Swan Lake Samba Girl - Latest Comments in Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

tonya — Wed, 23 May 2007 10:51:50 -0000

Thanks so much for finding that YouTube Chimene!!! It's funny because I've always thought Gillian seemed so sweet; I don't read the message boards very often but I'm surprised that people think she's cold and distant! I've never thought that of her. But I guess I am also rather shy and introverted, so I understand and appreciate that personality-type well! It's also interesting what you say about how you found the different dancers to be when you met them. In ballroom, the Latin men are very popular I think since they're so warm, they really take care of you on the dance floor. The others, in particular the Russians, are excellent dancers, but the Latin men are just so there for you and so comfortable to dance with. I remember Susan Jaffee saying Jose Carreno was the perfect partner -- "he's so grounded, and he's such a guy," such a strong support she said :) Jose!

That's funny about Veronika, you guys -- I mean, I think she's tall and large-boned, kind of like Marcelo, but I didn't see an ounce of fat on her! But I didn't know she had lost weight either...

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

delirium tremens — Tue, 22 May 2007 23:12:53 -0000

Jennifer,

she used to be heavier. She's gotten thinner and thinner the last few seasons. Personally I thought her weight looked fabulous 2 years ago. However given the dearth of strong tall men at ABT, her weight loss is probably wise given her height.
It makes her more marketable--or at least more partnerable. ABTs men are just not very tall on the whole, and those who are, like David are both overworked already, and still need (sorry David) to build up strength a bit.

See her Swan Lake!!

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

jennifer — Tue, 22 May 2007 21:45:16 -0000

i read somewhere that someone thought veronika was fat (sorry so vague but it was a while ago)...i was so horrified!!! i'm so glad to be somewhere where veronika's talents are appreciated :) i hadn't really seen her dance before so i was surprised at how she stood out in bayadere yesterday.

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

Susan — Tue, 22 May 2007 13:40:25 -0000

"She brought me so fully into her world, I nearly cried for her " - welcome to the magical world of Veronika Part. She will never have the technique of a Murphy or a Bouder but then they will never have her line and she has her own very special gifts. I hope and pray that she is able to master the Rose Adagio, that her Aurora conquers NY and that ABT promotes her immediately following the premiere, but the sad truth is that she really shouldn't need to conquer Aurora to earn her promotion. She has already shown the world what a unique artist she is, and I think all this pressure to succeed in such a technically demanding role is crazy. Her Nikiya, Raymonda, Odette - these alone qualify her as a first class ballerina, and there are so many other roles I can see her in (La Sylphide, Ondine etc). If you loved her Nikiya you MUST see her & Gomes in Swan Lake, their chemistry in that ballet is already legendary. Although I don't find Marcelo's Siegfried teddy bearish- he & Veronika generate more heat than I ever recall seeing in another Swan Lake.

I love your idea of alternating ballets night by night - I hate the block programming but I guess it makes sense for them economically and that seems to be the bottom line for ABT at this point (thus the need to strip Sleeping Beauty of the last act divertissements, eviscerate the last act of Swan lake etc). Not all ballet companies use block programing - when I was in Vienna I noticed that they mix it up with performances of each ballet staggered through out the season and alternating with Opera. So, if I had more time and money I could have seen their Swan Lake, Onegin (ballet) and Netrebko singing Manon all in one weekend! Maybe this type of programming is more typical of a company like the one in Vienna that alternates with the Opera night by night, instead of ballet season following Opera season. I also wish ABT would change their policy of having every principal dancer dancing every role (or at least most of them dancing most roles). Just as I think Aurora isn't an ideal role for Part, I also think many of ABT's other ballerinas are forced into roles that aren't ideal for them.

And regarding a remake - Solor with a male Bayadere/female Gamzetti was exactly what I was thinking about - but I'd like to see that from Bourne or Morris - not from ABT. I really like their Bayadere the way it is :)

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

Tue, 22 May 2007 12:59:02 -0000

Yes decided to go home for a few weeks to recover with the aid of mom, dad and doggy :-) I think it's best that I get out of the city for a bit now that Met has started and I'm still feeling so gross.

It's always fun hearing descriptions of people you know and seeing how they are percieved by others.

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

tonya — Tue, 22 May 2007 12:08:09 -0000

I'm glad I amused you, M -- I figured I would since of course I don't know them at all (just the sense of get from their stage presence :) ) Don't tell Marcelo I called him a big teddy bear, especially before Othello... I didn't know you were going out of town?

Delirium, I felt the same thing about Jose when I saw him in Sinatra Suites last fall. His partnering seemed really labored. I heard he had had some back problems so I can imagine that would make lifts really difficult. I hope he isn't getting tired and slowing down... I have one ticket right now for SL, but offhand don't know which ballerina is dancing the lead; if it's not Veronika, I'll definitely try to get a ticket to see her!

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

Tue, 22 May 2007 10:11:58 -0000

Nice review tonya. Your disection of Marcelo and David cracks me up :-) (I don't mean that disrespectfully at all.) I wonder how everyone wrould react to the rotating ballets night by night. My guess is that it would be more of a tech nightmare than anything else but even for the dancers in the corps it might help spice things up more regularly.

I'm going out of town for two weeks so I am sad at the scheduling because this means I'll miss David's dream debut which is a bummer. I'll only just make it back for the last Beauty!

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

jennifer — Tue, 22 May 2007 10:09:51 -0000

on monday night, veronika was one of the shades...and i also had the same thought you had; i wished veronika and nina had switched parts! even though she was only onstage for a brief period, veronika was breathtaking.

Re: Veronika’s Beautiful Pathos, Diana’s Passionate Abandon, Marcelo’s “Every Guy” hero, and Ethan’s need to join overactors anonymous: My Bayadere Roundup at Swan L...

delirium tremens — Tue, 22 May 2007 01:30:22 -0000

Yay! I'm so glad you loved Veronika!
Are you going to see her SL? if not, PLEASE do!
soooo good! Nina's odile is better. No question. Her fouettes defy belief...nothing flashy. just fast and CLEAN. I only saw Part once, and she got through them w/o difficulty, but its not a strength (see below), but her white swan is heartbreaking in a way I'd never seen before.

As far as tonight--well. I posted about it on ballettalk but i kind of thought Carreno was horrible. Not in his solos, but his partnering was so labored...it looked like he was struggling and out of shape. Nina was good, but not Nina--her arabesques were low and with a bent leg(?!), she flubbed the arabesque turns with the scarf (and she is a spectacular turner, which Part is not). I mean when gomes lifts Veronika (TALL!!) as if she weighs nothing, and carreno struggles to get Nina (TINY!) up in the air, thats a bit scary. And disappointing.

On the upside. Irina looked FABULOUS as Gamzatti. I much prefered her to WIles. So imperious, and yet you got the sense she too really loved Solor.

same cast for the bronze idol. which was too bad. I thought Lopez was very good but I would have liked to see someone else.