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BALLET Instruction on DVD. Instructional videos for toddler, child, adult, boy, girl, beginner, intermediate, advanced. | ||
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Baryshnikov Dances Sinatra DVD Video
Starring: Mikhail Baryshnikov, Deidre Carberry, Elaine Kudo. Mikhail Baryshnikov performs in three ballets full of human drama, choreographed by Twyla Tharp. In one sense, they all tell the same story-- the vitality, daring, intelligence, and emotional depth that a great dancer possesses, and a brilliant choreographer’s vision of that dancer and of dance itself. As Mikhail Baryshnikov says in the commentary that links the ballets, Twyla Tharp is "classical but in a new way." She has the classical artist’s regard for form and technique and a musicality that some compare to that of George Balanchine, but her approach is always personal, radical and contemporary. 60 mins. (2005) DVD-All-Region. Baryshnikov Dances Sinatra DVD Video |
The Bolshoi Ballet In The Park - The Divertissements DVD Video 
Starring: Bessmertnova, Mukhamedov, Ananiashvili, Semenyaka. Conductor: Alexander Kopylov. A company of absolutes, in flamboyance and daring, brilliance and technical execution, and these triumphant qualities are captured in this program which shows off the Bolshoi's top-ranking soloists at their bravura best. 120 mins. (2005) DVD-All-Region. The Bolshoi Ballet In The Park - The Divertissements DVD Video |
Born to Be Wild DVD Video 
The depth of male dancing at American Ballet Theatre today is unprecedented in the history of American ballet, thanks to the cadre of international talent gathered by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. This performance documentary travels home with Jose Manuel Carreño (Cuba), Angel Corella (Spain), Vladimir Malakhov (Russia), and Ethan Stiefel (USA), exploring the dancers’ personal backgrounds and formal training. The program culminates with a work created especially for the four dancers by acclaimed choreographer Mark Morris, and includes revealing behind-the scenes glimpses of the rehearsal process along the way. 54 mins. (2004) DVD-All-Region. Born to Be Wild DVD Video |
Carmen DVD Video 
There’s never been a “Carmen” like this one – there’s never been a Don Jose like Baryshnikov! Ballet superstars Mikhail Baryshnikov and Zizi Jeanmaire sizzle in this erotically charged ballet set to the music and story of “Carmen”. The program highlight is a sexy duet between Baryshnikov and Jeanmaire, in which their characters express their fatal attraction to one another. Famed choreographer Roland Petit created this dance spectacular, set to Georges Bizet’s classic music. This remarkable ballet provides Mikhail Baryshnikov with one of his greatest roles, and proves yet again that he is one of the most charismatic and accomplished performers of our time! 44 mins. (1980) DVD-All-Region. Carmen DVD Video |
Carmen - West Australian Ballet DVD Video 
Starring: Benazir Hussain and Daryl Brandwood. Conductor: Nicolette Fraillon. Choreographer: Ted Brandsen Composer: Georges Bizet. Carmen is a timeless tragedy, never more relevant than today. It is a tale of desire, seduction, jealousy and betrayal. And in this, Ted Brandsen’s minimalist production, the devastating finale is heightened by the complete lack of artifice. Rodion Shchedrin’s fluid and muscular musical adaptation fits this raw and original performance by the West Australian Ballet like Carmen’s red dress – tight, revealing and, like the production, impossible to ignore. 52 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1 Carmen - West Australian Ballet DVD Video |
Casse Noisette Circus - Monte Carlo DVD Video 
Starring: Nathalie Léger, Francesco Nappa. Conductor: David Garforth. Choreographer: Jean-Christopher Maillot. Composer: Tchaikovsky. Maillot's version of the classic ballet The Nutcracker is an innovative interpretation of the well known subject. It was his brainchild to transpose the ballet into the world of circus, while keeping the basic tenet wherein the real world blends with the fantasy world of childhood. 90 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. Casse Noisette Circus - Monte Carlo DVD Video |
The Catherine Wheel: Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation DVD Video 
Starring: Sara Rudner, Jennifer Way, Tom Rawe. A rock-dance special by choreographer Twyla Tharp to original music by David Byrne of Talking Heads. With spectacular visual effects, animation and computer generated figures, this program is a phenomenal dance experience. 87 mins. (2005) DVD-All-Region. The Catherine Wheel: Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation DVD Video |
The Children of Theatre Street DVD Video 
Princess Grace of Monaco is the narrator of this documentary about the Vaganova Choreographic Institute, also known as the Kirov School of Leningrad, where the Soviet Union trains an elite bundle of students who will be the cream of its balletic future. Each year thousands of children, 8 to 13 in age, apply for admission. Twenty are admitted, based on physical conformation, long legs, well-arched feet, and flexible joints. The rejectees cry. Those luck or unlucky enough to make the grade will find themselves separated from their families, isolated from the daily run of Soviet life, and totally immersed in the art to which they are expected to dedicate their lives. It’s a rigorous system, but it works. Graduates of the Kirov School include such greats as Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Nijinsky, Pavlova, and Blanchine. But dance is what “The Children of Theatre Street” is mostly about. The screen pulsates with fresh, supple bodies learning all aspects of their art from the most rudimentary exercise to the finest nuance of a finished performance. “The Children of Theatre Street” is a revealing view of the way the Russians go about continuing their great rendition of classical ballet. No lover of ballet and children will want to miss it. “ ‘Theatre Street’ tells an important story and tells it brilliantly…at the Kirov School there will always be another vintage year, and ‘Theatre Street’ tells why.” – Rudolf Nureyev. “I cried when I saw ‘Theatre Street’ for the first time. It brings back many memories. – Natalia Makarova. “Anyone interested in ballet should see ‘Theatre Street’.” – Anna Kisselgoff, New York Times. 92 mins. (1978/2004) DVD-All-Region. The Children of Theatre Street DVD Video |
Cinderella - The Royal Ballet DVD Video 
The Royal Ballet. The acclaimed historic performance of Cinderella from 1969 featuring the memorable cast of Anthony Dowell, Antoinette Sibley, Frederick Ashton and Robert Helpmann. A collector’s item for ballet lovers of all ages! 102 mins. (1969) DVD-All-Region. Cinderella - The Royal Ballet DVD Video |
Cinderella- The Bolshoi Ballet DVD Video 
This is an outstanding ballet of the timeless fairy tale that has captured the hearts of young and old for centuries! Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s classic score, the Bolshoi Ballet performs in this color motion picture from 1961. Filmed with multiple cameras which created long, medium and close-up shots and special effects, this is not simply a “canned” performance, but one in which film, dance and music combine to produce an unforgettable experience. And with Raisa Struchkova in the title role, and a teenaged Yekaterina Maximova in a supporting part, this historic program is a must for ballet lovers everywhere! 82 mins. (2005) DVD Region 1. Cinderella- The Bolshoi Ballet DVD Video |
Coppelia - Ballet de San Juan DVD Video 
Starring: Fernando Bujones. Coppelia is a love story in three acts. This beloved ballet is regarded as dance’s great comedy with music by Delibes. Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s Der Sandmann, the ballet combines the romance between Swanilda and Franz with the story of the doll maker Coppelius, whose greatest desire is to create a doll with a soul. Franz promptly falls in love with Coppelia, whom he thinks alive, but eventually recognizes that she is just a doll and returns to Swanilda, after which the final grand divertissement sees everyone reconciled. With its touch of East European Folklore, the ballet continues to enjoy undiminished worldwide popularity…and is one of the most delightful and best-known ballets. Fernando Bujones, one of the most acclaimed male dancers of our time, gives an extraordinary performance as Franz, the young lover. Taped live in Puerto Rico with the Ballet de San Juan. 110 mins. (1980/2006) DVD Region 1. Coppelia - Ballet de San Juan DVD Video |
Coppelia - The Kirov Ballet DVD Video 
Starring: Irina Shapchits, Mikhail Zavialov, Petr Rusanov, Elvira Tarasova. Conductor: Alexandre Viliumanis. Composer: Leo Delibes. Coppélia is a classical ballet in the true sense, and with its touch of East European folklore, continues to enjoy worldwide popularity. It combines the romance between Swanilda and Franz with the story of the doll-maker Coppelius, whose greatest desire is to create a doll with a soul. Franz immediately falls in love with Coppélia, who he thinks is real, but eventually recognizes is just a doll. He returns to Swanilda, after which the final grand divertissement sees everyone reconciled. 91 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. Coppelia - The Kirov Ballet DVD Video |
Creole Giselle DVD Video 
Now, for the first time on home video, the Dance Theatre of Harlem is presented in Creole Giselle, their acclaimed interpretation of the ballet classic. Making only minor changes in the story, music and traditional choreography of the repertory staple, DTH founder Arthur Mitchell has set the ballet in 1841 Louisiana. It was a time when social status among freed blacks was measured by how far removed one’s family was from slavery: the community’s “aristocrats” looked down on those whose immediate family had been enslaved. Thus, in the DTH version, Giselle faces the same social obstacles and heart-breaking rejection by Albert and his family as their classical counterparts. Giselle is danced by Virginia Johnson, hailed as “strong and yet delicate…very moving…remarkable.” Eddie J. Shellman co-stars, and was praised as “an attractive and unusually brash Albert, his solos securely dispatched.” See for your self why Creole Giselle is one of the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s most popular works. 88 mins. (1988/2005) DVD-All-Region. Creole Giselle DVD Video |
Denishawn Dances On DVD Video 
Between 1919 and 1931, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, and their company toured the entire United States, England, Cuba, and the Far East. Within that period, they created some 300 pieces, using their original technique based on classic ballet discipline molded to pliant bodies and bare feet, with emphasis on various ethnic cultures. With this new expression of movement, they became the creators of the choreography from which American Modern Dance evolved. Sadly, little of the rich body of work from that time could be visually preserved. Only over the last twenty years did Barton Munaw, a member of Denishawn in its last year, and Jane Sherman, the last living member of the original Denishawn company, succeed in creating this video-documentary - the largest re-creation of Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn's dances in existence, featuring 23 powerful works of the Mother and Father of American Modern Dance. With the issue of this video, their mission to preserve these seminal works from oblivion has been accomplished. 100 mins. (2002/2006) DVD-All-Region. Denishawn Dances On DVD Video |
Denishawn The Birth of Modern Dance DVD Video 
This historic dance documentary tells the story of one of the least publicized, yet most-influential modern dance companies in America. Founded by Ruth St. Denis and her husband Ted Shawn at the turn of the century, Denishawn has become legendary for its unique approach to contemporary dance. Martha Graham, Jack Cole, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman and countless others have built their companies and their work on the foundation established by St. Denis and Shawn. Incorporating elements of Far and Middle Eastern dances to create abstract pieces they called “musical visualizations,” the couple rejected the tradition of basing dances on fairy tales: their dancers played human beings, not sugarplums or swans. Husband-and-wife actors Paul and June Reed portray the Shawns in “interview” segments, and rare film footage of the real St. Denis and Shawn show them at the peak of their creative talents. The current Denishawn Company re-stages some of the founders’ original choreography, which remains as vital and modern today as it was then. 40 mins. (1988/2006) DVD-All-Region. Denishawn: The Birth of Modern Dance DVD Video |
Divergence - Australian Ballet DVD Video 
Stanton Welch believes in classical ballet. Yet your expectations will be denied and preconceptions challenged by this, his most original creation. Divergence is an adrenalin charged and provocative work performed by The Australian Ballet. From the opening movement, Welch’s vision will startle. Contradictions abound. It is at once light and playful, alien and sensuous, serene and chaotic, cool and explosive. 45 mins. (2007) DVD-All-Region. Divergence - Australian Ballet DVD Video |
Don Quixote - Kirov Ballet DVD Video 
The tremendous resources of the Kirov Ballet flash and dash through the four acts of joyous Petipa and Gorsky choreography making Don Quixote a thrilling visual treat. This delightful spectacle features the great Soviet dancers Tatyana Terekhova and Farouk Ruzimatov as the lovers Kitri and Basilio. Don Quixote is performed by Kirov star Vladimir Ponomaryov. The story f Don Quixote tells of the old knight who dreams of chivalry, and his comic squire Sancho Panza. They come to Barcelona where they find Kitri, the daughter of an innkeeper, who is in love with Basilio the local Barber. But her father wishes Kitri to marry the foppish Gamache. How Kitri and Basilio outwit this plan by fleeing from Barcelona, and how Don Quixote tilts at windmills and dreams of fair ladies, and how eventually Kitri and Basilio are united, is the action of this joyous ballet. Don Quixote is staged in the celebrated designs by Golovin and Korovin. This performance by the Kirov has been hailed as one of the greatest large cast ballet productions ever recorded on film. 120 mins. (1988) DVD-All-Region. Don Quixote - Kirov Ballet DVD Video |
Don Quixote Rudolf Nureyev Film Version DVD Video 
Rudolf Nureyev’s film version of Don Quixote which he co-directed with Sir Robert Helpmann, stars famed dancer Nureyev and Lucette Aldous of the Royal Ballet as the young lovers. Their romance flourishes with the assistance of Helpmann, who portrays the title role. Dancers of the Australian Ballet are featured in this elaborate production which was photographed in lavish color by Academy Award winning cinematographer, Geoffrey Unsworth. The virtuoso pas de deux in the final act of Don Quixote has been until recent years, the only portion of the full length ballet to be seen in this country, a tour de force for major dancers, it is but the tip of the iceberg of a brilliant and colorful production, conceived by the great 19th century choreographer, Marius Petipa. With the filming of Don Quixote, another dimension has been added. New sets and costumes were designed, and advanced camera techniques used to enhance the action in transferring the classic from stage to screen. DVD digitally re-mastered. This lavish production stars Rudolf Nureyev, Robert Helpmann, Lucette Aldous and The Australian Ballet. This spectacular program has been hailed as the finest full-length dance film of all-time. Includes a special feature documentary on the making of the film. 127 mins. DVD-Region 1 Don Quixote Rudolf Nureyev Film Version DVD Video |
Don Quixote, Prima Ballerina Nina Ananiashvili DVD Video 
Conductor: Aleksandr Sotnikov. Prima ballerina Nina Ananiashvili stars in this spectacular new full-length production of one of the world’s favorite ballets Don Quixote with the Russian State Perm Ballet. In this delightful ballet, Nina Ananiashvili and Aledsei Fadeyetchev portray the lovers Kitri and Basilio; Aleksandr Astafiev is featured in the title role as Don Quixote, and Evgeny Katusov is his comic squire Sancho Panza. This joyous new production of composer Leon Minkus’ ballet, which tells the tale of an old knight who dreams of chivalry and tilts at windmills, is a visual treat for dance lovers of all ages. Nina Ananiashvili’s superb technical command is a thrilling dance experience which the viewer will want to enjoy again and again. 120 mins. (2005) DVD-All-Region. Don Quixote, Prima Ballerina Nina Ananiashvili DVD Video |
The Dream DVD Video 
A comical tale of fairies, mismatched lovers, and a mischievous sprite, Sir Frederick Ashton’s enduring one-act ballet, The Dream, has delighted audiences since its premiere in 1964. Set to the ethereal music of Felix Mendelssohn, the ballet is a charming interpretation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. “Ashton’s genius soars typically to the heights of poetic metaphor,” boasted The New York Times. “Charm is making a comeback in New York this spring,” enthused The Washington Post. The New York Observer described the ballet as “so fluent, so charged, so natural,” that “you know you’re in the hands of a master.” To celebrate the centennial of Ashton’s birth, DANCE IN AMERICA presents American Ballet Theatre’s acclaimed staging, starring Ethan Stiefel, Alessandra Ferri, and Herman Cornejo. 54 mins. (2004) DVD-All-Region. The Dream DVD Video |
Evening with the Royal Ballet DVD Video 
This historic program immortalizes a gala evening of classical ballet featuring the legendary team of Rudolf Nuryev and Margot Fonteyn. "An Evening With the Royal Ballet" has been critically acclaimed as "a chance to view the pinnacle of ballet achievement." The program features excerpts from "Le Corsaire," "Les Sylphides," "The Sleeping Beauty," and "La Valse." Frederick Ashton's choreography is brilliantly executed throughout. This is one evening that ballet lovers will enjoy over and over again. 85 mins. (1963) DVD-All-Region. Evening with the Royal Ballet DDVD Video |
The Firebird DVD Video 
The Firebird is kept in an enchanted garden where she is guarded by a Victorian family, lead by a father figure. With the help of her lover, the firebird liberates herself from the family’s strict traditions and bonds, and with each pas de deux she becomes more and more human. As in every fairy tale, good triumphs over evil. Her lover overcomes evil, in the form of the garden’s guardian, and is at last reunited with his Firebird. 55 mins. (1982) DVD-Region 1. The Firebird DVD Video |
Fonteyne and Nureyev: The Perfect Partnership DVD Video 
Margot Fonteyn & Rudolf Nureyev…perhaps the greatest partnership in the history of ballet. For the first time, their most acclaimed performances, which have long thrilled audiences worldwide, have been captured together on one videocassette. The program traces their partnership from its glorious inception in 1962 (in “Giselle” at Covent Garden), to its grand finale some 17 years later. It is unique in that it includes rare, behind-the-scenes footage of both dancers. This special tribute program has now become even more of a treasure due to the passing of both Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. Their legendary partnership was recently hailed by the press as when “…ballet was never more gripping, never more transporting, than when her perfect pose met his ardent theatricality.” Robert Powell narrates and ballet personalities such as dame Ninette de Valois, founder of The Royal Ballet, provide their thoughts and memories on the lives of Fonteyn, Nureyev and their association. The synergy of their partnership was electrifying, and their impact on the world of ballet remains unmatched. This collector’s item is an intriguing visual biography of the greatest ballet partnership of all time. 90 mins. (2005) DVD-All-Region. Fonteyne and Nureyev: The Perfect Partnership DVD Video |
Giselle - The Kirov Ballet DVVD Video 
Starring: Galina Mezentseva, Konstantin Zaklinsky, Angelina Kabarova. Conductor: Viktor Fedotov. Choreographer: Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot. Composer: Adolphe Adam. The romantic ballet, Giselle, first seen in 1841, was the finest of the ballets staged in Paris during the age of Romanticism. Over the years Giselle disappeared from the repertory outside Russia, and has only survived through the recognition of its quality and the preservation of its traditions by the Kirov Ballet. The role of Giselle has been compared to that of Hamlet. She is a simple peasant girl, driven from joy to madness and death through an unhappy love. She is transformed into a ghost and ordered to help destroy the man who betrayed her, while still seeking to sustain him because of her undying love. 108 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. Giselle - The Kirov Ballet DVD Video |
Giselle, Rudolf Nureyev stars as Albrecht DVD Video 
Ballet great Rudolf Nureyev stars as Albrecht in a lovely production of the dance perennial. This was one of Nureyev’s greatest successes in his native Russia, and he has performed the role around the world ever since. Giselle – perhaps the quintessential ballet heroine – is danced by the great Canadian prima ballerina Lynn Seymour. Nureyev’s production brings this timeless tragedy of love found, lost and redeemed to life. 78 mins. (1979) DVD-All-Region. Giselle, Rudolf Nureyev stars as Albrecht DVD Video |
Giselle, Count Albrecht Danced by Vladimir Malakhov DVD Video 
Giselle is without question the most romantic of all the classical ballets. It is a tragic love story which has touched audiences for over one hundred years. This new production from Russia was filmed live on the stage of the State Theatre Academy in the Kremlin. The intensely theatrical nature of this ballet places immense demands on both the technical and dramatic powers of the lead dancers. The role of Count Albrecht is danced by Vladimir Malakhov, a sensational dancer of enormous talent. Giselle is portrayed by Ludmilla Vasileva, who gives a memorable performance as the quintessential ballet heroine in this enduring tale of love lost. 100 mins. (1994) DVD-All-Region. Giselle, Count Albrecht Danced by Vladimir Malakhov DVD Video |
The Glory of The Bolshoi DVD Video 
During the Bolshoi Ballet’s first tours abroad in the mid-20th century, Western audiences were brought to their feet by the Bolshoi style – thrilling athleticism that never lost the essential beauty of the dance. Five years research in Russia’s archives has unearthed fascinating footage, much of it never before available in the West, of many of the company’s great dancers. Natalia Bessmertnova, Vakhtang Chaboukiani, Ekaterina Geltzer, Musa Gottlieb, Pyotr Gusev, Mikhail Lavrovsky, Olga Lepeshinskaya, Maris Liepa, Ekaterina Maximova, Asaf Messerer, Irek Mukhamedov, Maya Plisetskaya, Marina Semenova, Vasili Tikhomirov, Galina Ulanova, Vladimir Vasiliev. 96 mins. (1995/2005) DVD-Region 1. The Glory of The Bolshoi DVD Video |
The Glory of The Kirov DVD Video 
From the early days of this century, the Maryinsky Ballet, later the Kirov, dazzled audiences with the beauty of the dance. Five years research in Russia’s archives has unearthed fascinating footage, much of it never before available in the West, of many of the company’s great dancers. Mikhail Baryshnikov, Boris Bregvadze, Nikita Dolgushin, Natalia Dudinskaya, Tamara Karsavina, Irina Kolpakova, Gabriela Komleva, Ninel Kurgapkina, Natalia Makarova, Rudolf Nureyev, Olga Moiseyeva, Alla Osipenko, Vladilen Semenov, Konstantin Sergeyev, Alla Sizova, Galana Ulanova, Sergei Vikulov. 90 mins. (1995/2005) DVD-Region 1. The Glory of The Kirov DVD Video |
Great Pas de Deux DVD Video 
This superb collection of stunning pas de deux, from many of the best-loved classical ballets, features some of the most celebrated partnerships of recent times, including Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in a convert performance from Le Corsaire. 91 mins. (1995) DVD-Region 1. Great Pas de Deux DVD Video |
Highlights from Glyndebourne DVD Video 
Glyndebourne Festival Opera is feted worldwide. Situated in the heart of some of England’s loveliest countryside, it is a perfect setting for combining operatic excellence with a unique sense of occasion. Glyndebourne excels in the production of pieces that are enhanced by the intimate setting of its auditorium, as evidenced here in extracts from works by Rossini, Gluck, Bizet, Mozart and Monteverdi. 59 mins. (2007) DVD-Region 1. Highlights from Glyndebourne DVD Video |
Highlights From The Royal Ballet DVD Video 
Starring: Anthony Dowell, Lesley Collier, Alessandra Ferri. Features stunning performances from one of the world's leading ballet companies. This wonderful compilation showcases the talent of Anthony Dowell, Leslie Collier, Wayne Eagling, Alessandra Ferri and many others in excerpts from The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Manon, and La Fille Mal Gardee. (1999) DVD-Region 1. Highlights From The Royal Ballet DVD Video |
Kirov Celebrates Nijinsky DVD Video 
Mikhail Fokine was Diaghilev’s chief choreographer 1909-14 and he is considered to have been the creator of modern dance. This sparkling Russian gala features four Fokine ballets, all associated with Nijinsky. Recorded live from the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, the Kirov Ballet brings to life, once again, the full glory of the Ballets Russes. Featuring Sheherazade, Le Spectre de la Rose, The Polovtsian Dances, and The Firebird. 110 mins. (2005) DVD-Region 1. Kirov Celebrates Nijinsky DVD Video |
La Belle - Monte Carlo DVD Video 
Starring: Bernice Coppieters, Chris Roelandt. Conductor: Valery Gergiev, Claudio Abbado. Choreographer: Jean-Christopher Maillot. Composer: Tchaikovsky. With La Belle, Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot has tried to revive the essence of the original fairy tale of The Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault. The original story is in fact a barely concealed allegory of carnal lust deferred in which "the sleeping beauty" retains her chastity until her one true love finds her. 87 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. La Belle - Monte Carlo DVD Video |
La Fille Mal Gardee DVD Video 
Starring Lesley Collier and Michael Coleman. Frederick Ashton's delightful ballet has proved irresistible to audiences of all ages and The Royal Ballet's production has immediate appeal for newcomers to ballet as well as for those who return time and again to enjoy its lyrical comedy. 100 mins. (2005) DVD-All-Region. La Fille Mal Gardee DVD Video |
Le Corsaire DVD Video 
Magnificent scenic effects and dramatic choreography have ensured the popularity of Petipa’s exotic ballet Le Corsaire, a story of pirates and shipwreck, set on the Ionian coast. This production features Altynai Asylmuratova and Faroukh Ruzimatov who give exuberant and extroverted performances. "…the leading dancers were little short of sensational". 85 mins. (2005) DVD-Region 1. Le Corsaire DVD Video |
Manon - The Royal Ballet DVD Video 
The love story of Manon Lescaut and the Chevalier des Grieux is a lyric tragedy of innocence corrupted in the pleasure-seeking world of Paris in the early 18th century. The several pas de deux are among the highlights of Manon, and in them Kenneth MacMillan charts the downfall of the lovers, from the first impassioned effusions of feeling to the desperate flare of the third act when Manon's emotions burn high like the last glittering candle. Starring Jennifer Penney and Anthony Dowell, with David Wall, Derek Rencher and Monica Mason. 112 mins. (2004) DVD-Region 1. Manon - The Royal Ballet DVD Video |
Manon - The Australian Ballet DVD Video 
Conductor: Noel Smith. Choreographer and Composer: Sir Kenneth MacMillan. This highly-rated production of Manon by The Australian Ballet was recorded live at the Adelaide Festival in 1995 and features premier dancers Justine Summers, Steven Heathcote, Nigel Burley, Jonathan Kelly, Lynette Wills and Paul De Masson. In 18th century Paris, Manon, a captivating young woman, falls passionately in love with a penniless student, des Grieux. Manipulated by her avaricious brother, she makes a fatal decision to shun her true love and exploit the pleasures of wealth. Des Grieux, a victim of Manon’s desires and depravity, sacrifices everything to follow her to a tragic end. 110 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. Manon - The Australian Ballet DVD Video |
Mayerling DVD Video 
Choreographer: Kenneth MacMillian. Designer: Nicholas Georgiadis. Scenario: Gillian Freeman. Stage Lighting: John B. Read. Staging: Monica Mason. Music: Franz Liszt. Arrangement: John Lanchbery. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth. The Orchestra of The Royal Opera House – Leader: John Brown. Cast: Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary: Irek Mukhamedov. Baroness Mary Vetsera: Viviana Durante. Countess Marie Larisch: Lesley Collier. Mitzi Caspar: Darcey Bussell. Princess Stephanie: Jane Burn. Empress Elisabeth: Nicola Tranah. Bratfisch: Matthew Hart. Mitzi Caspar: Darcey Bussell. Four Hungarian Officers: Stuart Cassidy, Adam Cooper, Errol Pickford, William Trevitt. Artists of The Royal Ballet – Executive Producer: Revel Guest. Producers: Stephany Marks and Jane Pleydell-Bouverie. Director: Derek Bailey. 135 mins. (1994) DVD-All-Region. Mayerling DVD Video |
Miniatures - Monte Carlo DVD Video 
Choreographer: Jean-Christopher Maillot. Composer: Cera, Lazkano. A series of seven choreographic displays explores the richness of human relations. Seven original music compositions, written for the 20th Anniversary of the Printemps des Arts have been selected by Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot. 70 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. Miniatures - Monte Carlo DVD Video |
Napoli - Danish Royal Ballet DVD Video 
Starring: Arne Villumsen and Mona Jessen. Conductor: Peter Ernst Lassen. Choreographer and Composer: August Bournonville. The dramatic tradition of the remarkable dancer and choreographer, August Bournonville, is the keystone of the continuing excellence of the Royal Danish Ballet, and Napoli is his happiest masterpiece. Persuaded by his friend Hans Christian Andersen to travel to Italy, Bournonville was inspired by his stay in Naples to create this romantic ballet, which tells the story of the young fisherman Gennaro and his beloved Teresina. 97 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. Napoli - Danish Royal Ballet DVD Video |
Natasha: Nataila Makarova DVD Video 
Natalia Makarova is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest ballerinas of our age. The content of this television spectacular was chosen to show off the astonishing range and artistry of this uniquely gifted dancer. Some of Makarova's most acclaimed interpretations, including Natalya Petrovna in Ashton's A Month in the Country and Juliet in MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet, are featured in this recording alongside dances created especially for her. 65 mins. (2007) DVD-Region 1. Natasha: Nataila Makarova DVD Video |
Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker DVD Video 
Tchaikovsky’s much-loved score and Olivier award winning designer Anthony Ward’s stunning sets and costumes with sizzling choreography. Promising a fresh serving of the traditional Christmas fare, Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! is a delightful feast for all of the family. 88 mins. (2005) DVD-All-Region. Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker DVD Video |
The Nutcracker, Rudolf Nureyev, Merle Park, Royal Opera House DVD Video 
Starring: Rudolf Nureyev, Merle Park, Royal Opera House. This historic performance from 1968 captures Rudolf Nureyev at the peak of his career. Nureyev’s legendary performance makes this the definitive Nutcracker on video. Also features Merle Park as Clara with Artists of the Royal Ballet, London. Watch, and enjoy being transported with Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairies and the Nutcracker Prince into a world of fantasy! DVD digitally re-mastered. 100 mins. DVD-All-Region. The Nutcracker, Rudolf Nureyev, Merle Park, Royal Opera House DVD Video |
The Nutcracker, Lesley Collier, Anthony Dowell DVD Video 
Starring: Lesley Collier, Anthony Dowell, Covent Garden. Fantasy and magic are the essential ingredients of The Nutcracker, and Tchaikovsky’s imaginative score helps bring to life the fantasy world of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s enchanting story of The Nutcracker and The Mouse King. Gennady Rozhdestvensky is the guest conductor who…”drew ravishing playing from this most ravishing of Tchaikovsky’s ballet scores.” (Guardian) Though the original scenario for The Nutcracker was considered to be fatally flawed, this magical work has survived to become one of the firmest favorites in the ballet repertory. This new production by Artistic Director of Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, Peter Wright, with the help of Tchaikovsky ballet expert, Roland John Wiley, attempts to rescue from far-flung archives surviving evidence of the original Ivanov/Sergueyev staging, combined with some captivating modern stage effects. 192 mins. (1985) DVD-Region 1. The Nutcracker, Lesley Collier, Anthony Dowell DVD Video |
Lar Lubovitch's Othello DVd Video 
Modern dance master Lar Lubovitch has created a vibrant new interpretation of Shakespeare's classic tale of passion and jealousy, ambition and betrayal, with his dance in three acts. A compelling synthesis of classical and modern movement, Lubovitch's original choreography is complimented by a powerful score by Academy Award-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal (Frida) heightening the emotional volitility of the central characters as the ballet's tragedy unfolds. Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as "a major new chapter in American ballet as well as a spectacular addition to the international repertory," the San Francisco Ballet's production features Desmond Richardson as Othello, Yuan Yuan Tan as Desdemona and Parrish Maynard as the treacherous Iago. 84 mins. (2003) DVD-Region 1. Lar Lubovitch's Othello DVD Video |
Picasso and Dance - Le Train Bleu - Le Tricorne DVD Video 
Starring: Élisabeth Maurin and Kader Belarbi. Composer: Milhaud De Falla. Conductor: David Coleman. Between 1917 and 1962, Picasso was involved in creating the designs for nine ballets. Le Train Bleu dates from 1924 and Le Tricorne from 1919. These two historic ballets, created originally by Sergei Diaghilev, have been revived by the Paris Opera Ballet. 81 mins. (2005) DVD-Region 1. Picasso and Dance - Le Train Bleu - Le Tricorne DVD Video |
Prince of Pagados DVD Video 
Sir Kenneth MacMillan's glorious version of The Prince of the Pagodas provides a fascinating and magnificent spectacle of classical dance on the grandest scale. Nicholas Georgiadis' enchanting designs complement Britten's only ballet score by establishing a fairy tale ambience, and Darcey Bussell produces a dazzling performance as Princess Rose. "The principal players are magnificent. A grand achievement" - The Financial Times. 194 mins. (2005) DVD-Region 1. Prince of Pagados DVD Video |
Pulcinella and Soldat - Rambert Dance Company DVD Video 
Starring: Christopher Carney and Amanda Britton. Composer: Stravinsky. Conductor: Brian Wright and Roger Heaton. The original version of Pulcinella was choreographed by Massine with designs by Picasso in 1920. Like the original, Richard Alston's greatly-admired version of the complicated love-story has a Neapolitan setting and is based on traditional Commedia dell'Arte characters. British choreographer, Ashley Page, used the suite from Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat for his ballet, Soldat - the traditional folk tale of the soldier and the devil in a battle of wits for the soldier's soul. 65 mins. (2005) DVD-Region 1. Pulcinella and Soldat - Rambert Dance Company DVD Video |
Raymonda - The Bolshoi Ballet In Moscow DVD Video 
This glorious three-act ballet boasts a magical score by Alexander Glazunov, filled with melody, color and grand effects. ACT 1 – Ludmila Semenyaka is magnificent as the youthful, charming Raymonda, niece to the Countess Sybil de Daurice of France. Raymonda is engaged to the gallant knight Jean de Brienne, who is superbly portrayed by Irek Moukhamedov. Because he must immediately depart on a campaign with King Andrei II of Hungary, the youth comes to the castle to bring his fiancée gifts and to bid her farewell. That night as Raymonda muses on her beloved, a statue of the White Lady, patroness of the House of Daurice, appears in a vision. She beckons the girl to the Magic Garden of Dreams, where Jean awaits her. But the apparition suddenly disappears, and in Jean’s place there is an unknown, exotic Eastern knight, who makes a passionate declaration of love to the bewildered Raymonda, when she faints, the knight vanishes. As dawn breaks, Raymonda awakens in the belief that her dream has been a terrible omen of her destiny. ACT II – A celebration is underway at the castle. Among the guests is the Saracen knight Abderakhaman, performed by the electrifying Gedeminas Tarands. In him the terrified Raymonda recognizes the mysterious stranger she saw in her dream. Though he promises to give her riches and power in return for her heart and hand, she rejects. Him. Aberakham tries to abduct Raymonda. Unexpectedly however, Jean and the other knights return from their mission. To resolve the differences between Jean and Abderakham, King Andrei proposes a duel of honor. Aberakhman is defeated and Jean reclaims the overjoyed Raymonda. ACT III – Raymonda and Jean are marries at the court of King Andrei. In honor of the monarch, Hungarian dances are performed during the wedding festivities. 146 mins. (1980) DVD-All-Region. Raymonda - The Bolshoi Ballet In Moscow DVD Video |
Romeo and Juliet - The Royal Ballet, Alessandra Ferri, Wayne Eagling DVD Video 
Starring: Alessandra Ferri, Wayne Eagling. Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet has long been one of the greatest successes in The Royal Ballet repertoire, winning worldwide acclaim as an impassioned and thrilling view of Shakespeare's tragedy and of Prokofiev's glorious score. His sensual choreography poignantly captures the conflict between blossoming love and cankerous revenge. 130 mins. (2005) DVD-Region 1. Romeo and Juliet - The Royal Ballet, Alessandra Ferri, Wayne Eagling DVD Video |
Romeo and Juliet - The Royal Ballet, Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev DVD Video 
This film is the fames Royal Ballet production of Romeo and Juliet. This historical performance stars Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev as the quintessential stage lovers. It captures the greatest dance partnership of our century at the peak of their careers. Fonteyn and Nureyev’s performance has been critically hailed as “perfection of movement which epitomizes the freedom that lies beyond technical mastery. It expresses itself as poetic lyricism.” Romeo and Juliet features the music of Serge Prokofiev; a work which has been recognized as the first great full-length ballet score since Tchaikowsky’s classics. The choreography of Kenneth MacMillan is acknowledged as the reason for the ballet’s successful transfer to the film medium. John Lanchbery conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. It is a film for lovers of ballet and romantics alike. 125 mins. (1966) DVD-All-Region. Romeo and Juliet - The Royal Ballet, Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev DVD Video |
Romeo et Juliette - Monte Carlo DVD Video 
Starring: Bernice Coppieters, Chris Roelandt. Conductor: Valery Gergiev. Choreographer: Jean-Christopher Maillot. Composer: Sergei Prokofiev. Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot's version of Romeo et Juliette downplays the social and political ramifications that most 20th century choreographers have interpreted in Shakespeare's play and concentrates on the emotional violence inherent in adolescent sexuality. 152 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. Romeo et Juliette - Monte Carlo DVD Video |
Romeo and Juliet - Paris Opera Ballet DVD Video 
Ballet in three acts after William Shakespeare. Paris Opera Ballet. Music – Sergei Prokofiev. Juliet: Moniquie Loudieres. Romeo: Manuel Legris. Tybalt: Charles Jude. Mercutio: Lionel Delanoe. Orchestre De L’Opera National De Paris conducted by Vello Pahn. Choreography and Staging: Rudolf Nureyev. Set Design: Ezio Frigerio. Costume Design: Ezio Frigerio and Mauro Pagano. Lighting Design: Vinicio Cheli. Directed by Alexandre Tarta. Produced by Francois Duplat and Damien Mathieu. “One again the Paris Opera Ballet offers one of the most beautiful performances you could ever hope to see…very moving… Shakespeare is well served!” Le Parisien. “…a splendid recreation, totally faithful to Nureyev, this Romeo and Juliet is one of the great events of the year” Le Figaro. 150 mins. (2000) DVD-Region 1 Romeo and Juliet - Paris Opera Ballet DVD Video |
Russian Ballet Highlights DVD Video 
Russian Ballet Highlights features Russia’s two most celebrated ballet companies, the Bolshoi and the Kirov, in extracts from five of the great ballets in their classical repertoire. Recorded in Moscow and St Petersburg, these performances show off, to the full, the skill of the Russian dancers and the magnificence of their productions. 58 mins. (2007) DVD-Region 1. Russian Ballet Highlights DVD Video |
Sleeping Beauty - Classic Motion Picture With The Kirov Ballet DVD Video 
The Kirov Ballet performs this beautiful ballet in this classic color motion picture from 1965. This is based on the original choreography by Marius Petipa starring ballerina Alla Sizova as Princess Aurora. 84 mins. (2007) DVD-All-Region. Sleeping Beauty - Classic Motion Picture With The Kirov Ballet DVD Video |
The Sleeping Beauty, Aurelie Dupont, Manuel Legris, Vincent Cordier, Nathalie Quernet DVD Video 
Starring: Aurelie Dupont, Manuel Legris, Vincent Cordier, Nathalie Quernet. Conductor: David Coleman. Choreographer: Rudolf Nureyev. Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The Sleeping Beauty remains, as Rudolf Nureyev often called it, the ‘ballet of ballets’. It is the most accomplished and the most brilliant, as well as one of the most spectacular of the 19th century, and the most representative of the ‘noble’ style of classical dancing. Rudolf Nureyev's version, which he created for the Opera Ballet in 1989, was recorded at the Opéra Bastille in 1999, in a new production (sets and costumes) created by his faithful collaborators, Ezio Frigerio and Franca Squarciapino, who had already produced Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and La Bayadère. 148 mins. (2006) DVD-Region 1. The Sleeping Beauty, Aurelie Dupont, Manuel Legris, Vincent Cordier, Nathalie Quernet DVD Video |
The Sleeping Beauty - The Royal Ballet DVD Video 
Ballet in a prologue and three acts. Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Choreography: Marius Petipa. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House – Leader: Vasko Vassilev. Producer: Anthony Dowell. Designer: Maria Bjornson. Stage Lighting: Pat Collins. Cast – Princess Aurora: Viviana Durante. Prince Florimund: Zoltan Solymosi. Carabosse: Anthony Dowell. The Lilac Fairy: Benazir Hussein. King Florestan: William Tuckett. The Queen: Elizabeth MCGorian. Court Chamberlain Cattalabutte: David Drew. Artists of the Royal Ballet. Executive Producer: Revel Guest. Producer: Jane Pleydell-Bouverie. Director: Colin Nears. 132 mins. (1994) DVD-All-Region. The Sleeping Beauty - The Royal Ballet DVD Video |
The Sleeping Beauty, Fernando Bujones DVD Video 
Fernando Bujones, principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, performs the much beloved “Sleeping Beauty” as the guest artist of the Ballet del Teatro Municipal. The program was recorded during a live performance March 29, 1982, at the 125th anniversary performance of the magnificent Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Chile. The company of 60 dancers, under the Artistic Direction of Mr. Ivan Nagy, is an impressive classical company of outstanding artistic level. The beautiful sets and costumes were designed by Carlos Carvalho, one of the best contemporary designers. This production recreates as faithfully as possible the version staged by Nicholas Sergeyev for London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre, premiered in 1939 by Margot Fonteyn and Robert Helpman. 120 mins. (1982/2006) DVD-Region 1. The Sleeping Beauty DVD Video |
Swan Lake, Nina Ananiashvili DVD Video 
Composer: Minkus. Conductor: Aleksandr Sotnikov. Ballet superstar Nina Ananiashvili makes her full-length ballet video debut with the Russian State Perm Ballet in the best loved of all classical ballets, Swan Lake. Nina Ananiashvili has been hailed as one of the most talented prima ballerinas to emerge in recent years. Her superb technique makes her portrayal of the dual role of Odette/Odile a major ballet event not to be missed by dance lovers. This historic production of Swan Lake, also starring the great Russian dancer Aleksei Fadeyetchev, was filmed during a performance commemorating the centennial of the composer Tchaikovsky’s death. This new production of the world’s favorite ballet, starring one of today’s greatest young dancers is a performance which will be cherished by children and ballet enthusiasts of all ages. 132 mins. (1992/2005) DVD-All-Region. Swan Lake, Nina Ananiashvili DVD Video |
Swan Lake - The Kirov Ballet, Yulia Makhalina and Igor Zelensky DVD Video 
Starring: Yulia Makhalina and Igor Zelensky. Conductor: Viktor Fedotov. Composer: Tchaikovski. This classic Kirov production of Swan Lake by Oleg Vinogradov includes the familiar happy ending in the final act, where Siegfried fights and ultimately defeats the evil magician, von Rothbart, and at dawn is reunited with Odette. 115 mins (2006) DVD-Region 1. Swan Lake - The Kirov Ballet, Yulia Makhalina and Igor Zelensky DVD Video |
Swan Lake - The Kirov Ballet, Galina Mezentseva DVD Video 
Regarded as the greatest of all the classical ballets, this spectacular production was filmed live in Russia at the Maryinsky Theater featuring the Kirov Ballet. Tchaikovsky's score, the first in his trimvirate of ballets, is the perfect compliment to this masterpiece, the greatest romantic ballet of all-time. Prima ballerina Galina Mezentseva gives a memorable in the dual role of Odette/Odile, and Konstatin Zalinsky portrays Prince Siegfried. Choreography by Lev Ivanovich Ivanov and Marius Petipa. 144 mins. (1992) DVD-All-Region. Swan Lake - The Kirov Ballet, Galina Mezentseva DVD Video |
Swan Lake - The Royal Ballet DVD Video 
It is difficult to believe today that Swan Lake was a failure on its first production in 1877 and was not a success until the Petipa/Ivanov version of 1895. Today it is regarded as one of the greatest works in the art of ballet. The magic of Tchaikovsky’s music, embodying the love of Prince Siegfried for the enchanted Swan Queen has greatly contributed to making this the best loved of all classical ballets. This production, with designs by the late Leslie Hurry, stars Natalia Makarova as Odette-Odile and Anthony Dowell as Prince Siegfried. Prince Siegfried celebrates his twenty-first birthday; his mother tells him it is time to marry but he prefers to go hunting. Alone, by a lakeside, he sees a swan who turns to human form. She is an enchanted princess who can be saved only by true love. He promises this, but is tricked by the wicked magician who disguises his own daughter as the swan-maiden. In despair, Siegfried and the swan-maiden leap to death together and their sacrifice destroys the evil power. 137 mins. (1982) DVD-Region 1. Swan Lake - The Royal Ballet DVD Video |
Trilogy of Ballet: A Bolshoi Collection DVD Video 
Originally founded in 1773, the Bolshoi Ballet is one of the world's most renowned dance companies. Famous for its dramatic performances, the company has become a symbol of excellence in the classical Russian tradition and gained a nearly mythical reputation in the West. This stunning collection presents three classic ballets by some of the Bolshoi Ballet's most legendary stars. Includes: Romeo and Juliet, starring Natalia Bessmertnova and Mikhail Lavorosky, Giselle, also starring Natalia Bessmertnova and Mikhail Lavrosky, and The Nutcracker, with Vladimir Vasiliev and Yekaterina Maximova (in the first act) and Vyacheslav Gordeyev and Nadia Pavlova starring in the second act. 280 mins. (2004) DVD-All Region. Trilogy of Ballet: A Bolshoi Collection DVD Video |
William Forsythe: From A Classical Position - Just Dancing Around DVD Video 
William Forsythe's research into ways of engendering and organizing movement has led him to pursue counterpoint, proprioperception, entrainment, and authenticity for organizational principles that also allow improvisation. Artistic director and choreographer of the Ballet Frankfurt and himself trained in ballet, Forsythe shows an appreciation of and often a critical engagement with classical dance, transforming and revitalizing it. When he works collaboratively, Forsythe challenges the traditional distinction between choreographer and dancer, thus questioning hierarchy, authorship and disciplinary boundaries. 78 mins. (2007) DVD-Region 1. William Forsythe: From A Classical Position - Just Dancing Around DVD Video |
World's Young Ballet: Mikhail Baryshnikov DVD Video 
This fascinating look at world of international ballet competitions features a young Mikhail Baryshnikov competing and winning in Moscow in 1969. The Moscow International Competition of Ballet Artists at the Bolshoi Theater attracts young dancers from around the world to compete for gold and silver medals, much like the Olympics. In this acclaimed film of the 1969 Competition, Baryshnikov performs an excerpt from La Bayadere and a solo from an original ballet by Leonid Jakobson entitled Vestris. Also featured in this historic documentary is a young Ludmila Semenyaka performing a scene from Act III of Giselle. 71 mins. (2007) DVD-All-Region. World's Young Ballet: Mikhail Baryshnikov DVD Video |
Zizi Jeanmaire Dances Roland Petit DVD Video 
Prima ballerina Zizi Jeanmaire performs the works of world-renowned choreographer/dancer Roland Petit and delivers an emotional and passionate tribute to the acclaimed artist. This magnificent program contains three dance pieces, shot on film, that showcase the superlative Zizi Jeanmaire along with ballet greats Rudolf Nureyev, Dirk Sanders, and the one and only Roland Petit. Carmen: Carmen is the historical ballet that marks the debut of Roland Petit as a choreographer and the dancing debut of prima ballerina Zizi Jeanmaire. In an erotic and emotionally charged performance, Jeanmaire and Petit take on the roles of the fatal lovers, and deliver an astounding performance. Le Jeune Homme Et La Mort (The Young Man and The Death): Jeanmaire is joined by dance legend Rudolf Nureyev in what has become a cult repertoire ballet-the quintessential result of the prolific reunion between Jean Cocteau and Roland Petit. Le Croqueuse de Diamants (The Gold Digger): This rare historical ballet marks Roland Petit's foray into the world of musical comedy. Jeanmaire sings and dances in the role of the Gold Digger and is teamed with dance great Dirk Sanders. 80 mins. (2005) DVD-All Region. Zizi Jeanmaire Dances Roland Petit DVD Video |
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