Perhaps it is the plight of the music industry as we know it, but the immediacy of YouTube, Vimeo and other outlets can provide dancegoers of the 21st century with a plethora of videos on ballet--from the earliest recordings to the latest simulcasts.
However video doesn't do dance much justice. As it's pointed out, the spatial viewing of a single lens is often tricky. Not to mention that video splicing and editing has come a long way since the first sets of film, super 8 reels or digital memory cards.
Continuity is the name of the game here. On YouTube, the quantity of ballet performances throughout history comes in droves. The ballet Giselle was searched by various writers at The New York Times and critiqued accordingly.
Giselles featured range from Alina Cojocaru, Natalia Osipova to Julie Kent, Svetlana Zakharova and Paloma Herrera.
For a list of performances and reviews check on out what Alastair Macauly had to say in the Times' Dance section.
Until then, enjoy a couple of videos on the subject.
Here, a 1979 Giselle takes bloom.
And one from the '60s too.
