Bruce

Saw him at the ROH tonight and wondered why he was in London. Now I know!

I don't think I suggested that at all - specifically that Sadler's Wells are concentrating on national companies (ballet or otherwise). Their aspiration is to be a *world leader* in putting on dance and to be a major mover and shaker in propelling the wider art forward - all those associates they have. They regularly bring over companies they consider interesting and will work in the spaces they have available - just look at their main stage programme for goodness sake. The new 500 seat theatre is about allowing more non-UK companies to tour here - Spalding was clear that many European companies were hard for them to put on because the main house was too big for the scale of company and audience. Sadler's were part of a "Spring Dance at the Coliseum" consortium (with Gubbay and Askonas Holt) that looked to put larger companies on at the Coliseum each year. My recollection was that it didn't last so many years because it didn't always sell well and people complained of the seat prices. It's a great shame it did not work out.

I don't think Sadler's Wells are interested in ballet as such but DANCE, in the round and in all its rich diversity, and particularly newer dance and pushing the art forward. The 500 seat theatre is targeted at medium scale contemporary companies for which 200 seats is way to small and 1500-1700 way too large. Its a done deal. It may take some pressure off of the main Sadler's Wells stage but I don't see them bringing over the Danes to do an all Bournonville programme somehow. Probably the best you would expect would be a Danish visit that showcased new and old works. Worth remembering that the last time Paris Opera Ballet performed in London it was at Sadler's Wells. And what choice morsel from their huge cannon did they put on - Le Parc. I'm not saying it was bad, but many hoped for soemthing more representative of a great company. But Sadler's get behind the new far easier than behind the old. Great link with ENB - and it's going to deliver a new Akram Khan Giselle...

What a delightful night - just celebrating Bournonville and dancing in his style as only they can. We all get so used to set ways of seeing bodies move and suddenly they blow all your usual expectations out of the water re how a dancer might get from A to B. Ballet is all about defying gravity and I can't think of a style that is more airborn and lighter than Bournonville's. I'd encourage people to go and see something very different while you can. Performances this afternoon and tonight and then they are in NY next week.

But it takes all types and sizes and not everybody will love all they see. Many seem to hold to the mantra "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all..." but all that does is give a very skewed and overly happy view of dance life. Its not reality.

Why?

Very nice gallery with 4 images of Alina Cojocaru - which I'm sure will have each been blessed as well. ASH do a lot of work for ENB I think and do a good job.

That sounds a nightmare. There must be limits - so in a picture of 24 swans, if one swan objects then the picture can't be used? There is a long tradition in London of calls being given one day and images in newspapers the next. Really hard to achieve if one dancer has to bless an image but if it's 2 or more I cant see it working at all. Everybody is more image conscious these days and it will be interesting to see how it changes over the next decade. It might be that we look back over the last 10-15 years as a great period when dance was recorded in reasonable detail, soloists got featured etc as opposed to getting a few set-piece images of absolute perfection. Perhaps the distinction is... are images in galleries rather like News, in recording whats there and what happened, or like advertising, a few stunning images if not telling the wider position? While I'm here - Alina Cojocaru has blessed a couple of Foteini's images and they have now been added to the gallery. Here is one... Alina Cojocaru in Swan Lake © Foteini Christofilopoulou. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Foteini Christofilopoulou: ENB in 'Swan Lake' Gallery Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

There are no shots of Cojocaru at the moment because none can be released until she has said yes. The only other ballerina who famously went this way was Guillem. All very grand! Anyway check the gallery later and hopefully some might be up - or not! It's not clear how images are being cleared by Cojocaru and ENB because while we wait, the Guardian has a gallery which includes pictures of the very great lady: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2015/jan/08/english-national-ballet-swan-lake-alina-cojocaru-in-pictures

He made all his characters real and vivid. For me his best role was Monsieur GM in Manon (which he created) and it was very, very, sad when he had to give up dancing it. Although I rather took it for granted at the time, the 90's was mightily blessed with Principal Character dancers who started in the 1950's and 60's and who played a large part in defining RB dramatic style. Even now I still miss Rencher as GM, Gerd Larsen as Giselle's mother and Leslie Edwards Prince of Verona. In Garry Avis and Genesia Rosato we have a 'new' generation - and talk to them and they all acknowledge what they learned from the likes of David Drew, Gerd Larsen, Leslie Edwards, Derek Rencher and others.

Look forward to hearing what you think of it Sheila. The only odd thing about is the transformation scene - it doesn't have one!

A bit of the Nureyev version on POB - with Myriam Ould-Braham (Clara) and Jérémie Bélingard... Ballet as high-art - I admire the precision and how deliberate every move is, but it feels stifling and not so spontaneous or musical. On the other hand I look at London sometimes and think a good dose of Paris rigour would be welcome! No one company has it all. Lovely to delve into the YouTube comments - everything from "magnifique" to "Nureyev’s choreography for this pas de deux has got to be the most awkward, convoluted and unmusical versions around."

Duh, hopeless - I meant psychological not physiological. So it should have read "...it's a version that concentrates on Clara and the children and has no odd psychological detailing or, to my mind, strange story twists."

Had hoped that somebody would post up on this 'cos its a terrific show.... I went up for the premiere a couple of weekends ago and had a great time - it's a version that concentrates on Clara and the children and has no odd physiological detailing or, to my mind, strange story twists. Just great dancing in fluid choreography (by founding artistic director Peter Darrell) and glorious costumes by Lez Brotherston whose brief was to re-imagine the originals by Philip Prowse. It's proved a good move and the ending is the best of any Nutcracker I've seen - but won't spoil for you. The TodaysLinks team have been collecting a bunch of reviews - here are the links to get a feel for the new production... Scottish Ballet, The Nutcracker, Edinburgh: Kelly Apter, Scotsman: http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/theatre-comedy-dance/ballet-review-the-nutcracker-edinburgh-festival-theatre-1-3634272 Justine Blundell, Edinburgh Guide: http://www.edinburghguide.com/reviews/edinburghswinterfestivals/thenutcrackerfestivaltheatreedinburghreview-15304 Alice Bain, Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/dec/15/nutcracker-scottish-ballet-edinburgh-review Mark Brown, Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/11294287/The-Nutcracker-Festival-Theatre-Edinburgh-review-near-flawless.html John McLellan, Edinburgh Evening News: http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/what-s-on/theatre/review-the-nutcracker-1-3638045 DanceTabs: http://dancetabs.com/2014/12/scottish-ballet-the-nutcracker-edinburgh/ Tour details for completeness: http://www.scottishballet.co.uk/the-nutcracker/peter-darrells-the-nutcracker-2014.html If you have seen the show, or catch it on tour - it comes down to Newcastle note, do add some thoughts.

Just seen Francesca Hayward's Alice. Jolly good job and she never really puts a foot wrong, Muntagirov offered strong support and gorgeous jumps in his solos. They both have much precision. Claire Calvert is a little young for Queen of Hearts I thought - a fair stab that took off at times. But its a senior ballerina-bitch role and a big ask really. This was my first Alice of the season and while I'm pleased its sold out it still rather feels like a piece of entertainment that is not fully firing on all cylinders. Lots of invention from the creative team, but for many highs there are dreary or slow interludes just around the corner. So not going to happen, but it still feels like a big edit would be beneficial.

I'd be more than happy to make those type of statements in abundance if I had his money!

It's all very muddy and obtuse - nobody comes out of it well I think. But its happening and we've probably thrashed it to bits. I just hope that if this comes up again there will be pause for thought about the UK audience.

Well if anybody knows about tall women it's Bernie From... "Q. When is Bernie Ecclestone taller than his wife? A. When he stands on his wallet" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-1362658/When-Bernie-Ecclestone-taller-wife-When-stands-wallet.html

"And finally, in extremis, principals can dance two nights running." I think we will have to agree to differ. There are many physically and mentally exhausting roles in the rep and dancers never cease to amaze me with their toughness, resourcefulness, ability to do extra, dance through with desperately painful injury and goodness knows what else. None of this is ideal at all - but then the chosen solution isn't ideal either - other than for Neumeier. And if she was free at the weekend to do the role that would be terrific. But she wasn't. There are times when we all agree to something and then later find that an even better opportunity comes up. Damn! we say and carry on as originally agreed - the world generally works best with people sticking to their commitments and not letting others down.

This is disingenuous and seems to accept that a couple of tweets made by a fan adequately explains the position and the need for Cojocaru. The tweets, by @leenahassan, were: @DanceTabs Obraztsova & Zakharova are the only other Bolshoi ballerinas who dance the role. the former is performing the night before- @DanceTabs & Zakharova is also performing on 15th so they cannot dance additional performances. I assume Neumeier specifically asked for AC. My response: .@leenahassan If Alina was ill the Bolshoi/Neumeier would sort another way. The audience in Milton Keynes don't deserve this shabby treatment @bangorballetboy also responded: .@leenahassan @DanceTabs no cover? Very unprofessional of Bolshoi/Neumeier. Neumeier created Camellias in the late 70's and it has regularly been danced by his company in Hamburg. There are senior ballerinas there who know the role well. It's also been in the rep of American Ballet Theatre, where I believe Cojocaru was one of a number of ballerinas who danced in it. Cojocaru might have been the preferable solution for Neumeier but if it was a no he would have done something else - using somebody else on his contact list or possably an understudy. And finally, in extremis, principals can dance two nights running.

We all have different ways of making a point. It would be nice to see ENB tell its fans the reason for the change - rather than fans getting the information every other which way. What's happened here is highly unusual and the fuss made in this forum and elsewhere I think is justified.

Didn't ask about Golding because I don't think he has huge following and it was one part of a 4bill. I would have however if he was found to have given up a scheduled performance to guest elsewhere. That's the crux of what this is all about and why most people are pissed off. Separate issue - there are rumours as to why Golding was not dancing but I'll leave it for the mods to decide what might be said. Oh the joy of being out of it!

A commitment to an audience is a commitment to an audience - not something to be dumped when a better offer comes along. No matter who asks.

If you visit newspaper pages via a Google search they will often be shown to you straight away. Bring up Google search and then click on the News option. In the search box type : Royal Ballet FT The first result will likely be the one you are after and clicking on it should bring up the page. Enjoy!

He could have... A) made a different piece to different music! if cussedly determined than hire a good dramaturg to help shape it all. And pray it works out. Sorry.