Jan McNulty

I think Miki is growing into her acting very well. She was a total delight as Sylvia! Yes, I'm thrilled Yvette has been promoted too. She's one of those dancers who seems to be subsumed into a role very quickly.

Everything is bad for you in excess! Lisa, I wouldn't worry to much if you are only doing this for a couple of days but do be careful. I quite often watch Lorraine in the mornings and she has recently featured a "Get ready for your bikini" eating and exercising plan. They have mentioned over and over again about the need to have a balanced diet and use the "hand portion control" method for proteins and carbohydrates. Your hand should be able to cover the portion. It may be worth looking on the website, I believe various recipes are on there to give you some ideas.

Seriously though Farfalina, have you looked at Superbreak ? I hadn't used this company for a long time (they were best known for integrated rail/hotel bookings) but recently discovered that a hotel I had used in the past was £20 per night cheaper on Superbreak than via the hotel's own website or other internet booking companies! You do have to pay up front but that is also the case with many hotels with their offers.

It's London!

Here are the tour dates for Phoenix Autumn Tour 2015: Mold: 15-16 September (Bloom, Tearfall, Shift, Shadows) Leeds: 30 September - 03 October (2 programmes) Barnsley: 09 October Malvern: 14 October Canterbury: 20-21 October London: 11-14 November (programme TBA) Wellingborough: 18 November Huddersfield: 26 November Lancaster: 02-03 December All venues same programme as Mold unless otherwise shown (and a cracking programme it is too!) http://www.phoenixdancetheatre.co.uk/dates/

I saw Gandini Juggling's 4 x 4 Ephemeral Architectures at the Lowry last night. It is a piece for 4 jugglers and 4 ballet dancers accompanied by a string quintet. It has been choreographed by Ludovic Ondiviela. I found it to be inventive, amusing and compelling. I especially liked the sections where the dancers interacted with the jugglers - passing them balls, taking balls or even the girls being lifted by the jugglers. There is one particularly beautiful segment where one dancer is encircled by the jugglers juggling batons - the effect for me was almost like the dancer being in a room with a high vaulted room. Unfortunately there was no programme available so I can't identify any of the dancers or jugglers or musicians. I really enjoyed this performance and would recommend it if you want to see something a bit different! Here's a link to the website page that has a short trailer and some more details.

I saw the performance at the Lowry on Monday evening and I thought it was a cracker! It really showed the dancers off to great effect. The programme was: Four (Christopher Hampson) for 5 dancers - beautiful classicism. Blue Ball pdd from Cinderella (Christopher Gable) - danced with beautiful emotion. My friend and I were both moved to tears. Morning and Moonlight (Christopher Bruce) - gorgeous swirling movements enhanced by the costumes. Hopper (Kit Holder) based on works by Edward Hopper. I loved this quirky piece and it gave the dancers an opportunity to show characterisation, Not in movement but perhaps intent it reminded me of Gillian Lynne's homage to Lowry (A Simple Man). Pdd from Fille Mal Garde (Gorsky) - sublimely danced - just gorgeous. Code (Sharon Watson) - beautiful fluid choreography. Scenes from a Wedding (Chris Marney) - quirky, fun and a great way to end the evening! I thought the standard of the dancing was very high throughout. As ever it was a joy to see Philip Feeney playing the piano.

Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Choreographers and Composers Lab 2015 July 6th – 17th July 2015 Phoenix Dance Theatre, Leeds. Phoenix Dance Theatre is delighted to be hosting a Choreographers and Composers Lab in July 2015; a two week intensive in our state of the art dance centre in Leeds. This two week intensive lab is designed for professional choreographers and composers at an early stage of their career, the course will enable participants to experience collaborative approaches to creating work and developing partnership skills without the pressure to produce final results. Through creative workshops, lectures and artistic tasks, participants will enjoy a rare opportunity to focus on the creative process of research and experimentation with the emphasis on composition in music and dance. The course is led by Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director & Choreographer Sharon Watson and Independent Music Director & Composer Ken Hesketh. Following an open call out, with over 300 applicants, a multinational mix of 24 artists have been selected to take part including four choreographers, four composers, four musicians and twelve dancers. Guest speakers include: Robert Cohan CBE, Founder of the London School of Contemporary Dance and Phoenix Dance Theatre Patron; Zoë Martlew, Cellist and BBC TV Proms presenter/commentator; Mike Dixon - Dance Critic; Didy Veldman, Choreographer; Dr Jo Butterworth, Professor of Dance Studies at the University of Malta and Peter Wiegold - Composer and Head of Music Research at Brunel University London. On Friday 17th July 2015, 3.00 – 6.00pm at Phoenix Dance Theatre, there will be an exclusive Studio Sharing, where The Choreographers and Composers will share their creations as works in progress, and discuss their creative journeys. Following this studio preview, there is the opportunity to meet participants and course leaders as well as the Phoenix Dance Theatre dancers, staff and board members. The Choreographers and Composers Lab 2015 is supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

I just wish the British press, in that case, would highlight the career of BRB's own Celine Gittens and of course Tyrone Singleton.

I just thought they may have wanted to grab Mr Lendorf as he has successfully appeared with them a number of times. I certainly would have made a special journey to see him and I am sure many other people would have too.

PDQ - there seem to be 2 Roynon schools in the Southampton area - one in Swanmore and one in Woolston. Do you know which one has the shop?

This is the link to the ABT website page that lists all the promotions and the fact that Alban Lendorf and Maria Kotchetkova are joining the company (albeit both still being members of RDB and SFB respectively. Congratulations to all the promotees, especially Stella Abrera whose promotion to principal has been overshadowed by Misty Copeland's news. I can't help but think ENB have missed a trick here.

And here is a link to the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/01/arts/dance/misty-copeland-is-promoted-to-principal-dancer-at-american-ballet-theater.html?_r=0

I've never seen the Ashton version but you really have missed a treat Aileen. David Bintley's version is a fun romp with some fabulous choreography and not a wasted moment. Plus we saw 2 exceptional casts...

? Sorry don't understand your comment that BRB does not quite have the virtuoso principals of RB or ENB. A view from the National Student

Scottish Ballet announces Christopher Hampson as new Chief Executive The Board of Directors of Scottish Ballet today announced the appointment of Christopher Hampson as its new Chief Executive. Christopher joined the company as Artistic Director in August 2012 and has been instrumental in developing the artistic vision of the Company. In March this year, he was appointed as Acting Chief Executive after the former Chief Executive/Executive Producer, Cindy Sughrue, stood down. He will take up the new position of Chief Executive / Artistic Director immediately. Announcing Christopher Hampson’s appointment, Scottish Ballet’s Chairman Norman Murray said: ‘I am delighted that after a very thorough review of the organisation the Board is confident that Christopher’s sound leadership skills, strategic and artistic vision will ensure the company continues to go from strength to strength. We look forward to working with him and his team, following one of the most successful years for Scottish Ballet in recent history’. The Board also announced that Scottish Ballet will immediately begin the recruitment process for an Executive Director who will sit on the Board, report to Christopher Hampson and strengthen the senior management team with a clear focus on strategic vision and commercial success of the organisation. On his appointment Christopher added ‘I am delighted to be invited by the Board to become Chief Executive/Artistic Director of Scotland’s national dance company. We have an extremely dynamic, dedicated and talented team at Scottish Ballet and I look forward to further developing the creativity and reach of the company. We are defined by our art, vitality and sense of innovation and I look forward to working closely with the Board to maintain and enhance Scottish Ballet’s position as a leading dance company in the UK and beyond.’ Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “As one of Scotland’s five national performing companies, Scottish Ballet has a crucial role through performance and education to inspire people to enjoy world class dance both in Scotland and internationally. I am delighted to welcome Christopher Hampson as its new Chief Executive, to build on his acclaimed work as Artistic Director and to lead Scottish Ballet in its continued success.” Since joining in 2012, Christopher has been instrumental in engaging leading choreographers to create productions for Scottish Ballet, including the upcoming inspiring double bill of work this autumn and a new, cutting-edge, Swan Lake next spring. Christopher will also present his own Cinderella this winter which premiered in 2007 with the Royal New Zealand Ballet. His artistic vision ensures Scottish Ballet is presenting innovative work that continues to thrill audiences and critics alike and crucially has touring appeal both nationally and internationally. Notes to editors: Christopher joined Scottish Ballet as Artistic Director in August 2012 and within his first two years he commissioned an extensive range of choreographers including Helen Pickett, James Cousins, Kristen McNally, Martin Lawrence, and Sophie Laplane, resulting in 10 world premieres plus he further added to the repertoire 12 works new to the Company by choreographers such as Tetley, Tharp, Kylian amongst others. During his time with the company significant education initiatives have been developed, including: Hansel and Gretel & Me (a Scotland-wide project where participants of all ages helped to shape Christopher Hampson’s new production ofHansel & Gretel), the Dancers Education Group (a mentoring programme for dancers that want to develop skills to teach dance in schools and in the community) as well as the creation of Youth and Elders Companies (SBYC, SBEC). Christopher has also been an active member of Scottish Ballet’s Fundraising Project Team since 2013 and was instrumental in securing funding from numerous sources. Scottish Ballet returns from a hugely successful 6-city tour in the USA which culminated in 3 sell-out nights at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. In September 2015, the Company will be presenting Javier de Frutos’ seminal work Elsa Canasta as well as a world premiere by Bryan Arias, one of the most exciting young choreographers of today. Christopher Hampson’s Cinderella, created in 2007 for the Royal New Zealand Ballet will receive its European premiere this winter and Spring 2016 will mark the first time in 20 years that the company is presenting Swan Lake with a world premiere created by international choreographer, David Dawson. Christopher Hampson trained at the Royal Ballet Schools. His choreographic work began there and continued at English National Ballet, 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’sRomeo 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 received 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. His recent commissions include 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 & Gretel (Scottish Ballet 2013). Christopher is a co-founder of the International Ballet Masterclasses in Prague and has been a guest teacher and coach for English National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Bonachela Dance Company, 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.

Bruce is quite right! The plot is preposterous but it is enormous fun!! Actually I think that David Bintley has been very clever. As I said higher up the thread, Tasso's poem was written for the nobles of the court of Ferrara and was performed by the nobles. Having realised that, it makes perfect sense to me that the action starts at a party being held by the Count and Countess and moves on to the pastorale scene from there (admittedly the pastorale scenario has been expanded with the inclusion of Diana, Orion and Eros but that just all adds to the fun). The Count and Countess are not very happy together and that is making for an unhappy household. Amynta (the valet) is in love with Sylvia (the governess). When she doesn't seem to notice him, Eros (the gardener) takes pity and transports him to ancient times where Sylvia is a nymph in the service of Diana. He is hidden and sees the Nymphs taking their rest when he is discovered. Diana blinds him because mortals are not allowed to see her. She makes it clear to Sylvia that she is in big trouble if she shows any sympathy for Amynta. Diana and the Nymphs depart but Sylvia comes back. What no-one has realised is that Orion is also watching the Nymphs. He kidnaps Sylvia. Eros helps the blind Amynta to follow Orion. In Act 2, Orion has Sylvia captive in his cave. I actually feel sorry for him at the start of this act because he is so tender with the sleeping Sylvia but when she wakes up and is repulsed by him he cannot cope and starts to get aggressive. He tells his servants Gog and Magog to prepare food and drink. Sylvia shows them how to make wine (hilarious) and gets them all drunk! Amynta arrives at the cave to save Sylvia. She is ashamed of what has happened and runs away. In act 3, Sylvia has been captured by Pirates who arrive at Diana's temple with a number of slave girls for sale including Sylvia. The pirates are truly scene stealers and extremely funny! Just as things start to get a bit sticky for Sylvia, Amynta arrives and at last they are united. Eros restores his sight and they disappear off. Cue for more hilarious pirate activity! Then Sylvia and Amynta reappear and have the most beautiful of PDD. Orion appears and is vanquished by Diana. She then tries to see off Amynta but Eros persuades her that is not a good idea. Of course, Diana is the Countess and as she reflects we move back to the original party. The Count (Orion) appears and is full of contrition. Sylvia and Amynta declare their love. The end! This is a ballet for women, there are very few roles for the men of the company (apart from Eros, Amynta, Orion, Gog and Magog there are 4 male party guests/pirates and 2 waiters/eunuchs). Well I saw the first three performances and the final one on Saturday night and they were all splendid. As the week went on I noticed more and more references to the great classics - Apollo, Giselle and of course Sleeping Beauty. There is plenty of humour - in the first scene Gog and Magog are party organisers and then are Orion's servants. There is a definite homage to Wilson, Keppel and Betty! Eros as the Pirate Captain is side-splittingly funny on his peg leg and as for the naughty pirates... The peg leg adagio has got to be one of the great comedic moments in ballet! The final PDD for Amynta and Sylvia is just breath-taking. There is plenty of action for the Nymphs and an attractive lament for the slave girls. Two casts of leads were presented during the week and both were wonderful. The opening night cast was Momoko Hirata (Sylvia), Joe Caley (Amynta), Celine Gittens (Diana), Tyrone Singleton (Orion), Mathias Dingman (Eros), Kit Holder and Lachlan Monaghan (Gog and Magog). The closing night cast was Miki Mizutani, Chi Cao, Samara Downs, Yasuo Atsuji, Oliver Till, Tzu-Chao Chou and Lewis Turner. The Company were on very fine form and I love the attention to detail. For example Luke Schaufuss was a servant for a couple of the performances and boy did he preen himself and eye up the lady guests! The Nymphs were beautifully co-ordinated throughout. I think I would class Saturday night's performance as the best I have seen of any this year so far! Perhaps because it was the final performance of the season the air was just full of magic dust and the company pulled out all the stops. Miki was a total delight as Sylvia and Chi was outstandingly virtuoso as Amynta. Together they were incandescent. Their final pdd was just soooooooo beautiful that I was in tears (as was my friend). Chi's spins were particularly immaculate and he looked as though he was trying to drill down to Australia! The lump arose in my throat as his sight was restored - the look on his face when he saw Sylvia was a joy to behold. Samara Downs was every inch the goddess Diana and Yasuo threw himself into the role of Orion - he was utterly magnificent in the cave scene. The orchestra, under the baton of Paul Murphy, was magnificent. This is a glorious score! Above all, it was a company performance. My friend and I came out of the theatre on a real high! I do wish this production was touring - it is such good fun and danced so fabulously by BRB - and it deserves to be seen and enjoyed by the public at large!

Link to the ROH page: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/promotions-joiners-and-leavers-at-the-royal-ballet-for-201516

Thanks for the link Ruth. There's a thread in News for discussion: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/10056-royal-ballet-promotions-joiners-and-leavers/#entry135410

I'm off to see Ballet Central tonight but will try to post something later. Meanwhile here is the view of a newbie ballet watcher: http://www.redbrick.me/culture/david-bintleys-sylvia-birmingham-hippodrome/

Congratulations to all the promotees! Welcome to the joiners and very best wishes to all the dancers leaving.

Congratulations to all the promotees, welcome to the new members and very best wishes to those dancers who have left the company.

Northern Ballet offers contracts to BBC Young Dancer finalists Northern Ballet will welcome 10 new dancers to the Company this summer including finalists from this year’s BBC Young Dancer competition. The Leeds-based company has also announced promotions for existing members of the Company. Winner of the ballet section of the 2015 BBC Young Dancer competition, Archie Sullivan, who was mentored by Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director David Nixon OBE during the competition, will join the Company’s first year corps from English National Ballet School. Archie is joined by fellow finalists Jenny Hackwell (KS Dance) who also joins the first year corps and Paris Fitzpatrick (Tring Park School) who joins as an Apprentice. Kaylee Marko (English National Ballet School), who performed as Archie’s pas de deux partner in the live BBC Young Dancer final in May, also joins the first year corps. In addition, Northern Ballet will welcome Natalia Kerner (Académie Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo) and Alexander Yap (The Royal Ballet School) to its first year corps along with Diogo Barbosa (English National Ballet School), Genevieve Heron (Elmhurst School for Dance) and Grace Robinson (The Royal Ballet School) who join as Apprentices. For the second year the Company will also reap the benefits of the Academy of Northern Ballet’s pioneering Graduate Professional Programme with graduating student Harriet Marden joining Northern Ballet as an Apprentice. Promotions within the Company include: Ashley Dixon to Leading Soloist, Antoinette Brooks-Daw and Giuliano Contadini to First Soloists, Rachael Gillespie, Nicola Gervasi, Jeremy Curnier and Isaac Lee-Baker to Junior Soloists and Matthew Koon, Abigail Prudames and Joseph Taylor to Coryphée. In addition Hironao Takahashi becomes a Senior Artist whilst former Apprentices Alice Bayston, Isabelle Clough, Kiara Flavin, Dominique Larose and Gavin McCaig all move into the first year corps. Northern Ballet has also said goodbye to nine of its dancers this year. Principal Character Artist Darren Goldsmith retired in December after more than 20 years with the Company and Premier Dancer Kenneth Tindall gave his final performance for the Company in May to pursue a career as a Freelance Choreographer. After five years with Northern Ballet, Matthew Broadbent is leaving to join Scottish Ballet, whilst Isadora Valero Meza moves on to the National Ballet of Portugal. Dancers Olivia Holland, Adeline Kaiser, Gwénaëlle Poline Santos and Luisa Rocco are also leaving the Company. This autumn Northern Ballet will commence its season with the World Première of Jonathan Watkins’ 1984 at West Yorkshire Playhouse from 5 – 12 September 2015 before national tours of 1984, Madame Butterfly, Wuthering Heights andThe Nutcracker.

No, I'm not going to miss them!

Links - Monday, June 29 2015 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Infra, Divertissements, The Age of Anxiety, The Dream, Song of the Earth, New York: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Feature – Wendy Whelan and Edward Watson, The ballet dancers growing older gracefully: Ruaridh Nicoll, Observer Review – English National Ballet, Choreographics Evening 2015, London: Zoe Anderson, Independent Review – Emma McBeth/RCS, The Embers of Glencoe; max.IMEALLdance, Meitheal, Glasgow: Mary Brennan, Herald Scotland Review – Australian Dance Theatre, Be Your Self, Perth: Nerida Dickinson, Australian Stage Review – Chamber Dance Project, 4 Men in Suits, Wild Swans, Arranged, SI, Time Has Come, Washington: George Jackson, Danceview Times Review – Blanka Li and Dancers, ROBOT, New York: Marianne Adams, Danceview Times Review – Bruce Wood Dance Project, Whispers, Requiem, Polyester Dreams, Dallas: Margaret Putnam, Theater Jones Feature – Misty Copeland: Jane Mulkerrins, Irish Independent Review – David Byrne and Color Guard, Contemporary Color, New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Q&A Feature – Tyler Peck and Robbie Fairchild: Whitney Spaner, Playbill Review - Ballet Revolucion, Sydney: Martin Portus, Daily Review