Misty Copeland in the News Again!

May 30, 2012 By 5 Comments
Misty Copeland a la seconde on the floor

Seldom do we come across great talent like Misty's. We've reported about her on several occasions in the past. (See links at the end of this post). She's one of our favorite shining ballet stars. And here's why: She's been following her dream since she was 13 and has been relentless about reaching her artistic goals. I'd like to introduce... (drum roll) American Ballet Theatre soloist,  Misty Copeland in the news again! Read below and watch the video, her story will amaze and inspire you to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: American Ballet Theatre ABT, Ballerinas, Classical Ballet Tagged With: ,

Tamara Rojo Wants To Stamp Out Anorexia in Ballet

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Tamara Rojo Wants to Stomp Out Anorexia in Ballet

Principal ballerina, Tamara Rojo, now head of the English National Ballet has definite ideas about what she wants the dance troupe to adopt under her direction as far as body weight and image, and for good reason. After years of observing fellow ballerinas adopt unhealthy eating habits, Tamara Rojo wants to stamp out anorexia in ballet. Rojo was born in Montreal, Canada, to Spanish parents who moved back to Spain when she was four months old. She started dancing at the age of 10 in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Ballerinas, Ballet Retirement, Classical Ballet Tagged With: , , , ,

Pas de Deux: The Dancers’ Perspective [Video]

April 25, 2012 By 6 Comments
Pas de Deux: The Dancers' Perspective

  Wouldn't it be neat to be able to "feel" what it's like to dance a pas de deux? Unless you're a professional ballet dancer, you may not get to experience that. Well, now you can, through this amazing video! What is the Dancers' Perspective? Principal Dancers Megan Fairchild and Andrew Veyette give us a view of the wedding pas de deux from "The Sleeping Beauty" from the dancers' perspective. Through cameras placed in strategic places on each dancer we're able to "feel" what the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Ballerinas, Ballet Dancer, Classical Ballet, New York City Ballet Tagged With: , , , ,

I Am a Dancer with Rudolf Nureyev

April 13, 2012 By 4 Comments
I Am a Dancer with Rudolf Nureyev

This is a rare documentary with never before seen footage of Nureyev in I Am a Dancer. You can see him taking class, leading a rehearsal of La Sylphide, giving out corrections to the corps de ballet in French and in English. His partnership with Margot Fonteyn is portrayed as they each express their mutual admiration during an interview, excerpted here. Sir Frederick Ashton is also interviewed as he explains how Marguerite and Armand, the ballet he created for Nureyev and Fonteyn came … [Read more...]

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Featured Dancer: Fernando Pi Jhones

March 25, 2012 By 3 Comments
Fernando Jhones

For over ten years I had  a world renowned danseur noble as my ballet teacher. As a matter of fact I was the last dancer he rehearsed before his untimely death. Fernando Pi Jhones of the National Ballet of Cuba (Ballet Nacional de Cuba) was my ballet mentor and master to our company Ballet Clasico de Queretaro Fernando Jhones. Several members of the forum BalletAlert posted about "Fernandito" his life and his passing. R.I.P. Fernando Jhones of Cuba virtuoso Cuban star September 21, … [Read more...]

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Ballerina Watch: Melissa Hamilton

March 21, 2012 By 4 Comments
Melissa Hamilton performing Swan Lake at Varna 2010

Soloist, Melissa Hamilton, with the Royal Ballet, is a ballerina we need to keep a close eye on. Her apparently quick rise to stardom (her story is a true inspiration) has left London audiences in awe. Luke Jennings from The Observer writes of Hamilton's "articulacy of line," and articulate she is. She speaks with her body, as you will see in the video below. Mary Greene with Mail Online interviews her and is delighted with Ms. Hamilton's ease and intelligence. Her story reads like a fairy … [Read more...]

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Interview: Dame Margot Fonteyn Talks of Anna Pavlova

March 19, 2012 By 6 Comments
Interview: Margot Fonteyn talks of Anna Pavlova

Twenty-eight years ago, in a 1984 interview, Dame Margot Fonteyn talks of Anna Pavlova and her  newly published book Pavlova, Impressions. Elegant  and distinguished at 65, shy and soft spoken, she tells of the time she saw Pavlova dancing; she was 6 years old. At the time of this interview, she had been retired for five years. She retired in 1979 at 60, after 17 years of an amazing partnership with Russian sensation Rudolf Nureyev. Here's the Interview: Dame Margot Fonteyn Talks of Anna … [Read more...]

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Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev [Video]

March 18, 2012 By 3 Comments
Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in Giselle

One of the greatest ballet partnerships of the 20th century, as I wrote yesterday, was Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. How did Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev come together? Fonteyn began her greatest artistic partnership at a time when many (including the head of the Royal Ballet, Ninette de Valois) thought she was about to retire. In 1961 Rudolf Nureyev defected to the West, and on 21 February 1962, he and Fonteyn first performed together in Giselle. She was 42 and he was 24. Their … [Read more...]

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Men in Motion at Sadler’s Wells Reviews

March 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Men in Motion: Ivan Putrov and Sergei Polunin from YouTube

Several Men in Motion at Sadler's Wells Reviews are in. As promised, here are  three dance critics from three top British news sites as they chime in on what impression the much awaited part 2 of Men in Motion left them. Zoë Anderson from The Independent shares her impressions of Men in Motion at Sadler's Wells performance on March 13. Her review is not favorable. At The Daily Telegraph, Sarah Crompton's review is kinder but still not positive. Finally, Ismene Brown from The Arts Desk … [Read more...]

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First African American Ballerinas [Video]

March 15, 2012 By 6 Comments
Delores Brown

Who were the first African American Ballerinas to grace major U.S. stages? Dancer Janet Collins became the first African American dancer to join the Metropolitan Opera Company in 1951 and inspired black students to pursue their dreams. One of those students was Delores Brown, who at 14 was a awarded a scholarship to further her ballet training. She later auditioned for the American School of Ballet and became one of six black students in the school. Her dream was to eventually join the … [Read more...]

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