bridiem

I imagine that it's been the gradual advance and interaction of all the things you mention. And they are all in themselves good; but they sometimes have an unintended aesthetic consequence.

Brilliant, capybara!

This is indeed interesting, and I'm sure much of it is very helpful to dancers in coping with the requirements placed on them and (I hope) avoiding injury. What it doesn't mention, and what I have become increasingly aware of in recent years, is that the emphasis on sheer physical strength is I think changing how dancers look. The effort required is now often visibly evident in dancers' bodies (bigger muscles, broader shoulders, etc - both men and women) in a way it rarely used to be. I personally don't like that because the effect of ballet is based on the illusion of ease and grace, and if dancers look like athletes the illusion is no longer sustainable. Perhaps the requirements placed on many dancers - in terms of the very different styles they are now required to master and sustain all the time, and often the extreme physicality involved - are not in fact desirable.

As a personal aside, I see that the number of performances I went to in the 2017-2018 season was almost exactly double the number I went to in the season before I joined the Forum (2014-2015). That is directly attributable to the increased interest and enthusiasm that this Forum has stirred in me - hearing others' opinions, views on dancers or companies I would otherwise not have booked for, interesting information sparking curiosity, etc. So THANK YOU to everyone who contributes, and to the moderators for all they do. (But I also hold you all directly responsible for my reduced bank balance... ).

They would include (but I'm sure not be restricted to) the role/solo in The Illustrated Farewell; Myrthe; a role in Corybantic Games; and one of Siegfried's sisters in Swan Lake.

So many amazing performances! Antoinette Brooks Daw in Gloria (NB) - such delicate beauty, honesty and gravity Stina Quagebeur as Myrthe in Akram Khan's Giselle and as Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty (ENB) - a terrific dancer and actress RB Giselles, esp Osipova - her fear and her passion Hirano and Calvert in The Winter's Tale (RB) - they made me appreciate the ballet for the first time RB Manons, esp the Lamb/Muntagirov cast - heartbreaking RB Swan Lakes, esp the Nunez/Muntagirov cast, Osipova and Lamb - brilliant technique and intense drama (but foiled by the ending) And: Alexander Campbell and Tierney Heap (RB) thrilled me in just about everything they did.

I agree, but he has been promoted in each of the last two years. I imagine he's very likely to be promoted next year.

Delighted with all of these. And I'm sure there are others on the cusp of promotion so there must have been some difficult decisions for KOH to make.

Amazing about James Lovell! Going straight to the Prince?!

That really made me laugh, FLOSS (and then it depressed me). I didn't go to the RBS performance, but (apart from Aurora's Wedding) it does look like an odd programme for a classical ballet school. But then, I look at RB programming and sometimes find it odd for a classical ballet company.

And he doesn't even need to put his newspaper down!

My team too, since birth (1960)! My Dad (born 1915) was from Belfast but supported Liverpool, and he moved there in 1929 to live with an aunt when his parents died. So my blood is Liverpudlian red. Not sure where the ballet comes from!

That sounds idyllic! Swan Lake, ice cream and the sea. Sigh.

Without a doubt! Both = collective physical and creative endeavour towards a GOAL! Come on England!!!

The ROH website cites Ashton's love for the Suffolk countryside where he lived, and says that 'Ashton affectionately incorporated elements of national folk dance into his choreography, from a Lancashire clog dance to a maypole dance, making La Fille mal gardée – despite its title – emphatically English.' I think I experience it as English with a French (and a placeless, and timeless) flavour.

I've just seen the very sad news on Twitter (posted by her husband) that Gillian Lynne died today. May she rest in peace.

It made me cry, and I wasn't even there!

Sounds amazing!

I hope so, since I assume that they're paid less than full members of the corps.

Yes - I did wonder about that but didn't like to speculate about her own thoughts. I would simply point out that it was her first career that launched her into her second one.

It is distinctly odd to refer to her first career just as a 'performer'. Principal of the Royal Ballet, actually. I suspect 'ballet' isn't a word they really want to use.

Gosh! She was such a beautiful dancer. Does anyone know what she has been doing in recent years?

No, I'm afraid you're right, Bruce!

It would really be better if they charged say 10% of the ticket price, given the huge differences in ticket prices throughout the House.