Diva defense.

I found Allan Ulrich's article, "This Tutu Solid Flesh" (DANCE MAGAZINE, December 2003, page 21), distasteful and disrespectful. The fact that a Kirov ballerina has been able to transfer to the Bolshoi and create a following for herself is in itself remarkable. Anastasia Volochkova has every right to expect her own dressing room. Her acclaim with the Moscow public entitles her to be considered a diva. We managed, here in the U.S., to accept the temperamental behaviour of Maria Callas, having regard for her great talent. Shame on you, DANCE MAGAZINE, for allowing a derogatory article, based on gossip, hearsay, and "mutterings," to be published, which puts you on a level with The Enquirer or The Daily Mirror.

HENRY DANTON

COLUMBIA, MS

Allan Ulrich, editor of Dance Matters, responds: No amount of talent can or will excuse behavior that is unprofessional or demeaning to colleagues, even in the tightly knit ballet world. Especially in the ballet world. Only God can make a diva and She rarely bestows that honor. An update on the Volochkova saga can be found in this issue's Dance Matters section, on page 22.