So very excited right now...

[amnisias]

I found out yesterday that Sergei Polunin will be dancing Giselle at Naples San Carlo Theatre in August (yay for facebook on this count). And managed to get A) tickets (for peanuts, compared to Royal Ballet prices), B) a flight and C) a travel companion. I'm so stoked, you wouldn't believe it.

Polunin was the Principal Dancer at the Royal Ballet in London (youngest ever, at 19), and I'd heard (and seen) so many great things about him, but I kept posponing to go and see him because I was holding out for the perfect role, maybe Spartacus, or Romeo in the Nureyev choreography. And then he Polunin left the Royal Ballet 'over night' in 2012, to dance in Russia. And then he left there and announce that he might quit ballet altogether. So now I'm wiser, and I take what I can get, while I can get it, Well, given his track record, he might drop out last minute, but if not at least I've seen him live once. And on top of that I get a long summer weekend in Italy, and hopefully can swing by Pompei as well. Total win!

For all of those who won't be making the tip to Naples (yup, I'm gloating just a tiny little bit) I'm leaving you with this:

"" (Watch on YouTube)

Comments

[kabal42]

My gosh... I know very little about ballet, but this is stunning - and a beautiful human too. (Also one of those where the tattoos enhance that beauty. Lovely <3 )

[amnisias]

Ballet is just the perfect combination of strength and grace, I could watch it for hours, and Polutin is certainly gifted. The tatoos shouldn't really work, but totally do - though I have to say I find Heath Ledger sometimes a bit distracting. The credit for this particular video, though, need to go in equal parts to the choriographer, the director, the location scout and the light technician - it's just a very perfect package all around.

[kabal42]

I agree that tattoos do not always work - and I was surprised how well they fit this particular body. He must have a good artist! It certainly is all very beautifully done, but I admit I was mostly fascinated by the element I understand the least - the ballet itself :) Maybe it is because I have started to be more interested, I know I do not know enough to evaluate or weigh in properly, so all I can really say is I found it very beautiful.
(My tangential understanding comes from more boring dancing and from gymnastics, both of which I do or have done a lot of.)

I also should see more ballet where I live. Copenhagen Royal Theatre's company is apparently in the top 5 or 10 in the world. I did not realise till recently, being more interested in our opera in general.

[goodbyebird]

Oh yay, congrats! Saving this vid to watch when I get home. Hope the performance lives up to your expectations.

I've never actually been to any dance performances ever, usually when I've traveled it's been Summer and all the ballet companies have been on break :/