Customer Reviews

Baryshnikov Dances Sinatra and More, a.k.a Baryshnikov Dances Tharp/ Baryshnikov, American Ballet Theatre

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an exquisite video. Baryshnikov is in superb form, and there's ever so faint a touch of world-weariness around the edges of these pieces, informing even Baryshnikov's copious perfection, which makes for a beautiful, rich viewing experience. Push Comes To Shove, especially, is sweet and ironic, and hearing the audience chuckle now and again adds to the depth of artistic triumph that marks each piece on this dvd. Tharp's ideas crystallize with snap and magic, and Baryshnikov delivers exactly what every moment asks. His legendary nonchalant classicism changed the world, and surely the heart of every person who ever saw this man dance, and these Tharp pieces make his insouciance ineffaceable. Amanda McKerrow wows in the Glazunov 'Little Ballet', and Baryshnikov's partnering is lithe and understated, intimate,even. Wonderful stuff. One of the greatest things you can ever see is Baryshnikov's solo tour of 'One More For The Road', at the end of the Sinatra Suite. Tharp's luscious familiarity is all over it, beginning to end, but in 'One More For The Road', Baryshnikov reaches a fusion of idea and means that flat out overwhelms. It's vivifying in its greatness: inevitable becomes irresistable. Pretty neat. It's too bad ballet is a forgotten word in any culture, but inexcusable in a rich one. People don't know what they're missing. Get this dvd and reaffirm your faith.

Another marvelous look at Mikhail Baryshnikov.

This is a DVD produced by Twyla Tharp featuring a more relaxed performance by Baryshnikov. The program begins with an segmented introduction that continues on in between the three, featured dance routines. The female leads are partners Deidre Carberry in 'The Little Ballet', Elaine Kudo in 'The Sinatra Suite' and finally the corp de ballet of the American Ballet Theatre in 'Push Comes to Shove'.

This DVD features a Mikhail Baryshnikov that is somewhat older (but he really doesn't look or dance like it). The lifts and glides, the incredible sense of timing with his partners are done with such ease and grace...no effort at all...surely anyone could do that, couldn't they? Well, no most of us couldn't; what we are witnessing is Baryshnikov's athleticism, skill and balance that have endured, if not gotten better, through the years.

A comment on a few likes and dislikes about this disc...

1.)'The Little Ballet' starts off with a waltz where Baryshnikov and his partner, Deidre Carberry, only touch with their forearms; this is amazingly beautiful and erotic. The music and dance that follows just flows with a nature pace and sensitivity. I makes me wonder if dancers of this quality don't fall in love with their partners while performing these exquisite routines (well, at least for a few minutes anyway).

2.)My favorite work on this disc in the tribute to Sinatra featuring Baryshnikov and sultry looking Elaine Kudo. Using Sinatra's songs, this elegant couple do waltzes, modern dance and even a 'gangster and moll' routine. Baryshnikov finishes the set with a slow sensitive solo to 'One for My Baby' (It's quarter to three). I'm sure Mr. Sinatra would have been pleased to see his songs use as a setting for the dance skills of Mr. Baryshnikov.

3.)The third and final piece was 'Push Comes to Shove'. This work features Mikhail with the corp; it is an attempt to show some humor in dance, and while the choreography is excellent, they unfortunately decided to use a laugh track to simulate audience laughter. I assume, that because there was no 'live' audience, they felt the need to put some laughter in at the appropriate spots, however this somewhat diminished the effect of this routine because the laughter was so obviously artificial.

Conclusion:
Mikhail Baryshnikov doing what only he can do, along with some exquisitely talented and beautiful partners. To be able to dance with such ease, grace and skill almost seems unfair to the rest of us mere mortals. 4 1/2 Stars (1/2 Star off for the canned laugh track)

R.Nicholson

I was very disappointed in this DVD of this delightful series of dances choreographed by Tharp for Baryshnikov. As I watched it I was sure I had gotten a pirated copy but it seem Kultur is a legitimate company. The video quality is just the same as if it were burned to DVD from a pretty decent home video taped off the air back when the show was originally aired on PBS.

At 65 yrs old and new to the world of ballet (but already have seen over 25 ballets through the courtesy of Amazon.com and my library) I am a "dyed in the wool" fan of Baryshnikov. Is there anything he has danced badly?

Baryshnikov Dances Sinatra and More is a must for anyone's library collection. I bought my DVD just a short time ago and received it last week. I've already watched it about 10 times. I love it! Baryshnikov once again shines and makes the people who dance with him shine too. The ABT dancers with him are great!

The "Little Ballet" is a serious type of ballet. Beautifully choreographed by Tharp. Dances Sinatra has 4 serious dances and one funny dance. Every one should see the "apache" type dance. It's wonderful and funny. Misha chews that gum and tosses Elaine Kudo around like she's a limp mop. She appears not to have a muscle in her body. And last but not least "Push Comes to Shove". Each time I watch this performance by Mikhail and the ABT dancers, I am literally awed by the way they make it look so easy, relaxed and fun.

If you're expecting a lot of Mikhail's twists and turns in this, you are going to be disappointed. If I remember correctly from reading his biography, he wss just recovering from a severe injury the year he did this DVD. Mainly this DVD shows Mikhail learning to dance a new way which was one of his passions. If you are looking only for classic ballet, this DVD is not for you. However if you are looking for Baryshnikov, this new way of dancing for him is really wonderful to watch.

Gloria

I bought this for myself and decided to order 3 more as Christms Gifts for my friends.

Baryshnikov at his very best! Twyla Tharp is enchanting, and the music is amazing. Seeing these two legends perform is nothing short of breathtaking . I highly recommend this.

A DVD that shoes three different styles of dance: classical, more modern, and finally a unique satire on classical ballet. It shows a great dancer of his era who can dance any style of dance.

It has three great people at one place and time: Tharp, Baryshnikov and Sinatra. How much better could it be?
I love Twyla Tharp's humor. Misha's great dancing is classical, but with an attitude. And Sinatra is the icing! Pure magic!

There is an old show biz adage which says that you should always leave the audience asking for more. As did I, so will you. Ask for more; after watching this 60 minute video of a 1984 PBS TV show with Baryshnikov and the American Ballet theater performing in a Twyla Tharp production directed by Tharp and Don Mischer. I spell out the credits because of the errors in the listing by Amazon.
As other reviewers have pointed out, there are three short ballets included in this neatly organized program. The last, Push Comes to Shove, seemed to me the most creative and joyful, but Baryshnikov doing Sinatra is certainly a nostalgic hit for those of us who remember Fred Astaire introducing the song with a classic song and dance number in one of his films and Sinatra performing it later in essentially the same setting. The Little Ballet which leads the way for the others gives a full measure of pleasure to Glazounov's music.
Baryshnikov, 25 years ago, was a marvelous artist in full command of his body, those who shared the stage with him were truly partners enhancing the impact of every move he made while sparkling in their own moments in the spotlight. Twyla Tharp proves herself a worthy successor to the ABT tradition established by Balanchine and those he influenced, like Jerome Robbins.
While, I suppose, a very short DVD as time is measured in minutes, it is long on quality and enjoyment.

This is Twyla Tharp's choreography for songs by Sinatra danced by young MikhaIL Baryshnikov. Watch it with a quality cognac in your hand