Bissell was the Texas cowboy of ballet. Baryshnikov himself called him, "One of the brightest lights in the entire ballet world."
And this was coming from a man who's name was synonomous with the sport. The God and icon of all ballet.
Bissell looked like Peter Martins. One would expect him to move the same way. Though his native macho Texan moved like he was a ballerina himself. Look at him. So light and firey... Oh, Patrick... where are you now?
Bissell was the Texas cowboy of ballet. Baryshnikov himself called him, "One of the brightest lights in the entire ballet world."
And this was coming from a man who's name was synonomous with the sport. The God and icon of all ballet.
Bissell looked like Peter Martins. One would expect him to move the same way. Though his native macho Texan moved like he was a ballerina himself. Look at him. So light and firey... Oh, Patrick... where are you now?
Pat (or Wally, which was his real first name, if memory serves) was awesome. He had everything and would have been the best American dancer of his generation.
I try not to get nasty in these posts, but you are an idiot. I saw him dance, I took class with him, and he was fantastic. The first time the great Cynthia Gregory saw him, she insisted he become her partner, and I think she knew more about dance than you do.
He was good he was just not a Nureyev or Bujones you know? Dancing is moving a body and the shape of that body cannot be separated from the motion. Bad proportions just ruin the sight. And ballet has an ethereal quality (at least the male part I don't care for females) but if you are too tall you can't be ethereal it's just physically impossible. He was 6.3 and 190 pounds that's way too much to "fly". Unless you're an NBA player but they are notoriously bad dancers LOL.
Sorry I teed off on you. I understand your point. but you really had to see him dance to get an appreciation for him. He was huge, but he moved beautifully. Had he not f**ked himself up and died so young, he might have become the greatest American dancer of his generation. In his early twenties he had everything we all wanted and he threw it away. It was truly sad.
@jkokich oh and you don't have to go far to see my point: compare Bissell and Baryshnikov in this very show right after this comes variation with cups and Misha makes the audience gasp. And you know he is 5.7 at best. Coincidence?
Oh, don't get me wrong, Misha was astounding, and not the tallest guy on the planet (I used to stand next to him at barre and I could look over him), but his height wasn't an issue since you really couldn't tell how tall he was unless he was standing next to someone. Wally really was a great dancer.
The first ballet I ever attended was March 26th, 1986 and Patrick Bissell was dancing in Don Quiote with Cynthia Gregory, a very tall prima ballerina. I was so moved by their artistry. Patrick Bissell was the best male dancer I have ever seen to this day. What a shock it was that he died a short 1 1/2 years later! A huge loss to the arts!
Patrick always was a truly princely classical danseur noble. Like the great Peter Martins or the also late Alexander Godunov. He idealized Martins like many boys vying for a career in classical ballet before him. But his dancing was one of a kind. Well actually, isn't every dancer's? But he managed to find a signature style great enough to wow people.
Bissell had some of Martins' princely way, but he had the fire and grace of a salsa dancer.
I beg to differ. I was at SAB when he was a principal at City Ballet and he used to take Stanley Williams' class with us. He was a wonderfully elegant dancer, with an amazingly light landing for someone well over six feet tall, and he had a great sense of humor. We looked up to him and were lucky to have him in class, along with Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Valery Panov, and others.
Thank you for searching the web about me. I think the highpoints included dancing for Mr. Joffrey and Mr. Arpino who know far more about dancing than you do. I ask again; who did you dance for? I have done many things in my life as a performer. Have you done anything as a performer that gives you any credence as a critic?
The simple fact that you know those words proves their importance. I'm very happy that I'm associated with the Chipmunks, a world famous and much-loved cartoon institution that has lasted over 40 years and has a place in the hearts of children of all ages. I can only take your refusal to tell me if you have ever done anything with your life as a performer as proof that you haven't.. I have performed in front of thousands of people, in the US and internationally. You are a worthless asshole.
Isn't it fascinating how people with no credentials quit and run away when confronted by people with credentials? If you actually have done something with your life, why not say so? Why not defend your position? Why not back up your argument? I have. All you did was become a catty little bitch, so if that's the only language you understand, I can speak it, too. And I still have credentials, which you will never have.
I like the fact that you're trying to do your homework on the man. For Patrick, it's not easy.
He's pretty osbcure. I mean, he gave some very well-recieved performances at one of the greatest comapnies on Earth and he got much more recognition for his off-stage antics.
Well, you're close. He was a volatile coke addict. He SNORTED, he didn't SMOKE.
He died of the inevidable overdose, but it never was dedcided whether it was suicide or not.
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Did you guys know that Patrick was abused by his mother since young? ): it was because of his elder sister that he joined ballet.
youaremyteenagedream 2 months ago
Did you guys know that Patrick was abused by his mother since young? ): it was because of his elder sister that he joined ballet.
youaremyteenagedream 2 months ago
Patrick Bissell is simply great. I love watching his turns and spins.....young Danil Simpkin is very much in the same category.
parzifal40 8 months ago
Beautifully-musical and charismatic. Great solo, great dancing.
jaguar715 10 months ago
This really has to be viewed with Misha's variation that follows. Both are brilliant, and both dance in such a masculine and athletic way.
ericbwinter 1 year ago
i loved patrick! wish he could have stayed with us! thanx for posting.
dogcat126 1 year ago
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Bissell was the Texas cowboy of ballet. Baryshnikov himself called him, "One of the brightest lights in the entire ballet world."
And this was coming from a man who's name was synonomous with the sport. The God and icon of all ballet.
Bissell looked like Peter Martins. One would expect him to move the same way. Though his native macho Texan moved like he was a ballerina himself. Look at him. So light and firey... Oh, Patrick... where are you now?
--Sincere Love, Dane Youssef
SURFUR 1 year ago
Bissell was the Texas cowboy of ballet. Baryshnikov himself called him, "One of the brightest lights in the entire ballet world."
And this was coming from a man who's name was synonomous with the sport. The God and icon of all ballet.
Bissell looked like Peter Martins. One would expect him to move the same way. Though his native macho Texan moved like he was a ballerina himself. Look at him. So light and firey... Oh, Patrick... where are you now?
--Sincere Lve, Dane Youssef
SURFUR 1 year ago
Pat (or Wally, which was his real first name, if memory serves) was awesome. He had everything and would have been the best American dancer of his generation.
jkokich 2 years ago
he is good but too tall to be an exceptional dancer
sondano 2 years ago
I try not to get nasty in these posts, but you are an idiot. I saw him dance, I took class with him, and he was fantastic. The first time the great Cynthia Gregory saw him, she insisted he become her partner, and I think she knew more about dance than you do.
jkokich 2 years ago 2
He was good he was just not a Nureyev or Bujones you know? Dancing is moving a body and the shape of that body cannot be separated from the motion. Bad proportions just ruin the sight. And ballet has an ethereal quality (at least the male part I don't care for females) but if you are too tall you can't be ethereal it's just physically impossible. He was 6.3 and 190 pounds that's way too much to "fly". Unless you're an NBA player but they are notoriously bad dancers LOL.
sondano 2 years ago
Sorry I teed off on you. I understand your point. but you really had to see him dance to get an appreciation for him. He was huge, but he moved beautifully. Had he not f**ked himself up and died so young, he might have become the greatest American dancer of his generation. In his early twenties he had everything we all wanted and he threw it away. It was truly sad.
jkokich 2 years ago
@jkokich oh and you don't have to go far to see my point: compare Bissell and Baryshnikov in this very show right after this comes variation with cups and Misha makes the audience gasp. And you know he is 5.7 at best. Coincidence?
sondano 2 years ago
Oh, don't get me wrong, Misha was astounding, and not the tallest guy on the planet (I used to stand next to him at barre and I could look over him), but his height wasn't an issue since you really couldn't tell how tall he was unless he was standing next to someone. Wally really was a great dancer.
jkokich 2 years ago
The first ballet I ever attended was March 26th, 1986 and Patrick Bissell was dancing in Don Quiote with Cynthia Gregory, a very tall prima ballerina. I was so moved by their artistry. Patrick Bissell was the best male dancer I have ever seen to this day. What a shock it was that he died a short 1 1/2 years later! A huge loss to the arts!
codykiller101 2 years ago 5
Comment removed
SURFUR 2 years ago
by Dane Youssef
Patrick always was a truly princely classical danseur noble. Like the great Peter Martins or the also late Alexander Godunov. He idealized Martins like many boys vying for a career in classical ballet before him. But his dancing was one of a kind. Well actually, isn't every dancer's? But he managed to find a signature style great enough to wow people.
Bissell had some of Martins' princely way, but he had the fire and grace of a salsa dancer.
by Dane Youssef
SURFUR 2 years ago
You can call Peter Martins a lot of things, but great was never one of them.
How 'bout egomaniacal? yeah, that's a better fit.
can't wait 'til he's ousted from NYCB and they can move ahead again after their long parched season with him at their helm
BernardProfitendieu 2 years ago
I beg to differ. I was at SAB when he was a principal at City Ballet and he used to take Stanley Williams' class with us. He was a wonderfully elegant dancer, with an amazingly light landing for someone well over six feet tall, and he had a great sense of humor. We looked up to him and were lucky to have him in class, along with Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Valery Panov, and others.
jkokich 2 years ago
name dropping about who was in your class doesn't make Martins a great dancer, nor does it make his time leading NYCB anything but a disaster
BernardProfitendieu 2 years ago
At least I have names to drop.
jkokich 2 years ago
since no one's likely to be dropping yours in return it comes off as sorta one-sided and, well, pathetic
BernardProfitendieu 2 years ago
I danced for The Joffrey for 8 years. Who did you dance for?
jkokich 2 years ago
and yet "Alvin and The Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein" is the highpoint of your artistic career.
doesn't say much for your dancing.
BernardProfitendieu 2 years ago
Thank you for searching the web about me. I think the highpoints included dancing for Mr. Joffrey and Mr. Arpino who know far more about dancing than you do. I ask again; who did you dance for? I have done many things in my life as a performer. Have you done anything as a performer that gives you any credence as a critic?
jkokich 2 years ago
"Christmas, Christmas don't be late ... me I want a hula hoop" ...
that association alone disqualifies you from having any credible opinions about any of the arts
end of conversation.
BernardProfitendieu 2 years ago
The simple fact that you know those words proves their importance. I'm very happy that I'm associated with the Chipmunks, a world famous and much-loved cartoon institution that has lasted over 40 years and has a place in the hearts of children of all ages. I can only take your refusal to tell me if you have ever done anything with your life as a performer as proof that you haven't.. I have performed in front of thousands of people, in the US and internationally. You are a worthless asshole.
jkokich 2 years ago
Isn't it fascinating how people with no credentials quit and run away when confronted by people with credentials? If you actually have done something with your life, why not say so? Why not defend your position? Why not back up your argument? I have. All you did was become a catty little bitch, so if that's the only language you understand, I can speak it, too. And I still have credentials, which you will never have.
jkokich 2 years ago
wasnt he hopped up on crack or something?
JulianBotnarenko 3 years ago
Comment removed
SURFUR 2 years ago
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by Dane Youssef
I like the fact that you're trying to do your homework on the man. For Patrick, it's not easy.
He's pretty osbcure. I mean, he gave some very well-recieved performances at one of the greatest comapnies on Earth and he got much more recognition for his off-stage antics.
Well, you're close. He was a volatile coke addict. He SNORTED, he didn't SMOKE.
He died of the inevidable overdose, but it never was dedcided whether it was suicide or not.
by Dane Youssef
SURFUR 2 years ago
He is very very elegant¡¡¡¡ he is great¡¡¡¡¡¡
I adore this ballet, but now , even more¡¡
What a fantastic dancer, so tall, so handsome, and so elegant.
Fantastic¡¡¡¡
What a great pleasure to see him dancing¡¡¡
A good example for future dancers¡¡
this video should be played in all classical ballet schools.
Best regards.
vandenwer 3 years ago 4
you gotta love patrick bissel, he is so good in this!
philking58 3 years ago 3
You're right! I clicked on poor comment, completely by accident! Your comment is right on!
jkokich 2 years ago