Jan McNulty

Good luck!

This is the list that comes up based on my location but it seems to cover the whole of Merseyside. Prescot is L34/L35 area https://www.rad.org.uk/learn-to-dance/find-an-rad-teacher

Mark Skipper, CE at Northern Ballet has announced on twitter that Archie Sullivan is joining Northern Ballet next season.

It was shown on the BBC - I don't have sky. I'm afraid Acosta didn't do it for me as Colas.

The performance tonight was scintillating. More after the weekend...

I think it is totally inappropriate and absolutely appalling

Dutch National Ballet Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella London Coliseum UK PREMIERE Wednesday 8 - Saturday 11 July 2015 Performances: Wed - Sat at 7.30pm, Sat & Thu Mat at 2pm Tickets: £10 - £80 Ticket Office: 0844 412 4300 or www.sadlerswells.com Dutch National Ballet presents a new interpretation of Cinderella, choreographed by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Christopher Wheeldon. Premiered at Dutch National Opera & Ballet in December 2012 to great public and critical acclaim, Wheeldon’s ballet is set to Prokofiev’s score – performed live by Royal Ballet Sinfonia – with sets and costumes by British designer Julian Crouch. Wheeldon is one of the most sought-after choreographers in the dance world today. His Cinderella, influenced by the Brothers Grimm story, shows a kind-hearted heroine making the best of life without her beloved mother, while over at the palace Prince Guillaume is struggling against the restrictions of royal protocol and princely duty. Elaborating on the traditional narrative, Cinderella is choreographed with lyricism, elegance and wit. During the London run, the title role of Cinderella will be performed by Anna Tsygankova. Earlier this year the Russian dancer made her debut with The Royal Ballet as a Guest Artist, dancing Kitri in Don Quixote.She will be joined on stage by her partner, Canadian dancer and Guest Principal Matthew Golding. Having been a Principal since 2010, Golding joined The Royal Ballet in March 2014, but remains as a Guest Principal with the Dutch National Ballet.Roles will be alternated and certain performances. Wheeldon trained at The Royal Ballet School and joined the Royal Ballet in 1991. He joined New York City Ballet and served as their first-ever Artist in Residence in 2000/01, where he was later named Resident Choreographer. He became a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist in 2007. Wheeldon has created productions for all the world’s major ballet companies including: New York City Ballet, The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet and National Ballet of Canada. In late 2014 Wheeldon directed and choreographed the musical version of An American In Paris. The Broadway production premiered at the Palace Theatre, New York in April 2015. Wheeldon received two Tony Award nominations for Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical for the production. As a choreographer, Wheeldon has been the recipient of many awards including the American Choreography Award for the film Center Stage (2000) and the London Critics’ Circle Award and the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for Polyphonia (2001). More recently he received the Benois De La Danse for Cinderella (2013), the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for Aeternum (2013)and the Leonard Massine Prize for choreography for The Winters Tale (2014). Notes to Editors: Listings information: Dutch National Ballet Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella UK Premiere London Coliseum, WC2N Wednesday 8 – Saturday 11 July 2015 Performances: Wed – Sat at 7.30pm, Sat 7 Thu Mat at 2pm Tickets: £10 - £80 Ticket office: 0844 412 4300 / www.sadlerswells.com About Sadler’s Wells Sadler's Wells is a world leader in contemporary dance, 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 international award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour the world. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 appointed world class 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 in 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 9% of its revenue from Arts Council England.

Links - Friday, May 08 2015 Review – New York City Ballet, Apollo, Agon, Duo Concertant, Symphony in Three Movements, New York: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Feature – Joaquin de Luz, NYCB preparing for La Sylphide, New York: Pia Catton, Wall Street Journal Review – Royal Ballet, La Fille Mal Gardee – live cinema relay, the World: Graham Watts, London Dance Review – Mikhailovsky Ballet, La Fille Mal Gardee (Kuligina / Vasiliev), St Petersburg: Margaret Willis, DanceTabs Reviews – Sasha Waltz and Guests, D’Avant, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Jann Parry, DanceTabs Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide Review – Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Concerto for Two Violins, Writing Ground, New York: Apollinaire Scherr, FT News – Sarasota Ballet promotions, joiners and leavers: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald Tribune Review - James Wilton Dance, Last Man Standing, London: Lynette Halewood, DanceTabs Review – Martha Graham Dance Company, Appalachian Spring, Lamentation Variations, Errand into the Maze, Echo, Topanga: Flavia Polenza, Topanga Messenger Reviews – Sydney Dance Company, Quintett, Frame of Mind, Melbourne: Jordan Vincent, Sydney Morning Herald Andrew Furhmann, Daily Rreview Review – New Zealand Dance Company, Rotunda, Melbourne: Chloe Smethurst, Sydney Morning Herald Review – Marjani Forte, being Here…/this time, New York: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Blog – Sweet loving and banjo music… Don’t do it: Jarkko Lehmus, DanceTabs Reviews - Nuevo Ballet Español, Titanium, London: Sarah Frater, Stage Preview/feature - A dancer with cancer inspired and stars in Blank Canvas, Washington: Sadie Dingfelder, Washington Post Review - Jeanette Stoner, Wheel, Wall, Numinous, Just So, Moments of Deep Past/Ancient Memories, New York: Lauren Wingenroth, Broadway World Review - Min Kyoung Lee and João dos Santos Martins, The Rite of Spring (2013), Dunedin: Jonathan W Marshall, NZ Theatreview Review – Tiki Taane Mahuta, Christchurch: Emily Napolitano, NZ Theatreview

WORLD PREMIERE: OTHER STORIES EDWARD WATSON AND WENDY WHELAN - FIVE CHOREOGRAPHERS, FIVE NEW WORKS Thursday 9 July – Sunday 12 July Linbury Studio Theatre Royal Ballet Principal Edward Watson and Wendy Whelan, former Principal at New York City Ballet for over 20 years, perform Whelan/Watson: Other Stories, a programme of five contemporary works created especially for them by world-acclaimed choreographers Annie-B Parson, Arlene Phillips, Arthur Pita, Danièle Desnoyers and Javier de Frutos. Other Stories brings Whelan and Watson together for the first time in an evening of contemporary dance taking inspiration from waltz, tango and disco. The pair will perform three duets by Arthur Pita (who previously created the Olivier Award winning The Metamorphosis on Edward Watson for the Linbury Studio Thearte), Danièle Desnoyersand Javier de Frutos. Whelan will also perform a solo choreographed by Annie-B Parson, while Watson will dance a solo created by Arlene Phillips. Costumes and set design are by Jean-Marc Puissant, with lighting by Bruno Poet, music direction by Frank Moonand soundscape by Daniel Peppe. Other Stories will tour to City Center, New York in 2016. Director of The Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare adds "Edward Watson and Wendy Whelan are two artists whose exceptional talents are recognised throughout the dance world. This programme brings them together for the first time to collaborate with five contemporary choreographers to create new work showcasing their highly original talents." --- ENDS -- Notes to Editors Whelan/Watson: Other Stories Thursday 9 July – Sunday 12 July Thursday 9, Friday 10, Saturday 11 July at 7:45pm, Sunday 12 July at 3pm The production lasts approximately one hour, with no interval. BOX OFFICE: 0207 304 4000 www.roh.org.uk Royal Opera House, London WC2E 9DD WHELAN/WATSON: OTHER STORIES Choreography Annie-B Parson, Arlene Phillips, Arthur Pita, Danièle Desnoyers and Javier de Frutos Music direction Frank Moon Designs Jean-Marc Puissant Lighting design Bruno Poet Soundscape Daniel Peppe BiographiesEdward Watson joined The Royal Ballet in 1994 and was promoted to Principal in 2005. He has won particular acclaim for his interpretation of roles in the works of Kenneth MacMillan including Crown Prince Rudolf (Mayerling), Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), The Chosen One (The Rite of Spring), Woyzeck (Different Drummer) and roles in Gloriaand Song of the Earth, in addition to his many other roles for The Royal Ballet. In 2012 Watson received an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his role in Arthur Pita’s The Metamorphosis and he has had numerous roles created on him by Royal Ballet Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon and Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor. Wendy Whelan was a Principal of New York City Ballet for over 20 years. She danced as a guest artist with The Royal Ballet in 1994, performing the pas de deux from William Forsythe's Herman Schmerman, and in July 2014 she performed her show Restless Creature in the Linbury Studio Theatre. With NYCB she performed a wide spectrum of the George Balanchine repertory and worked closely with Jerome Robbins on many of his ballets. She has created roles in 13 ballets for Christopher Wheeldon, as well as in ballets by Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, Wayne McGregor, Alexei Ratmansky, Twyla Tharp and Shen Wei. Annie-B Parson co-founded America’s Big Dance Theater, creating over 20 works that have toured the US and internationally. Outside of Big Dance, she choreographed David Byrne’s Here Lies Love, which recently ran in the UK at the National Theatre and earned Parson a 2015 Olivier Award nomination for Best Theatre Choreographer. Alongside theatre and dance Parson choreographs for rock concerts (including David Byrne and St. Vincent), opera (Nico Muhly) and MTV (Salt ‘n Pepa, Laurie Anderson). Arlene Phillips has choreographed professionally since the 1970s, first coming to prominence as creator of the dance group Hot Gossip. She has choreographed extensively for film, television, music videos, concerts and theatre, becoming a household name in 2004 as a judge on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing. In 2002 she was made an OBE for Services to Dance, and her awards include an Olivier, Tony, MTV Video Award and an Emmy. Arthur Pita has worked internationally in opera, musicals, plays and film. He created the award winning The Metamorphosis on Edward Watson for the Linbury Studio Theatre in 2011, and his other work for the Linbury includes And Then Gone (2006) and God’s Garden (2010), and in 2014 he brought his acclaimed production The World’s Greatest Show to the Royal Opera House’s Paul Hamlyn Hall. For The Royal Opera he has created the choreography for Carmen, La donna del lago and 2015’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. Danièle Desnoyers founded her Montreal-based dance company Le Carré des Lombes in 1989, and has choreographed contemporary dance internationally ever since. In 2014 she created Paradoxe Mélodie, a work for 10 dancers and a harpist, which received its world premiere at the Canada Dance Festival. The same year, she also (re)created Duos pour corps et instruments, a pivotal work in her artistic path, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of her company. These two pieces epitomise Danièle’s avid interest in acoustic and musical scores in her work as a whole. Venezuelan choreographer Javier de Frutos has worked extensively in dance, theatre, TV and film. In 2012 he created the piece Studies in M for the Linbury Studio Theatre and his work is in the repertoire of many dance companies, including Rotterdam Dance Group, Ballet Shindowski, Nuremberg Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, The Royal New Zealand Ballet, and Gothenburg Ballet. Theatre credits include Carousel (Chichester Festival Theatre), London Road(National Theatre) and the West End and touring productions of Cabaret for which he won the 2007 Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer.

An early review from last night: http://www.thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/THEATRE-REVIEW-Northern-Ballet%E2%80%99s-Mixed-Programme-2015/9715547

Here's a link for the Theatretrain website: http://www.theatretrain.co.uk/ I don't know if you live near an ATG theatre but they have youth productions that you can get involved and experience workshops. I am always getting emails from the Milton Keynes theatre.

Great idea - I've just voted (for the robin)!

Here is the Stage feature: https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/2015/general-election-arts-policies/

Links - Thursday, May 07 2015 Obituary – Maya Plisetskaya: Anna Nemtsova, The Daily Beast Review – International Ballet Festival 2015 Dance Open and Tsiskaridze at the Vaganova Academdy: Margaret Willis, DanceTabs Review – New York City Ballet, Concerto Barroco,, Episodes, Four Temperaments, New York: Sondra Forsyth, Broadway World Feature – Susan Tammany, designer for NYCB’s La Sylphide: Michael Cooper, NY Times Review – Australian Ballet, Monotones II, Symphonic Variations, The Dream, Sydney: Deborah Jones, Blog Review – San Francisco Ballet, Romeo and Juliet, San Francisco: Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter News – London to host gala in memory of Maya Plisetskaya: TASS, Russia Beyond the Headlines Review – Boston Ballet, Edge of Vision, Boston: Ray Wang, The Tech Review – Danspace Project, Platform 2015: Dancers, Buildings and People in the Streets, New York: Siobhan Burke, Brooklyn Rail Review – Rashaun Mitchell, Light Years, New York: Madison Mainwaring, Brooklyn Rail Reviews – Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Writing Ground, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Alexandra Villarreal, Huffington Post Q&A – Pippa Moore, Northern Ballet: Whats On Live News - Kyle Abraham, Jessica Lang and Reggie Wilson receive City Center Fellowships: Dance News Desk, Broadway World Feature – Jonathan Watkins on his new ballet for Texas Ballet Theatre: Mark Lowry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Preview – LA Music Centre dance lineup 2015-16: Craig Nakano, LA Times Feature – Julie Kent (ABT) looks effortless in ballet and beauty: Bee Shapiro, NY Times Features – Ballet BC, RITE, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight Deborah Meyers, Vancouver Sun Feature – Robert Dekkers (dancer and choreographer): Rachel Howard, SF Chronicle Review – Anjali Austen, Threads, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald Tribune Review – LACDC, mixed programme, Los Angeles: Teresa Heiland, Bachtrack Preview – Dalisa Pegram and Marrugeku, Gudirr Guddir, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Reviews - Nuevo Ballet Español, Titanium, London: Mark Monahan, Telegraph Gareth Johnson, Gay Star News Review – American Repertory Ballet, Signature Duets Showcase, Rahway NJ: Patrick Kennedy, Broadway World Review – Katie Workum, Black Lakes, New York: Tara Sheena, Brooklyn Rail Review – Reggie Gray and Peter Sellars, FLEXN, New York: Brian Schaefer, Brooklyn Rail Concert review - Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, London: Richard Fairman, FT

Feature on Robert Fairchild and Tony Yazbeck (in On the Town) in the NY Times.

What started out as a special trip to see Kenny Tindall's final performance on 2nd May turned out to be something of a Wuthering Heights marathon as I ended up seeing 5 performances, fortuitously with all 5 casts. Having reread Wuthering Heights after many years (I studied it for O level and hated every single last word!) I realised even more what a very clever adaptation of the novel this production is. The device of using Young Heathcliff and Young Cathy can be interpreted as giving a sense of the generations of the novel. In the final scene is it Young Cathy and Young Heathcliff forever reunited or is it Cathy's daughter and Hindley's son (Hareton) having a chance of peace and happiness at last? The timespan of the relationships and inter-relationships are necessarily compressed in the ballet but I believe that they beautifully represent the events in the novel. There are a couple of small sections of this ballet that thrill me every time I see them - the way Young Cathy and Heathcliff are exploring the moors and roll off to each side to be replaced by grown-up Heathcliff and Cathy - it's sheer genius! I also love the interplay of the servants the day Cathy is returning home to the Heights after her stay at the Grange because of her accident. As well as providing a light moment, it serves to illustrate the opulence of the Linton household. My absolute favourite moment happens at the back of the stage when 2 of the servants are sweeping the leaves - I am so captivated by this that I have sometimes forgotten to watch the main action! The main highlight of the ballet for me is the "red duet" when Heathcliff comes to find Cathy at the Grange; it encompasses all the complex emotions of these 2 characters - Heathcliff desperate for Cathy, Cathy desperate for Heathcliff but trying to stay loyal to her marriage. As the music soars to a crescendo the emotions roll off the stage in waves and are almost overwhelming in their intensity. The final scene for Heathcliff after Cathy's death is very moving. On Thursday afternoon I saw Dreda Blow and Isaac Lee-Baker in the leading roles for the first time since their debuts in Sheffield at the end of March. Oh boy have they got into the roles since then. They were terrific! Thursday evening saw Lucia Solari and Javier Torres leading the performance. Their Latin temperaments really suited the roles and brought out a wild edginess in their duets that was very exciting to watch. It was interesting to see their outward facing emotions compared to the more inward facing emotions of the other casts. On Friday evening Martha Leebolt and Toby Batley gave what I think was just about the best performances I have ever seen in this production. I was emotionally wrung out by the end. I felt really sorry for Hannah Bateman as Isabella having to face Heathcliff's wrath. The look Toby gave the audience as he dragged her off stage froze the blood in my veins! Saturday afternoon was another really exciting performance from Antoinette Brooks Daw and Ashley Dixon. I am really starting to run out of superlatives here but just to say that they were absolutely wonderful. I have only really mentioned Cathy and Heathcliff but some other highlights were Hiro Takahashi bringing a gentle dignity to the role of Edgar and Matthew Koon was a total delight in the same role. Not only was his acting exemplary but he looks as though he is floating rather than dancing! Hannah Bateman, Pippa Moore, Jessica Morgan and Abigail Prudames all brought something to the role of Isabella, the ditzy blonde young lady who falls for the dangerous Heathcliff and lives to regret it. I would also like to mention Dominique Larose as the nervous maid who can't stop shaking and rattles the tea-tray. Her comic timing and terrified facial expressions were absolutely perfect. She also appeared during the week as a friend at the badminton party and a wedding guest, dancing with great elegance. Northern Ballet certainly has an embarrassment of riches at the moment with some superb actor-dancers. And so to Saturday evening,,, It was always going to be an emotional night. When I saw Kenny Tindall perform the role for the first time in the 2009 revival, I was so swept away by his performance that I was sobbing hysterically by the end and was in no fit state to join in the standing ovation! He absolutely embodied Heathcliff and found something in the depths of the character that made us care about him. I shall never forget that afternoon in Hull any more than I shall never forget his monumental performance on Saturday evening. Julie Charlet came back to guest as his Cathy. The whole cast rose to new heights for the performance which was extremely intense and emotional. Rachael Gillespie and Jeremy Curnier were exquisite as Young Cathy and Heathcliff and Pippa Moore and Hiro Takahashi were sublime as Isabella and Edgar. Mlindi Kulashi managed to find pathos as well as brutality in Hindley. During the curtain calls David Nixon made a presentation to Kenny and gave a beautiful speech celebrating Kenny's career with the company. Quite a few of Kenny's fans had made the trip to see this wonderful final performance and, of course, we were all on our feet applauding him. I am sure that Kenny has a very bright future ahead of him as a choreographer. I would like to say thank you to him for all the wonderful memories he has given us as well as wishing him every success for the future. Kenny tweeted a photograph that Toby Batley took during the final seconds of the ballet. It is a wonderful photograph: https://twitter.com/Tindallkenny/status/595286926422372352

Casting is out for Leeds: http://northernballet.com/?q=mixed-programme-2015%2Fleeds-casts

Absolutely - how about an appearance in the Gypsy camp???

Sad news that Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate has passed away. Sincere condolences to his family and friends. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32613573

A view of the cinema relay from the Gloucestershire Echo.

When I saw it on the news, they said that was what was put down as their occupations. I'm not up on royal etiquette but I can't think of any royal brides or grooms apart from Diana who have been called Princess or Prince. As married couples it seems more usual for them to be offered a title such as Duke and Duchess (where the groom is the royal) or Earl and Countess ( for example Lord Snowdon and Princess Margaret). Some non-royal grooms do not have a title but I assume it is their choice.

Any good framers should be able to do box frames for pointe shoes. Not pointe shoes but I have got a pair of male dancer's shoes framed and very good they look too. I don't know where you live Amethyst but I used Rennies in Liverpool for them and was particularly pleased with the results.

Links - Wednesday, May 06 2015 Obituary – Maya Plisetskaya: Ismene Brown, Arts Desk Feature – Alessandra Ferri: Anita Singh, Telegraph Feature – Sadler’s Wells Autumn Season 2015 preview: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – Sarasota Ballet, Les Sylphides, L’Apres-midi d’un Faune, Petrushka, Sarasota: Mary Cargill, Danceview Times Review – Gandini Juggling, 4x4 Ephemeral Architectures, London: Siobhan Murphy, DanceTabs Review – Christopher Wheeldon speaks with Rita Moreno: Rose Marija, Broadway World Feature – Tutus and Tartans, preview of costumes for NYCB’s La Sylphide: Misty White Sidell, Women's Wear Daily Review – Breakin’ Convention, London: Siobhan Murphy, London Dance Review – Tasdance, Luminous Flux, Clayton: Chloe Smethurst, Sydney Morning Herald Review – Panic Lab, R.I.O.T., London: Lyndsey Winship, Standard Review – Avant-Garde-Arama: MAYDAY, New York: Martha Sherman, Danceview Times Feature – Is the iPhone the New Proscenium? Questions for 21st Century Dance Makers: Phil Chan, Huffington Post Review – Ballet Ireland, Lost, Pas de Quatre, Vivaldi Suite, Sing Sing Sing, Tallaght: Christie Seaver, Irish Times Preview – Ballet BC, RITE, Vancouver: Cheryl Ross, Vancouver Courier Q&A – Pedro Ruiz, Dancer and Choreographer: Patricia Farber, Cuban Art News Review - Carolina Ballet, Swan Lake, Durham: Dawn Reno Langley, Triangle Arts and Entertainment

I don't know if they still do but I believe the Royal Swedish Ballet have performed this production. I think a performance of theirs was televised. This production is my favourite traditional Swan Lake.

And Janet is a very happy bunny, assuming she will be able to purchase a ticket!