Pas de deux from the Opera William Tell

Pas de deux from the opera William Tell
Performed by Darci Kistler & Ib Andersen

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Classical
• Ballet

[SmithPie96]

The speed of this dance is definitely faster than usual so we have the feeling of dancer's feet seldom hitting the floor. After all, she is on the air most of the time. I think most dancers will slow down when they age. But there is nothing wrong for dancers to push the limit to fulfill their potentials while they are young. This combination of Stanley Williams/Darci Kistler/Ib Andersen was brilliantly done with speed, endurance, elegance and grace. There is nothing more we can ask from them.

[Migratenyc]

Please have the facts before expressing an opinion. Who wants to sound like a jackass !?

[ddchil41]

@shivastotravali

This is Bournonville, not Balanchine...you are obviously ill informed about ballet..and who did what. Do a little research...And Darci and Ib are wonderful dancers....both from NYCB ...Ib by way of Denmark...

[jcliff26]

To all those that call this, "Balanchine kitsch" you are out of your minds! Firstly this was staged by Stanley Williams, a Bournonville expert, and he would have never altered anything to suit Balanchine. Secondly, Balanchine was the ballet-master for a year for the Royal Danish Ballet after the death of Diaghilev, and it is clear in many Balanchine ballets. like, "Donizetti Variations," for one, that he owed a debt and respected greatly the Danish technique. He brought Stanley to his school!

[101MaitlandYYZ]

As a student of Stanley's at the School of American Ballet, I learned many of the Bournonville ballets from him. He felt strongly the ballets had to reflect the generation in which they were being performed, He would adjust port de bras and such because he found some of it too old fashioned. Certainly this is debatable but I simply take offense at this being called Balanchine kitsch. Stanley had his views and they were reflected in his stagings, they were, after all, for City Ballet not the RDB.

[101MaitlandYYZ]

@the follow 2 posts:Balanchine kitsch? You do realize this is choreographed by Bournonville, not Balanchine? And if you find this kitsch, or tasteless as the meaning of the word implies, you are in fact not offending Balanchine but rather Bournonville. This was also not staged by Balanchine but by Stanley Williams, who was a product of the Royal Danish Ballet and its School. As for Ms. Kistler`s career, it is worth noting she danced 30 years, until the age of 46. Hardly a career destroyed.

[shivastotravali]

Balanchine kitsch at breakneck (or break a leg) speed. I remember when this was first broadcast, preceding the performance there was a segment of her rehearsing this in the studio with Stanley Williams. I think she was 17 at the time. But yeah, you're right, her heels almost never touch the floor. Ridiculous speed at all costs, apparently. Seems like he would perpetrate this especially on his teenage prodigies because they could and would do it for him.

[kimmois1]

Ahhh, the Balanchine take on Bournonville, sadly you can see from whence came Kistler's later horrific injuries heels never touching the ground once in petit & grande allegro, the shock of what Mr. B's advances for speed lightness and elevation have destroyed & marred many a promising career. On a lighter note Anderson's costume is the gayest one ever created for a male dancer.

[linchris1797]

the best william tell ever !

[linsusanr]

Another personal favorite! My first memory of watching Darci Kistler and Ib Andersen dance. She looks so naturally shy that it's just a joy to watch, not to mention the obviously stunning dancing.