Bruce

Many other companies have similar appeals, and which fans have wasted no time in drawing attention to. But I think this has just been newly press released, includes a competition for RB fans to enter (and win a modest prize) and they had the good sense to have a photocall as well - so we all get to see nice pictures too. All that being the case I thought I'd draw attention to it!

I think many of us thought she did very well. And Marston was working in the building when Monica Mason was running RB. But directors cant commission all they might warm to (or each of us individually might like) - all they can do is go with is their taste. Marston has since gone on to run a company and get some terrific choreographic commissions elsewhere too. Quality wins out.

It was called Dance Bites and it was good at commissioning new works. BUT it was very much sold as the Royal Ballet coming to town, so lots of little girls in taffeta turned up, come to see Darcy in a tutu... which was never delivered. The programmes needed to be more rounded really - or clearly marketed as non-classical. Kafka/Pitta Metamorphosis was great, but I don't believe it was a Royal Ballet commission - rather an ROH2 one (RIP), that used Edward Watson and other great dancers from elsewhere. Aside from the odd Draft Works, the only RB commission has, I believe, been Hansel and Gretel. I thought that was bold but it must have cost a lot (like a main stage production made smaller) when I think the money could have been used over perhaps a couple of bills and many more choreographers. I think there is a need, at this level, to dump costs and concentrate on choreography and clever design on a budget. Make a success of that a few times and then think about productions with a dramaturg, separate costume and set designers, lighting designer, custom sound-scape designer, video designer....

Great to see a bigger sweep from Douglas Allen - and reminding us of when more seemed to be done with less. I too am saddened that RB make little use of the Linbury and Clore and yet the company is the largest it has ever been. I think they have of the order of 10 more dancers now then in the early 90's and yet many of the big productions are the same. They put on great Swan Lakes and Romeo's back then with the numbers they had - why not again do great shows from a similar sized company? So I find myself thinking why not take 8-10 dancers out from the main company for a year and do new work in the Linbury and small theatres elsewhere in the UK - Ballet Black is the obvious quality but low cost model. RB dancers would be in the group for a year maximum and then another tranche would replace. No new dancers would be needed but there would be much more emphasis on new work and growing choreographers RB has a wonderful rep but it can't allow itself to be buried by it - some already call it Ye Olde Royal Ballet and while Kevin O'Hare has publicly committed to doing more new things, and we see some of that, there is still a feeling of it all happening on the main stage or not at all. And that is too creatively limiting.

Any stats on number of dancers in the company over that period? To be fair I guess its number of dancers full time and guests, separately accounted.

Thanks John Does anybody have similar numbers from the mid 90's? That was a time when they (and ROH) forever seemed to be financially up against it and dancers had to travel across London from Talgarth Road to perform. I think the company was well less than 90 dancers too and also didn't have the enhanced pysio support envorniment they have now.

Yes. Money best spent on new things.

New full evening Wayne McGregor.

Here you go... sadly the table formating is not maintained - for neat version see above link. MARIINSKY BALLET 28 July – 16 August 2014 CASTING Monday 28 July 7.30pm Romeo and Juliet Diana Vishneva, Vladimir Shklyarov Mercutio - Alexander Sergeyev Tuesday 29 July 7.30pm Romeo and Juliet Viktoria Tereshkina, Xander Parish Mercutio - Kimin Kim Wednesday 30 July 7.30pm Romeo and Juliet Alina Somova, Philipp Stepin Mercutio - Alexander Sergeyev Thursday 31 July 7.30pm Romeo and Juliet Olga Esina, Konstantin Zverev Mercutio - Kimin Kim Friday 1 August 7.30pm Swan Lake Oxana Skorik, Timur Askerov Saturday 2 August 2pm Swan Lake Olga Esina, Xander Parish 7.30pm Swan Lake Viktoria Tereshkina, Vladimir Shklyarov Sunday 3 August Monday 4 August 7.30pm Swan Lake Uliana Lopatkina, Daniil Korsuntsev Tuesday 5 August 7.30pm Swan Lake Yulia Stepanova, Konstantin Zverev Wednesday 6 August 7.30pm Swan Lake Ekaterina Kondaurova, Timur Askerov Thursday 7 August 7.30pm Swan Lake Alina Somova, Kimin Kim Friday 8 August 7.30pm Apollo Olga Esina, Vladimir Shklyarov A Midsummer Night’s Dream Viktoria Tereshkina, Timur Askerov Oxana Skorik, Konstantin Zverev Saturday 9 August 2pm Apollo Maria Shirinkina, Xander Parish A Midsummer Nights’ Dream Ekaterina Kondaurova, Philipp Stepin Nadezhda Batoeva, Kimin Kim Saturday 9 August 7.30pm Apollo Oxana Skorik, Alexander Sergeyev A Midsummer Night’s Dream Uliana Lopatkina, Konstantin Zverev Maria Shirinkina, Philipp Stepin Sunday 10 August Monday 11 August 7.30pm The Firebird Yulia Stepanova, Andrey Yermakov Marguerite and Armand Diana Vishneva, Vladimir Shklyarov Concerto DSCH Svetlana Ivanova, Konstantin Zverev, Nadezhda Batoeva, Philipp Stepin, Kimin Kim Tuesday 12 August 7.30pm The Firebird Anastasia Matvienko, Konstantin Zverev Marguerite and Armand Uliana Lopatkina, Timur Askerov Concerto DSCH Ekaterina Kondaurova, Andrey Yermakov, Nadezhda Batoeva, Vasily Tkachenko, Alexander Sergeyev Wednesday 13 August 7.30pm Swan Lake Viktoria Tereshkina, Vladimir Shklyarov Thursday 14 August 7.30pm Swan Lake Anastasia Matvienko, Xander Parish Friday 15 August 7.30pm Cinderella Diana Vishneva, Konstantin Zverev, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Yuri Smekalov, Zlata Yalinich Saturday 16 August 2pm Cinderella Anastasia Matvienko, Alexander Sergeyev, Anastasia Petushkova, Yuri Smekalov, Zlata Yalinich Sunday 16 August 7.30pm Cinderella Maria Shirinkina, Vladimir Shklyarov, Ekaterina Kondaurova, Yuri Smekalov Zlata Yalinich

I've just put up the full London Casting on DanceTabs: http://dancetabs.com/2014/03/mariinsky-ballet-london-season-including-casting/ Remember folks - all things can change!

Just seen this on the Scottish Ballet website: http://www.scottishballet.co.uk/what-s-on/chekov-international-theatre-festival.html Here is the current text for your delectation... Chekhov International Theatre Festival This summer, Scottish Ballet will be performing at Chekhov International Theatre Festival as part of the UK-Russia Year of Culture 2014. Silhouette/Pierrot Lunaire. One Act Ballets. Silhouette Music Poulenc (Concert Champêtre for harpsichord and orchestra) Choreography Christopher Hampson Pierrot Lunaire Music Arnold Schoenberg (Pierrot Lunaire, op.21) Choreography Glen Tetley Staging Bronwen Curry June 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Mossovet Theatre Choreographic Miniatures Still It Remains, The Room, Shift, Jealousy, Five Ruckert Songs, Oxymore, Trace, Foibles, Dark Full Ride Choreographey James Cousins, Helen Pickett, Christopher Bruce, Peter Darrell, Sophie Laplane, Kristen McNally, Martin Lawrance June 5, 6, 7 (matinees) Strastnoy Theatre Center Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling Music La Sylphide by Herman Severin Løvenskjold Director and choreographer Matthew Bourne Set and costume designer Lez Brotherston June 11, 12, 13, 14 (m, n), 15 (m, n) Mossovet Theatre For further information, visit http://wwww.chekhovfest.ru/en/rus_uk/.

Not my fav ballet by a long stretch, but great to know they are doing well, in short order.

Yes - not ballet trained but Laban trained. Agree that "contemporary dance/theatre" is more correct. Some have referred to his full evening story works as dancical's and I think there is a lot in that.

For speed this is as Tweeted... Want to know all about Anna Pavlova? No better teacher than @V_and_A's Jane Pritchard. 8 April in evening. Details: http://www.vam.ac.uk/whatson/event/3150/anna-pavlova-jane-pritchard-4554/

Interesting piece on Deborah Jones blog giving more perspective around all this and the companies original expectations: http://deborahjones.me/djs-diary-3/

There is a bigger sweep to dance then the first post might suggest. Sarah Kaufman given an overview of dance in this bigger piece about next year at the Kennedy Center: http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/kennedy-center-unveils-its-2014-15-season/2014/03/04/630d5ffa-a0b9-11e3-9ba6-800d1192d08b_story.html

Links – Tuesday 4 March, 2014 Review - Janie Taylor and Sebastien Marcovici Depart New York City Ballet, Afternoon of a Faun, La Valse, Acheron, Walpurgisnacht, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, NY Times Critics Notebook - Even Among the Stars, the Corps Stands Out - Taking Stock of NYCB's Secret Weapon. NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review - New York City Ballet, Concerto Barocco, Four Temperaments, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review - Sara Baras, La Pepa, London: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Keith Watson, Metro Review - Eifman Ballet, Rodin, St. Petersburg: Graham Watts, DanceTabs News - Ethan Stiefel is standing down as Royal New Zealand Ballet Artistic Director after just 3 years, NZ, Press release & brief comment, DanceTabs Comment from Deborah Jones, DeborahJones.me Review - Protein Dance, Border Tales, London: Josephine Leask, LondonDance Vera Liber, BTG Review - Candoco, Miniature, Two for C, Notturnino, London: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian Review - Akademi, Choreogata: FYP – Forgot Your Password, Detox, First Light, London: Lise Smith, LondonDance Review - Heather Bregman and Katie Dean, Nadia Tyskulsker/Spark(edIt) Arts Triskelion, Here I Am Again Alone Again, Sheathings from a Steep Slope, NY: Martha Sherman, DanceViewTimes Review - New York Theater Ballet, Cinderella, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Feature - Latkovski sisters's wheelchair ballet routine will make your heart soar, Daily Life

A shame - not long for either him or the company to know one another. Three years is not the normal tenure for being artistic director of a company - 5 would be normal and successful ones stay 10 years or more. It's interesting that one reason for leaving is the difficulty of exploring "other professional projects". I find that rather surprising - being a Director of any company is a huge job anyway and this was his first directorship, with much to learn. But if its not working out you have to separate and one wishes RNZB Board good luck in their search for a replacement.

Media Release – Tuesday 4 March – for immediate release RNZB Artistic Director to leave after three outstanding years After three outstanding years as Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Ethan Stiefel has decided not to extend his contract with the national ballet company. He will return to the USA at the beginning of September to pursue new opportunities in his homeland. ‘Since 2011, I have enjoyed growing alongside the RNZB, and I am fortunate to have been given the opportunity to live and work in New Zealand. Despite how rewarding the experience has been, it has proved difficult on a personal level to be so far away from family and friends. Furthermore, the distance has also made it challenging to explore other professional projects that have been presented to me, without taking too much time away from the company. For these reasons, I will be leaving the RNZB on September first. I cannot thank everyone in the organization enough for their support, and I look forward to seeing the company continue to evolve and achieve great things.’ says Ethan Stiefel. ‘Ethan has made an incredible contribution to the RNZB. It was his vision and energy that most impressed us when we interviewed him for the role in 2011 and he has delivered that in spades, and so much more,’ says Candis Craven, RNZB Chair. An international search for a new Artistic Director is underway and the RNZB Board hopes to confirm an appointment by 1 September 2014. ‘We believe that the increased international profile that Ethan Stiefel has brought to the RNZB can only be a positive thing as we look to appoint his successor,’ says Candis Craven. Under Ethan Stiefel’s artistic leadership, building on the success of previous artistic directors, the RNZB has enjoyed record-breaking seasons of short works (NYC, 2012) and full length ballets, including almost 38,000 tickets sold for The Vodafone Season of Swan Lake in 2013. His acclaimed new production of Giselle, created in collaboration with Johan Kobborg and subsequently immortalised in Toa Fraser’s feature film (2013) was a landmark in New Zealand dance, and formed the centrepiece of two hugely successful international tours, to China (2013) and the USA (2014). Behind the scenes, he has strengthened the RNZB’s credentials as a classical ballet company, particularly in full-length works and has focused on building the company to 36 full time members (up from 32 at start of his tenure), keeping on track to reach 40 dancers, in line with the RNZB’s strategic plan, by 2017. Not only have dancer numbers increased but so have standards. He has also worked to develop the RNZB’s musical resources, including the appointment in 2013 of Nigel Gaynor as Music Director. Future programming is in place through to the end of 2015, with planning already underway for 2016. 2015 promises to be a hugely exciting season, including two world premieres. Ethan Stiefel’s last season with the RNZB will be Allegro: Five Short Ballets, a programme of classic and contemporary works, including a world premiere from New Zealand choreographer Daniel Belton. Allegro opens in Auckland on 30 July and will tour to a further six centres around New Zealand. Gillian Murphy, Ethan Stiefel’s fiancée, who became the RNZB’s Principal Guest Artist in 2012, will next dance with the company in the mixed bill Allegro: Five Short Ballets, and the company hopes to continue its association with the prima ballerina in the future. ‘Gillian has given New Zealand dance lovers some unforgettable performances, and with her great breadth of experience and knowledge continues to be a wonderful role model and mentor for RNZB dancers,” says Candis Craven. Candis Craven adds: ‘Ethan Stiefel leaves the RNZB on a high note and the company is in good shape and good heart. We wish him every success in his future career. We are looking forward to building on the success of the last three years, both artistically and in the ever-growing number of New Zealanders supporting their national ballet company.’ Following their successful US tour, the RNZB is now in rehearsal for Coppélia, the much-loved story ballet which opens in Wellington on 17 April ahead of an eight centre New Zealand tour. Ends Notes to editors Key RNZB achievements of Ethan Stiefel’s tenure, building on the success of previous artistic directors: • Record-breaking seasons of short works (NYC, 2012) and full length ballets, including almost 38,000 tickets sold for The Vodafone Season of Swan Lake in mid-2013. • Commissioning of five new one-act ballets, with three by New Zealand choreographers, and his own Bier Halle, which premiered in 2013. • Successful tours to China (2013) and the USA (2014), including sold-out performances in Santa Barbara and New York. • Acclaimed new production of Giselle, immortalised in Toa Fraser’s feature film (2013). • Building of company to 36 full time members (up from 32 at start of tenure) and on track to reach 40 dancers, in line with the RNZB’s strategic plan, by 2017. • Investment in live music, including the appointment of a dedicated Music Director (Nigel Gaynor) in 2013 and partnerships with other arts organisations in 2014 and 2015 lined up to further this. 2014 programme Coppélia – touring to Wellington, Palmerston North, Invercargill, Dunedin, Napier, Rotorua, Takapuna and Auckland City, 17 April – 31 May 2014. Choreography: Martin Vedel after Marius Petipa and Arthur Saint-Léon Music: Léo Delibes Design: Kristian Fredrikson Lighting: Jason Morphett Conductor: Nigel Gaynor Allegro: Five Short Ballets – touring to Auckland City, Hamilton, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Invercargill and Dunedin, 30 July – 23 August 2014. Allegro Brillante Choreography: George Balanchine Music: Tchaikovsky Les Lutins (‘The Goblins’) Choreography: Johan Kobborg Music: Bazzini, Wieniawski-Kreisler Satellites (world premiere) Choreography: Daniel Belton Music: Jan-Bas Bollen Animation: Jac Grenfell Kinetic sculpture: Jim Murphy Costumes: Donnine Harrison Mattress Suite Choreography: Larry Keigwin Music: Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Giuseppe Verdi and Etta James Megalopolis Choreography: Larry Keigwin Music: Steve Reich and MIA Lighting design for all five ballets by Nigel Percy. The Vodafone Season of A Christmas Carol – touring to Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Napier, Auckland City and Takapuna, 30 October – 14 December 2014. Director: Christopher Gable Choreography: Massimo Moricone Production design: Lez Brotherston Music: Carl Davis Original lighting: Paul Pyant Conductor: Nigel Gaynor The Royal New Zealand Ballet The Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) was founded in 1953 by Danish dancer Poul Gnatt, as a touring professional ballet company for all New Zealanders. Now based at Wellington’s St James Theatre, the Royal New Zealand Ballet is an intrinsic part of New Zealand’s national heritage, and has the largest following of all New Zealand performing arts companies. The Royal New Zealand Ballet continues to invest in live music, performing with Orchestra Wellington, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the Southern Sinfonia for both Coppélia and The Vodafone Season of A Christmas Carol and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra for The Vodafone Season of A Christmas Carol. Live music will also feature in Allegro: Five Short Ballets, with Johan Kobborg’s Les Lutins incorporating a live pianist and violinist onstage. The RNZB enjoys a reputation for strong and unique interpretations of full-length dramatic works. To this base have been added many masterworks and major ballets of the 20th century, such as Balanchine's works and the Stravinsky ballets. The company has an enviable track record in commissioning new works from New Zealand and international choreographers. The RNZB regularly represents New Zealand on the international stage, with recent tours to the UK, Australia, China and the USA.

Links – Monday 3 March, 2014 Obituary - Tiffany Moulton, Australian Ballet, Sydney: Lucy Cormack, Canberra Times News - Cojocaru and Kobborg to guest with The Australian Ballet next month, Sydney: Valerie Lawson, DanceLines Interview - Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg, Guesting with Australian Ballet, Melbourne: Deborah Jones, Australian Longer version(?) and better link: DeborahJones.me Review - Janie Taylor and Sebastien Marcovici Depart New York City Ballet, Afternoon of a Faun, La Valse, Acheron, Walpurgisnacht, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – Mark Morris Dance Group, Italian Concerto, A Wooden Tree, Jenn and Spencer, Crosswalk, Washington: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Review - San Francisco Ballet, Tears, From Foreign Lands, Borderlands, SF: Rita Felciano, DanceViewTimes Review - National Ballet of Canada, Watch Her, A Month in the Country, Toronto: Denise Sum, DanceViewTimes Interview/Preview - Lin Hwai-min, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan performs in Seattle, Seattle: Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times Interview/Preview - Jean-Christophe Maillot, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Swan Lake, Costa Mesa: Victoria Looseleaf, LA Times Review – Scottish Dance Theatre, Yama, Kingdom, Edinburgh: Lucy Ribchester, DanceTabs Interview/Feature - Deborah Hay, Breaking the dance class mould, Melbourne: Jane Albert, Australian News - Boston Ballet announces 2014-15 season, Boston: Jeffrey Gantz, Boston Globe Review – Compagnie Kafig, Correria, Agwa, Washington: Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post Review - Black Choreographers Festival review: work by Gregory Dawson, Joanna Haigood, Kendra Kimbrough Barnes, Portsha Jefferson, SF: Mary Ellen Hunt, SF Chronicle Review - Sue Peacock, Reflect, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Review - Liz Casebolt and Joel Smith, O(h), NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times News - Scientists get in step with dancers: Australian Dance Theatre and choreographer Garry Stewart, Adelaide: Rebecca Puddy, Australian Review - Darcey’s Ballerina Heroines (on TV) only skates across the surface of a fascinating subject, London, Keith Watson, Metro News - Art will prevent Ukraine split: says actor-turned-minister, Kiev: Yaroslav Timofeev, Ismene Brown, Izvestia/Ismene Brown Blog Advertisement Feature - Q&A with Australian Ballet's David McAllister, Melbourne via London: The Australian Ballet, Guardian

On todays DanceLinks there is a link which I thought worth discussing. There is a gallery on the Telgraph site under the title: 12 of the greatest ballerinas of all time: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/10663434/12-of-the-greatest-ballerinas-of-all-time.html and the list is: Anna Pavlova Galina Ulanova Alicia Markova Margot Fonteyn Nadia Nerina Nina Ananiashvili Sylvie Guillem Darcey Bussell Ulyana Lopatkina Tamara Rojo Alina Cojocaru Natalia Osipova As I said when I tweeted the link "Quibble away folks!"

Links – Sunday 2 March, 2014 Interview - Misty Copeland overcomes adversity to star with American Ballet Theatre, Baltimore: Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun Book Excerpts - Ballerina Misty Copeland tells all in new book, NY: Misty Copeland, NY Daily News Review - National Ballet of Canada, Watch Her, A Month in the Country, Toronto: Dana Glassman, National Post Review - Ballet Black, A Dream Within a Midsummer Night’s Dream, Limbo, Two of a Kind, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Review - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Chroma, Four Corners, Revelations, Chicago: Laura Molzahn, Chicago Tribune Review - Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, Rice, London: Vera Liber, BTG Review - Sarasota Ballet, Monotones I & II, Rodeo, Before Night Falls, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Herald tribune Review - Margie Gillis, Florilège bill, Toronto: Paula Citron, Globe and Mail Review - Kimberly Bartosik/Daela, You are my heat and glare, NY: Deborah Jowitt, DanceBeat Review - Compagnie Kaefig, Correira, Agwa, Washington: George Jackson, DanceViewTimes Review - Ariel Rivka Dance, with Texture Contemporary Ballet and Trainor Dance, KaitlynCaitlin, Take...Taken...Taking, The Air turned White, The Book of Esther: The Journey of Queen Vashti and Queen Esther, NY: Mary Cargill, DanceViewTimes Gallery - 12 of the greatest ballerinas of all time, London: Telegraph Feature - Wendy Whelan’s Renovated Rental (trip around her abode), NY: Joanne Kaufman, NY Times Preview - Sadler’s Wells Flamenco Festival: Music of Silvia Perez Cruz and Raul Fernandez Refree, London: Patrick Sawer, Telegraph

Links – Saturday 1 March, 2014 Interview - Natalia Osipova: ‘I have never lost the feeling of flying’, London: Mark Monahan, Telegraph Interview/Preview - Eva Yerbabuena. A mother's cry: flamenco star Eva Yerbabuena brings two intimate creations to New York, NY: Robert Johnson, Star-Ledger Preview - Flamenco Festival Enters Its 14th Year - Change Your Style, You’ll Survive, NY: Marina Harss, Marina Harss Review - National Ballet of Canada, A Month in the Country, Watch Her, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Paula Citron, Globe and Mail Feature - A Month in the Country: Multi-Layered Musicality and Meanings, London: Stephanie Jordan, Fjord Review Book Review - "Literature, Modernism and Dance" by Susan Jones, Reviewed by Judith Flanders, Times Literary Supplement Review – San Francisco Ballet, Programme 2 – Tears, Borderlands, From Foreign Lands, SF: Ann Murphy, San Jose Mercury News Review - Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, Rice, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Mark Monahan, Telegraph Review - Ballet Black, A Dream Within a Midsummer Night’s Dream, Limbo, Two of a Kind, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Graham Watts, LondonDance Preview - Candoco: the dance company that’s challenging perceptions of disability, London: Emily Jupp, Independent Thought - Women have played a bigger part in ballet than they have in any other art form, London: Darcey Bussell, Radio Times News - Darcey Bussell: ballet is not the Queen's favourite thing, London: Anita Singh, Telegraph News - Lisa Pavane: the next director of the Australian Ballet School, Sydney: Valerie Lawson, DanceLines Review - Houston Ballet, Aladdin, Houston: Adam Castaneda, Houston Press Preview - Washington Ballet gets ready to rock with the Beatles and Rolling Stones, Washington: Celia Wren, Washington Post Review - Protein Dance, Border Tales, London: Neil Norman, The Stage Review - Mimulus Cia de Dança, Dolores, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review - Israel Galvan, La Curva, Wellington: Jennifer Shennan, NZ TheatreView Review - Ariel Middlemiss, Frame of Mind, Wellington: Raewyn Whyte, NZ TheatreView Preview - Red Leap, Sea - Future of fragile ocean explored through dance, Auckland: Dionne Christian, NZ Herald Preview - 'Heartbeat of Home' is a step beyond 'Riverdance', Chicago: Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune Review - John McColgan and Moya Doherty, Heartbeat of Home, Toronto: Dana Glassman, National Post

Glad you are going Ann - much dancin and nice visuals. Bintley did dark work in Edward II and I rather wish he had gone down that route again with Pagodas. But perhaps it would not have been comissioned by Tokyo then, or indeed sell as well as a family ballet. Anyway do say what you think after you have seen it!

Yes, yes, yes! The only way.