On to next year!

[Guest jla_ksu]

Hi All,

 

I just finished this years Nutcracker and had a blast. This was the first year I did more than the Party Scene. I really enjoyed dancing the Father of Clara and have done it for several years.

This year I decided to try for more. I danced the Spanish part. It was great. Well, at least I had a great time. The dancing was pretty good.

I am looking forward to next year.

I want to shoot for the Russian part. The dancer who has done it for several years has enter college and may not be wanting to do as much dancing as he used to.

My question is how to prepare for this. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

I know I need to take more classes and hit the gym as well. But any more specific suggestions for me to do during the next year?

 

Thanks,

 

Jeff

[MJ]

I just finished Nutz last night, I can wait a few months before I even use the "N" word

 

Had a great run, Stamford Symphony was pitch perfect. The children danced perfectly, it was great to see such wonderful dancers on our stage.

 

I only wish we could stagger Nutz so I could see my friends dance in their Nutz as well.

 

Happy holidays, get some rest everyone!

[Ed McPherson]

Jeff-

 

hey there, I did a Russian this year. It was quite the experiance, like many Russian divertisments the choreography was suited for smaller guys. The three men that did it this year were all over 6'1. I check in around 6'4, so in a jaded and synical way, if you're tall I would suggest chopping your leggs off right around the knee. ;)

[Mel Johnson]

You might want to find someplace that offers dedicated character dance classes to brush up on Central European steps. You could even study with a Slavic or even a Hungarian folk dance school, if you can find same. The Poles do a lot more than Polka!

[MJ]

I agree with Mel, try to find a good character class, and ask the teacher if she can give you steps that a man would dance. If you take partnering class, ask the teacher to give polkas and polonaises (sp?) as well.

 

Speaking of the N's divertissements, does a man ever do the scottish Jig?

(A rarely performed 50 second peice)

 

Merry Everthing,

 

Mike

[Mel Johnson]

The only Scottish dance I can think of in the "Big 6" classics is the one Swanilda does in Act II of Coppélia. Now, [/i]La Sylphide has a bunch of Scottish dances in Act I, is that what you're thinking of, or is this one of the act I Nutz pantomime musics? There's nothing in Act II! And what product would that be? Haggis?

[MJ]

There is a very short peice of music, written by Pytor himself, called "gogue" (sp?)pronounced "jig" only a few companies actualy dance it. Like all classic russian ballets, noblemen and knaves from around the world come to dance to celebrate something. Each divertisement is from a far corner of the world, whatever russian audiences though was exotic, scotland arabia spain england china.

 

A couple of comapnies do it, I don't know if anyone does it with a live orchestra. Everyone in North America bases theirs on Mr. Ballanchines, which is the standard to which all aspire.

 

I can't find it in Google, though. The company I know has a soloist and two little girls in kilts and tams en pointe.

 

The music is heavy on percussion, you can really hear the drums and the drumsticks hitting the side of the drum. Since this is not a standard orchestral instrument, that might be the reason we don't see it in many Nutz.

 

Happy holidays!

 

The only Scottish dance I can think of in the "Big 6" classics is the one Swanilda does in Act II of Coppélia.  Now, [/i]La Sylphide has a bunch of Scottish dances in Act I, is that what you're thinking of, or is this one of the act I Nutz pantomime musics?  There's nothing in Act II!  And what product would that be?  Haggis? 

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[Mel Johnson]

You mean the Gigue from Suite #4?