Bruce

It's a hard site to use but I'm not sure if all winners have been decalred yet. The above page seems to be a listing for a "Charity Gala of Nominees..." The nominees seem to be: http://benois.theatre.ru/english/history/2014/ Not sure how the Benois works either - do companies have to be 'part of it' (whatever that means) in some way in order to get nominated? You see recent nominations for ENB but I can't find anything for RB, say. Dutch National feature and I think ENB started featureing when Wayne Eagling left DNB and took over? Alina Cojocaru was nominated in recent years - but nominated for work done at Hamburg Ballet. It's good for people to win awards, but not clear in what pool Benois are fishing.

Interesting night in the Linbury and still collecting all my thoughts, but was anybody else struck by how DGV like the last piece was?

Yes - there seems to be good milage in this 'Giselle plus one' discussion.

This tour comes to the Swan at High Wycombe on the 20 and 21 June - and London based readers should be able to get there readily. The train station is about 5 minutes away from the theatre. Tickets cost between £16 and £25.50 Good pieces of Ashton and MacMillan but the new Alex Whitley piece, Kin., is gorgeously modern. If you saw the Whitley night at the ROH Linbury and liked what he did with RB dancers then I think you will like his piece for BRB. I saw it up in Birmingham, with Jenna Roberts in the lead, and thought it the best new thing that BRB have done in years. Bill Details: http://www.brb.org.uk/masque/index.htm?act=WhatsOn&urn=30940&tsk=show Swan Page: https://wycombeswan.co.uk/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=EAA39C23-8DB2-423D-8B87-611D36475A96 Sadly I can't find any casting for the Swan shows, yet.

I was the other way and preferred last year - there was more freedom shown and that yielded greater highs and lows than this year. Ultimately company choreographic evenings are about giving dancers a chance to have a go at creating work and most will do it once or twice and not take it further. If you show great promise then a custom score makes sense at some point (but look at Wheeldon and Scarlett and you won't find many custom scores) but I'm not so sure it makes sense when you are starting out - its another thing to go wrong and relationship to manage. In addition, this year the singing didn't add any value for me, bar holding things up. But all the choreographers got a grasp of the brief and produced something watchable I thought. The best for me was Stina Quagebeur followed by Makoto Nakamura. Last year Quagebeur was saddled with some particularly grim and screechy music at huge odds with her movement. I don't know if that is the reason she went with existing music this year, but the Ivor Gurney really worked well and harmoniously with the choreography - as well as being great music in itself. It was a good call by her and probably not an easy one to make given the way things were set up. I also regret that something happened to stop a fifth ENB piece being presented. Thank you! The link to an exceprt of Longing, which opened Quagebeur's work: http://tinyurl.com/qgjxkt4 and the music is held on this site: http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Somm/SOMM038 The Sea, another piece she used, can be found on the above page too. I liked the Gurney so much I ordered the CD. I think next year working with a composer should not be mandated, but each of the choreographers should be given a wodge of money to spend how they want - design, costumes, score or whatever. I think we will see much more variety emerge and its variety of choreographic vision I think we should prize above all.

Agree - for me it will be a dull place if we each start a thread talking about ourselves rather than dance.

I'm 'Bruce' already! For those wondering and who were not there - Meunier/Bruce Wall, was listed as the Music Collaboration Mentor and his role noted/decribed in the Introduction to the evening on both the cast list and programme.

Certainly want to push Ballet Black performances, and much admire their fresh approach and commitment to new work, and have done so since I saw their very first performance at Battersea in 2002: http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_02/dec02/bm_rev_ballet_black_1202.htm Balletco also shone a light on the embryonic company when Cassa Pancho did a diary/weblog on getting it all going. She is a terrific writer, despite all the ups and downs: http://www.ballet.co.uk/contexts/pancho.htm Re this years rep, Arthur Pita's 'Dream' is magnificent and I think their most ambitious piece to date. I echo all "Go see folks" posts.

Dave normally does these posts, but it will have to me today... Foteini Christofilopoulou was at the photocall of Hetain Patel's American Boy, which premiered last night at Sadler's Wells. A couple of shots for you delectation... Hetain Patel in American Boy © Foteini Christofilopoulou. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Hetain Patel in American Boy © Foteini Christofilopoulou. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Foteini Christofilopoulou: Hetain Patel in 'American Boy' Gallery Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

I decided not to confuse the list by including people known to be born elsewhere, even if they have been here a long time and may, or may not, have British Citizenship. If you go there then besides David Nixon, you'd have Shobana Jeyasingh, Russell Maliphant and Darshan Singh Bhuller to name three. Certainly any complete list would include Kenneth Tindall along with dozens of others who have done a few pieces, successful or otherwise.

YES - That's the problem with hasty lists! Also Peter Wright and Derek Deane.

Agree that everybody should see Ballet Black when they are near. And wonderful they do so much new work, though inevitably some pieces are much stronger than others. My goodness you choose from a long list of v v v accomplished choreographers. Some living British choreographers - not exhaustive or in any particular order - that quickly come to mind... Christopher Bruce, Richard Alston, Matthew Bourne, Sue Davies, Akram Khan, Wayne McGregor, Henri Oguike, Christopher Wheeldon, Christopher Hampson, Rosie Kay, David Dawson, Liam Scarlett, David Bintley... Down a level and still developing... James Cousins, Morgann Runacre-Temple, Alexander Whitley, and many more

Sadly we were only able to see Serenade last night and then had to go (don't ask). But I thought it was well danced by all concerned and particularly Matthew Golding and Ryoichi Hirano. Of all the pieces in RB's rep I think Golding is most suited to Balanchine and neoclassical works where the sculptural and technical aspects come to the fore. He really was fine and I had no other quibbles in fact, from where I was sitting anyway. But Hirano increasingly catches my eye - he has such natural authority and is tall so he can partner nearly anybody. Of course come the end the wonderful Pat Neary out-dazzled 'em all!

No wonder it rings a bell Jane - you reviewed it! And good reading it is too... http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_09/jun09/js_rev_northern_ballet_thatre_0509.htm

Oh a shame, but wish her all good wishes. Just as well there will be another ENB Emerging Dancer appointed next Monday!

I didn't read it as purely 'facial expression' observation. It mention's, in part I know, the 'teeth thing' and I think for me its seeing utra, ultra, white teeth which draw attention to the mouth and distract. I just point this out as a difference in how we read an apparently simple sentance. Anyway those words are OK with mods and that's good for people to know.

Very difficult. Always has been and always will. What are the bounds on talking about a dancer being too fat, too top-heavy, too short, too tall, having a teeth job. How does this relate to saying somebody can't' act, is always unmusical and off the beat, has poor technique etc? All of this impacts how you perceive a piece of dancing and feeds into liking a performance or not. Some of this is covered in a recent thread in the About Balletco Forum area: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/6828-what-is-acceptable/ The thread is not in a mainstream section and may be missed by some. The essential AUP words that cover this seems to be: "Contributors must be respectful to others." Given the mods haven't removed anything and three mods have posted in this thread (one in support of the words) it would seem acceptable to say things like this: "Was really distracted by Golding's weird grin/ pout/ teeth thing as well."

A general point rather than specific to Scarlett - I think choreographers can be very cussed and arty at times! Some really do feel that the movement and interactions say it all and that its for those in the audience to construct their own narrative or whatever. I've never ever believed it's that simple and choreographers ought to do decent programme notes. Also not ones that talk in riddles. Clarity in the programme if not clarity on stage.

I've just been putting up a review of Boston Ballet by Alan Helms and there is a powerful little truism of a phrase he uses about one of the works: "When so much is offered, one rarely gets much of anything." I think this in part applies to the Kenneth Tindall piece. That said it's the third work of Tindall's I've seen and the best to date - so he's heading in the right direction. But that Alan Helms phrase is a beaut and applies much more widely.

It was in the Sunday Express which is usually Jeffery Taylor. Neil Norman is normally Daily Express and sometimes The Stage I think. And Ta for the link!

One review that is unlikely to make the links page is Jeffery Taylor's in the Sunday Express - it's very hit and miss reading Jeffery on the net. However there was a tweet that included a picture of part of his latest review. Those who really liked Kenneth Tindall’s work will be particularly pleased... http://twitter.com/jsp_119/status/465478808125337600

I released a review on DanceTabs at 8AM this morning and I think on Saturday British Theatre Guide released a review. I think I spotted several nationals at Friday's show - Times, Guardian, Indie, Observer and there might well be others. Weekend is a difficult time to release reviews and the bill is not immediately being shown anywhere else either. Also worth adding that those following Twitter have seen some flatering remarks from critics and of course fans.

Charlie Chaplin's Great Dictator speech... and in words at: http://www.charliechaplin.com/en/synopsis/articles/29-The-Great-Dictator-s-Speech

I meant to put this up earlier... Northern doing a piece of Hans van Manen was a huge deal and something very different for those dancers who were involved. Last year we ran a short interview with Hannah Bateman about what it was like to lean Concertante and be coached by the great man: http://dancetabs.com/2013/06/hannah-bateman-northern-ballet-leading-soloist/

Update: Don't know why but heard that Carmen is not being danced in London. Something extra will be in but not known yet.