It is not only compulsive - it is also depressing.....<P>Natalia Makarova also says in her autobiography (which is full of gorgeous pictures) that she, too, took this unauthorized tour around the stage while doing her fouettes.<P>Another resolution:<P>I RESOLVE not to check to see if the ballerina is still smiling whilst doing those fouettes - or has it been replaced by that look of grim determination on her face.......<P>Galina Panov was the only one I have ever seen do fouettes, every fourth one a double, and changing direciton AND SMILING!!!

i try to avert my eyes during the fouettés...as during awful parts of movies... (sometimes that's a necessary kindness to the dancer, anyway!)

I FIRMLY RESOLVE:<P>not to blame my keyboard for my typos.<P>not to tell myself - well, it's in the refrigerator - so I might as well eat it, when I shouldn't have bought it in the first place.<BR>

"Galina Panov was the only one I have ever seen do fouettes, every fourth one a double, and changing direciton AND SMILING!!!"<P>AAAAAHHHH!!! That's wiiiild.<P><p>[This message has been edited by Priscilla (edited January 02, 2001).]

Priscilla - I had the great good fortune to be in class with Valery and Galina Panov - I watched her rehearse those fouettes (she needed no rehearsal !!).<P>Then I got to see her perform them on stage - and she even ENCORED THEM!!!<P>I also have a tape of her doing them in the Grand Pas de Deux - Nutcracker with Valery at Wolf Trap Farm Park - where again she encored them. It is without doubt to me the most beautiful grand PDD of Nutcracker I have ever seen - with stunning lifts - high over the head off balance lifts. Or course, being married he didn't dare drop her.<P>Talk about smiling through your fouettes!!

I must be some kinda dunce. I've never counted those fouettes. But -- I always focus on whether she's moving from her starting point. So that's MY hang-up. <P>And one more thing -- after watching Brian Boitano's holiday ice show over New Year's weekend, I am more resolved than ever to strive for arms and back that resemble those of the divine Dorothy Hamill -- the most glorious upper body in figure skating, bar none (not that anything is wrong with the lower part either -- still the most enviable layback position of all). <P>[This message has been edited by Christina (edited January 02, 2001).]<p>[This message has been edited by Christina (edited January 02, 2001).]

On the days that I have trouble counting past 8 - and I need to count those fouettes - I just count to 8 four times......we are brutal aren't we?<P>Well - I, <BIG>FIRMLY,</BIG> RESOLVE to not be so brutal this coming year....<p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited January 02, 2001).]

Well, now that we are well into the new year, how many of these resolutions have come to fruition I wonder...

I have not been brutal this year.....I haven't counted anyone's fouettés...<P>What was the question?