capybara Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Well, it’s a Sunday night and there are many superb dancers in UK ballet companies who could be called upon to perform. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 Isn't there an entire Russian ballet company touring the UK at the moment? I wonder what they'll do about getting home when their tour finishes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 I suppose they can return via Paris…at the moment. But if other European Countries put in fly bans then it could get difficult for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 25, 2022 Share Posted February 25, 2022 1 hour ago, Dawnstar said: Isn't there an entire Russian ballet company touring the UK at the moment? I wonder what they'll do about getting home when their tour finishes. Yes, the Siberians. Poor things. I hope they don't end up paying for being over here. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 Osipova has posted on her Insta that she will be dancing Juliet to Clarke’s Romeo as part of the Gala 🩰 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 I was slightly surprised when I saw that, as I thought this gala was suppose to be Diaghilev rep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 16 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: I was slightly surprised when I saw that, as I thought this gala was suppose to be Diaghilev rep. It's usual for most dancers to show something which they 'have in their rep. bag' around the time of the gala. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHowarth Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 20 hours ago, alison said: Yes, the Siberians. Poor things. I hope they don't end up paying for being over here. BBC News reports that performances in Northallerton and Wolverhampton have been cancelled. At least in Northampton's case, this is at the instigation of the venue, who will carry the financial loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 7 minutes ago, RHowarth said: BBC News reports that performances in Northallerton and Wolverhampton have been cancelled. At least in Northampton's case, this is at the instigation of the venue, who will carry the financial loss. That's interesting Becca, the Guardian reports the performance in Northampton was going ahead on Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHowarth Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post the link, but I saw it via the Dancing Times on Facebook. It sounds as if only Saturday's performances at Northampton were cancelled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out-the-other-side Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 12 minutes ago, RHowarth said: BBC News reports that performances in Northallerton and Wolverhampton have been cancelled. At least in Northampton's case, this is at the instigation of the venue, who will carry the financial loss. This is true also of Wolverhampton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xydancer Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said: That's interesting Becca, the Guardian reports the performance in Northampton was going ahead on Friday. Friday's Snow Maiden in Northampton did go ahead - I was there. But today's Nutcracker has been cancelled by the theatre. Given there are Ukrainian dancers in the company, it must be very difficult for them, to say the least. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 It's such a sad situation...and as always, it's the innocent who suffer: civilians, artists, sportspeople...and the employment that is generated by them all. Let's hope that the situation improves soon for all concerned. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li tai po Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 If you google Olga Balakleets and read the CV she has posted herself, you will see that she has close links with the current regime. In September 2010 she received a special medal from President Medvedev and in June 2019 she was awarded the Pushkin Medal, authorised by President Putin himself, as well as a number of personal appointments from the Russian Embassy in London. It would be remarkably tasteless to go ahead with this Gala, while Ukrainian civilians are being killed and exiled across their country. It would not be appropriate for national institutions funded and subsidised by the Arts Council and the British taxpayer, to take part in this celebration - not least the English National Ballet Orchestra and the London Coliseum Theatre. I urge Olga Balakleets to act responsibly and sensitively and pull this Gala. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonJC Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 (edited) Sadly I agree with li tai po. Normally I feel art and politics must be separated but not in this case. Let us remember the regime this week threatened a nuclear strike potentially on London. A red line has been crossed. I know personally of one brave Russian dancer in St Petersburg protesting at risk to their own welfare. In any case this Gala has long since become a high society event for the wealthy elite. As a ballet lover I gave up going when the stalls increased from £80 to £145 on a point of principle. How can we as relatively blessed people sit in the gilded splendor of the Coliseum celebrating Russian art whilst the regime is threatening the whole world and whilst the CHILDREN of Ukraine are making molotov cocktails to defend their own young lives? The sports world is making great sacrifices in response and the arts world is already doing the same. I respect entirely the views of others who disagree - we must all as human beings make our own decision of where the balance lies in such a difficult and emotional question. All I can say is for me what is now happening has gone beyond being able to tolerate "business as usual". I feel the impresario and the theatre would be best to withdraw the performance under the circumstances. We all pray not only for the Ukrainian people but also for the Russian people and all Ukrainian and Russian dancers and artists that are in different ways victims of the current autocratic regime. Let us hope the outcome of these events will be democracy and freedom for both peoples. Edited February 26, 2022 by SimonJC 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 Should we be asking the dancers from British companies to respectfully pull out ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonJC Posted February 26, 2022 Share Posted February 26, 2022 That is a very painful question to contemplate Blossom. I myself feel I have no right to tell others how to feel or what to do. They must make their own decision and I would respect them either way even if I in their position might do something different. It might well be that some of those dancers are themselves in some agony as to what to do. Just in the same way as some footballers are feeling they should not in all good conscience play the Russian national team whilst other footballers feel that they should. Were the performance to be withdrawn it would solve their dilemma and take away that very difficult question which for some of them might be a great relief. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 If I were a British dancer I would pull out of the Ballet Icons Gala... and see if a charity benefit for Ukraine can be sorted out. There are children fleeing air strikes clutching their mothers’ hands in fear, babies being fed by the roadside as exhausted mothers bundle them close while walking many miles to the border (goodness knows how they are carrying nappies, clothing, documents, food etc), frail elderly pensioners struggling with a suitcase, all forced out of their homes in winter and with Covid still raging in that region. Meanwhile young women - teachers, secretaries, artists, clerks, dancers etc etc - are dropping what they’re doing to make Molotov cocktails to protect family members who can’t flee. And wives, elderly parents, and sisters wondering if their men will make it back home alive. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 If the Ballet Icons Gala does go ahead (in whatever format it can) perhaps a percentage at least of the takings could go to help those in Ukraine? Even though I'm not attending I would happily contribute. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonJC Posted February 27, 2022 Share Posted February 27, 2022 (edited) I agree with you Emeralds. Were I one of those dancers I personally would not perform. This Gala has become a high society event for wealthy Russians (and possibly wealthy Ukrainians) anyway. Since the prices were inflated in one year by 80% very few "average" ballet lovers attend. Can you imagine the spectacle of this elite in London parading around the Coliseum under the present circumstances and when today the President of the Russian Federation has put his nuclear forces on high alert for a strike in which London would be a primary target. To be clear many Russian oligarchs have made their money legitimately through business, do great work using it to support the arts (for which we are very grateful) and are in London fleeing from Putin because they are openly critical of him. But that is not the case (allegedly!) with all of them and those that are close to the President would be better spending their time trying to persuade him to stop his reckless actions rather than attending a ballet Gala. Edited March 1, 2022 by Jan McNulty edited to remove a word at request of OP 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li tai po Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 The English National Opera played the Ukrainian National Anthem before last night's performance of La Boheme. It seems very emotional on the twitter clip. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Tickets are currently ‘Unavailable’ on the Coliseum website…. 🤔 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonJC Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 The Gala has been cancelled by ENO today. They do not wish to be associated with it for obvious reasons and want to send the same signals to both Ukraine and the Russian regime that the whole world is sending. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 (edited) 40 minutes ago, SimonJC said: The Gala has been cancelled by ENO today. They do not wish to be associated with it for obvious reasons and want to send the same signals to both Ukraine and the Russian regime that the whole world is sending. Good for them. Tickets to be refunded as soon as possible Although the icons website itself doesn't indicate this (not linked. Site noted as insecure). Perhaps they are looking for another venue? Edited February 28, 2022 by oncnp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 27 minutes ago, oncnp said: Good for them. Tickets to be refunded as soon as possible Although the icons website itself doesn't indicate this (not linked. Site noted as insecure). Perhaps they are looking for another venue? I can’t imagine they’d find one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 1 minute ago, Sim said: I can’t imagine they’d find one. Hope not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 Well I agree with you about the Gala in the current circumstances. But not ALL the oligarchs are Putin supporters and have to live abroad or risk being novi chokd! Also not all the ‘oligarchs’ are equal in wealth or have gained wealth by illicit means. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 Reece Clarke is saying on IG it is postponed not canceled. Might just be face saving for the promoters. Be interesting to see if they try again. https://www.instagram.com/p/CaZ-e-OgAmj/?utm_medium=copy_link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 Personally appalled by some statements above. I’d think many London Russians would be glad to see the back of Putin permanently. Let’s not tar all Russians with being complicit with Putin. I hope this ghastliness can be resolved soon and the excellence of Russian ballet can be shared globally again. I look forward to the new date. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalletcoForum Moderators Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 A post has been hidden on this thread for possible breach of the Acceptable Use Forum. It is being discussed by the Mods. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 Very sad this gala was cancelled/postponed but totally understandable and correct in the current circumstances. I really hope the Ukrainian situation can be resolved without further loss and bloodshed. It beggars belief that this is happening in 2022. So so sad. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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