I'm no dancing expert, but is going on at 4:10-4:12. She comes to a dead stop and poses and he has to adjust to lift her. Maybe if she gave some momentum it would help.
That part which you time-stamped was truly awkward for her partner and for the audience. But for the people who disliked her "facials", she does seem to have nicely arched feet.
If you want to compare a Russian ballerina in Don Quixote, looking light as a feather, and she is not even principal dancer but first soloist: ua-cam.com/video/e7DDG0Fy1sU/v-deo.html
@@sawong8685I believe she started pointe within a year or two of starting ballet and quite late (13) at that. She may not be technically perfect but she does have some great feet and she’s continuing to improve with age
To be fair, the Royal Ballet choreography for the adagio and the ballerina variation seems to be mostly by Ivanov. Alicia Markova, for whom Nicholas Sergeyev first reconstructed the original Sugar Plum pas de deux in the West, danced and taught a very similar version.
I'll give you the name of an incredible black ballerina: Aesha Ash. You can watch her in Center Stage, the movie. I also love Michaela DePrince and Precious Adams. Misty's success is only a political matter. Sorry, but she's not that great. She lacks of technic, artistry, musicality and expression. I'm not an hater, I love and respect ballet as one of the most wonderful artform from my childhood. I'm able to recognize an outstanding ballerina when I see her.
And Debra Austin from the Pennsylvania Ballet 30 YEARS AGO! And Arthur Mitchell. And, in a closely related form, the goddess Judith Jamison. Misty does the BLM movement a disservice by using outside manipulation to hold a place that should go to a dancer of color, and there are many, who is actually up to the task rather than hard to watch and severely physically compromised.
@hnel435 Aren't they both dancing in Europe? Perhaps they don't market like that over there. Although, I have heard Copeland has worked very hard to build her brand and that seems to be worth a lot to US companies, so perhaps it might also in Europe, though I doubt it.
Jasmine Perry of the Los Angeles Ballet is also an absolutely gorgeous dancer to watch. Such beautiful technique and artistry. Misty isn't a bad dancer because she's black. She's a bad dancer because her technique is shoddy and her artistry is lacking.
I think all this like hatred toward Copeland is uncalled for. But there is a difference between hatred and criticism. I think the choreography for this version of the PDD is genuinely awful, same can be said about the solos. I love Misty’s message, but I think there are a lot of ballerinas who are far superior to her when it comes to poise and technicality (I.e. Marianela Nuñez, Michaela DePrince, Julie Kent etc). So, I wouldn’t necessarily call this her being “lazy”. I would call this just her not being on the same level as other ABT Principals, such as Gillian Murphy. She’s talented, but she just needs more time to improve. But that’s just my opinion.
NELA THOUGH. I'm usually far more into Russian ballet than anything European or American, but Marianela Nunez is the best, most complete principal dancer in any company anywhere today and I will fight people on this. She's just..... perfection.
*@Chanel_Pearls* - I agree with much of what you say, and I think the hatred comes from young women who didn’t have what it took to be professional dancers and are envious of the attention Copeland gets, when perhaps they are better dancers. Copeland’s problem is that she started serious ballet study way too late, at age 15, and she got caught up in this hype about being the first black dancer in a major American ballet company (which wasn’t true). She doesn’t have any more time to develop at this point, bc she’s unfortunately too old. Her “mother,” the San Francisco Ballet, and ABT were responsible for the big media blitz Copeland had to endure, and should have known better; the NYCB apparently saw the truth of the tale and turned her down for their school. Copeland has benefitted financially, and she has been responsible for her choices from age 25 onward, but the reality is, she was the one who had to stand out on that exalted stage, at the mercy of the NYC critics, pretending she was an ABT principal dancer when she looked like a high school student in a small town giving a recital. I give her straight A’s for guts and desire to live up to the unconscionable role which was dumped on her by people wanting to earn money from the image they created. I also can’t imagine what it must have been like for her to arrive every day to see the quality of dancers all around her for class and rehearsals at ABT. This isn’t Copeland’s fault, but I think it’s a shame someone like Michaela Prince has to dance in Europe rather than the US.... _SHE_ is somebody who is truly deserving of hype....her early history is heartbreaking!
The fact that Misty and Gillian Murphy are in the same company and at the same rank makes me cringe. Gillian Murphy is the greatest American dancer for me, by far
Why is everyone hating on her so much? If you watch, just for example, the bronze idol also not everyone will dance it as Good as angel carillo for example, still they dont get that much hate - shes good, otherwise she wouldnt be a soloist, but shes by far not the best soloist. As to this Piece its a lot due to the choreography and them not are well Setted on each other, which can Happen to the best soloist, besides the 32 fouettes which were a fail the rest of her dancing isnt as Bad as everyone Acts like
I'm sorry to say this because I like Misty Copeland as a person and I think she's a lovely woman. That said, there are many ballerinas with far superior technical and artistic abilities than Misty that should be the principal dancer with the New York ballet. If they must have a black woman because they are PR oriented, then there are other Superior black dancers. It seems that elevating Misty to the principal role is purely public relations and that is sad as artistry, dance, any type of sport or athletics should not be colored by color!
I am just a simple ballet fan. I think it is the most beautiful performance art in the world. While recovering from surgery, I decided I wanted to learn more about it from the ballerinas' perspectives. I am absolutely fascinated by everything they do and go through, from how they prepare their pointe shoes, to what it was like growing up in ballet school, to how they feel performing... mainly just dying to know "What does it feel like to be YOU?", to be able to do something that is so incredibly difficult that it seems impossible (and is for us mere mortals). At first the only ballerina's name I even knew of was Misty Copeland, which says a lot right there. So I did a search for her. All kinds of other videos of other dancers came up, and I ended up watching many other spectacular ballerinas perform (my favorite thus far: Svetlana Zacharova!), before ever even getting around to watching a video of Ms. Copeland, expecting to see something wonderful from her too. Wow. Even to my completely untrained eye, I can see she is not remotely on the same level, skill or artistry wise, as the other great ballerinas I've been watching, which makes it pretty obvious that she was promoted to a principal just for publicity's sake. Which makes no sense really, because I would think most people would be disappointed if they bought a ticket only to go see a subpar performance (I know I would be), and also because I've seen on here that there are many other black ballerinas who would merit being in that position because of their skill level and who would be able to deliver a quality performance! Sorry Ms. Copeland, your story is interesting, I'm not without any admiration for you and I generally don't like to post negative things about people on here, but I feel like you have to already know all of this yourself anyway!
I never realized just how "bad" (or whatever word you want to use..mediocre? Crappy?) Misty is until i spent three hours in UA-cam watching other ballerinas dancing. "Laborious" is a word that comes to my mind when i watch her way of dancing and her technique. Which is a word not suitable for one who wants to be a PB. Anyways, for people telling others not to comment and criticize: People are allowed to tell their opinion. If you like Misty and don't want to read anything negative about her, don't read the comments.
@@kathymyers7279 I don’t care one way or another over this debate about whether she’s good or not. It wouldn’t matter if her name was attached to the lift in this video or another dancer’s, because that lift looked and was so incredibly awkward and unstable. Where many here are adamant about not liking her dancing, I think perhaps you may be prejudiced in the other direction (in her favor) as the issues with it were clear as day. That doesn’t mean you can’t love her or like her dancing, everyone has off days. But in that instance, she did not “nail it” and both she and her partner could have been injured. Except her partner wasn’t at risk of being dropped, but instead risking back injury from having to lift her in an awkward and unstable position. Again, it wouldn’t matter which dancer we’re talking about. If their partner has to lift them in an unstable manner, they risk injury as it’s rather easy to injure one’s back.
Every single video on your channel starts with “lazy Misty Copeland”. You know what they say, those that can’t do, HATE loudly and publicly to any sorry soul who will hear
La Copeland, the dancing diva, was supposed to jump in order to help her partner get the extra momentum to lift her. She didn't. She ran up to him and stopped. Then he had to haul her up like a construction worker. She was in the wrong not her partner.
I never saw a danseur noble have to work so hard to get a girl off the ground! She made no effort as she should have. This girl is a piece of work. How she became a principal dancer is beyond me.
Speaking as someone who has no idea what any of these technical terms me, or who's who in the ballet world, just a casual enjoyer, I didn't much care for Copeland's version. There were parts that seemed oddly fast and rushed, like they had missed their cue or something? But there is one part that I really, really did love, and that's when Copeland was curled in the dancer's arms as he spun her, her cupping his face and smiling with her eyes close. It was just a really evocative for me, and gave me "I'm in love" emotions. I loved that part, didn't really care for anything else.
Omg agreed. I just...idk. Was it simplified to fit the dancers? The male partner did a beautiful on, Misty is beautiful, I enjoy her dancing and what she brings to it, however when I want to watch a PB, I always go to the Russian Ballerinas....and there is no comparison there with technique. Of course Misty has the most beautiful expressions, more heart than the Russians, but they don’t show in their face, they show it in their dance.
I'm sorry that she's not really trying to connect emotionally with her partner. She is dancing with him like he's a coat rack or something, poor guy. I think part of the problem with the performance is: it looks like the bodice of her tutu is going to come off at any second. Like maybe it's safety pinned together. That can't make you feel very confident.
@@janiceeteme5536it's called (for any other dancer who hasn't forced herself into the spotlight, basically threatening Peter Martins behind the scenes) a SUPBAR DANCER who wouldn't even make it out of maybe a cors dancer in a regional company somewhere in Wichita Kansas. That's her quality. Cry cry cry I didn't make it, I'm subpar. But no. It's actually embarrassing. And people will clap like the emperor's new clothes style.
I believe the change in choreo in the beginning of the second pas is a result of being a guest at a different institution. In Ratmansky's Nut, sugar and the cav are older version of Clara and the prince. (This isn't a theory--they spray Clara's hair to match the principle dancer's color, i.e red if its Gillian, to show continuity). Because the beginning is pantomime, it wouldn't match any other story line, the most traditional story line, where Clara and sugar are two separate characters. Since this was performed at a school, I assuming they follow the traditional story line, thus rendering the og Ratmansky opening measure inconsistent. Its not "lazy". Ballet tells a story, and that is all they're trying to do.
I understand what the intention was but you can tell a story without spending like 32 counts just walking around onstage. Its also not just that, the choreography is quite awkward at other parts. Its just too much
Clunk clunk clunk (look at the male’s technique compared to her....it’s so so evident the difference!) He had a hard job with a partner like this. It’s like he’s leading her as a tutor would.
Misty Copeland is inadequate for classical roles. It seems to me she doesn't like what she's doing and wants to get to the end as fast and as effortlessly as possible.
This is not “lazy.” Her technique is GORGEOUS she has beautiful expression and body language. She is a perfect sugarplum fairy, her muscles and athleticism are insane but her grace and ability to dance even thigh the choreo in the incredibly hard and wayyy to fast parts and difficult lifts are incredible. She does amazing her port de bras and strength is incredible!! But, the chrome doesn’t do her justice it’s a bit too much for sugar plum, it’s hard but it’s just really hard for dancers to do, but she does it well!! ❤
Anyone calling her lazy has very clearly never done ballet before. Principles are principles for a reason, and they all dance differently. They are paid and given promotions in their companies to dance just as they do, because that’s what the company was looking for. This comment section is like those for dance mom’s videos; all of a sudden every fan is an expert on “artistry” or “facials” or whatever it is they’re going on about. Jeez.
@@flonoiisana4647 you’re disgusting. How are you not ashamed of yourself? People like you are the reason why I’m keeping my children from pursuing professional ballet.
@@kerrytakashi12 I hate it when they pair light (and very talented male dancers) with her. Like Simkin. That is such a waste of a potentially great performance --- one that I would travel to see with almost any other ballerina. Though now I can see him with Salenko at his new home company, and I think he's just fantastic with her.
@@MariaMaltseva They pair ALL the best male dancers with her. I suppose the AD thinks real ballet fans will spring for a ticket to at least see Simkin, Cornejo etc. in a prime role. I personally won't do it. Which means I'll probably never see Cornejo dance again. Since it seems he no longer wants to dance with Sarah Lane.
@@kerrytakashi12 Well, Simkin did make a run for Berlin, where he can now dance regularly with the fantastic Salenko. That's a pairing of equals. When he was cast with Kochetkova, it just wasn't. She's fantastic compared to Copeland, but gets lost when dancing next to Simkin.
Elle a été nommé principal dancers pour montrer que les danseurs et danseuses de couleur étaient aussi talentueux que les danseurs et danseuses blanches. Mais en ce qui concerne Misty Coppeland, ce n'est pas le cas. Elle est très loin d'une Natalia Osipova, par exemple. Sa danse est lourde, elle manque de dynamisme et est loin d'avoir la grâce des primas ballerinas. Mais le plus pénible à voir, c'est ce porté final, c'en est presque ridicule. On dirait une ascension dans un monte-charge 😱😱😱
She looks like a pre professional dancer in a school performance. She’d never be in the corps of the companies I’ve worked and work for. Nowadays every ballerina even below her ranking has to do at least single single double fouettés and we all know about fouetté gate. She’s barely going on pointe in these performances. Let’s not forget when she was concerned about Princess Florine variation - it was one of the first variations I mastered - I was 11!
Why did you make a Misty vs other ballerinas video? Was it to stir up drama? I know this video is 4 years old but you can’t compare dancers because everyone’s different and nobody is better. Ballet perfection is impossible anyways….. also Misty is such a beautiful star!🌟
I think she does well in this role, what’s “lazy” about it? I don’t think she shines as much in technically demanding roles like Sean lake but this suited her.
Tsiskaridze literally straight out called a Bolshoi principal “darkness”, which is justified with context. I doubt he could even stand watching Copeland for 10 seconds before walking out.
@@clarissaleung4509 Tsiskaridze wouldn't take Copeland's bullshit dancing... watch the "future princes of ballet" documentary to see how he only wants the best dancers in classical ballet.
Oh, what is with all this cruel and vile hatred? Why? What is the matter with people? Some of the comments are so awful, offensive, distasteful and vulgar. I cannot equate the mostly vile comments here with the performance that Misty and Herman gave in the above piece of film. Yes, I have seen film of her when things have not gone well and, yes, the lift in this pas de deux was not good, certainly could do better there (if any of the other ladies in the above film botched the lift in the same way would they be subjected to the same degree of abuse that Misty has been subjected to I wonder), but what was wrong with the rest of the performance? I am so shocked at how vicious many of the comments are that I have watched it four times in a row and I thought it was charming (and I have been working, involved, in the ballet and arts for 50 years including ABT!) Keep the spit and bile out of the comments.
HAHA! THAT was the choreography and it can't be all laid at Copeland's doorstep. She may look awkward but so does every other dancer who does it as well. Ratmansky really should re-choreograph some of the more awkward sections that don't work.
@Laura Streeter He has good ideas but he hasn't learned to direct the audience's eyes yet. In Nutcracker and Whipped Cream, I saw that he just can't resist adding extra. There is too much going on. Personally, it created eye fatigue for me trying to keep up with all that he put on stage.
Yes , they should leave her alone at home and never come back to dance, the best can happens to the ballet world is if she finds a marketing job in the ABT , or doing finance, ANYTHING BUT DANCING !!!, and the classical Ballet can be saved
With competition dancing being popular these days, has classical ballet really evolved that much to include wild lifts and stunts? This is losing the beautiful moments of pause in ballets that spectators love.
First of all Misty's version and the other versions were way different tempos. Misty's was super fast...this choreography is challenging and a bit weird. Hate the pas, love the variation.
I watched both Lane and Boylston perform in Giselle. Lane was great in act 1, but pretty mediocre in act 2. I think she can play a damsel in distress really well, but speed and technicality are not her forte. Isabella, on the other hand, was pretty strong in act 2, but less so in act 1. All have strengths and weaknesses. Not all Giselles can be Carla Fracci level. It's a simple fact, not rocket science. Misty is definitely not a good ballerina. However, all the hatred piled in this thread towards her and others is unreasonable. If she is that bad, don't go watch her. That's it! Sitting here and gossiping is not helping your or Lane's cause.
You seriously think claw hand Boylston was better than Lane in Giselle? You think speed and technical fireworks are what is in the second act of Giselle? You are out of your mind. Bolyston is just as bad as this Copeland character. She has no business being a principal dancer. Lane is one of America's foremost interpreters of Giselle. It's too bad the AD keeps giving nags like Boylston and Copeland more performances of the ballet over Lane.
You don't seem like the sharpest knife in the rack, if that's the deduction you made from my text. I said that neither Lane, nor Boylston were perfect. If you think Lane is the foremost interpreter of Giselle in America, you have no idea what being Giselle entails. But all the vitriol from you actually makes more sense, now that I know how shallow your knowledge is :)
@@cluser9221 That you even mentioned Boylston in the same sentence as Lane is laughable. Lane has been hailed by many knowledgeable dance fans as the best Giselle of recent years. I can attest, I've seen her dance. YOU have no idea what Giselle entails. I bet you think those Cannibal emaciated Russian dancers slowing the music down to corpse speed is what makes a good Giselle.
@@kerrytakashi12 There's zero need to tear apart other dancers. Everyone brings something new and different to the stage. If everyone danced the same way, it would be tremendously boring.
@@lilyophelia1928 It is correct and RIGHT to request a technically accomplished performance from an artist that you are paying to perform. This has nothing to do with criticizing something new. The person in this video cannot dance the required choreography THAT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COMPANY CAN PERFORM WELL. So why was this person promoted? Why are we asking to accept mediocre skills? ESPECIALLY when there are other dancers (of the same category) who are wonderful and can perform well?
90% of the folks commenting here write like someone with a personal grudge. After reading through the first 15 or so of the comments I double checked to make sure I didn't land on the "50 reasons to hate Misty Copeland" site. I've seen more informed and balanced commentary on so many ballet-centered sites that it's convinced me it's a characteristic of this site and perhaps a reason the people who gather here are drawn here. Usually you have to stumble onto a Kardashion-type site to get hit in the face with so much malice and bitchery. Look inward, folks. Anyone who lives the rigor of a professional ballerina in order to create moments of grace that can seem to add a whole extra dimension of beauty to music has my respect and awe. I can't begin to imagine what it takes, nor can I pretend to know the inner workings (the "politics") of ballet companies emerging from the pandemic and having to decide what ballets to stage and the myriad decisions that go into that process. I can just buy tickets and when that's not possible try to find clips online that showcase the best of every offereing I missed.
The title of this post is demeaning and wrong. Misty Copeland is a very hard worker and a lovely dancer. She is not lazy and neither is her dancing in this excerpt. "Lazy" is a pejorative adjective that has been weaponized against Black people for centuries. So cut it out.
watch Catherine Hurlin or some other principals. It's not my favorite choreography either bit this can be beautiful. I don't think Copeland is lazy so much as just not very well trained or very good considering the position she's been put in for political reasons
Jealous of what? Jealous of an awkward, lumbering quasi ballerina who got promoted because she is black. We adore Aesha Ash and she is black. Aesha is superior Shouldn't I be jealous of her? I love her.
The choreography isn’t helping, the timing is wrong in many areas, it just isn’t the PDD as say, The Royal Ballet orcThe Bolshoi would do it, but maybe that’s just how the ABT do it?
Here we go again and I’m glad someone pointed out the choreography. Just like the choreography for Swan Lake in which you called lazy but really probably meant the N word. Smh
This is exciting but a bit too aggressive throughout. It would have been even better if the dynamics changed from soft to medium to aggressive. Both are gorgeous dancers though.
I'm speaking as a former, professional ballet dancer who has danced this pas de deux more times than I can remember. Misty is like the Russian ballerina stars people love to heap praise upon- she lacks a bit of finesse. Her age is of no consequence. Alessandra Ferri retired from ABT and only got better. There is always more to learn and improve upon. For those discussing her partner having a hard time, I see a couple without a lot of partnering technique. I've taught partnering for over 20 years and this screams getting back to basics. They are struggling because they are not in tune. The best solo dancers in the world can be bad partners (yes, ladies need to learn how to partner as well!). It takes both members doing their jobs for success! Not for nothing, they're also fighting music that is too slow at times.... This is how the pas de deux should look: ua-cam.com/video/qL5wu_yzIU0/v-deo.htmlsi=wC4NlJZ9kszDyauG
@tanisabenulic2861 You're looking at the primary ballerinas, not the standard, corps de ballet or soloists. Take a gander. Students are a different animal. Once you make the leap, a lot of your student training means nothing.
@@TheCurt82 Than, should I say even a number of second soloists and first soloists in Mariinsky and Bolshoi dance incomparable better than Misty. Let alone prima ballerinas. I enjoy their dance immensely but the dancers in this video...
@tanisabenulic2861 Here's the thing...is this the best pas de deux I've ever seen? Absolutely not! But calling her/them lazy is what I object to. I also object to everything being about Russian ballet dancers. It's very misleading because there's a reason that ballet terms are in French. There's a reason that every dancer wanting to defect in the 80's couldn't do it, while others could. There are many Russian dancers I enjoy (Baryshnikov lives 2 hours from me) and just as many that are sloppy dancers. What I'd never do is call them lazy. History has wrongfully equated "great dancing" with Russia. Sometimes that is true, but it's also not true. Vaganova technique has a "flash & trash" element when not focusing on quality. It happens all the time. The Russians I love are the ones who use that technique and pair it with the artistry the rest of the world demands. With all that said, I've seen this pas de duex done much better, but I'd never call either of them lazy...simply unprepared or not my favorite couple. I show respect to all dancers because I know the physical, mental and financial sacrifice to get there firsthand.
@@TheCurt82 It was painful to watch. I am European and I can compare it to ballet dancers in London, Paris, Saint Petersburg, Moscow and Vienna. US ballet companies can't even compare
First time I’ve actually seen MC dancing in a ballet - only seen her advertising her online courses before - Omigod this is horrible! Her retiree is so weird.
I think Misty Copeland did beautifully in this. Yes, Peter Wright's choreography is in another realm, but you dance with the choreography you have. This performance was in 2014. She became a prima ballerina at ABT in 2015. That she had to wait until she was 33 was political. That ABT is trying to get so much credit for her promotion is political. Attaching the word, "lazy" to her dancing, when that is a concept taken from minstrelsy, is political. Wanting her to be like someone else is a waste of time.
Did you ever watch Royal Ballet, Paris Opera, La Scala, Mariinsky or Bolshoi ballerinas. She couldn't even be first soloist there. Principal dancers are precise in every move, dance with charm and expression, light as feathers in their jumps.....pure joy to watch. There is nothing political in this, maybe only that she was promotes to a prima at all.
@@tanisabenulic2861 Yes, I have, thank you very much. You forgot to mention the NYCB. I never said she was at the level of a prima ballerina. I said she did beautifully in this. I stand by my statement.
@@LeCanalBarbaraAnne I agree she did beautifully in this. But I understood that she had to wait to be promoted to principal dancer until she was 33 was political (I don't know why?) and that it was too late?
@@tanisabenulic2861 The pressure to integrate the orchestral, opera, and ballet stages is mounting. ABT chose to promote a 33-year-old soloist to principal dancer, so they could exploit the "homeless shelter to prima balleriina" story for themselves. They wanted to use her to give social progress points to themselves. That's what makes it political. Makarova retired. when she was 49.
Why are you hating on Misty? The problems I see are the choreography and the partnering ( especially for the first big lift where she’s sitting on his hand). And it’s not fair to compare that lift w/the shoulder sits done by the white ballerinas. Also, in a later clip she and her partner had better timing for that difficult lift.
This is not criticism, it’s racism. Although it may seem harmless, this account relies on the old racist stereotype of the “lazy slave” once used to justify brutal treatment of enslaved persons in the US and later used to justify Jim Crow era segregation. It’s also hurtful & harmful to Copeland.
She sucks PERIOD. Michaela dePrince is a grear performer and is as black as black can be. This has NOTHING to do with color. Always quick to sort the slavery victim card.
To all the haters here....I don't see your name on the roster as ABT Principal, or your contract with Under Armour or all the other achievements she has accomplished. Don't hate, appreciate! ,-)
Audiences don't have to be principal or any other rank of ballet dancers to appreciate precision, technical ability, artistry, and musicality. Perhaps you should watch this same dance done by other dancers. See what the ballet critics write. Face it. She is black and ABT needed the boost financially and she is it. Michaela DePrince puts her to shame!
Some of the criticism here is ridiculous. I've studied ballet and watched ballet since the early 1970s and I think Misty is an excellent ballet dancer. Why is she being held to a higher standard than other dancers? Well, we know why. No one in dance is perfect, but Misty Copeland is certainly as good as many other dancers of her rank in ABT and in other ballet companies.
Watch Mariela Nunez and Natalia Osipova Royal Ballet, Precious Adams English National Ballet and you’ll understand the criticism. Her performance is good in parts but not consistent. I understand that she started ballet very late and this has had an effect on her abilities, which is a great shame.
I think she’s a charming dancer but the choreography is awful. Maybe this role is not for her? I’d love to see her in something choreographed just for her that plays to her strengths.
Something goin down for sure but she still moves like a professional , like a cat in the in between steps and regally. Only pros do this. Check out Fonteyns (sorry about spelling) Swan Lake.
I really don't think so. I think the unfairness of her PR machine putting her in this position, which is detrimental to the cause of dancers of color -- most of whom have had to be better than their peers to get half as much -- is driving him crazy. It bugs me, as well, and I am tired of ABT and The Met perennially putting profits and publicity over quality. There were some shining moments under Lucia Chase and Misha but most of my lifetime watching this company has been an exercise in unfulfilled potential. And no, I am not a Balanchine maniac.
Sarah D The commenter is talking about the fact that this is basically a Misty hate channel. I think a few videos is fine and I don’t think Misty should be a principal (or first soloist) but why put all this effort into breaking someone down?
@@blah7983 the question you should ask her PR team, not audience here. the fact is her dancing is not good, far from what her team claimed and not even close to average standard... and that's what make ppl feel unfair - ABT got good black dancers, they lost the chance to be real principle because ABT promoted her and conveyed the idea that black dancers could offer only these lousy quality performances as she did!
Why blame Misty? The "lazy prince". What a bad and unfinished partner! The partner's job is to make the Ballerina look fabulous.He just seems so helpless....,I dont even want to see his solos.
If she's not working correctly he is basically helpless which puts pressure on his performance because he's struggling to lift her and keep her on pointe which in this video was not his fault. Lifts are a 50-50 proposition. Having to hoist a ballerina who has no momentum, timing, or propulsion going in to the lift, well that'd make any male dancer look bad. Misty is an accomplished dancer but techincally weaker than many of her peers. I think she's knows this and it affects her confidence as well.
@Weird Content Guaranteed Exactly. She stands there like she's waiting for an elevator to come and get her. No danseur is expected to hoist the ballerina as dead weight. Even when schools hire ringers as partners for their graduating ballerinas, they aren't expected to haul the ballerina up without her helping with a jump. It would be easier to watch if she had a more vulnerable or approachable attitude, but all I see is arrogance and a false self. Nothing to do with race and I agree that the ballet world has had rampant racism.
@Weird Content Guaranteed Funny thing is, most ballerinas who feel inadequate for the material are more than eager to help their partners. Expecting him to do so much of the work is, among other things, a recipe for disaster.I can only wonder what goes through, for example, Kolpakova's head when she has to try to help her.
I'm no dancing expert, but is going on at 4:10-4:12. She comes to a dead stop and poses and he has to adjust to lift her. Maybe if she gave some momentum it would help.
That part which you time-stamped was truly awkward for her partner and for the audience. But for the people who disliked her "facials", she does seem to have nicely arched feet.
Agreed. Really awkward. Certainly that could have been handled differently.
If you want to compare a Russian ballerina in Don Quixote, looking light as a feather, and she is not even principal dancer but first soloist: ua-cam.com/video/e7DDG0Fy1sU/v-deo.html
@@sawong8685I believe she started pointe within a year or two of starting ballet and quite late (13) at that. She may not be technically perfect but she does have some great feet and she’s continuing to improve with age
Yes it could have a little breath, and flow, and up on her part. She does hold herself up in lift though.
Watching this makes me realise that Sir Peter Wright’s choreography for the Royal Ballet is a masterpiece in comparison.
To be fair, the Royal Ballet choreography for the adagio and the ballerina variation seems to be mostly by Ivanov. Alicia Markova, for whom Nicholas Sergeyev first reconstructed the original Sugar Plum pas de deux in the West, danced and taught a very similar version.
@@noblesetsentimentalesThe Royal and Sir Peter have always acknowledged the contribution of Lev Ivanov in their production.
Damn is she that hard to pick up he's a slow and dancer thick she's not much better
Misty has choreography simplified for her, which may explain what you are seeing.
Holy snot! What was that thing at 4:10?? It looks like the most awkward lift ever. It’s not even dance school quality.
Agree
Absolutely ! Abt ducks thank God I saw them in the 70s 80s heyday
Isn't she supposed to leap into the air and meet him halfway (other ballerinas do)? Not stand there like a statue to be lifted as dead weight?
The choreography is more like a martial art than a classical ballet.
I'll give you the name of an incredible black ballerina: Aesha Ash. You can watch her in Center Stage, the movie. I also love Michaela DePrince and Precious Adams. Misty's success is only a political matter. Sorry, but she's not that great. She lacks of technic, artistry, musicality and expression. I'm not an hater, I love and respect ballet as one of the most wonderful artform from my childhood. I'm able to recognize an outstanding ballerina when I see her.
And Debra Austin from the Pennsylvania Ballet 30 YEARS AGO! And Arthur Mitchell. And, in a closely related form, the goddess Judith Jamison. Misty does the BLM movement a disservice by using outside manipulation to hold a place that should go to a dancer of color, and there are many, who is actually up to the task rather than hard to watch and severely physically compromised.
@hnel435 Aren't they both dancing in Europe? Perhaps they don't market like that over there. Although, I have heard Copeland has worked very hard to build her brand and that seems to be worth a lot to US companies, so perhaps it might also in Europe, though I doubt it.
Precious Adams is amazing, she should've been in Misty's place in my opinion.
Nikisha Fogo is also amazing, recently she became a principal dancer I think in San Francisco ballet.
Jasmine Perry of the Los Angeles Ballet is also an absolutely gorgeous dancer to watch. Such beautiful technique and artistry.
Misty isn't a bad dancer because she's black. She's a bad dancer because her technique is shoddy and her artistry is lacking.
I think all this like hatred toward Copeland is uncalled for. But there is a difference between hatred and criticism.
I think the choreography for this version of the PDD is genuinely awful, same can be said about the solos. I love Misty’s message, but I think there are a lot of ballerinas who are far superior to her when it comes to poise and technicality (I.e. Marianela Nuñez, Michaela DePrince, Julie Kent etc). So, I wouldn’t necessarily call this her being “lazy”. I would call this just her not being on the same level as other ABT Principals, such as Gillian Murphy. She’s talented, but she just needs more time to improve.
But that’s just my opinion.
NELA THOUGH.
I'm usually far more into Russian ballet than anything European or American, but Marianela Nunez is the best, most complete principal dancer in any company anywhere today and I will fight people on this. She's just..... perfection.
@@simplystreeptacular Agreed. She's actually my favorite dancer.
I love your Blaire White picture. lol
@@chanel_pearls3993 There's no room for improvement for Misty. She's 38.
*@Chanel_Pearls* - I agree with much of what you say, and I think the hatred comes from young women who didn’t have what it took to be professional dancers and are envious of the attention Copeland gets, when perhaps they are better dancers. Copeland’s problem is that she started serious ballet study way too late, at age 15, and she got caught up in this hype about being the first black dancer in a major American ballet company (which wasn’t true). She doesn’t have any more time to develop at this point, bc she’s unfortunately too old. Her “mother,” the San Francisco Ballet, and ABT were responsible for the big media blitz Copeland had to endure, and should have known better; the NYCB apparently saw the truth of the tale and turned her down for their school. Copeland has benefitted financially, and she has been responsible for her choices from age 25 onward, but the reality is, she was the one who had to stand out on that exalted stage, at the mercy of the NYC critics, pretending she was an ABT principal dancer when she looked like a high school student in a small town giving a recital. I give her straight A’s for guts and desire to live up to the unconscionable role which was dumped on her by people wanting to earn money from the image they created. I also can’t imagine what it must have been like for her to arrive every day to see the quality of dancers all around her for class and rehearsals at ABT. This isn’t Copeland’s fault, but I think it’s a shame someone like Michaela Prince has to dance in Europe rather than the US.... _SHE_ is somebody who is truly deserving of hype....her early history is heartbreaking!
The fact that Misty and Gillian Murphy are in the same company and at the same rank makes me cringe. Gillian Murphy is the greatest American dancer for me, by far
Why is everyone hating on her so much? If you watch, just for example, the bronze idol also not everyone will dance it as Good as angel carillo for example, still they dont get that much hate - shes good, otherwise she wouldnt be a soloist, but shes by far not the best soloist. As to this Piece its a lot due to the choreography and them not are well Setted on each other, which can Happen to the best soloist, besides the 32 fouettes which were a fail the rest of her dancing isnt as Bad as everyone Acts like
@@lisaminov2207she’s heavy, she has no grace and she’s generally shit. Open your eyes.
Absolutely.
I'm sorry to say this because I like Misty Copeland as a person and I think she's a lovely woman. That said, there are many ballerinas with far superior technical and artistic abilities than Misty that should be the principal dancer with the New York ballet. If they must have a black woman because they are PR oriented, then there are other Superior black dancers. It seems that elevating Misty to the principal role is purely public relations and that is sad as artistry, dance, any type of sport or athletics should not be colored by color!
I am just a simple ballet fan. I think it is the most beautiful performance art in the world. While recovering from surgery, I decided I wanted to learn more about it from the ballerinas' perspectives. I am absolutely fascinated by everything they do and go through, from how they prepare their pointe shoes, to what it was like growing up in ballet school, to how they feel performing... mainly just dying to know "What does it feel like to be YOU?", to be able to do something that is so incredibly difficult that it seems impossible (and is for us mere mortals). At first the only ballerina's name I even knew of was Misty Copeland, which says a lot right there. So I did a search for her. All kinds of other videos of other dancers came up, and I ended up watching many other spectacular ballerinas perform (my favorite thus far: Svetlana Zacharova!), before ever even getting around to watching a video of Ms. Copeland, expecting to see something wonderful from her too. Wow. Even to my completely untrained eye, I can see she is not remotely on the same level, skill or artistry wise, as the other great ballerinas I've been watching, which makes it pretty obvious that she was promoted to a principal just for publicity's sake. Which makes no sense really, because I would think most people would be disappointed if they bought a ticket only to go see a subpar performance (I know I would be), and also because I've seen on here that there are many other black ballerinas who would merit being in that position because of their skill level and who would be able to deliver a quality performance! Sorry Ms. Copeland, your story is interesting, I'm not without any admiration for you and I generally don't like to post negative things about people on here, but I feel like you have to already know all of this yourself anyway!
I never realized just how "bad" (or whatever word you want to use..mediocre? Crappy?) Misty is until i spent three hours in UA-cam watching other ballerinas dancing. "Laborious" is a word that comes to my mind when i watch her way of dancing and her technique. Which is a word not suitable for one who wants to be a PB.
Anyways, for people telling others not to comment and criticize: People are allowed to tell their opinion. If you like Misty and don't want to read anything negative about her, don't read the comments.
Misty Lake NAILED IT. Thankyou. (she could be injured also)
@@kathymyers7279 I don’t care one way or another over this debate about whether she’s good or not. It wouldn’t matter if her name was attached to the lift in this video or another dancer’s, because that lift looked and was so incredibly awkward and unstable. Where many here are adamant about not liking her dancing, I think perhaps you may be prejudiced in the other direction (in her favor) as the issues with it were clear as day. That doesn’t mean you can’t love her or like her dancing, everyone has off days. But in that instance, she did not “nail it” and both she and her partner could have been injured. Except her partner wasn’t at risk of being dropped, but instead risking back injury from having to lift her in an awkward and unstable position. Again, it wouldn’t matter which dancer we’re talking about. If their partner has to lift them in an unstable manner, they risk injury as it’s rather easy to injure one’s back.
Laborious is a fitting word. It’s a struggle for her at times and for her partner too.
literally try doing ballet I beg you
@@hadassahisaacs2180 I have.
Blame the AWFUL choreography, it makes Nureyev's look like a masterpiece......
Every single video on your channel starts with “lazy Misty Copeland”. You know what they say, those that can’t do, HATE loudly and publicly to any sorry soul who will hear
Literally the embodiment of THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHING.
4:10 Me when I have to haul a bag of mulch to my backyard.
We won’t talk about him setting her back on the ground like a bag of laundry.
La Copeland, the dancing diva, was supposed to jump in order to help her partner get the extra momentum to lift her. She didn't. She ran up to him and stopped. Then he had to haul her up like a construction worker. She was in the wrong not her partner.
I never saw a danseur noble have to work so hard to get a girl off the ground! She made no effort as she should have. This girl is a piece of work. How she became a principal dancer is beyond me.
@@adrianaclark8498 It truly is mind boggling.
I gasped. That was nightmarish.
@@kerrytakashi12 I know. I’m teasing his movements, but I understand that it’s her lack of effort that’s causing him to have to cope.
She just makes it look like such an effort. It isn't enjoyable to watch her dance.
Speaking as someone who has no idea what any of these technical terms me, or who's who in the ballet world, just a casual enjoyer, I didn't much care for Copeland's version. There were parts that seemed oddly fast and rushed, like they had missed their cue or something? But there is one part that I really, really did love, and that's when Copeland was curled in the dancer's arms as he spun her, her cupping his face and smiling with her eyes close. It was just a really evocative for me, and gave me "I'm in love" emotions. I loved that part, didn't really care for anything else.
I'd rather talk about how horrible ratmansky's choreography is.
Annette agreed 💯
i can’t stand ratmansky choreo. looks strange on almost any dancer in my opinion
Omg agreed. I just...idk. Was it simplified to fit the dancers? The male partner did a beautiful on, Misty is beautiful, I enjoy her dancing and what she brings to it, however when I want to watch a PB, I always go to the Russian Ballerinas....and there is no comparison there with technique. Of course Misty has the most beautiful expressions, more heart than the Russians, but they don’t show in their face, they show it in their dance.
OMG THIS IS THE MOST HORRIBLE CHOREO IVE EVER SEEN LOL
I can’t even watch...
she's not a terrible dancer -- what's bothering me more here are her facials!!
Same!! It’s so distracting!!
The choreography it is very hard technically and musically, so it can look good only with top dancers.
I'm sorry that she's not really trying to connect emotionally with her partner. She is dancing with him like he's a coat rack or something, poor guy. I think part of the problem with the performance is: it looks like the bodice of her tutu is going to come off at any second. Like maybe it's safety pinned together. That can't make you feel very confident.
Misty Copeland IS NOT PRIMA material period, let's just say it for what it is!
WORD!!!, SHE IS NOT EVEN SOLOIST MATERIAL , PRIMA ..EVEN LESS
I feel for any male dancer who has to partner her. She certainly doesn't make it easy for them.
Copeland's movements do not flow into each other. The movements seem separate and labored... heavy
@@janiceeteme5536it's called (for any other dancer who hasn't forced herself into the spotlight, basically threatening Peter Martins behind the scenes) a SUPBAR DANCER who wouldn't even make it out of maybe a cors dancer in a regional company somewhere in Wichita Kansas. That's her quality. Cry cry cry I didn't make it, I'm subpar. But no. It's actually embarrassing. And people will clap like the emperor's new clothes style.
And to the other commenter, yes I agree The Royal Ballet has the BEST choreography for this pas.
Why is she even at the ABT? She is the William McGonagall of ballet.
4:10 Me trying to lift a bag of mulch in my yard
I believe the change in choreo in the beginning of the second pas is a result of being a guest at a different institution. In Ratmansky's Nut, sugar and the cav are older version of Clara and the prince. (This isn't a theory--they spray Clara's hair to match the principle dancer's color, i.e red if its Gillian, to show continuity). Because the beginning is pantomime, it wouldn't match any other story line, the most traditional story line, where Clara and sugar are two separate characters. Since this was performed at a school, I assuming they follow the traditional story line, thus rendering the og Ratmansky opening measure inconsistent. Its not "lazy". Ballet tells a story, and that is all they're trying to do.
I understand what the intention was but you can tell a story without spending like 32 counts just walking around onstage. Its also not just that, the choreography is quite awkward at other parts. Its just too much
Clunk clunk clunk (look at the male’s technique compared to her....it’s so so evident the difference!) He had a hard job with a partner like this. It’s like he’s leading her as a tutor would.
Misty Copeland is inadequate for classical roles. It seems to me she doesn't like what she's doing and wants to get to the end as fast and as effortlessly as possible.
how on earth would you or anyone but her know whether she 'likes what she's doing????
This is not “lazy.” Her technique is GORGEOUS she has beautiful expression and body language. She is a perfect sugarplum fairy, her muscles and athleticism are insane but her grace and ability to dance even thigh the choreo in the incredibly hard and wayyy to fast parts and difficult lifts are incredible. She does amazing her port de bras and strength is incredible!! But, the chrome doesn’t do her justice it’s a bit too much for sugar plum, it’s hard but it’s just really hard for dancers to do, but she does it well!! ❤
No. She is awful. She is not graceful, but awkward, heavy and can't hop on her partner's shoulder because she's too heavy.
Anyone calling her lazy has very clearly never done ballet before. Principles are principles for a reason, and they all dance differently. They are paid and given promotions in their companies to dance just as they do, because that’s what the company was looking for. This comment section is like those for dance mom’s videos; all of a sudden every fan is an expert on “artistry” or “facials” or whatever it is they’re going on about. Jeez.
Watermelon.... Your name says it all. lol
@@flonoiisana4647 is that supposed to be a racist jab?
@@gracewylie3920 If you want it to be, it can.
@@flonoiisana4647 you’re disgusting. How are you not ashamed of yourself? People like you are the reason why I’m keeping my children from pursuing professional ballet.
@@gracewylie3920 And what if I tell you your words do not affect me, at all?
Если бы Мисти Коупленд была белой, ее не взяли бы даже в кордебалет. Это самая настоящая профанация, в балете не должно быть места политике.
Misty's movement is so stiff and heavy. It's like dancing with a log
The Ratmansky choreography is not the best. It looks awkward no matter who is dancing it. But Copeland makes it look that much worse.
Yep. His best work, I think, was Bright Stream. But Copeland's "jump" into the chair lift is just unbelievable...
@@MariaMaltseva I KNOW! Baca looked as though he were trying to throw a huge bag of cement into the air. I hope his back survived that heavy lifting.
@@kerrytakashi12 I hate it when they pair light (and very talented male dancers) with her. Like Simkin. That is such a waste of a potentially great performance --- one that I would travel to see with almost any other ballerina. Though now I can see him with Salenko at his new home company, and I think he's just fantastic with her.
@@MariaMaltseva They pair ALL the best male dancers with her. I suppose the AD thinks real ballet fans will spring for a ticket to at least see Simkin, Cornejo etc. in a prime role. I personally won't do it. Which means I'll probably never see Cornejo dance again. Since it seems he no longer wants to dance with Sarah Lane.
@@kerrytakashi12 Well, Simkin did make a run for Berlin, where he can now dance regularly with the fantastic Salenko. That's a pairing of equals. When he was cast with Kochetkova, it just wasn't. She's fantastic compared to Copeland, but gets lost when dancing next to Simkin.
Elle a été nommé principal dancers pour montrer que les danseurs et danseuses de couleur étaient aussi talentueux que les danseurs et danseuses blanches. Mais en ce qui concerne Misty Coppeland, ce n'est pas le cas. Elle est très loin d'une Natalia Osipova, par exemple. Sa danse est lourde, elle manque de dynamisme et est loin d'avoir la grâce des primas ballerinas. Mais le plus pénible à voir, c'est ce porté final, c'en est presque ridicule. On dirait une ascension dans un monte-charge 😱😱😱
She looks like a pre professional dancer in a school performance. She’d never be in the corps of the companies I’ve worked and work for. Nowadays every ballerina even below her ranking has to do at least single single double fouettés and we all know about fouetté gate. She’s barely going on pointe in these performances. Let’s not forget when she was concerned about Princess Florine variation - it was one of the first variations I mastered - I was 11!
Yes. But what's up with Ratmansky? Is he really in demand as a choreographer nowadays?
Why did you make a Misty vs other ballerinas video? Was it to stir up drama? I know this video is 4 years old but you can’t compare dancers because everyone’s different and nobody is better. Ballet perfection is impossible anyways….. also Misty is such a beautiful star!🌟
Misty was promoted via a DEI program. ABT probably got paid to promote her because she is black and basically only because she is black.
Choreography is painful to watch 😬😳
This may be a choreo problem. Mistys variation seemed much choppier in terms of steps
Misty's dancing looks heavy. She executes the steps but there's no joy or abandon. She has no rapport with her partner.
There were moments he looked like he was waiting for the bus; like he was just waiting for her to hurry up and finish her part. Very little engagement
@@nickimillennium the TRUTH
I think she does well in this role, what’s “lazy” about it?
I don’t think she shines as much in technically demanding roles like Sean lake but this suited her.
Its like getting a sack of coal onto a lorry! Her poor partner! She should be too embarrassed to even be on stage
I‘d love to know Nikolai Tzikaridze opinion on this 😏
lol...
Tsiskaridze literally straight out called a Bolshoi principal “darkness”, which is justified with context. I doubt he could even stand watching Copeland for 10 seconds before walking out.
@@clarissaleung4509 Tsiskaridze wouldn't take Copeland's bullshit dancing... watch the "future princes of ballet" documentary to see how he only wants the best dancers in classical ballet.
Oh, he'd have some....THINGS- to say after two seconds- but she wouldn't understand
This is truly bad, I feel sorry for her partner. He can’t lift her and she can barely do the steps.
Oh, what is with all this cruel and vile hatred? Why? What is the matter with people? Some of the comments are so awful, offensive, distasteful and vulgar. I cannot equate the mostly vile comments here with the performance that Misty and Herman gave in the above piece of film. Yes, I have seen film of her when things have not gone well and, yes, the lift in this pas de deux was not good, certainly could do better there (if any of the other ladies in the above film botched the lift in the same way would they be subjected to the same degree of abuse that Misty has been subjected to I wonder), but what was wrong with the rest of the performance? I am so shocked at how vicious many of the comments are that I have watched it four times in a row and I thought it was charming (and I have been working, involved, in the ballet and arts for 50 years including ABT!) Keep the spit and bile out of the comments.
She got her position by ABT probably being bribed with DEI money, that's why.
Until you train in ballet like these dancers do I don't want to hear the word "lazy" come out of any of yalls mouths.
"Lazy" 🤭
Don't hit me, Mom.... 😬🫣
What was that spasmatic shaking at 5.04?
HAHA! THAT was the choreography and it can't be all laid at Copeland's doorstep. She may look awkward but so does every other dancer who does it as well. Ratmansky really should re-choreograph some of the more awkward sections that don't work.
Looool 🤣🤣
@Laura Streeter He has good ideas but he hasn't learned to direct the audience's eyes yet. In Nutcracker and Whipped Cream, I saw that he just can't resist adding extra. There is too much going on. Personally, it created eye fatigue for me trying to keep up with all that he put on stage.
5:00 I am just adding this so that anyone can tap on it and see it :)
its called a brise lol its an actual move.
Hahaha "LAZY"? I think we all KNOW what THAT is suppose to mean. 🙄 SICKENING!
Nice student version I guess
leave her alone omg
Yes , they should leave her alone at home and never come back to dance, the best can happens to the ballet world is if she finds a marketing job in the ABT , or doing finance, ANYTHING BUT DANCING !!!, and the classical Ballet can be saved
With competition dancing being popular these days, has classical ballet really evolved that much to include wild lifts and stunts? This is losing the beautiful moments of pause in ballets that spectators love.
First of all Misty's version and the other versions were way different tempos. Misty's was super fast...this choreography is challenging and a bit weird. Hate the pas, love the variation.
I would say that the problem is the choreography... It looks like something that I would choreograph with my ballet classmates 😢
I watched both Lane and Boylston perform in Giselle. Lane was great in act 1, but pretty mediocre in act 2. I think she can play a damsel in distress really well, but speed and technicality are not her forte. Isabella, on the other hand, was pretty strong in act 2, but less so in act 1. All have strengths and weaknesses. Not all Giselles can be Carla Fracci level. It's a simple fact, not rocket science.
Misty is definitely not a good ballerina. However, all the hatred piled in this thread towards her and others is unreasonable. If she is that bad, don't go watch her. That's it! Sitting here and gossiping is not helping your or Lane's cause.
You seriously think claw hand Boylston was better than Lane in Giselle? You think speed and technical fireworks are what is in the second act of Giselle? You are out of your mind. Bolyston is just as bad as this Copeland character. She has no business being a principal dancer. Lane is one of America's foremost interpreters of Giselle. It's too bad the AD keeps giving nags like Boylston and Copeland more performances of the ballet over Lane.
You don't seem like the sharpest knife in the rack, if that's the deduction you made from my text. I said that neither Lane, nor Boylston were perfect.
If you think Lane is the foremost interpreter of Giselle in America, you have no idea what being Giselle entails. But all the vitriol from you actually makes more sense, now that I know how shallow your knowledge is :)
@@cluser9221 That you even mentioned Boylston in the same sentence as Lane is laughable. Lane has been hailed by many knowledgeable dance fans as the best Giselle of recent years. I can attest, I've seen her dance.
YOU have no idea what Giselle entails. I bet you think those Cannibal emaciated Russian dancers slowing the music down to corpse speed is what makes a good Giselle.
@@kerrytakashi12 There's zero need to tear apart other dancers. Everyone brings something new and different to the stage. If everyone danced the same way, it would be tremendously boring.
@@lilyophelia1928 It is correct and RIGHT to request a technically accomplished performance from an artist that you are paying to perform. This has nothing to do with criticizing something new.
The person in this video cannot dance the required choreography THAT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE COMPANY CAN PERFORM WELL. So why was this person promoted? Why are we asking to accept mediocre skills? ESPECIALLY when there are other dancers (of the same category) who are wonderful and can perform well?
90% of the folks commenting here write like someone with a personal grudge. After reading through the first 15 or so of the comments I double checked to make sure I didn't land on the "50 reasons to hate Misty Copeland" site. I've seen more informed and balanced commentary on so many ballet-centered sites that it's convinced me it's a characteristic of this site and perhaps a reason the people who gather here are drawn here. Usually you have to stumble onto a Kardashion-type site to get hit in the face with so much malice and bitchery. Look inward, folks. Anyone who lives the rigor of a professional ballerina in order to create moments of grace that can seem to add a whole extra dimension of beauty to music has my respect and awe. I can't begin to imagine what it takes, nor can I pretend to know the inner workings (the "politics") of ballet companies emerging from the pandemic and having to decide what ballets to stage and the myriad decisions that go into that process. I can just buy tickets and when that's not possible try to find clips online that showcase the best of every offereing I missed.
Our viewpoints are objective. Just watch her side by side with someone like Aesha Ash and tell me Misty is worthy to be on the New York stage.
The title of this post is demeaning and wrong. Misty Copeland is a very hard worker and a lovely dancer. She is not lazy and neither is her dancing in this excerpt. "Lazy" is a pejorative adjective that has been weaponized against Black people for centuries. So cut it out.
Did you see Misty's dancing compared to the other dancers. She's just not on their level.
2:20 what the hell?
What about it
My gosh that choreo is atrocious. After watching this I don’t even think it’s her fault, the choreo is just not danceable
watch Catherine Hurlin or some other principals. It's not my favorite choreography either bit this can be beautiful. I don't think Copeland is lazy so much as just not very well trained or very good considering the position she's been put in for political reasons
I’m late to the party but all I see here is jealousy and hate. 😢
Jealous of what? Jealous of an awkward, lumbering quasi ballerina who got promoted because she is black. We adore Aesha Ash and she is black. Aesha is superior Shouldn't I be jealous of her? I love her.
The choreography isn’t helping, the timing is wrong in many areas, it just isn’t the PDD as say, The Royal Ballet orcThe Bolshoi would do it, but maybe that’s just how the ABT do it?
But Stella is incredible
So many obsessive haters in these comments, keep watching from the couch! 😂😂
As a ballet lover for 30+ years....
Wtf did I just watch??? Garbage.
Here we go again and I’m glad someone pointed out the choreography. Just like the choreography for Swan Lake in which you called lazy but really probably meant the N word. Smh
This is exciting but a bit too aggressive throughout. It would have been even better if the dynamics changed from soft to medium to aggressive. Both are gorgeous dancers though.
I'm speaking as a former, professional ballet dancer who has danced this pas de deux more times than I can remember. Misty is like the Russian ballerina stars people love to heap praise upon- she lacks a bit of finesse. Her age is of no consequence. Alessandra Ferri retired from ABT and only got better. There is always more to learn and improve upon.
For those discussing her partner having a hard time, I see a couple without a lot of partnering technique. I've taught partnering for over 20 years and this screams getting back to basics. They are struggling because they are not in tune. The best solo dancers in the world can be bad partners (yes, ladies need to learn how to partner as well!). It takes both members doing their jobs for success!
Not for nothing, they're also fighting music that is too slow at times....
This is how the pas de deux should look: ua-cam.com/video/qL5wu_yzIU0/v-deo.htmlsi=wC4NlJZ9kszDyauG
Sorry, but Miss Copeland is nothing like Russian ballerinas. There are dozens of Russian beginners that dance incomparable better than Misty.
@tanisabenulic2861 You're looking at the primary ballerinas, not the standard, corps de ballet or soloists. Take a gander. Students are a different animal. Once you make the leap, a lot of your student training means nothing.
@@TheCurt82 Than, should I say even a number of second soloists and first soloists in Mariinsky and Bolshoi dance incomparable better than Misty. Let alone prima ballerinas. I enjoy their dance immensely but the dancers in this video...
@tanisabenulic2861 Here's the thing...is this the best pas de deux I've ever seen? Absolutely not! But calling her/them lazy is what I object to. I also object to everything being about Russian ballet dancers. It's very misleading because there's a reason that ballet terms are in French. There's a reason that every dancer wanting to defect in the 80's couldn't do it, while others could. There are many Russian dancers I enjoy (Baryshnikov lives 2 hours from me) and just as many that are sloppy dancers. What I'd never do is call them lazy. History has wrongfully equated "great dancing" with Russia. Sometimes that is true, but it's also not true. Vaganova technique has a "flash & trash" element when not focusing on quality. It happens all the time. The Russians I love are the ones who use that technique and pair it with the artistry the rest of the world demands. With all that said, I've seen this pas de duex done much better, but I'd never call either of them lazy...simply unprepared or not my favorite couple. I show respect to all dancers because I know the physical, mental and financial sacrifice to get there firsthand.
@@TheCurt82 It was painful to watch. I am European and I can compare it to ballet dancers in London, Paris, Saint Petersburg, Moscow and Vienna. US ballet companies can't even compare
5:00
First time I’ve actually seen MC dancing in a ballet - only seen her advertising her online courses before - Omigod this is horrible! Her retiree is so weird.
She dances the best to her lack of ability.
LOLOL
Poor Herman. Oh man.
Wow. Why don't you just call this Haterade for Misty Copeland Channel? Geez. SHould Be more like SkyThinSkin Channel... Stop the Hate!
Nice job Misty!
😂😂 4:10 makes me feel very uncomfortable to watch
I think Misty Copeland did beautifully in this. Yes, Peter Wright's choreography is in another realm, but you dance with the choreography you have. This performance was in 2014. She became a prima ballerina at ABT in 2015.
That she had to wait until she was 33 was political.
That ABT is trying to get so much credit for her promotion is political.
Attaching the word, "lazy" to her dancing, when that is a concept taken from minstrelsy, is political.
Wanting her to be like someone else is a waste of time.
Did you ever watch Royal Ballet, Paris Opera, La Scala, Mariinsky or Bolshoi ballerinas. She couldn't even be first soloist there. Principal dancers are precise in every move, dance with charm and expression, light as feathers in their jumps.....pure joy to watch. There is nothing political in this, maybe only that she was promotes to a prima at all.
@@tanisabenulic2861 Yes, I have, thank you very much. You forgot to mention the NYCB. I never said she was at the level of a prima ballerina. I said she did beautifully in this. I stand by my statement.
@@LeCanalBarbaraAnne I agree she did beautifully in this. But I understood that she had to wait to be promoted to principal dancer until she was 33 was political (I don't know why?) and that it was too late?
@@tanisabenulic2861 The pressure to integrate the orchestral, opera, and ballet stages is mounting. ABT chose to promote a 33-year-old soloist to principal dancer, so they could exploit the "homeless shelter to prima balleriina" story for themselves. They wanted to use her to give social progress points to themselves. That's what makes it political. Makarova retired. when she was 49.
Also her music is so unnecessarily fast
belleza
4:08 😳
Why are you hating on Misty? The problems I see are the choreography and the partnering ( especially for the first big lift where she’s sitting on his hand). And it’s not fair to compare that lift w/the shoulder sits done by the white ballerinas. Also, in a later clip she and her partner had better timing for that difficult lift.
This is not criticism, it’s racism. Although it may seem harmless, this account relies on the old racist stereotype of the “lazy slave” once used to justify brutal treatment of enslaved persons in the US and later used to justify Jim Crow era segregation. It’s also hurtful & harmful to Copeland.
Agree!
She sucks PERIOD. Michaela dePrince is a grear performer and is as black as black can be. This has NOTHING to do with color. Always quick to sort the slavery victim card.
they’ll disguise it as critique, but god it’s so transparent!
Lmao
You should be ashamed of yourself to dare compare justified criticism to slavery. Stupid, woke crybaby.
Love watching her.
To all the haters here....I don't see your name on the roster as ABT Principal, or your contract with Under Armour or all the other achievements she has accomplished. Don't hate, appreciate! ,-)
that's the problem, you don't see...
Audiences don't have to be principal or any other rank of ballet dancers to appreciate precision, technical ability, artistry, and musicality. Perhaps you should watch this same dance done by other dancers. See what the ballet critics write. Face it. She is black and ABT needed the boost financially and she is it. Michaela DePrince puts her to shame!
Appreciate the lack of talent?
She could be injured..
Then she should not be dancing. End of.
4:09 that was the worst lift I've ever seen on professional dancers... Cringe
Some of the criticism here is ridiculous. I've studied ballet and watched ballet since the early 1970s and I think Misty is an excellent ballet dancer. Why is she being held to a higher standard than other dancers? Well, we know why. No one in dance is perfect, but Misty Copeland is certainly as good as many other dancers of her rank in ABT and in other ballet companies.
Watch Mariela Nunez and Natalia Osipova Royal Ballet, Precious Adams English National Ballet and you’ll understand the criticism. Her performance is good in parts but not consistent. I understand that she started ballet very late and this has had an effect on her abilities, which is a great shame.
Всё-таки у Григоровича лучшее в мире это па де де..
Я предпочитаю хореографию Иванова.
@@noblesetsentimentales а где Иванов исполняется?
I think she’s a charming dancer but the choreography is awful. Maybe this role is not for her? I’d love to see her in something choreographed just for her that plays to her strengths.
The worst adagio ever... She should realize, she can be anything (hopefully) but a real professional ballet dancer and Artist!
Lol she will probably retire soon, as an ABT principal. Seethe
Something goin down for sure but she still moves like a professional , like a cat in the in between steps and regally. Only pros do this. Check out Fonteyns (sorry about spelling) Swan Lake.
I've come to the conclusion that this dude is just racist and hates misty copeland. I don't love her dancing either but this is just absurd
I really don't think so. I think the unfairness of her PR machine putting her in this position, which is detrimental to the cause of dancers of color -- most of whom have had to be better than their peers to get half as much -- is driving him crazy. It bugs me, as well, and I am tired of ABT and The Met perennially putting profits and publicity over quality. There were some shining moments under Lucia Chase and Misha but most of my lifetime watching this company has been an exercise in unfulfilled potential. And no, I am not a Balanchine maniac.
Sarah D The commenter is talking about the fact that this is basically a Misty hate channel. I think a few videos is fine and I don’t think Misty should be a principal (or first soloist) but why put all this effort into breaking someone down?
not everything is about race lmao
@@blah7983 the question you should ask her PR team, not audience here. the fact is her dancing is not good, far from what her team claimed and not even close to average standard... and that's what make ppl feel unfair - ABT got good black dancers, they lost the chance to be real principle because ABT promoted her and conveyed the idea that black dancers could offer only these lousy quality performances as she did!
what is this choreography…. absolutely terrible choreography too many jumps and tricks
This is ludicrous
she’s a good dancer but she just looks bored
People who criticize Misty Copeland dancing, can you still watch the screen through your dewlap?
Oh lord this choreography is simply horrible
Why blame Misty? The "lazy prince". What a bad and unfinished partner! The partner's job is to make the Ballerina look fabulous.He just seems so helpless....,I dont even want to see his solos.
If she's not working correctly he is basically helpless which puts pressure on his performance because he's struggling to lift her and keep her on pointe which in this video was not his fault. Lifts are a 50-50 proposition. Having to hoist a ballerina who has no momentum, timing, or propulsion going in to the lift, well that'd make any male dancer look bad. Misty is an accomplished dancer but techincally weaker than many of her peers. I think she's knows this and it affects her confidence as well.
@I'm annoyed at people these days. She is not on stage to "help" the helpless, she is there to create dreams, beauty, and look fabulous!
@Weird Content Guaranteed Exactly. She stands there like she's waiting for an elevator to come and get her. No danseur is expected to hoist the ballerina as dead weight. Even when schools hire ringers as partners for their graduating ballerinas, they aren't expected to haul the ballerina up without her helping with a jump. It would be easier to watch if she had a more vulnerable or approachable attitude, but all I see is arrogance and a false self. Nothing to do with race and I agree that the ballet world has had rampant racism.
@Weird Content Guaranteed Funny thing is, most ballerinas who feel inadequate for the material are more than eager to help their partners. Expecting him to do so much of the work is, among other things, a recipe for disaster.I can only wonder what goes through, for example, Kolpakova's head when she has to try to help her.
If the female partner has awful technique theres nothing the male parter can do. He cant make miracles happen. A male partner gives support not magic.
yall racist at what cost
Compared to Zacharova she is like a duck 😂
it ain’t criticisms it’s racism y’all hate to see blacks in a bigger position just say it mad ahh 😂😂😂😂