Jan McNulty

He's appearing at The Lowry on 13th and 14th May: http://www.thelowry.com/event/carlos-acosta1

Hello SBF, Please call me Janet - everyone else does!

Thanks for the link SBF. I don't think I read this article at the time it was published. Having read it this morning, I can only say that it does nothing to alter my personal opinion that Mr Polunin was a young man who was put under the pressure of expectation from too many sides - his family, his peers, his boss and his public - and who left to find himself without those pressures. Let's hope that Mr Polunin is now able, with the passage of time, to grow and enjoy his career in dance and beyond, wherever that may take him. BTW SBF it may be worth searching the News forum and there are many threads about Polunin covering the last couple of years.

Don't know about your DD crying PB1 - I welled up when I watched it yesterday!

The press release for the summer season (includes link to the online brochure): The Spring / Summer 2016 Season at Sadler’s Wells The Spring / Summer 2016 Season is on sale from Monday 9 November 2015 at 10am Sadler’s Wells and Lilian Baylis Studio Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or sadlerswells.com The Peacock Ticket Office: 020 7863 8222 or peacocktheatre.com The Spring / Summer 2016 Season Brochure and Guide can be downloaded from: http://issuu.com/sadlerswells/docs/brochure_online_edited?e=5210497/31038539 and: http://s3.sadlerswells.com/downloads/brochure/Sadlers_Wells_Season_Guide_Spring_2016.pdf

The Crescent Theatre in Birmingham is very nice and I also like to Octagon in Yeovil. Buxton Opera House is a gorgeous theatre in a gorgeous town but the rake is most bizarre. I hadn't realised how bizarre till I saw BRB performing Take 5 there; that ballet has squares of light on the floor and we could see the stage has a rake, flat bit and another rake because of the way the light squares were distorted!

I was at The Trocks tonight (utterly fabulous) and attended a post-performance Q&A with the AD. Someone asked how easy it was for a dancer to switch between a (female) en-pointe role and a male role. He said (paraphrased) that it was very difficult because of the differing ways in which the muscles are used. Tonight's Basilio did not dance any of the en-pointe roles in this performance for that reason. I would guess it is a similar difference between classical and contemporary.

At NB, the gorgeous Lucia Solari, Antoinette Brookes Daw and Abi Prudames. Although it has to be said that NB do not specialise in the nineteenth century classics. And how could anyone not mention the amazing Momoko Hirata at BRB, as well as Delia.

So sorry to hear this Lisa, I know how much you have been looking forward to Swan Lake. Many years ago a friend of mine had a panic attack during an NB performance in Nottingham. We had booked separately and weren't sat near each other. At the time she thought she was having a heart attack and the theatre rang an ambulance for her. Talking about it later we think she had become anxious because she was in the middle of the row and was concerned in case, for some obscure reason, she suddenly needed to get out. Thinking ahead to Saturday, may it be an idea to see if you can change your seat to a rear aisle seat, just in case you need to get out. It could well be that having an "escape route" will give you the confidence to watch the whole performance. Also, if you feel as though your blood sugar had dropped, why not have some dextrose tablets with you or a bag of chocolate buttons? I do hope you enjoy Saturday.

I shall lurk near the piano in the Floral Hall during the interval.

Link for the Season Guide

I'm seeing the performance on Monday evening if anyone is around to say hello!

Hello Annemarie and welcome to the Forum. Thanks for the information about Roberta Marquez. I've put in a link to her Instagram account above. I hope you will keep joining in!

Which could be discussed in a separate thread...

Dresden Semperoper Ballett have issued a Youtube film of Melissa Hamilton rehearsing and talking about Manon, which she is dancing with Jiri Bubenicek (I think in his final performance):

Here is the link to Roberta's Instagram account: https://instagram.com/robertamarquezballerina/

Thanks for the link SBF.

Nothing in the press release inbox yet, but hopefully later today or tomorrow.

Bill, I hate to be blunt, but as has already been pointed out, this is a discussion forum. Many people have reasonably explained why they are discussing the issue of guest artists with the RB. Post #424 is Penelope's as quoted above. If you think Mr O'Hare would make a statement on why he is using guest artists I would be very grateful if you will approach him for that statement and put us all in the know. Not necessarily on this board but many of my friends often speculate about castings and promotions and any other item of the day to day minutiae of the companies that we follow. I think, given our joint passion, that is is quite a legitimate subject for discussion.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MIXED PROGRAMME RUNS FOR A GOOD 2hrs 15mins, as I discovered to my cost yesterday. (It's great though!)

Thanks Naomi.

Is it really so long ago??? I would love to see Patineurs again. As the skating scene in NB's latest Cinderella was so effectI've, perhaps someone could persuade them to take it on. I can think of at least 2 dancers I would love to see as the Blue Boy!

Links - Wednesday 04 November, 2015 Review - Paris Opera Ballet, Quartet No 4, Grosse Fugue, Transfigured Night, Paris: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Interview - Xander Parish: David Jays, Guardian News - Osipova rejoins Bolshoi as guest star: Ismene Brown, Blog via TASS Review - Rambert, Transfigured Night, Frames, Rooster, Birmingham: Bruce Marriott, DanceTabs Feature - Itzik Galili: Mike Dixon, London Dance Preview Feature - Twyla Tharp, 50th Anniversary Tour, Chicago: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun Times Preview Feature - BalletNext and Abraham.In.Motion experiment with jazz: Brian Seibert, NY Times Preview Feature - Daniil Simkin, Intensio, Houston: Olivia Flores Alvarez, Houston Press Preview Feature - Claire Cunningham, Guide Gods, Give me a reason to live, Perth: Cameron Woodhead, Sydney Morning Herald Reviews - Boris Charmatz / Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Partita 2, New York: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal Philadelphia: Merilyn Jackson, Philadelphia Inquirer Review - CoisCéim Dance, The Wolf and Peter, Dublin: Chris O’Rourke, Examiner Review - Spectrum Dance Theatre, The Minstrel Show Revisited, New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review - BalletMet, Dracula, Columbus: Amanda Etchison, Broadway World Preview Feature - Ballet BC & choreographer Stijn Celis: Janet Smith, Straight Preview Feature - Dance Theatre of San Francisco, San Francisco: Andrew Gilbert, San Jose Mercury News

Well said, TP! They have some tricks of the trade. There are, I believe, small seed trays on the back of the chair. I also believe there are three pigeons because the pigeon that sits on the chair at the end for so long has a clipped wing. I think they may also have understudies - at a performance in Plymouth I saw some years ago there were three pigeons fluttering around and 2 of them spent most of the time fornicating on the rooves at the back! In the last run at one performance, the second pigeon flew in at the end and sat on Chi's head! He and Ambra handled the situation really well and ended up cuddling the bird.

SCOTTISH BALLET’S NEW VERSION OF CINDERELLA WILL RECEIVE ITS EUROPEAN PREMIERE IN DECEMBER On December 5 at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Scottish Ballet gives the European premiere of Christopher Hampson’s production of Cinderella. Hampson, Chief Executive/Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet, originally created this version for the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2007. Set to Prokofiev’s iconic score, performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra, this rendition of a timeless rags-to-riches story features luxurious costumes and extravagant sets by designer Tracy Grant Lord who also collaborated with Hampson on his production of Romeo and Juliet. The classic story returns in an imaginative re-telling. Like Prokofiev’s score the story takes us from darkness to light and focuses on Cinderella’s journey through her grief at the loss of her mother. A young Cinderella plants a rose at her mother’s graveside and from this the magic grows and her journey towards happiness begins. Cinderella’s future seems bleak after her father remarries; her wicked stepmother is intent on favouring Cinderella's two nasty step-sisters over the kind and beautiful Cinderella. The course of true love never does run smooth, but just like the rose Cinderella planted at her mother’s graveside, romance blossoms when she finally meets her prince. Scottish Ballet Chief Executive/Artistic Director Christopher Hampson: “This production of Cinderella is born from the heart of the Prokofiev score. Beginning in the darkest place possible the story journeys through misfortune, magic, mishaps and finally, a ‘happy ever after’. I’m thrilled to be working with the dancers, musicians and the support staff of Scottish Ballet to look afresh at a production which will light up the winter months ahead.” Cinderella will premiere at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh before touring to Theatre Royal, Glasgow, His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen and Eden Court, Inverness in January 2016. Scottish Ballet will also present a specially adapted hour long version, titled Wee Cinderella, aimed at small children and families. Wee Cinderella will be performed in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness in December 2015 and January 2016. As part of our commitment to making ballet accessible to all, Scottish Ballet will perform a ‘relaxed performance’ of Cinderella for people with additional needs at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh on 18 December. Trained staff are on hand to help with access needs, the performance will last an hour, and we’ve significantly subsidised the ticket prices with a free ticket for an accompanying carer. Experience Cinderella’s journey to the ball with online events Thursday 12 November: Experience ‘A Day in the Life’ of Scottish Ballet soloist, Bethany Kingsley-Garner as she takes over our social media to reveal how she transforms into the role of Cinderella. Thursday 19 November: Scottish Ballet: Uncut – The next in our series of exclusive behind the scenes rehearsals from Scottish Ballet studios. Christopher Hampson leads a rehearsal with the principal characters building a scene, speaking with the dancers about their characters and showing some of the costumes from the production. NOTES FOR EDITORS Christopher Hampson Christopher Hampson joined Scottish Ballet as Artistic Director in August 2012 and was appointed Artistic Director / Chief Executive of Scottish Ballet in June 2015. Christopher trained at the Royal Ballet Schools. His choreographic work began there and continued at English National Ballet (ENB), where he danced until 1999 and for whom he subsequently created numerous award-winning works, including Double Concerto, Perpetuum Mobile, Country Garden, Concerto Grosso and The Nutcracker. Christopher’s Romeo and Juliet, created for the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB), was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award (Best New Production 2005) and his production of Giselle for the National Theatre in Prague has been performed every year since its premiere in 2004. Christopher created Sinfonietta Giocosa for the Atlanta Ballet (USA) in 2006 and after a New York tour it received its UK premiere with ENB in 2007. He created Cinderella for RNZB in 2007, which was subsequently hailed as Best New Production by the New Zealand Herald and televised by TVNZ in 2009. His work has toured Australia, China, the USA and throughout Europe. Other commissions include, Dear Norman (Royal Ballet, 2009); Sextet (Ballet Black/ROH2, 2010); Silhouette (RNZB, 2010), Rite of Spring (Atlanta Ballet, 2011), Storyville (Ballet Black/ROH2, 2012) nominated for a National Dance Award 2012, and Hansel and Gretel (Scottish Ballet 2013). Christopher is co-founder of the International Ballet Masterclasses in Prague and has been a guest teacher for English National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and the Genée International Ballet Competition. Christopher’s work now forms part of the Solo Seal Award for the Royal Academy of Dance. Christopher most recently gave a talk on ‘Creative Thinking’ for TEDx Glasgow and is developping and leading the inaugural Young Rural Retreat for Aspiring Leaders, in association with Dance East in summer 2016. CINDERELLA LISTINGS Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Sat 5 – Thu 31 Dec 2015 Box Office: 0131 529 6000 edtheatres.com Theatre Royal, Glasgow Tue 12 – Sat 16 Jan 2016 Box Office: 0844 871 7647 Atgtickets.com/glasgow His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Wed 20 – Sat 23 Jan 2016 Box Office: 01224 641122 Aberdeenperformingarts.com Eden Court, Inverness Wed 27 – Sat 30 Jan 2016 Box Office: 01463 234 234 Eden-court.co.uk WEE CINDERELLA LISTINGS Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Tue 22 Dec 2015 - 3pm Box Office: 0131 529 6000 edtheatres.com Theatre Royal, Glasgow Fri 15 Jan 2016 - 3pm Box Office: 0844 871 7647 Atgtickets.com/Glasgow His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen Fri 22 January 2016 - 3pm Box Office: 01224 641122 Aberdeenperformingarts.com Eden Court, Inverness Fri 29 January 2016 - 3pm Box Office: 01463 234234 Eden-court.co.uk CINDERELLA RELAXED PERFORMANCE LISTING Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Fri 18 Dec 2015 - 3pm Box Office: 0131 529 6000 CINDERELLA GET CLOSER LISTINGS PRE-SHOW TALKS FREE | 6:30-7pm | Call box office or follow the links below to book online EDINBURGH Festival Theatre Thu 10 Dec 2015 (Focus on dance) Fri 11 Dec 2015 (Focus on music) Thu 17 Dec (Focus on dance) Box Office: 0131 529 6000 GLASGOW Theatre Royal Thu 14 Jan 2016 (Focus on dance) Fri 15 Jan 2016 (Focus on music) Box Office: 0844 871 7647 ABERDEEN His Majesty's Theatre Thu 21 Jan 2016 (Focus on dance) Fri 22 Jan 2016 (Focus on music) Box Office: 01224 641 122 INVERNESS Eden Court Thu 28 Jan 2016 (Focus on dance) Fri 29 Jan 2016 (Focus on music) Box Office: 01463 234 234 FAMILY INSIGHTS £5.50/£3.50 conc | 11am - 12.30pm | Book through your preferred theatre EDINBURGH Festival Theatre Sat 12 December 2015 Sat 19 December 2015 Wed 23 December 2015 GLASGOW Theatre Royal Sat 16 January 2016 ABERDEEN His Majesty’s Theatre Sat 23 January 2016 INVERNESS Sat 30 January 2016 BALLET CAFÉ EDINBURGH Festival Theatre Tue 15 December 2015 0131 529 6000 GLASGOW Tramway* Wed 13 January 2016 0844 871 7647 ABERDEEN His Majesty’s Theatre Wed 20 January 2016 01224 541122 INVERNESS Eden Court Wed 27 January 2016 01463 234234 ENHANCED HEARING, AUDIO DESCRIPTION AND TOUCH TOUR EDINBURGH Festival Theatre Sat 19 December 2015 GLASGOW Theatre Royal Sat 16 January 2016 ABERDEEN His Majesty’s Theatre Sat 23 January 2016 INVERNESS Eden Court Sat 30 January 2016