Posts tagged ballet

Sad that Maria Tallchief, a trailblazer who refused to drop her Osage name and went on to become one of the world’s most famous ballerinas passed away today.  At her prime, she was the highest paid dancer in the Ballet Russe and was also the muse of her then husband Georges Balanchine who created many roles for her.

Sad that Maria Tallchief, a trailblazer who refused to drop her Osage name and went on to become one of the world’s most famous ballerinas passed away today.  At her prime, she was the highest paid dancer in the Ballet Russe and was also the muse of her then husband Georges Balanchine who created many roles for her.

The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one’s work seriously and taking one’s self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous.
Dame Margot Fonteyn, Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the Royal Ballet
It’s been 17 years since his male version of Swan Lake started a monumental run, but Matthew Bourne has finally finished his reworking of all of Tchaikovksy’s classic ballets with the recently debuted Sleeping Beauty.  Bourne, famous for his complete reworking of narratives and choreography creates a gothic romance, complete with vampire fairies (immortal so they can survive Aurora’s century sleeps) and a brash new story.  NYTimes review linked above.

It’s been 17 years since his male version of Swan Lake started a monumental run, but Matthew Bourne has finally finished his reworking of all of Tchaikovksy’s classic ballets with the recently debuted Sleeping Beauty.  Bourne, famous for his complete reworking of narratives and choreography creates a gothic romance, complete with vampire fairies (immortal so they can survive Aurora’s century sleeps) and a brash new story.  NYTimes review linked above.

Linked from her picture above, Dame Marie Rambert speaks about dancing in the debut of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring.”  Considered one of the defining nights in modernism when it opened almost 100 years ago, the avant-garde music and choreography famously led to a near riot in Paris.  

Linked from her picture above, Dame Marie Rambert speaks about dancing in the debut of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring.”  Considered one of the defining nights in modernism when it opened almost 100 years ago, the avant-garde music and choreography famously led to a near riot in Paris.  

“When tights are removed from ballet, the art itself is changed. Ballet, the genre that once recaptured the ideal quality of nudity, becomes instead, in these modern examples, the art of nakedness.” The NYTimes looks at the increase of nudity in contemporary dance and ballet.  Article linked above.

“When tights are removed from ballet, the art itself is changed. Ballet, the genre that once recaptured the ideal quality of nudity, becomes instead, in these modern examples, the art of nakedness.” The NYTimes looks at the increase of nudity in contemporary dance and ballet.  Article linked above.

The Belgian choreographer Frédéric Flamand’s body of work is about testing the limits of the human body and exploring the built environment in a process steeped in collaboration. Since 1996, he has worked with a number of leading architects – Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio, Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel, Thom Mayne, Zaha Hadid and Dominic Perrault and, most recently artist/architect Ai Weiwei. Article linked above.

The Belgian choreographer Frédéric Flamand’s body of work is about testing the limits of the human body and exploring the built environment in a process steeped in collaboration. Since 1996, he has worked with a number of leading architects – Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio, Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel, Thom Mayne, Zaha Hadid and Dominic Perrault and, most recently artist/architect Ai Weiwei. Article linked above.

A different kind of balance.  One woman’s fitness finds that ballet is the new yoga. Article linked above.

A different kind of balance.  One woman’s fitness finds that ballet is the new yoga. Article linked above.

The Joffrey Ballet has “locked out” its dancers, as negotiations between the company and dancers’ union have grown tense. The major issue? Dancers reluctance to approve a 30-hr rehearsal week (like every other major company) instead of their current 25-hr one. Article linked above.

The Joffrey Ballet has “locked out” its dancers, as negotiations between the company and dancers’ union have grown tense. The major issue? Dancers reluctance to approve a 30-hr rehearsal week (like every other major company) instead of their current 25-hr one. Article linked above.

En pointe! NYC Ballet is cleverly cashing in on The Black Swan craze by offering 9 performances of Swan Lake starting Friday.  Linked above, the Wall Street Journal interviewed the lead on a FAQ of the actual Swan Lake (and dancer experience) vs. Black Swan.

En pointe! NYC Ballet is cleverly cashing in on The Black Swan craze by offering 9 performances of Swan Lake starting Friday.  Linked above, the Wall Street Journal interviewed the lead on a FAQ of the actual Swan Lake (and dancer experience) vs. Black Swan.

Dancers Among Us is a photography project that removes classically trained dancers from the context of the studio and captures their work in everyday settings and everyday clothes.  More images linked above.

Dancers Among Us is a photography project that removes classically trained dancers from the context of the studio and captures their work in everyday settings and everyday clothes.  More images linked above.

Even though musicologists have tended to gloss over Piotr Illyich Tchaikovsky’s sexuality, it’s generally acknowledged that he prefered the company of men.  Remembered most for his ballets (Swan Lake & The Nutcracker) and The 1812 Overture, his 6th Symphony (The Pathetique) is infamous for its dedication to his nephew (pictured on the right with his uncle), with whom Tchaikovsky was intensely in love.    An excerpt from an 1892 letter to his nephew: “I often think of you and see you in my dreams, usually looking sad and depressed. This has added a feeling of compassion to my love for you and makes me love you even more. Oh God! How I want to see you this very minute.”   Great collection of his intense letters to his nephew on a site linked above.

Even though musicologists have tended to gloss over Piotr Illyich Tchaikovsky’s sexuality, it’s generally acknowledged that he prefered the company of men.  Remembered most for his ballets (Swan Lake & The Nutcracker) and The 1812 Overture, his 6th Symphony (The Pathetique) is infamous for its dedication to his nephew (pictured on the right with his uncle), with whom Tchaikovsky was intensely in love.   

An excerpt from an 1892 letter to his nephew: “I often think of you and see you in my dreams, usually looking sad and depressed. This has added a feeling of compassion to my love for you and makes me love you even more. Oh God! How I want to see you this very minute.” 

 Great collection of his intense letters to his nephew on a site linked above.

Few artistic companies have survived the 1970s “gay golden age” of the New York arts scene intact—even less have flourished like Ballet Trockadero.  On working in an all male drag ballet corps, one of Trockadero’s dancers states, “I’ve been dancing 40-week years for 16 years and never had to worry about the next paycheck. And how many people in this business can say that?” Article linked above.

Few artistic companies have survived the 1970s “gay golden age” of the New York arts scene intact—even less have flourished like Ballet Trockadero.  On working in an all male drag ballet corps, one of Trockadero’s dancers states, “I’ve been dancing 40-week years for 16 years and never had to worry about the next paycheck. And how many people in this business can say that?” Article linked above.

The Hard Nut, Mark Morris’ brilliant re-interpretation of The Nutcracker for people who hate The Nutcracker, turns 20 this year.  The NYTimes re-evaluates it (linked above with a beautiful slideshow of images), “It’s naughty, satirical and camp in its vision of 1960s America,…it includes several different accentuations of drag and gender transcendence and…its largeness of spirit — nowhere more so than in its snow scene — carry me away.” If your city isn’t one of the many that launch this production, check it out on OvationTV, where it regularly gets screened every December (and wins viewer favorite) during their “Battle of the Nutcrackers.”

The Hard Nut, Mark Morris’ brilliant re-interpretation of The Nutcracker for people who hate The Nutcracker, turns 20 this year.  The NYTimes re-evaluates it (linked above with a beautiful slideshow of images), “It’s naughty, satirical and camp in its vision of 1960s America,…it includes several different accentuations of drag and gender transcendence and…its largeness of spirit — nowhere more so than in its snow scene — carry me away.”

If your city isn’t one of the many that launch this production, check it out on OvationTV, where it regularly gets screened every December (and wins viewer favorite) during their “Battle of the Nutcrackers.”

Thunder thighs!  Do these 2 look too fat to be dancing?  The NYTimes dance critic seems to think so.  Read a great reaction to his writeup from the former LA Times Dance Critic—article linked above!

Thunder thighs!  Do these 2 look too fat to be dancing?  The NYTimes dance critic seems to think so.  Read a great reaction to his writeup from the former LA Times Dance Critic—article linked above!