Ondine

This short bio also has a linked video which I recommend watching. 'Curating the Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet' Johaar Mosaval https://mobballet.org/index.php/2021/05/17/johaar-mosaval/ Official link

Sad news indeed. He was 'spotted' by the great Dulcie Howes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulcie_Howes who had studied ballet with Cecchetti teachers Helen White and in UK Margaret Craske. It was Howes who ensured he was given his early training. When Mosaval was a youth, he was noticed by Dulcie Howes, the doyenne of South African theatrical dance, while he was performing gymnastics. She invited him to attend the University of Cape Town Ballet School. Despite the disapproval of his Muslim parents and the white ("European") community, Mosaval accepted her invitation and began his dance training at the ballet school in 1947.[5] He later explained, "It was the height of apartheid and there was no scope for me. She broke the race barrier by taking me to ballet classes. [...] I had to stand at the back of the class. The white boys in the class would give me sideways glances if I happened to grand jeté myself to the front."[6][Note 1] In the classes of Jasmine Honoré, Mosaval advanced quickly, as his strong, flexible physique and iron determination to succeed reinforced his natural facility for classical ballet technique. Apartheid prevented Mosaval from pursuing a dance career in his home country, but in 1950 he was noticed by visiting ballet celebrities Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, after he was smuggled into Cape Town's Alhambra Theatre for an audition. They arranged for him to receive a scholarship to attend the Sadler's Wells Ballet School in London. Travel to London was paid with money gathered from friends and fundraising by the local Muslim Progressive Society.[4] His parents never paid a cent towards his education in dance, either because they were too poor or because they never approved of it. "I had many obstacles in terms of my religion; my family was against me," he told the Cape Times in 2018. "As the eldest of 10 children and being a male dancer, my decisions were frowned upon because they were unheard of."[7] A most interesting man. We should not forget how much of a struggle a ballet career was for some. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johaar_Mosaval

To be accurate it's eurhythmics not eurythmics. Gah!

Yes more information here. "The contemporary dance syllabus Created the well-known dancer, choreographer, philosopher, and Artistic Director of the Rambert School (from 1985–2015) Dr Ross McKim, our Contemporary dance syllabus is informed by Eastern concepts of subtle energy and draws influence from choreographers Graham, Hawkins and Cohan. This syllabus aims to introduce students to the fundamentals of Contemporary dance technique and performance by approaching different movement themes at each level, specially created solos and the inclusion of structured improvisation to enable students to explore, develop and create their own movement vocabulary. We have developed three levels of the syllabus: Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced 1." https://www.istd.org/dance/dance-genres/contemporary/ Marie Rambert hersef was trained in Dalcroze Eurythmics (which is why she was hired by Diaghilev) https://dalcroze.org.uk/about-us/what-is-dalcroze/ then gained her ballet teaching credentials from Enrico Cecchetti himself in 1920, which is when she opened her school. https://rambert.org.uk/performance-database/people/marie-rambert/ https://rambert.org.uk/performance-database/people/rambert-school-of-ballet-and-contemporary-dance/ And the name carries on, though so many school / company plot twists and turns along the way. https://rambert.org.uk/performance-database/people/rambert/

Yes. I think her insight needs to be more fully recorded!

Yes, it's really useful that she has that chance to explain. I'll add this here (official link).

New on YouTube. Official Dance Europe channel link. Film clips by courtesy: Romeo and Juliet The Royal Ballet Mayerling English National Ballet Song of the Earth Ballet de l’Opéra national de Paris Manon Stuttgart Ballet Mayerling Mayerling Hungarian National Ballet Interview filmed at the Royal Opera House, London With thanks to The Royal Ballet Press Office Filmed and Edited by Emma Kauldhar A Dance Europe Film ©2023

I love this ballet and look forward to listening so thank you!

Giselle... 'the mad scene' as it's always called...

For those that like that sort of thing, that's the sort of thing they like... For those of us of a more classical bent (official link)

I came across this and had just read it when you posted that. Basically it's about how ephemeral dance is, how, as I think I said way back you can't hang it on a gallery wall to preserve it and show it, 'modern' companies with a charismatic leader didn't perform the work of others apart from Ailey, as mostly there wasn't a great deal of love lost, and so much else that fits into this topic and I recommend people read it. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072703072.html?itid=lk_interstitial_manual_20

And the s e x in the upstairs bedroom, thankfully Ashton spared us the graphics. MacMillan wouldn't have.

This is where it gets tricky, but I think Rambert wouldn't describe itself as a ballet company these days and I suspect (don't know not enquired) it also does Graham or other technique class? I know from students I've sent to Laban & London School of Contemporary Dance in the dim distant past that ballet was taught. All were initially ballet trained, up to 'majors' then learned Graham as an 'add on' without any problem. (I was taught by one of Laban's disciples many many years ago, she was a student of his pre war, before her family and Laban removed themselves from the grip of the Nazis. Not sure what hold he had on those women, who seemed to come over misty eyed at a mention of him. But I digress.) I know many Merce Cunningham dancers used to take class with Margaret Craske in the US, the great Cecchetti teacher. Cecchetti technique they specifically found useful, for various reasons. So much crossover. https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/jan/27/guardianobituaries There's an interesting piece about Cunningham here with a small aside about how nice a person Fonteyn was. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/2011/10/24/gIQASr75CM_blog.html

It's all more MacMillan than Ashton really.

The arranged marriage? Crikey. The list grows... 😐

Well... I reckon a ballet company is one where company class is a trad ballet class daily. Barre, centre, etc. It's not based on Graham technique or anything else technique. https://us.humankinetics.com/blogs/excerpt/martha-graham-ndash-the-graham-technique I'm sure others will have their own opinions...

Is this a case of rumour spreading? Beyond this forum, has anyone had a whisper that Fille is 'cancelled'? If not perhaps this is simply alarmist? Apart from Alain, Widow Simone, the pony, the harsh, degrading and cruel beating of poor Lise, not to mention the fire risk of locking her in alone... it's all fine... 🤨

Here's a taster (official link)

I hope not, the Osbert Lancaster designs can rightly be said to be 'iconic'! But you never know....

https://www.kennethmacmillan.com/concerto Music: Shostakovich, Piano Concert No. 2

This one?

Well now. That WOULD be different! Though neigh, I suspect he prefers Ashton's choreography. His Fille role could be expanded, his talents more widely harnessed. His pas de cheval is beautifully executed I hear, cabrioles crisply beaten. I'll get me coat.

If Padjak has returned it's possible. She's certainly danced it before. Cuthbertson would be lovely. Or someone newly promoted? Gasparini would be an interesting choice...