the ballet.

And before Baryshnikov, there was Rudolf Nureyev. OMG! Both beautiful.
I was a kid when he defected, but I remember the news and those pics. They influenced me in some way.

As a late teen - early 20s I read Margot Fonteyn's autobiography twice. Whatalife!

 

I watched a clip of her and Rudic (a pas de deux from Gisselle). She had a remarkably long career with the royal ballet. He once said, when asked if Fonteyn was too heavy, he replied that he needed to be strong enough to lift her. So cool!

 

Yes, it is really hard on your feet. I was living in New Smyrna Beach when I first started using pointe shoes and I remember going to the beach and feeling the blisters on my feet burning when I went into the salt water. Painful, hideous feet was a normal thing for me through much of my teens. My second toes are still all bent and weird looking.
--- merged: Aug 18, 2013 at 8:48 PM ---

In my day, it was Gelsey Kirkland that me and all my classmates admired the most.

View: http://youtu.be/_-Tgfx5jFkI

She had the most exquisite technique. She would punctuate the choreography with her own elongations and spaces that made even the classics seem new and beautiful. There isn't a lot of youtube-age of her out there unfortunately. She wrote an autobiography, too. Her story is kind of a sad one.
--- merged: Aug 18, 2013 at 9:07 PM ---
The Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake was always one of my favorites. I think it would be fun to dance Odile....because she is sexy and bad.


View: http://youtu.be/699cbEBHN3s

 

Hey! Wait a minute! My day was Gelsey's day too, or before it (she was born the same year as that old big dog).
Margot was way before my time, but her life was somethinelse, Im tellin you. Married to a SA politician, cloaka'daggery, dancing with a political art radical, snipers, Europe!, Boats!, and onandon. She danced all the classics, with all the classics, at a time that ballet was revered, she was revered.

 

Please allow me a moment "off point" if you don't mind. I have been a member less than 24 hours,. I found this site searching for a place where I could find intelligent and stimuating conversation. Let me just say, I am thrilled to be here. And to you, Mixedmedia, I seem to be finding you everywhere I search. Very impressive.
Now "on point" The Ballet
Ballet is, in my opinion, the ultimate art form. The combination of music and dance at it's highest level. The dancers have to be some of the most gifted and talented atheletes in the world ( and yes they are atheletes ). But it was/is the music that got me started.
As an aspiring musician in the late 60's and early 70's, and a huge fan of "rock music", I found myself getting increasingly bored and uninspired. The better I got and the more I learned, the less interested I was in music. Then I found a unique new sound that took rock and phycedelic music to a new level. It was called progressive rock and included bands like Yes, Genesis (with Peter Gabriel) king Crimson, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Gentle Giant and many more. It was music that required you to think. I was nearly obsessed with this music. MOre importantly It opened my eyes to music. Made me aware of the possibilities of music. My life changed forever and true to it's name I progressed. Part of that progression led me to the "masters". The most innovative composers in the history of mucic. I am refering to Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Debussey, and the great Igor Stravinsky.
Having adapted to a new way of listening and understanding, this complex new music form, ( progressive rock) I was ready to tackle Ballet music . It was one of the great periods of my life (early 80's). I would pick out a bellet and start absorbing the music. Reading about it , and studying everthing I could find (no pc's in those days). It was a labor of love. I remember how proud I was when I would figure out a passage or movement and what the composer was trying to convey. All the while reading about the story itself and the coreography. God I need another challenge.
Mixedmedi, I must, ever so slighlty object to one of your post, The post rgarding music being a coincidental addition or aside to the dancing. I even gave it a try. I watched "The Firebird, and "The Rite of Spring" with the sound muted. It just didn't work, although I still found myself entranced by the dancers talent and athleticism.

Sorry for being "long winded" but as you can tell, this is one of my passion, plus I am a rookie here and should be given a little latitude regarding posting etiquette
Lelandenewman

P.S. A few of you were commenting on the sexual prowess and passions of the dancers. I have absolutly no idea about that, but I must admit the images it created were very interesting to say the least

 

Since it's christmas and all


View: http://youtu.be/FbPUX8cWmeU


ahhh, Baryshnikov and Gelsey

View: http://youtu.be/RsL5VzBqTFk
(I never really liked his staging of this ballet, though)


View: http://youtu.be/bw1yTMJ0e-g



View: http://youtu.be/MNHxTl2B4h4


has always been my favorite part of this ballet. surprise, surprise.

View: http://youtu.be/vsuPn9695iE