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What was Robert Joffrey like and how does his approach compare to Gerald Arpino's?
Though Robert Joffrey choreographed the first Rock/Multimedia Ballet - Astarte, he was really in love with the Romantic and Classical Ballets. He imported the Cranko, Ashton and Kylian ballets to America. He was a ballet fan. Arpino was the bad boy of the seventies. He marched to the beat of a different drummer and people lined up around the block for tickets to see his works.
Now that the film has been out for a few months are you getting people coming to the Joffrey because of it or who might not normally have come there?
I'm not sure of what affect the film has had on our ticket sales.
What is your favorite scene and/or your favorite scene you were in?
The first time I saw the film, my favorite scene was John going to live at Suzy's apt. It was so sad and he seemed so calm about it. So did the other dancers. John and the others seemed so poised at such a young age. I have seen the film a few more times and I think my most recent favorite scene is that of Ry and her mother at Ry's apt. That cracks me up.
You said before you would give suggestions to Neve on the set. Can you give some examples?
I just gave Neve corrections in class.
Why are you laughing when Mr. A is yelling at you during the Grant Park rehearsal?
The reason I laugh a lot when I get blessed out by Mr. A for dancers having their stuff in the wings at Grant Park is because I always tell them to move the stuff and they never do. That must be too much an inside thing.
There is a promo picture of Mr. A sitting in his chair with Ry dancing that was not in the film. Is it a cut scene or just a promo shot?
The promo picture is taken from the part of a scene that did not remain in the film when Mr. A was throwing out some ideas with Ry (after Pierre left the 'Touch Me' rehearsal).
Are there any other scenes you remember that were cut out?
Several scenes were not used. There was a party at a board member's mansion that was not used. There were two scenes in which the new studio is not ready in time for rehearsals those two scenes were not used. Hardly any of my first class, plus two other classes I taught were not used
What does Mr. A mean when he says, "You know how I hate pretty."?
He means that he hates fake, the idea that most people have of how dancers should dance. He likes honest athleticism. Not droopy arms and soft wrists.
Does he mean the same thing when he tells the dancers they are being phony?
Mr. A wants his artists to dance with the most pure and honest intentions possible. "It's not the steps babies. It's what's inside that counts".
What does Mr. A mean when he says to Ry she should be an Allegro dancer?
Mr. A thinks that if a dancer is good at allegro, she will have the necessary coordination it takes to do anything.
What is the difference between allegro and adagio?
An allegro dancer moves sometimes small and fast or sometimes big across the floor. There is lots of jumping and spinning. An adagio dancer moves slowly or is even carried around. An adagio dancer may possibly be able to lift his or her legs very high.
Is the Grant Park storm based on a real occurrence?
It is based on a storm during a performance of ours at Ravinia, which is a famous outdoor theatre in Chicago.
How close is Antonelli to Arpino?
Let me just say they don't make them like Arpino any more. Malcolm did a great job capturing him.
What is going on when Ry is upset with Lar about Noel dating and no one telling her?
Ry is upset that Frankie is now dating Noel. Noel is based on a girl in the company just as Ry is based on another girl in the company.
What did you think about the very British Mr. A winning the Italian award. Was that based on a real event?
I thought the fact that Malcolm seemed neither Italian nor American was odd. I don't know why Altman continued with the subject of the award, which was based on a true event. I believe it was Altman being odd. I'm absolutely certain that Altman is aware that Malcolm is very British.
Is the Neo or the Marche based on any real Chicago establishments?
Marche is a real place. I don't know about the Neo.
Who is Eddie Sterlie that Mr. A talks about?
Eddie Sterlie was a dancer who died of AIDS at twenty-three years old. He was a very good dancer and showed great promise as a choreographer. He created two ballets for the Joffrey that showed outrageous talent for one so young.
What is the relationship between Justin and his mentor?
Justin and his mentor were romantically involved. The real dancer was no longer in the company when we filmed. A different dancer played Justin (which was a made up name). The Justin situation was unique at Joffrey. I have never witnessed another situation like that.
Is Robert the real Blue Snake choreographer or is he based on someone?
Robert Derosier played himself.
The Blue Snake is a children's ballet. Is that something the Joffrey has performed or would normally perform?
Joffrey has never performed and will probably never perform the Blue Snake.
I guess the scene is fictional when Robert says the music isn't written as this was a ballet that he has done before?
The scene with the Blue Snake music was based on my experience with another living choreographer. Blue Snake was created many years ago and Neve was enthralled with it when she saw it as a child.
What is Ry's character in the blue and yellow outfit?
Robert called the blue and yellow characters Blue Nuns and Blue Spines.
What is Ry's character with the balloon hat supposed to be?
Robert referred to innocence when he spoke of the Balloon Head.
Is the Christmas Roast a real event and why don't the ballet masters and directors attend?
The Christmas Roast goes back to my days as a dancer. We were spending Christmas in Iowa, where we premiered Nutcracker and it was a party with skits. The roast has changed over the years and now they base most of the skits on making fun of the ballet masters and Mr. A. I don't attend because I want to get home after the Sunday matinee and not prolong my day.
I thought it was a great, funny scene when Mr. A comes in to watch the harness rehearsal and says he isn't there and proceeds to take over everything.
It is typical Arpino to say "I'm not here" and then seconds later take over.
In your final scene Mr. A comes in, but says nothing. When Deborah comes over to him he just leaves. This seems unlike him from what we've seen before. It looks like he doesn't want to get involved is that what's going on?
I guess Altman was trying to show that Arpino does not always take the dancers side of things though he says nothing in that scene. Do you remember when we were in Deborah's meeting in the office and we were talking about her way of taking class and Mr. A told the ballet masters to leave her alone? I guess he was going to let us duke it out in the studio without his interference.
When you are trying to get her to step at a different beat is that based on something true that happened to you? Did you really go back and watch old tapes?
Yes it was true what happened. Deborah was not the original dancer in that part. I was in the original cast. Suite Saint-Saens had not been done for several years and was being revived with an almost entirely new cast. It was my first time staging it and I did pour over old videos to bring it back to its purest form. When ballets are passed down over the years steps can erode. I was taking care to stage Suite Saint-Saens with its original choreography. I worked very hard at it and was saddened that I had to put up with resistance.
How did 'A Wedding Bouquet' go without MM?
We missed Malcolm terribly when we performed A Wedding Bouquet. Derek Jacobi has performed the role with The Royal Ballet and I'm sure Malcolm would have been most charming.
The film recently opened in the UK and some professional dancers went on record saying rather harsh things about the film. What would you like to say to them?
The only thing I can say about the Royal Ballet dancers is that one would
think they would not want to come off sounding so ugly. (I always prefer to be
diplomatic especially when I have done nothing as important as that which I am
commenting upon). None of the Brits has done anything of this scale (I've not
heard of any of them except the Ballet Boyz who should know better), so they
shouldn't really go on record with their comments. Is that how they want to be
remembered? What if they do something that calls for support in the future? I
hope they are ready for other dancers with their knives out.
Mr. Altman said that a lot of dancers might resent this movie. He said that they
would come in with preconceived ideas of what it should be and then get mad if
it did not live up to their expectations. He also said he would do what his artistic
vision calls for and nothing else. He has always done that and people like it or
not. Many dancers like Altman films but usually they are not "experts"
on the subject, if you know what I mean. This film is in their arena and they
are the authority, or so they believe.
What do you recommend for young people to do who want to get into dance?
They must get good training. If dancers have good training starting at a young age, they can have a long career. I also recommend watching videos of the great artists (i.e. Fonteyn) and learning dance history.
This entire page © 2004-08 Alex D. Thrawn for www.MalcolmMcDowell.net