Jan McNulty

Horrific news. My thoughts are with the people of Paris today.

Thanks Naomi

I'd love to hear people's thoughts on the RNZB performances.

Thanks for the news Arky. Congratulations to the promotees!

Sadler’s Wells Sampled Friday 29 & Saturday 30 January 2016 Performances: Fri & Sat at 7.30pm, Doors 6pm Fri Schools matinee at 1pm Tickets: Fri & Sat £15, £8 standing, Fri Schools matinee £10, £5 standing Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com “The message was clear: dance is cool” The Times Sadler’s Wells starts the new year with the return of the dance taster festival Sadler’s Wells Sampled, featuring world-class dance and a series of workshops and foyer activities, on 29 & 30 January 2016. The festival gives audiences a chance to experience the broad range of dance presented at Sadler’s Wells at affordable prices, with standing tickets available for just £8, and all other tickets at £15. A regular fixture at Sadler’s Wells since 2007, Sampled features a wide variety of dance, from classical ballet to hip hop, contemporary and tango. Alongside the performances audience members can also participate in an array of beginners’ workshops throughout the day on Saturday 29 January, with styles on offer including ballet, contemporary, street dance, flamenco and contemporary ballet. The 2016 festival includes Sadler’s Wells Resident Company Company Wayne McGregor performing Outlier, choreographed by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Wayne McGregor to the violin concerto Concentric Paths. The piece was performed at Sadler’s Wells in 2014 as part of the second in its Composer Series, Thomas Adès: See the Music, Hear the Dance, featuring some of Adès’ most celebrated works. McGregor CBE is a multi award-winning British choreographer, renowned for his physically testing choreography and highly innovative collaborations across dance, film, music, visual art, technology and science. World Champion b-boy crew The Ruggeds from the Netherlands returns to Sadler’s Wells with the high octane Adrenaline. The work received its world premiere at Breakin’ Convention in 2015, and the company returns for the 13th Breakin’ Convention festival and UK tour later in 2016. BBC Young Dancer winner Connor Scott and finalist Vidya Patel, winner of the South Asian Category also appear in Sampled. Scott was crowned the winner on the inaugural event in May 2015 live on BBC Two at Sadler’s Wells, after being judged by a panel of top names in dance. For Sampled, Scott will perform a Solo work entitled Get Up. Finalist Patel, who also appeared in the live Broadcast returns to the Sadler’s Wells stage with the duet Khoi –The Search. Julia Hiriart Urruty and Claudio González, two dancers from the Sadler's Wells Production m¡longachoreographed by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui introduce the popular Latin American dance of Argentine tango. Hailing from Québec, renowned as the home of the modern circus discipline, The 7 Fingers (Les 7 Doigts de la Main) is one of the world’s most inventive contemporary circus companies. After success with its previous show Sequence 8 and the critically acclaimed TRACES the company presents extracts from Nocturnes. The piece sees eight artists free themselves from both internal and physical obstacles and features choreography by Marcos Morau; best known as the founder and choreographer of La Veronal. Completing the bill is Countryside pas de deux, an extract from Northern Ballet’s 1984, another highlight of the Spring / Summer 2016 season. Based on George Orwell’s masterpiece and created by Guest Choreographer and former Royal Ballet dancer Jonathan Watkins, the production features a new score from Tony-nominated composer Alex Baranowski. Workshops taking place include a contemporary dance workshop with dancers from Company Wayne McGregor; an Argentine tango workshop led by Julia Hiriart Urruty and Claudio González; hip hop with Birdgang Dance Company; contemporary with New Adventures & Re:Bourne, exploring some of Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Matthew Bourne’s creative techniques; classical Indian with Seeta Patel; and ballet with English National Ballet’s Youth Company. For the full line-up, including info on workshops and foyer activities, see: sadlerswells.com Please note: workshops are £2 per person and are available to Sampled ticket holders. Workshops are for participants aged 16 +, and can be booked via telephone on 020 7863 8000. Sampled is supported by American Express Notes to Editors Listings information Sadler’s Wells Sampled Friday 29 & Saturday 30 January 2016 Performances: Fri & Sat at 7.30pm, Doors 6pm Fri Schools matinee at 1pm Tickets: Fri & Sat £15, £8 standing, Fri Schools matinee £10, £5 standing Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. Since 2005 it has helped to bring over 90 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies and an Associate Company and nurtures the next generation of talent through hosting the National Youth Dance Company, its Summer University programme, Wild Card initiative and its New Wave Associates. Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England.

Thanks Capybara.

Hello Midas PR and thanks for letting us know about this event. I have moved the thread to the Doing Dance forum, as members there tend to be doers (or parents of doers) rather than watchers. If you have a commercial interest with Capezio, could I please ask you to provide a signature in your profile in accordance with the Forum's Acceptable Use Policy? "Commerce There is no bar to people representing commercial ventures from signing up to BalletcoForum with a view to spreading information about their wares or offering relevant services. That said, we are not an advertising hoarding and repeated postings of the same or similar information will not be tolerated, nor frivolous posts which merely seem designed to get the company name ‘up there’. Nor will we allow vendors to use BalletcoForum as their shopfront: if you have a selling business you should use your own website for trade and market testing, not this one. Members who have commercial interests must indicate that by adding a Signature line to their postings, stating the name and type of their business and giving their website and/or business email address for enquiries. (You set up a Signature via My Settings in the dropdown menu under your name.) If members wish to contact businesses, associate schemes or other commercial enterprises this should be done via the vendor’s website or email, not by starting threads on the forum."

I only saw him once, but I will NEVER forget that performance and I wish him all the very best for the future.

Quite, SBF! It is not only the ROH that has this type of problem - it is a world-wide issue these days. The cult of personality reality does not help anything. I suppose I am just lucky that I follow 2 companies that don't issue casting until long after I have usually booked. Although I did once book a last minute ticket to see a favourite dancer only to get to the theatre and discover the casts had been switched around to give another dancer longer to recover from injury. So it goes, I did enjoy very much the performance I saw.

Leon, this school seems to be located in Australia. I doubt any of our members could offer you any advice on driving lessons there (or even how to get an Australian driver's license).

Was it Jiri Bubenicek's final performance, Angela?

I got a "priority booking" email from ATG yesterday but could not get the link to work and could not find the show on the ATG site (although I didn't have much time to look). I got an email from Manchester International Festival today saying that general booking had opened. I've just gone on line to book for the first night and there is not much left in the stalls. Even the premium seats look as though they are selling and they do not seem to be included in the ATG members half price offer. Being a cheapskate, I plumped for a side stalls seat to get the half price offer. If you are thinking of booking for the first night, I suggest you don't wait long to book! https://secure.atgtickets.com/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=F02C3C25-509E-4CA5-B3BA-2C55F427D921

What else! Plus Brandon in the evening!

Janet is a happy bunny! Scroll down for dates and then click on individual dates for casting: https://www.brb.org.uk/whats-on/event/the-nutcracker

RIP. Another great loss to the ballet world. Sincere condolences to her family and friends.

Their current Mary Skeaping production is glorious but I am looking forward to Akram Khan's take on it.

As far as I was aware Ms Osipova is scheduled to dance several performances with RB in the Spring. As the RB are presumably on their summer break when the Bolshoi are in residence at the ROH then if she is dancing with the Bolshoi during that period it is just an additional opportunity (if you should take it) to see her. It is worth noting that there are other dancers with both companies who are well worth the effort of watching too.

The premiere is in Manchester on 22nd September 2016 and it runs until 2nd October. I've had an email from ATG about priority booking but the link doesn't work.

And here is the official announcement: Sadler’s Wells announces 2016 UK Tour Dates for Carlos Acosta’s A Classical Farewell “Charismatic Acosta is one of the very best dancers of his generation. He has only to stand still on stage and all eyes are drawn to him. Evening Standard Sadler’s Wells presents world renowned dancer Carlos Acosta’s A Classical Farewell, at the Royal Concert Hall Nottingham (Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 May), Birmingham Hippodrome (Friday 6 & Saturday 7 May), part of the award-winning International Dance Festival Birmingham 2016, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 May) and The Lowry, Salford (Friday 13 & Saturday 14 May). Following his performances at the London Coliseum from Tuesday 8 – Saturday 13 December 2015Carlos will take his popular format programme featuring a new selection of classical works across the UK in celebration of twenty-six years as a professional dancer on the international stage. This marks the last opportunity for regional audiences to see him dance classical ballet repertoire. Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director Alistair Spalding said: “Carlos Acosta’s unique combination of warm stage presence and powerful technique have made him one of the most admired and loved dancers in the world. His Sadler’s Wells debut in Tocororo in 2003 was a sell-out success. Since then, we have presented many of his shows, both on our stage and at the London Coliseum. I am delighted to work with him again to tour A Classical Farewell, an evening of classical ballet and I hope the many performances scheduled around the UK will offer as many people as possible the opportunity to see him dance ballet repertoire one last time.” Carlos Acosta has thrilled audiences throughout the world with his breathtaking performances. For A Classical Farewell Carlos has put together a programme with guest artists from Cuba, presenting some of his favourite pieces from the classical repertoire. The evening’s programme is accompanied by the Manchester Camerata conducted by Paul Murphy at selected venues. The performance includes a number of the most famous pas de deux from the classical and neo-classical canon. Extracts performed include Kenneth MacMillan’s Winter Dreams, Michel Fokine’s Dying Swan, August Bournonville’s La Sylphide, Diana & Acteon by Agrippina Vaganova. Also part of the evening’s programme are extracts from Nisi Dominus by William Tuckett and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake featuring choreography by Marius Petipa. Acosta trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba and won the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne (1990). He was a principal with English National Ballet (1991–2), danced with National Ballet of Cuba under Alicia Alonso (1992–3) and was a principal with Houston Ballet under Ben Stevenson (1993–8). He joined The Royal Ballet in 1998 and became a Principal Guest Artist in 2003. Acosta has frequently appeared worldwide with companies including American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Kirov, Bolshoi and Australian Ballet. Acosta’s past productions have played to sell-out audiences and have been lauded by critics and audiences alike. In 2007 he won an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his performance in his 2006 programme, Carlos Acosta with Guests from The Royal Ballet. He was awarded the CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2014 for his services to ballet and is passionate about nurturing and inspiring the next generation of dancers through the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation. The award marked the end of a remarkable year which had seen him stage a new production of Don Quixote at the Royal Opera House, release his debut novel Pig’s Foot, which was subsequently named as one of the Waterstone’s Eleven, an annual list of some of the most promising debut novels. This forthcoming season he also choreographs Chichester Festival Theatre’s new production of Guys and Dolls which is due to transfer to the West End at the end of 2015. At the National Dance Awards 2015 Acosta was awarded the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement. Full programme details to be announced. Co-produced by Sadler’s Wells and Valid Productions Presented in association with Como No International Dance Festival Birmingham 2016 is co-produced by Birmingham Hippodrome Notes to editors Listings information 2016 TOUR SCHEDULE To book tickets and for further details please refer to the individual venue websites Royal Concert Hall Nottingham Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 May www.trch.co.uk Birmingham Hippodrome Friday 6 & Saturday 7 May www.birminghamhippodrome.com Mayflower Theatre, Southampton Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 May www.mayflower.org.uk The Lowry, Salford Friday 13 & Saturday 14 May www.thelowry.com ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. Since 2005 it has helped to bring over 90 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies and an Associate Company and nurtures the next generation of talent through hosting the National Youth Dance Company, its Summer University programme, Wild Card initiative and its New Wave Associates. Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England.

It was part of a Sadler's Wells announcement this time last year and was discussed here: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/8203-english-national-ballet-to-be-sadlers-wells-associates/?hl=%2Benglish+%2Bnational+%2Bballet+%2Bgiselle

Iain Webb danced for most of his career with SWRB, but thanks for the information Bruce.

If I'm going to indulge, it will be to see Shrew!

I was at the performance on Friday and it was brilliant. Carlos Hupoy was amazing as Kitri .. worth the entrance money on his own. His fouettes would run Momoko Hirata a close second! There was a great post-performance discussion with the AD too. I can't wait for The Trocks next visit now!

It looks as though the tickets are selling really well already, which is good news. It will be a very emotional evening. I still can't believe what happened.

I saw the performance last night. I enjoyed Viscera, especially the duet beautifully danced by Leticia Stock and Nehemiah Kish. I thought that Fumi Kaneko was sublime too. Olivia Cowley and Matthew Ball were outstanding in Afternoon of a Faun, exhibiting hedonism and sensuality in equal measure. Lauren Cuthbertson and Matthew Golding dazzled in Tchaikowsly PDD. And so to Carmen ... I feel there is a superb 30 minute ballet in there somewhere but as it currently stands there are some moments I really enjoyed and the rest is a mess! Tierney Heap was truly outstanding as Carmen, sexy, alluring and hard. Vadim Muntagirov played Don Jose as a naive man who is lured into Carmen's net and broken by her as a black widow spider destroys her mate. He was utterly compelling. I just couldn't take my eyes off Matthew Ball as Escamillo. He has enormous stage presence for such a young man and, already in the two roles I saw him in tonight, a great versatility. The dancers of the corps danced their hearts out. As I said, there are moments to enjoy and in equal measure moments to wish you weren't seeing! It was lovely to see so many Forum members too ... although I was lured to the Terrace on the promise of heaters. I thought I was well on the way to hypothermia but a small price to pay for such lovely company! All in all, I had a very enjoyable evening in London.