LAST EDITED ON 20-03-01 AT 10:33 PM (GMT)

I've also posted this on "Ballet Alert", but since SFB is coming to ROH in August, I thought I could provide a little preview of the company, though they will not be doing the same program.

March 16, 2001
Aurora: Lucia Lacarra
Prince Desire: Cyril Pierre
Bluebird: Joan Boada
Princess Florine: Kristin Long
Lilac Fairy: Muriel Maffre

Lucia Lacarra is a beautiful dancer. She possesses the most ideal physique for a ballerina -- long limbs, extremely small face, beautifully arched feet -- and can produce the most beautiful classical line. She displayed youthful charm in her portrayal of Aurora and her balances (particularly during the Rose Adagio) were well-controlled and breath-taking. While her beautifully "bent-in" knees created the most sublime lines for her arabesques and other poses, it also lead to some difficulties in her technique -- her pirouettes and jetes were shaky in some areas. I also felt that her use of facial expression could be improved; she seemed to be trying a little to hard to look "sweet and cute" in the Rose Adagio, and I thought a more natural use of expressions would have added a certain freshness and ease to her portrayal of Aurora. In any case, her "Vision" Act was simply ethereal -- I think Lacarra is excellent in adagios and perhaps more suited to dance them than the scenes that contain petit allegros/codas. As for the other dancers, Muriel Maffre had a striking stage presence; she really understood the significance of the role of the Lilac Fairy. Kristin Long made a fine Princess Florine; her variation was extremely fresh and crisp. I also cannot fail to mention Lorena Feijoo, who was a powerful "Fairy of Courage," and Vanessa Zahorian (Erik Bruhn Prize Winner '99 -- she danced one of the fairies, but I cannot remember which) who is an extremely charming dancer and would have been perfect to dance Aurora.

March 17th, 2001
Aurora: Tan Yuan Yuan
Prince Desire: Vadim Solomakha
Bluebird: Guennadi Nevidguine
Princess Florine: Tina LeBlanc
Lilac Fairy: Muriel Maffre

I was extremely excited to see Tan Yuan Yuan because my last performance of her dancing "La Esmeralda" pdd was fantastique, but her Aurora lacked the striking impression that she had left me when I last her. When I see Princess Aurora making her first entrance in the First Act, I expect to see a very charming, fresh, excited girl who is about to make her entrance into the social community of her castle environment. For me, Tan's Aurora was a little too "strong" and lacking in charm (I don't know what words can really describe my impressions), but I just didn't feel as if I was watching Aurora -- rather, I felt as if I was watching the ballerina "Tan Yuan Yuan" simply performing a classical variation. I was a little disappointed also because she seemed a little inconfident during the Rose Adagio; she was technically unstable in many of her balances (attitudes and ecartes) as well as her pirouettes. I'm not expecting that the dancer be technically perfect during the Adagio, but when I see a principal dancer performing this role, I expect a certain degree of confidence in her portrayal of Aurora. Nevertheless, her 2nd and 3rd act proved to be much better, as I figure she has performed the 3rd act pdd quite a few times elsewhere. Muriel Maffre was, again, excellent -- boy she can ACT!!! -- and Tina LeBlanc was a dynamic Princess Florine.

*All in all, I thought the SFB is very strong and exciting company (I think their wide range of contemporary/classical repertory for this season is excellent). In fact I, personally, would rate the SFB as the #1 company in the US at the moment.
London ballet fans would not want to miss their performances!!

From: Carissa Ann Maycrovich from the Bedford Dance Academy