Yeah! Top Comment on a Svetlana Zakharova Youtube Video!

Haha so I was really bored one day while doing my math homework, so I put on this version of Swan Lake to listen to. Then one thing led to another and before you know it, I'd watched the entire ballet. So I decided to comment about it, more for myself than anyone else really, since I figured no one would read it. Well 3 weeks later I'm about ready to do the same thing and I look at the top comments and realize that my comment is one of them! OH YEAH DID I MENTION ITS GOT SVETLANA AS ODETTE IN IT?! I've posted the video below because this literally just made my day. :P If you don't watch the whole thing, at least read the comment guys haha...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM3fZ3qewqo

Oh and after searching and searching, I finally found Jean Christopher Malliot's Romeo et Juliette (the version PNB will be performing next season), the full verison, on youtube!!! I'm just having a good youtube day I guess!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLVia-0S3Lg&feature=related

Enjoy!

<3

A Flash From the Past

I was searching youtube, as usual, and came across these lovely videos from around the 50's and 60's. The first one is of the great Rudolph Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn dancing the pas de deux from Le Corsaire, one of their signature pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLItQ3vFUZk&feature=related

The next one I found is of Alla Sizova in the Le Corsaire Medora variation. Look at that girls jumps!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njcNdGU1oBQ

Now what I've found is a version of Svetlana Zakharova and Igor Zelensky doing the same Le Corsaire pas de deux as Nureyev and Fonteyn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQvyQc68-u4


Oh how ballet has changed! The costumes, the number of turns people did, the sets, even the music for the Medora variation is different (now it's either Dulcinea or Queen of the Dyrads from Don Quixote)! One of the largest changes I believe is the height of people's extensions. Nowadays we have people like Sveltana Zakharova, who is a human rubber band, and back then Margot Fonteyn's extensions are only 90 degrees! That change only happened in 50-60 years...I wonder what ballet will  look like in another 50.

So what ballet era did you enjoy more? I personally love both for different reasons, but tell me what you think!

<3

This Has to Be One of the Most Inspiring People Ever

Misty Copeland, the first African American soloist at American Ballet Theatre, has got to be one of the most inspiring person ever. Just watch this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6kZ90_0eKc&feature=plcp&context=C4a03a3cVDvjVQa1PpcFNrZznPwMylEmf5drV34HTHg19qxFH-_I4=

Oh and just for fun I have Abby Lee Miller teaching Wendy Williams how to dance (LOL).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRRjICIGupI&feature=related

One last thing...I have an interview of *drum roll please* Roberto Bolle!!! Yeah, it's in Italian, but theres some rehearsal footage and (ok I'll admit it) the guy has a very sexy voice *coughcough*and body *coughcough*. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za0ARqMboqI&feature=related

<3

Le Corsiare!

Hey guys! So I'm almost positive I've posted this video before, but the video got taken down. :( It was the full version of ABT's Le Corsaire. Although, I recently found it again, but it's in multiple video form. Here's part 1...oh and the cast commentary is priceless!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SztMzv2cW4Y

Enjoy!

<3

The Hunger Games Movie Review!

Hey guys!

So this is going to be one of my more off-topic posts, but besides ballet, the Hunger Games is a HUGE obsession of mine!

WARNING!

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE MOVIE!!! (if you haven't...get off your computer and go see it NOW!!!)

So as many of you know, the Hunger Games movie came out on Friday, March 23rd. I love the trilogy and they are my most favorite books of all time. I had known about this movie for like a year and a half before the release date, and I nearly died of suspense just waiting for the movie!!!

I had originally planned to go see it on opening night, but instead I got the last two IMAX tickets for Saturday night!!! My friend and I were the first people to show up (2:30 for the 5:30 showing) and we spent like the whole day waiting in line! SO WORTH IT!!!

I nearly DIED when the film started, still in disbelief that I was actually there. I mean...I waited like over a year for the movie...I was going to be excited.

I'd say over all I was very impressed with the movie. With a few exceptions (the fact that they left out Madge, the Avox girl, and other small things like that) it was a really good movie. The only big-ish problem I had with it was actually pretty small; I didn't like how when Katniss hears that two tributes from the same District could win she doesn't scream Peeta's name. In the book she does and gets freaked out because she's betrayed her location. Oh and another problem I had is that in the book her and Peeta kiss like wayyy more than they did in the movie. That said, the cave scenes were still the most adorable things I've ever seen. <3

As far as the acting went, I give kudos to everyone! Along with being blown away by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson's acting (and Liam Hemsworths...everything) I was also impressed by those acting in more minor roles. I thought that Isabelle Fuhrman (Clove) did a very good job, along with Alexander Ludwig (Cato), Amandla Stenberg (Rue), and although she didn't have very many (if any) lines, Jaqueline Emerson made a very good Foxface (love that scene when her and Katniss run into each other! Even if it wasn't in the book, I thought it was a nice touch).

Oh and I forgot to mention it, but Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket), Woody Harrelson (Haymitch), and Lenny Kravitz (Cinna), were also quite good. Good job to the people that cast this movie! Effie's "THAT IS MAHOGANY!" is sure to be a quotable line for a while.

After talking to my friends and critiquing the movie, some complain that there was no "cliff-hanger." I disagree. The berries themselves are a HUGE cliff hanger. And if some people needed convincing that the Capitol was mad about the whole thing, they had a scene where they locked Seneca Crane (loved his beard) into a room with only a bowl of the berries in it. Obviously Katniss isn't off the hook yet. Oh and the last thing we see is President Snow watching Katniss and Peeta get off the train and leaving with a scary look on his face, obviously going out to find some way to get back at her. This could also be tied in with how Katniss caused an uprising in District 11 after Rue died because she put flowers all over her body. The Capitol can't be happy about one person doing both of these things and making them look stupid. So while Katniss and Peeta both made it out of the games and that's a good thing, they're still not out of danger yet. (And come on guys there's another movie!!!)

So that's pretty much it...next time I'll try to talk about dance lol. Although until then, you should kill time by going and watching the Hunger Games movie again!

<3