Why dancers love performing Balanchine's Jewels (The Royal Ballet)
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- čas přidán 11. 04. 2017
- Dancers of The Royal Ballet and members of the creative team reveal why Balanchine's Jewels is a work loved by performers. Find out more at www.roh.org.uk/jewels
Among other things, Balanchine loved jewellery, and was inspired to create this famous piece after a visit to the New York jewellers, Van Cleef and Arpels. He noted however, that the ballet, which references different periods of ballet history in each act, had little to do with gem stones except for the costumes which are covered in them. Instead, Jewels is a pure celebration of music and dance. 'Dancers love dancing it, audiences still love watching it', says Elyse Borne, one of the ballet mistresses working on The Royal Ballet production.
Balanchine described Jewels as an appetizer, a main course, and a desert, with each act having a very different feel from the others. 'Emeralds' is has a 'demure' atmosphere, reminding us of the French Romantic period of ballet, with music from Gabriel Fauré's Pelléas et Mélisande (1898) and Shylock (1889). 'Rubies' is 'jazzy', drawing extracts from Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by Igor Stravinsky to create an energetic, hollywood feel. And finally, 'Diamonds' takes Symphony No. 3 in D major (1875) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, to create the grandeur of Imperial Russia. - Zábava
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Exactly how they described it is exactly how the ballet is...It's magical and of this earth all at the same time.
Ballet is a triumph of human expression and should be available to everyone as therapy
I agree that ballet is a triumph of human expression, but personally, i don't think it would serve as a good theraphy.
Seeing all those dancers dancing beautifully would just made me aspire to be them. And then i'd broke my legs trying to do the simplest ballet movements and i'd be depressed as hell, and it would remind me how useless i am. :")
Teresa Davina
It's best way to learn ballet is probably with a proffesional.
Agree 100% - watching ballet & especially the Royal Ballet has gotten me through a couple very tough times in my life as a source of steady inspiration and beauty. Plus Nela is such a dream in general! 💎🙏💙
HAHAHAHHAH AS THERAPY? I dance and I love it but it gives me some emotional problems because I always compare myself because I’m not pretty enough not strong enough not skinny enough not good enough not flexible enough Dance is everything I could ever want but also everything I will ever dread
Hell ya !!! Its so meditative and therapeutic
I went and saw this at the cinema last night in Edinburgh, and Steven McRae and Sarah Lamb in Rubies was probably the most impressive thing I've ever seen... the whole cinema was clapping when they'd finished and during their curtain call! So, so amazing...
I love the long romantic giselle tutus like the emeralds wear. It's just breathtaking
Jewels is just such a joy to watch. The music is both beautiful and fun at the same time, and the dancers look like they're enjoying themselves on stage. Definitely one of my favorites :)
Diamonds gives me a flashback to Anastasia Act 2
Thanks for your comment. Act II of Anastasia and 'Diamonds' from Jewels both set Tchaikovsky's Third Symphony, which is one reason they feel related.
MarIrisFM I disagree I think it's lovely. And whereas some people say it's depressing I think the opposite.
OMG. HOLY MOLLY. THATS LITERALLY WHAT I THOUGHT WHEN I SAW IT. Anastasia was my first musical and is always gonna have a special place in my heart
The work of Balanchine is work of genius. There is a sense in which he taught me to hear music.
I remember going to see this ballet. I don't remember the actual show, unfortunately, since I was quite young, but I still have a poster of the main Emerald from it.
I know nothing about ballet but after reading these comments I feel wise.
I've seen Jewels last night at ROH and it was powerfull and delicate, amazing and touching. It was really an experience!
Stopped dancing classical ballet because of studies and it's not really my thing anymore anyways lol. But I still admire ballet and the ballet dancers and their pain, blood, sweat, tears, hard work and efforts put into their every performance, their beauty and grace are truely a work of art. I still remember dancing on a stage around 9 years ago. It was truly amazing.
For a classical ballet choreographer he was very forward / unique/ almost modern at times/ so avant garde , I do t really like the legacy of the very thin physique ideal BC of how damaging its been for so many young female dancers , however his work was still impactful in many beautiful ways too
I am not the thin waif type and it took a while to accept that
bodybalancer yep
The thin ideal is very much not the case in NYCB - balanchines company - most of the female dancers are quite muscular and not at all that thin especially when compared to the royal ballet or the French or the Russians!
Ballet is a workout and dancing en pointe is stressful even for the lightest people. You simply are not going to have an overweight ballerina with a successful career because of those reasons.
Ellie Green Then why are their dancers all twinks?
That guy with white shirt is too adorable
Steven McRae. Principal Dancer. Originally from Australia.
Kiky ikr
I was a ruby in Jewels, and hearing the music again gave me major flashbacks
So disappointed this didn't play in a cinema near me...
Wow so so beautiful....love how 3 different moods styles of ballet and music costume designs are all brought in and combined so neatly just inspired by the precious gems👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
It would be a dream for me to dance here. The performances are amazing and beautiful !
i am proud that balanchin(balanchivadze)was from republic of Georgia
I remember learning about/watching this ballet in my 2015 dance history course (I'm in college)
so so beautiful! 💎💗
You have so nice, professional, wonderful teachers✨👌
Thank you! Everytime Balanchine comes up, I recall one dancer's reminiscing comment that Balanchine had made fragrance selections for his dancers as worn on stage? The performances must have been a florist of perfumes pouring off from the stage to over the orchestra through the audience. Jewels was for those long legged ladies of USA! Love Royal and lovely Nunez.
Marianela Nuñez is beautiful.
I finally now know the name of that piece they keep playing at the anime "hyouka" whenever they uncover some sort of mystery. "Emeralds" is truly beautiful😭
It's quite demure, and romantuck.
I did a dance inspired by this using the music it was amazing
I'd love to go see this performance
Marianela, you're a sunshine!
Thank you.
I'll see this Sunday. I'm excited to witness my first balletic performance, and although I picked it randomly, it seems exceptional.
You're right: it's exceptional. I hope you enjoyed it.
@@jd3422 , I absolutely did. The show was spectacular, and it was a dancer's last performance, so at the end we gave him a standing ovation, clapping as rose petals descended from the rafters, dozens of whole ones from the audience, and fellow dancers bringing them to him on stage.
I want this to be a theatre piece
Yuhui in the back
0:53
3:18
Yasmine Naghdi at 3.03 :D
Only I love so much all this 💟
People Loveｓ beautiful jewels, so a Ballet dancer would like to embody it.
Omg I’m getting old I remember Patricia neary when she was dancing
How can they recognize a style of ballet?
The arms can be slightly different, different expressions ECT.
when you see a Picasso, you recognize Picasso
when you hear Bach, you recognize Bach
when you watch a Balanchine ballet, you recognize Balanchine
Sarah and Steven were also in sleeping beauty
You're everywhere
Thiago is so handsome.
how old is laura morera? Just asking because she seems/looks a bit older than the stereotypical ballet dancer. Perhaps it's just how she looks, or perhaps the stereotype in my mind that ballet dancers retire by age 35 is just a stereotypical myth....or even that the stereotype was true but things are changing...good for her whichever it is :)
Lauren VeganValdes I think she's around 39/40 years old. Dancers are retiring later these days. Not all of them, but in general they stay active longer. I mean, Leanne Benjamin retired a few years ago at 48, and she still looked great on stage!
awesome!! very inspiring. It's been a theory of mine that the only reason age gets in the way is because of time (usually because of wanting children)....the time out of training and the energy needed is probably too much for most pros and teaching is a much more appealing route after that. I just really want to perform myself!!
Well, sports medicine and physical therapy are more advanced now. Dancers are able to take better care of themselves physically. That's helped them to expand their careers too.
totally agree, hadn't thought of that. I guess it's probably a mixture of things and depends on the person. I mean look at Misty with her leg, I guess even just 10 or 15 years ago that would have been the end of her career, but nope stunning as ever :)
Technology is giving dancers longer careers. Between pointe technology and more and more companies having sports medicine teams? Their bodies aren't giving out as fast.
Marianela Nuñez i love you ❤❤
❤️💚
I didn’t know this was an actual ballet until I read a book called Bunheads
I wanna dance diamonds ❤
Romantuc
i have a dog named Jewels who died...yesterday😭
It's funny. England never really went for Balanchine from what I read. Maybe things have changed.
I love the song at 0:51 but can't figure out what song that is
The piece is Gabriel Faure -''Sicilienne'' :)
1:38 A little bit American. We are a type of music now!
America invented jazz, so it's only right to give credit! Lmao
*gasps* FUSIONS.
Mmina Maclang i see that steven universe reference ;)
Good thing none of them are off-colors
👍✳️👍✳️👍✳️
I just need to ask this. I'm not exactly a ballet dancer so I have no idea how to put this into words (let's just say I got really curious watching this vid) but is there a story to this ballet? I'm really curious 😅
There’s no story other than what you supply as you watch.
Hannah, there are about ten top "story ballets" but they are not the focus of New York City Ballet (nickname "City"). The American Ballet Theater, also in New York, concentrates on the story ballets. City presents the work of George Balanchine and other modern choreographers. I think it fair to say that City is a classical ballet company, even so, because of the high level of proficiency in the historical movements/steps, although interpreted in modern form. Some ballet fans only resonate with one or the other, but some appreciate both.
what is the piece at 0:54? jesus its on the tip of my tongue i cant remember it at all
Sicilienne, by Gabriel Faure
Bianca Mark thank u!
Because it's fucking good, brenda
When you realize you do floor exercises to Emerald's music :P
@KNJKSJMYGJHSPJMKTHJJK lol it’s a different spelling based on where you’re from.
00:49 I recognize the music, could anyone let me know what that is?
This is Fauré's Pavane op.50.
Thanks very much!
I wish I was a ballerina:(
The Hi
What's the name of the song that plays at 1:00?
Sicilienne by Faure (originally for cello and piano)
오후14교시요
Didn't the New York City Ballet do this
Sarah H of course. NYCB was Balanchine’s company. They were the first ( and I think the best) to do this piece,
I’ve preformed rubies!
The rehearsals where rough
who is that at 3:09?
Mica Bradbury
He was a gorgian and not russian! read his biography and learn the difference between the two!
It's not 'ar-PELS'. It's 'AR-pils'. Like 'apples' with an 'r'.
I am reluctant to post this, but I saw a performance over the weekend, and I was deeply disappointed. Mind you, I grew up in NY, seeing Jewels performed quite a few times by City Ballet. The lack of Balanchine Method ™ - training showed glaringly. Mind you, the "natives" were wildly enthusiastic. But to one brought up on a diet of Balanchine, it was an inaccurate copy of the "real thing."
James really?
Nobody can dance Balanchine pieces as perfect as NYCB just as no one can dance Ashton pieces the same as the RB.
James This dancers were coached by Balanchine's dancers. For me Ballet styles are like languages. they are speaking English and balanchine american it will be hard for them to perfect their accent but they will make an effort to make people understand it.
I agree and disagree with you. I did witness one live NYCB performance headed in Diamonds by no less than the redoubtable Wendy Whelan, and a rather pot-bellied and out-of-shape Nilas Martins. They might have nailed the Balanchine Method from start to finish but the entire ensemble, particularly in Diamonds looked in shambles. Under-rehearsed to the point of ineptness.
Several months earlier, I had watched the Maryinsky with an earlier generation of post-Soviet dancers. The entire company might have gotten the whole Balanchine aesthetic quite wrong, but unlike the completely lacklustre opening at NYCB, when the curtain rose on Emeralds, the image that the dancers held was so arresting that they held us in a thrall all evening, all the way to the grand finale of Diamonds.
The Maryinsky dancers danced like they actually cared, like they deeply relished the new choreographic challenges being thrown their way. The NYCB dancers, afflicted by Peter Martins’ indifferent hand, pretty much phoned the performance in, skating listlessly through the choreographic oeuvres with very little care or respect.
Steven Universe ballet
Where is Natalia Osipova
The Balanchine trust put so much effort into preserving the choreography and performance detail. It's a pity they can't exercise the same level of rigour when it comes to production. The new RB version has totally unnecessary scenery, particularly in the first 2 parts, and rigid costumes . The set design for Emeralds is amateurish and should be totally scrapped, Rubies has a lovely vertical red drape, ruined by what looks like sections of the Chrysler building, and all 3 sections have badly executed chandeliers. Balanchine's choreography speaks for itself and needs minimal design, like the work of Ruben Ter Arutunian. Or check the beautiful lightness of the Paris Opera production. It makes RB look like a poor relation.
pavlaki1 mind ya damn business
I really hate bangs on ballerinas.
well if they like it, it doesn’t matter what you think
and here i am, tottaly hating it
Just Amy why?
Добрый день. С интересом просмотрела это видео. Хочу сказать,что с уважением отношусь к артистам, к их труду, но ... Я не понимаю Баланчина, он учился в России, у него русская школа, как можно было делать такие ужасные вещи? Если бы у него была бы другая школа, тогда можно это понять, но у него же русская. О чём всё это, что он хотел сказать? Я не технический специалист, но со стороны это просто некрасиво, нет лёгкости исполнения, танцовщики тяжёлые, костюмы, музыка, скучновато. Вам стоит повышать свою квалификацию у русских или во Франции, но лучше в России. Ощущение, что танцовщики не имеют достаточной подготовки, чего то не хватает. Это балет, а не просто танцы. Ваши артисты заслуживают большего, не надо их обманывать, ведь они свою жизнь посвятили танцам. С большим уважением из России.