And speaking of happiness…
….(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 →Category Archives: Dance
The evolution(?) of extreme ballet
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 →
And now for a change of pace: Giselle through the ages
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 →
By Obama’s appointments shall ye know him
I have said that Obama will show us soon enough how he intends to govern: from the Left or towards the middle. His first acts will reveal more than all the campaign “promises” in the world. Right now he’s engaged … Continue reading →
Alonso: how to defy age in one difficult lesson
Alicia Alonso is a Cuban ballerina who has defied time. Her early career took place in this country, but she returned to Cuba after Castro came to power and he rewarded her by treating Alonso and her company very well. … Continue reading →
A moment in history leads to a moment in ballet history
I was sent the following photo with a request that I offer an explanation of this riveting ballet tableau: I would be only too happy to oblige.
Continue reading →Dancers: and the short shall be tall
There’s a new star on the New York City Ballet horizon: Daniel Ulbricht. The fact that I’d never even heard of him (or most of the current dancers in the company) until I read this article reminds me how long … Continue reading →
“This little trick”—hovering in the air
I’m currently reading I, Maya Plisetskaya, the autobiography of the wonderful Russian dancer about whom I wrote this tribute. She was known for vivacity, smoldering sensuality, and her powerful yet graceful jump, the latter of which she describes as follows: … Continue reading →
Tango: by a horse’s head
You may recall my disastrous efforts to learn to tango, chronicled here. But I still enjoy the dance as spectator, and the other evening I had the good fortune to attend a thrilling tango performance. Which made me think of … Continue reading →
Inside pointe shoes
If you’ve ever wondered what dancers wear inside their pointe shoes—well, it’s not the same as what Scotsmen wear under their kilts: The video brings back long-buried memories of my own pointe shoe rituals. First there was the taping of … Continue reading →
“Caught” in mid-air
David Parsons is not a well-known dancer/choreographer, except among dance aficionados. But his company, which I’ve followed for decades, is most definitely worth watching. In 1982 Parsons choreographed a solo with strobe lights known as “Caught.” I’ve seen it about … Continue reading →
Photoshopping gone wild: ah, but you should see the pictures!
There’s an old Jewish joke that goes something like this: A Jewish grandmother walks down the street proudly pushing her new grandchild in a baby carriage [that’s how old this joke is; a carriage rather than the $1000 stroller that … Continue reading →