John, I'm dizzy. Thanks for that....my love of dancing, vocalizing, and acting bring back so many memories. By the by, that cooking do yesterday was spectacular. I loved it. Hugs from the mini-mountain in Maine where all is quiet & lovely w/ my pooch & kitty. Take care.
Just as Paganini used to test his violinist's capabilities, certain Ballet choreographers seem to test the capabilities of their dancers. That (although extremely beautiful) looked like a nightmare to perform.
Beautiful, but definitely dizzy-making. Someone commented on Weaver’s blog, about the abuse of horses and another about greyhounds, dancers must be somewhere on that list too? They can quit (which the animals can’t) but it’s still a ridiculous profession, with its weight problems and injuries. But, I do love watching it.
How on earth can you compare animal cruelty to being a ballet dancer? Dancers choose to dance, it's usually all they've wanted to do from an early age and their training may be rigorous but that's needed if they want to succeed in their chosen profession. It's the same in other professions, anyone joining a ballet school knows what to expect the same as anyone joining the army. You don't make a soldier by letting them sitting around, you drill and train them to exhaustion but that soldier can quit the army whenever they want. However animals are used by humans for entertainment with no choice, they're abused and tortured to achieve what humans want them to do. I recently watched a video on the high stepping horses of America, they're trained by tying them between two horizontal barriers so they can't move forwards, back or sideways then their legs are cruelly whipped so they pull their knees up to try to avoid the pain. Continued whipping which goes on until the horse is exhausted. Some use a form of electric cattle prod on their legs. It made me feel sick. That's just one example, how can you compare that to a ballet dancer?
I love ballet and in my younger days went whenever I could to see it (we lived close to Birmingham which had the big companies when they toured). Dancers deote their lives to it completely. It is punishing but they choose to do it. It goes to show though when I watch the clip you have put on that 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Its loveliness increases' even when I can no longer go to live performances. Don't know which poet said it.
Technically astonishingly admirable, but I find ballet does nothing for me (watching, not the doing - I have never tried the doing). People dancing with all that leaping about always looks to me like they are trying to be like birds or squirrels but just never managing to defy gravity and always too soon coming back down. Watching real swans flying around and landing and taking off on a real lake (or loch) is much better. As for The Nutcracker Suite - that just sounds painful and what's it all about? Are the legs meant to represent the levers of a nutcracker? (Needless to say, ballet is not my specialist subject).
Takes me back to ballet lessons when I was 13 - learning to do the "turns". "Spotting" with your sight, then the head was the last and the fastest thing to turn. These days I get a crick in my neck just thinking of it. This ballerina is incredible! Take care, Michelle in Wellington, NZ.
OMG .... how does she do that ?!!!! AMAZING. XXXX
ReplyDeleteSuch skill and grace. Beautiful. xx
ReplyDeleteThe things people do to earn a living!
ReplyDeleteHer feet will be wrecked as all ballet dancers feet are.
People have choices
DeleteJohn, I'm dizzy. Thanks for that....my love of dancing, vocalizing, and acting bring back so many memories. By the by, that cooking do yesterday was spectacular. I loved it. Hugs from the mini-mountain in Maine where all is quiet & lovely w/ my pooch & kitty. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how she doesn't fall over when she stopped spinning. Amazing skill.
ReplyDeleteJo in Auckland
I am reminded of the ballerina inside of my jewelry box x
ReplyDeleteThat certainly is a thing of beauty.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Fouettés are a beast. I was just learning to do them before the pandemic. I have lost that now but hey! My toenails are starting to look normal again!
ReplyDeleteStunning . . .
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of the ballet - breathtaking!
ReplyDeleteJust as Paganini used to test his violinist's capabilities, certain Ballet choreographers seem to test the capabilities of their dancers. That (although extremely beautiful) looked like a nightmare to perform.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, but definitely dizzy-making. Someone commented on Weaver’s blog, about the abuse of horses and another about greyhounds, dancers must be somewhere on that list too? They can quit (which the animals can’t) but it’s still a ridiculous profession, with its weight problems and injuries. But, I do love watching it.
ReplyDeleteHow on earth can you compare animal cruelty to being a ballet dancer? Dancers choose to dance, it's usually all they've wanted to do from an early age and their training may be rigorous but that's needed if they want to succeed in their chosen profession. It's the same in other professions, anyone joining a ballet school knows what to expect the same as anyone joining the army. You don't make a soldier by letting them sitting around, you drill and train them to exhaustion but that soldier can quit the army whenever they want.
DeleteHowever animals are used by humans for entertainment with no choice, they're abused and tortured to achieve what humans want them to do. I recently watched a video on the high stepping horses of America, they're trained by tying them between two horizontal barriers so they can't move forwards, back or sideways then their legs are cruelly whipped so they pull their knees up to try to avoid the pain. Continued whipping which goes on until the horse is exhausted. Some use a form of electric cattle prod on their legs. It made me feel sick. That's just one example, how can you compare that to a ballet dancer?
Amazing, I absolutely loved going to see Swan Lake when the cinema in Llandudno Junction did the live link up with The Royal Opera House.
ReplyDeleteI would so love to see a live performance of Swan Lake.
ReplyDeleteI love ballet and in my younger days went whenever I could to see it (we lived close to Birmingham which had the big companies when they toured). Dancers deote their lives to it completely. It is punishing but they choose to do it. It goes to show though when I watch the clip you have put on that 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Its loveliness increases' even when I can no longer go to live performances. Don't know which poet said it.
ReplyDeleteThey make it look so easy, don't they!
ReplyDeleteI am woozy just watching! Amazing how many times she can spin so perfectly!
ReplyDeleteI find I watch with my breath held. Breathe Linda breathe.
ReplyDeleteTechnically astonishingly admirable, but I find ballet does nothing for me (watching, not the doing - I have never tried the doing). People dancing with all that leaping about always looks to me like they are trying to be like birds or squirrels but just never managing to defy gravity and always too soon coming back down. Watching real swans flying around and landing and taking off on a real lake (or loch) is much better. As for The Nutcracker Suite - that just sounds painful and what's it all about? Are the legs meant to represent the levers of a nutcracker? (Needless to say, ballet is not my specialist subject).
ReplyDeleteI have grown to love it dearly
DeleteI like those clips.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful...her poor toes!
ReplyDeleteBeauty, skill, athleticism...and yes, her poor toes!
ReplyDeleteTakes me back to ballet lessons when I was 13 - learning to do the "turns". "Spotting" with your sight, then the head was the last and the fastest thing to turn. These days I get a crick in my neck just thinking of it. This ballerina is incredible! Take care, Michelle in Wellington, NZ.
ReplyDelete