In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated

[danceblogger17]

*goes and sits in spits*

[balletlol]

This is amazing!!! I really don't understand how Sylvie Guillem is the master of this piece.. Zakharova dances this much better, in my opinion!

[asia17111]

Это не может не нравиться...

[mikephelancomposer]

@TeleRevoTwo Did you know that this is not a narrative ballet?

[Fatkidsaliva]

I love how she freezes in her dancing as if she's posing this is a still photographer's dream

[sylvieguillemfanx10]

@aprilthrusday i am biased just not towards her. i like certain roles on her but this one no one can do it better than sylvie im sorry but im sticking to my opinion

[ASymone13]

Awesome

[DrewKennedy1]

Wow after all these years she is surely giving Sylvie a run for her money :-)))

[sylvieguillemfanx10]

nononononononooooonononononono­nonononononononono.

im sorry svetlana but the original ms. guillem will always be your superior until the end of time. no one does this duet better than sylvie nobody

[aprilthrusday]

@sylvieguillemfanx10 Judging by your username, you're probably not biased at all

[SuperKitkat1981]

The music is by Thom Willems!

[lucachia]

who wrote the music?????

fantastic like the dancers!!

[SuperKitkat1981]

@lucachia its by Thom Willems, you can buy it if you want to get hold of the full length track!

[bambam25ize]

omqqqq does anybody know the name to the sonq she dances off of??

[blah6755]

how many of you watched this like, a billion times in a row and could not get over how amazing she is

[RONIDC1979]

A M A Z I N G ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[SurLaCouDePied]

she has so much body control and balance! wow, just beautiful.

[SerensSsSss]

@SurLaCouDePied sorry i pushed the wrong button XD I like your comment !

[Yolis105]

I love this video..thanks

[XKatiemiller]

she's well good and aw that, but like zero musicality.

[roteba1]

She arches her legs like a Scorpion's tail.....

[nicanor79]

Awesome!

I think she's the best performer of In the middle somewhat elevated, after Sylvie Guillem

[cocoppellia]

j'adore cette musique moi aussi !! et la chorégraphie est trop class!!

donc pour votre plaisir voici le titre de cette musique, c' est: In the middle somewhat elevated , tiré du CD: The loss of small detail de Thom Willems . j'ai mis des années à trouver ce CD.....et j'ai réussit, je l'ai vite acheté....très cher , mais bon, c'est un double et quand on aime, on ne compte pas !!!!!!

[bellachick1]

does any1 know where to download this music?? :D

[balletnut]

She's utterly, utterly, utterly fantastic - words fail me!

[rich19530]

Wonderful performance but I expect nothing less from Svetlana.

[myszka198]

she`s the best ballerina on the world.. I think

[jnvos]

I LOVE this and I love what she does with classical rep as well!! It's where ballet technique SHOULD be for both male and female in the 21st century approach.... if Balanchine was still with us he would probably agree!!??

[todanceXtolive]

as much as i don't like her in classical stuff, i have to admit she's the closest i've seen to sylvie guillem when it comes to performing this piece of perfection.

[AimeeFelix]

gorgeous use of shapes and symmetry etc. there is some really great stuff in this! loved it. AMAZING!!!!!!!

[190cog]

They are really flexible!

[ObsessedWithJonasB16]

at 2:25  :O

[saneedblozio]

Extraordinary---!

[pizzalover6969]

sorry if this sounds stupid, this was the first ballet i ever saw, and i think the movie the matrix used some of these moves.

[issyballet95]

@pizzalover6969 OMG that sounds awesome! I should go watch The Matrix now xD

[Bjork1988]

love the dance and music

[zjedzkapuste]

02:22 - 02:23 Great!

[lolita7426]

Great, great, great, everything, even the fact they can now dance our ballets, communication is the best thing of all. I grew up during the cold war, it was TOO TERRIBLE !

[Ninjerina]

This was awesome. I think Zakharova's style works better in contemporary stuff like this than the classical repertoire, given her exagerrated extensions and other positions.

[saraaahkenyaaa]

surtout cela n'a rien a voir avec sylvie guillem!

[batoud]

si je puis me permettre , c est certain que la version avec guillem est la meilleure . C'était écrit pour elle ! mais cette version est bien aussi, car de nombreuses versions de ce pas de deux , qui sont proposées sur youtube , sont mauvaises .

[jessecb]

2:11 powerful!

[ANBeaumont]

I love how sexy she is in this role.....she moves in this very slinky, slithery way. She's like a preying mantis or something - agressive female, but still coy. I believe that Sylvie Guillem's version will always be the standard of measure for this entire piece, but Zakharova gives it a sensual modernity.

[batoud]

agree !!!!

[Jessikinha603]

nossa encriveu um dia eu fasso dese jeito se Deus quezer e espero que ele queira..........

[batoud]

Sylvie guillem's version is the best for sure ! But this version is very good also. On Youtube , a lot of version of this pas de deux are SO BAD !!!!!!!

[ragenkajen]

Those flowers are huge!

[noncrashodie09]

Haha! They're bigger than her!

[StaceysMomisBomb]

What is this song?!

[ObsessedWithJonasB16]

at 0:39

[cotsboi]

Darcey Bussell has also danced both the lead girls in this piece & she was extremely in command the whole time she danced the two.

[0320m]

she's so flexible!!

[shimmyboss83]

LOL She is crazy!!

[olgakoutsika]

does anyone know what kind of pointe shoes she uses??

[EvChBe]

amazing .. she's like elastic!

[Illo82]

WoW! :)

[09Danseuse]

Bellissimo:LA PERFEZIONE

[Rouskaya]

jai vu bcp de version de se duo et svetlana excelle c meme peut-etre la meilleure pour ce duo. décalé déhanché souplesse rapidité tout y est. je la préfére mm a la version de sylivie guillem !

[busybabs]

svetlana is my idol.

[entournant]

Love the choreography, love the music, love Svetlana!!!

[ballerino93]

DIVINI

[BALL3TALLTH3WAY]

this video is fantastic (beautiful extensions and all)!! but it looked like she kinda fell out of the attitude turn at 1:23...other than that, it's soooo amazing!!!!!!!

[2010dancestar]

i had the opportunity to see this live and i was the best contemporary ballet piece i have ever seen. All the dancers are so strong and they all had great intensity thought the whole piece.

[bobsopera]

STUNNING !!, gooseskin, tears and all.

And stop these silly "contests" Sylvie v. Guillem v. XY.

This is ART, for God's sake. I think Svetlana is more fluid, more sexy here, but Guillem is tops in other pieces. Take your best and leave the rest.

[bellabellissimo]

Wow i love to see zakharova dancing this as opposed to the classical roles i have seen her in before- incredible! does anyone know if there are any videos of guillem dancing this pas de deux?

[balleriniavita]

..Secondo me invece è "Too bad for Sylvie Guillem".. poi..x carità ognuno ha le sue idee.. ma SVETLANA E' LA MIGLIORE!!.. caro gillesdanse13.. ma va va.......

[elisitah00]

sai com' é difficile ballare questo?

Io ho ballato questo,ti posso dire que questo video e incredibile!

tu balli?

[anjoleeezy]

my favorite ballerina of all time!

[sixhandreel]

she's not human

she's a goddes

love her !

[indooojulia]

höha, schnella, weita...ich hasse es

[rachelemily2008]

This is my favorite dance video of alllllllllllllll timeeeeeeeeeeeee

[cowin14]

2:39 is amazing! she looks like a cat! oh god technique is amazing. Gotta say this peace is wonderful!

[mgkballet]

holy crap 1:43

[michaelscottishot]

It's all "holy crap"! :)

[LoveBallet2007]

Who is the music by?

[SilvaSuzanna]

Who knows where it is possible to find this music? It is necessary urgently!  I know it Tom Villems and where it is possible to take this music? SOS!

[gillesdanse13]

that's true that Svetlana Zakharova has been compared to Sylvie Guillem. Too bad for her! Zakharova is a good dancer for sure but Guillem is a genius. Just look them both in " in the middle" or anything by the way and it is SO obvious...and for the record, Guilem was 22 when she created " in the middle"...

[ANA9MARIJA]

perfect,perfect,PEEERFECT!!!!!­!

[Sarahhhhhh91]

2:25 MY GOD

[Melipau1991]

AMAZING !

[shitburp1234]

amazing technique

[ballet4evernever]

if you dont like one of the best ballerinas of the WHOLW world dont comment about her i can tell you she doesn't care all the bad things all of you say shs the etoile of the bolshoiu and she dances beautiful!!! svetlana for your information has been compared to sylvie guillem!!! btw i love svetlana in EVERY role.

[icyballerina08]

personally i think svetlana whipes the floor with sylvie! She is in my opinion the greatest ever

[Jayjen35]

Where...bizzaro world???? Her physicality is certainly incredible. But the actual artistic performance of the piece... it in no way comes close to Guillem!

Extension and flexibility are one thing. How well the artist uses them to convey the artistic vision of the choreography is something altogether different.

[gillesdanse13]

Why Zakharova dances this ballet, she is spoiling it, it's not the forsythe Choregraphy: these déhanchés are vulgar and the pirouettes are weak and poor . No question: Sylvi Guillem is not better, she is simply on another planet

[egomi24]

I agree, she fell out of every single one! All she did was lift her leg. No dynamics.

[LoveBallet2007]

Yah... see the thing is, this is abstract, and she can apply WHATEVER interpretation she WANTS!

[LoveBallet2007]

And also, she was quite young here, this was back from the Mariinsky, that would mean from before 2003, and she was born in 1979, which would mean she was younger than 24. This was probably also the first time she danced this, the second time would probably be better, and the third better than the second. And today's Romeo and Juliet is not MacMillan's original choreography on Lynn Seymour. I mean, Forsythe created this in the 80s. Things CHANGE, you know?!

[rashidbekzod]

ожно слово

мариинка

[iloveballet66]

omg 2:24 is CRAZY!!!

[frenchbenjamin]

I have to say this is a really good dance video - lots of different cameras showing the piece from lots of different angles. A nice change from the usual stuff!

[shimusan]

There's no disputing Svetlana's talent, ability, or technique but her performance lacks everything that this role is about. Her interpretation is WAY off!

[bobsopera]

What is the "right" way of dancing this ? Give me a reference pls.

[elisitah00]

it is very technical,you just have to be very stong and flexible!

[kdub10009]

I'm sure there isn't one "right" way of dancing this, but I'm sure the best frame of reference stylistically would be Sylvie Guillem's interpretation, since the choreographer, William Forsythe, created the piece on her.

[bobsopera]

How many musical pieces were created, i.e. taylor made, for a particular performer, only to be bettered later by another genius. I agree with the reference bit, but the Zacharova performance does it better for me. Actually, I am not so thrilled by her classical dancing, there I prefer Polina Semyonova or Diana Vishneva.

[angelgabriela88]

I agree with you.

[DAoggiCHIAMATEMIsi]

I really do no like Svetlana and her way to move

[Nana189]

i don't like the original music, so i watched it with Vangelis- Last of the Mohicans :D

she did a wonderful job :)

[Biene33333]

good job and

good to see another intepretation

wonderful legs

[hbanana7]

I LOVE this music!!! Could anyone tell me the title and composer??

[THEGODDAMNMANSAM]

music is called "in the middle somewhat elevated"

composer is Thom Willems

[EKW09]

Is there anything she can't do??!?!

[dlsamson]

I saw Sylvie do this role in the 80's and I still lose my breathe thinking about it. I've wanted video of this ballet for years and it just occured to me to look here. None of these videos show her entrance like an explosive arrow from stage left. I've never seen anybody do ballet like that before or since. I know of no ballet performances that equal it and none of these You-tube postings begin to do it justice. I'm glad they're here to stoke the memory but you had to be there.

[pollodisossato]

caspita..saranno anche bravi loro per carità.. ma la musica mi fa venire davvero la pelle di cappone!brrrrrrrrr!

[yajunwindbell]

Have to agree with those who think Sylvie is better. After all, the role was created for her. Svetlana is really brilliant technically but doesn't seem to have that control Sylvie has.

[Ail3nsita]

love it perfect!!!!

[Buchavka]

Ballet is always about technique, lightness, speed, accuracy and a great deal of hard work and practice at the same time-and you will find NO prima ballerina both in Mariinskyi Theatre in St. Pete or in Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow that has no these qualities! Russian Primas are the best inthe World and there's no need to prove that fact! =)

[Buchavka]

Prosuttos let me disagree with you!!! I've just seen Sylvie dancing this ballet and I can definitely say that she SUCKS!!! Her worst drawback is that her leg movements don't coincide with music accents and sometimes she lacks speed and stretvhing in her legs...And Sveta Zakharova has all of these to be PERFECT for "In the middle somewhat elevated"! She is the PRIMA!!!!!! =)

[prosuttos]

Zakharova is really great but she can't be perfect as Sylvie Guillem!

[prosuttos]

Buuchava...maybe you don't knwow thath,this ballet "In the Middle" was personally created for Sylvie Guillem,Zakarova is a great ballerina

but Sylvie is one of the best ballerina ever,if you say thath she sucks maybe you don't know anythings about BALLET!

[tutugirl4life]

hairs on arm standing up!!

[palubob]

Very nice, especially for those who prefer gymnastic "dancing". At any rate, Zakharova has demonstrated in recent years that she can handle almost anything, and very well.

[petalouda85]

apla TELEIO!!!JUST PERFECT!!!!!

[patshaw51]

Let us only hope that William Forsythe SOON permits the release on DVD of 'Impressing the Czar' by the company of his choice.

[NicholRaap]

wow -

anyone know where i can get this track?

[marty91k]

bellissima.... ti riempie l' anima

[tannya182]

She is just so fantastic.

[syd453lm]

J' adore Svetlana. Elle est stupefiant!!

[tatevikdance]

I love It !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ail3nsita]

omg i love this i saw the performance last saturday beautiful i love it!!

[9840102]

omg man!

[octaviacup]

gorgeous and unbelievable

[chrisrowsc]

Sorry, I didn't mean to mark that comment as spam. The reply buttons and spam are too close together and one can't go back and change it. :( Anyway, one can convert this file with a website called keepvid. Just copy the url and select youtube video and it will convert it into mp4or flv for you. All you do it right click and save.

[megustasstuu]

wow this is just beautifully stunning! I loved it.

[ostatusdoquo]

I saw in the middle somewhere elevated live and it was just amazing. The music, the coreography.. they're really powerful. I'm usually not a contemporary dance lover but this was something special. Bravo!

by the way, does anyone know where can I find the mp3 file of this ballet? Thanks a lot ;)

[cupkatie]

does anyone know the name of the song?

[cwlux]

The music is from Thom Willems for the Ballet "In The Middle Somewhat Elevated".

[ABTBluebird]

DANG

[delori]

HOLY CRAP I love her so much, LoVe LoVe LoVe

[pandaballerina6]

every line is stunning, i like her in contemporary pieces!

[lilsmith21290]

She is beyond amazing and way better than sylvie guiellm....people dont understand us natural flexible people and how hard it is to control our legs !!! she is so in control of her body its crazy !!! yet she keeps the loose and sharp style of the piece ! PERFECT !

[sylvia13293]

who is the guy?

[Ekaterina1]

The guy is Andrey Merkur'ev :)

[sylvia13293]

thnx!:-)

[lusyka]

wooow....she's soooooooooo fleible!!!! I can't belive it!!!!!!!

[balletisbeauty]

The timing is flawless!

[toremar]

A M A Z I N G ...omg..i can't do this!

[coocoodewdrop]

Oooo me want!

[finceki]

oh my god! how could she be so flexible...?? i think she doesn't come from this world... anyway, stunning!! i love her!

[sunyi0525]

Svetlana,cool~

[sunyi0525]

超酷的现代芭蕾

[SH8keB8Kelol]

i wonder how many times in rehersal she had kicked his or her head lol i mean gesse

[ecj177]

WOW!!!!!!! That is so beautiful and amazing!

[bassett99]

The music is by Thom Willems if anyone knows the title please let me know! I would like to use this for my own choreography. The music reminds me of some parts of Bruce's Swansong.

[icyballerina]

The music is also "In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated." It can be found on his CD _The Loss of Small Detail_ on Amazon France.

[bassett99]

Thank you very much! :)

[georgedoesballet]

2:24 orgasmic

[123cheesybob123]

what music is this ?

[LilliStanita]

this gives me chills. I mean, I might be imagining it, but she really makes it look like she's having fun.

[yonjooheero]

No, I don't think you're imagining it. She really seemed to enjoy it; you could tell from the little smirks she gave time to time.

Amazing performance - her body moved with the music perfectly.

[fdhiojuiop]

Svetlana Zakharova è la più grand ballerina per me vorrei essere come lei un giorno... Fà sognare ha carattere, eleganza, stile, un corpo divino, ha tutto ciò che una balelrina possa desiderare, spero che un giorno avrò il grandissimo onore di poterla cotemplare da vicino perchè è un sogno... è meravigliosa

[alcheraprof]

riconosciamo il talento senza la necessità di paragonarla a silvie, son due corpi diversi e due anime diverse, la svetlana in ogni caso è magnifica, tecnicamente e nel perfezionamento di ogni movimento, gli errori ci sono, ma è nomale che sia così.

[Lauretta88]

musica bellissima!!!

[Chicamex19]

She's T-H-E perfect ballerina to dance this number!!!

[12sck]

I love this!! It's such fun to watch! They are both such talented dancers! Love it! Love it! The beauty is in the whole performance! So what if there are a few mistakes? They seem so insignificant compared to the end result!!!

[SH8keB8Kelol]

I TOTALLY AGREE it's awesome

[unrit14]

k feoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooo uglyyyyyy

[Redshoed]

hmm i like svetlana here better than in her classical roles...her super hyperextension seems to look more appropriate here.

forsythe is my love.

[wifeofmurtagh]

*_* love the coreography and the music..absolutley fantastic

[carlit407]

es imprecionante la perfeccion de ella.

[evvie7]

Hi. I'm not trying to point it out, but around the 1 minute 27 sec. mark, svetlana pirouettes... but like the last half of that turn in kinda sketchy and flat footed.... I mean like it.. but is it supposed to be there...

I think it's great to have dancers like sylvie and svetlana around. GREAT determination they show.

-evan from UNCG

[icyballerina]

If you look at Sylvie Guillem performing that part, she does the whole turn en pointe. It looks sharper and more controlled, leading me to believe that this was a (well-disguised- I didn't notice it until I looked for it) mistake on Svetlana's part.

[funneefeet]

yes, it is supposed to be a triple en dehors attitude turn (way hard and less frequently seen than en dedans). yes, Zakharova does not land it like Guillem does. Still, it is live performance and they are human beings after all.

[nessballerina]

yer i thought i noticed that.. =]

xx

[xBrutalromancExx]

sorry i totally thought this was a different pas de duex haha ur right :)

[xBrutalromancExx]

this is choregraphed by george balanchine not whoever u said

[peteuse]

no it is forsythe...

[Mitchelldances9]

the extension could use some work ;) shes gorgeous. i love her choppy movement with this music