Ann Williams

It's made the front page of tomorrow's Telegraph together with a pic. of Polunin. If it is Mikhhailovsk dangling big bucks, then I hate him in the same way and for the same reason that I hate Rupert Murdoch - he snatches away everthing that's good once he realises that he can make yet more money from it. I'm going to lie down in a darkened room now...

Ninag, to be fair to Wheeldon, 'Alice' was untypical of him - maybe you're unfamiliar with his work ? He is nothing if not a classical choreographer - I think 'Alice' was commissioned with a firm eye on a suitable Christmas 'show' with children in mind. A Wheeldon R & J woudl really be something to look forward to!

The Royal Ballet and Marks and Spencer? Imagine the TV ads, with Dervala Kirwan (or whoever) breathing '"This isn't just ballet, it's the Royal Ballet..."

John, time may be playing tricks with me. but I think that in the 'old' days (ie, 8-10 years ago) when such evenings were annnounced the names of the dancers who had choreographed pieces were usually known, if not via an RB press release then by postings from knowlegeable Ballet-coers here (whichever, I always seemed to know in advance who was choreographing.) If I've got that wrong, someone will surely correct me....

The programme also features Jonathan Cope (an important piece of information for Jonny fans!) - he and Ed are being interviewed about the coaching for R & J.

....or r who is choreographing?

I saw it at Westfield and loved it, though not quite so uncritically as Meunier - I found some of the ensemble dances slightly ragged and not properly synchronised. But this is nitpicking - the dancing generally was terrific, and I loved Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz in the grand pas de deux - their dancing was simply breathtaking, and de Luz must be one of the most attentive partners in the world, an object lesson in how to do it. In the absence of cast sheets, sadly, I couldn't tell who the soloists were and would have loved to have been able to identify Ashley Bouder in particular (the credits whizzed by too fast to have been any use). I agree with Meunier about the children's dancing - they had been given proper choreography and performed the steps with impressive professionalism. Oh, and incidentally I was petrified throughout the snowflakes lovely number by the sight of the bouquet of white pompoms accidentally dropped by one of the dancers - the choreography allowed no opportunity for it to be 'kicked into touch' - the usual procedure in cases like this - and it seemd to be waiting to bring someone down. It didn't happen, thankfully, but it certainly added a few shivers to the snowy scene.