Dancers, dogs & ballet on Pinterest
Dogs+Ballet
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
“I am I because my little dog knows me.” (Gertrude Stein)
Lord Berners-Frederick Ashton: A Wedding Bouquet (1937)
The ballet is about a provincial wedding at the beginning of the XXth century. Julia, the main character is slightly demented. She has been "ruined" before by the groom and is now an embarrassment to him. After the wedding is over, she is left alone and unhappy, with only her dog, Pepe to comfort her.
A Wedding Bouquet of Ashton at Royal Ballet |
Iohna Loots as Pépé |
A Wedding Bouquet was the idea of Lord Berners, who wanted Frederick Ashton to make a ballet pantomime out of one of Gertrude Stein's plays, and who both wrote the music and designed the "decor" and costumes. The original title was "They must be Wedded to Their Wife", but this was thought too long for advertising and was changed to A Wedding Bouquet. Lord Berners went to visit Gertrude Stein in Bilignin and she liked the idea and he found in her house a carpet which gave him the pattern for the stage set.
The character of Julia's dog was inspired by the little dog of Gertrude Stein, Pépé.
Gertrude Stein, writer and poet, and her dog, Pépé |
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Dogs, pugs, dancers and ballet: some common things
1. Friendship. Dancer are living in special rhythm, working the evenings and week-ends, their schedule is busy: ballet class, rehearsals, peformances, auditions, tours, guestings. Ballet is very demanding both physically and mentally. Emotionally too. In many Opera houses all around the world dance companies are often "orphan childs", dancers are less respected than their should be. In these conditions having a dog means a lot of sacrifices and complications but many dancers find place still in their life for a pet. Me and István Simon, principal dancer of Hungarian National Ballet, we have 2 black pugs, Darth Vader and Dr. Watson.
2. Pack members. A dance company is like a big family, dancers spend their time together, they protect and support each other. Lonelyness doesn't exist.
3. Sympathy for veils
4. Dancers and dogs are hard to shot because they move too much. I think I need a better camera and more practice... I have thousands of pictures presenting unrecognisable black (pugs) and white (dancers) figures.
If dancers and dogs are really focusing on something they don't move so much so I can make some clear photos i.e.:
Some other people are better in this field. Dogs in motion:
Dancers in motion:
Together:
5. Bone problems. Health issues from the side of the dancers (being a physio I have great solutions in these cases) and surprisely erupting predator instincts from the side of the pugs (while feeding bones). Darth Vader, our older pug became a black pather when he got a bone to play with at the very first time. Coordianted steps, tight muscles, raised hackles. Slowly he became more altruist and now he shares his bone with our puppy, Dr. Watson.
Combination: Vader has a kind of ballet hip. He needed kinesiotape and physiotherapy. It was a bit more complicated than working with professional ballet dancers because he was a bit less cooperative on balance-boards...
6. Spiral esthetic
Svetlana Zakharova and her poodle |
Cesar Millan's pack |
Ballerinas of Degas |
Elena Vostrotina as Myrtha in David Dawson's Giselle |
István Simon as Solor in La Bayadere |
Watson is rehearsing Giselle |
Vader as bride |
Watson with the curtain |
Vader and Watson |
Vader and Watson |
Vader in pullover (Lucky Dog) |
Istvan Simon and Darth Vader in the ballet studio |
Running pug puppies |
Elena Vostrotina by Costin Radu |
Istvan Simon by Ian Whalen |
Sylvie Guillem with her dog, Zak |
Vader and his 1st bone |
Dr. Watson and Vader's bone |
Vader was able to stand on 2 feet again with the kinesiotape |
Amanda Shepherd: Ballerina |
How to make a ballet bun? |
Pug tail in perfect double curve |
Snail dreams about ballet |
Dancing dog |
William Forsythe demostrates |
Pennsylvania Ballet Principal Dancer Lauren Fadeley in Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude by William Forsythe |
7. Splits. Standard for a ballet dancer. And some dogs.
Svetlana Zakharova splits |
French bulldog splits |
7. They love to be on stage!
On stage |
Giselle in Mikhailovsky Theater |
Birmingham Ballet's Mutt-cracker |
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Solaria, the rottweiler of Rudolf Nureyev
Nureyev and Solaria |
“When God had made the earth and sky, the flowers and the trees.
He then made all the animals and all the birds and bees.
And then His work was finished, and not one was quite the same
He said I’ll walk this earth of mine and give each one a name.
He said I’ll walk this earth of mine and give each one a name.
And so he traveled land and sea, and everywhere He went
a little creature following him, until its strength was spent.
a little creature following him, until its strength was spent.
When all were named upon the Earth, and in the sky and sea,
A little creature said, Dear Lord, there’s not one left for me.
A little creature said, Dear Lord, there’s not one left for me.
The Father smiled and softly said, I’ve left you to the end,
I’ve turned my own name back to front
I’ve turned my own name back to front
and called you “Dog” my friend.
”
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