Tag Archives: Natalie Portman

Angelenos Boo Merce!: L.A. Dance Project’s Dramatic Premiere

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Tonya

This past weekend marked the premiere of L.A. Dance Project at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA. Of course this is the event – the full-evening debut of Benjamin Millepied’s new LA-based company – that all dance-going Angelenos … Continue reading →

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Benjamin Millepied, Christopher Wheeldon, and Alexei Ratmansky Premieres at ABT

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Tonya

Above: Isabella Boylston and Marcelo Gomes in Christopher Wheeldon’s Thirteen Diversions, which premiered at American Ballet Theater two weeks ago. (Photo by Rosalie O’Connor.) Once again, I’m behind on posts. May was a crazy month, filled with family emergencies, last … Continue reading →

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Kurt Froman on Training Natalie Portman to Dance

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Tonya

But his funniest, most interesting words are about Mila Kunis: “Mila, and I mean this in the best way, she is such a loud-mouthed kind of broad. You know exactly where you stand with her, if she’s not happy with … Continue reading →

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More BLACK SWAN Controversy, and The Paris Opera Ballet’s COPPELIA

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Tonya

I’m still crazy busy but just wanted to point out two things. First, if you haven’t already heard, there’s now a storm of controversy over how much dancing Natalie Portman actually did in Black Swan. Dance Magazine EIC Wendy Perron … Continue reading →

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Natalie Portman’s Black Swan Acceptance Speech at the Oscars

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Tonya

So what did you guys think of it? I tried to find a YouTube video but couldn’t find a free one. Interesting that companies are going to start charging for subscriptions for that kind of thing… Anyway, I love that … Continue reading →

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Moonlight on the Beach

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Tonya

Happy President’s Day everyone! I’m spending the week in South Carolina at my cousin’s timeshare – I needed a few days away from New York and the ocean is  my favorite place. (If I ever have money, I’m definitely buying … Continue reading →

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Last Week at New York City Ballet

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Tonya

Last week I went to two performances of NYCB – opening night and Thursday night’s “See the Music” program – and to two of the free all-day Balanchine events on Saturday. First, I’ll talk about the last two since I … Continue reading →

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Natalie Portman’s Black Swan Golden Globe Acceptance Speech

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Tonya

Did you guys watch last night? I thought she looked radiant, and her speech was really sweet. She seemed genuinely happy about both the film and her personal life. She still seemed to be in a state of blissful shock … Continue reading →

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Is Millepied a K-Fed or a Baryshnikov?

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Tonya

I’ve seen a good number of articles like this one popping up on various celebrity gossip blogs, contending that Benjamin Millepied poked holes in his condoms and is basically just after Natalie Portman for fame and money – I guess … Continue reading →

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Is Ballet A Dying Art?

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Tonya

I must confess I haven’t yet read Jennifer Homans’ acclaimed but controversial history of ballet, Apollo’s Angels. I’m working hard on my second novel and have been knee deep in prison and cop memoirs and haven’t had time for much … Continue reading →

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Millepied To Be a Daddy

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Tonya

Oh dear lord. Via TheBalletBag.

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Jenifer Ringer Talks About Her Weight on the Today Show

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Tonya

If you guys haven’t seen this yet, Jenifer Ringer was on the Today Show talking about Sir Alastair’s criticism of her weight, her past eating disorder, and the struggle to be thin for ballerinas in general. I hadn’t known, but … Continue reading →

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My Take on BLACK SWAN

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Tonya

I saw it over the weekend. Overall, I thought it was hilarious. Totally campy and just plain funny. Way too silly to be scary though. And I think Aronofksy was going for both. So, to me, it failed to that … Continue reading →

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Black Swan-Inspired Fashion

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Tonya

I was flipping through Marie Claire and saw this spread on current fashions inspired by the Black Swan movie: They also had a spread on fashions inspired by Burlesque, the new film starring Cher and Christina Aguilera: And then as … Continue reading →

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Benjamin Millepied Interviewed at Black Swan Premiere

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Tonya

This is actually a pretty interesting interview, by Amy Kaufman, of the Los Angeles Times, at the Black Swan premiere in LA. Millepied talks about the differences between working with trained and untrained dancers, and how he trained the untrained … Continue reading →

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Natalie Portman Black Swan Interview in UK Express

Posted on October 22, 2010 by Tonya

Natalie Portman talks with the UK Express about how much harder her role in Black Swan was than other film roles she’s had. “’There were a few days when I thought I might die, literally,’” says Natalie. ‘Maybe I’m being … Continue reading →

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Benjamin Millepied’s “Plainspoken”

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Tonya

Last Thursday was NYCB’s Fall gala, during which they presented the New York City premiere of Benjamin Millepied’s Plainspoken (photo at left, of Teresa Reichlen and Sebastien Marcovici, by Paul Kolnik; the ballet originally premiered in Wyoming this August), along … Continue reading →

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NATALIE PORTMAN'S "BLACK SWAN" WILL PREMIERE AT THE VENICE FILM FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 1

Posted on July 25, 2010 by Tonya

Visit the Examiner for more details and a slide show including a few more pics from the movie. Photo above looks rather creepy imo … which I guess goes along with the genre.

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YVONNE BORREE'S FAREWELL PERFORMANCE

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Tonya

On Sunday afternoon, principal ballerina Yvonne Borree gave her farewell performance at New York City Ballet. I always find farewell performances so sad, especially for the ballerinas, for some reason. And Yvonne just doesn’t seem old enough to retire! At … Continue reading →

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ABT AT 70 AT THE GUGGENHEIM

Posted on May 11, 2010 by Tonya

Last night American Ballet Theatre put on a little celebration of its 70th anniversary and gave a little preview of its upcoming Met season (which begins next Monday, May 17th) at the Guggenheim, as part of the museum’s Works and … Continue reading →

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NEW YORK CITY BALLET OPENS ITS SUMMER SEASON TONIGHT

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Tonya

And expect Natalie Portman to be at the gala. Well, of course she would be: her boyfriend’s new ballet will premiere tonight, along with a Ratmansky premiere. And, by the way, Kathryn Morgan is to replace Janie Taylor in Millepied’s. … Continue reading →

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JEWELS

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Tonya

Janie Taylor and Benjamin Millepied in “Rubies.” All photos are by Paul Kolnik. Sterling Hyltin and Gonzalo Garcia in “Rubies.” Jonathan Stafford and Sara Mearns in “Diamonds.” Maria Kowroski and Charles Askegard and cast in “Diamonds.” Abi Stafford and Jason … Continue reading →

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NATALIE PORTMAN: "HOMEWRECKER"??

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Tonya

Apparently the New York Post’s Page Six people have found out about Benjamin Millepied’s prior relationship with ABT’s Isabella Boylston (and are finding it newsworthy) because they’re now depicting Natalie Portman as a “homewrecker” who tore the two apart. (Doesn’t … Continue reading →

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WRONG!

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Tonya

Haha! So the gossip papers are reporting that Ben Millepied and Natalie Portman had gone to see Gyor National Ballet of Hungary on January 9th. But that’s wrong! Pacific Northwest Ballet was performing at the Joyce Theater (outside of which … Continue reading →

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NATALIE PORTMAN AND BENJAMIN MILLEPIED ARE ALLEGEDLY DATING

Posted on January 10, 2010 by Tonya

I’ve been hearing rumors about this for a while now, but now that the celeb gossip mags are starting to pick it up, I feel authorized to post about it. Millepied is doing the choreography for the upcoming film Black … Continue reading →

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GEORGINA PARKINSON HAS DIED

Posted on December 20, 2009 by Tonya

Former Royal Ballet ballerina and current American Ballet Theater mistress Georgina Parkinson has died of cancer. She was 71. In addition to her work with ABT, she was apparently coaching Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis for their dance roles in … Continue reading →

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BENJAMIN MILLEPIED CHOREOGRAPHING FOR "BLACK SWAN" MOVIE

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Tonya

There were rumors swarming around that NYCB’s Ben Millepied would be choreographing for the upcoming film starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, and they appear to be true. Says Director Darren Aronofsky: “My sister was a dancer growing up and … Continue reading →

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WINONA RYDER & NATALIE PORTMAN IN MOVIE BASED ON NYCB DANCER

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Tonya

Oh cool — apparently, Winona Ryder, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis are to star in a film called Black Swan, a thriller that follows the story of a fictitious NYCBallet dancer who may or may not be having delusions about … Continue reading →

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ABT OPENING NIGHT GALA FALL 2009: THREE PREMIERES IN BLACK AND WHITE, AND WOOD

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Tonya

Photo of Veronika Part in The Dying Swan, taken from Vogue; photos of the three premieres coming as soon as I receive them. After ABT‘s fall season opening night gala performance last night, the really wonderful James Wolcott and Laura … Continue reading →

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CARLOS ACOSTA IN UPCOMING FILM "NEW YORK I LOVE YOU"

Posted on October 4, 2009 by Tonya

Cuban ballet star, currently a principal at the Royal in London, has a role opposite Natalie Portman in the movie, New York I Love You, set to open here October 16. You can see him in the trailer around the … Continue reading →

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