Rare Ballet Variations! You need to watch these.

[@JillStanley-wx6kl]

My former Music professor is very involved with Opera Rara, whose mission is to revive, record and sometimes stage lesser-known operas; operas which, for whatever reason, fell out of the repertoire. It sounds as if the same thing should be done with ballets. Maybe someone, somewhere is already trying? I really enjoyed this video and would love to see more like it. Thank you both

[@tamaraa9876]

Thank you! I loved this and would like to see a part 2. I was excited to learn that Suvi is Finnish. My 12yo dancer is 1/4 Finnish, and one of her teachers and I have been looking for inspirational dancers for her to watch that represent her background. She’s also part Filipino, Armenian, Doukhabour and Polish. We are from Canada and she had her first introduction to Vagonava this summer at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School SI. We both look forward to seeing more.

[@lyndapower9408]

Love it, Love it - especially the last rare variation. Definitely want to see a Part 2. The rare variations are so intriguing. Thanks to the both of you for a unique video. - Lynda

[@SaraBruni-j9r]

Graduation ball , in French le Bal des Cadets is a David Lichine choreography.Traditionally it is performed by Paris Opera ballet School students in their shows. It is very funny story with French style choreography.

[@balletwithisabella]

Oh fabulous!! ❤❤

[@rrenatabp]

I'd love to see the legend of love live one day. Such a cool and stylistic interesting ballet

[@alex_danceskpop]

this was such a soothing and an enjoyable breakdown! I would love more!

[@PrincesaXXMatilde]

Love it!!!! Please do a part 2!

[@vassialiva]

Loved this video!! Please do many parts ❤❤

[@balletwithisabella]

Thank you! Will do!

[@biancaoliveira9126]

This was very interesting. Looking forwadd to part 2 😊

[@karenjones9961]

Thank you so much for Part 1! Please do a Part 2!😃 Yuri Grigorovich choreographed Mekhmene Banu in "Legend of Love" on his first wife, the great Kirov prima ballerina, Alla Shelest in 1961. Gennady Smakov, in "The Great Russian Dancers," (Knopf, 1984) stated: "Another of Shelest's fascinating characters was Queen Mekhmene Banu in "Legend of Love." This role was created on her, but because of her complex relationship with Grigorovich and his well-known hostility to aging ballerinas, she rehearsed it by herself and performed it only once. In this one performance, her Queen was a truly Racine heroine, torn between love and duty, passionate sensuality and sober intellect."

[@TwanWu]

The final variation (second one chosen by Suvi) looks like it could only be danced well by Vaganova dancers. I don't think dancers of other styles could do those constant back and forth head movements without looking weird.

[@Lidewijke]

The Cavalry Halt is effectively choreographed by Marius Petipa. It's somewhat of a demi-charactère ballet and very charming. There is a full version by the Maly/Mikhailovsky on KZbin somewhere.

[@dennislandmesser]

Not only part #2 but a steady feature

[@flynnstelfox2661]

Graduation ball was a new one for me too! Milwaukee Ballet did some excerpts of Graduation Ball while I was in the second company in May/June of 2023

[@nyseg99]

Great Video !!!! Yes, Part 2

[@denisehill7769]

Loved this! If I remember rightly (no, I wasn't there at the time lol) Emma Livry sadly died from burns after an accident on stage. I'm often amused by the incredibly complicated plots of the Victorian era ballets....how on earth did people know what was going on?!

[@balletwithisabella]

😂😂

[@balletwithisabella]

Oh my I just re read this! That’s so tragic about Emma Livry. I must look this up! Thanks for sharing.

[@chalkedlines8960]

Ah, that's why the name struck me as familiar. I remembered it from reading about theatre history and the amount of fires caused by early stage lighting. I did not realize she was a protege of Taglioni. So tragic.

[@Karazorel.Ms.PG1.1]

beautiful ballet moves

[@sato611]

I've watched Legend of Love and loved it! However, the costumes are a bit tricky to pull off unless you are that extremely elongated body type of Russian theatres dancers....

[@carine4318]

Super elegant ❤❤❤❤

[@TamiMiller-cw2hu]

Please, please, I so want more. I love ballet. I took class at a young age. As I grew, my body was not an asset But i love to watch, and ĺearn. Part 2+ ❤

[@tiffcat1100]

I love Graduation Ball, watched Masters Ballet Academy in Arizona doing it online ❤

[@hiromilevy9482]

Wow omg … I know Suvi from LONG TIME AGO; when she was in Boulder, Colorado, USA. At Boulder Ballet School … And I watched the recording of The Graduation Ball ; (before internet, satellite TV was just introduced in Japan. ) Satellite TV had documentary of different ballets including Bournonville, Eric Bruhn, Forthyse, Van Mannen, Bejart and Guillemme, Ballet Russe, Roland-Petit, NDT, etc. and it was presented; I even recorded many of them on VHS tapes but sadly my husband threw them all away when we moved. Anyways it us such a fun ballet, cute and interesting characters and beautiful adorable variations. And I love your uploads and they are so helpful. THANK YOU ❤❤❤ PS : I take adult ballet classes and play piano for classes

[@balletwithisabella]

Aww wow thanks for sharing ❤

[@natalie8457]

Such a fun and interesting video ❤

[@divab63]

Would love a part 2. The only one I really knew was Legends of Love because of Lopatkina. I did a deep dive into a lot of her parts ❤

[@averycutecat1852]

could you recommend sources for finding more of these rare variations? like youtube channels, other websites? It's very refreshing and enjoyable to see them

[@dancingbluecrane2813]

TheBunduBallerina is an excellent youtube channel with many usual as well as unusual variations to choose from.

[@clarisafalconvalerdi5354]

Le Papillon that Novikova is dancing is from Pierre Lacotte. Marie Petipa was Marius Petipa daughter.

[@elisabettajoimir]

I've been looking for something like this omg

[@natashazlobinsky4662]

Isabella, any chance of doing an adult ballet intensive in South Africa - especially Cape Town? There is a large adult ballet movement here. I would kill to get you here!!! ❤❤❤

[@balletwithisabella]

I hope one day! ❤

[@dancingbluecrane2813]

But not just in Cape Town. Please also include Johannesburg, South Africa

[@tiffcat1100]

Yes pls for a part 2 ❤

[@natalialind4642]

Thanks, extremely interesting - the Ritornelle in particular. A Vaganova question for you both- did they ever talk about variations as ” the beau reste”? /Natalia

[@elisabettajoimir]

❤

[@roastedpepper]

Part 2 please!

[@sophierichardson8910]

It was fun to watch this without sound and see if I know the variations 😅 (yes I knew all of them ooops #balletgeek 🙈)

[@PrincesaXXMatilde]

Do you know where I can find more information about ritournelle variation?

[@JakinBoaz-u8u]

Part 2!!

[@AdamGNordin]

All guys start with 3,14

[@oeboyd]

This is a study tome for the ages. It'll take a while. Dear Isabella Madamoiselle: did you see the note that I left for you underneath a recent short video? It will contain the name Olivia. It was important. And you can erase it once you have seen it. With kind thoughts, Olivia E.