From memory, The Royal Ballet performs around 120-130 times in the season which includes the Christmas shows.

When I try to book tickets for a show and find that it's sold out, I usually tell them that I'm delighted at the success. You're right, LMC, full houses are very good news for the dance community, even if it does mean dosappointments for some of us.

She was always scheduled to perform the Saturday night performance, Feb. 4, and now she and Tiit Helimets will also be performing tonight (Feb. 3). I just got the information by phone and also checked the casting page at sfballet.org. The person I spoke to said it was due to illness (whose, I don't know), but the Sunday matinee will still be LeBlanc/Garcia.

I saw Yuan Yuan Tan and Tiit Helimets Saturday night, and enjoyed the performance immensely. I'd never seen Tan in Swan Lake, and was surprised by her performance as Odile. I was expecting her to be very beautiful as Odette, but I'd never seen her as scintillating as she was as Odile.

I was quite taken with Helimets as soon as he stepped onstage -- he has such a beautiful, princely bearing! He's definitely an Apollonian dancer with a strong technique, beautiful style and understated assurance. He and Tan look very good together.

Thanks for the feedback, djb. It's super to hear that his debut in an evening length work went well. In my interview with him, Helimets said that he enjoyed partnering Asta Bazeviciute from Lithuania, especially as she was Vaganova trained, like him. Any idea what style of training Yuan Yuan Tan enjoyed?

Here is the link to my interview:

http://www.ballet-dance.com/200401/arti ... 31000.html

In answer to your question, Stuart, here's a little clip of an article from Dance Magazine about dancers' heros:

Thanks djb, that's very helpful. Can anyone tell us about Vaganova partnering and differences from other schools?

Here's what Tiit told me:

Thanks, djb, for the excerpt from Yuan Yuan Tan on her training; I had never seen it and found it extremely interesting. I'm glad you were able to see her and Tiit Helimets perform together in Swan Lake. I agree completely with your assessment of him. Stuart, thanks for posting your fine interview; it was the perfect complement to a "Meet the Artist" live interview of him by Cecelia Beam before last Sunday's performance of Swan Lake at the SF Opera House. He was completely charming, especially when he gave his personal philosophy on partnering: you must really care for your partner, he said, love her, make sacrifices for her so she will be comfortable and beautiful. Good advice for all of us!

The part of the discussion that deals with performance schedules and suitable venues has been moved to Managing Dance. Click on the blue letters to go there.

Please feel free to continue discussing SFB here.

Jeffrey E. Salzberg,
Executive Editor
criticaldance Forum

Excuse my tardiness as I try to catch up in between cross-country travels. I saw the opening night of SL way back on Jan 28 and was for the most part reminded of my satisfaction with Tomasson's classical reinterpretation of this otherwise traditional story ballet. His choreography is fast-paced and moves the action along without inducing lengthy periods of boredom as some SL productions are prone to doing.

I enjoyed LeBlanc and Garcia tremendously in the lead roles but Damian Smith must be the most chic and stylish Van Rothbart I have seen in spite of the -- to my eyes -- overly excessive scenery chewing choreography for his character in Act III Scene II which was the only complaint I had.

I was also thrilled to see the Martin brothers in the Spanish Dance.