greendancer Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 I noticed a lot of posts on this and other ballet-related sites about how people love this or that famous dancer of this or that renowned company - mostly people they have never seen in person. I wonder - why are you a fan of a dancer you know only from pictures? Is it that you heard he or she is the new star, or is it because this person has the perfect ballet body, or... Please don't misunderstand me, it is perfectly fine if you are a fan of a dancer you haven't yet had a chance to see live. It is just that I can look at pictures of famous dancers and maybe think "yes, nice feet" or "I wish I would look like that" or something similar. But I could never be a true fan of someone that I've never seen actually dance, only because of pictures of them or what I might have read about them. So when I'm asked who my favourite dancer is, I always name dancers nearly no one else knows - because they belong to my local company which is quite good, but not really known in the world. I know there must be dancers who are probably better than those I've seen here - but what counts for me is not perfect technique (which most of them have, being professionals) or perfectly shaped feet, but their charisma and their expression when they dance. I like them because I've gotten to know them, their style, and it means something to me when I watch them dance. And I don't really care about their arches or whatever is considered necessary for a good dancer. So - what do you like about your favourite dancer? Is it expression, technique, or maybe something completely different? Is it someone you have often watched live, or someone you have heard of and are dying to see one day in person? What made you fan of that dancer? Please tell me in case this has been discussed earlier, I'm new here... Quote Link to comment
Claude_Catastrophique Posted December 28, 2005 Report Share Posted December 28, 2005 I have ever been a fan of François Petit and Dirk Segers. I have seen them the first time on stage and totally fell in love. François Petit IS petit and he reminds me a lot of a cat (strong, flexible but still graceful and elegant. After all, I adore cats) I have seen him in many video or in TV and I have seen him on a few pictures. He still looks good in them but it is still totally different from what he does on stage. Maybe he is one of this dancers hardly ever would fall in love just from videos or pictures. I meet him from time to time and now I even look more up to him because he is not just a great dancer, but also a very kind person in private life. The same happened to me with Dirk Segers. I did not even know his name when I saw him the first time on stage, also the second and the first time but when I recognize a dancer on stage again (which hardly ever happens when did not know the dancer before) then there must be something about this person. He is also kind off the stage and I adore him now much more than before. Normally I am not that interested in dancers when I don't have the chance to see them ever on stage. Yes, sometimes I think they have great technique, nice feet or are just pretty and I like looking at videos or at pictures of them but I am not extremly excited to hear news from them. For me it is very important to see a dancer on stage because only on stage their real "character" is showed (don't knwo how I should describe it in english) Anyway, I also like José Martinez a lot (here only from pictures and videos) until I have seen him just a couple of minutes on stage. Now I adore his technique (in my eyes there he is a God) but personally I think he was a bit too much with his head in the clouds (this, you know, hoovering-ballet-feelling from flowing away) Now I am longing to see Roberto Bolle dance once in my lifetime (this is another video, picture - thing) Here I have got the feeling that I will love him on stage (even in his videos you can really feel his joy to dance) Otherwise I am with you: I am moreover a fan of dancers I know (more or less) personally and it is totally diffrent to see them on stage when you have talked to them once or when they are friends to you. I always feel sorry when they leave the company to go to a company which is miles away. Quote Link to comment
little_dancer123 Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 I think when they show that they're not just in it for stardom, they just love ballet. From little_dancer123 x Quote Link to comment
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