Jan McNulty

Hi Brenda! I can't answer your queries but I just wanted to welcome you to the Forum. Your English is a lot better than my nonexistant Spanish!

I have to say that since my earliest days as a ballet watcher I have seen dancers of various ethnicities and appearances appearing together as family members and it is only when discussions such as these take place and I think about it that I realise I have seen multi-ethnic families on stage!

Chris Marney choreographing for The Chelmsford Ballet Company Spring Season 2015 Christopher Marney, a dancer and choreographer, has achieved international recognition as a long-standing member of the iconic Matthew Bourne's New Adventures dance company. Marney is now much sought after creatively, and is staging his Carnival of the Animals for The Chelmsford Ballet Company dancers. He has become somewhat of a local star; originally a dancer with The Chelmsford Ballet Company in 1996, he is now a choreographer in his own right. Local dancers - who have gone onto further vocational dance training - will be leading The Chelmsford Ballet Company’s double bill, talent paving the way for the company’s dancers. Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance graduate Stephen Quildan – from Walthamstow – and Central School of Ballet student Jasmine Wallis – from Ongar – have joined The Chelmsford Ballet Company for its upcoming production in March at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford. Quildan will be dancing the role of the hapless stage hand whilst Wallis – still a Senior Company dancer – features as the female lead, whilst currently training at the Central School of Ballet in London. As a fantastic introduction to ballet, the Company’s 2015 double bill is ideal for those new to the art form, with comical and an easy-to-understand narratives. Full of humour and family fun, audiences will experience the Company's varied work through The Carnival of the Animals and Artistic Director Annette Potter's Pineapple Poll. The programme runs from 18–21 March 2015 at the Civic Theatre in Chelmsford, Essex. Tickets are now on sale, for which contact the box office on 01245 606505 or visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres The Chelmsford Ballet Company's Pineapple Poll & Carnival of the Animals, 18-21 March 2015 Civic Theatre box office 01245 606505 www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres

As it happens they were very common in this country and many still exist for example the Empire in Sunderland, the Grand in Leeds, Liverpool Playhouse and a double whammy rake at the Opera House in Buxton to name some that I know of! The stages are also raked in Russia and I assume the rest of the Eastern Block. On holiday in Russia in 1986 we were told that all the rakes are the same (unlike this country) and the studios are raked at the same angle too. I remember seeing a BRB Coppelia rehearsal in Sunderland where the doll's chair in act 2 kept rolling towards the front of the stage. Fortunately the company had somehow managed to resolve the issue by the time of the performance. Dancers in professional touring companies in the UK have to get used to dancing on a variety of stage types including rakes at different angles! I believe dancers who dance mostly on raked stages have as much difficulty adapting to flat stages as dancers used to flat stages have in adapting to rakes.

Their wings are very noisy in flight. Chunkydog and I had the fright of our lives a couple of weeks ago when a pair flew past us within touching distance about 4 feet from the ground as they were coming in to land on the lake. It was a very close call indeed!

Ergo it doesn't matter whether you see the legs or not - the fantasy is in the designer's eyes. I myself have wondered why, since being a frequent visitor to Martin Mere and having seen Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, women are ever cast as swans as they are such powerful masculine looking birds!

The swans in David Nixon's Swan Lake (for Northern Ballet) do not wear tutus. There is a photograph on this page. Although you can't see the back of the costume the "petals" of the skirt fold over each other a bit at the bottom reminiscent of the way swans wings lie when they are sitting on the water. I liked these costumes very much but I would guess they are quite hard to dance in.

I'm going to the first night in both Edinburgh and Leeds! The excitement is rising...

A nice feature about the Academy: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/features/search-is-on-for-ballet-stars-of-the-future-1-7093814

Edinburgh to host the UK Première of Romeo and Juliet Get swept up in the passion and heartbreak with Europe’s Best Ballet Company as Northern Ballet brings the UK Première of Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Les Ballets de Monte Carlo’s production of Romeo and Juliet to Edinburgh Festival Theatrefrom 26 – 28 February 2015 followed by Leeds Grand Theatre from 4 – 12 March 2015. A treasured classic reimagined, this is a timeless ballet for a modern audience. Set to Prokofiev’s unforgettable score, played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia, Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Romeo and Julietis a modern interpretation of a classical ballet, capturing the raw sensuality and the very essence of the story as Romeo and Juliet embark on their impulsive love affair. As the lovers are caught in the throes of ecstatic joy and crushing heartbreak, this production will see Northern Ballet’s dancers at their dramatic best bringing the intensity and extreme emotions to the stage. Romeo and Juliet will be Northern Ballet’s first collaboration with acclaimed choreographer Maillot, who recently created a new version of The Taming of the Shrew for the Bolshoi Ballet. This is the first time that this production of Romeo and Juliethas been performed in the UK and by a British company. The UK Première will take place in Edinburgh followed by performances at Leeds Grand Theatre in March and a national tour in 2016. Jean-Christophe Maillot said: ‘In this adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, my primary objective is to sincerely portray the powerful emotions to the audience so that they share in the passionate love of the young couple and take a journey with them. Interpreting the narrative is a specialism of Northern Ballet and for this reason I am curious and excited to see how the dancers will respond to the choreography and I am honoured that they will be the first British company to perform one of my ballets.’ Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Nixon OBE, said: ‘Jean-Christophe Maillot's adaptation of Romeo and Juliet is an inspired contemporary response to the classic play and our talented dancers are ideally suited to interpret his wonderful language. This is a new production for our audiences to experience and reflect upon and I am delighted that we will be the first British company to present Jean-Christophe Maillot's work.’ Share in the passion and stolen moments of young love with Romeo and Juliet at Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 26 – 28 February 2015 or Leeds Grand Theatre from 4 – 12 March 2015. Tickets for Edinburgh can be booked at edtheatres.com or by calling the box office on 0131 529 6000. Tickets for Leeds can be booked at leedsgrandtheatre.com or by calling the box office on 0844 848 2700. -ENDS- Notes to Editors For more details of Northern Ballet's tour, on sale dates and booking information, please visit northernballet.com/whatson. Voted Best Company at the 2014 Taglioni European Ballet Awards, Northern Ballet is one of the UK’s five large ballet companies. Based in Leeds it performs throughout the UK as well as overseas. Northern Ballet’s productions mix classical dance and theatre, embracing popular culture and taking inspiration from literature, opera, or giving a unique interpretation of popular classical ballets. Northern Ballet is the busiest touring ballet company in the UK and is typically on the road for around 32 weeks of the year. The Company of 46 dancers tours a combination of full-length new work and established repertoire to cities throughout the UK and is the only large scale ballet company to do so. Northern Ballet will introduce a new strand of touring from 2015, widening the Company’s already extensive reach. The new mid-scale tour will see the Company perform in nine additional venues. Northern Ballet tours widely with its ballets for children, the first two of which were adapted for TV by CBeebies, and also performs a mixed programme showcasing the versatility of its dancers. Visit northernballet.com for more information on the Company and tour. Production images and information are available via the online media centre. Romeo and Juliet – Tour Dates Edinburgh Festival Theatre 26 – 28 February 2015 Box Office 0131 529 6000 edtheatres.com On sale now Leeds Grand Theatre 4 – 12 March 2015 Box Office 0844 848 2700 leedsgrandtheatre.com On sale now Touring nationally in 2016. Details to be announced. See northernballet.com for updates.

I love the Bournonville style too Harwel.

Thanks for keeping us up to date Artem. This certainly looks an intriguing piece. I do hope the Company has a very successful season in Paris.

Alison, that's how I've always taken it too. I've seldom seen the RB production but have seen Onegin performed by a number of companies over the years and that is how it has always come across to me.

Well I have been a ballet-watcher for just over 30 years now and I can notice stylistic differences between companies let alone training styles! I think the Vaganova style is "big" and very outward facing. A number of dancers I have seen over the years from Eastern European training and companies do not seem to me to act in the way that I am used to seeing British trained dancers act - they are bigger and more cariacatured. I find the British style of acting more subtle. The Danish style with its emphasis on glorious deft footwork and beautiful (to my eyes) upper body placement is not so outward facing. I would say the same about British training too. Of course, with the more international membership of companies these days, dancers can subsume themselves into the company style. One of my friends has commented on Mathias Dingman of BRB (who was trained in Vaganova style in Washington) that he now looks more British than the British!!! And I know exactly what he means!!! Hope the ramble from the point of view of a ballet watcher with no practical experience makes sense.

I don't think that is the case at all Aileen, certainly not with BRB or NB. Yes there are partnerships we come to recognise such as Nao and Chi (BRB) or Martha and Toby (NB) but all 4 of those dancers also dance with a range of other people. For example I always loved Nao dancing with Robert Parker and Chi with Ambra. Martha has also danced regularly with Kenny and Javier at NB as well as Chris H-L in the past.

I've just come across this interview with Alexander Bird of BRB. He joined the company at the start of the Autumn season and I thought this may be a useful read for DPs and DCs. http://www.redbrick.me/culture/interview-culture/culture-meets-alexander-bird-of-the-birmingham-royal-ballet/

Links - Saturday, February, 07 2015 Review – New York City Ballet, Pictures at an Exhibition, Rōdē, ō: Four Dance Episodes, Mercurial Manoeuvres, New York: Michael Popkin, Danceview Times Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Coppelia, Edinburgh: Lucy Ribchester, The List Preview – This week’s new dance: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Preview – Houston Ballet, 2015-16 season, Houston: Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle Preview – Wendy Whelan, Restless Creature, Long Beach: Christina Campodonico, Neon Tommy Review – West Australian Ballet, Hold the Fourth, Steptext, Zip Zap Zoom, Perth: Kirsty Symonds, Perth Now Review – American Realness, selected roundup, New York: Jaime Shearn Coan, Brooklyn Rail Review – Susan Beahrs, Rise, New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – Alexandra Bachzetsis, From A to B via C, New York: Leslie Allison, Brooklyn Rail Review – Ben Munisteri, Axis Obliquity, Smash through to sunlight, Petrichor, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Mollie Lieber and Eleanor Smith, Rude World, New York: Cassie Peterson, Brooklyn Rail Review – Cid Pearlman, Economies of Effort, San Francisco: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Review – Zoe Scofield and Juniper Shuey, BeginAgain, New York: Madison Mainwaring, Brooklyn Rail Film Trailer – Ballet 422: Stage Tube, Broadway World

Valerie Lawson has published a link to a promotional film on her blog, Dancelines

Sorry Nina I don't (it is a Murdoch paper after all). It popped up on a google search.

Well tonight's performance led by Elisha Willis, Joe Caley and Michael O'Hare absolutely sparkled from start to finish! All 3 leads gave beautifully judged performances that made their characters utterly believable. Arancha Baselga and Jonny Caguoia were a delight in the betrothal duet. Celine Gittens could only be described as sensational as Dawn! What an enormous talent this young lady has! Delia Matthews was a beautiful and assured Prayer. Mathias Dingman absolutely dazzled as the lead in Call to Arms (he looked like he was drilling down to Australia with his spins!) and all the young gentlemen were splendidly in sync. This was a performance guaranteed to lift your spirits! Roll on tomorrow...

Links - Friday, February, 06 2015 Review – New York City Ballet, Rōdē,ō, New York: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Apollinaire Scherr, FT Review – Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Swan Lake Act 2, Le Corsaire pdd, Esmerelda pds, Paquita, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald Tribune Review – Nederlands Dans Theater 2, I New Then, Shutters Shut, Sara, Subject to Change, New York: Lauren Gallagher, DanceTabs Review – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Uprising, Grace, Revelations, New York: Shanti Crawford, DanceTabs Preview/Feature – Carmen de Lavallade, New York: Charmaine Patricia Warren, NY Amsterdam News Interview – Ben Mitchell, Phoenix Dance Theatre: Yvette Huddleston, Yorkshire Evening Post Interview – Michele Wiles and Jay Don, Ballet Next: Gia Kourlas, Timeout New York Preview – Matthew Bourne | New Adventures, Edward Scissorhands, Birmingham: Kyle Pedley, Stourbridge News Film Review – Ballet 422: A O Scott, NY Times Book excerpt – Leonid Yakobson, Like a Bomb Going Off: Janice Ross, Daily Beast courtesy of Yale Press News – Wayne Sleep becomes patron of Fertile Ground Dance Group: David Whetstone, The Journal Preview – Ballet San Antonio, Romeo and Juliet, San Antonio: Jasmina Wellinghoff, San Antonio Express News Preview – Maxine Heppner, Old Stories, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star And finally… Video feature – Mikhail Baryshnikov and Lil Buck in video campaign for Rag & Bone: Stage Tube, Broadway World

Thanks Linda, I had a look at Youtube and Chi's interview is there! It starts at around 44 minutes and 30 seconds for anyone who wants to catch up on it!

As I absolutely loathed Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream when I saw it in Edinburgh some years ago, I would go for your option 1! Also as your option 1 seems to be all mixed programmes I would think there is more of general interest (but that is just me).

Northern Ballet are holding 2 Easter courses in 2015 for 7-11 year olds. Here is the link to the page on the website: http://northernballet.com/?q=join-in/get-dancing/courses/easter

I got my Friends' newsletter (Entrechat) from BRB this morning and see that Chi Cao is on the judging panel.