Pas de Deux from Cruel World

[leoniemikele6]

This is ravishing. The choices Kudelka makes at the musical "climax" are very interesting-- at first I didn't understand them.... She is thrown up, and brought down onto her points several times. Of course your feet are full of feeling (and often pain, unfortunately) when you're on point-- so the trust between the partners must be extraordinary. The ending is particularly beautiful, as several people have mentioned.

[LittleVada]

wow! Julie is just amazing!

[EVizCol]

Absolutly gorgeous! Julie's feet and movements are breathtaking! I could watch this video over and over!!

[fanniemaeflippers]

Oh. My. God.

That was the most brilliant dancing I think I have ever seen in my life.

James Kudelka is definitely a Michaelangelo of moving sculptures...

I feel like bursting, because I just cannot comprehend what I just witnessed.... Nothing short of miraculous!

[Carolzinhaamb]

Perfeito!!!

Mais que Perfeito!!

Lindo ,Lindo!!!

*

[EVizCol]

Lovely movements!

[megslade1]

Aaaaah, ballet for breakfast. Truly delectable. Love the turns at 3:30.

[thapivel]

so beautiful i cried

=´D

[DancinFeet1994]

Souvenir de Florence is the song

[3005Jenfer]

no words strong enough to describe this.

[littleberryme]

wow!

[herculove]

This pas de deux is one the most perfect I have seen in my life. This couple has a magic connection and the partnering and lifts together with her elastic but beautiful responses are just stunning.

[dancingqueen0542]

this made me cry. it may be a cruel world, but ballet makes it so much better. this kind of incredible art is the reason we dance =]

[domincandanca86]

This is ART...not just steps put together...that is what makes this piece so captivating..the dancers r just the best! love the music...thank u to the choregrapher : )

[Rodrigo1840]

Tchaikovsky é perfeito!!!! lindo ballet :)

[makeumadd]

I have had the honor of being in an original Kudelka ballet. He is a genius.  I have never worked with anyone who could translate from their mind to the floor like him. He is an artist. I watch all those "ballerina variations" and then I watch work from him, and it shows the difference between flash and trash and ART. Thank you Mr. Keldka.

[dancing4daLord]

omg i cried. i think that was the most beautiful pas de deux i havve EVER seen!absolutly breathtaking...

[dannnei]

This will forever be one of my favourite pas de deux-es. Gorgeous movement, breath-taking dance in general.

Still makes me shiver.

[allisonthecat]

Wow that was awsome!!!

[lemoulinrouge]

that...was...beautiful. just beautiful. they moved like one creature, a fantasy being...the dance was just...them.

[bryceryce]

this pas is TOTALLY breathtaking.

the title, the costumes, the music, the dancers, not to mention kudelka's genious make this not just a dance, but a story of two people trapped in a cruel world.

i especially love the last embrace where kent's arm falls helplessly to the last notes of the pleading strings.

gorgeous.

every dance on the ABT Now video is also beautiful, except the finale. now that's heinous.

[skeetarbeatar]

that was the most heinous choreography ive seen in a while.. shes beautiful as always though

[irenaponisova]

I love her1 shes is so sweet and so talented

[zwanilde]

The pas de th is beatiful, impossible to dance without a such a good partner.

Bravo Robert!!!!!!!!!

Tu eres fantastico.

[ecj177]

Julie Kent is such a beautiful dancer and a nice person. Thanks for posting!

[SezSays]

That was the first ballet thing Ive ever watched begining to end. Quite beautiful. But if I may critique, it didnt look practiced enough. Or the moves werent planned out enough. I had a few problems with the guy dancer trying to synchronise with the bird.

[lex1376]

Beautiful choreography and beautiful dancers. Julie Kent is amazing.

[Golddusttwin1]

Thank you for posting this it's beautiful. So what is/was their relationship for it to be choreographed for them? Sorry just curious.

[pcorys]

There was no relationship, he's just a marvelous partner... and of course julie gets to pick her partners.

[hgjon2]

she was dancing wih her husband

[pcorys]

haha... thats not her husband. Can you not tell that he prefers men? Her husband is Victor Barbee, current assistant director of ABT.

[LVdancerbabe]

There is another pas de deux that a real life couple do dance together on the dvd this came from. =) The leaves are fading I think it was called. Lighter color costumes...=)

[thesilvershining]

Julie Kent is so adorable. And so talented. I love this music by Tchaikovsky--it's so sad, and her and Robert capture that sadness sooooooooooooo well. I cry T___T

[sunnybabe713]

i LOVE the part with the arabesques and the splits!

[hagen1967]

it is very beautyfull.SUPER

[seyyada]

i really like the abstract choreography here, it works really well with the peice. i just dont like her quic arabesques, they look highly amateur and like a mistake

[kuhnsbrat]

When I was young I was able to go to the Joffery Ballet and there I found Patricia Miller. Years later I found this dancer named Julie Kent and there the grace and beauty all over again. Thank you Julie for making ballet so beautiful to watch.

[dannyjmz]

i've taken class with robert hill!!! i'm sooo excited to find this video!!!! i loveeeeee it and him!!!!

[doublechatnoir]

how generous of you to post this piece, a thousand thanks! it is for keeps

doublechatnoir

[oohlala112b]

Oh. My. it's so lovely!

[ejldancerop]

i luv this pas and the music.

[criminy]

One of my favorite pieces. Just breathtaking.

[RGhizzo]

World Premiere: Metropolitan Opera House, New York, 4/29/94

Original Cast: Gabrielle Brown, Sandra Brown, Christine Dunham, Paloma Herrera, Susan Jaffe, Julie Kent, Amanda McKerrow, Sara Mau, Marianna Tcherkassky, Charles Askegard, Gil Boggs, Ethan Brown, Guillaume Graffin, Robert Hill, Christopher Martin, Benjamin Pierce, Keith Roberts, John Selya

Copyright 2003 Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc.

All rights reserved.

[RGhizzo]

Music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (Souvenir de Florence for String Sextet (or String Orchestra), Op.70)

Choreography by James Kudelka

Costumes by Carmen Alie and Denis Lavoie

Lighting by Scott Zielinski

[RGhizzo]

Amazingly beautiful! So deep.. :Ç)

[bailey312]

what's the name of the song? I know it's Tchaikovsky...

[balletfreak430]

I'm sorry, I don't know actually. Sorry, I wouldn't know where to find out, either. :[

[jaguar715]

@balletfreak430 Sextet for Two Violins, Two Violas, Two Cellos, Op. 70 ""Souvenir de Florence:"" II. Adagio Cantabile e Con Moto 9:58 Ying Quartet Tchaikovsky: Three String Quartets and "Souvenir de Florence" Classical

[thesilvershining]

This song is the 2nd movement of Tchaikovsky's "Souvenir de Florence" which is one of my all-time favorites. All four movements are soooooooooo gorgeous :O

[pamriquel]

@bailey312 Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence in d, op 70 Pt 2

[lordvalke1]

@pamriquel Thanks so much!  Actually, in the four years since I've watched this video, I've actually played that piece!

[CallieRG]

@bailey312 I'm pretty sure that it is tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence in D minor. Its about 10 minutes in length.