"Giselle" ABT 1977 Part 7 (Myrtha and the Wilis)

[Elfasbook]

I can hear my ballet teacher saying ''bourré bourré bourré bourré bourré...''

[Elfasbook]

They just loooove piqués xD

[mariinskylover9]

i love the way she transforms its so beautiful! <3

[LadyFan05]

I'm scared of Myrtha! At the end there, did she put some sort of freak spell on Giselle's ghost to make her do that little dance?  The way she danced looked like someone was controlling her, that being Myrtha (well, duh). I feel uncultured for not knowing all these famous ballet names -_-'

[theamazingsoter]

@LadyFan05 I don't think Myrtha is controlling Giselle, at least not in this version. This is the scene where Giselle becomes a Wili and starts to dance like them, flying across the stage (now that she's free from her weak heart and body she can dance as much as she wants). In other productions, however, it does look like Myrtha is forcing her to dance because before Giselle starts her grand pirouette en arabesque (10:03) Myrtha uses a wand and circles her hands over her head miming "dance!"

[jinpitakki33]

2: 14 GORGEOUS. The first soloist had really beautiful arabesque line but i really didn't like that 2nd soloist. she looks anorexic and her dancing just looked... weird, and she was late half the time. I just couldn't watch her, she really bugged me. Martine van Hamel was amazing though.

[echorrr]

lol at 10:11. she seems like out of control. she supposed to hold herself after those crazy attitude hops on flat but i guess she made it the way too fast she couldn't get on pointe..

[oneday314]

Ahh! Those penches! I want them!

[abilinaballerina]

We danced this for my summer intensive show case, it's a killer even just being in the corps.

[SpudxMuffinz]

Myrtha, one of my favourite roles!

[QuadrupleThreat6]

gorgeous.

[TheTriglicerido]

A las rusas estas el estilo como que les da igual. Bailan un ballet romantico como si fuera clasico.

[pepercat17]

ok in this scene we see the queen of the willis, she dances, then she awakens the other wilises and her two ladies in waiting (as it were lol) then the wilises since a new willis (gislle?) and y does she dance so violently? doe the queen say "lets see what you've got?"

[Purdys]

Right up there w/ Swan Lake, Giselle is the pinacle of ballet stories for me, and holds a special place in my heart. I've been dying to watch this version w/ makarova and baryshnikov for so long and I coudln't believe when I found this. Thank you so much for posting this.

[claudiamiami100]

martin van hamel was a superb dancer and presence, very graceful.. Technically, everything was there -- phrasing, musicality, power...

[goldielibertines]

We're doing this at our ballet school :) it's hard! On here they dance so beautifully, it's a great version.

[franz0woyzeck]

hope it went well, this is my favourite ballet but I could never imagine moving like that.

[goldielibertines]

We haven't done it yet, it's coming up though. I don't think I can move like that either, but it's fun either way

[graywolf7]

Now I understand that if they come across a man, they will dance him to death. What if a woman crosses their path? Would they dance her to death too, or would they spare her?

[hmgh05]

i think they would spare her because the wilis are all women who have been betrayed by their man. So basically they don't like men

[Andante735]

Yes it is amazing. Martine was a great artist - strong and uneffected. I believe she runs a company in Belgium - she's Belgian so..

[winterbum77]

Van Hamel's simplicity and economy of movement makes her Myrtha so beautiful

[yes4albert]

What a great role and perfect for Van Hammel. I love her physicality and temperament.

[SaxonBiggy]

who is this revision by???? it is absolutely atrocious.

[mrlopez2681]

this is the 'Grand pas des Wilis'. The choreography, though revised here and there, is actually by Petipa, likely dating from circa 1899 when he revived the ballet for Anna Pavlova.

The music here is presented in an orchestration by John Lanchbery.

[geckoarmy8]

Giselle is my all-time favorite ballet, because of this scene! Love it, so beautiful!

[pinklady80lately]

i luv how u can hear there feet squeeking!

[mrlopez2681]

that squeaking is the rosin that dancers use alot in the west ontop of a marley floor.

[pinklady80lately]

ya, i know that it's from the rosin but i doubt they're on marley if they're using rosin cuz on marley u dont need rosin, and if u use rosin on a marley floor it messes up the friction and makes the marley really slick

[Andante735]

My first teacher used Tide Powder - worked like a charm.

[Andante735]

That's probably the greatest entrance ever. She flies through the arabesque turns- she looks completely weightless. I hope everyone who loves dance here sees this - it's unlike anything else.

[geckoarmy8]

I know, it's amazing, isn't it? She's no longer a dancer anymore, she's one of these beautiful ethereal beings...