Houston Ballet's Lauren Anderson as Odette in Swan Lake. She debuted in 1996:
Birmingham Royal Ballet's Celine Gittens as Odette (with Tyrone Singleton):
Dance Theatre of Harlem's Stephanie Dabney in excerpts from the Black Swan PdD from nearly than three decades ago: Edit: Thanks to Ranjana for correcting our error regarding the dancers in this video. They are Michaela de Prince and Samuel Wilson. Mea Culpa to Ms. de Prince and Mr. Wilson for our error.
Lauren Anderson, who in 1990 (nearly 25 years ago) was appointed a principal dancer at Houston Ballet, as the Firebird. Three years later, Carlos Acosta became a principal at Houston Ballet.
Dance Theatre of Harlem's Stephanie Dabney as the Firebird. Ms. Dabney, by the way, performed an excerpt from this historic Firebird at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics:
Houston Ballet's Lauren Anderson as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.
20 responses to “Bull-fighting
(or polite exception to efforts to distort ballet’s historical record)”
I like this substantive approach, Haglund.
I like this substantive approach, Haglund.
Thank you, Sharon.
In claiming in her memoir that Lauren Anderson was a black artist who never got her “due” (p.228) and then also claiming that she (Misty) was the first black dancer in history to ever dance the Firebird in a major ballet company (p. 241), it would seem that Misty is now one of those people who is denying Lauren her “due” (and denying Stephanie Dabney her “due”). Those (truly) black women were remarkable Firebirds in major ballet companies long before Misty came along.
Thank you, Sharon.
In claiming in her memoir that Lauren Anderson was a black artist who never got her “due” (p.228) and then also claiming that she (Misty) was the first black dancer in history to ever dance the Firebird in a major ballet company (p. 241), it would seem that Misty is now one of those people who is denying Lauren her “due” (and denying Stephanie Dabney her “due”). Those (truly) black women were remarkable Firebirds in major ballet companies long before Misty came along.
I recall seeing the amazing Stephanie Dabney as the Firebird many years ago. My personal favorite among the many exceptional dancers of Dance Theatre of Harlem was the majestic Lorraine Graves who danced the aptly-named role – for her – of the Princess of Unreal Beauty in the Firebird. I hope that Misty Copeland in her Swan Lake dances with the authority and brilliance that caused Stephanie Dabney to excel in the Black Swan video you have for us to view.
I recall seeing the amazing Stephanie Dabney as the Firebird many years ago. My personal favorite among the many exceptional dancers of Dance Theatre of Harlem was the majestic Lorraine Graves who danced the aptly-named role – for her – of the Princess of Unreal Beauty in the Firebird. I hope that Misty Copeland in her Swan Lake dances with the authority and brilliance that caused Stephanie Dabney to excel in the Black Swan video you have for us to view.
Hi J.
The one who I remember most is Virginia Johnson. Even years later after she had retired and would occasionally walk into the studio at David Howard’s place on W. 61st to take class, people would stop in mid-conversation and then breathe her name. Today, she is such an exemplary model of elegance and artistic taste. I’m so happy that she’s at the helm of DTH.
I’m sure that Misty will offer an authoritative account in the Black Swan, but I’m doubtful about the content. Two months ago in Coppelia, she begged out of doing most of the fouettes and substituted Italian fouettes and some fast piques. It was a very watered down version by today’s standards and especially considering what Yuriko Kajiya, Sarah Lane, and of course Gillian Murphy did. I’m not sure what the point is of building up and celebrating big calf muscles if they can’t pump a couple of sets of releves.
Hi J.
The one who I remember most is Virginia Johnson. Even years later after she had retired and would occasionally walk into the studio at David Howard’s place on W. 61st to take class, people would stop in mid-conversation and then breathe her name. Today, she is such an exemplary model of elegance and artistic taste. I’m so happy that she’s at the helm of DTH.
I’m sure that Misty will offer an authoritative account in the Black Swan, but I’m doubtful about the content. Two months ago in Coppelia, she begged out of doing most of the fouettes and substituted Italian fouettes and some fast piques. It was a very watered down version by today’s standards and especially considering what Yuriko Kajiya, Sarah Lane, and of course Gillian Murphy did. I’m not sure what the point is of building up and celebrating big calf muscles if they can’t pump a couple of sets of releves.
I recall seeing three performance of Harold Lander’s Etudes several years ago when ABT was in Orange County. In one of the shows, Copeland was dancing a demi-soloist role where each of the four demi-soloists was in one of the stage corners hopping on pointe, I believe, in attitude devant. Copeland fell out of it, coming down on flat foot and didn’t make it back up on pointe. The next performance, with Copeland in the same demi-soloist position, the choreography was changed to releves instead of hops on pointe, and which Copeland was able to accomplish. I didn’t understand why she wasn’t replaced instead of dumbing down what should be required execution of choreography. The other three demi-soloists could do the hops, which are a basic part of a professional female ballet dancer’s arsenal. So the watering down started when she was a member of the corps de ballet doing demi-solo work. Due to your photos above, I looked up Lauren Anderson on various sites and discovered an interview where she stated that Houston Ballet director Ben Stevenson originally rejected her due to her body type, but that she worked hard to lengthen her muscles and change her shape – and the rest is history.
I recall seeing three performance of Harold Lander’s Etudes several years ago when ABT was in Orange County. In one of the shows, Copeland was dancing a demi-soloist role where each of the four demi-soloists was in one of the stage corners hopping on pointe, I believe, in attitude devant. Copeland fell out of it, coming down on flat foot and didn’t make it back up on pointe. The next performance, with Copeland in the same demi-soloist position, the choreography was changed to releves instead of hops on pointe, and which Copeland was able to accomplish. I didn’t understand why she wasn’t replaced instead of dumbing down what should be required execution of choreography. The other three demi-soloists could do the hops, which are a basic part of a professional female ballet dancer’s arsenal. So the watering down started when she was a member of the corps de ballet doing demi-solo work. Due to your photos above, I looked up Lauren Anderson on various sites and discovered an interview where she stated that Houston Ballet director Ben Stevenson originally rejected her due to her body type, but that she worked hard to lengthen her muscles and change her shape – and the rest is history.
Hi, J.
Thanks for giving me a segue into this YouTube video that I’ve wanted to post. The hops on pointe in Etudes to which you referred are at about the 2’05” mark in this old TV record of Toni Lander, Erik Bruhn and Flemming Flint.
http://youtu.be/V0TXM_zXj_I
Ms. Lander does hops on pointe while she’s doing her last set of fouettes!
It’s unfortunate that ABT’s course seems to be set on dumbing down whatever needs to be dumbed down so Misty can dance it. There are going to be a lot of asterisks next to her claims of making history — most of which isn’t history at all, just “1st time at ABT” which doesn’t qualify for the broad term “history”.
Hi, J.
Thanks for giving me a segue into this YouTube video that I’ve wanted to post. The hops on pointe in Etudes to which you referred are at about the 2’05” mark in this old TV record of Toni Lander, Erik Bruhn and Flemming Flint.
http://youtu.be/V0TXM_zXj_I
Ms. Lander does hops on pointe while she’s doing her last set of fouettes!
It’s unfortunate that ABT’s course seems to be set on dumbing down whatever needs to be dumbed down so Misty can dance it. There are going to be a lot of asterisks next to her claims of making history — most of which isn’t history at all, just “1st time at ABT” which doesn’t qualify for the broad term “history”.
Thanks for putting this together! I may be wrong, but I think that Black Swan pdd video shows Michaela de Prince and Samuel Wilson, not Stephanie Dabney.
Thanks for putting this together! I may be wrong, but I think that Black Swan pdd video shows Michaela de Prince and Samuel Wilson, not Stephanie Dabney.
Mea Culpa to Michaela de Prince and Samuel Wilson, and thank you very much Ranjana for the correction which we have inserted above.
We’ll keep searching for photos and video of Stephanie Dabney in Swan Lake. In 1983 Anna Kisselgoff reported in two reviews that Stephanie was expressive, stretched, and a marvel of excess-free expressive movement.
Thanks again, Ranjana.
Mea Culpa to Michaela de Prince and Samuel Wilson, and thank you very much Ranjana for the correction which we have inserted above.
We’ll keep searching for photos and video of Stephanie Dabney in Swan Lake. In 1983 Anna Kisselgoff reported in two reviews that Stephanie was expressive, stretched, and a marvel of excess-free expressive movement.
Thanks again, Ranjana.
I am sure that Michaela will not mind at all about being mistaken for Stephanie Dabney.
I am sure that Michaela will not mind at all about being mistaken for Stephanie Dabney.
Thank you, Elaine. I hope that your new Élève is enjoying her extraordinary journey.
Thank you, Elaine. I hope that your new Élève is enjoying her extraordinary journey.