Ballet Films Around Town

And before you could say Schoko Pfeffer-Nüsse five times fast, the holiday season has become gingerbread-packed with delicious ballet events that will keep everyone happy until NYCB’s winter season begins in January. 

 

Last night Haglund attended the inaugural screening of Film Nights @ Steps on Broadway.  Fabrice Herrault, esteemed faculty member at Steps and The Juilliard School, is sharing his private collection of ballet films on the Loft level at Steps over the course of the next several months.  Tickets are just $5.

 

The first presentation was the documentary “REFLETS DE LA DANSE” Reflections of Dance: Dance School of the Paris Opera – 1979.  What a treat to see the fresh-faced 15-year-old Sylvie Guillem working within the realm of classical perfection in the upper levels of the school – and never once did her foot come anywhere close to her ear.  The film showed the students in technique, character, and PdD classes and a final lengthy excerpt from the annual student performance. 

 

The remaining presentations in the series are:

December 4       Great Ballerinas of the 20th Century

January 22         An Exploration of 20th Century Choreographers

February 12       Famous Ballet Couples

March 19           Great Male Dancers of the 20th Century

April 16              Behind the Scenes:  Don Quixote

 

No small by-the-way, Fabrice has a film in this year’s Dance on Camera Festival at the Walter Reade Theatre in January.  CLAUDE BESSY, LIGNES D’UNE VIE (Traces of a Life) will be screened on January 28th @ 6PM and January 29th @ 4PM.  From the DFA website:

CLAUDE BESSY, LIGNES D’UNE VIE (Traces of a Life)
Fabrice Herrault, 2010; USA, 54m
Described as the “Golden Silhouette” by Serge Lifar, French ballerina Claude Bessy was an admired etoile of the Paris Opera Ballet and ran its prestigious school for decades. Americans know her as Gene Kelly’s partner in his “Invitation to the Dance.”  Herrault’s intimate documentary, narrated by his subject, features rare vintage classroom and performance footage of the dancer in her prime, including works by Kelly, Serge Lifar, and Maurice Bejart.  Intro/Q and A’s with director and star.

Followed by:
LES REFLETS DE LA DANSE (Reflections of the dance)
Nicolas Ribowski, 1979; France, 33m excerpt
Paris Opera Ballet School classes featuring former students of  Claude Bessy, including Sylvie Guillem and Elisabeth Maurin. Intro by Claude Bessy

Public Reception -  8pm-11pm

Miss this, People, and you may as well turn in your Balletomane Badges and resign.

Just a reminder about the December 19th showing of the Bolshoi's The Nutcracker, courtesy of Emerging Pictures Ballet in Cinema program.  Then on January 19th, be still your hearts, a LIVE screening of The Royal Ballet's Giselle.  EP's website is a slow work-in-progress.  So if you have difficulty finding the information you are looking for, just call them up.  Yep, if the website isn't functioning with the expected ease, call them up at 212-245-6767 and ask for Christiana, Devonna, or Barry.

Last but not least, Ovation TV is once again presenting its Battle of the Nutcrackers.  Here's your chance to see a variety of productions.  The Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Berlin State Opera Ballet, Bejart Ballet Lausanne, and Casse Noisette Circus versions will be aired on various dates.  Viewers then vote on their favorites and the winner will be announced on Christmas Eve.  RB's film features Alina Cojocaru and the Bolshoi Ballet's version features – breathe deeply, breathe, breathe, breathe – Irek Mukhamedov.  Please Santa, bring us our very own Mayerling soon.