What Makes Carlos Acosta So Great? Super Ballet Solos: Diana and Actaeon/Le Corsaire

With a humble childhood in one of Havana, Cuba’s poorest districts, Carlos Acosta rose to fame as an international ballet superstar. His stellar athleticism, dramatic range, and dynamic stage presence made him one of the preeminent male dancers of the 1990s and early 2000s. A complete dancer, he had it all with an overwhelming array of gorgeous turns, high leaps, with numerous innovations, allowing him to stand out from the crowd. This video focuses on Carlos’ acrobatic solos in Diana and Actaeon and Le Corsaire in the prime of his career, demonstrating his exceptional athletic prowess.
I make several references to the Cuban School in the video. Here is background on technique nuances of the Cuban School:
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Thumbnail photo by Sven Creutzmann/Mambo Photo, Havana, Cuba, July 14, 2009

[@brendadufaur37]

He is sheer physical greatness. You could not find enough adjectives. A combination of near perfection and a continual bursting of power and complicated and creative technique and feats. There is such a containment about him but yet such an explosive quality. He is so precise in his preparation yet he is unbridled. In short, he's a beast. No wonder he is so great - he brushed with Alicia Alonsa. He is just extraordinary all the way. His focus, his drive, his concentration, his innovation. What a magnificent dancer. This is such a wonderful video. Thank you so, so much.

[@claudiapastorahdez6177]

I am so proud of him and his career. As a fellow Cuban, I could not be more proud.

[@giuliorenzobighin8165]

Basterebbe I' imperativo impadronimento del proscenio a balzi falcati amplissimi ed a sforbiciate aeree e a rotazioni volanti tortili e raccolte ad ascrivere questa performance in pura eccezzionalita '.Superlativo.Bighin Giulio Renzo. 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@96radster]

I'm watching this because KZbin ad about Mr Acosta being interviewed , I am 56 now in 6th grade my mother enrolled me in violin class which I dont no why . But as a child you obey your parents, I learned quickly and sort of enjoy it. Back then there free trips to ballets and opera for LAUSD music school. I appreciate our music teacher MS. RUTH BUDD who taught us about music This school was Union Ave elementary school in Los Angeles. I appreciate music more now and not the garbage 1 week wonder I hear most listen to these days.

[@kbstudent]

I was blessed to have watched Carlos performing with the Houston Ballet in the '90's. We always visited with the dancers after the program, and he was so gracious. Signed my daughter's playbill and took pictures with her. He was our favorite. Good dancer, creative artist, and most importantly, just a really nice guy.

[@alejandrasanchez1229]

Thank you so much 😍❤.Bravo Carlos Acosta👏👏👏🇨🇺

[@freeyourdreama7822]

The Cuban school and his life experience make him great

[@andreazima]

This is so beautiful that l am crying !!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@bridgetdoman1386]

Had never heard of him but watching the movie on TV at this moment so Googled him. I love to see a man who can dance, regardless of the type of dancing.

[@pomeneal4941]

Carlos, o gigante. Bravo sempre

[@judithschmeider1470]

If you were in the audience, they'd go nits at leaps. It was the amazingly controlled finishes that got me. Not a dancer holding on at the end but with more. And the technique ...placement and turnout on turns wow. Wish I'd seen him. Slow mo gives a chance to appreciate

[@svetlanaguscin8405]

Neverovatno, fantastično... Žao mi je što nikada neću moći da ga vidim na pozornici. Hvala na zadovoljstvu koje ste mi pružili

[@lazarocedeno5270]

Thanks for featuring such a great classical male ballet dancer. Born in the island of Cuba. Alicia Alonso school of dance. Escuela National de Ballet. Bravo.

[@markjones4561]

Absolutely incredible. It's not just the elevation and the ballon, but it's the sharpness of the attack.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

Amazing.

[@ileanamuntean7338]

I watched him at ROH a few times. Apart from the fantastic technique, he communicates emotion and energy like no other.

[@mountfujieagle]

Thanks a million, Kent. Incredible dancer and highly instructive video. Love them.

[@Marta44339]

Thank you for another terrific video, so enjoyable and painlessly informative. His elevation and ballon are surprising, given his size and height.

[@alanfoster7082]

Super ballet knowledge, bravo.

[@selie2001]

who dislikes this??? Some people are beyond ...

[@keylongo2470]

Simply breath taking!, He brings love and admiration to the art of ballet and stardom place for male dancers. A joy to see Carlos’ artistic talent.

[@sakura44553]

What a great video! Thank you! I hope there will be also one with Carlos as a great partner dancer and other topics...

[@roadoc100]

thank you Kent, i enjoyed this video a lot and learned. i love carlos!!!

[@annettegilbert3715]

Magnificent technique and placing!!!

[@claudiafinelle]

He is magnificent!so clean, graceful and powerful. Cuba seems to prioritize the arts and medicine. Simkin is just as magnificent but the vibe is so different. Acosta is majestic and Simkin ,I suspect is some sort of mystical creature.

[@migueltrujillo5932]

...and he is a masculine looking guy too.

[@TheBeverly7]

BRAVO!!!!!!!

[@pamelacorbett8774]

Carlos Acosta was painted by an amateur, Curtis Holder, commissioned by the Royal Portrait Gallery in London. You can see the video on you-tube where they both discos their careers during the sittings, very interesting. Also when Carlos sees the finished portrait at the unveiling ceremony at the RPG.

[@lorraine5247]

Absolutely amazing. Thank you for this

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

Thank you so much!

[@tuulawestra3367]

Fabuloso el Senor.

[@nicolereding7234]

I remember when he won because i wasbin Cuba🌺👏🙏💯

[@nicolehourcade]

I was in Cuba when he won Lausanne but my family was involved in the Choreographical foundation🥰👏🎶🎵

[@benjamintownsend5794]

Another great video, I learn so much from your content and your website, thanks.

[@josephcollins6033]

THANK YOU!!!!! I am learning from you!!!!!

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks Joseph. Will have another video soon.

[@yunieyquiala2616]

El mejor del Mundo en su momento.

[@carenkowcenuk8724]

I saw Nuryev once, live, in The King and I. It was not done as a ballet, but his command of the stage was still outstanding.

[@Jas-ib7tr]

Incredible 😍👏🏽

[@_NAED_]

Great! Dancer and Narrator, thank you! Thoroughly fascinating!

[@user-dd1dg7cc8o]

Тело Цескаридзе, техника молодого Полунина. Это просто бог какой то

[@brendadufaur37]

He's better than Polunin.

[@nadezdakorosteleva4925]

Как он великолепен!!! Великий танцор- Мастер!

[@berkana8762]

Ну,если вы воспринимаете балет,как цирк, то да,и музыка ему не мешает...

[@nadezdakorosteleva4925]

@@berkana8762 чем же он не угодил фанату Твардовского? Сам то, на что способен?

[@mariacristinapizzorno7585]

Maravilloso!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@elisek1067]

Very good! I am not his fan, but very good!

[@AliceUnicorn]

Just wanna say, I love your channel. I love ballet but not a dancer, so you channel help me gain so many knowledge. Thank you.

[@betsymcdonelherrph.d.5440]

I love these videos you make and narrate. I wonder if you could find footage and talk about the careers of Kevin Pugh and Dale Brannon, who began their training in Indianapolis at the Jordan School of Dance and went off to careers in a number of important international companies. I think Pugh is now teaching in Canada. I took classes there for years with Jack Copeland and Rebecca Rutt. Jack Copeland's story and reach in training talent was fascinating, another topic that would be fun to see covered.

[@minissa2009]

A pleasure, as always (even learned a couple of new terms!). I would have called the step that opens Corsaire a turning pas de chat. Is it the entry that makes it a saut de basque variant? And I agree, I was seeing Simkin (also Vasilieve to some extent) in some of these he's-so-good-he-makes-up-his-own-steps jumps. But more amazing from Acosta because he's a relatively large man. I found him relatively late in his career, when he could still out-dance a lot of god-tier danseurs, but this footage from his prime is just utter perfection---on steroids! Again, thanks. I learn so much from your break-downs.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks for tuning it. Probably multiple terms can be used for the step. It is generally called a saut de basque because the dancer goes off one foot and lands on the other with a turn. I was able to see Carlos as a guest artist at ABT in the early 2000s and always enjoyed it. I wished that he danced at ABT more. His Conrad in Le Corsaire was memorable.

[@minissa2009]

@@KentGBecker Have you seen his Spartacus with Nina Kaptsova? It's in bits and pieces but is available on YT. I'm so jealous! I really miss New York and its unparalleled dance scene.

[@KentGBecker]

@@minissa2009 Thanks. Never seen it. Will take a look on KZbin. NYC is looking up with the NYCB season and upcoming ABT season with Giselle and mixed rep. Will have coverage on Balletfocus.com.

[@rosiegreen813]

@@KentGBecker You've perhaps found it on DVD by now. He was an older dancer by the time he danced it with the Bolshoi, but he added immense interpretation to the role.

[@majawn]

I would think that for it to be pas the chat it would require asynchronicity in leg movement: going up sequentially not simultaneously, creating a sort of rolling/domino impression.

[@pediatrapaola]

true in le corsaire he did the peter schsuffus jump l saw live peter doing it in late 70's in galas in london doing le corsaire

[@TheeHoneyBadger7093]

Brilliance 🔥

[@jonnarobinson7541]

I ❤️❤️❤️❤️your videos. ⭐️🤩🤩

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks Jonna

[@tatianakurosh1701]

Великолепный танцор, мощь и грация, отточенность движений, безукоризненное исполнение❤ Ученик Нуреева? Очень похоже...

[@rafaeleligiotorresrivera2050]

Arriba mi paisano. Partiendo la tarima 😂😜💯

[@rethinkcps2116]

So wonderful. What does he do now,?

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

He is now the director of Birmingham ballet!

[@lynnerichardson1490]

That’s “Birmingham, UK” not Alabama, BTW

[@rethinkcps2116]

@@lynnerichardson1490 - OK. I wondered about that. You are kind to clarify, tactfully. 😎

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

@@lynnerichardson1490 yes lol 😆 sorry I didn't specify!

[@huwaidaguindi8225]

@@lynnerichardson1490 what about the ballet company or school … he had founded in cuba…???

[@user-dl1yc8cb4l]

Iove this human so much. After barry, possibile the other goat

[@Valentina-cl2kn]

СОВЕРШЕНСТВО!!

[@mdicanio]

I think I can help you with some terminology. I know that “double assemblé” is out there, but it’s a misunderstanding of assemblé, which is very simply the bringing together of the legs in a tight fifth position. Adding tours only makes it an “assemblé with two tours” or assemblé en tournant. Not to belabor the point, but one can only assemblé the legs once. I certainly applaud your efforts to bring the terminology to the fore.

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks

[@marcoslucio7612]

SUPERBE!

[@dorothykelly8924]

Wow

[@joeimbesi99]

Like Shaufuss a great dancer that is underrated compared to Nureyev , Baryshnikov, V. Vassiliev and even Soloviev

[@KentGBecker]

Thanks. I am thinking about doing a video on Shaufuss. Agree he is a great dancer with many innovative steps ahead of his time.

[@brendadufaur37]

So very, very true Joseph.

[@toeknee1965]

Ok we can talk about his steps and how he does it all. U sound like a sports commentator in this. Which is kind of funny. But Can we just say how hot he is? !!! Instead of saying he is athletic. And those legs. That that giant body can do those things. A ballet monster in all The good senses. Like Nureyev And that balconey pas de deux in romeo that is online. That kiss at the end and how he approaches her. Wow. So honest. Now I sound like a sports commentator. Haha

[@brendadufaur37]

great comment Tony!

[@fluffy90809]

👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@carenkowcenuk8724]

I haven't seen anyone who impressed me as much as Mischa in his prime. Those buns, thighs and calves. Wow!!! What a great body he has, not to mention his wonderful grace in all his movements. 72 yo woman ..... Sighing... .aaaahhhhhh!!! LOL!!!

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

I would like to let you know that one day I'll be in one of these videos 📹🙃🙂

[@KentGBecker]

I can't wait! Where do you dance?

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

@@KentGBecker Ballet center of fort worth is where I might be formally training next year 💪🏽

[@KentGBecker]

@@Not_YourAv3rageJO Best of luck!

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

@@KentGBecker Thank you so much! 🙏🏽 You'll see me succeeding monumentally in 4 Years

[@ninapaulina39]

Накаченный гладиатор. Это поражает, но не восхищает!

[@gilbertomoura3034]

Hai TSIYA YELLOW MUSK TABLE OF INTELLIGENTSIYA BALLET. .CONGRATULATIONS. .FUNTASTIK THESE. .PERFORMANCE. .D'ACO D'OIRO. .THANKS FOR ALLES UND LIEBEN ZI! FROM YOURS GENERALLE BALLERINE MOURA MUSK GENERALLE ASTRONAUTA OF INTELLIGENTSIYA OM STARSHIP MICHELLE VIII. BNDS MISSILE Y X KARAJE PIMENTADO. 🔰🔰🔝👟👟

[@luciaquesnel185]

This vision of Carlos' childhood as "very humble" is no accute. Poverty in CUba has nothing to do with poverty in other countries, even in the USA. A poor child whose father has a fixed job who has time to encourage his abilities and is as educated and nourished tas o be able to get where he is is not "poor", as understood in the rest of American countries.

[@user-wn6cv8lc7g]

По танцам на нуриева похож

[@vivianjames9797]

Not as good as Bartshnikov

[@vivianjames9797]

Too bad I can’t spell Baryshnikov

[@sakura44553]

Carlos Acosta gives me more pleasure than Михаил Николаевич Барышников. Both are great dancers of their time!

[@terezwinkler6658]

Oder Nurejew

[@sakura44553]

@@terezwinkler6658 Nurgejew had the worst technic of the famous dancers in 20th century, even he did a lot for the development of man in ballet.

[@ld4032]

Ну, физкультурник и что?