Thank you for joining us at Pas de Trois! Today we will share the first question that will be up for discussion…
Who is your favorite dancer–and why?
David, Henrik and I will be answering this question on our blogs–we’ll add links to our posts here as they go live so you can just click through…Catherine will be answering first on Monday.
In the meantime, we’d really love to hear your thoughts on this question. Do you have a favorite dancer? What is it about him/her that makes them stand out?
Check Out our Answers:
Catherine’s Answer: posted at 4dancers.org
Henrik’s Answer: posted at tightsandtiaras.com
David’s Answer: posted at balletformen.com
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi guys. Good Question!! For us is difficult to single out performers as we have lots of favorite dancers but the Royal Ballet’s Alina Cojocaru and Edward Watson are names that are always up there, they are very different dancers but have in common their great dramatic abilities. Alina is a very classical, light and gracious – her dancing is often called miraculous – whereas Watson is much edgier and always seems to be exploring the boundaries of choreography to create incredible shapes.
Interesting! They both sound so different! I know…it really IS hard to choose just one–or even a few. So many dancers are good for different reasons; just as you pointed out here. Thanks so much for ringing in–it will be a lot of fun to see who people highlight!
Agreed on Watson, he is fierce when he is at his best! I’m not very familiar with Cojocaru apart from her most famous variations, but she’s gorgeous, that’s for sure
Well I’m certainly no expert (!) and haven’t seen all that many performances (and the ones I have seen have mainly been on YouTube) but the dancer that has stood out the most for me so far is Angel Corella. His variation in Le Corsaire had me speechless the first time I saw it – he has so much power yet retains so much grace. His performance of Siegfried in the ABTs Swan Lake was great and I can’t wait to keep watching more of his work.
David
Thanks Dave! I don’t think being an expert is a prerequisite for having a favorite dancer. Dancers can move people in many ways–and you don’t need to know a thing about technique to know what you like, or what makes you feel something. I haven’t seen Corella–thanks for pointing him out. I’ll look it up!
Thanks for the reply, and for helping us get publicity, Dave!! Much appreciated!
As Catherine already pointed out, there’s no such thing as an expert. You might say someone knows their ballet technique better then others, but in the end, it is a question of which dancer touches you the most, and that is a really subjective thing.
I have never seen Corella in the more lyrical roles of the repertoire, like Siegfried is, but I know that he is THE MAN when it comes to roles with a little spice to them. Did you see his pas de deux with Paloma Herrera in Don Quixhote? If you didn’t, click here, but make sure you are sitting down – it will blow your hair back!
That is an eye-popping pas de deux! Oddly, I had seen it on YouTube (which I rarely look at) the night before Catherine told me about it. I’m so glad you three have begun your Pas de Trois undertaking — it’s updating me on the current dance milieu. I’d lost touch since back in the day of Makarova and Barishnikov. Thanks for taking us for a whirl into the current and future dance world… Thanks to the two guys and a very special girl from Catherine’s Mom
It’s impossible to have just one… for male dancers, Manuel Legris was gorgeous, Angel Corella, fast and agile, and Marcelo Gomes is pure joy & for women dancers, Alessandra Ferri, Tamara Rojo, and Auriele Dupont because they are each ballerinas who are able to balance drama, grace, agility, and strength. These ballerinas are dancers who make you believe in ballet, they reach out an touch you emotionally.
Marcelo Gomes and Alessandra Ferri in Othello… OMG!
Hi, and thanks for posting!
I totally agree on your selection of dancers (I mean, they are all world stars, not without reason!), you chose a couple of my all time dream team players there
Legris is just starting out directing the Viener Staatsoper (Vienna state opera) this season, the ballet company of the opera, that is! I’m curious what he will make of the company, traditionally famous for their pure, classical (some might say conservative) style.
Alessandra Ferri….oooh! Nice one! She really is something else entirely! Another vote for Corella (not that it’s a contest!) eh? Hmmm. I can’t believe I don’t know who he is! I guess I need to get schooled!
I think you are right–the emotional connection is the key for me…being a mere technician isn’t as powerful….
Thanks for the thoughts!
Cath, do you remember this clip, you were quite amazed?! Well, that’s Corella for you
Ohhhh! I didn’t realize that was him! He is absolutely amazing!!!
I gotta go with Daniil Simkin. Glorious technique, great actor, and his movement is soo fluid. He glows when he dances….especially in contemporary works.
Daniil is great, a true, modern, 21st century ballet dancer! Guys like him will take the art further, as so many great dancers of earlier generations did before them. But totally agreed – when he is allowed to do the roles that suits him, the young, vigorous, happy ones, like the Fancy free by Robbins he danced not long ago, Daniil is one of the absolute best young dancers out there in my opinion! I was lucky enough to meet him a couple of times, and he is just as vigorous off stage too – full of energy, always giving of himself. A true entertainer
okay, well anyone who even remotely knows me already knows my favorite male dancer is marcelo gomes. while i joke about him being all gorgeous and being in love w/him etc that is me just being silly. really, it is more of an appreciation of artistic beauty. i find him to be wonderfully musical as well as being a brilliant actor capable of quiet subtlety and incredible dynamics. there is just something about the way he uses his plie and eats up space. i also think he brings out the best in his ballerinas
herman cornejo is another of my faves for many of the same reasons and omg that man can jump. okay, and add ivan vasiliev for charisma.
as for ballerinas i couldn’t even begin to pick only one. alessandra ferri, diana vishneva, marianella nunez, gelsey kirkland, martine van hamel for starters.
also, i realize my list is heavily weighted by ABT dancers because this is the company i see the most of- i’m sure there are many other brilliant dancers around the world who would make the list were i more familiar with them
I have the same problem with choosing a favorite! I like a lot of different dancers for a lot of different reasons. I feel I need to find a perfect balance of role model/dancer as well.
Plus, the dancers I see most often also get a higher rating because I feel I connect with them more.
I just had to add this, although it’s terribly off-topic. Oh, well, I guess that’s what we wanted here – to be inspired… Anyway, just couldn’t help myself:
it’s really true what you say about dancers that you have seen in real life gets a “higher rating” in this matter – and it shows the importance of keeping ballet-dancers and other performers performing on stages around the world! In days like these, where everything is available on YouTube and other sources alike, some (obviously never seen ballet) claim that the classical, sometimes hour-long performance is passé and dying, they say people want to get to the point straight away, see a variation and move on to something else, MTV style, and vote for less support for culture, and rather go for faster to consume, cheaper to produce music-video-mentality-stuff (not that there is anything wrong with music video’s. It’s just something else). I feel we’re missing the essence of many types of art this way, and it is something I consider wrong wrong wrong.
Sorry guys, I just had to get that one out. Let’s get back on track
I really understand that people have problems pointing out ONE favorite dancer, there are so many great ones, and so many styles in the repertoire. I guess, in the end, it is a question of subjective feelings, and there’s no right or wrong..
You joke about Marcello Gomes being gorgeous? I might have misunderstood something, but I was under the impression that he is?! Almost all my female colleagues are in love with him
he IS extremely gorgeous – i just mean that often i am (on twitter) very silly and girly about him being such a hottie but what i love about him is not that he is handsome but that he is a passionate artist capable of great depth and emotion. he plays comedic roles brilliantly as well. I suppose what i’m saying is that he really has the ability to move me emotionally where for example, roberto bolle is incredibly good looking and an amazing dancer but somehow i don’t quite feel the same connection . that is just me personally- i know there are a bazillion girls out there who would beg to differ about roberto!
Ready to find out who my favorite dancer is? Head over to 4dancers and see! http://www.4dancers.org/2010/08/pas-de-trois-who-is-your-favorite-dancer/
My favorite dancer is Kate Highstrete from Los Angeles Ballet, because she’s beautiful, hard-working, and she’s my sister
She is not only an excellent dancer, but is a great role model. She works hard, is healthy, and has always reached for her goals!
Glad to hear you have a good role model! Ask her who her inspiration is, maybe she can post it here?!
Keep working hard, and you’ll reach your goals as well! H
I’m going to answer the question differently: my favorite dancer is one who–
1. looks like they had to master new skills to bring the choroe to life, yet master (and more) they did!
2. one who looks like everyone else onstage enjoys dancing with them, and
3. one who draws me into the world of the dance, feeling music, shape, texture, mood, and breath of audience/breath of dancer come together as one.
Really looking forward to this blog.
I’ve got a few favourites. But the one that stands out most for me is Misty Copeland. Not only is she an amazing dancer, but I also look up to her because she’s one of the few black principal ballerinas. She’s my inspiration. (y)
She is indeed gorgeous! I like her a lot, and she’s also important to show that ballet is for everyone. It’s important that the dance stage reflects all kinds of people, be that color, culture, gender or orientation. Unfortunately, we are not quite there yet, but Copeland is a great example that we’re getting there.
My sentiments exactly ^.^
I posted my favorite dancer over at Tights and Tiaras. Click here to check it out!
I’m just delighted that so many people chimed in on this! Now I have a lot of new dancers to keep an eye out for! Henrik–great post! I’m looking forward to what David has to say next….
I’ve posted my answer here: http://www.balletformen.com/2010/08/27/who-is-your-favorite-dancer-pas-de-trois/
Carlos Acosta is the Best.
He is definitely one of the top male dancers the last decade. But remember, he has been dancing for years now, and there are younglings coming up, growing up with him as their role-model, eager to “top” him off technique-wise.
But he also does a decent character, which I like in all dancers!
For women dancers (and probably dancers in general), I am a huge fan of Tamara Rojo. I had an amazing opportunity to see her live in Manon in Washington D.C., and I consider it the performance that changed my life! I actually had never heard of Manon or Tamara Rojo before, and went with the intent of seeing Carlos Acosta because he is so famous. I guess it was all very serendipitous because Manon became my absolute favorite ballet and it was Tamara who became my favorite dancer. I was so enamored–incredible technique and a wonderful ability to tell the story. She can do all the bravura steps (and then some!) you want, but it’s the latter that I was so intrigued with. After watching interviews with her I instantly fell in love with her intelligence too. I have yet to see a ballerina who can articulate such complex thoughts about characters and ballet in general the way she can. I also love that yes, of course she has the carriage and posture of a dancer, but she looks like a healthy, fit woman and not a super thin, breakable amazon.
Also a big fan of Suzanne Farrell…her athleticism, her fearlessness and her ability to literally “just dance.” No phrase of choreography ever seemed to challenge her, and Balanchine made some wicked hard sequences!
For men, I am an absolute Anthony Dowell fan. He had an extraordinary sense of line…of course he had long legs but he also had a way of making his lines appear even longer through space. I also loved his panther-like plie…so luxurious. Another extraordinary thing about him is that he was such a chameleon and looked almost unrecognizable in different ballets. Make-up and wigs do some of the work but he seemed to be able to change his aura with the costumes.
Also in love with Johan Kobborg’s dancing…such a wonderful technician with the finest batterie in the business. I’m just an adult dancer with no professional aspirations, but I kind of see Johan as my dance role model. I don’t think he was blessed with natural flexibility and the “prettiest” line (keeping in mind pretty is not the same as good technique!) but he uses what he has exceptionally well. I wasn’t blessed with a great leg line either which has been discouraging at times, but I find Johan’s dancing to be really inspirational. Bow legged, hypo-extended knees be damned!
I don’t think we specced out whether it had to be someone dancing today or not, so I’m going to fudge this a bit.
Dancing today? Ashley Bouder. As if there could be any question.
Ever? Gelsey Kirkland and Helgi Tomasson. I didn’t see them dance together, but it must’ve been a brilliant, if short-lived, partnership.
Agreed!
As of dancing or not, it’s perfectly up to you. And Ashley Bouder is fierce 
Hey I’m Pretty late (I think) But my favorite dancers are Marcelo Gomes(ABT), Robbie Fairchild(NYCB), Ashley Bouder(NYCB), Abi Stafford(NYCB) and Diana Vishneva(ABT)
Marcelo is just incomparable, Robbie is super versatile, Bouder is a powerhouse bravura ballerina, Abi is simply beautiful, calm and clean yet breath taking, Diana Vishneva has such a beautiful sense of abandonment supported by gorgeous strength and control. (I also LOVE NYCB’s Sara Mearns)
never to late
Their all great dancers, I believe we share a certain fascination for Ashley Bouder beyond the normal, and Marcelo Gomes is smooth as a cat! And the one person my girlfriend told me she’d consider cheating with XD (she wouldn’t, but I believe the man is hot…)
Well, I guess you just threw in the A-team of NY-dancers
Thanks for posting! H
My absolute favourite dancer is Anu Viheriäranta. She started her career in The Finnish National Ballet and is now a principal dancer in Het Nationale Ballet. First time I saw her dance, she was doing Odette/Odile and she just blew my mind. She is one of those dancers that seem to float somewhere two inches above the stage. The illusion of perfect lightness and effortlessness… And amazing skill to perform all moods and feelings in a way that you can feel them all the way to the very last row.
Never saw her live, but she seems like a gorgeous dancer. I don’t have the time right now, but I’ll check her out on youtube – do you have any recommendations?
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