Jan McNulty

Alison you have articulated beautifully my feelings about when I saw Act1, but I think I was so disillusioned about that I didn't enjoy Act2 either! And I didn't like it any better on a second viewing the following evening. Just as well we are all different and I've been glad to see that a lot of people do like it.

I've just come across this via twitter: http://kglteater.dk/det-sker/nyheder/alle-nyheder/nyheder-2013-2014/audition-aug-2014 "Professional female dancers from international classical ballet companies and students from classical and professional ballet schools are welcome to send a CV, if there is an interest in attending the audition. Short and long terms contracts are available (6-12 months) Applicants must have strong classical ballet technique and be on an advanced level as a dancer Applicants must be min 18 years old and 162 – 175 cm tall The audition will include pointe work Please send your CV, e-mail address, postal address and photos no later than August 25, 2014 to: The Royal Danish Ballet P.O. Box 2185 DK-1017 Copenhagen K Denmark Tlf. +45 33 69 65 73 Att. Boriana Nielsen Or e-mail to: job.ballet@kglteater.dk"

Links – Tuesday August 12, 2014 Review - Mariinsky Ballet, Firebird, Marguerite and Armand, Concerto DSCH, London: Ismene Brown, The Arts Desk photos - Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Reviews - Mariinsky Ballet, Apollo, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, London: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Rosyln Sulcas, New York Times Judith Mackrell, The Guardian Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Zoë Anderson, The Independent Reviews - Mark Morris Dance Group, Acis and Galatea, NY: Joan Acocella, New Yorker Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal Stephen Raskauskas, Broadway World Review - Detroit Jit, Detroit: Alastair Macaulay, New York Times Review - Sylvie Guillem & Russell Maliphant, Push, London: Sara Veale, Fjord Review Review - Natalia Osipova & Ivan Vasiliev, Solo for Two, London: Gerald Dowler, Classicalsource Review - Chicago Dance Crash, Tron: End of Line, Chicago: Laura Molzahn, Chicago Tribune Preview - Drive East festival of Indian music and dance, NY: Gia Kourlas, New York Times Edinburgh Festival: Review - Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Sisters Grimm & Mark Baldwin, Inala: Mark Monahan, The Telegraph photos - Murdo MacLeod, The Guardian Reviews - Scottish Dance Theatre, Miann (Fleur Darkin): Judith Mackrell, The Guardian Kirsty Morgan, Bachtrack Review - Marc Brew Company, i(land): Andrea Mullaney, The Scotsman Reviews - Fishamble, Swing: Lyn Gardner, The Guardian Sean Bell, Fest Review - Black Grace: Donald Hutera, The List Review - Chiara Taviani & Carlo Massari, Maria Addolorata: Lucy Ribchester, The List Review - Java Dance, Back of the Bus: Lucy Ribchester, The List Review - ARCOS, The Warriors: A Love Story: Lucy Ribchester, The List Review - This is Brasil: Kelly Apter, The Scotsman/WOW Review - Te Waka Huia & Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Haka: Kelly Apter, The Scotsman/WOW Posted on behalf of John, who has done all the hard work but is having trouble accessing the Forum.

A tragedy. RIP Robin Williams

PS - to make things really simple to get to the Premier Inn on the Hagley Road, I think I would go M6,M5 and then J3 of the M5. Follow the signs for the city centre and it brings you up the Hagley Road.

Will you be driving back and forth? If so, I think I would go for the Premier Inn as I don't think you would need to go through the tunnels. If there is no free car park at the Novotel, definitely go for the Premier Inn as I have found the parking around the Novotel end of town to be hideously expensive. If you like Indian food and you are at the Premier Inn, there is a branch of Akbars on the Hagley Road. Akbars on Eastgate Street in Leeds is probably my favourite restaurant in the universe!

I've just had a look at the train line - despite the 2 towns being comparatively close, the route is via Euston!

Three Draculas rehearsing with their cloaks (l to r - Giuliano Contadini, Toby Batley, Javier Torres):

Interview with a Vampire - Premier Dancer Javier Torres talks about Northern Ballet's upcoming production of Dracula As Northern Ballet prepares for a performance with a dramatic bite that leaves you thirsty for more, Premier Dancer Javier Torres talks about playing one of literature's most sinister characters as Northern Ballet resurrects Dracula exclusively at the West Yorkshire Playhouse from 5 - 13 September 2014. Is this the first time you’ve played Dracula? This is the first time I’ve performed in Northern Ballet’s Dracula. I did Dracula when I was performing in Miami but it was a totally different version and every Company wants something different from their production. How will you prepare to play such an iconic character as Dracula? I think getting into character will be quite difficult for Dracula as it is such a different character to play and I really haven’t decided yet how I will do it. I will sit down and talk to David (Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director David Nixon) and discuss what he wants with his ballet and his character and then I’ll go away and prepare myself to do it. Will you read the Bram Stoker novel to help you prepare to play Dracula? I know it’s really bad but I don’t like to read the book or watch the film of the ballets I’m doing! I read the book and watched the film of The Great Gatsby after I’d performed it! I prefer to build my own character so I can but my own stamp on the person I’m playing; it’s like having a blank slate. For me, it doesn’t make sense to take the characterisation from someone else such as through a film. I like to start afresh and build my own version of the character in my own style. What do you think will be the main challenges of embodying Dracula? My biggest challenge will be that he’s not a normal man, he’s not human. I don’t like the idea of bats, vampires, drinking blood or the supernatural world so I will have to change my whole attitude towards this and try to embody this person who I’m not. I will have to pour myself into playing a person that is not even human. Parts of the ballet are really clever and the second pas de deux with Mina is really beautiful. I also love how wonderful the music is but Dracula is a totally different creature to me, I’m going to have to come totally out of myself to play. It will be fun but it’s really dark so it will be hard. How does the costume help with characterisation? You look disgusting with a white face, fangs and a wig! I haven’t tried it all on yet so I don’t know how I will look as Dracula yet. When I see myself in the mirror as Dracula, that’s when I will really become him although mentally I will have prepared myself which is easier the more experienced you are. How is it to dance in Dracula’s cape and fangs? I haven’t tried the fangs yet but they snap on around your teeth and fix on with a special glue. I have rehearsed in the cape already though and it’s very hot and heavy! I think it’s around 10kg or more. You have to turn, jump, partner people and lift men and women all with the cape on which is like having someone else hanging on your back so you’re having to work double. It looks amazing though. Why do you think the story of Dracula is still so popular? I’m not very sure about this because I don’t like the supernatural world and vampires so to me it seems very strange. I think people are just fascinated by weird and unusual things so Dracula definitely fits the bill. The story also has a human value though because Dracula is trying to find somebody to love as well, so in a way it is a love story and I think this is one of the things that really appeals to its fans. -ENDS- Notes to Editors 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 24 weeks of the year. The Company of 40 dancers tours a combination of new works and established repertoire to cities throughout the UK and is the only large scale ballet company to do so. Visit northernballet.com for more information on the Company and tour. Production credits Choreography & Direction David Nixon OBE Set Design Ali Allen Lighting Design Tim Mitchell Costume Design David Nixon OBE Dracula – Tour Dates 2014 Leeds, West Yorkshire Playhouse 5 – 13 Sep 2014 Box Office 0113 213 7700 wyp.org.uk On sale now Age guidance 12+ Dracula – A Step Closer Events Leeds, West Yorkshire Playhouse Post show talk - Fri 12 Sep 2014 30 minute talk on the Company and production, delivered by a member of the Artistic Team. Free to ticket holders

Links - Monday, August 11 2014 Reviews – Mariinsky Ballet, Apollo, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, London: Ismene Brown, Arts Desk Sarah Crompton, Telegraph Margaret Willis, DanceTabs Review – Mark Morris Dance Group, Acis and Galatea, New York: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal Review – Osipova/Vasiliev, Solo for Two, London: Bruce Marriott, DanceTabs Review – Daniel Jaber, Too far again, not far enough… , Agile, Adelaide: Barry Lenny, Broadway World Review – Zoonation Youth Company, Groove on down the road, London: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Review – Malini Srinivasan, Tejas Luminous, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Feature/review – Detroit Jit “Battle”, Detroit: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – St Paul Ballet, Persons Unknown, Minneapolis: Matthew A Everett, Twin Cities Daily Planet Review (opera with dance included): State Opera of South Australia, Einstein on the Beach, Satyagraha, Akhnaten, Adelaide: Graham Strahle, Australian dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, The Fairy Queen, New York: James R Oestreich, NY Times Preview - Jacob Niedzwiecki, Jacqueries, Part 1; Laurence Fornier Campeau, Écoute Pour Voir, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Edinburgh Festival 2014: Feature – Akram Khan: Chitra Ramaswamy, Scotsman/wow247

The way I read the comments about unis, I took it to mean generalist educational establishments, probably with the word University in the title rather than specialist dance educational establishments that offer degree courses.

Funny isn't it how we all see things differently. I saw the Balanchine MSND some years ago at Edinburgh (PNB?) and ABSOLUTELY LOATHED IT!!! If I had been coming to London this summer this would have been the last programme I would have chosen. Sir Frederick Ashton's Dream, for me, is utterly sublime. It's not that I have not seen other versions - I adore David Nixon's for NB and I also loved the version Robert Cohan did for Scottish Ballet but the Balanchine left me totally underwhelmed. It's just as well we are not all the same or the world would be a very boring place indeed!

Hello Louise and welcome to the Forum. I am sure some of our other members will be able to chip in with advice. Please let us know how you get on.

Links - Sunday, August 10 2014 Review – Mariinsky Ballet, Swan Lake, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Gallery – Mariinsky Ballet, Apollo, Midsummer Night’s Dream programme, London: Dave Morgan, DanceTabs Review – Osipova/Vasiliev, Solo for Two, London: Jeffrey Taylor, Sunday Express Review – Sarasota Ballet. The Secret Garden (Will Tuckett), Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald Tribune Review – Pacific Northwest Ballet, A Million Kisses to my Skin, TAKE FIVE … more or less, Before After, Rassemblement, Jacob’s Pillow: Janine Parker, Boston Globe Feature - Chengwu Guo (Australian Ballet): Catherine Lambert, Herald Sun Review – Post: Ballet, Five High programme, San Francisco: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Feature - Sonia Destri Lie (Companhia Urbana de Dança): Marina Harss, NY Times Review – Sidra Bell Dance, Unidentifiable: Bodies; Spectrum Dance Theatre, Septet, Euclidean Space, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Feature - Vannadil Pudiyaveettil Dhananjayan: Hema Vijay, Deccan Herald Edinburgh Festival 2014: Review – Black Grace, mixed programme: Kelly Apter, Scotsman/wow247 Review – Vendetta Mathea & Co, Homme/Animal: Kelly Apter, Scotsman/wow247 Review – Laura Wright & others, Out of Water: Lyn Gardner, Guardian Review - Brazouka: Kelly Apter, Scotsman/wow247

Thanks Mel, I've merged that one in too!

Hello DrewCo and welcome to the Forum. I agree with the points Ian has made (as a fellow links trawler). I think the USA, in terms of newspapers, is a very different beast to the UK in that because of the difference in size we have national newspapers which I don't think happens in the USA. Of course, while we have local papers these seem to becoming more and more bland as they are taken over by print corporations and there is less and less in depth local news coverage in them. The Arts coverage seems to becoming less all the time as the print newspapers are struggling to compete with online resources. Of course a major disadvantage of this is that coverage of regional dance events becomes ever more sparse and even coverage in London seems to cover the main events whereas (to my eyes) the NY Times covers a very diverse range of dance. I tend not to have issues about not looking at reviews before I see something because the provinces are so little represented these days! I do look at the reviews, when there are any(!) after I have seen a performance.

Welcome to the Forum, Malakhov Foundation, and thank you for issuing a list of nominations. In accordance with the Forum's Acceptable User Policy could I please ask that you add a signature block to your profile? "Members who have commercial interests must indicate that by adding a Signature line to their postings, stating the name and type of their business and giving their website and/or business email address for enquiries. (You set up a Signature via My Settings in the dropdown menu under your name.) If members wish to contact businesses, associate schemes or other commercial enterprises this should be done via the vendor’s website or email, not by starting threads on the forum." Northern Ballet issued a press release about their nominations, which I will merge with this thread, to keep all the information together. I hope you will keep us informed about the Foundation.

Sort of Bruce, Northern Ballet issued a PR about their nominations.

Thanks for spotting my slip up. I've corrected it.

Links - Saturday, August 09 2014 Reviews – Osipova and Vasiliev, Solo for Two, London: Zoe Anderson, Independent Neil Norman, Express Graham Watts, London Dance Laura Dodge, Bachtrack Reviews – Mark Morris Dance Group, Acis and Galatea, New York: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – Vale International Festival, Tiler Peck, Ballet X programme, Vale: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Preview – This Week’s Dance: Clement Crisp, FT Judith Mackrell, Guardian Feature – Tiler Peck on Little Dancer: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Review - Zoonation, Groove on down the road, London: Samantha Whittaker, London Dance Review – Heginbotham Dance, Twin, Closing Bell, The Picture Image Solos, San Francisco: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Features - Misty Copeland: Sharon Verghis, Australian Tiffany Crawford, Huffington Post Feature – Jose Manuel Carreno: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald Tribune Preview – Drive East Festival, New York: Robert Johnson, Star Ledger Review – Ragamala Dance, Song of the Jasmine, New York: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Feature – Christian Sekhanan: Jevon Phillips, LA Times Edinburgh Festival 2014: Preview - Guardian Reviews: Java Dance Company, Back on the Bus: Kelly Apter, Scotsman/wow247 Éowyn Emerald and Dancers, mixed programme: Kelly Apter, Scotsman/wow247 Thom Monckton, The Pianist: Fiona Shepherd, Scotsman/wow247 Tokyo Tapdo, Sushi Tap Show: Kelly Apter, Scotsman/wow247

The press seems to be cutting down drastically on Arts specialists so while not desirable I expect it is done out of necessity. Whether these other interactions should be declared in interviews is an interesting point.

Bruce was posting on the other thread as I was setting this theme up so his post appears above mine when I moved it. To keep the thread running here is what he wrote: Points well made, Alison. I don't blame the journalists themselves. They are simply - while they can - striving to make a living. It is the Editors who appoint them and look after (e.g., are responsible for) the potential conflicts for the paper/media that I think should bear the brunt of concern here. That makes Ms. Crompton's situation particularly challenging I fear. In her regard it would really boil down I suppose to the editorial board/owners I imagine. In certain areas (such as the one in which I dwell) her conflicts would be immediately outlawed as a simple point of practice, I fear. Certainly I wouldn't get away with it ... or not for very long - that's for sure. While realising that budgets are finite, I would imagine that the said editors could find (if they wished) informed journalists to do the interviews/features if the named staff themselves preferred to review and/or vice versa. Certainly there seem to be many talented and informed writers floating about on line.

Great idea Alison. I haven't moved the posts but I have copied the relevant bits to the critics thread: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/609-how-much-attention-do-you-pay-to-critics-reviews/page-2 Could we please post general points about the critics there?

Bruce Wall wrote this: I had one additional point of concern this morning. Am I alone in being somewhat troubled by the fact that the two most prominent and positive reviews of this programme - as featured in today's links - are written by reviewers - and in The Daily Telegraph's case the woman who is the overall Arts Editor - who have previously had dinners with and, in the Guardian's case, shared a preparatory class aside the two stars of this production? Years ago I remember chatting with Clive Barnes and his saying that he felt it was "mandatory" - in order to keep an objective critical stance on behalf of his readership - that he not do interviews, other features or in any way socialise with any of the personnel responsible for any of the productions (be they dance or theatre) he would be reviewing. "Other people can write those," he quipped. He even said that he turned down social invitations if he was aware that any such would be attending. I must confess I was myself concerned when Sarah Crompton (ref The Daily Telegraph) showed up to do the pre-class interview and commentary with the Mariinsky Acting Director on the live class feature. Other people (if I recall correctly) took those roles for the Telegraph last year when the paper featured similar video outings with the Bolshoi. (Perhaps she won't be reviewing any of the other items of the Mariinsky fare to be presented. That would, in my estimation, be prudent.) Indeed, neither of these women made ANY reference to their associations in their SOLO FOR TWO reviews - and both, I believe, have additionally written features. Perhaps this is just a sign of our times. They may well now be right (I don't know) and certainly must be (rightfully I think) fearful for their positions given the overwhelming and current industry trends. Within the next decade or so such posts may well be entirely non-vocational. The internet does offer such wonderful succour in terms of alternative resource. Just look at Bruce Marriott's gloriously rich DanceTabs!!! We are, I think, so lucky; so very blessed. on the Osipova/Vasiliev Solo for Two thread and MAB responded: You are not alone in being troubled by certain critic's alliances, I've been aware of this for some time and never cease to regret that the likes of Clive Barnes, John Percival et al, with their personal codes of conduct, are a thing of the past. Alison suggested: I think Bruce and MAB raise some good points here - perhaps we could take them over to the "Critics" thread, wherever it is? There's certainly something to be said for keeping one's distance from the subjects of one's writing, I suppose. I'm reminded that I recently saw an interview with a well-known tennis player done by a newspaper's tennis correspondent, and can understand the sense behind it, because you'd expect the tennis correspondent to know something about tennis (not necessarily a given, admittedly ...), but that I suppose is a slightly different situation because his job is only to *report*, not to critique. On the other hand, likewise if you don't get the person who's supposed to know something about their subject to do, say, a dance interview, then what happens? Do you get some piece of fluff from some staffer who doesn't really know what questions to ask, for example? Plus I believe that interviews pay better than reviews, and that's probably something to be taken into consideration, especially if a critic is effectively a freelance. I still have memories of Nicholas Dromgoole, writing for the Sunday Telegraph, managing pretty successfully to avoid reviewing Lesley Collier's performance, even when it was a performance starring her, while they were married ...

I think they have approached this from the wrong angle. On the whole I don't think it is the dancers who change the face of dance but the dance makers and directors. I would agree that Cassa Pancho should be on that list and Tamara Rojo and for the UK I may also include Christopher Moore (BTUK) and Darius James (Ballet Cymru) who are forging ahead with small very companies producing great full length ballets. Having said that, I was very gratified to see Chi Cao on the list (even if the bit of writing about him was a bit namby pamby). In a list of dancers I would also include Celine Gittens of BRB.