Any Gelsey Kirkland fans?

[LaurenB]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 8:52am

Her appearance on L.A. Law is going to be shown next week on ALN, if you get that channel. Original airdate Feb 10, 1994.

Episode - McKenzie, Brackman, Barnum & Bailey. A ballerina (Gelsey Kirkland) sues a dance company for breach of contract; an aging juggler accuses his protg (Michael Moschen) of stealing his act; and Benny dances around a commitment to Rosalie (Kathleen Wilhoite). Alex: Roy Dotrice. Uhler: Carl Carlsson.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 11:36am

Great on Cheers and The Simpsons, pretty good on Frasier. Should be interesting in La Cage.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 12:29pm

I loved(d) her. Like a dancing Teresa Stratas (i.e., haunting beauty, amazing talent, crazy as a rat in a coffee can).

Her memoir was fascinating, too.

She doesn't still dance, does she?

[LaurenB]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 2:04pm

"Her memoir was fascinating, too."

I'll say, I couldn't put it down! I'm not sure if she is still dancing. I read that she had been living in Australia but was asked to teach some masters classes in NY. She returned, did dance a character role in Sleeping Beauty at Lincoln Center a couple of years ago (see image), and now I believe she is teaching at Steps.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 4:04pm

I loved her book. It was the first celebrity autobiography I ever read and I was enthralled. I was in my early teens, saw her interviewed on TV, was fascinated, walked down to Waldenbooks at the mall and bought her book. I felt really grown up and loved her memoir.

[bwayfan3]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 12:49pm

Gelsey teaches ballet at STEPS.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 12:53pm

Has anyone on the board ever taken her class? I bet it's like stepping into another world.

[Q]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 1:57pm

Seeing Kirkland and Baryshnikov in GISELLE in the late 70's is one of the most treasured memories of my life.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 3:16pm

Kirkland in Giselle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Tgfx5jFkI

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 4:54pm

I'm absolutely obsessed with this woman. I thought I was the only one! I sit watching that video of GISELLE with my jaw dropped. I would love to observe her class, but I'm not nearly advanced enough a ballet dancer to take it.

[LaurenB]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 5:14pm

No theaterkid, LOL, you are not alone. I have to have my Gelsey fix every now and then. She is absolutely breathtaking in that Giselle clip. And to really appreciate the sheer beauty of that performance, watch Natalia Makarova's version. Fast forward to around 4 minutes. Natalia's performance was wonderful, but to me, Gelsey's interpretation was divine.
Natalia Makova's Giselle