It must be nice for a Company like SFB to come to London for the first time and to face ballet lovers who do not have preconceptions about them. It's early days, but the audience reaction to the Gala was very enthusiastic and rightly so. <P>To date only a couple or reviews of the Gala evening have appeared in the Press and only Debra Craine's is on the net. Both have been raves and Craine's view can be summed up in her sentence,<P>'But the extraordinary array of talent on display was enough to show that San Francisco deserves to be the envy of the ballet world.'<P>Here is the URL of the full article, <A HREF="http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/99/10/27/timartdan03001.html?1376249" TARGET=_blank>http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/99/10/27/timartdan03001.html?1376249</A> <P>I am going to see the Triple Bill tonight and will post further reviews as they appear.<P>Well done SFB - Sunday League div 6, Regional, National, International, Masters of the Universe? In the immortal words of Clark Gable, 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.'<P>

There's a good thread on ballet.co on the SFB performances. I recommend everyone check it out.<P>I still find it interesting that David Palmer is rarely mentioned in reviews or comments. I'm not trying to be a "homer" b/c David's a pal, but I find it odd that he does not get a word either positive or negative in his performance of the Cage. This is based solely on the ballet.co thread and maybe I click on the link Stuart provided and be proven wrong.<P>Let's see!

Shag, a brief word to say that David Palmer and Vanessa Zahorian were a knock-out in 'Two Bits' by Tomasson in the Gala. David was assured and dramatic and danced with fire in this exciting morsel. <P>Er..., you haven't got Vanessa's phone number by any chance? Just to talk technical ballet stuff you understand.

Stuart, I too am in love with Ms. Zahorian! Oh, oh, I hope the SFB people aren't reading this. If I had her number, I would not give it to you...<P>She has just simply wonderful presence on stage. You should have seen her in Theme and Variations, last season, when she was still only a Corps member. Amazingly calm, sweet and majestic. BTW, she's a product of the Kirov school.<P>Now, Palmer is a different sort of dancer. I like him too though. Shag, you're right in that he doesn't get much attention in the press. I suppose with so many principal dancers, the critics can only zero in on a few of their favorites who fit their idea of a danseur noble.<P>Stuart, please do post your views on the triple bill. I'd be interested to see how Londoners' react to Mark Morris' Sandpaper Ballet.

In short, London loved 'Sandpaper Ballet' as they have everything by SFB. It would be hard not to. On Wednesday it got about 7 curtain calls which is very unusual for restrained English folk.<P>Mr. Morris was around afterwards and,understandably, was pleased more than somewhat at the reception of his brilliant, playful ballet.

Morris is a loopy guy and Sandpaper Ballet is a loopy work. The build-up with the zany "overture" followed by the "shock" of the lime green costume as the curtain rises sets the audience up to be in a silly mood.<P>I am happy to hear that London loved it and I am eagerly waiting for SFB to do it again in SF in May.