Mikhail Baryshnikov Talks with Charlie Rose

[jjohannesen73]

@phellinisinistra what did you expect, that he will say you hello and kiss you???

[MaeradOfPellinor]

yesss viggo looks a lot like him!!! both amazing people ;)

[shalishaify]

viggo mortenson looks like him they could almost be brothers.

[mayaboldyrlol]

@phellinisinistra Talented people are often like that... I still love him though, regardless of any possible "downsides"!

[DeAnn909]

He an Anthony Hopkins could be brother's, they look so much alike.. lol

[ralucagymnast]

@DeAnn909 Or he looks like an older Michael Douglas also. Amazing, extraordinary, best dancer ever? I think so.

[ladyartemas912]

Admire Mr.Baryshnikov very much. What a talented man :-)

[mayaboldyrlol]

@ladyartemas912 I also, 1000000000000%

[CedricsMom]

Interesting how he says what his goals were and how he felt that he failed. He had just a phenomonal technique. I wonder if he was in any way bored with classical ballet and so he felt more challenged by contemporary and modern dance? I saw him in Push Comes to Shove; he was great of course. But there was nothing (that I recall anyway) nearly as explosive as the jumps he was so capable of. But maybe he was bored with that kind of dance. Who knows.

[CedricsMom]

Interesting how he says what his goals were and how he felt that he failed. He had just a phenomonal technique. I wonder if he was in any way bored with classical ballet and so he felt more challenged by contemporary and modern dance? I saw him in Push Comes to Shove; he was great of course. But there was nothing (that I recall anyway) nearly as explosive as the jumps he was so capable of. But maybe he was gored with that kind of dance. Who knows.

[Consofdance]

It was a golden ERA when Mr. Baryshnikov was a director of ABT!!! He is a Star, he ia always will be in our hearts!!

[MissMillyDee]

I can't see that there is a faster way to train a dancer. It is a highly refined, physically demanding art form, and it takes years and years to mold the body and the mind to the highest pinnacles of perfection. I think it is the same with all highly-skilled endeavors. How long does it take to become a professional pianist? To sing opera? To paint portraits? To pitch in the major leagues? To design a satellite? To be a skilled surgeon? Unfortunately, in life there are no shortcuts.

[USABEAT]

About his time at ABT, I think he succeeded with his Nutcracker, and Don Q. Not having a school of ballet is a huge disadvantage for us in America, many have tried to establish that here, City Ballet, SFO, maybe Houston... but why do ballet schools not really function well in America? I suspect that it is because ballet 'training' takes too long? We are the most impatient people on Earth. Someone needs to figure out better/faster way to train dancers. There MUST be a way to do it.

[hernandovalerio]

@USABEAT Better and faster way to train dancers? I am living in Voronezh,Russia for the last 24 years and I had the oportunity to contact with the local school of ballet.

Personally I am not a dancer but a painter who fell in love with ballet .

The Russian find their "way" to "train" dancers, but it is not "faster" as you said. There is to much traditions of centuries involve.

[USABEAT]

@hernandovalerio I think the problem with length of time for training could be due to emphasis on the wrong aspects, clearly the Russians are doing it right, but I contend that it takes too long and believe that 2-3 years should be enough time to train [italics] with proper understanding of physiology of human being and body [end italics] my theory: full turn-out is essential/ sequence of best gradient of skill/ finally, end direct training of muscles and instead directly train the nerves!

[hernandovalerio]

@USABEAT I desagree with you. Maybe you can win the 100 m in the Olimpic Games as Bob Hayes did, based only in his natural speed and nothing more, but Ballet is not sport but an artistic expresion. Ballet use body skills as painter use color or sculphtor use clay.

[USABEAT]

@hernandovalerio You are right! Ballet is ART, using form that already exists, that is half the battle won, and is why I theorize can be learned faster. Not enough characters available to go into detail so go to lulu dot com look for book "Terpsichore Tips" or "Axioms of Classical Ballet" - In short, consider this, all the poses in ballet are designed as they are NOT because they are "pretty" they are pretty BECAUSE they have utility! (arabesque shows largest step a human being can take!) ;-D

[bEsTfRieNdzZ94]

Mikhail Baryshnikov is my idol :D

[USABEAT]

@bEsTfRieNdzZ94 He good, I think his Nutcracker film shows the power of dance in the media of film, that 'battlescene' is the best I have seen. I wish other company's would make films of all their ballets.

[preciousbash]

I love Misha. I saw him for the first time when I was 4 or 5 and had been dancing since I was 3 ..3 or 4 times per week. @-3 hours per class. He created a vison for me of movement and joy! I had something very heavy fall on my large toe on my

right foot when I was 12 . One year after I went on point and I could not dance on point anymore...but I can still dance like the wind til this day Modern,jazz,even tap). MISHA is truly an inspiration. He is so wonderful to watch. I think he is the best!

[Leonnidik]

You surrounded yourself with sycophants and changed the history of ABT which was the classics. Your prod. of Swan Lake is the worst in history. I'm sure Lucia Chase haunted you.

[preciousbash]

@Leonnidik Spare us! He is the greatest classical male dancer of all time!! Be gone!!!

[Leonnidik]

@preciousbash- I agree with you. The subject is his directorship.

[preciousbash]

@Leonnidik ..new ideas and true leadership are sometimes disruptive at first. I understand what you are saying but I understand what he was trying to achieve!!

[pediatrapaola]

@preciousbash imo greatest is vladimir vasiliev,l saw many times them live at their best time,volodia was superior

[preciousbash]

@pediatrapaola ...He was a master like no other too. Love to watch him fly through

the air . A real touchstone of masculine leadership as far as fronting a company goes and a revolutionary dancer as well. I can't really argue accept to say that I love Misha just a itsy bitsy bit more. I love Fukagowa a lot too!!! ...Vasiliev ..what can I say....BRAVISIMO!!!

[pediatrapaola]

@pediatrapaola OFF COURSE IS ALSO PERSONAL TASTE BECAUSE WE ARE SPEACKING ABOUT THE TOP ALL TIMES GREATEST STAR.SAW HIDEO FUKAGAWA IN EUROPE IN 70'S WOOW.

[preciousbash]

@pediatrapaola I HONESTLY ENVY YOU THAT. I WOULD HAVE CLAPPED MY HANDS RAW AND SHREAKED BRAVO UNTIL I LOST MY VOICE AND SECURITY HAD TO DRAG ME AWAY ...LOL !! BRILLIANT!! I AM JEALOUS!!!! LUCKY DOG!!

[preciousbash]

@Leonnidik His Giselle was brilliant though!!!

[Leonnidik]

@preciousbash -I saw all his performances at ABT, and I mean all. He exelled in modern ballet as well. Glen Tetly's "Rite of spring" was a highlight, and of course "PUSH" the only decent thing that overated Twyla ever did.

[preciousbash]

@Leonnidik Live? I have seen most but secondarily although I have seen him dance on several occassions..WHATA TREAT! I am with you . I have seen PUSH..I thought it was ok..Billy the Kid was enjoyable too( was that her..BTK seems to good to have been her. I am not a twila fan either. I think her talent was very limited. I wanted to enjoy her she has access to some fantastic dancers but

she could never rise to the occassion...GRRRR and SIGH!!!!!!

[preciousbash]

@preciousbash had access not has :0)

[Leonnidik]

@preciousbash -Of course live! I was there at his debut in N.Y. in Giselle(1974) way before you were born, with Natalia Makarova and as Myrtha, the great Cynthia Gregory in the only performance of the role she ever did, she almost stole the show. Misha was something no one had seen before, he was from another dimension like the Gods. When I saw the coda of the traveling brises I cried.

[pediatrapaola]

@Leonnidik the same in florence with fracci in 75 people could not belive at their eyes when he did his variation in giselle,was great night.

[Leonnidik]

@preciousbash - Billy the kid was choreographed by Eugene Loring to an original score by Aaron Copeland. It premiered at the civic Opera House in Chicago in 1940. I was not there.The principals were Mr. Loring as Billy and the great cuban assoluta Alicia Alonso as the mexican sweetheart. The role of Billy was assumed by John Kriza in 1947 and I saw him in 1963. He was a brilliant Billy the Kid.

[preciousbash]

@Leonnidik Now that I think about it I knew the music was by Copeland..that would have told me right there that it could not have been twila...Thanks again :0)!!!!

[pediatrapaola]

@preciousbash me too saw push in 77 at nerviballetsummerfest,and the night after micha did bayadere,and the night after again bayadere but with ivan nagy.

[preciousbash]

@Leonnidik I wish I could have seen it too. I have seen him do it though in person :0). I saw him dance a special performance of Don Q and I fell forever in love

with him and classical dance. THANK YOU!!! I KNEW that was too good to be Twila. That is one of his best non classical performances.

[pediatrapaola]

@Leonnidik LEO PLEASE MAY YOU ASK IF YOU WAS SO LUCKY TO SEE YURI SOLOVIEV LIVE DURING HIS EARLY 60'S TURNEES IN NY?SURELY YOU SAW,WHAT ABOUT HIS DANCING?

[Leonnidik]

@pediatrapaola - I did not see Soloviev dance onstage.

[pediatrapaola]

@Leonnidik what's a pity all persons that saw him live told me that was one umbelivle experience,one was that mr rivas the argentinian teacher that saw also eglevsky,and also one other italian teacher former dancer that saw him in NY in 64 told me that in his opinion was the greatest kirov dancer ever.

[contardi]

he is so frank and honest - amazing ...

[princesso8788]

When you are that good you can afford to be that arrogant.

[preciousbash]

@princesso8788 DAMN RIGHT!!!

[ScarletMinx]

My mother went to school with him in Riga and said that he was a painfully shy moody little heartthrob. :)

[jeanneadele]

@abigailslim I believe it. My cousin danced with him and told similar stories. Hopefully he's grown up some.

[kern4]

Baryshnikov brought cool and sexy to Ballet!

[MsNina1974]

Misha is a DIVA. Also let's put it this way, does most classical ballets in his sleep right left doesn't matter. Being partens with a diva is so much fun. Just ask Gelsey.Misha forever.

[yorouichi17]

@MsNina1974 Diva????

[ccbanks7004]

is there anyone out there that is pushing the envelope in dance, because i feel that today's dance is stilted and stuck,

[BOWIEGIRL30]

I think Mikhail was just saying how it was back then. He did open the door for classical ballet and modern dance. No one had done it before him. He just pushed the envelope so to speak and it turned out very well for him. I think he is awesome.

[mononoke1972]

I went to the language school to learn russian after seeing him in the film "White Nights". I love him.

[hisofia]

he kind of looks like anthony hopkins

[kraaipoes]

how amazing cause that,s what i thought when i saw him dancing last friday in amsterdam---he was en is so very special in everything he did our does,I felt so lucky to see him dancing sitting in the first row of the theatre....wow!!!!

[BrB619]

Wow he is still performing? I absolutely Envy you I would love to see him perform at least once.

[munkibiznis]

@hisofia and Michael Douglas

[mhks68]

@hisofia in the eyes!!

[thecoolestjewuknow]

He is just telling it like it is. And he has a right to be arrogant. He is one of the best all time!!

[catincavo]

He is amazing ! I love him so much !

[janelane64]

He doesn't say "the" much when he speaks english. :p nothing wrong with that, it's just something unique I noticed

[evchen3]

actually, it seems to be something 'unique' to pretty much all Russians =)

[AijaP]

The most interesting thing is that he didn't loose his accent evin after more than forty years in USA. That's wierd...yet cool! lol XD

[kerstinwernermironow]

Yes you maybe rigth, but the truth is Russsians are the Best: I know my husband is one!

[TikvahS87]

Russian doesn't have the word "the." So when Russians speak English, they either leave it out completely, or they use it in the wrong way:)

[shiftyLN]

thats so interesting, thanks! : )

[brolmec]

You should have been born Russian...

[gmlch]

interesting how none of he comments are about what is actually in this specific video....

[Ilovethoseshoes]

Damn, his russian accent is sexy!

[brolmec]

Try and taste his Russian toe... (his a dancer after all...)

[jenknermario]

The Geatest Dancer in the World. I saw so many Dancers...he is simply the Greatest of all.

[vigilance77]

jenknermario, I agree Misha was great..I saw him in the seventies. But I also saw Nureyev, and so I think Nureyev was..I don't know..had an elegance about him that was unsurpassed. I think Nureyev was the greatest of his time, but Misha was also a wonderful dancer!!

[merluzasfritas]

They are really very different, both very good, it really depends, I like Nureyev, but Misha really... I can't tell what it is about his dancing, is so powerful, really sensual, quite dominant.. I love him.

[vigilance77]

He is a wonderful dancer...didn't mean any disrespect to him at all. I just prefer Nureyev, I guess for his elegance and beauty of the face! : D But Misha is very talented.

[brolmec]

100% true. You get it quite right. Which is rare.

[vigilance77]

Thanks!  Just my opinion of course. But for me Nureyev was the most elegant dancer..and a prince.

[gmlch]

without a doubt

[brolmec]

Wrong. Nureyev was the greatest. But his was also Russain, after all...

[eddiehuang6545]

he's right~ absorluly right~ he wish he could bulid a new ballet gerneation

[anniemihn]

Misha is a risk taker. I love him because of that. He is moving fast and forward, as always, until this very day. God bless the great artist he is!

[zemaneh10]

He is the most most most everything in the world. Awsom!!!

[bellexreve]

..not boring for Misha fans =) He is so talented and such an inspiration, thank you for this great video!

[finlandia9]

very boring such a complex

[bartolemeo]

Thank you for posting this, I have so much respect for this great artist.

[AngelaAlkire]

Such a brilliant, tremendous dancer, and even after all these years still one sexy man.

[monkey1987654321]

Very-very-very talented man! Bravo!!!!!!!!!! P.S. For people who do not like him: watch couple of videos on youtube and see HOW he dances. It is a miracle. He does not dance, he FLIES!!! Bravo, Misha!

[eddiehuang6545]

he is the God of Ballet in nowadays..

[funkyspacemonkey]

yes i agree he does fly! i bet he inhales helium backstage hehe.you'd never know it because he never has to speak hehe.there will never be another like him *sigh*.

[JohnCasey]

If you only know this man from S and the C then lol at you.

[steveconn]

Yeah, the greatest dancer of the 20th cebtury, the "sex and city dude." Truly, lol.

[luciabrawley]

oh, now i see what you mean. that is a really weird post.

[veggielomein]

omg! it's the sex and the city dude! ..loll

[Fedesha]

What is it about Charlie Rose or Baryshnikov that attracts these morons (HarryCollinsKing & Bonde00)???

[voiddevoid]

Baryshnikov is a brilliant dancer!

[luciabrawley]

You cannot be serious when you say "moron". Baryshnikov's one of the most brilliant artists ever to perform, an innovator of dance and of the way people think about it. Plus, he risked everything to defect from Communist Russia, in order to express himself freely in the States.

[Fedesha]

With moron I referred to the hideous people who commented earlier. I agree that Baryshnikov is a great artist. Secondly I really don't think he "risked everything" when he decided to walk out of his Canadian hotelroom to claim asylum during a tour of his Russian ballet company. But that is just a personal thing.

[ilariya]

Good for you, Misha is by far one of the most outstanding dancers the world has ever seen. Not did he only risk everything to defect from Communist Russia due wanting expand his dancing he has forever changed the world of ballet/dance as we know it. There will ever be another Misha. "From a ballernia"