Sophoife

Thanks for noticing my snark @DD Driver 🤣 As my mother would have said (she said it about the bed scenes in The Silver Rose), "It's so unnecessary!"

Links – Friday 19 April, 2024 Review – Sarah Aitken, Make Your Life Count, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Perth WA: Wolfgang von Flugelhorn, ArtsHub Review – The Australian Ballet, Carmen (Inger), Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW: Chantal Nguyen, The Sydney Morning Herald (scroll down) Michelle Potter, …on dancing Review – Elixir Festival: Dance On Ensemble, London Story / never ending (Story), Sadler’s Wells, London England: Matthew Paluch, Broadway World Review – KVN Dance Company, Coppélia, Towngate Theatre, Basildon England and touring: Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard International Review – Paco Peña, Solera, Sadler’s Wells, London England: Charlotte Kasner, SeeingDance Alice Kennedy, The Reviews Hub Review – Queensland Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scarlett), Playhouse Theatre QPAC, Brisbane Australia: Michele-Rose Boylan, Australian Arts Review Deborah Jones, FollowSpot Review – Rambert, Death Trap, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Wales: Beth Steer, The Reviews Hub Review – West Australian Ballet, La Bayadere (Horsman), His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth WA: “the reviewer wishes to remain anonymous due to the controversy around cultural appropriation in this production”, ArtsHub Film Review – Abigail, ballet vampire horror-comedy Tara Brady, The Irish Times Julian Malandruccolo, Keith Loves Movies Shelagh Rowan-Legg, Screen Anarchy Preview – Ballet Cymru, Romeo and Juliet, Torch Theatre, Milford Haven Wales: Elizabeth Birt, Milford Mercury Preview – Compagnie Maguy Marin, May B., Sadler’s Wells, London England: David Mead, SeeingDance Preview – Miami City Ballet, Swan Lake (Ratmansky), touring to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, FL: Christine DiMattei, WLRN South Florida Preview – Peoria Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, Five Points Washington, Washington IL: Jody Holtz, WCBU Preview – Sarasota Cuban Ballet School/Carlos Acosta, On Before, Sarasota Opera House, Sarasota FL: Dylan Campbell, SRQ Magazine Preview – Schuylkill Ballet Theatre, A Tale of a Frozen Heart, Zwerling Auditorium, Schuylkill Haven PA: Hyun Soo Lee, Republican Herald Preview – Scottish Ballet, Swan Lake (Dawson), touring: STV News via YouTube Preview – Youth America Grand Prix, Stars of Today meet Stars of Tomorrow, David H Koch Theater Lincoln Center, New York NY: Staff, City Guide NY News – Posthumous tribute to Ramona de Sáa of Cuba’s National Ballet: Staff, Prensa Latina News – English National Ballet School appoints new Artistic Director: Arts People, Arts Professional News – Guinness World Record Dancers En Pointe: Siena Linton, Classic FM Morning Show, Fox5 Atlanta Precious Fondren, Gothamist Guy Lane, Guardian News – Sara Mearns to guest with National Ballet of Canada in Jewels, Toronto ON: Stephi Wild, Broadway World News – National Dance Awards 2023 nominations announced: David Mead, SeeingDance Graham Spicer, Gramilano News – La Scala names its new rehearsal studio the Carla Fracci Sala: Graham Spicer, Gramilano Interview – Eun-Me Ahn: Phoebe Roberts, The Brooklyn Rail Profile – Eric Best, Houston Ballet soloist: Nancy Wozny for Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit Feature – Resonant Rituals: Martha Graham’s Rite Forty Years After its Debut: Hannah Chang Foster, The Brooklyn Rail Link of the Week – 1990 Royal Ballet School Documentary: “A Place to Dance”: Bruce Marriott, LiftedLeg

Dance Academy is set at a fictional "National Academy of Dance" in Sydney. The girl who plays Tara is a very talented dancer IRL who trained at Tanya Pearson's school, but even in the first episode was clearly "too big for ballet". The character suffers a leg injury in season 1, a back injury (inflicted by an unqualified teacher) in season 2, and a "career-ending" injury in season 3. Not a good prospect. She does eventually dance with the company on a short term corps contract but hates the restrictions and runs out on a performance because Ben is in hospital. Abigail's drive for perfection and her viewing of her body as betraying her because of puberty is a common modern story trope; the food issue comes later and is part of her attempts at control over her body and life. Kat's precocious talent and almost complete lack of regard for the rules is laughable and she's accepted to dance at the Moulin Rouge at 16? The second season's focus on the "Prix de Fonteyn" predated by some years the RAD's changing the Genée to Fonteyn. Ben is immature (well, he's a year younger than the rest), and is unable to get in to his dream company, but by the time of the movie he's a principal in Austin, Texas. He works too hard which causes his leukaemia to recur. The series was clearly made with the cooperation of AusBallet, as contracted company dancers and works created for the company appear in the show. Dancers-turned-actors Kip Gamblin and Josef Brown appear as teachers. Amusingly, the doyen of the company, Sir Jeffrey, is played by Barry Otto, whose daughter Miranda appears in the movie as the company's AD. None of the characters' original dreams were realised in the end. The dreams changed to fit the available circumstances instead. @Lindsay, Gloria was in it for the training in order to make money, as was Marcia Rutherford. Lorna Hill, a vicar's wife in the 1950s, used her own daughter's training at the Wells School as background for the books. Of course they're written from a certain POV, and a lot of the content is dated, but we're reading from now 70 years later. Caroline is my favourite character. Mariella giving up her vet course to marry Robin is STUPID.

Mariella's thighs? Most likely. There was someone in Veronica who had big thighs too, I'm pretty sure. @DelphiumBlue can you remember who it was?

I had very carefully not read the ENB Carmen thread, nor any of the reviews of either ENB or TAB, before seeing this production last night. Underwhelming. Terrific, terrific performances by Dimity Azoury as Carmen, Adam Elmes as Don José and Maxim Zenin as Torero. I can only sigh for Jill Ogai whom I surmise to have been born for this role according to all the reviews, but golly gee Azoury was sexy, slutty, and it was no wonder the impressionable young man Elmes (who'd already committed murder before even arriving at the tobacco factory) was enthralled by her. Azoury is an experienced principal, paired with Elmes who only joined the company in 2020 so has barely had two years on stage and was promoted coryphée in 2023. He has stood out before now but last night I felt he looked and danced like a man, not a boy, if you see what I mean. As for Zenin, the only word is "wow"! Sinuous, slinky, but with that marvellous upright carriage (which he maintains when leaving the theatre in a long coat, baggy trousers and trainers), he is a real superstar in the making. The wank-fest in front of the mirrors was... entertaining! The production itself in terms of sets was clever, the moving triangular boxes were used effectively, but the costumes were...boring and cheap-looking. Rolling around on the stage, females' legs splayed in presumed sexual invitation or display, vocalisations (there's a reason they're dancers not singers)...filler and not good filler. Tends to give the impression the choreography ran out of steam for a "full length" production (1h44m including 25 minute interval). I didn't "get" the people in black rolling all over the stage, in fact I found them irritating, possibly because we had no indication on the stupid online cast sheet of who or what they were. Nor did we know the young men were called "Dogs". I note the PDF cast sheets from ENB listed and named Guards, Dogs, Cigarreras, Main Shadows, and Shadows. No such information was provided by TAB. So disrespectful and downright annoying. My fears about the music were not entirely allayed, but it was better than I had thought it might be. Music director Jonathan Lo obviously committed elsewhere (Cathy Marston's Atonement in Zürich with added bonus Lake Lucerne cruise with Brandon Lawrence and Sean Bates) so Daniel Capps led the Opera Australia Orchestra (one does wonder who was playing for OA's West Side Story just across the water, we saw and heard a bit at our interval) with sensitivity. I have to say that for a production based on the Mérimée text rather than the opera, and alleging focus on passion and violence, with an entirely male creative team (choreographer, assistants, and dramaturg), it succeeded admirably in blaming the woman for the violence. I wish I could have seen more than one performance, in order to be able to make a more full assessment.

Haven't had anything to do with the School for donkey's years @marycecilia so can't offer any insights I'm afraid. Concerns me somewhat that the company is losing such a wonderful resource though.

David Hallberg has announced that Megan Connelly, who has worked with the Australian Ballet since 2001, has been appointed artistic director and head of school at the Australian Ballet School. The official announcement by the Australian Ballet School is here. The company posted the following on its socials: Announcement on Instagram

Links – Saturday 13 April 2024 Reviews American Ballet Theatre, Woolf Works, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA: Writer, T2Online.com The Australian Ballet, Carmen (Inger), Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW: Katie Lawrence, Bachtrack Dance Theater of Harlem, Nyman String Quartet No. 2 / Pas de Dix / Take Me With You / Blake Works IV (The Barre Project), New York City Center, New York NY: Gia Kourlas, The New York Times Elixir Festival: Mixed Bill, common ground[s] / Minutes around late afternoon / White Hare, Sadler’s Wells, London England: Louise Levene, Financial Times Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide Richard Maguire, The Reviews Hub Sanjoy Roy, The Guardian Elixir Festival: Mohamed Toukabri, The Power (of) The Fragile, Sadler’s Wells, London England: Matthew Paluch, Broadway World Grace Spencer, The Reviews Hub Max Roach 100, The Joyce Theatre, New York NY: Cecilia Whalen, Fjord Review Megan Williams Dance Projects & Eve Beglarian, Smile, though your heart is aching, Mark Morris Dance Center, James and Martha Duffy Performance Space, New York NY: Kristen Hedberg, CriticalDance Nederlands Dans Theater, N.N.N.N. / The Point Being / Jakie, New York City Center, New York NY: Faye Arthurs, Fjord Review Nadia Vostrikov, The Ballet Herald Scottish Ballet, Swan Lake (Dawson), Theatre Royal, Glasgow Scotland: Lorna Irvine, Fjord Review Anarchy Dance Theatre, Second Body, The Coronet Theatre, London England: Lyndsey Winship, The Guardian Ballet Quad Cities, Dorothy Goes to Oz / Snow White, Adler Theatre, Davenport IA: Jonathan Turner, OurQCNews Previews American Ballet Theatre, Woolf Works, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa CA: Christopher Smith, The Orange County Register American Repertory Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stiefel), New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, New Brunswick NJ: AA Cristi, Broadway World Ballet BC, For Ever (Chamber / SWAY / New Creation, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver BC: Joanne McGowan, Vancouver Sun Grand Kyiv Ballet, Giselle: Cheyenne Civic Center, Cheyenne WY: Grace Swanke, Wyoming News Now Wilshire Ebell Theater, Los Angeles CA: Beverly Press Park Labrea News Johnstown Concert Ballet, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pasquerilla PAC, Richland Township, PA: Kelly Urban, The Tribune-Democrat National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kyrgyzstan, Masterpieces of World Ballet, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: Staff, AKIpress Northern Ballet, Tortoise and the Hare, Palace Theatre, Mansfield Notts: Steve Eyley, Worksop Guardian Russian State Ballet, The Nutcracker, Shanghai Center Theatre, Shanghai China: Xu Wei, Shine News American Ballet Theatre 2024 Summer Season: Ballet Herald News Desk, The Ballet Herald Ballet hails the return of water to Rome’s ancient Caracalla baths, Aterballetto at the Terme di Caracalla, Rome Italy: Giulia Segreti, Reuters London City Ballet inaugural season dancers and tour announced: Ballet Herald News Desk, The Ballet Herald Sarasota Ballet 2024-2025 Season: Staff, Sarasota Magazine Features Gilbert Bolden III Isn’t Afraid of Camp: Emily Leibert, The Cut After Trisha Brown: Karen Hildebrand, Fjord Review Partners in the Arts: How an Atlanta Ballet couple makes room for baby in their pas de deux, Emily Carrico and Sergio Masero: Cynthia Bond Perry, ArtsATL A Dance Through Dusty Time: The Choreographic Bite of Beth Gill: Gia Kourlas, The New York Times Interview with choreographer Carlos Pons Guerra: dance is an inherently queer art: Paul Arrowsmith, Gramilano Liam Hutt’s bold journey: A new era for ballet: Sasha Hartzell, UNCSA News Moving On: Nashville Ballet Explores the Changing Language of Ballet, Talking to artistic director and CEO Nick Mullikin about how a classic art form continues to evolve: Amy Stumpfl, Nashville Scene What’s in your Bay, SF Ballet artistic director Tamara Rojo?: Gail Goldberg, 7x7.com Photo Features American Ballet Theatre celebrates North American première of Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works, photos by Fabrizio Ferri, Emma Zordan: Nicole Rosky, Broadway World Short Previews Ballet Arizona Studio Company, Showcase (Verzola, Haskins, Duran), Dorrance Theatre, Phoenix AZ: Staff, Queen Creek Sun Times Ballet Palm Beach, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, Rinker Playhouse, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, West Palm Beach FL: Site Staff, Jupiter Magazine Cleveland Ballet, Sleeping Beauty, Connor Palace, Cleveland OH: Paris Wolfe, cleveland.com Complexions Contemporary Ballet/Howard University, Take Flight, Ira Aldridge Theater, Cramton Auditorium, Howard University, Washington DC: Misha Cornelius, The Dig Concert Ballet of Virginia, Frankenstein, JR Tucker High School, Henrico VA: Staff, Henrico Citizen First State Ballet Theatre, The Sleeping Beauty, Copeland Hall at The Grand, Wilmington DE: Karl Lengel, Delaware Public Media Fort Wayne Ballet, Romeo and Juliet, Arts United Centre, Fort Wayne IN: Corey McMaken, The Journal Gazette Greater Buffalo Youth Ballet, Cinderella, Flickinger PAC, Nichols School, Buffalo NY: Jaurdyn Johnson, 7WKBW Buffalo International Ballet Company, Gala of Soloists, Mallorca, Spain: Staff, Majorca Daily Bulletin Latin Ballet of Virginia, Marcel Marceau: A Silent Hero, Weinstein JCC, Richmond VA: Staff, Henrico Citizen Los Angeles Ballet, Firebird (Possokhov) / Serenade (Balanchine), The Pasadena Civic, Pasadena CA: LA Downtown News Monterey County Dance Theatre Student Company, Giselle, Robert Stanton Theater, King City CA: Ryan Cronk, Salinas Valley Tribune San Martín Contemporary Ballet, The gestures of salt / The echo of hands, Teatro Regio, Córdoba Argentina: Charles Hurd, News Rebeat Texas Ballet Theater, Dance at the Modern: Ode, Modern Art Museum, Fort Worth TX: James Russel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram David Seeley, Dallas Innovates Tupelo Ballet, Cinderella, Tupelo Civic Auditorium, Tupelo MS: Blake Alsup, Daily Journal Video Previews Bristol Ballet, Pas de Derby, A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Chris McIntosh, WJHL Carolina Ballet, Giselle, Township Auditorium, Columbia SC: Steven Fulton, WIS10 NIU’s Ballet Folklórico Aztlán, Esencia De México, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb IL: Isabel Tapia, WNIJ Hola South Carolina Ballet, The Elvis Ballet, Koger Center for the Arts, Columbia SC: Chris Brathwaite, News 19 WLTX Intisar Faulkner, WIS10TV Southwest Virginia Ballet, Romeo and Juliet, Berglund Center Performing Arts, Roanoke VA: Kimberly McBroom, WDBJ7 Competition News 10-year-old ballet prodigy from Hawaii shines on national stage, Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York: HNN Staff, Hawaii News Now 6th-grader wins big at Berlin International Dance Festival: Hiroshi Miura, The Asahi Shimbun Ballet dancer Charlie-Beth Smith to perform in USA, Cecchetti International Classical Ballet Competition: Rhianne Talling, South Wales Argus Paywalled, but you may have access Review – Elixir Festival: Mixed Bill, common ground[s] / Minutes around late afternoon / White Hare, Sadler’s Wells, London England: Nicola Rayner, The Stage Review – West Australian Ballet, La Bayadère (Horsman), His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth WA: Melinda Webster, The West Australian Preview – West Australian Ballet, La Bayadère (Horsman), His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth WA: Tanya MacNaughton, The West Australian Feature – Houston Ballet principal dancer presents Houston debut of Skylar Campbell Dance Collective, Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle Feature - Why Jill Ogai is thrilled to be on Sydney Opera House stage with Australian Ballet, For the Australian Ballet’s principal ballerina Jill Ogai, playing the seductive lead of Carmen in the new Opera House production is a full circle moment: Lisa Mayoh, The Daily Telegraph Feature – Odesa’s Stanislav Skrinnik, ballet dancer by night and weapons manufacturer by day: Emmanuel Grynszpan, Le Monde Preview – Midwest Regional Ballet, Beauty and the Beast, Memorial Auditorium: Aaron Pyle, The Morning Sun And finally… Ski Ballet Makes (Another) Comeback at Verbier, Switzerland, Ski ballet was a dazzling display of finesse, control, and extreme skiing in a new way – until it stopped abruptly in the early 2000’s. Now, it’s back: Ella Boyd, Powder

The most recent production (2023) had new sets, but I can assure you the costumes were the same as usual - the Barry Kay designs for the film. This production has been hanging around AusBallet like a bad smell (the noisy beads on the Dryads' tutus! the absolutely horrid Fandango costumes with the side panniers and the clearly made-from-wool wigs!) since 1972. The choreography is very Nureyev, and very fabulous, but most of the costumes are hideous. 2023, 2013, 2007, 1999, 1994, 1993 (when Irek Mukhamedov was a guest artist), 1986...

Links – Friday, 12 April 2024 Reviews The Australian Ballet, Carmen (Inger), Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW: Gina Fairley, ArtsHub Annabelle Drumm, Sydney Arts Guide Natasha Ciesielski, Scoop San Francisco Ballet, Dos Mujeres, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, CA: Charles Lewis III, 48hills National Ballet of Canada, UtopiVerse / Islands / Suite en Blanc, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, ON: Denise Sum, danceviewtimes The Royal Ballet, MacMillan Celebrated – Danses concertantes, Different Drummer, Requiem, Royal Opera House, London England: Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard International The Royal Ballet International Draft Works, Linbury Theatre Royal Opera House, London England: Matthew Paluch, Broadway World Amanda Jennings, Bachtrack Teresa Guerreiro, CultureWhisper Max Roach 100, Joyce Theatre, New York NY: Marina Harss, Dancing Around Alvin Ailey II, Mixed Bill, Joyce Theatre, New York NY: Lord Strum, Broadway World NW Dance Project, Secret Stories, Newmark Theatre, Portland OR: Hannah Krafcik, Oregon ArtsWatch Oregon Ballet Theatre, Wooden Dimes, Newmark Theatre, Portland OR: Dean Speer, CriticalDance Previews Dance//Novella, Night is the Mother, The Dance Centre at Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver BC: Stir dani tirrell, Leviticus or Love and to walk amongst HUMANS, Moore Theatre, Seattle WA: Marcie Sillman, The Seattle Times Dorrance Dance, SOUNDspace, Vancouver Playhouse, Vancouver BC: Janet Smith, Stir News Oregon Ballet Theater 2024-2025 Season: via En Face Magazine Dancer James Yoichi Moore preparing to jeté off PNB stage: Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times 2024 Green Room Awards (Victoria, Australia) Australian Stage Features March Madness – Dance Blooms in NYC: Wendy Perron Interviews Lorin Latarro, Broadway choreographer: Caedra Scott-Flaherty, Observer Dance Lydia Abarca and Karen Valby, The Swans of Harlem (Pantheon, 2024): Phoebe Roberts, The Brooklyn Rail Paywalled, but you may have access News – Downtown Los Angeles Places Another Big Bet on the Arts, The pandemic was tough on city centers and cultural institutions. What does that mean for Los Angeles, whose downtown depends on the arts?: Robin Pogrebin, The New York Times

The lead pairs learned their roles in London with ENB which was a great money-saver. The Sydney Opera House Joan Sutherland Theatre is a cramped venue with barely any wings or backstage area. Lucky this production doesn't seem to have major scenery then. Haven't heard much on social media from the dancers, waxing lyrical... We shall see, @alison, we shall see.

I'm heading up to Sydney to see AusBallet's presentation of this production next week. I must say I'm not filled with confidence after having read all the reviews (handy to be helping with the Links!) of ENB's presentation. As always I'll try to make up my own mind, but calling it "Bizet's Carmen " (which AusBallet is doing) and stuffing the music around has already got me a little apprehensive.

POB has a platform they call Paris Opera Play.

Martha Graham and Aaron Copland's collaboration on Appalachian Spring is today's featured article when I open Wikipedia. I won't link it as the featured article changes every day, but here's a picture!

Links – Saturday 6 April 2024 (I promised you a bumper edition) Review – Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, mixed bill including Dying Swan, Go for Barocco, Swan Lake Act II, The Kennedy Center, Washington DC: Carolyn Kelemen, MD Theatre Guide Review – Paris Opera Ballet, Don Quichotte (Nureyev), livestream from the Opera Bastille, Paris: Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard International Review – San Francisco Ballet, Dos Mujeres, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco CA: Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle Review – Guillaume Côté and Robert Lepage, The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, Elgin Theatre, Toronto ON: Liam Donovan, NEXT Magazine Paula Citron, Ludwig Van Toronto Review – Ayodele Casel, Max Roach 100, Joyce Theater, New York NY: Marina Kennedy, Broadway World Review – Trisha Brown Dance Company, Glacial Decoy / In the Fall / Working Title, Joyce Theater, New York NY: Miranda Stück, Broadway World Review – American Repertory Ballet, Intrare Forma / Sight Line / Wood Work, Kaye Playhouse, New York, NY: Nadia Vostrikov, The Ballet Herald Review – City Ballet of San Diego, Boléro – The Awakening / Morphoses / An American in Paris, Balboa Theatre, San Diego CA: Kyungmin Min, SDNews.com Preview – Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Spring Season 2024, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco CA: James Ambroff-Tahan, San Francisco Examiner Preview – Ballet Hartford, Planets, Hoffman Auditorium, West Hartford CT: Aaron Flaum, Hartford Courant – with 10 photos Preview – Ballet Kelowna, Macbeth, Kelowna Community Theatre, Kelowna BC: Stephi Wild, Broadway World Preview – Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre, Cinderella, River Center Performing Arts Theatre, Baton Rouge LA: Maggie Heyn-Richardson, inRegister Preview – Boulder Ballet, Les Sylphides / Sun and Steel, Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, Grand Lake CO: Stephi Wild, Broadway World Preview – Cincinnati Ballet, Mercurial Landscapes, Aronoff Center, Cincinnati OH: Amber Jayanth, FOX 19 Preview – Tracy Bonham with Eugene Ballet, Reflections / Slipstream / Tracy Bonham/Suzanne Haag, Midtown Arts Center, Eugene OR: Jean Zondervan, Oregon ArtsWatch Preview – New York City Ballet, 75th Anniversary Spring Season: Graham Spicer, Gramilano Preview – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, When Time Stands Still / Violin Pas de Deux / Petal / Allegro Brillante, Benedum Center, Pittsburgh PA: Naomi Girson, The Duquesne Duke Preview – The Royal Ballet International Draft Works, Linbury Theatre Royal Opera House, London England: Teresa Guerreiro, CultureWhisper Graham Spicer, Gramilano Stephi Wild, Broadway World Preview – Western Arkansas Ballet, The Wizard of Oz, ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Fort Smith AR: Monica Hooper, Free Weekly News Louisville Ballet Announces 2024-2025 Season: Aria Baci, Leo Weekly Maggie Menderski, Courier-Journal RAD to support more trainee dance teachers: Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide Facing apathy from Hungarian State Opera, Hindus to approach Orbán about dropping “La Bayadère”: Staff, India News Calling Pyongyangites pushed to attend Russian ballet performance last month, Officers were mobilized to ensure nobody slept through performance, a source told Daily NK: Jong So Yang, Daily NK Features Azara Ballet Folds Mental and Physical Well-Being Into the Art of Dance, Founders and dancers Kate Flowers and Martin Roosaare lead with a trauma-informed approach in a world often fraught with unrealistic expectations: Kim Doleatto, Sarasota Magazine This New Dance Craze Mixes Two Unlikely Styles Into Something Amazing: Tanya, Shared.com Ballet from Russia with love, Russian School of Ballet in Johannesburg, South Africa: Ian Hughes, The Citizen The curious, unexpected legal issues of professional ballet rehearsals: Jeremy Reynolds, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Video – Arts WACH: The king of rock & roll hits the ballet stage, South Carolina Ballet’s Elvis Ballet (Starrett): Brian Mcconchie, WACH FOX 57 Video – Ukrainian ballet dancers helped 300 people evacuate Ukraine, catch them at the Pablo Center April 7th: Eleanor Bland, WEAU 13 News Interviews Video – Grammy-nominated Tracy Bonham unveils new single, talks collaboration with Eugene Ballet: News Staff, 16KMTR Bobby Carter is On Point with Les Ballets Trockadero, for 30 years [the always-fabulous] Bobby Carter [Yuri Smirnov, Olga Supphozova] has been dancing with the all-male ballet comedy troupe, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: Doug Rule, Metro Weekly ‘You have an expiration date’: Guillaume Côté on retiring from the National Ballet of Canada: Tom Power, CBC Arts The Final Bow: Twins Jennifer and Alexandra Gibson to retire after 15 years with Alberta Ballet: Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald Video – Madison Ballet AD Ja’Malik and dancer Lauren Thompson, Hallelujah Junction / Agapé / Giselle Act II, Overture Center, Madison WI: Alyssa Rodriguez and Katie Castellano, WMTV15 News Guitarist Paco Peña on flamenco, avoiding the limelight and Jimi Hendrix: Louise Levene, Financial Times Andrew Skeels creates new work with Bayerisches Staatsballett: Jeannette Andersen, SeeingDance Save the Date 5-6 April: Dance Arts, Snow White: The Ballet, Virginia Theatre, Champaign IL: Karidia Shelby, WCIA 5-6 April: Ohio Performing Arts Institute, Pandora’s Box – An Original Ballet: John Legend Theater, Springfield OH: Brett Turner, Springfield News-Sun 6-7 & 10 April: Golden State Ballet, From New York, With Love, Balboa Theatre, San Diego CA and touring to Orange County: There San Diego 7 April: Midcoast Ballet, Coppélia: Midcoast Strong, Rockland ME: Penobscot Bay Pilot 12 April: Mid-Ohio Valley Ballet Company, Cinderella, Marietta High School Auditorium, Marietta OH: The Marietta Times 13 April: South Carolina Ballet, Elvis Ballet, Koger Center for the Arts, University of South Carolina, Columbia SC: Columbia Star 13 April: Southwest Virginia Ballet, Romeo & Juliet, Berglund Performing Arts Theatre, Roanoke VA: Kate Capodanno, WDBJ7 13-14 April: Springfield Youth Performance Group Foundation, Cinderella: Sacred Heart Griffin Auditorium, Springfield IL: Angela Bauer, My Journal-Courier 19-20 April: Ballet Folklórico Imperial, Mexican dance: Santa Maria High School, Santa Maria, CA: Ken Allard, KSBY6 20-21 April: Ballet Palm Beach, Peter Pan & Tinker Bell, Rinker Playhouse, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, West Palm Beach FL: Site Staff, Palm Beach Illustrated 20-21 April: Nashville Ballet, Romeo & Juliet, TPAC Jackson Hall, Nashville TN: Cass Teague, Pride Publishing Group 26-27 April: Ozark Ballet Theater, Cinderella, Bentonville West High School, Centerton AR: Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette 26-28 April: City Ballet of Boston, Ballet Banquet: Strand Theatre, Dorchester MA: The Bay State Banner 27 April: Dance Prism Ballet, Puss in Boots, Littleton High School, Littleton MA: Patch 27-28 April: Metropolitan School of the Arts, Coppélia, George Washington National Masonic Memorial, Alexandria VA: Patch Paywalled – but you may have access Review – Ayodele Casel, Max Roach 100, Joyce Theater, New York NY: Brian Seibert, The New York Times Review – Doug Varone, To My Arms / Restore, NYU Skirball, New York NY: Karen Hildebrand, Fjord Review Feature – Washington Ballet Studio Company’s Abigail Brent Shares Her Typical Daily Routine: Linnea Swarting, Pointe Magazine Save The Date – 12-13 April: A Very Queer Ballet (not a love story): New Prospect Theatre, Bellingham WA: Cocoa Laney, Cascadia Daily News Position Vacant The Royal Ballet is looking for an Associate Pianist for 9 months, September 2024 to May 2025: Royal Opera House

I was brought up to dress for the theatre, too. However, if I'm sitting in the second back row of the balcony at the State Theatre in Melbourne, I can slip in through the back door (which is at street level, the majority of the theatre is below ground level), watch the performance, and slip back out. Not only will nobody else care what I'm wearing, I won't care what I'm wearing (I hasten to add it's always clean)! Last year as many people know I flew to Denver then London and Paris to watch some ballet, and I managed to be away for a month with only one carry-on. Decent black trousers, acceptable-for-evening black shoes, black T-shirt, my mother's "faux" fur-lined coat (it's not faux), and a necklace (can't remember if it was The Amethysts or The Pearls - @Sim?). I would never wear a knitted jumper with deer or snowmen or anything else on it to the theatre - unless it was a warehouse venue and cold!

Links – Friday 5 April 2024 With a huge apology for the lateness! I promise Saturday’s will be a bumper list to make up! Reviews – Rupert Christiansen, The Spectator English National Ballet, Carmen (Inger), Sadler’s Wells Mark Bruce Company, Frankenstein, The Place Review – Scottish Ballet, Swan Lake (Dawson), Theatre Royal, Glasgow Scotland: Mary Brennan, The Herald Lauren Humphreys, The Reviews Hub Review – San Francisco Ballet, NEXT@90, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco CA: Jim Munson, Broadway World Review – Nederlands Dans Theater, N.N.N.N. / The Point Being / Jakie, New York City Center, NY: Gia Kourlas, The New York Times Review – Milwaukee Ballet, Cinderella (Pink), Uihlein Hall, Milwaukee WI: Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (with bonus 24-25 programming) and photos Preview – Korean National Ballet, The Little Mermaid (Neumeier), Seoul Arts Center, S Korea: Hwang Dong-hee, The Korea Herald Preview – Texas Ballet Theater, Beauty and the Beast (Christensen), Dallas and Fort Worth, TX: Stephi Wild, Broadway World News – S.F. Ballet to make Madrid debut this fall: Zara Irshad, San Francisco Chronicle News – There Are So Many Swan Lakes Coming To London This Summer: Lydia Manch, Londonist Feature – Nina Ananiashvili – Her Experiences, and How She Kept Her Georgian Roots as a Bolshoi Ballerina: Shelbi Ankiewicz, Georgia Today Feature – Gagik Tadevosyan: A Grand Pas from Parpi to LA: Artsvi Bakhchinyan, The Armenian Mirror-Spectator Feature – Solo ballet dancer Kuu Sakuragi plumbs emotional depths through dance: Roxanne Ray, International Examiner Feature – Gabriela Hearst Designs Costumes for Arielle Smith’s “Carmen” at the San Francisco Ballet: Ryan Williams with photos by Katie Thompson, Women’s Wear Daily via MSN Video Feature – Austrian ballet dancer enjoys sharing experience with students in China, Vladimir Malakhov appointed director of the Ballet Department of the Beijing Dance Academy: Xinhua (which clearly doesn’t care that Ukraine is not Austria) It's a ballet recording, so... Review – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Bartók: The Wooden Prince: Andrew Clements, The Guardian

Absolutely! I despise people who talk after the lights have gone down (unless of course it's a genuine emergency), explain every step or plot point to the child/ren with them, discuss every plot point with their theatre-going companion, can't remember despite reminders to turn off their phone, allow a younger person with them to bounce around and/or kick the seat in front of them, insist on either crunching away on a noisy food (crisps etc) or continually dipping into noisy packaging, sit leaning forward in their seat for a better view and block the view of the person behind them, lean their head on their partner's shoulder thereby blocking the view of several people behind them, constantly slurp on a drink (I'm not talking about those who take a discreet sip of water here), light up half the auditorium by looking at their phone, decide to film as much of the performance as possible on their phone, or worst of all get physically violent or verbally abusive toward a patron who might, despite trepidation, politely request them to cease any of the above. Signed, Curmudgeonly.

Oh well, at least one thing of which I'm not guilty! Anyone here who wants to find me on any of the socials I use can do so with ease, as I use the same avatar and handle everywhere. Seriously though @zxDaveM the Mods do a terrific job and here's a 🤗 and some👏🏻 for all!

@Amelie-DALP mentioned on Twitter "Noureeveries" which I advised her I would steal (for those who may not know, the French spell "Nureyev" as "Noureev"). I think it's the perfect word for what you just said! AusBallet's Don Quixote is also, as I'm sure many people here already know, a Nureyev production.

Links – Tuesday 2 April 2024 We’ve had a long, long weekend, so here’s a nice long collection of (mostly) bite-size pieces Obituary – Lorraine Graves, principal dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem: Stacy Jackson, Black Enterprise Brian Reese, WRIC ABC 8News Review – Ballet Philippines, Limang Daan, The Theatre at Solaire, Manila, Philippines: Franz Sorilla IV, Tatler Asia Review – Boston Ballet, Cinderella (Ashton), Citizens Bank Opera House, Boston MA: Kinnereth S Din, The Harvard Crimson Review – Justin Peck, Illinoise, Park Avenue Armory, New York NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Fjord Review Review – Opera Australia, West Side Story, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, Sydney NSW: Dr Diana Carroll, ArtsHub Preview – Ballet Arizona, All Balanchine (La Valse / Prodigal Son / Square Dance), Symphony Hall, Phoenix AZ: Staff, Daily Independent Preview - Ballet Hispánico, Mixed programmes selected from Recuerdo de Campo Amor, Con Brazos Abiertos (excerpts), Doña Perón (excerpt), Pas de O’ Farrill duet, Buscando a Juan, House of Mad’moiselle, 18+1, Danse Creole (excerpt), Sombrerisimo, Club Havana (excerpt), New York City Center, New York NY: Staff, Martin Cid Magazine Preview – Colorado Ballet, Ballet MasterWorks 2024: Three Views of a Mountain / Rubies / Boléro (Arai), Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver CO: Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Denver Post Preview – Queensland Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scarlett), QPAC, Brisbane QLD: Staff, Australian Arts Review Preview – San Francisco Ballet, Dos Mujeres – Carmen (Smith) and Broken Wings (Ochoa), War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco CA: Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News Preview – Sarasota Ballet, Inspirations (The American / Lyric Pieces / Sinfonietta (Ashton): Sarasota Magazine Preview – Ashland Youth Ballet, Peter and the Wolf / The Tale of the Mandarin Duck / Toy Symphony, Paramount Arts Center, Ashland KY: Lee Ward, The Daily Independent via AOL Preview – Ballet Theatre Company, Snow White, Belding Theater, Hartford CT: We-Ha.com Preview – Ballet Victoria, Swan Lake, Royal Theatre, Victoria BC: Sam Duerksen, Monday Magazine Preview – New Jersey Ballet, Works and Process – discussion and demonstrations with Harrison Ball, Lauren Lovette, and Maria Kowroski (new AD), Guggenheim’s Peter B Lewis Theater, New York NY: Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World Preview – New Mexico Ballet Company, The Wizard of Oz, Popejoy Hall, Albuquerque NM: Kathaleen Roberts, Albuquerque Journal via AOL Preview – Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet, The Hair Journey, (beauty, self-love and identity through the lens of Black hair), UNC Greensboro Auditorium, Greensboro NC: Chelsea Floyd, Spectrum News 1 Preview – University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Pickle Pas de Deux, Agnes de Mille Theatre, Winston-Salem NC: UNCSA Preview – Vail Youth Ballet, Spring Showcase, Battle Mountain High School Auditorium, Edwards CO: Staff, Vail Daily News – News of Note: What You Might Have Missed in March 2024, roundup of promotions, appointments, departures, and awards in March 2024: Courtney Escoyne, Dance Magazine Video News – Madison Ballet set to return to Overture Center for season finale: Channel 3000 / News 3 Now via YouTube Video News – Swift Current Ballet Dancer wins national award, Brianna Dash: CTV News Regina Feature – The Artistry of SF Ballet’s ‘Dos Mujeres’ Begins at the Curtain, scenic art and a new curtain for a mixed bill at SF Ballet: Sarah Hotchkiss, KQED Feature – Seeking the light inside, Deborah Brown of Bangarra Dance Theatre: Staff, Dance Australia Feature – In conversation: Gail Mabo on curating and legacy, Dancer cum choreographer cum artist, Gail Mabo turns her hand to curating as a way to share culture: Gina Fairley, ArtsHub Feature – Disrupting Harm in Dance: Candice Thompson, Fjord Review Feature – Exit interview: Tim Newth AM, Tracks Dance Company, From active listening to rethinking what it means to be an Australian artist, Tim Newth reflects on a 35-year practice in the Northern Territory: Richard Watts, ArtsHub Feature – Disney+’s Madu Follows Young Ballet Dancer’s Journey From Nigeria to England: Thomas Ford for Dance Spirit, Pointe Magazine Feature – Asha Ama Bias-Daniels crafts costumes for Cincinnati Ballet’s ‘Mercurial Landscapes’, UC DAAP alumna brings a unique blend of artistry, innovation and cultural heritage to the stage: Samantha Norton, University of Cincinnati Video Feature – Viral ballet dancer Anthony Madu shares unexpected journey in new documentary: Phil Lipof, ABC News via YouTube Video Feature – North Dakota Today – FM Ballet – Alice in Wonderland: Valley News Live via YouTube Book Review – Pilobolus: A Story of Dance and Life, Robert Pranzatelli: Robert Steven Mack, The Arts Fuse Paywalled, but you may have access Review – LA Dance Project, Triade / Moving Parts / Me.You.We.They, Philharmonie, Paris France: Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times Feature – For 50 Years Ailey II Has Been a Proving Ground, Not Just for Dance: Brian Seibert, The New York Times And…?? ‘Black Swan’ Ending Explained: The Price of Perfection: Ricky Ruszin, Collider

Links - Monday 1 April 2024 Reviews – Sarah Crompton, Observer English National Ballet, Carmen (Inger), Sadler’s Wells, London Yorke Dance Project, California Connections, Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, London Review – Mark Bruce Company, Frankenstein, The Place, London: Nicola Claire, SeeingDance Review – American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, Diana and Acteon / The seasons (extract) / Young and Beautiful / Brief Fling / Flight of the Bumblebee / Rose Adage / Within the Sunset, Lensic Performing Arts Center, Santa Fe NM: Michael Wade Simpson, CultureVulture Review – New York City Ballet, Stars and Stripes / Tarantella / Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux / Carnival of the Animals, Lincoln Center, New York NY: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc Review – Rome Opera Ballet, Women / Windgames / Playlist (Track 1,2), Costanzi Theatre, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Rome: Graham Spicer, Gramilano Review – Opera Australia, West Side Story, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, Sydney NSW: Deborah Jones, FollowSpot Review – Hong Kong Ballet, Serenade / In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated / Strangelove, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong: Natasha Rogai, South China Morning Post Preview – Roberto Bolle and Friends, Arena di Verona, Italy: Marcadoc – The hills of Venice Preview – Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, To the Point(e), Grimaldi Forum Monaco: Hello Monaco Preview – KVN Dance Company, Coppélia, Towngate Theatre, Basildon and touring, England: YA Reporter, Yellow Advertiser Preview – Nancy Lee, OSMOSi: 422 Unprocessable Entity, Annex, Vancouver BC: Emily Lyth, Stir Preview – Pegasus Contemporary Ballet, Words for a Resonant Space, Kalita Humphreys Theater, Dallas TX: Staff, CultureMap Dallas News – Kozlova Int’l Ballet Competition to Be Held at Kaye Playhouse in April, Charles Jude, former étoile of the Paris Opera Ballet, returns as OPresident of both the classical ballet and contemporary dance juries: Blair Ingenthron, Broadway World Feature – World Ballet Pianist’s Day: Staff, Dance Australia Feature – Lessons in resilience, Steven McRae film ‘A Resilient Man’ aka ‘Dancing into the Light’: Susan Bendall, Dance Australia Paywalled (but you may have access) Obituary – Lorraine Graves, Dance Theater of Harlem principal: Alex Williams, The New York Times Preview – Golden State Ballet, From New York, with Love, Balboa Theatre, San Diego CA: Marcia Luttrell, The San Diego Union-Tribune

I'd forgotten that! Thanks for providing the correct info.

I wrote this comment about entry to POB back in 2018. It's definitely an advantage at the concours externe to have competition experience, e.g. Prix de Lausanne or YAGP. For promotion, each class (quadrille, coryphée, sujet) is divided into male and female. It is announced how many positions at each level (coryphée, sujet, premier(e) danseur/se) for each gender are available, e.g. two female and one male coryphée, two female and two male sujets, one each for PD. Each class is given a compulsory solo, plus a list from which to choose a second solo. Each entrant at each level must dance both solos in front of an invited audience and judges. Each class is ranked by consensus, with only the top six (or less, some years - Bianca Scudamore was promoted sujet and was the only one "classified" that year!) listed as "classified". The top one or two or very occasionally three are the ones promoted. Nomination as étoile is by recommendation of the Director of Dance to the Director of the Opera - not considered a promotion but a naming. It is possible to zoom up from quadrille to PD in three years, Sae-Eun Park and Hannah O'Neill being prime examples. Germain Louvet had passed for premier danseur, contract to take effect from January 1 2015, so technically nominated étoile from sujet on December 28 2014. Guillaume Diop had already danced Romeo, Basilio, Solor and Albrecht before being nominated, as a six-month-old sujet, to étoile. Both Diop and Louvet were 23 at the time.

Links – Sunday 31 March 2024 Review – Focus Dance Company, Mixed bill, Festival Theater, Taipei National University of the Arts, Taiwan: David Mead, SeeingDance Review – ODC/Dance, Program A, Blue Shield of California Theater, San Francisco CA: Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle Review – Punyah Dance Company, Sanjeevini, Apollo Amphitheatre, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad India: Anna Rao Gangavalli, The Hans India Preview – Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, Spring Ballet Gala, Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, Aventura FL: The Miami Times Preview – Ballet Mississippi, 60th Anniversary Spring Festival, Thalia Mara Hall, Jackson MS: Jennifer Thomas, The Northside Sun Preview – Ballet West, Love and War, Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, Salt Lake City UT: ParkRecord.com Preview – BalletX, Mixed bill (Tiler Peck/Justin Peck/Roberts/Archibald), Dennis C Moss Cultural Arts Center, Miami FL: Miami’s Community News Preview – Golden State Ballet, From New York, With Love (mixed bill): Balboa Theatre, San Diego CA: San Diego Reader Preview – Louisville Ballet, Triple Take (mixed bill): Breya Jones, Louisville Public Media Preview – Madison Ballet, Timeless, Capitol Theater, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison WI : Akhilesh Peddi, The Badger Herald Preview – Universal Ballet, Romeo and Juliet (MacMillan) featuring See Heo and Daniel Camargo of ABT, Seoul Arts Center Opera Theater, Seoul South Korea. New Adventures, Romeo and Juliet (Bourne), LG Arts Center, Seoul South Korea. Hwang Dong-hee, The Korea Herald News – Anastasis Ballet Company Auditions for 2024-2025 Season, 29 April 2024, Dublin CA: Patch.com Feature – Tiler Peck: where are all the female ballet choreographers?: Rachel Nouchi, British Theatre Guide Feature – Wayne McGregor presents Venice’s Biennale Danza 2024 – We Humans: Graham Spicer, Gramilano Feature – Researchers in Fort Worth are studying female ballet dancer health: Noelle Walker, 5NBC Dallas via MSN.com Feature – Tauranga ballerina’s legacy, 78yo taking ballet lessons in memory of her late daughter: Georgia Minkhorst, Sun Live Feature – Allison Baden-Clay’s daughters honour mum in first public appearance, scholarship to Queensland Ballet Dance Academy in memory of mother: Yahoo7News Feature – Building interracial bridges through dance, Dayton Ballet and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company: Meredith Moss, Dayton Daily News Feature – Midland Festival Ballet unveils iconic costumes: Staff, Midland Reporter-Telegram Feature – Nigerian ballet dancer Anthony Madu went viral for dancing in the rain. What came next was a story of resilience: Liz Calvario, TODAY.com Feature – Quintet of local dancers to represent England in global dance competition, girls from the Isle of Wight to Global Dance Open Finals: James Rann, Island Echo Video Feature – Nevada Dance Company, Artistry in Motion: 2 News Nevada