Jan McNulty

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.

Thanks Jacqueline, the spoof is very funny! http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/music/goldie-lookin-chains-safe-parody-10406726

Yes, I've had similar experiences at a number of theatres - it is discrimination against individuals (and possibly odd numbers if say there are 4 seats and you want to buy 3). Sometimes if you telephone the box office they will sell you the single ticket you want... I stress sometimes...

Hello Imogen and welcome out of the lurking shadows. I haven't seen any of this current run of R&J so can't comment but I do hope you you will continue to join in now that you have broken the posting ice! A quick look at the ROH website indicates that they are not due to dance until 2nd December.

I saw the mixed programme in Leeds last week. There are 4 pieces and it is very contemporary in style. The opener was Javier de Frutos' The Anatomy of a Passing Cloud, for six men and six women. It opens with four groups of 3, holding hands and threading around each other. The music seems to be a male voice choir. There are lots of sections in this bright and lovely production. The way the soundtrack is worked it sounds as though someone is searching through radio stations so you get a piece of music then the static when you turn the dial before more music. There are various groupings and group dances and the mood goes from spiritual to happy to melancholy and beyond. It was a delight. The middle 2 pieces were commissioned last year for a WW1 commemoration programme. Andrew Simmons' Dear Horizon, again is for six men and six women. There is a striking set of what seems to be barriers and poppies and netting at the back of the stage and hanging down. The women seem to be fatalistic about their men going to war, the men die, the women grieve. It is a striking and moving piece. I found Neil Ieremia's Passchendaele, for a larger cast, incredibly moving. You see the men preparing for war and making ritualistic motions that reminded me a bit of Hakas I have seen on TV. This piece powerfully shows the futility of war. The final work of the evening was Andonis Foniadakis' Selon Desir, which I found somewhat frenetic. I thought I was going to loathe it when it first started but I got drawn into it and ended up enjoying it despite its freneticism. Together with Giselle this programme shows off the talents of this 36-strong company very well. They certainly are a company worth watching! The programme lasts around 2 hrs and 15 mins.

http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/leelu/product/little-bag-of-happiness I copied it and pasted into my browser an it was fine. Hopefully this will auto link Just realised the software may not recognise it as a link if the http:// is missing at the front.

Hello Squeaky, There are lots of hotels on the Hagley Road in Birmingham, which I believe is handy for Elmhurst.

Sad news indeed. Sincere condolences to Gunnar Hansen's family and friends at this sad time. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34760060

I've started a thread about Carlos Acosta's Farewell tour in news: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/11024-carlos-acosta-farewell-tour/#entry148216 It depends where you like to sit Jacqueline. The front row of the stalls at the Lowry is somewhat cramped because of the way the orchestra pit is put in. The front row in Birmingham is very good but the rake on the stalls isn't that great till about half way back.

A bit of googling has found the following dates for Carlos Acosta's Farewell tour: 03-04 May - Nottingham 06-07 May - Birmingham 10-11 May - Southampton 13-14 May - Salford Details from the Lowry website: After an unparalleled career as one of the world’s most iconic male ballet stars, Carlos Acosta presents his final classical ballet programme. From humble beginnings in Cuba to performing on some of the world’s biggest stages, Carlos Acosta has had an incredible career. He has played many of ballet’s most iconic roles including Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, Basilio in Don Quixote and The Prince in Nutcracker. He has worked with some of the world’s leading ballet companies including Ballet National de Cuba, The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and Houston Ballet, written two novels and appeared in two feature films. For his final UK tour dancing classical works, he performs experts from his favourite ballet repertoire alongside an incredible cast of dancers from Cuba, with a full live orchestra. Read more at http://www.thelowry.com/event/carlos-acosta1#dfHpmg2dHvE4e27c.99