For fun
How to walk downstairs with some zip in your step, by James Cagney (aka George M. Cohan): As a child, I loved that scene. In particular, I liked the fact that it builds to a peak and then calms down … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Dance
Three swans: Part III
I bet you’ve all been waiting with bated breath for Part III since the series first appeared back in 2012 (here are Part I and Part II). No? Well, here’s Part III anyway. Just to recap—“Swan Lake” is popular for … Continue reading →
The man who could do everything: Tommy Rall
Well, maybe not everything. But an extraordinary number of things. And boy, could he do them well. A while back I showed a clip of Rall in the barn dance from “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” in which he was … Continue reading →
Roger Simon didn’t vote in the Oscars, and I don’t blame him
Here’s why. Although I’m not an Academy member (unlike Roger), I’m in 100% agreement with this: I’m fed up with the Oscars and everything they represent. The sight of red carpets, particularly celebrities mouthing off on red carpets, makes me … Continue reading →
Dueling Carmens II
Commenter “Steve57” asks: I was goofing around on the intertubes. I came across this nugget [of ballet dancer Diana Vishneva as “Carmen”] and I was captivated… She wasn’t one of the “Dueling Carmens” you wrote about in June 2013 (Svetlana … Continue reading →
The special qualities of ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn: Part II
[Part I can be found here.] This next clip is an example of an element of Fonteyn’s specialness that’s extremely subtle. It’s not even a dance step; it’s more a bit of acting expressed through movement (acting through dance was … Continue reading →
A classic: Kirkland and Barishnikov in Balanchine’s “Theme and Variations”
I saw this Kirkland/Barishnikov performance live on TV in 1978 when it first aired; I’d also seen the two do the same ballet in person. They were a magical pair in the short time they were partners. They were a … Continue reading →
For some odd reason, YouTube thought I’d like this
I can’t imagine why 🙂 : As a child, I would have practically killed for those costumes and those fans. But my ballet teacher, who was British, had a very austere attitude towards recitals and fancy costumes: none. Here’s the … Continue reading →
The special qualities of ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn [Part I]
British ballerina Margot Fonteyn was never showy, never athletic, never gymnastic. She was restrained, delicate and refined, light as air. She seemed like a real (although ideal) human being rather than an infinitely stretchable creature with elastic for connective tissue. … Continue reading →
Peter Martins quits
This story may not mean much to you, but it does to me: in the midst of allegations of abuse, Peter Martins has retired from the directorship of the New York City Ballet, although he denies any wrongdoing. Here’s more … Continue reading →
Best movie dance sequence ever
Here’s a rousing demonstration of dance as male competition. As part of 1954’s “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” (which has a plot that would never, never fly these days) it features actors who were mostly dancers, and thrills and chills … Continue reading →
The dance world and sexual harassment
Peter Martins has been accused of sexual harassment in his capacity as long-time director of the New York City Ballet and teacher at the company school. Martins has headed the company since the death of its founder George Balanchine in … Continue reading →