Comments on: Performance Log- Swan Lake Pt.2

by: just_a_fan

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:25:51 +0000

So David? Did our responses influence you at all? Curious as to what you think of the comments.

How about an update with YOUR thoughts?

Merde for Don Q tomorrow.

by: jim

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:20:22 +0000

David:

Your friend is a fool; that was a great and beautiful leap for love a la Tosca.

Read the comments; we approve 100%

by: xtanzer

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:23:32 +0000

By the way, we were excited when we saw the youtube link. We thought finally there would be a video of David dancing on youtube. Not that w didn’t like seeing Angel, but he’s “available on DVD” or has other videos posted. Lots of dancers (and ballet fans I imagine) look for ballet videos on youtube. Many great dance videos. Great Bocca videos…but none of David!

It sure would be nice to see David dancing Tchai Pas or Albrecht’s variation on youtube.

–xtanzer

by: neodancer

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:14:41 +0000

If someone was not intimately familiar with the ballet, I could see how someone could view the jump as humorous. However, I echo many of the statements above. It’s a death rattle, and a beautiful one at that. It is called for in the grandeur of the music and the fantastical circumstances of the plot. I wouldn’t over think it - I think you’re doing more than okay

I have to mention the SET though…oooh isn’t that sunrise glorious?! Bravo to your designer!

by: QQ

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:25:45 +0000

David,

were you convinced that you were totally in “despair to die with Odette” at the moment of the jump? (if that’s the way you/the director want to portray the prince’s last act.) because if you were totally convinced of your feeling of despair at that moment, the audience (e.g. your artist friend) would feel it too.

i remember you mentioned salvation somewhere, which’s hope, for an eternal love in another world. that sounds a nice interpretation of the prince’s last jump too. but the feelings would be different.

whichever way you choose to portray the character, please don’t sacrifice the *JUMP* . adjust emotions inside, the dancing will natually follow, i assume. right?

(my questions here are not meant for you to answer me. they are yours to keep. )

by: Stephanie

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:52:23 +0000

I think the jump is supposed to be abrupt and somewhat violent…their death is. It’s an act of desperation, sadness and ultimately devotion. It’s not really a cheap parlor trick so much as a punch in the stomach. You should react viscerally to it because it’s a visceral scene/emotion.

by: tonya

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:22:43 +0000

If people were laughing it’s because they can’t believe anyone could do anything so physically astounding. When I saw it last year, there was some laughing around me, as there was this year when Angel did his insane pirouette fouette sequence so fast he was a blur, as there was when Marcelo turned Julie with one hand the year before last, when Daniel Ulbrich at NYCB did those crazy sky-high jumps in Prodigal Son etc. etc. Laughter definitely doesn’t mean people think something is bad; rather it signals the audience is overjoyed that something could be so great.

To be honest, my friend who I brought with me to your Swan last year (who is new to dance) thought your dive was the best part of the whole thing. She couldn’t understand why everyone didn’t dance with that “passion” and “intensity” throughout. It just shows how different newcomers and old timers think.

I think it’s cute that you asked us for our opinions though. How funny would it have been if Nureyev would have asked his readers in a blog what they thought about his high demi-pointe

Also, if she is indeed thinking of leaving ABT (there are rumors going both ways), please tell Veronika she has a great great great many fans and to please STAY!!!

by: just_a_fan

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:30:49 +0000

I can’t resist…
I can’t believe someone didn’t say “David! You should do a swan dive next time!”

Okay. I know, I know.
:-)

by: xtanzer

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:03:04 +0000

David,
From my point of view, and my lovely date who sat next to me for the Tuesday performance (with Michelle as the Swan), it was an absolutely WONDERFUL ending, the way you jumped into the lake. Passionate and poetic. I think it’s a totally valid “gesture” and I assure you no one around us was “laughing”. It’s quite striking and it definitely works. My date loved it - she cried….
In the end, of course, you have to do what feels right to you… Trust your gut. Your instincts have always been right on in your dramatic roles. If you “love” this ending, stick with it. From our point of view it’s both powerful and wonderful - and it feels right to us too. In no way, shape or form did it take away from anything happening on stage. My God, Siegfried feels responsible for all that’s happened, he runs desperately into the forest to find her and beg forgiveness, he almost has some redemption but realizes it’s totally hopeless, Odette has cast herself into the lake (Michele did a pretty nice jump herself) and you’re about to follow her. What do you do? Step off? The whole scene built logically and dramatically to the leap you did. It worked perfectly. Trust your gut…
…and thank you for the absolutely stunning performance.

–xtanzer

by: bill

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:49:18 +0000

I’ve heard tales of Siegfried and Odette bouncing back into sight (by mistake of course) after their leaps — that would be bad. Otherwise, the leaps don’t break up the flow of the performance for me. Now Von Rothbart hamming it up after the leaps I find distracting…