Sylvie Guillem

Where do you start ? Sylvie Guillem is a star. She is probably (though such lists are odious) one of the top five ballerinas in the world today. A uniquely gifted dancer, with an amazingly flexible body, imperious technique and impossible extensions. She has great authority, though not without a certain skittishness. Sylvie is a guest artist with the Royal, appearing in some 25 performances a year, on her own terms, with her choice of partner. Her influence has been strongly felt at the Royal: not only has she caused a generation of female dancers to emulate those famous extensions, but it’s largely due to her that the Royal introduced pieces by Forsythe to the repertoire. She has swept aside previous stereotypes of the ballerina as some sheltered unworldly creature, and is a strong, competent woman in charge of her own career.

Sylvie is both wonderful and maddening, willing to trust her own judgement rather than the choreographer’s intentions, to impose Guillem over the character. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. She’s not really a true classical ballerina, but a mesmerising presence all the same. She is at her most successful when the role matches her own independent instincts and foxy sexiness - a memorable Kitri or Manon. It’s more difficult for me to accept her as a frail, doomed 19th century heroine, but she is more convincing as Odette than expected, given her stated lack of fondness for the role, and a glamorous, triumphant Odile. Her Giselle isn’t fragile, but a bright shiningly happy girl who is completely shattered by betrayal: not the most conventional reading, but a deeply touching one. It’s a role which particularly interests her, and she has made her first foray into directing and choreography with a new version of Giselle for the Finnish National Ballet in 1999.

Guillem has been dancing with the Royal for a number of years now, and the experience has changed her. I recall seeing her in Manon about five years ago, and although the body and what she could do with it was awesome, emotionally it left me quite cold and uninvolved. She has really developed and matured as an actress since: she knows when to do very little to achieve maximum effect, and her mad scene is Giselle is all the more effective for its restraint.

In Britain, Guillem has developed a remarkable, passionate partnership with Cope in the classics, and they complement each other perfectly. I don’t enjoy seeing her in some Ashton works (though she was quite charming as Cinderella) because those extensions, astonishing as they are, don’t really fit. She is in need of some new repertory to conquer, which the Royal with its conservative approach of the last few years has not provided: she ought to be working with a major choreographer while she is still at her peak. I hoped the opening International Choreography programmes at Covent Garden might give her something suitably challenging, but it doesn’t seem to have happened.

Sylvie is a very reliable dancer: she is very rarely injured and always gives the role her full commitment, and there are very few off days. She has a remarkable effect on ticket sales - book early.

As well as the leg extension which to me look rather vulgar - (why not have her do a 270 degree extension like professional contortionist?) her steely, haughty personality comes across too strongly for the roles such as Cinderella and Giselle. But if you like her for that personality then you will like in these roles.

I do not think any ballerina can cover the breadth of all ballet roles. There is alway some roles in which the greatest dancer will be badly miscast. Sometimes I think that Gulliem's more devoted fans do not accept this and think she is wonderful in everything!

Of course she is. It's axiomatic.

fabio

At the beginning I have the same opinion as you, her extension wasn't for the classical ballet but a dancer friend of mine show me the quality of this extension, the sense of movement. For example when I saw her in Swan Lake Last july in Paris. I think it was Guillem in Swan Lake It's not Swan Lake by Guillem. All is too studied but when I saw Letestu just after, I think Guillem was an other kind of dancer unbelievable. And really at the beginning I love her just in Forsythe, Béjart and all modern choregraphy.
I'm waiting for her in bolero, I know she was great but I'm waiting more her sleeping Beauty because I don't imagine her at all in these rule. I think she's too woman and not just little girl as Aurora. I will say my appreciation about her in january.
But I love her in Juliette and Manon. The only thing I don't care. It's what she never makes the choregraphy as all the other dancer, why she's not dressed as the other ballerina. Why ? If she was so exceptionnal, she doesn't need other things like that. Her dance quality is suffisant.
But it's Guillem, it's not just a ballerina, it's a star and instead of her, too many people interess to dance. That's great

Catherine

As for Sylvie, she is a superb technician but I do feel that in some roles her arrogance creeps in. As Eugene stated, (2yrs ago!) in roles such as Giselle & Cinderella 'her steely, haughty personality comes across too strongly' -I believe this is a touch of arrogance.

Chloe, shouldn't you have added 'in my opinion' to that statement? I do not agree at all that she's 'the best ballerina in the world', although I've enjoyed many of her performances and think she's great fun.

I heard that Sylvie was guesting with a company that is touring right now. Does anyone know how I can find out where she will be performing?

Thank you,
~Michele