I went to last Saturday's Royal Ballet triple bill performance (which was brilliant), and as I exit I unintentionally stumbled across the stage door as I followed the crowd back to Covent Garden.

Then I realised I could be running into the dancers themselves! So I took out my programme and realised.....

I didn't have a pen on me....

So I walked along and thought "Ah well...."

But I'm going to another performance of the RB on Wednesday, and people like Darcey Bussell and Tamara Rojo are dancing.

My question is, is it worth going to the stage door after the performance to ask them to sign my programme? As in I'm kind of scared of the people who will be leering at me... hm.....

Any opinions greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Fish

I can't speak for London mores, but in NYC, the stage-door crowds are almost de rigeur.

No one will be leering at you.....
Dancers don't usually mind---be aware, though, that they are tired and might want to be on their way home as soon as possible. Usually, they are flattered!

I also can't speak about stage door crowds at Covent Garden, but in the U.S. waiting for dancers is definitely cool. It's true that my experience is limited to waiting only for one dancer (retired) in New York and Washington and I don't ask for her autograph. But all the other dancers I've seen seem happy to sign programs. As I say, I don't know about programmes.

My experience with the dancers at Covent Garden has been quite positive. Now, I must admit that I was with my DD and I had a camera and asked if I could take a photo of her with them....they were most obliging. However, they appeared to be very nice to all of the fans.

Once outside the stage store (again with my DD) in New York, a strange thing happened. The danseurnoble walked up to my daughter, took her program, signed it, posed for a photo, and then told her he wanted to avoid the other fans. She had never asked him for an autograph, but I guess she had a look of a young dancer so he approached her before he slipped into a limousine.

Skilfully done! The gentleman must be a superb partner. He sees the one that needs his attention and moves smartly to address the situation - while also accomplishing HIS mission!

From what I have observed, most dancers at ABT are nice and friendly. But, when I hear there is a party after a performance, I try to let the regulars at the stage door know this. I also have the feeling that dancers are a bit more accomodating then they were say 20 years ago. Any comments???????

My only experience is with NYCB dancers. This afternoon I was waiting out front and Albert Evens was talking to some what I am sure where young dancers. As I walked by I complimented him on a wonderful performance and thanked him. He thanked me back and was most gracious. I have often run into dancers in O'Neils after a performance and usually don't bother them. The one time I did was right after Heather Watts retired and she was sitting with a large group of dancers including Soto and Woetzel. I thanked her and told her she would be missed. Everyone was gracious to me and I did not wear out my welcome. My general feeling is that ballet dancers - except possibly for Barish and Nureyev are not very well known to the general public and are mostly ignored. Even the ones that we know so well and that expect everyone else does (i.e. even Farrell, Ashley, P.Martins, etc.) So when a fan is complimentary and stays within reasonable bounds of respect, I believe your attention will be appreciated. Just my 2 cents. Any dancers here who would like to set me straight, please do so.

I also have no experience with Royal Ballet dancers, but I'll put in my two cents. I've waited for dancers at the Kennedy Center (Washington DC) and they have always been most obliging when it comes to signing programs and posing for pictures.

I've also waited for dancers at the stage door in St. Petersburg (Mariinsky and Mussorgsky theaters) -- although I'm often the only one to do that (not counting the poor friend who accompanied me to the ballet and is now forced to stay until I collect some autographs). These dancers are always pleasantly surprised by my requests -- I guess it's not a tradition among Russians to wait for dancers after a performance -- and I've only had positive experiences with them to date.

So go for it, I say! I certainly will if I'm ever in London (or elsewhere) at a Royal Ballet performance.

Hiya Fish!

Well, when it comes to the stage door at the ROH (or anywhere, for that matter), I seem to turn into a shy 12 year old and never pluck up the courage...

That said, many of my friends stay, and often get autographs, or just say their little hellos. From seeing this, the dancers are usually quite obliging! I think, as noted above, the trick is not to wear out your welcome.

After the Tsunami Gala one of my friends and I were walking back to the tube stop, as one of my fave male dancers came out of the door. She just went over, as she said, 'he's your favourite, you have to have an autograph.' I turned into butter and couldn't speak, as she took the programme from me, handed it to him, he signed it, handed it back to her, and then she handed it back to me. They even had a little chat. All the while I just stared at my shoes, blushed ferociously, and mumbled a meek thank you....

So, I'd say, go for it! You can't do any worse than I did!

My 12 year old dancer has waited at the stage door and has also approached dancers in public to very politely ask for autographs. Most recently the Aust Ballet was in town and we saw six young men eating dinner - all slim and all with perfect posture - they could only be dancers. Dd asked for autographs, which they gave willingly and chatted to her for a while. The dancers have always been very sweet and accommodating to her and thus far she has not come across any divas, male or female.

I have approached dancers -- including waiting for autographs -- in the area immediately around theaters. I live in a dancer-rich neighborhood, and my rule (broken once or twice) is that when they are on the street, in the supermarket, at Starbucks, etc., they are private citizens, and I respect their privacy. If there is eye-contact, I smile. Of course, if I know them -- have met them -- I feel free to approach them as I would any other acquaintance.

I know very few dancers these days.

Hi, this is my first post so excuse me if it goes wrong...

Agreed absolutely. I used to be a frequent stage-doorer and I think that most dancers are fine with that and have probably done some stage-dooring themselves, but if I see dancers in coffee shops, supermarkets etc., they are not at work, although as carbro said, if they see me, I smile just as I would if I made eye contact with anyone else I recognised. Having said that, fame can make people react in funny ways, as Ami said: a group of dancers once started to approach me while I was reading on a bench near the theatre in which they performing (I was volunteering for the company that day so was wearing their t-shirt!) and I leapt up and practically ran away!

Welcome to Ballet Talk, Becca!

That's a great story, and I enjoyed reading your post on Liasons Dangereuse. I hope you'll continue to share your impressions of the dance performances you see.

One suggestion: having been in the company of artists eating out at a restaurant, it can be intrusive to interrupt the artist while s/he is eating a meal. Try to wait until the course is finished. It will be appreciated.

Sorry guys for not getting back....

I did it! And I saw Darcey!!! *weeeeeeeeeeee*

And Mara as well.

One thing I noticed - they look so different out of costume, I couldn't recognise them!!

cheers,
fish

Mara is one of the dancers who was exceptionally nice to my DD. And, would you believe...she is a poster on the Italian ballet page under the name MaraG. She's even submitted a poem to their writing section.

one of the joys I have during the spring season-----------I hate the cold, and wouldn't be wait at the stage door if Godot were coming---------is hanging out on the entranceway to the stage. I find that if I see a principal, they smile if I wave to them-Jock, alexandra, kyra. albert Evans is great. He always speaks with the SaB kids and they love him.

about two weeks back, I was hanging there, and I noticed a dancer reading a book.
I asked-"are you a dancer?"
"yes," she replied. I asked her her name and it was Savannah Lowery. I had just seen her dance in "Rubies" a week before and I said-"You're terrific." She loved the revue. So we chatted for a few minutes, and that was wonderful. I am not an autograph person, but I am a collector of signed ballet slippers. Years back I wrote to tell Susan Jaffe how much I loved her and she sent me her shoes, and she invited me to her dressing roomafter she danced. That was spinetingling. Her dressing room was cluttrered with discarded slippers and panty hose and cigarettes.

They're human, and they're often very gracious.


I also correspond with Paloma herrera, and Janie Taylor.

so, yes, go to the stage door.


JIM