Legends of Ballet

Description

VAI has assembled yet another dazzling collection of rare ballet performances, boasting the talents of Jacques d Amboise, Allegra Kent, Lupe Serrano, Royes Fernandez, Violette Verdy, André Eglevsky, Melissa Hayden, Alicia Alonso, Nora Kaye, Mia Slavenska, and more. All but one of the items here are issued for the first time ever, and all the segments (taken from early 1960s television) are in color. Highlights include the New York City Ballet s production of George Balanchine s innovative ballet Square Dance, featuring the cast of the 1957 premiere and the brilliant square dance caller Elisha Keeler (who also wrote the script); an emotionally powerful pas de deux from Giselle with Serrano and Fernandez; a virtuosic performance of Balanchine s Sylvia pas de deux with Kent and d Amboise in top form; the rarely performed Pas de Quatre with an all-star cast of Alonso, Hayden, Kaye, and Slavenska; a charming extended version of the Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty starring Hayden and Eglevsky (choreographed by Eglevsky), and more. Also includes new works created for the Bell Telephone Hour show, including a charming piece called Concerto for Art Lovers, with d Amboise, Kent, Taina Elg, and Gene Nelson (who was also the choreographer). Review: Great collection of vintage dance footage - This collection of historic videos will be a must-have for dance lovers for several reasons: 1) it features the video of Balanchine's "Square Dance" with the caller. Balanchine later eliminated the caller but in this 1960 video you can see Balanchine's original thoughts on the ballet, which was to make it a formal American square dance using baroque music. This video also features the incredible performance by Patricia Wilde. Wilde is a dancer we don't hear about much anymore, but watch her here: she's fast, she's musical, she's amazing. Nicholas Magallanes is an amazing partner. And the caller just shows how much American culture Balanchine was able to absorb into his ballets. "Down the center with the butterfly twirl" accompanies a pirouette. "Make your feet go wickety wack" is another command. 2) Allegra Kent and Jacque d'Amboise in Balanchine's Sylvia pas de deux. This has fallen out of the NYCB repertoire, and Kent was rarely filmed in her prime (she had three babies and a lot of personal problems). But here you can see what an luminous dancer she was. Why this pas de deux was dropped from the repertoire I don't know. It's a charmer. Allegra Kent is also featured in a cheesy piece of Americana called "Concert for Art Lovers." This whole video actually shows how handsome and star-like Jacque d'Amboise was in his prime. 3) Lupe Serrano in Giselle pas de deux. Serrano is almost forgotten today and even during her day her Giselle was considered inferior to Markova, Alonso, and Fracci. But the excerpt from Giselle shows Serrano's lightning fast entrechats and gargouillades, something many modern day Giselles struggle with. But that's not all there is to enjoy in this video. I confess I have an allergy Anton Dolin's Pas de Quatre, but watching Alicia Alonso, Nora Kaye, Melissa Hayden, and Mia Slavenska dance it was delightful. Four very different dancers with very different background and training. It's interesting. Melissa Hayden is also featured in excerpts from Sleeping Beauty. I can't say she's Margot Fonteyn but it's interesting to see her outside her usual repertoire. There's also some cheesy by-now forgotten choreography: a ridiculously costumed Violette Verdy and Jacque d'Amboise in Donald Saddler's version of Midsummers Night Dream. Thankfully both Ashton and Balanchine later made far superior classic versions. This is overall just a great video for lovers of vintage dance footage. Review: You will See STARS - It' has often been said.. you can sit around, and Waite,.. but talent like this will '' never bee seen again''...so I can't think of another way to express how I felt during and watching this DVD... Here you will find the inspiration for many a future artist, and a return to the Golden Age of the Dance- Broadcasts on T.V. Today, we have brilliant technical talents... but in this performance...see, what.. ''Time'' can only bestow '' .. you will see STARS ! Please.... if you love the dance and great- pantomime- with- dance..? this DVD will not disappoint , we are lucky to have this great- preservation of a time past in performance ...Bravos.. Bravo !