June 24th, 2010 by soul4dance

Casual followers of ballet dance are might be forgiven for thinking that American Ballet Theater have only one Russian star in its midst, as New York this spring has been excited over Natalia Osipova, a guest from the Bolshoi Ballet. Could it have been only a few seasons ago that the city was sweep up in the arrival of another Great Russian ballerina, Diana Vishneva, who joined Ballet Theater full time in 2005 as a principal?

Tuesday night at the Metropolitan Opera House Ms. Vishneva ring a bell why she has inspires enduring love, when she and David Hallberg offered a ravishing performance of “Swan Lake.” The sheer beauty of their dancing surprised.

Kevin McKenzie’s production, choreographed after the Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, let’s see the beauty shine through in Act II, when Prince restless heart finds out its harbor in Odette. To watch Ms. Vishneva arch slowly back over Mr. Hallberg’s arm that was to feel time itself slow down as she sank richly into the Tchaikovsky score. Her swan princess is a tragic being, aware long before the naïve Siegfried that they cannot live happily on this earth.

Amazing Deligh

And what more can be said of the endless, perfect lines into which Mr. Hallberg’s body repeatedly reconfigures itself. And he is acting, which in the seasons past have a seemed a bit too eager, appears to be quieter and more. The classical purity of his dancing here becomes as the embodiment of his character’s morality. He is a noble through and through, if the torn between his desire to please and his desire for freedom.

He gets all his freedom in the end, paying for it with his life. The ballet’s dance final act must give us the full drama and beauty of the couple’s sacrifice, exaggerated by the swan maiden corps. But the plot’s significance is blunted by Mr. McKenzie’s theatrical decisions, which forgo substantial choreography in favor of silly chase antics among Odette, Siegfried and the evil sorcerer von Rothbart. Poor Isaac Stappas, having to throw himself about in that absurd Swamp Thing getup, which is lamely intended to reveal the sorcerer’s true nature.

November 6th, 2009 by soul4dance

Paying respect to late actor Patrick Swayze, dancers in New York City honored him with a posthumous honour for his contribution to the industry. The star, who lost his battle with cancer earlier this year (Sept09), skilled as a ballet dancer before he began his career on Broadway with roles in hit musicals ‘Grease’ and ‘Chicago’.

His fancy footwork helped him to land his breakthrough film role in 1987 movie ‘Dirty Dancing’, reports The Daily Express. Swayze’s widow, Lisa Niemi, was present at the annual fundraiser for Career Transition for Dancers— a aid organization which helps dancers whose careers have been cut short by injury.

She went to the stage to collect the Rolex Dance Award on Swayze’s behalf. And in a tearful acceptance speech, she said that her husband is now “dancing with the angels.”

February 18th, 2009 by soul4dance

“Balanchine and Bujones” was a program launched by Orlando Ballet Company on Friday with elating dance by the two B’s George Balanchine and Fernando Bujones. In spite of the change of directors and economic recession, the new director of the Orlando Ballet Robert Hill made it a HIT.
The first half showcased George Balanchine’s light and moody ballet and the second half was taken over by best of Fernando Bujones comprehensive compilation. It was tough for the audience to decide who the best was, whether it was George Balanchine the greatest choreographer of the 20th century or Fernando Bujones the magnificent dancer who restructured Orlando Ballet Company.
The show began with George Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie, a Balanchine style with flying footwork and meltingly elegant arms to the pulse of Mikhail Glinka’s music, which will make our hearts, melt. Balanchine’s grand Gershwin-suite style showcased his talent as his touch of speed and embraces the classical Russian ballet, which testifies it to be the American ballet.
Bujones Clair de Lune, a lyrical duet accompanied by Jacqueline Compton and performed with piano onstage gave the show a poignant touch.

George Balanchine the greatest choreographer of the 20th century