Supplemental Resource for Alastair Macaulay Interview on ‘Serenade’

Posted by on 01.23.2017

This week on the “Conversations on Dance” podcast, we have the pleasure of speaking with New York Times Chief Dance Critic, Alastair Macaulay.  For the past 30 years Alastair has been researching George Balanchine’s ’Serenade’ and has recently complied his work into a Symposium at the New York Public Library entitled “Balanchine’s Serenade: An Evening of Films, Commentary, and Memories.”  Today he sits down with us to discuss this historical and iconic ballet and it’s history.  Click here to listen. 

This is one of our more technical episodes, so we suggest reviewing the ballet after listening to the podcast. Below, find a list of moments that Alastair discusses at length in the podcast, as well as a full video version from YouTube that was filmed for television.   The leads are Darci Kistler, Kyra Nichols, Maria Calegari, Adam Luders, and Leonid Koslov.  (Alastair discusses Calegari in the episode).  The list will include a time stamp for your convenience.

Opening Port de Bras: 0:50
Long diagonal exit, reminiscent of Giselle: 4:53
The Russian girl falls to the ground, while the rest of the ballet continues: 7:18
Large circle of pique turns: 7:48
The “run on” girl as we call her returns, up stage right: 8:12
A girl comes in late to rehearsal, and it becomes the Waltz Girl’s entrance: 8:25
The Russian Dance: 14:31
The Waltz girl falls to the ground and her hair comes loose: 22:24
The Elegy section begins, and continues through the end of the ballet: 22:28
Iconic promenade in arabesque, a moment made more difficult with long tulle skirts: 23:38
Man lowers ladies to the floor, choreography that changed with costumes: 24:17
 

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