Monday, April 20, 2009

Peter Martins Photographs



I recently read Far From Denmark, the moving autobiography of Peter Martins, the Danish dancer who joined the New York City Ballet and eventually took over the company after Balanchine died. Usually, I prefer male dancers with compact bodies rather than super slender types - say, Rudolf Nureyev or the Opéra de Paris's Wilfred Romoli rather than the Royal Ballet's Anthony Dowell. Peter Martins was very much the latter type, so he was never among my favorites. Yet I found the pictures in his book just breathtaking - the lines of his attitude are clean, svelte, yet powerful. He was also a wonderful partner for the divine, divine Suzanne Farrell.

24 comments:

Nessa said...

Beautiful lines. It is difficult for a tall, slender man to look proportional when dancing.

Frock Around the Clock said...

Beautiful! Glasses wise, definately try out black plastic frames - they are so fun to wear and bring something different to an outfit! :) x

Melissa said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog, these photographs are beautiful!

Laura in Paris said...

I read your true passion for ballet.

La chica said...

I had the plaisir of watching Nuyerev when I was little, he was awesome.

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

svelte is definitely the key word here...Life of artists facinate me always...~Lovely week beautiful!

Arlene said...

I agree with you on the male dancer body type. I prefer something more compact, although I know most folks swoon over the beauty of the long slender types,


After living in L.A. for fifteen years, I'm enjoying reading about your discovery of the area. I miss it so much. Enjoy your time.

Seeker said...

Beautiful pictures with such movement feelings....

xoxo

Mary-Laure said...

FROCK - yes, I was thinking of going rimless but I don't want to look like Sarah Palin!!

MUJER - I am just SO jealous. I would have loved to see him but I never had a chance. Lucky you.

ARLENE - I didn't know you had lived in LA! Let me know if there are any places you'd recommend...

georgia b. said...

thanks for stopping by my blog!

i like what i see on yours. i'm glad to have discovered it.

drollgirl said...

he does look strong and powerful, although slender. and these are great shots. i am such a klutz, and dancers are the exact opposite of me. lucky them!

Anonymous said...

beautiful. i would have loved to be a ballerina.

Mary-Laure said...

DROLLGIRL - ah but it takes HARD work, even Peter Martins wasn't born naturally coordinated and graceful!

SARAH - me too. Sigh. Re-sigh.

Unknown said...

Oh, there's something about those pics that rekindles my childhood love of ballet. Gorgeous

Anonymous said...

Awh wow ...they're such beautiful pictures. There's something so captivating about about ballet poses!

Hey Harriet said...

I must confess to not knowing much about dancing but these images are breathtaking!

Mary-Laure said...

LEXY B - once you love ballet as a child, you always love ballet...

HEY HARRIET - you really don't need to know about ballet to see the beauty!

Anonymous said...

i love watching dancing :)
xxx

Joyce said...

I love these photos! The dancers graceful and eloquently dance right off the paper.

Eeli said...

That is so interesting and the pics are amazing. I think ballerinas just possess that intrinsic graceful quality that alludes most of us lol. :)

Dave King said...

Think I must get myself a copy.

Hope Adela Pasztor said...

i love ballet those are great photos!

http://pinkchampagnefashion.blogspot.com/

Marci said...

Preciosas fotos Aurea!
eres bailarina profesional?
saludos

Mary-Laure said...

DAVID - the book is out of print but you can find it used on Amazon. It features MANY more beautiful pics. I had the hardest time choosing just a few!!

MARCI - ah no! Como me hubiera gustado, pero no...