"Giselle" ABT 1977 Part 9 (Act II Grand Pas de Deux) 

+Catherine Blair I really appreciate the choice for the promenade sequence at 3:57 not too deep, it looks like an embrace as Albrecht moves from holding her in just his left to both hands during the course of the promenade and moves organically. So many others choose to do a 6 o'clock penche and have the man switch from the left hand to two hands to just the right to do the one hand promenade, then back to both hands to finish the position. It totally takes the audience, and usually the dancers, out of the moment ('hey! look at this bit of technique!').

+mojojojoplus2 Yes I see what you mean, and I do love it too. Thank you for your comment, my father would be so pleased to see that you've noted this too.

Wow.

@ ballet janie, thank you for helping to pay attention to such details as the movement of Misha's hands )) this is quite difficult to notice if you are not immersed in ballet for a long time ))

You've said so expressively what I feel . I've watched this hundreds of times. There is no equal to this performance!

Oh, yes, Baby Weave! I cannot even watch Zakharova in this role and it's all they show at cinemas.

Dara, I think I read somewhere long ago that when Mischa defected, Natasha was hoping that they could form a permanent partnership, but I guess Mischa just had his own star to follow so it never happened. Same school, they were wonderful together.

So true. Literally EXACTLY what it is supposed to look like.

Baryshnikov is a great artist on the ballet stage. His body-wise do not matter. Here he looks not shortish, but very fragile and vulnerable. And this vulnerability gives additional beauty to the dance.

Bujones was very "neat." But he could not do what Baryshnikov could do.

+sedekiman r But what is more important to you in a Romantic ballet? To know that a figure is difficult or the pleasure you get from looking at a beautiful shape? I don't know how difficult it is to bend the back while keeping the leg at 90 degress (if you say it's more difficult, I believe you), but to me the shape Makarova and Baryshnikov are doing is much more pleasing to the eye. Her raised leg is hidden behind his arm and the curvature of her leg matches the one of his arm. It's like horizontal waves and I find the shape very fitting for a Romantic ballet. What Fonteyn and Nureyev are doing is basically the Sleeping Beauty shape, a classical ballet. That shape has more straight lines than curves. Lots of Royal Ballet female dancers did what Fonteyn is doing. Only the last decade or two they began to raise the leg more.

There is no one who produces beautiful shapes more than Fonteyn. I was showing that those who say she did not have flexibility don't know what they are talking about.

This isn’t about anyone else but Makarova. If you’re interested in sharing your opinions about Fonteyn and Kirkland, please do that elsewhere.

@@philipcondenzio5987 I see- so only good criticism allowed. Not what judgement is about I'm afraid.