Swan Lake | Ep. 10 | city.ballet

[@lauradietrich9424]

I love how they praise each other's different qualities, and they each bring something unique to the role. Ashley Bouder mustn't be too hard on herself; if she weren't portraying the white swan well, she wouldn't be asked to do it!

[@lilwoodyify]

Sarah Mearns is such an amazing role model

[@Tigerheiress]

Valerie Green shes so pretty

[@floridaoceaner123]

It's fun to hear the ladies' thoughts on what it's like to be Odette/Odile but I'm really curious what the men's thoughts are on playing the prince. It's one thing to be playing the white/black swan but I wonder what it's like for the prince to have to deal with both characters.

[@steffybabes]

Ballet is fundamentally female. The males aid them.

[@SalGersGirl]

I was really ignorant about ballet, I guess I couldn't really understand the appeal and I thought it was for rich, snobby people, but after watching this series, I am so impressed. It looks so beautiful and the dancers are so compelling, the next time I'm in New York I WILL be going to see a performance!

[@EnglishRose719]

That is so wonderful to hear SalGersGirl!! Ballet is simply pure passion conveyed through movement, something everyone can enjoy and fall in love with.

[@Tisiphone2]

+SalGersGirl For those of us who love ballet, it's because it touches our hearts and spirits through music and motion, and that is really something anyone can experience. :) Definitely come see the NYCB and the American Ballet Theatre in NYC.

[@neelycrombie1263]

I thought for sure after watching this video.. if I had the chance to see this live I would like to see Sara Mearns perform most of all of the 3 principles. Mostly because she is so theatrical and emotional with the character and looks like she has an amazing presence on stage. I am a former ballroom dancer and Ballroom is like drama on steroids and I adore the emotional side of dance. Well I finally got my chance to see NYCB's Swan lake this year. Made the trip from Nashville just to see this ballet. I did not know who would be performing Odette/Odile. We got to see Ashley Bouder perform the lead and she impressed me more than I could have ever imagined. Her character interpretation was fantasic so emotional and expressive and her dancing was so crisp and perfect. Best of all my husband truly enjoyed the ballet. I have watched many swan lakes via you tube. Watching other companies perform this ballet is like watching paint dry. Thank you NYCB for making my 1st trip to NYC so amazing.

[@daffo595]

sarah mearns is so cool

[@lucygirl4926]

++Daph Duck She's the one I like the least....I don't know why.

[@eurekamreum5458]

She is! I really enjoy her dancing and personality.

[@choirkitty]

My favorite ballet :). I've seen it 3 times all by different companies and each time I see it, it's so different and each cast of dancers bring their own beauty to it. Hard to explain but it's just pure magic on stage :)

[@melissaperez-ruan4852]

I find it funny how she says that usually everybody looks at the torso up while I'm in the audience staring at their legs and feet to see the technically of pointe.

[@maditoussaint5833]

Melissa Perez-Ruan I think it is different though because she was talking about the motional connection which is conveyed through the upper body and you are talking about being in awe of their ability rather than the character and the story

[@nalabees]

the goal would be a mix of the two to get the full picture.

[@niamhduffy2012]

Normal people : look at the upper body Dancers : looking at pointe shoes to see if their dieing or what brand they are and if they're completely over the box 😂😂

[@cameronriel]

They all look so beautiful doing it. I would be so happy to watch any of them❤️

[@EnglishRose719]

Swan Lake is literally the most beautiful thing in the world.

[@cat56789]

It’s the first ballet I ever saw it’s a beautiful and sad story at the same time, i love ballet so much 🩰🤍🦢🖤🦢

[@majernigan]

Beautiful girls!! I almost cried just watching this!

[@aoloriginals]

Ashley Bouder reflects on her transition from small town ballerina to the highest rank of principal dancer at the NYCB on an all new city.ballet goo.gl/PEU6iK

[@prp134]

This was the first ballet I ever so and she's absolutely right. When it got to the finale, the tears were just flowing uncontrollably, it STUNNING.

[@vanesakim5650]

Bring this series back PLEASE

[@grinsley]

I totally agree!

[@ccmaronilla8681]

Swan Lake is my favorite classical ballet. It just so beautiful.

[@Ava-fo3gc]

I love Ashley

[@luciaandino5300]

you had my tears only with this video imagine how it could be if i´ve been watching the ballet

[@nlawrence321]

I love Teresa Reichlen, Sara Mearns, and Ashley Bouder.

[@queerchoreography54]

The girls were great. I could live without Peter Martins the remainder of my life.

[@nalabees]

agreed. even before the accusations went public he oozed toxic arrogance.

[@classicalaid1]

@@nalabees I saw Peter Martins in Swan Lake in Canada in his early 20's and he was magnificent on stage. Sorry about his later life. If truth be told, Nureyev had a very, very dark side but in those days he was tolerated because of his stature as a dance genius. Picasso was also terrible as are many others. Van Gogh was loving yet violent and on it goes. Gauguin has a grostesue personal life. If we cancel the greatest artists for their shadow side, the world will be a very dull place.

[@LouisevonMontfort]

​@classicalaid1 what did Nureyev do though?

[@kristincusick1342]

One of my ballet teachers I had, when I was in high school, gave me such good rehearsal advice that was mentioned here. Sara talks about how most people watch dancers from the waist up because ballet has so much theatre. My teacher said whenever she did dress/tech rehearsals on stage she would mark her steps/jumps/whatever her legs were doing…but go full out from her waist up. It would look like she was always performing at her peak potential.

[@nalabees]

After watching all these episodes it seems like Ashley Bouder wouldn't be the funnest person to be around, especially if you're a corps member. Not specifically this episode but the culmination of all them together for some reason gives me those vibes.

[@kipklop975]

I want to watch this ballet so much! ! I've never even watched it before and I already think its my favourite so Ugghh can't wait til my local dance company does a production so I can watch it (since I can't travel anywhere to watch other productions sigh)

[@minissa2009]

I hope by now you've discovered that there are tons of Swan Lakes on YT! (both bits and pieces and whole productions)

[@minissa2009]

Anybody else think it's misleading for SJP to say "It's so demanding it takes three different dancers"? That makes it sound like one dances Odette act 2, one Odile, and one Odette act 4. (And I have actually seen a Romeo and Juliet where each act got a different Juliet, so not too out of line to think this.)

[@katydidiy]

Then came the scandals and departures - I'm still bummed, imagine how the dancers feel!

[@21cgIN]

i knew it was Sarah Jessica Parker!!! omg it has been bugging me all along haha

[@lilyrapp3745]

Where in the world do i find that purple leotard sarah is wearing??

[@alinaj1707]

To me it looks like a Ballet Rosa leotard but I'm not sure

[@inesnauhardt3061]

How can they dance with earrings and necklaces????

[@ennao3446]

Can someone please tell me what's the story of "Swan's lake"

[@Ava-fo3gc]

I like Ashley

[@annndrealopezzz]

And then 2019-2020 came and Lauren Lovett, Megan Fairchild and Tiler Peck got the rare oportunitty of also dancing Odette/Odile 🦢🦢🦢

[@hi6880]

It’s fun cause most people look at there face while they watch people dance but I’m a dancer and all I do is look at there feet and arms...😂

[@КоляПердюков]

здесь был Коля.

[@jacobfulcher1083]

i want tears!

[@Tigerheiress]

sara mearns 😍😍

[@Kate77777]

song at 6:16?

[@lorenamalpica5825]

is ashley boulder the one that did natalie portman's dancing scenes in black swan?

[@annika5893]

No, Natalie's dance double was Sarah Lane. And if I remember right, she wasn't from New York City Ballet, she was from American Ballet Theater.

[@minissa2009]

@@annika5893 She's recently made principal

[@niamhduffy2012]

They're swan lake is only 2 and a half hours?!?!? Birmingham royal ballet and the royal ballet is 4 hours.

[@whyitsmimi599]

I recently saw The Bolshoi Ballet's Swan Lake in cinema, with Svetlana Zakharova a couple days ago. The russian dancers were technically wonderful, but there was an intense lack of artistry. When a ballet as emotional and theatrical as Swan Lake is performed without acting, it's just boring.

[@minissa2009]

I agree, although that scene transition between the first and second acts was extremely cool (remember the very stylized partial scrim that looked opaque till the lighting switched and you saw the whole swan corps standing there?). I really like Zakharova but from where I was sitting, it looked like in the last act Von Rothbart basically dropped her on her face. I was pleased to see in the recent revival of the original production (well, the original one that was successful) they did use the ending where the lovers kill themselves, the swan maidens are freed, Von Rothbart dies dramatically, and the apotheosis showed the lovers boating off to Paradise. Lately, it seems like *everybody* wants to tinker with this story.

[@edgare7x]

bnb

[@steffybabes]

Have more than one dancer for that single role. From far off in the audience no one would know except those with high power binocs like me.

[@steffybabes]

No one has ever gone to a ballet to see males dance.

[@kaylakimberly1577]

Why cant SJP say BALLET correctly? Doesnt she hear how everyone in nycb says the word? SJP's wrong to the ear pronunciation is all over this docu series and it ruins it.

[@herrbrucvald6376]

....Mearns as rather wide hips and waist surprisingly for a ballerina, non? Very womanly, but I like ballerinas who seem not of this earth, certainly in the Russian classics.....

[@noblesetsentimentales]

Ballet is not something for the eye alone. If you can't get past that, well...

[@thepeacechannel7083]

I know that this is super old but...i think that these principal dancers each have too much self-importance. Their craft is lovely of course...but they speak as if their performances are life and death. Maybe that has to do with the trauma that came from coming up the ranks of such a sheltered dance school??

[@minissa2009]

I just watched it, too! I think what you noticed is more the fault of the video editors. This was *definitely* made for more of a mass market (or maybe casual ballet-going) audience rather than people like me who go standing room or seats where you need supplemental oxygen because it's the only way they can afford all the ballet they want to see! I thought it was going to be a multi-part series just about preparation for SL. I would have liked to know much more about the technical challenges and seen just a little of some part of the ballet even in rehearsal rather than all these 5-second cut-away shots. There's a comment Ashley makes around 3:06 where she's talking about the White Swan pdd, then it sounds like she runs back to the dressing room and changes back to---the White Swan (meaning Odette in the last act). I also would have liked to know how NYCB interpreted the story because it's become so popular to re-invent this ballet. I've not heard good things but was curious due to being a fan during "the Golden Age."

[@rainstreet78]

In the world of classical ballet, Swan Lake is the ultimate test of a ballerina's technique and stamina. That's why this role is such a huge deal. Listen to what Sara Mearns said - she's been dreaming of this since she was 10. It's the same for most dancers. I'm not sure why you feel they are too "self-important." This is a very demanding career and it deserves the same respect as any other career.

[@michelboudot2882]

Certainly not city ballet best…..reichlen not strong enough for Odile…..bouder no Odette for sure…the only one mearns better And the angle brothers should give up …unatractive..very good partner mediocre dancers

[@jaycee6130]

I mean no disrespect. However try being a Mom in the military, leaving a kid who is in tears without crying yourself, there is no giving up Selfless Service, missing holidays bdays, doing your job no matter if injured or sick, months away from home in other countries, etc. DAMN I love the Army! I think ballet is beautiful but being a female, serving my country is bad ass

[@ImBoiledPotatoes]

Uh, congratulations, you're an amazing human being-female-and-mother but where is this coming from?

[@jasmineprince8595]

Ok? Comparing the military to ballet is like comparing apples to Saturn’s atmosphere

[@rosettagrey2851]

how is this relevant in any way though?

[@tcreative8030]

Passive-aggressive comment. You ARE being disrespectful. This video has nothing to do with YOU.

[@yelenazerk]

Jay Cee ever danced swan lake, ma'am?