Olesia Novikova: check her out

Did you like her in Rubies? I LOVED her in that! Unfortunately it was the only time I was able to see her this season.

Apollinaire responds: Well, I loved HER, but I guess I'm with Sir Alastair in finding her "all wrong" in the part. She didn't have enough going on in her center, it seemed to me--not enough juice--and I think she confused the vulgarity of the role with STRETCHing her legs a lot. But I'm still excited about her--from her shade in "La Bayadere" and then from the Forsythe, which she made so slippery and good-hearted. She's like Vishneva (for me, anyway), in that she makes me think, what a good person! I like dancers that exude that (and also dancers, like Nureyev, who don't at all). So nice to hear from you, Tonya!