or a enchainment of batterie, circling turns, grand jeté, etc, - is not as breath taking or as gravity defying.   Perhaps she hides the difficulty too well.

 

Another difficulty for the women is that so much of what they do is supported.

 

When I saw the first Kings of the Dance - I was struck by how different the solos were for each of the men - vocabulary, in mood, as well as prsentation.  Would solos be as different for women?  

[Mary]

How interesting!  but I could hardly disagree more.

 

Surely many or most of the qualities of good dancing are shared by the genders- which are not opposites, so much as two parts of a whole that is human.

 

 

Classical ballet often displays women's strength, agility and versatility-(having just seen Sleeping Beauty- I was struck by this but really the examples are endless-)

and of course classical ballet may have developed along stereotypical lines but modern dance is very different.

 

I agree with Janet that the partership is another aspect that is so attractive- the sexes working together to make something beautiful and harmonious- I don't think the word " supported" really  begins to  cover it. For example most grand pas de deuxs involve, often terrifying,leaps by the woman into her partner's arms and I would have thought this is as difficult for both of them.

 

As for  the solos-if modern solo pieces for women have not yet been written to display what they can do- let us  hope they soon will be. But I am sure there must be lots of examples?

[alison]

It would certainly have to be renamed for marketing purposes if it were to find an audience

[Don Q Fan]

I'd go - I like anything where you get to see lots of top dancers in one place.  Or maybe they could do a duets one so you get to see men and women together but I guess that's just another gala.  I would have loved to see that Reflections one but it did not come to London or the UK.

[Anjuli_Bai]

How interesting!  but I could hardly disagree more.

 

Surely many or most of the qualities of good dancing are shared by the genders- which are not opposites, so much as two parts of a whole that is human.

 

 

Classical ballet often displays women's strength, agility and versatility-(having just seen Sleeping Beauty- I was struck by this but really the examples are endless-)

and of course classical ballet may have developed along stereotypical lines but modern dance is very different.

 

I agree with Janet that the partership is another aspect that is so attractive- the sexes working together to make something beautiful and harmonious- I don't think the word " supported" really  begins to  cover it. For example most grand pas de deuxs involve, often terrifying,leaps by the woman into her partner's arms and I would have thought this is as difficult for both of them.

 

As for  the solos-if modern solo pieces for women have not yet been written to display what they can do- let us  hope they soon will be. But I am sure there must be lots of examples?

 

 

More interesting points to consider! - thank you, Mary.

 

While the two halves do make for a whole - in either Kings or Queens of the dance we are asked to consider for the most part - one half.  So, I think - though I could be wrong - that would exclude any extensive pas de deux and the dance vocabulary which includes those terrifying leaps by the woman.  

 

I picture a Queens of the Dance being performed much as the Kings.......mostly solo work, some dancing with the other women and with only some inclusion of the other "half."

 

As for Alison's marketing problem.......how about "Four Prima Ballerinas?"  Well, it doesn't quite have the same ring to it - or does it.?

[Petunia]

I´m just now imagining an evening with e.g. Dorothée Gilbert, Sylvie Guillem, Tamara Rojo, Marie-Agnés Gillot, Marianela Nunez, Agnés Letestu – dancing works by e.g. Khan, Ek, Kylian, Maliphant, Keersmakers, Cherkaoui…. hello, Mr Ardani, can you hear me?

 

Would I buy a ticket? Ha!

[Ellie]

 

 

 

I´m just now imagining an evening with e.g. Dorothée Gilbert, Sylvie Guillem, Tamara Rojo, Marie-Agnés Gillot, Marianela Nunez, Agnés Letestu – dancing works by e.g. Khan, Ek, Kylian, Maliphant, Keersmakers, Cherkaoui…. hello, Mr Ardani, can you hear me?

 

Would I buy a ticket? Ha!

Oh Petunia, that's going to be my 'happy thought' to go to bed on ! Thanks ! 

[Terpsichore]

The reason why Pas de Quatre is remembered from 1845 is that there was rivalry between Grisi, Taglioni, Grahn. Cerrito and Elssler (or at least their promoters and admirers) and I don't think that is the case now.

 

I have to say that even if I had been alive in 1845 I would not have bothered with the show. I do not go to the ballet primarily to see female dancers' virtuosity. Odile's 32 fouettés are all very exciting, of course, but I look for many other things in Swan Lake.

 

Following on from Darcey Bussell's television programme about her favourite ballerinas a few week's ago, I would be interested in a comparison of different national styles which could be brought out by watching leading dancers from the UK, USA, Russia and maybe other countries performing the same short solo ballet like Fokine's Dying Swan but it might look better on television than on stage. Television would also allow commentary which a stage performance would not and it would be very much shorter - 30 minutes instead of 2 hours.