Former prima ballerina surprised with Swan Lake tickets for 94th birthday
One of the original dancers with the National Ballet received a special surprise from her daughter for her 94th birthday: tickets to see 'Swan Lake.' We caught up with Lilian Jarvis and her daughter to find out what sharing the experience meant to them.
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Misty Copeland broke barriers in ballet. Now she's retiring and moving to ‘the next stage'
NEW YORK (AP) — Ten years ago this month, Misty Copeland sat in front of a hastily arranged news conference at American Ballet Theatre, fighting back tears of pride over her new role: principal dancer. 'This is it,' she said, with emotion. 'This has been my dream since I was 13.' The occasion was highly unusual — normally, when a dancer is promoted, a brief press release is issued. But this was Copeland, a crossover star with fame far beyond the insular world of ballet. And now she was becoming the first Black female principal in the company's 75-year history — just days after her New York debut as the lead in 'Swan Lake' brought a refreshingly diverse, packed audience to the Metropolitan Opera House. Now, a decade and many accomplishments later, Copeland is retiring from the company she joined as a teenager. 'It's been 25 years at ABT, and I think it's time,' Copeland, 42, told the Associated Press last week ahead of Monday's official announcement of her move. 'It's time for me to move to the next stage.' The company is planning a splashy farewell on Oct. 22, featuring performances by Copeland — for the first time in five years — and other dancers. There will be speeches and film clips. And Copeland, who's been heavily involved in the planning, will get a chance to venture one more time onto that balcony in Verona; she'll dance again in the beautiful 'Romeo and Juliet' pas de deux. Honorary chairs for the evening will be Caroline Kennedy and Oprah Winfrey. A lot has happened in a quarter-century. Copeland, whose success brought new energy to an art form that has always been overwhelmingly white, has authored a number of books, including a memoir and and several works for young people. The second installment of 'Bunheads' arrives in September, and more are already planned in a series she calls 'a reflection of my journey, showing the range of cultures and types of people that can be a part of the ballet world.' Copeland has also made a short film with her production company. And her philanthropic organization, The Misty Copeland Foundation, works on increasing diversity in the dance world and giving more kids who grew up economically disadvantaged, like she did, the chance to dance. 'It was so important for children growing up and seeing somebody like Misty and saying, 'Oh my gosh, she looks like I do,'' says Susan Jaffe, ABT's artistic director, who is overseeing the farewell performance. 'Through her books, through her lectures, even her endorsements, she has really been a trailblazer.' Still, progress moves slowly. When Copeland exits ABT, there will no longer be a Black female principal dancer at the company — nor at many ballet companies around the globe. Copeland discussed that continued challenge in the dance world, among other topics, in the AP interview last week. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: What does this moment mean? Is ballet a chapter that's now ending for you? COPELAND: You know, I've become the person that I am today, and have all the opportunities I have today, because of ballet, (and) because of American Ballet Theatre. I feel like this is me saying thank you to the company. So it's a farewell. (But) it won't be the end of me dancing. … Never say never. AP: You've told your story over the years, in multiple ways, of how you rose from difficult circumstances to this unique position in dance. What impact have you seen? COPELAND: I've noticed that the conversation is not something we shy away from anymore in terms of the lack of equity, the lack of diversity in this (dance) world. That's one of the biggest shifts I've seen … a lot of young people that just can imagine being part of it in some way. They can imagine stepping into Lincoln Center and being at the Metropolitan Opera House. AP: You became the first Black female principal at ABT in 2015. But there haven't been any more named since then. Does it concern you that progress has maybe been slow in that area? COPELAND: It's definitely concerning, and I think I've just gotten to a place in my career where there's only so much I can do on a stage. There's only so much that visual representation like that can do. I feel like it's the perfect timing for me to be stepping into a new role, and hopefully still shaping and shifting the ballet world and culture. AP: Who are some of the partners you've most enjoyed working with? COPELAND: I think about my partnership with (former ABT principal) Roberto Bolle and him giving me so many opportunities to travel the world with him … (Former ABT principal) Marcelo Gomes, he's been such a such a big part of my journey, and of course Herman Cornejo. We've had a beautiful partnership throughout my career and I'm excited to dance with him again (at the October farewell,) AP: Three years ago you became a parent (to son Jackson). How has that changed your perspective? COPELAND: It's made me even more patient. I just have a lighter and brighter outlook on life because it's just such an incredible thing to experience and witness… I think ballet has prepared me for being a mother in so many ways. I think it's … prepared me for life and being resilient and patient and sensitive and empathetic and strong, and all of these things. AP: Does your son know who you are? COPELAND: He doesn't understand at all! (laughs) He's seen very little of me dancing. … But he's very drawn to it. He is a mover. He's very athletic. He is so drawn to music. He started violin on Monday. We live in the museums. He really is drawn to art. I think he's definitely on the artist's track. AP: So you've got the foundation, you've got the writing career, the production company. Which of those areas do you think you'll be focusing most on? COPELAND: It's been pretty evenly split between all of then. I think it just depends on what's at the forefront and what needs my focus. … But it's exciting to be able to utilize dance in so many different mediums, and to me, that's how you get true diversity — by giving people different entry points into learning about dance and feeling like they can be a part of it, which has been my goal. How do I bring dance to as many people as possible in a way that really works for them? AP: You've always not only spoken about, but acted on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, and initiatives that promote that. Are you concerned that this is getting more difficult? COPELAND: It's a difficult time. And I think all we can really do is keep our heads down and keep doing the work. … we're fortunate in that way that we've built great relationships and can continue to do the work right now through my foundation. There's no way to stop the people that feel passionate about this work. We will continue doing it. It is so necessary for the well-being of our societies and communities. I think there are times to speak out and yell from the rooftops. And for me, I feel like this is a time to keep my head down and really stay focused and do the work.
CBC
5 days ago
- CBC
Two longtime collaborators on why Guillaume Côté might be the best of Canadian ballet
After 26 years dancing with the National Ballet of Canada, Guillaume Côté will take his final bow tonight. The Quebec-born ballet dancer and choreographer has been lauded over his long career for his unique blend of technical perfection and artistry, and how his charismatic presence shines through even on a stage full of incredibly talented dancers. From portraying Romeo in Romeo and Juliet to Prince Charming in Cinderella and Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, he has made some of the most iconic roles feel fresh. Today on Commotion, host Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks with two of his longtime collaborators, dancer Greta Hodgkinson and choreographer Anisa Tejpar, about his legacy and why he just might be the greatest of all time in Canadian ballet. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Elamin: Greta, you were 11 years old when you moved to Canada to attend the National Ballet school. That's the same age that Guillaume moved here from Lac-Saint-Jean. You both grew up to become principal dancers with the National Ballet, so you logged a lot of hours together. Tell me, what's he like to dance with? What's the thing that sets him apart? Greta: I would say he's an extremely generous partner. His partnering skills are amazing. But he's also got so much energy. He gives so much onstage, and he gives so much to his partners. It's really wonderful. And you could sort of feed off each other. There's a lot of trust there, obviously, dancing for so many years, but yeah. He's very, very generous. Elamin: What I really enjoyed watching there is the way that both of you are nodding at the same moments. We were talking about this just before we went live, because Anisa finished a sentence with just hand gestures and Greta was like, "Yeah, totally understand what that means." For those of us who have not danced, let alone danced with Guillaume, when you say "fantastic partnering skills," what does that mean to you, Greta? Greta: Well, he understands where the ballerina's weight needs to be. He's strong in lifting. That sort of innate ability to partner is hard to teach. I mean, you can teach the technique, but the feel, if you will, of where the dancer needs to be off balance, on balance — he's very talented in that way. Elamin: Let's talk about the other part of his career for a moment, Anisa, because he's been a choreographer for a while. And he did not start choreography as a transitional step out of dance. He started at the peak of his career, more than a decade ago. When you think about Guillaume as a choreographer, what's the thing that he's trying to do with choreography? Anisa: That's a great question because I think when you've been an interpreter like he has for so many years — he's done the canon of choreography, you know, the Swan Lake s, the Giselle s, the Sleeping Beauty s that have lasted way longer than our lifetimes — he's done them all. Every major choreographer has worked with him around the world. When you are the vessel for someone else's ideas, when you are the interpreter of someone else's concepts, vibes, a weird brain pattern — at some point you think to yourself, what if it was my ideas? What if it was coming from me? What if I was the source of what we were making, and then I had these wonderful artists in front of me interpreting me? Now, the way I put it I think maybe sounds egotistical, but it's not because ultimately the more you interpret, the better you get at creating. And with Guillaume, because he has been able to achieve such milestones in his career as a performer, it felt so logical for those of us who knew him. It was not a surprise when he started creating work. His mind is fast-moving, always inspired; this man doesn't stop…. And it only felt natural for him to, like, put pen to paper, to explode onto other people, and to show what he has. It's vulnerable. It's courageous. It's hard to make work. But I think because of the type of person that he is, the experience that he's had, the wealth of knowledge he has in the medium, he's the ideal candidate to make.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Movie Review: Ana de Armas is better at killing than ballet in ‘Ballerina,' a John Wick spinoff
Watch a bunch of John Wick movies all in a row, and you can get pretty paranoid. You start to think everyone's an assassin. The guy at the newsstand, the street musician, the subway rider, that nice neighbor in the elevator — ruthless contract killers, all. So perhaps it shouldn't be too surprising that in 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina,' the latest installment in the Wickian world, we reach the logical endpoint: a town where every single inhabitant's a killer. Yes, it's a picture-perfect, snowy winterscape in Austria, where everyone wears wool beanies and very nice sweaters. But they also wield a mean flamethrower, and schoolkids have mandatory shooting practice. The early scenes in this wacky place high in the mountains are the best part of 'Ballerina' — they actually contain deft surprises and even a glimmer of humor, which is hardly something we expect in a John Wick film. (Have you ever see the guy smile?) Watching our energetic star, Ana de Armas, engage in a plate-smashing contest with a sweet waitress-turned-vicious-killer reminds us that action can be clever, even if most scenes in this series inevitably become numbing, as the body count rises stratospherically. Before we go further, some clarification on where this film fits into the timeline. Let's forget (for now) that there was a John Wick 4, because the events of 'Ballerina' take place during the third movie. So, erase from your mind whatever huge, life-altering thing may or may not have happened in the last film. OK? Eagle-eyed viewers may, in fact, remember a brief scene in the third movie where a ballerina is trying to do a series of fouettés, those whiplash turns on one leg that are a big attraction in 'Swan Lake.' The same scene returns in 'Ballerina,' where we see de Armas' character, Eve, doggedly trying to master them in training. Why she keeps falling — every time, after years and years of class — is a mystery. We don't aim for full realism in action films, guys, but may we suggest that falling flat on the floor in your pointe shoes every time you do a turn feels like much more difficult stunt work than anything else in 'Ballerina' — including obliterating a horde of townspeople. It also speaks to a troubling lack of coordination, a definite problem for an assassin. Anyway! We actually first meet Eve as a child, living alone with her cherished father in some wind-swept coastal abode. Suddenly, a crew of black-clad assassins arrives by sea, targeting the father. He manages to protect Eve, but dies from his wounds. Soon, now-orphaned Eve is approached by Winston (Ian McShane, returning) owner of the Continental Hotel. Winston says he can bring her to her father's family. He takes her to The Director (a haughty Anjelica Huston), who welcomes the budding dancer to what seems an elite ballet academy but is also the training ground of the Ruska Roma, the crime organization where Wick himself learned his trade. The years go by. Eve is now a young woman determined to strike out on her own, though she still has problems completing a fouetté turn. ('Tend to your wounds before you get sepsis and we have to cut off your feet,' the Director suggests helpfully.) Luckily she shows more aptitude with firearms. And that's important, because her overriding goal is to avenge the death of her father. So when Wick himself (Keanu Reeves, of course, appearing in a few key scenes) makes a crucial stop at the academy, Eve looks at him and asks, 'How do I get out of here?' 'The front door is unlocked,' Wick replies – a line that got applause at the screening I was at, but so did virtually everything Wick said or did. 'No, how do I start doing what YOU do?' Eve asks. Wick tells her she can still leave — she has the choice to reject a killer's life. The sad subtext: He does not. But while Wick wants out — always — Eve wants IN. Otherwise we wouldn't have a movie. And so, her quest for vengeance takes her, clue by dangerous clue (and against the Director's strict orders) to the snowy hamlet of Hallstatt. There, the fearsome Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne, duly chilly) leads a band of assassins — all of whom want to kill her. Oh, also: the Chancellor killed her dad. And so Eve has to fight, using all the training and ingenuity she has amassed. One lesson she must draw on, from a trusted teacher: 'Fight like a girl.' In this case, as you can imagine, that's not a derogatory phrase. What it means is to lean into your strengths — you won't beat a man by brute force, the teacher has told her, but with smarts and inventiveness. That means using ever more interesting weapons to kill an endless supply of people (it must be said, the cheers from moviegoers are, as ever, disconcerting.) And, by the end, getting pretty comfortable with a flamethrower. 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina,' a Lionsgate release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association 'for strong/bloody violence throughout, and language. ' Running time: 125 minutes. Two stars out of four.
