The Sleeping Beauty - Grand Pas de deux

Lauren Cuthbertson & Sergei Polunin; 3 act;
15/12/2011;
Royal Ballet

Category:

Music

Tags:

• polunin
• sergei
• lauren
• cuthbertson
• royal
• ballet
• sleeping
• beauty
• The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)
• The Royal Ballet

[maggiecate1]

I thought she was like a different dancer in acts two and three, after a nervy act 1, but I'm not 100% convinced by him. Some of his jumps are fantastic, but I can't help wonder if they've pushed him on a bit fast. All the promise is there, but he's not the finished article yet. Still, plenty time!

Strongest on the night for me was Yuhui Choe - her Princess Florine was so delicate.

[caspa1951]

Both of them are terrific in this and they go well together. I particularly like the Englishness (ie. moderation) of Cuthberton's Aurora. But the music is too slow. The thrill and excitement that this of all pas de deux should convey are missing. Why do the Royal Ballet keep following the international (Russian?) trend for sluggish tempi? It does the dancers a disservice.

[kkiimmiissiipp]

sergei is ugly in this production. i don't like his hair, i don't like his makeup. hideous.

[annakardar]

Sergei is capable of much better dancing than here. This was one of the weaker performances I've seen from him, maybe the filming made him nervous.

[DancinFeet1994]

Not every male dancer has to dance like Ivan Vasiliev. I find his interpretation of the Prince to be the best today. He adds a little flair and some tricks (when appropriate), and makes up for his mediocre pirouette abilities with his regal upper body and polished legs and feet. Bravo, Sergei!

[georgeou]

@9415908 Yes, Lauren was beautiful.

[georgeou]

@marinaxulita1 Along with the other thing I mentioned in separate comment, the scarecrow arms on the glissade didn't look particularly good.

[georgeou]

His arabesques in the variation fell short of his marketing photos, looks like he just rushed it and delivered 75% of what he's capable of. His double cabriole had a bigger beat than the actual kick out which is anti-climactic. The double so de basque fell short by a quarter rotation and landed in 4th rather than front coup de pied.

If my expectation wasn't so high from his marketing photos and that clip of him modeling outdoors, I wouldn't be so underwhelmed.

[9415908]

Polunin is great but I kind of agree that watching him dance is a little bit underwhelming. But maybe that is because the RB hyped him up so much and how could anyone live up to that. Cutherbertson is so stunning! She dances like Antoinette Sibley and Margot Fonteyn, beautiful understated style, a true Royal Ballet ballerina! They dance wonderfully together but this performance belonged to Cuthbertson!

[dance098]

His variation was very clean, not sure what you saw. Great video in general