DIVERTIMENTO #15 (Theme and Variations)

Here's a 1986 NYC Ballet performance of the "Theme and Variations" section of Balanchine's masterpiece of classical technique, DIVERTIMENTO # 15 to music of the same name by Mozart. Filmed 3 years after Balanchine died, in 1983, the dancers here were all favorites of his when he was alive, trained daily by him, and they are peerless, in my opinion, in demonstrating pure Balanchine technique and musicality. They don't overdo "rubato," or other affectations that sadly have been creeping into many interpretations of his choreography; seen too much today. Balanchine wanted the audience to "see the music," which I believe these dancers do very well. They don't get in the way. They are in order of variation, 1. Victor Castelli, 2. Peter Frame, 3. Lauren Hauser, 4. Maria Calegari, 5. Stephanie Saland, 6. Darci Kistler, 7. Sean Lavery, and 8. Kyra Nichols. I have staged this ballet for the Paris Opera Ballet and the Zurich Ballet, and always insist on these tempi.

[@brendadufaur37]

It is SO beautiful. And that tall man dancer is so beautiful. All of them. This is sheerly beautiful. Non-showy. It all flows. Incredible.

[@simaraft7373]

How absolutely gorgeous. Mozart has to be the most difficult composer to choreograph to, it’s so deceptively simple. And to dance it clearly and simply without trying to add anything to it... Just wonderful.

[@faun070]

What a great surprise! before my own ballet career took off, I had the opportunity to see this generation in London in 1983. Maria Calegari (2nd ballerina in Piano Concerto no 2, Agon p/d trois), Heather Watts (Agon), Kyra Nichols (Symphony in C first movement), Lourdes Lopez (Symphony in Three Movements), Merrill Ashley (Piano Concerto, Mozart) and virtually all of them in Robbins' Piano Pieces - how vividly do I recall them in those memorable works. This recording is just so valuable, with the additional bonus of seeing the young Darci Kistler, who sadly never made it to London in 1983, in a role I thought unrecorded! Thank you for sharing!

[@giuliorenzobighin8165]

Giocosita' e piacevolezza del ballo comunicata anche con notevole ritmica riconduzione di passi anche inediti a musica.Ottima l'enfatizzazione al fine dell'esecuzione. MOLTO BRAVBIGJIN GIULIO RENZO

[@cristianrey1032]

Nichols! She's magnificent...

[@gstavella]

Wow! Thank you John for posting. Can we take a moment and hear it for the ladies! And for the gentlemen (Sadly whom have all passed.), too! And especially for Mr. Frame’s jump 😱

[@esmsfr]

Castelli, Frame and Lavery... Unbelievable how they all left us.

[@theresa42213]

Wow! What an attention grabber! Totally enthralling from start to finish! Thank you John! Fantastic channel. l just wish there were more knew watchers! :)

[@electricitywoman]

Can't thank you enough for putting this up! I'm trying to learn this choreo and there's no other reference videos 🙌🏼

[@biljanna6927]

I will not reveal who I am, I once danced with the original Mr B’s company. Clifford is correct in that, it is not accurately Balanchine technique today. So thank you John for posting such beautiful beautiful Dancing. Today’s Ballet reminds me of recital amateur hour combined with a boxy royal ballet style and gymnastic contortionist training.

[@DianaMoon11428]

And it'll get worse.

[@Katt473]

Uh wasn't it Balanchine who wanted taller extensions that we see today?

[@susanlondoner1946]

@@Katt473 No that is not true Kat. Some dancers had it, some not. If you look back at earlier dancers like Melissa Hayden who was one of Mr. Balanchine's Prima Ballerinas and several others from hers and earlier and even later generations, extreme extensions were not common and not required. That didn't mean that if you didn't have a great extension that it Mr. Balanchine wouldn't allow for it to come into play, but it was not a necessity. It is a total miscomprehension that that was what he wanted. What Mr. Balanchine wanted was for his dancers to dance. to be musical, to be themselves and he knew best how to draw the best out of all us, and we wanted to fulfill his expectations. He understood all of his dancers qualities, every one of us. He gave us so much. He didn't hire acrobats, he hired dancers that had to dance and we were the lucky ones that got to do just that. It was not a competition, and it was not about tricks. Just dancing his magnificent ballets to magnificent and interesting music.

[@Katt473]

@@susanlondoner1946 huh I didn't know that. Most people say he wanted higher extensions then normal. Thanks for informing me

[@martinmeng970]

Simply wonderful🙏🙏🙏❣️

[@michaelbrodsky1221]

Thanks so much. yet again!

[@GariGold]

Spectacular cast.

[@yvonneleslie7681]

What a treat to see this! Anymore chats coming?

[@tommydenzio]

Wow

[@lindaclark9925]

Ps I'm about to get the book finally!

[@Qacc6]

I saw this live a couple years ago, and NYCB just streamed it as part of their digital season a few days ago. I would give the distinction to Lavery and Saland here over the current dancers, and a tie between Nichols and Tiler Peck. But I don't find the rest superior in any obvious way. In fact, the port de bras and hands of the current generation all improved significantly compared to the older.

[@jcliff26]

Your opinion.

[@genlyai5055]

Nope!

[@lindaclark9925]

John, Balanchine once said that ballet is woman....yet...look at the men dancers he produced!?!! Was there a subtle nod to the men that yes he DID of course value them greatly?

[@jcliff26]

I go into that in my book. Hope you enjoy.

[@mproche57]

Wow. Gold standard. The dancers here are peerless as you say. The speed, line, pointe work, ballon and musicality are the best I've seen. Balanchine's range was so huge. And also it's remarkable that three years after his death they were able to bring this kind of precision to the ballet. The dancers in NYCB today are technically as good, but sadly, the level of coaching and artistic direction has fallen off so the ballet isn't performed with anything like this beauty. It gives me no pleasure to say it. I'm a New Yorker and I go to the NYCB every season.

[@jcliff26]

Yes, but as I said all these dancers were trained and rehearsed by Balanchine sonit was much easier to retain that. It’s sad Peter Martins refused to let these people personally coach the next casts. That’s where the ball was dropped.

[@robrivax]

Tremendous....wow...thanks for posting this....really glad to see this level of excellence in Balanchine technique....I studied a bit with Paul Boos and I once mentioned Kyra Nichols name to him in conversation and he paused, took a moment and confessed to me that he thought she was always just extraordinary in her dancing...that is evident here no doubt....I also studied with Kyra's mother Sally Streets in California, and Kyra would take class when she visited...she was just mesmerizing in class.

[@danceraog111]

they all look fabulous but lauren hauser is just simply stunning in her variation

[@user-vn7sj5ig8w]

It is so wonderful! Love it! Thank you for posting!

[@danceraog111]

what a gorgeous cast

[@lillii2222]

thank you for posting. this is so lovely.

[@toeknee1965]

its all so flawlessly beautiful

[@ernestcastro6238]

Oh this is wonderful thank you very much.

[@redlantern3371]

So, so beautiful. All of them.

[@DearHumanity]

✨ 🙌🏽 ✨

[@amymone9405]

“Balanchine wanted the audience to "see the music," which I believe these dancers do very well.” - If you allow me to express another opinion, the music is the elegance, finesse, and harmony itself. The performance is none of it. Alas. I wish it was, but it isn’t, I don’t see Mozart’s music, what I see is the metronomic marks, what I see is gymnastics of mechanical dolls. This is hardly the ideal that Balanchine had in mind. Having said that, let me express my deep appreciation for publishing recordings of Balanchine’s «Divertimento N°15».