Last night was as dream. A dream come true for me . I've been rading about the Kirov Ballet since I was 8 years old. TheBolshoi Balet School I read time and time again. I learned about the two top schools in Russia, the stylistic differences between them, and the rich history of the ballet in Russia. How Tchaikovsky and Petipa worked painstakingly measure by measure to create the scores for Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. And last night, more than 40 years after I first started learing about this remarkable tradition, I witnessed firsthand its natural result. There were young ladies, most of them not far from 20 who as the swans not only moved their arms and legs and heads as eone but practically breathed as one in every moment of Act II.

These girls didn't miss a beat, a moment, an eyelash, all in unison not only physically but spiritually. And when they bowed down to the Queen, practically prostrate in fourth position, the act of the ensemble in such perfect unison was both breathtakng and emouvant.

These girls laid it down. It was better than the Olympics. It was like they were saying, "Now, that's how you dance Swan Lake."

I've seen this company on tape many times. But I never witnessed the kind of unison I saw last night.

Too, we were by the luck of the draw treated to the best Swan Queen of the tour, Miss Kondaurova. She has twice won awards for here acting/dancing interpretations of more modern owrk.s

There was nothing rote about this Swan Queen. It was the best interpretation I've seen. I literally forgot she was a ballet dancer and was drawn into the tragedy of her half-woman, half-swan plight. Amazing.

It was so reat, I did not care who I was sittin next to.

I'm still floating and probably will be for several more days.

And the Cygnets didn't miss an eyelash. They truly showed us how it is done.

I love SFB in this ballet. I love the Royal Ballet and lots of others.

But the Mariinsky....there's nothing like it.

They Don't Need Capes or Superpowers

The superheroic Ninth Circuit Court has once again struck a blow for equality. Wouldn't it be funny if, at the end of their lengthy legal argument, the prevailing justices penned, "And besides, it just ain't right." Because in plain language, Proposition 8 just...ain't...right...on any level.