Great Ballet Performances on DVD Sports, Fitness, Exercise, Dance DVD Instructional Videos

Great Ballet Performances on DVD. Sports, Fitness, Exercise, Dance DVD Instructional Videos

Great Ballets of the World / Nutcracker (Bejart), Romeo and Juliet (Doye, Dufloux), Sleeping Beauty (Lezhnina, Ruzimatov), Swan Lake (Hart, Schaufuss) ~ Evelyn Hart, Peter Schaufuss, and Farukh Ruzimatov (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Four of the most legendary ballets in the world spring to life with these performances that carry the art of dance to sheer perfection! The Sleeping BeautyWith its perfect fusion of music and choreographic ideas, The Sleeping Beauty is the quintessential romantic ballet, and it finds its spiritual home preserved in the outstanding classic traditions of the Kirov Ballet. The stylish grandeur of choreographer and artistic director Oleg Vinogradov's production shows the entire company at its best. The highest tradition in dance continues with Larissa Lezhnina, one of Kirov's brightest new talents, brilliant as Princess Aurora, and Farukh Ruzimatov's performance in the role of Prince Desire demonstrates both power and grace. Swan Lake Evelyn Hart and Peter Schaufuss dance the leading roles in Natalia Makarova's production of the much-loved ballet classic. Her innovative interpretation presents a tale of ideal and eternal love, paring it down to Siegfried and Odette's love for one another. The Nutcracker: The showman of twentieth-century dance, Maurice Bejart presents his unique version of the well-loved Christmas ballet "The Nutcracker." Using Tchaikovsky's score in its entirety, Bejart takes the story as a springboard from which to evoke the memories, emotions and feelings of his own life's journey from a Marseille childhood. Recorded live at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. Romeo and Juliet: Angelin Preljocaj's startling choreography of Shakespeare's tragic star-crossed lovers, set to Sergei Prokofiev's powerful score, is performed by the Lyon Opera Ballet, widely acclaimed for their stylish and innovative productions. The contrast between the ballet's cold environment and the lovers' heated encounters is beautifully realized in supple and imaginative duets danced by Pascale Doye and Nicolas Dufloux ++++ Great Ballets of the World / Nutcracker (Bejart), Romeo and Juliet (Doye, Dufloux), Sleeping Beauty (Lezhnina, Ruzimatov), Swan Lake (Hart, Schaufuss) ~ Evelyn Hart, Peter Schaufuss, and Farukh Ruzimatov (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 The Red Shoes - Criterion Collection ~ Albert Bassermann, Eric Berry, Irene Browne, and Derek Elphinstone (DVD - 1999) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions It's been said that this 1948 classic has been responsible for the ballet lessons of more young girls than any other film. It's not hard to understand why: Michael Powell and Emerich Pressburger's dark fairy tale presents the ballet as an exquisite, magical work of art; but under the theatrics and glory is an all-consuming lifestyle with the power to destroy those who love it perhaps too much. Moira Shearer practically glows as Victoria "Vicky" Page, a young woman consumed by a will to dance who is accepted into the highly prestigious ballet company run by perfectionist Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook). Meanwhile, a gifted young composer, Julian Craster (Marius Goring), is brought on board as an orchestra coach, and later conductor and composer of the ballet that will make Vicky's name: The Red Shoes, one of the most beautiful and dramatic dances ever captured on film. Professional and personal jealousies soon pull this creative team apart, however, and Vicky is torn between her love of Julian, her responsibility to Boris, and her need to dance. Powell and Pressburger recast Hans Christian Andersen's sad story as a modern romantic melodrama, highlighted by beautiful dances and shot, not as stage ballets, but rather as expressionist cinematic dramas on impossibly grand sets awash with bold color and beautifully captured in glorious Technicolor by cinematographer Jack Cardiff. It's a brilliant melding of dance and drama as Vicky's real life mirror's the tragic story she danced in the Red Shoes ballet. ++++ The Red Shoes - Criterion Collection ~ Albert Bassermann, Eric Berry, Irene Browne, and Derek Elphinstone (DVD - 1999)  $59.95 The Snow Queen - ballet redefined ~ California Theatrical Youth Ballet (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The Snow Queen - ballet redefined ~ California Theatrical Youth Ballet (DVD - 2004) ++++ The Snow Queen - ballet redefined ~ California Theatrical Youth Ballet (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 Glazunov - Raymonda / Bessmertnova, Vasyuchenko, Taranda, Zhuraitis, Bolshoi Ballet ~ Natalya Bessmertnova, Yuri Vasyuchenko, and Gediminas Taranda (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Glazunov - Raymonda / Bessmertnova, Vasyuchenko, Taranda, Zhuraitis, Bolshoi Ballet ~ Natalya Bessmertnova, Yuri Vasyuchenko, and Gediminas Taranda (DVD - 2005) ++++ Glazunov - Raymonda / Bessmertnova, Vasyuchenko, Taranda, Zhuraitis, Bolshoi Ballet ~ Natalya Bessmertnova, Yuri Vasyuchenko, and Gediminas Taranda (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Dmitri Roudnev: Take Ballet Class in Russia ~ Tatiana Samoylova (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions 40 combinations including a bonus pointe-work section. Dmitri Roudnev offers you a ballet class in Russia with Madame Samoylova of the Lediah Ballet Academy of Russia, a certified extension of the Bolshoi School. Step into the studio to see the complete barre and center work of three, fourteen year old students in a Level 5 Vaganova Method ballet class. Features include emphasis on accents - the Russian secret for sharp footwork at the barre, epaulment, and many center jump combinations. This dvd features the music of Roudnev's VOL VIII CD, which Roudnev recorded in Russia. ++++ Dmitri Roudnev: Take Ballet Class in Russia ~ Tatiana Samoylova (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Minkus - Don Quixote / Terekhova, Ruzimatov, Ponomaryov, Kirov Ballet ~ Vladimir Ponomaryov, et al. (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The tremendous resources of the Kirov Ballet flash and dash through the four acts of joyous Petipa and Gorsky choreography making Don Quixote a thrilling visual treat. This delightful spectacle features the great Soviet dancers Tatyana Terekhova and Farouk Ruzimatov as the as the lovers Kitri and Basilio. Don Quixote is performed by Kirov star Vladimir Ponomaryov. ++++ Minkus - Don Quixote / Terekhova, Ruzimatov, Ponomaryov, Kirov Ballet ~ Vladimir Ponomaryov, et al. (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 The New Ballet Workout: Wellness, Renewal and Vitality ~ Melissa Lowe (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The New Ballet Workout presents a 45-minute classical and neoclassical ballet workout consisting of floor work, barre work, and center work. Melissa Lowe, former professional ballet dancer, begins with a warm-up of stretches, controlled abdominal curls, and back-flexibility exercises on the mat. Next she and her small ensemble do a series of barre routines, each different in focus and intensity. Lowe talks you through each routine the first time (you need to know ballet terminology to understand the instructions), then you repeat it uninstructed--which will be difficult until you've practiced it many times. ++++ The New Ballet Workout: Wellness, Renewal and Vitality ~ Melissa Lowe (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 MAKING BALLET: Karen Kain and The National Ballet of Canada ~ Karen Kain (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions This feature-length documentary goes behind the scenes at The National Ballet of Canada to witness the seemingly magical process of creating a major ballet production. MAKING BALLET captures the drama within a drama - the making of "The Actress." Set to Chopin's Preludes, this ballet was created by world famous choreographer James Kudelka for prima ballarina Karen Kain. MAKING BALLET will delight film buffs as well as beginners and aficionados of the art form. 88 minutes. Bonus DVD features include a Karen Kain biography, filmmaker Anthony Azzopardi biography, stage director James Kudelka biography and "About the Ballet, 'The Actress'." ++++ MAKING BALLET: Karen Kain and The National Ballet of Canada ~ Karen Kain (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Prokofiev - Ivan the Terrible / Nicolas Le Riche, Karl Paquette, Eleonora Abbagnato, Vello Pahn, Paris Opera Ballet ~ Nicolas Le Riche, Riche, Paquette, and Abbagnato (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Sergei Eisenstein's grand unfinished 1940s-50s film trilogy 'Ivan the Terrible' had elaborate incidental music by Sergei Prokofiev. In 1975 Yuri Grigorovich, for thirty years the chief choreographer of Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet, made a ballet on the same subject and used a conflation of Prokofiev's music from the film. It was quickly taken up by ballet companies the world over. This DVD is a film of a performance recorded live at the Opéra National de Paris in December 2003 and featuring three premier dancers of that company in the solo roles of Ivan, Anastasia and Kurbsky. The stage is filled at times with as many as eighty dancers as boyars, oprichniks (Ivan's personal police, assassins actually), maidens from whom Ivan picks his bride, and 'the Russian people.' ++++ Prokofiev - Ivan the Terrible / Nicolas Le Riche, Karl Paquette, Eleonora Abbagnato, Vello Pahn, Paris Opera Ballet ~ Nicolas Le Riche, Riche, Paquette, and Abbagnato (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / Nureyev, Letestu, Martinez, Paris Opera Ballet ~ Rudolf Nureyev, Agnes Letestu, Jose Martinez, and Karl Paquette (HD DVD - 2007) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The dancing from the principals and the corps de ballet is first rate throughout. The sets are minimal but an excellent lighting plan compensates handsomely, and the costumes have good color and design. ++++ Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / Nureyev, Letestu, Martinez, Paris Opera Ballet [HD DVD] ~ Rudolf Nureyev, Agnes Letestu, Jose Martinez, and Karl Paquette (HD DVD - 2007)  $59.95 Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Maximova, Vasiliev, Bolshoi ~ Yekaterina Maksimova, Vladimir Vasilyev, and Nadiya Pavlova (DVD - 1999) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Famed Bolshoi duo Yekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vasiliev star in this production of Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet, The Nutcracker. Maximova dances the role of Maria, the young girl whose mysterious uncle Drosselmeyer (Victor Levashov) gives her a wooden nutcracker (Vasiliev) for Christmas. When he comes to life, she rescues him from marauding mice and is taken to the Kingdom of Sweets for a series of entertaining divertissements from many nationalities. ++++ Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Maximova, Vasiliev, Bolshoi ~ Yekaterina Maksimova, Vladimir Vasilyev, and Nadiya Pavlova (DVD - 1999)  $59.95 Start Smarter Presents: "Girls Gotta Dance! With Ballerina Jen" - Modern Ballet for Girls ~ Jenny Gould (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions "This video is perfect for girls who love the magic of dance!" Ballerina Jen continues to dazzle young girls as she teaches new dances in her second DVD. Your girls will delight in seeing the Earth Fairies, Souls, and Cats, as the Woodward Academy 7th and 8th grade dancers perform and show your girls how to dance, dance, dance! Great Dance Performances Discover how to put on stage make-up! ++++ Start Smarter Presents: "Girls Gotta Dance! With Ballerina Jen" - Modern Ballet for Girls ~ Jenny Gould (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Partnering Secrets: Dmitri Roudnev ~ Dmitri Roudnev; former Bolshoi soloist and director of USA National Youth Ballet Competition; Irina Zibrova soloist of the Bolshoi (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Excellent Introduction To Partnering By Great Professionals!, July 2, 2006 Dmitri Roudnev is a wonderful ballet teacher and dancer(formerly of the Bolshoi) and a great credit to the ballet community, much to the benefit of the Chicago area. This video gives you much of the basic ideas on partnering for reference as an adjunct to partnering classes. Tips are given for both the male and female dancer. Mr. Roudnev is very active in his videos and does plenty of explaining, so you are not just watching people dance as in some other instructional videos. The image and sound are very good also. All his videos and cds are highly recommended. ++++ Partnering Secrets: Dmitri Roudnev ~ Dmitri Roudnev; former Bolshoi soloist and director of USA National Youth Ballet Competition; Irina Zibrova soloist of the Bolshoi (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Bournonville - Napoli / Royal Danish Ballet, Arne Villumsen, Linda Hindberg ~ Burnonville, Villumsen, Jessen, and Lassen (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The dramatic tradition of the remarkable dancer and choreographer, August Bournonville, is the keystone of the continuing excellence of the Royal Danish Ballet, and Napoli is his happiest masterpiece. Persuaded by his friend Hans Christian Andersen to travel to Italy, Bournonville was inspired by his stay in Naples to create this romantic ballet, which tells the story of the young fisherman Gennaro and his beloved Teresina. ++++ Bournonville - Napoli / Royal Danish Ballet, Arne Villumsen, Linda Hindberg ~ Burnonville, Villumsen, Jessen, and Lassen (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Tchaikovsky - Maurice Bejart's The Nutcracker / Bejart Ballet Lausanne ~ Gil Roman, Yvette Horner, Elizabeth Ros, and Juichi Kobayashi (DVD - 2000) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Don't expect battling mice, giant Christmas trees, and waltzing snowflakes in world-renowned choreographer Maurice Bejart's boldly different take on Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet, The Nutcracker. Discarding entirely the traditional story of Clara and the statuette she rescues and accompanies to a candy kingdom, Bejart uses Tchaikovsky's score to accompany his own life story (which only briefly portrays Christmas). When his mother "departs on a long journey," the 7-year-old Bim (danced by Damaas Thijs) is seduced into the world of dance by a character (Gil Roman) who represents both Faust's Mephistopheles and Marius Petipa, the groundbreaking French choreographer and dancer who brought Tchaikovsky's original ballet to life. While Bim learns dance, he still envisions the ideal of his mother, who is represented by a towering Botticelli Venus-like statue and with whom he finally achieves a bond in a near-nude pas de deux that more than hints of incest. ++++ Tchaikovsky - Maurice Bejart's The Nutcracker / Bejart Ballet Lausanne ~ Gil Roman, Yvette Horner, Elizabeth Ros, and Juichi Kobayashi (DVD - 2000)  $59.95 Dance with Me Ballet Workout ~ Stephanie Herman (DVD - 2007) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions A principal ballerina at 19, Stephanie Herman danced for George Balanchine, Alvin Alley and Martha Graham and has worked with Julio Horvath, creator of Gyrotonics, and Carola Trier, a direct disciple of Joseph Pilates. She is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and is the creator of the Dance with Me DVD series. ++++ Dance with Me Ballet Workout ~ Stephanie Herman (DVD - 2007)  $59.95 The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique: Art of Pointwork, Level 2 ~ Art of Pointework (DVD - 2007) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique: Art of Pointwork, Level 2 ~ Art of Pointework (DVD - 2007) ++++ The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique: Art of Pointwork, Level 2 ~ Art of Pointework (DVD - 2007)  $59.95 Bob Rizzo: Turns, Leaps & Bounds- Ballet Dance with David Howard ~ David Howard (DVD - 2007) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions A very thorough, well demonstrated ballet instructional dvd. Mr. Howard's center work is terrific and he's put down some unique and very danceable combinations in this program ! Mr. Howard explains each combination as the demonstrators ( who are marvelous by the way) slowly follow his instruction. This is followed by each combination performed full out to music. There is a tremendous amount of useful material, and it is filmed very nicely. ++++ Bob Rizzo: Turns, Leaps & Bounds- Ballet Dance with David Howard ~ David Howard (DVD - 2007)  $59.95 Tchaikovsky - The Sleeping Beauty / Sylve, Lambiotte, Florio, Dutch National Ballet, Amsterdam ~ Sofiane Sylve, Het Muziektheater, Gael Lambiotte, and Ermanno Florio (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Tchaikovsky and Petipa’s timeless ballet - acknowledged to be the most pure and demanding piece in the classic romantic repertoire – brings out Petipa’s rich dance vocabulary with the sparkling virtuosity a superb performance needs. Recorded at Het Muziektheater in Amsterdam with The Dutch National Ballet in 2004. Choreographer Sir Peter Wright’s sensitive staging closely reflects Marius Petipa's original work. Philip Prowse’s ravishing Baroque sets and costumes add the glamour and grandeur essential to a ballet intended for the court of the Russian Tsar ++++ Tchaikovsky - The Sleeping Beauty / Sylve, Lambiotte, Florio, Dutch National Ballet, Amsterdam ~ Sofiane Sylve, Het Muziektheater, Gael Lambiotte, and Ermanno Florio (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 Minkus - La Bayadere ~ La Scala Ballet, Svetlana Zakharova, Roberto Bolle, and Isabelle Bruson (DVD - 2007) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Svetlana Zakharova, star of the Bolshoi ballet, has certainly become represented on video more than any other star of her generation. We now have records of her Swan Lake, Giselle, Scherherazade, and Pharoah's Daughter on dvd. In particular three dvd's of her dancing at the La Scala ballet have come out in the past two years. This is her third. She dances Natalia Makarova's production of La Bayadere with her frequent partner Roberto Bolle. ++++ Minkus - La Bayadere ~ La Scala Ballet, Svetlana Zakharova, Roberto Bolle, and Isabelle Bruson (DVD - 2007)  $59.95 Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet / Corella · Ferri - Kenneth MacMillan (Teatro alla Scala 2000) ~ Alessandra Ferri, et al. (DVD - 2003) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The revival of the classically choreographed version of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet by senior choreographer Kenneth MacMillan enjoyed a phenomenal success at La Scala in January 2000; it was the first time that Alessandra Ferri and Angel Corella, the acclaimed stars of the American Ballet Theatre, had danced together on stage. Hailed by the Italian press as the "new star couple," they both brought to their roles the youthfulness and innocence reflected in Prokofiev's music: Juliet, the young, inexperienced adolescent girl who puts all her faith in her feelings of love and undergoes the heights of passion as well as the depths of despair, and Romeo, the carefree young man certain of his feelings as a lover, ready to turn the established order on its head as a result, and knowing no bounds in his love for Juliet. The intensive role-play of the two protagonists turns the lovers' tragic end into a disaster we experience with them, transcending the conventions of the story's familiar close. ++++ Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet / Corella · Ferri - Kenneth MacMillan (Teatro alla Scala 2000) ~ Alessandra Ferri, et al. (DVD - 2003)  $59.95 The Dancer ~ Erland Josephson, Katja Bjorner, and Anneli Alhanko (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions If you like ballet documentaries then this one should be in your collection. We do not often get to learn much of what goes on in the Northern European Ballet Community, which has made very important contributions to the ballet tradition, so this is all the more welcome. It is an intimate behind the scenes look into the Royal Swedish Ballet and its school. We are shown the daily routines of the dancers in training, both female and male. Mostly, we follow the daily routine of Katja Bjoerner, a young lady who is one of Sweden's hopes for a prima ballerina. There are many classroom scenes with group and private instruction at the professional level, both barre and center, as well as stage rehearsals. Some of the dialogue is in Swedish with English subtitles, but a lot of English is spoken also. Katja speaks perfect English. ++++ The Dancer ~ Erland Josephson, Katja Bjorner, and Anneli Alhanko (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Best of Madeline - Madeline at the Ballet/Madeline in New York (Vol. 1) ~ Marsha Moreau, Kyle Labine, A.J. Bond, and Judith Orban (DVD - 2002) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions In "Madeline at the Ballet," ballet master Valmont recruits the little French girls to perform with prima ballerina Tatiana in a production of The Happy Swan--except for poor Madeline, who is airily dismissed by him as "too small." (It doesn't help that she isn't as graceful as the other girls.) Madeline is devastated. Fortunately, an influential friend convinces Valmont to give her another chance. The rehearsals don't go off without a hitch, but with patience and persistence--and a little encouragement--Madeline triumphs in the end. Throughout, Miss Clavel's support for her littlest charge never falters. The rambunctious Pepito, however, teases all of the girls for hopping about like "frogs." He changes his tune when Valmont taps him to be in the show. He quickly discovers that ballet isn't as easy as it looks. Actor Christopher Plummer narrates the 25-minute program in author Ludwig Bemelmans's trademark rhyming couplets. ++++ Best of Madeline - Madeline at the Ballet/Madeline in New York (Vol. 1) ~ Marsha Moreau, Kyle Labine, A.J. Bond, and Judith Orban (DVD - 2002)  $59.95 Adam - Giselle / Carla Fracci, Erik Bruhn, John Lanchbery, American Ballet Theatre ~ Carla Fracci, Adolphe Adam, Erik Bruhn, and John Lanchbery (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Erik Bruhn and Carla Fracci were one of the most famous dance partnerships, and it's our good fortune that one of their "trademarks," Giselle, was preserved for posterity. (I mean, imagine how cool it would have been to have a video of Nijinsky and Karsavina dancing together.) Both Bruhn and Fracci are better in the first act than the second. Fracci's radiance and beauty make her an enchanting village lass. You can see why Albrecht would fall in love. And I love the little touches Fracci puts in her mad scene. Instead of letting her hair fall down completely (like most Giselles) Fracci simply loosens one strand of hair from her bun. As she runs around the stage the bun becomes messier and messier. There are also real tears flowing from her beautiful face. Erik Bruhn has a stiff, aristocratic bearing that's also very appropriate for this role. ++++ Adam - Giselle / Carla Fracci, Erik Bruhn, John Lanchbery, American Ballet Theatre ~ Carla Fracci, Adolphe Adam, Erik Bruhn, and John Lanchbery (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Bizet - Carmen Ballet / Mikhail Baryshnikov, Zizi Jeanmarie ~ Roland Petit, Zizi Jeanmarie, and Mikhail Baryshnikov (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions There's never been a Carmen like this one - there's never been a Don Jose like Baryshnikov! Ballet superstars Mikhail Baryshnikov and Zizi Jeanmaire sizzle in this erotically charged ballet set to the music and story of Carmen. The program's highlight is a sexy duet between the show's stars, in which they express their fatal attraction. Famed choreographer Roland Petit created this dance spectacular, set to Georges Bizet's classic music. This remarkable ballet provides Baryshnikov with one of his greatest roles, and proves yet again he is the most charismatic performer of our time! ++++ Bizet - Carmen Ballet / Mikhail Baryshnikov, Zizi Jeanmarie ~ Roland Petit, Zizi Jeanmarie, and Mikhail Baryshnikov (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 Roland Petit - Notre-Dame de Paris / Isabelle Guerin, Nicolas Le Riche, Laurent Hilaire, Manuel Legris, Paris Opera Ballet ~ David Garforth, Opera National de Paris, and Maurice Jarre (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Roland Petit has done a fine job choreographing this modern ballet. As it always is with the Paris Opera Ballet, the dancing is fantastic! The camera work is excellent, showing every detail of motion on stage. The sets are interseting, with good stage depth, and the costumes are unusually colorful! Isabelle Guerin(she is also featured in two other POB dvds: the La Bayadere performance dvd and the La Bayadere documentary dvd; see my reviews of them) plays Esmeralda and dances with great feeling and dynamism, as do the others. The choreography is very classical with plenty of modern moves thrown in to impart a surreal feel. The image and sound are super crisp! All ballet fans should enjoy this. ++++ Roland Petit - Notre-Dame de Paris / Isabelle Guerin, Nicolas Le Riche, Laurent Hilaire, Manuel Legris, Paris Opera Ballet ~ David Garforth, Opera National de Paris, and Maurice Jarre (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Russian Ballet Highlights / Bolshoi, Kirov, Mukhamedov, Besmertnova, Mezentseva ~ Irek Mukhamedov (DVD - 2007) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Russian Ballet Highlights features Russia’s two most celebrated ballet companies, the Bolshoi and the Kirov, in extracts from five of the great ballets in their classical repertoire. Recorded in Moscow and St Petersburg, these performances show off, to the full, the skill of the Russian dancers and the magnificence of their productions. ++++ Russian Ballet Highlights / Bolshoi, Kirov, Mukhamedov, Besmertnova, Mezentseva ~ Irek Mukhamedov (DVD - 2007)  $59.95 Minkus - Don Quixote / Ananiashvili, Fadeyetchev ~ Nina Ananiashvili, Alexei Fadeyechev, and State Perm Ballet (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Prima ballerina Nina Ananiashvili stars in this spectacular new full-length production of one of the world’s favorite ballets Don Quixote with the Russian State Perm Ballet. In this delightful ballet, Nina Ananiashvili and Aleksei Fadeyetchev portray the lovers Kitri and Basilio; Alexsandr Astafiev is featured in the title role as Don Quixote, and Evgeny Katusov is his comic squire Sancho Panza. This joyous new production of composer Leon Minkus’ ballet, which tells the tale of an old knight who dreams of chivalry and tilts at windmills, is a visual treat for dance lovers of all ages. Nina Ananiashvili’s superb technical command is a thrilling dance experience which the viewer will want to enjoy again and again. Don Quixote: Alexsandr Astafiev, Sancho Panza: Evgeny Katusov, Kitri/Dulcinea: Nina Ananiashvili, Basilio: Aleksei Fadeyetchev, Gamache: Vladimir Golub. Performed September 20th, 1992, at NHK Hall. ++++ Minkus - Don Quixote / Ananiashvili, Fadeyetchev ~ Nina Ananiashvili, Alexei Fadeyechev, and State Perm Ballet (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Prokofiev - Cinderella / Sibley, Dowell, Royal Ballet ~ Antoinette Sibley, Anthony Dowell, Frederick Ashton, and Robert Helpmann (DVD - 2001) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Cinderella may be Sergei Prokofiev's most accessible ballet, both musically and visually, and in the hands of a master choreographer, it can be a thrilling experience. And so it is with this 1969 Royal Ballet performance, with then-resident genius Frederick Ashton pulling out all the stops in a staging guaranteed to please fans and win new converts. Ashton's particular ability to couch his innovative moves within a conventional framework is in evidence here. ++++ Prokofiev - Cinderella / Sibley, Dowell, Royal Ballet ~ Antoinette Sibley, Anthony Dowell, Frederick Ashton, and Robert Helpmann (DVD - 2001)  $59.95 Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / Mezentseva, Zaklinsky, Kirov Ballet ~ Innokenti Smoktunovsky, Antonina Shuranova, and Kirill Lavrov (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions This is a musically sensitive and superbly danced interpretation of the best-loved ballet in the Russian repertoire. Swan Lake videos come in various sizes and configurations, among which the Kirov has special claims. The ballet was not well received in its premiere production (Bolshoi, 1877); its success dates from the 1895 revival in St. Petersburg, in which the Tchaikovsky score was rearranged and a happy ending substituted for the original conclusion in which the hero and heroine die. This production is based on that revival and justifies the Kirov company's proprietary feeling about Swan Lake. ++++ Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / Mezentseva, Zaklinsky, Kirov Ballet ~ Innokenti Smoktunovsky, Antonina Shuranova, and Kirill Lavrov (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 La Sylphide - Lis Jeppesen, Sorella Englund, Royal Danish Ballet ~ Lovenskiold, Jeppesen, and Royal Danish Ballet (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions From The Royal Theatre, Copenhagen with The Royal Danish Ballet. When Lis Jeppesen - the Sylphide of our time - in diaphanous white costume and with shining wings, dances for the Scottish farmer James, whom she has entranced with her love and beauty, we are witnessing the first scene of the most famous and enduring ballet by August Bournonville. The great Danish choreographer and former dancer (he had partnered Marie Taglioni) created La Sylphide for the Royal Danish Ballet in 1836. Of all his surviving ballets it is the oldest and most widely performed.. The Royal Danish Ballet rightly regards its interpretations of the Bournonville classics as being in the purest and most faithfully maintained tradition. Lis Jeppesen dances the lead role of La Sylphide, a role which demands lyrical interpretation as well as superb technique. Equal expressiveness and faultless dancing are required of James, here performed by Nikolaj Hübbe. Sorella Englund is the brilliant interpreter of the role of Madge, the witch and fortune-teller, whose rejection by James leads her to seek dreadful revenge on him, with tragic consequences. Gurn: Morten Munksdorf, Effy: Ann-Kristin Hauge, Anna: Kirsten Simone, Nancy: Anne Marie Vessel. ++++ La Sylphide - Lis Jeppesen, Sorella Englund, Royal Danish Ballet ~ Lovenskiold, Jeppesen, and Royal Danish Ballet (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Finis Jhung Ballet Technique: Barrework Level 3 ~ Finis Jhung Ballet Technique (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Finis Jhung and Glenn Keenan of The New York City Ballet take you to Level 3 with barre exercises that expand your range of movement and balance as you work from one standing leg to the other. Certain exercises are timed to quicken the working leg and foot, while demanding stability on the supporting side of your body, as well as your standing leg and foot. Attention is paid to the use of head and arm movements which help maintain balance as well as the total look of classical ballet dancing. Exercises on this video: 1. Stretches; 2. Pliés; 3. Battement tendu à la seconde, 1st position; 4. Battement tendu devant & derrière, flex & point, 1st position; 5. Quick battement tendu, 1st position; 6. Slow battement tendu with demi rond de jambe, head circles, balance, 5th position; 7. Medium battement tendu en croix, retiré, 5th position; 8. Quick battement tendu, dégagé, tendu plié, relevé & balance, 5th position; 9. Footwork, stretches, balance, 1st position; 10. Rond de jambe à terre, 5th position; 11. Développé, fondu, rond de jambe en l'air, 5th position; 12. Petit battement, frappé, 1st position; 13. Grand battement, passé, balance, 5th position; 14. Fondu relevé, attitude & arabesque. 58 minutes. 14 Exercises. Taught by Finis Jhung. Demonstrated by Glenn Keenan. Music by Scott Killian. ++++ Finis Jhung Ballet Technique: Barrework Level 3 ~ Finis Jhung Ballet Technique (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / Ananiashvili, Fadeyetchev, Russian State Perm Ballet ~ Nina Ananiashvili, Alexei Fadeyechev, Galina Frolova, and Yulya Mashkina (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Ballet superstar Nina Ananiashvili makes her full-length ballet DVD debut with the Russian State Perm Ballet in the best-loved of all the classical ballets, Swan Lake. Nina Ananiashvili has been hailed as one of the most talented prima ballerinas to emerge in recent years. Her superb technique makes her portrayal of the dual role of Odette/Odile a major ballet event not to be missed by dance lovers. This historic production of Swan Lake, also starring the great Russian dancer Aleksei Fadeyetchev, was filmed during a performance commemorating the centennial of the composer Tchaikovsky’s death. This new production of the world’s favorite ballet, starring one of today’s greatest young dancers is a performance which will be cherished by children and ballet enthusiasts of all ages. Odette/Odile: Nina Ananiashvili, Prince Siegfried: Aleksei Fadeyetchev, Rothbart: Sergei Zagorulko, Queen: Vera Sokolovskaya, Jester: Andrei Shcherbinin, Pas de trios: Yulva Mashkina, Galina Frolova, Vitaly Poleshchuk. Performed October 11, 1992 at Bunkamura Orchard Hall. Music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Libretto by Vladimir Begichev. ++++ Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / Ananiashvili, Fadeyetchev, Russian State Perm Ballet ~ Nina Ananiashvili, Alexei Fadeyechev, Galina Frolova, and Yulya Mashkina (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Lanza: Le Songe de Médée; Zahmal: MC 14/22 "Ceci est mon corps" (DVD - 2007) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions DLanza: Le Songe de Médée; Zahmal: MC 14/22 "Ceci est mon corps" (DVD - 2007) ++++ Lanza: Le Songe de Médée; Zahmal: MC 14/22 "Ceci est mon corps" (DVD - 2007)  $59.95 Prokofiev - Ivan the Terrible / Mukhamedov, Bessmertnova, Taranda, Zhuraitis, Bolshoi Ballet ~ Irek Mukhamedov, Natalya Bessmertnova, and Bolshoi Opera Ballet (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Prokofiev - Ivan the Terrible / Mukhamedov, Bessmertnova, Taranda, Zhuraitis, Bolshoi Ballet ~ Irek Mukhamedov, Natalya Bessmertnova, and Bolshoi Opera Ballet (DVD - 2005) ++++ Prokofiev - Ivan the Terrible / Mukhamedov, Bessmertnova, Taranda, Zhuraitis, Bolshoi Ballet ~ Irek Mukhamedov, Natalya Bessmertnova, and Bolshoi Opera Ballet (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Highlights From The Royal Ballet / Royal Opera House, Dowell, Collier, Ferri ~ Highlights from the Royal Ballet (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Highlights from The Royal Ballet, recorded at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden, features performance extracts from four of the most popular ballets in the repertoire, danced by some of the greatest stars produced by this illustrious company in recent years including Anthony Dowell, Lesley Collier, Alessandra Ferri, and more. Includes excerpts from Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, Manon, La Fille Mal Gardee. ++++ Highlights From The Royal Ballet / Royal Opera House, Dowell, Collier, Ferri ~ Highlights from the Royal Ballet (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 Bolshoi Ballet in the Park - Divertissements / Irek Mukhamedov, Nina Ananiashvili, Ludmila Semenyaka ~ Nina Ananiashvili, Natalya Bessmertnova, and The Bolshoi Ballet (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The Bolshoi Ballet with Natalia Bessmertnova, Irek Mukhamedov, Nina Ananiashvili, Lyudmila Semenyaka, Nina Semizorova, Alexei Fadeyechev perform Les Sylphides, Spartacus Act II, The Sleeping Beauty Pas de deux, La Bayadère Solo, Swan Lake, Black Swan Pas de deux, Spring Waters, Golden Age Adagio, Don Quixote Grand pas. From The Marquee, Battersea Park, London with The Orchestra of London conducted by Alexander Kopylov. "The Bolshoi are back…they came in with all guns blazing…and fairly burned up the stage…" GUARDIAN Bolshoi is Russian for great, an often over-worked adjective, but in the case of the Bolshoi Ballet, it is a worthy description of the world's most famous ballet company.On this tour to the UK, the Bolshoi proved that it is a company of absolutes, in flamboyance and daring, brilliance and technical execution; and these triumphant qualities are captured for posterity in a divertissement programme which shows off the Bolshoi's top ranking soloists at their bravura best. ++++ Bolshoi Ballet in the Park - Divertissements / Irek Mukhamedov, Nina Ananiashvili, Ludmila Semenyaka ~ Nina Ananiashvili, Natalya Bessmertnova, and The Bolshoi Ballet (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Khatchaturian - Spartacus / Irek Mukhamedov, Natalya Bessmertnova, Maria Bylova, Yuri Grigorovich, Bolshoi Ballet ~ The Bolshoi Ballet (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Spartacus, the story of a Roman slave’s fight for freedom, is one of the great epic adventure stories. Grigorovich’s choreography fills the huge Bolshoi stage with dynamic scenes of tension and conflict, which give full expression to the virility and strength for which Russia’s male dancers are renowned. Irek Mukhamedov brings to the title role a conviction and assurance made possible only by prodigious technique. His partner is Natalya Bessmertnova, supple and expressive in the love scenes, intensely moving in her final grief. The Bolshoi Ballet with music by Aram Khachaturian, and choreography by Yuri Grigorovich. Production Staged By Yuri Grigorovich with Designs By S.B. Virsaladze. Spartacus: Irek Mukhamedov, Crassus: Mikhail Gabovich, Phrygia: Natalya Bessmertnova, Aegina: Maria Bylova, Gladiator: Mikhail Tsivin. Orchestra Of The Bolshoi Theatre, Conductor Alygis Zhyuraitis. "Spartacus is a celebration of male dancing at its most spectacular." THE OBSERVER "Mukhamedov is a dancer of extraordinary technical power and an actor of total dedication." THE GUARDIAN "Even when sitting motionless, Mukhamedov radiates power, and when he bounds the stage he is really awesome."' ++++ Khatchaturian - Spartacus / Irek Mukhamedov, Natalya Bessmertnova, Maria Bylova, Yuri Grigorovich, Bolshoi Ballet ~ The Bolshoi Ballet (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Trilogy of Ballet - Nutcracker, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet / Bessmertnova, Lavrovsky, Pavlova, Gordeyev, Bolshoi Ballet ~ Natalia Bessmertnova, et al. (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Three of the greatest ballets from Russia’s premier company, the Bolshoi, in a special collector’s set. Includes (1) Giselle. Supreme among the romantic ballets, Giselle has never before been delivered with such intensity as in this deeply moving performance, filmed live at the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Stars Natalia Bessmertnova and Mikhail Lavrovsky. Choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich. (2) The Nutcracker. From the stage of the renowned Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, this live recording of the most fantastic Christmas ballet ever is a spectacular treat. The cast is headed by four of Russia’s most legendary soloists—sharing the lead roles: Vladimir Vasiliev and Yekaterina Maximova in the first act, and Vyacheslav Gordeyev and Nadia Pavlova in the second. (3) Romeo and Juliet. the classic ballet in a perfect performance captured on the Bicentennial Anniversary of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, featuring two of Russia’s most legendary soloists, Natalia Bessmertnova and Mikhail Lavrovsky. ++++ Trilogy of Ballet - Nutcracker, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet / Bessmertnova, Lavrovsky, Pavlova, Gordeyev, Bolshoi Ballet ~ Natalia Bessmertnova, et al. (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 Delibes - Coppelia / Giezendanner, Ganio, Lacotte, Paris Ballet ~ Charline Giezendanner, et al. (DVD - 2003) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Delibes - Coppelia / Giezendanner, Ganio, Lacotte, Paris Ballet ~ Charline Giezendanner, et al. (DVD - 2003) ++++ Delibes - Coppelia / Giezendanner, Ganio, Lacotte, Paris Ballet ~ Charline Giezendanner, et al. (DVD - 2003)  $59.95 Essential Ballet ~ The American Ballet Theatre, et al. (DVD - 2000) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Essential Ballet ~ The American Ballet Theatre, et al. (DVD - 2000) ++++ Essential Ballet ~ The American Ballet Theatre, et al. (DVD - 2000)  $59.95 The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique: Art of Pointwork, Level 5 ~ Finis Jhung Ballet Technique (DVD - 2007) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Finis shows and explains each exercise, 15-year-old Saige demonstrates on both sides, Finis comments and analyzes, and then Saige repeats the exercise. This video is all about the preparations that create the results. Watch how Saige turns her plié and rolls through her feet. As she starts dancing across the floor, notice how Saige places and works her plié and pushes with her feet, which results in beautifully placed triple pirouettes en dehors. Finis and Saige then concentrate on the en dedans pirouette, showing you how to prepare for these tricky turns so that you will really get on your leg and turn with ease. Besides giving you technical instructions and demonstrations on everything from simple pirouettes to grand pirouettes en dedans, Finis has also choreographed some of the exercises so that you can work on your dancing skills. And, of course, Saige works on the ballerina's "bread & butter" steps -- piqué turns and fouetté turns. After Saige shows her single fouetté turns, she goes on and does doubles. Dance, Ballerina, Dance! BONUS EXTRAS: 1. Finis talks with Saige; 2. Saige's Pre-Class Stretches; 3. Saige & Her Pointe Shoes'; 92 minutes. 13 exercises. 3 Bonus Extras. Taught by Finis Jhung. Demonstrated by Saige Miller of The Jacqueline Kennedy Onnasis School at The American Ballet Theatre. Music by Scott Killian. ++++ The Finis Jhung Ballet Technique: Art of Pointwork, Level 5 ~ Finis Jhung Ballet Technique (DVD - 2007)  $59.95 Jacques D'Amboise: Portrait of a Great American Dancer ~ Jacques D'Amboise (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions First release on DVD of the complete ballets "Apollo" (Balanchine choreography, Stravinsky music), "Filling Station" (Christensen choreography, Thomson music), "Afternoon of a Faun" (Robbins choreography, Debussy music). First DVD release of excerpts of "The Still Point" (Bolender choreography, Debussy music), "Stars and Stripes" (Balanchine choreography, Sousa music). Also "Black Swan" Pas de Deux & "Snow" Pas de Deux. Bonus: 2006 interview with D’Amboise. ++++ Jacques D'Amboise: Portrait of a Great American Dancer ~ Jacques D'Amboise (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Medea / Georgiy Aleksidze, Marina Goderdzishvili ~ Gabichvadze, et al. (DVD - 2008) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Filmed in the Soviet Union and never seen before by western audiences, this extraordinary one-act ballet, Medea, freely interprets the classic drama of Euripides. Through music and dance it reveals the ancient story of a powerful woman s revenge upon her faithless husband and the younger rival who has stolen him away from her. The sorceress Medea (M. Goderdzishivili) has learned that her husband Jason (V. Julukhadze) no longer loves her, and wishes to marry Creusa (V. Laperashvili), the beautiful daughter of the king of Corinth. In a series of dance tableaux Jason enjoys his new-found love and violently spurns his wife. Mid-way in the ballet, Medea recalls her first meeting with Jason, their idyllic love affair, and the way she helped Jason capture the fabled Golden Fleece. There follows an extended pas de deux between Jason and Medea in which she vainly pleads with him to come back to her. Just as he orders her away, he too recalls the joy of their lovemaking years before. At the betrothal celebration, Jason and Creusa dance sensually together only to be interrupted by the somber Medea clad in black. Later Medea conceives of a plan for revenge: she will make Creusa a wedding gift of a scarlet cloak dipped in poison. She asks to see her two young boys Jason s sons whom he loves beyond measure and conceives of a second, more horrible form of revenge. While Jason dances in exultation over his approaching wedding, Medea begs one final time that he return to her, but her plea is rejected even more violently than before. Their two sons arrive, offering the fatal cloak to Creusa. She puts it on and briefly dances with it only to die in agony as Medea gloats above her. When the sorceress subsequently murders her two sons, she dances one last time, torn between grief and ghastly triumph. In the final episode, the masked chorus watches as Jason beats his breast in despair tormented by visions of his murdered boys. ++++ Medea / Georgiy Aleksidze, Marina Goderdzishvili ~ Gabichvadze, et al. (DVD - 2008)  $59.95 Prokofiev - Romeo et Juliet / Legris, Maurin, Belarbi, Delanoe, Paris ~ Elisabeth Maurin, et al. (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Choreographed by Rudolf Nureyev, this stunning Paris Opera Ballet production was performed at the Opera Bastille. The exceptional cast was chosen by Nureyev himself, and stars Manuel Legris and Monique Loudieres. Charles Jade is Tybalt, and Lionel Delanoe is Mercutio. ++++ Prokofiev - Romeo et Juliet / Legris, Maurin, Belarbi, Delanoe, Paris ~ Elisabeth Maurin, et al. (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 Prokofiev - The Stone Flower / Terekhova, Gulyaev, Polikarpova, Christyakova, Viliumanis, Kirov Ballet ~ Tatiana Terekhova, et al. (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The Stone Flower is the last ballet for which Prokofiev wrote music, a love-story based on a fairy tale from the Urals, a mixture of real-life scenes and fantastic dreams, of classical dance and folk choreography. In the words of the ballet's choreographer, Yuri Grigorovich, the story concerns "the fate of the stone carver, Danila, who wishes to see the full power of the stone and show its beauty to the people. The creative urge which possesses Danila and the desire to create more perfect art is the leitmotif of the ballet". anila, who is in love with Katerina, desires to create a malachite vase that will be as simple and beautiful as a flower. During this quest, Danila is led to the underground realm of the Queen of the Copper Mountain, who wishes to help him but also wants him for herself. But the strength of Danila and Katerina's love eventually moves the Queen of the Copper Mountain to release him, and the young lovers return to their village with the secret of creating beauty from stone. With Aleksandr Gulyaev as Danila, Anna Polikarpova as Katerina, and the Maryinsky Theatre Orchestra. ++++ Prokofiev - The Stone Flower / Terekhova, Gulyaev, Polikarpova, Christyakova, Viliumanis, Kirov Ballet ~ Tatiana Terekhova, et al. (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 Minkus - La Bayadere / Kirov Theatre ~ Minkus, Komleva, Terekhova, and Shirokov (DVD - 2008) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Here is La Bayadere (The Temple Dancer) a ballet in three acts performed by the company that first brought it to the West. Filmed at the Kirov Theater (on the stage where it was premiered in 1877), La Bayadere stars Gabriella Komleva as the pathetic temple dancer, Nikia; Tatiana Terekhova as Gamzatti, the Rajah s daughter, and Rejen Abdyev as Prince Solor.Based on an ancient Indian poem, the ballet concerns the love between Nikia and Solor. Solor, unfortunately, is obliged to wed Ganeatti, who murders her rival by sending a basket of flowers hiding a poisonous snake. After Nikia s death, the inconsolable Solor envisions Nikia inviting him to join her in the Kingdom of the Shades. In their final dance together, they manage to find a measure of happiness among the phantoms of other maidens who have died of unrequited love. ++++ Minkus - La Bayadere / Kirov Theatre ~ Minkus, Komleva, Terekhova, and Shirokov (DVD - 2008)  $59.95 Tchaikovsky - Sleeping Beauty / Rudolph Nureyev, Veronica Tennant, National Ballet of Canada ~ Rudolph Nureyev, et al. (DVD - 2004) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions This performance is quite interesting. First of all, everybody in this dances fantastically. More to the point, Nureyev does some solos in this that you will not see performed in any other version. The prologue is full of interesting choreography, and as a result some of the fairy solos are cut. The bluebird variation is one of the best around in this performance, performed by none other than Karen Kain and Frank Augustyn. ++++ Tchaikovsky - Sleeping Beauty / Rudolph Nureyev, Veronica Tennant, National Ballet of Canada ~ Rudolph Nureyev, et al. (DVD - 2004)  $59.95 Manzotti - Excelsior / Romagna, Massimi, Seabra, Bolle, Benaglia, La Scala Ballet ~ Elisabetta Armiato, et al. (DVD - 2003) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Manzotti - Excelsior / Romagna, Massimi, Seabra, Bolle, Benaglia, La Scala Ballet ~ Elisabetta Armiato, et al. (DVD - 2003) ++++ Manzotti - Excelsior / Romagna, Massimi, Seabra, Bolle, Benaglia, La Scala Ballet ~ Elisabetta Armiato, et al. (DVD - 2003)  $59.95 Accent on the Off Beat / Wynton Marsalis, Peter Martins, New York City Ballet, Albert Maysles ~ Accent on the off Beat (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Accent on the Offbeat is a cinema vérité film about the creation and premiere of the ballet Jazz (Six Syncopated Movements), composed by trumpet virtuoso Wynton Marsalis and choreographed by Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins of the New York City Ballet. A focus of the film is the remarkable contrast – in background, temperament, style and creative approach – between Martins and Marsalis as they unite the disparate worlds of ballet and jazz. ++++ Accent on the Off Beat / Wynton Marsalis, Peter Martins, New York City Ballet, Albert Maysles ~ Accent on the off Beat (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 Kirov Classics ~ Kirov Classics (DVD - 2002) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions There's a whiff of the souvenir shop about Kirov Classics, a selection of highlights from the famous ballet company's repertoire. Committed followers will surely prefer to seek out full-length versions of the works presented here. That said, even the expert will find this disc to be a useful snapshot of the choreographic styles associated with the company. We get extracts from Petipa's Corsair and Paquita, Fokine's Chopiniana (a.k.a. Les Sylphides), the Legats' The Fairy Doll and Saint-Leon's Markitenka, while the Kirov's Artistic Director Oleg Vinogradov also gets two items, including Petrushka and the then-daring piece based on Barber's Adagio. All the above may be crowd-pleasers in their different ways, but there's plenty of interesting historical background here, too, such as Pierre Lacotte's painstaking reconstruction of Markitenka from fragmented sources. The performances are of course immaculate, and the quality of both sound and vision also makes this the perfect taster for anyone thinking of acquiring a DVD dance habit. ++++ Kirov Classics ~ Kirov Classics (DVD - 2002)  $59.95 Glory of the Bolshoi / Vladimir Vasiliev, Galina Ulanova, Irek Mukhamedov, more ~ Bolshoi Ballet (DVD - 2005) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The Bolshoi Ballet’s first tours abroad in the mid-20th century revealed the classic Bolshoi style – a thrilling athleticism that never lost the essential beauty of the dance. This fascinating footage of many of the company’s greatest dancers draws on five years’ research in Russia’s film archives. In October 1993, the St. Petersburg documentary film company, MIRIS, sent out a fax to the West – almost like a message in a bottle. They needed a partner to complete a series of documentary films on Russian ballet. NVC ARTS, with a long tradition of working with the Bolshoi and the Kirov, responded to the call. The two directors of MIRIS had spent five years researching state archives, museums and private collections, discovering many wonderful items that had never been shown anywhere. For the first time, thanks to the new political situation, it was possible to bring the material out of Russia. It was carefully treated by the most up-to-date methods to achieve the best technical quality of both picture and sound. The result is the two films The Glory of the Bolshoi and The Glory of the Kirov, both available now on DVD. During the Bolshoi Ballet's first tours abroad in the mid-20th century, Western audiences were brought to their feet by the Bolshoi style - thrilling athleticism that never lost the essential beauty of the dance. Five years research in Russia's film archives has unearthed fascinating footage, much of it never before available in the West, of many of the company's great dancers including Vladimir Vasiliev, Galina Ulanova, Irek Mukhamedov, and many others. ++++ Glory of the Bolshoi / Vladimir Vasiliev, Galina Ulanova, Irek Mukhamedov, more ~ Bolshoi Ballet (DVD - 2005)  $59.95 White Nights ~ Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Jerzy Skolimowski, and Helen Mirren (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions Sometimes movies are built around a great idea begging for a story, in this case pairing ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov with tap great Gregory Hines. The resulting storm of dance in White Nights, as one would expect, is great, but the story is a little forced. Baryshnikov plays (in parallel to his own life) a Russian defector to the U.S. who ends up a prisoner in the motherland after his plane is forced to land in Leningrad during an emergency. Hines is an American expatriate who gets involved with the situation. Director Taylor Hackford (An Officer and a Gentleman) punctuates an escape scenario and relationship dilemmas with as many dance sequences as possible, and the result is a wobbly, unconvincing tale with some furious footwork. Fortunately, performances carry the day, as the two male leads are both very strong as actors, and the supporting cast--Isabella Rossellini, Helen Mirren, and filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski (Moonlighting)--is terrific. ++++ White Nights ~ Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Jerzy Skolimowski, and Helen Mirren (DVD - 2006)  $59.95 The Kirov Ballet: The Firebird/Petrushka ~ Stravinsky, Kirov Ballet, Fedotov, and Tsarevich (DVD - 2006) Great Dance Performances Classic Ballet Productions The Kirov Ballet: The Firebird/Petrushka ~ Stravinsky, Kirov Ballet, Fedotov, and Tsarevich (DVD - 2006) ++++ The Kirov Ballet: The Firebird/Petrushka ~ Stravinsky, Kirov