The late, great British dancer Stanley Holden was a dance teacher of mine. One doesn’t ordinarily think of comedy in connection with ballet dancers, but Holden was a master of it, best known for originating the en travesti character Widow … Continue reading →
Surfing on You Tube recently, I came across a 2001 video of then-nearly-seventy-year-old Violette Verdy coaching French dancer Isabelle Guerin in Jerome Robbins’s “Dances at a Gathering,” teaching her the role that was first created on Verdy herself in 1969. … Continue reading →
I first saw the Paul Taylor Dance Company perform in 1970. I was immediately impressed, even though it’s a modern dance company and at the time I tended to prefer ballet. But Paul Taylor’s work had a unique set of … Continue reading →
In both ballet and ice skating, the best jumpers tend to be more compact. Jumping not only takes extreme athleticism and coordination, it also requires exceptionally strong legs—particularly the thigh and butt muscles. Conversely, the more elongated the torso and … Continue reading →
Ice dancing is a funny sport. Even more than other types of ice skating, it accentuates the showbiz aspects and plays down the athleticism—although just try it yourself for a moment and you’ll see how much of the latter is … Continue reading →
If you want to take a break and watch a glorious dancer you’ve probably never heard of, take a look at a 1979 clip of Lynn Seymour performing the bedroom scene from Macmillan’s “Romeo and Juliet” with David Wall’s Romeo, … Continue reading →
By now you’ve probably read the news that Patrick Swayze has died. Swayze was an actor and dancer who became famous for the surprise blockbuster film “Dirty Dancing.” But I liked him best in “Ghost,” which didn’t even feature his … Continue reading →
A while back, in a post on the subject of turns in dance, I wrote: Certain people are…that rare phenomenon known as “natural turners.” Some strange trick of brain and inner ear, some unusual sense of centered balance, allows them … Continue reading →
Yes, the following clip of Carla Fracci is almost irredeemably corny. It features one of the oldest (and most old-fashioned) ballets in existence, “La Sylphide.” And Nureyev as the male dancer looks exceedingly uncomfortable. The restrained and delicate style required … Continue reading →
….(which we were)….If this doesn’t make you happy, at least for a couple of minutes, then I don’t know what will:
Continue reading →This article documents a trend I’ve noticed for decades: ballet lines have become more exaggerated over time. This is especially true of what is known as “extrension”—that is, the height of the nonsupporting leg when it is raised. But it’s … Continue reading →
I find I need a bit of refreshment and rest from the nonstop gloom of the news. My idea of relaxation is to look at a few old ballet clips. “Giselle” is one of those old-fashioned warhorses that people like … Continue reading →