New York City Ballet: Bringing Balanchine Back
by New York City Ballet
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DVD details
Actor: New York City BalletDirector: New York City Ballet
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 80 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-11-11
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: WEA Corp DVD
Product features:
- 'New York City Ballet: Bringing Ballachine Back' follows the New York City Ballet, lead by Master in Chief Peter Martins to the Mariinsky theater in St. Petersburg, where ballet legend and NYC Ballet co-founder George Ballachine, along with other greats, took their first ballet steps. The eagerly anticipated trip is the first for the company since 1972 and is gracefully illustrated with bo
DVD Reviews of New York City Ballet: Bringing Balanchine Back
DVD Review: A wonderful film that takes us with the New York City Ballet on a trip back to St. Petersburg.
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this DVD to be a fascinating viewing experience. George Balanchine was born in St. Petersburg in 1904. His parents were Georgian and his father was a well known composer and his mother was devoted to the arts. At nine he enrolled at the Imperial Ballet, which was disbanded after the Soviets took over. He made his living playing the piano anywhere he could earn some money. He eventually returned to formal study of both music and dance. After his graduation he began his professional work in dance. He joined Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1924 and continued to develop his art. Balanchine came to America in 1934 and formed the American Ballet in 1935. After various other companies and incarnations the New York City Ballet emerged in 1948. He returned to St. Petersburg in 1962 (and I believe also in 1972 - but I am not sure). The great choreographer died in 1983. He was often married and divorced and had passionate and publicized affairs with many dancers. Yet, he had no children. But he left behind a rich legacy of glorious ballets and this film is a great presentation of those dancers who care to keep that legacy alive and part of our living artistic traditions and I bless them for it.
Peter Martins became the artistic leader of the New York City Ballet after his own career as a dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet and the company he now leads. He now choreographs new ballets, teaches dancers, and does all it takes to keep the company alive and performing at a very high level. I love his pride in the legacy he both inherited and helped create with Balanchine, Robbins, and others. He notes that the present company dances as well or even better than when the dances were first created.
This movie shows the companies return to St. Petersburg in 2003. We see this as a part of the company rather than as the audience. The dancers work hard, struggle to get the dances right, have physical and emotional problems, and end up dancing gloriously. I enjoyed the views from the wings where we see what the dancers are doing in preparing their entrances. We even hear the sound of the dancers on the stage, which is very different than what the audience hears. The sounds of the footsteps, the rustling of the costumes, the breathing caused by the tremendous exertion (and yet controlled), and everything else are all familiar to anyone who has performed on stage.
We also get to hear the thoughts, concerns, and see the work of the other professional artists who help the dancers prepare and get ready for their performances. And, of course, we get interviews with many of the principle dancers and even hear some from the company. I also enjoyed hearing from the Russian dancers. Independently, they all seemed to admire the American dancers' leg movements, but thought their arm positions were somewhat less than theirs. They also commented on how fast the Americans danced in rehearsals and classes. The audiences who were interviewed loved the American dancing. All the Russians commented on how wonderfully surprised they were at the quality of the dancing by the New York City Ballet.
We get to see some works by Balanchine and a work each by Jerome Robbins and Peter Martins. This is not a film of complete performances. You get to see big pieces of the numbers, but you also get to see the other things I noted: what goes on in the wings, in the lobbies, and in the dressing rooms. We also get to see a performance by the wonderful conductor Valery Gergiev and hear his comments about performing with the NYC Ballet. All fascinating stuff.
Martins wisely notes that no one gets rich or famous from ballet. What you do get is bunions, a bad back, and joint problems. You have to love it and have a passion for it to do the art well and this film shows us a group of people who have that love and passion and I am so glad that it was captured on film to share with us.
Treat yourself to this DVD.
Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
Description of New York City Ballet: Bringing Balanchine Back
Studio: Wea-des Moines Video Release Date: 11/11/2008Bestsellers in DVD
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