Sophoife

I love I Capture the Castle, and how did I forget Melling, @bridiem?!

 

@taxi4ballet Jill and her Gymkhana come under Ruby Ferguson, and my favourite of Mary O'Hara's trilogy is Green Grass of Wyoming as Ken grows up.

La B making her mark. Good replacement for former principal Mia Heathcote, now just a soloist at AusBallet (two ranks below principal).

@Lindsay when I moved out of home my mother gave all my hardback Chalets and Drinas to a second hand bookshop. Twenty years later I walked into a (different) SHBS and the proprietor said, "Oh, I've been waiting to see you. Are these yours?" and presented me with five of the Chalets, all with my name in them!! He wouldn't take anything for them, either.

 

Oh yes, Trebizon was an excellent modern boarding school series. Forgot to mention them!!

Links – Sunday 28 April, 2024

 

Reviews

 

United Kingdom:

Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty (Wright), Sadler’s Wells, London:

Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide

John O’Dwyer, Seen and Heard International

 

Pett|Clausen-Knight, IMAGO, Lanterns Studio Theatre, Canary Wharf London:

Matthew Paluch, Gramilano

Chris Omaweng, LondonTheatre1

 

Ray Young, OUT, Sadler’s Wells, London: Sara West, Everything Theatre

 

United States of America:

Carolina Ballet, The Four Temperaments / Signs / Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh NC: Megan Eesley, The Seahawk

 

 

Previews

 

United Kingdom:

National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica, Mixed Programme, Curve Theatre, Leicester: Staff: The Jamaica Gleaner

 

Northern Ballet, Romeo and Juliet (Gable/Moricone), Theatre Royal, Nottingham: Staff, LeftLion (scroll down)

 

North America:

Alberta Ballet, Der Wolf (Runacre-Temple) / The Rite of Spring (Fonte), Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary / Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, AB: Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald

 

Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Georgetown, Plaza Hoya: Noche de los Animales, Gaston Hall, Georgetown University, Washington DC: Sofia Kemeny, The Georgetown Voice

 

Valley Dance Ensemble, Forces, Ellen Eccles Theatre, Logan UT: Charlie Schill, Cache Valley Daily

 

Europe:

Irish National Youth Ballet, Coppélia, Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin Ireland: Donard McCabe, LouthLive powered by the Dundalk Democrat

 

Teatro San Carlo, Romeo and Juliet (MacMillan), Teatro San Carlo, Naples Italy: Staff, Il Mattino

 

Australia:

LA Dance Project, Romeo and Juliet Suite (Millepied), Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW: Staff, Australian Arts Review

 

 

News

 

Black Sabbath Ballet announces international dates after huge success of UK run: Stef Lach, Metal Hammer

 

Family member establishes fund at The Shelby Foundation in loving memory of her cousin, Betty Crall: Staff, Mansfield News Journal

 

Wonderbound’s indie-music collaborations are a whole new arts genre | John Moore, Gasoline Lollipops frontman partners with Garrett Ammon for a new musical ballet take on ‘Sam and Delilah’: John Moore, The Denver Gazette

 

 

Obituary

 

Nancy Sulik, dance teacher: Nadya Garcia, KIII-TV

 

 

Features

 

She broke racial barriers as a Vegas showgirl. At 97, she’s still dancing. Anna Bailey was the first Black woman to integrate an all-White chorus line on the Strip – and helped transform the city during the struggle for civil rights: Amanda Fortini, The Washington Post (provide email address and free to read)

 

‘I love feeling comfortable’: What you’ll never see this ballerina wearing, Benedicte Bemet, principal artist, The Australian Ballet: Georgie Gordon, The Sydney Morning Herald

 

Ballet with a view: New Brunswick’s summertime hot ticket is an open-air performance right by the ocean, Atlantic Ballet Atlantique Canada, Ballet by the Ocean, travel feature, Grande-Digue NB: Gabby Peyton, The Toronto Star

 

 

Photo Feature

 

An annual concert of students of the School of Russian Classical Ballet in Delhi: Press service, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

 

 

Video Feature

 

Georgian National Ballet dazzles in dance performance in Bosnia: Staff, Associated Press via YouTube

 

 

The Social Pages

 

Art of the dance: ‘Venetian Masquerade’ gala boosts local ballet company and school: Shannon Donnelly with photos by CAPEHART, Palm Beach Daily News

 

 

Paywalled, but you may have access

 

Book Review

The Swans of Harlem, Karen Valby: Danyel Smith, The New York Times

 

Oof, I’m old!

Go-go goddess Toni Basil at 80: ‘Most dancers are stoned out of their minds on serotonin’, The star choreographer on boxing with Bowie, bopping with Elvis, breaking out with Mickey – and the Manson murders: Helen Brown, The Telegraph

 

 

 

 

47 minutes ago, Fiz said:

Masha and The Youngest Lady in Waiting are two of my favourite novels of all time. I finally acquired a paperback copy of Masha last week and reread them both and cried in the same places I had as a child. I think they were the last children’s books that I read as a child. I then moved onto adult fiction and biography etc.

Poor Sophie. Poor Sophie's Papa. Masha clearly had a gift for friendship.

On 26/04/2024 at 17:41, SugarPlumpFairy said:

we have a shocking amount of children's books for a childfree couple because I hate throwing things out and often get the urge to reread things. 

 

No such thing!!

 

Childless, hate throwing things out, often get the urge to re-read, sometimes need a comfort read.

 

Antonia Forest is the author for me, then we have, in no particular order, and among others...

• Jean Estoril/Mabel Esther Allan
• Noel Streatfeild (Apple Bough is my favourite)
• Elsie J Oxenham (her ballet-themed books are risible though)
• Clare Mallory
• Nancy Breary (particularly enjoy Film Star Drusilla Cathcart and her...eccentric...schoolmates)
• Elinor M Brent-Dyer (Chalet plus non-Chalet)
• Pamela Brown
• Dorita Fairlie Bruce (Dimsie and Springdale - my darling friend Georgie calls her Dorita Fairly Boring despite owning a full set)
• Susan Coolidge (all five Katy books)
• LM Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables, Emily of New Moon, Pat of Silver Bush, and all the sequels and stand-alones)
• Joanna Cannan (mother of the Pullein-Thompson sisters)
• Gwendoline Courtney
• Lorna Hill (Wells and non-Wells)
• Ruby Ferguson
• the Pullein-Thompson sisters (Diana who wrote Janet Must Ride @Jan McNulty , Josephine and Christine)
• Jean Ure
• Elfrida Vipont (Haverards)
• Constance M White (manages to combine ponies and boarding school, also ballet and boarding school)
• Barbara Willard (Mantlemass)
• Mara Kay (Masha and The Youngest Lady-in-Waiting)
• Enid Blyton (Famous Five, Malory Towers, and St Clare's)
• Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer
• The Thirteen Days of Christmas by Jenny Overton
• A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley
• Joanna Lloyd's Bramber Manor school stories
• Jean Richardson's Moth series (The First Step, Dancer in the Wings, One Foot on the Ground)

 

Links – Saturday 27 April, 2024

 

Reviews

 

United Kingdom:

Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, Sadler’s Wells, London

Stefan Kyriazis, The Daily Express

Louise Levene, Financial Times

Bruce Marriott, LiftedLeg

 

Rambert, Death Trap (Cerberus / Goat), Theatre Royal, Newcastle: Jonathan Cash, The Reviews Hub

 

Ray Young, OUT, Sadler’s Wells, London: Monica Cox, The Reviews Hub

 

Royal Ballet, Swan Lake (Scarlett), Royal Opera House, London:

Rachel Nouchi, British Theatre Guide

Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard International

 

Europe:

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, To the Point(e): Within the Golden Hour / Autodance / Vers un pays sage, Grimaldi Forum, Salle des Princes, Monte-Carlo: Deborah Weiss, Bachtrack

 

Peeping Tom, Triptych, National Theatre, Munich Germany: Jeannette Andersen, SeeingDance

 

United States:

Ballet Hispánico, Buscando a Juan / House of Mad’moiselle / 18 + 1, New York City Center, New York NY: Baila Eve Zisman, UInterview

 

Boston Ballet, Kingdom of the Shades / Carmen (Elo), Citizens Bank Opera House, Boston MA: Jeffrey Gantz, The Boston Globe

 

Joffrey Ballet, Midsummer Night’s Dream (Ekman), Lyric Opera House, Chicago IL:

Kyle MacMillan, Chicago Sun-Times

Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune

 

Justin Peck/Sufjan Stevens, Illinoise, St James Theatre, New York NY: Charles McNulty, The Los Angeles Times

 

New York City Ballet, Errante / The Steadfast Tin Soldier / Bourrée Fantasque / Symphony in C, New York City Center, New York NY: Marina Harss, Dancing Around

 

Australia:

MADE (Mature Artists Dance Experience), To Carry/To Hold, Theatre Royal, Hobart Tasmania: Lesley Graham, ArtsHub
 

Asia:

Philippine Ballet Theatre, Music in Motion (Vinta / Tribute to Jose Mari Chan / Serye at Sayaw), touring Northern Mindanao, Philippines: Mike Baños, Rappler

 

Tussock Dance Theater, Eclipse, Shuiyuan Theater, Taipei: David Mead, SeeingDance

 

 

Previews

 

Grand Kyiv Ballet, Giselle, Seattle WA and touring: Amity Addrisi, KING 5 Seattle via YouTube

 

Little Pear Garden Dance Company, Tales of Goddess and a Painter / Chinese Opera Rainbow Pass / Nine-Tailed Fox, Betty Oliphant Theatre, Toronto ON: Anya Wassenberg, Ludwig Van Toronto

 

Peoria Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, Five Points Theatre, Washington IL: Sela Estill, 25 News Now

 

ZooNation, Message in a Bottle, New York City Center, New York NY: Staff, theatermania via YouTube

 

 

News

 

American Repertory Ballet/Princeton Ballet School Celebrate 70^th Anniversary at Platinum Jubilee Gala: EIN PressWire

 

Austin ballet company gets its groove on with beginner-friendly world dance week: Brianna Caleri, CultureMap Austin

 

Ballet Arizona names Daniela Cardim as new artistic director: Staff Reports, Arizona Digital Free Press

 

Ballet Hispánico’s Quinceañera Gala Raised More Than $1.3 Million: Lilli Stein, Patch

 

Choreography Contest dedicated to Fernando Alonso begins in Camagüey: PL, Radio Cadena Agramonte

 

IAA Premiers Kathak Ballet “Satrangi Re…Shades of Love”: Staff, Indo American News

 

Russian Institute of Theatre Arts Organizes School of Classical Dance in Senegal: Staff, MenaFN

 

Vancouver’s New Works and The Dance Centre take part in nation-wide residency exchange in integrated dance and disability arts: Gail Johnson, Stir

 

 

Features

 

How a new San Francisco Ballet director turned an opera house into a house party: Julie Zigoris, The San Francisco Standard

 

Ten years of interviewing Royal Ballet dancers, designers, choreographers, ballet masters and its director: Graham Spicer, Gramilano

 

Benjamin Millepied on Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet: Neha Kale, The Saturday Paper

 

Carshalton dad joins daughters’ ballet class for charity: Ezekiel Bertrand, Your Local Guardian

 

Meet SF Ballet’s Hernández Brothers: James Ambroff-Tahan, Nob Hill Gazette

 

 

Paywalled, but you may have access

 

Reviews

 

Ballet Hispánico, Buscando a Juan / House of Mad’moiselle / 18 + 1, New York City Center, New York NY: Gia Kourlas, The New York Times

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, Sadler’s Wells, London: Siobhan Murphy, The Stage

 

Martha Graham Dance Company, Rodeo / We the People / Cave, New York City Center, New York NY: Faye Arthurs, Fjord Review

 

New York City Ballet, Errante / The Steadfast Tin Soldier / Bourrée Fantasque / Symphony in C, New York City Center, New York NY: Gia Kourlas, The New York Times

 

Noche Flamenca, Searching for Goya, The Joyce Theatre, New York NY: Brian Seibert, The New York Times

 

 

Feature

 

Royal Danish Ballet Merges Past With Present: Lucy Van Cleef, Pointe Magazine

Is it The Attic Term when Lawrie, a droning singer, volunteers to conduct so she can "be Sir Thomas Beecham and hum"? I don't have access to mine in order to check. IIRC she then suggests André Previn as his hands go like Concorde's nose. 

 

@Lindsay @DelphiumBlue @CCL?

Links – Tuesday 23 April, 2024

 

Reviews

 

Aakash Odedra and Aditi Mangaldas, Mehek, Sadler’s Wells, London: Grace Times, City A.M.

 

Ballet West / Repertory Dance Theatre / Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Alchemy (Coppélia / Passengers / The Parable), Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City UT: Haley Freeman, Daily Utah Chronicle

 

Hung Dance, Birdy, Coronet Theatre, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times

 

Martha Graham Dance Company, American Legacies, New York City Center, New York NY:

Siobhan Burke, The New York Times (paywall has been dropped)

Ivy Lin, Bachtrack

 

Vanemuine Theatre Ballet Company, Ash White, Tartu, Estonia: Maggie Foyer, Bachtrack

 

West Australian Ballet, La Bayadère (Horsman), His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth WA: Isabelle Leclezio, Dance Australia

 

Xi’An Acrobatic Troupe, Swan Lake, Royal Opera House, Oman: Wang Xuejing, Zhang Zhuoya, CGTN

 

 

Previews

 

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mixed programme, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville TN: Melonee Hurt, Nashville Tennessean via AOL

 

Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar, Mixed programme, Midwest Trust Center, Overland Park KS: Stephi Wild, Broadway World

 

Ballet Hispánico, The Quinceañera Gala, New York City Center, New York NY: Music MCM, Martin Cid Magazine

 

International Ballet, Swan Lake, Peace Center Concert Hall, Greenville NC: Kathy Laughlin, Greenville News

 

Northern Ballet, Romeo and Juliet (Gable/Moricone), Theatre Royal, Nottingham: Fionn Burriows, Newark Advertiser

 

Tampa City Ballet, If I Cry, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa FL: Sofía Ravazzoni, Tampa Beacon

 

 

Obituary

 

Dieter Graefe: Graham Spicer, Gramilano

 

 

News

 

Youth America Grand Prix results

Chch girl, 14, wins world’s biggest ballet competition: Lisa Davies, 1News NZ

Overview: Amy Brandt, Pointe Magazine

 

Nashville Ballet 2024-25 Season Announcement:

Stephi Wild, Broadway World

EIN Presswire, Fox8 News

 

 

Features

 

Artist Profile: Dr. Merritt A. Moore ’10-’11 on Art, Science, and Saying ‘Yes’ to Both: Marin E. Gray and Hannah M. Wilkoff, The Harvard Crimson

 

Dance moves: Amy Seiwert on becoming the new artistic director of Smuin Contemporary Ballet: Philip Mayard, The Bay Area Reporter

 

Herts dance teacher’s fundraiser in memory of talented uncle: Noticeboard, In Your Area Bishop’s Stortford, Herts

 

“It is possible!” – The Royal Ballet’s Emerging Choreographer Joseph Toonga on piqués and popping: Graham Spicer, Gramilano

 

Tutu, Bloody Tutu: Another Dangerous Ballerina Hits the Screen, Abigail: Margaret Fuhrer, The New York Times

 

What Real Dancers Think of Balletcore: Gavin Larsen, Dance Magazine

3 minutes ago, Lindsay said:

@Sophoife It's a close-run thing!  And the Nicola-Tim growing apart and then 'coming back together' to arrange the carol service in the Attic Term is so subtly done.  They are such quality novels, disguised as 'standard' school stories.

 

They don't really come back together, they're just grown-up enough to be able to work together. I love the whole series, home and school.

@Lindsay ah, The Play! Yes, one of my favourites, too, but cricket, Jan Scott and Nicola growing up somewhat do it for me.

1 hour ago, CCL said:

It is absolutely wonderful, isn’t it! Nice to ‘meet’ a fellow aficionado!

 

@DelphiumBlue is in our hood.

3 hours ago, CCL said:

Here’s a coincidence- I belong to a Facebook group that discusses the books of Antonia Forest, and there was a post today about…Ballet Shoes and the 1970s BBC version!

 

I can't see 70s-era Marlows watching it! Pomona probably would, if it was transmitted during the holidays.

 

The Cricket Term is one of my favourite books. Ever.

 

 

Conductor and wearer of woolly jumpers.

 

Soprano Christine Goerke posted a lovely sequence of photos of herself and Sir Andrew battling it out with light sabres.

 

Retired violinist Tasmin Little posted a tribute. I always associate the two of them, as he was conducting the first time I heard her play. I was eventually lucky enough to hear her play Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending under his baton with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Links – Monday 22 April 2024

 

United Kingdom

Reviews – Sarah Crompton, Observer

Hofesh Schechter II, From England With Love, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

The Royal Ballet International Draft Works, Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, London

 

Review – Aakash Odedra and Aditi Mangaldas, Mehek, Sadler’s Wells, London: Stuart Sweeney, CriticalDance

 

Review – Elixir Festival – Charlotta Öfverholm / Susan Kempster, In a Cage of Light / Mother, Sadler’s Wells, London: Graham Watts, Gramilano

 

Review – Lîla Dance, Fault Lines, The Place, London: Nicola Claire, SeeingDance

 

North America

Review – Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company, Seeds of Toil: Three Asian American Stories of Resilience and Resistance, Kennedy Center, Washington DC: Emily Berger, Broadway World

 

Review – Sydney Dance Company, ab[intra], The Joyce Theater, New York NY: Jerry Hochman, CriticalDance

 

Preview – Ballet Arizona, All Balanchine (Prodigal Son / Square Dance / La Valse), Symphony Hall and The Four Seasons, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix AZ: Laura Latzko, The Entertainer! Magazine

 

Preview – Ballets Jazz Montreal, Essence: We Can’t Forget About What’s His Name / Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue / Les Chambres des Jacques, Port Theatre, Nanaimo BC: Nanaimo Staff, Nanaimo News Bulletin

 

Preview – Gauthier Dance, Swan Lakes / Minus 16, Grand Théâtre de Québec, Québec City and Théâtre Maisonneuve, Montréal, QC: Nisan 22, Actual News Magazine

 

Asia

Preview with photos – Béjart Ballet Lausanne, 7 danses grecques / Adage pour deux / The Firebird / Boléro, National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing, and Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts, Nanjing, China: Chen Nan, ChinaDaily

 

 

News

 

Megan Connelly new artistic director and head of school for the Australian Ballet School: Richard Watts, ArtsHub (scroll down)

 

Russia pushes back against cancellations of ballet shows in Seoul: Kim Joo-heon, AJU Press

 

 

Features

 

How the first black classical ballet company ‘shocked the world’, Karen Valby’s The Swans of Harlem tells the story of a trail-blazing New York ballet company, through the lives of five dancers: Marianka Swain, The Telegraph

 

‘Romeo and Juliet’ to be final production for BalletMet’s artistic director, Next weekend, BalletMet’s season-finale performances of “Romeo and Juliet” to feature one departing artistic director, one retiring ballerina and two star-crossed lovers: Peter Tonguette, The Columbus Dispatch

 

She’s taught dance for decades. Now, her beloved west-end class helps students with vision loss feel like they belong: ‘It’s been so heart-opening’, Allison Beula has learned the life-changing potential of accessible programming — and her Vibe-Balance dance class has become the event her students build their week around: Andrew Joe Potter, Toronto Star

 

‘Never too late’: Grannies of Grant Avenue Follies dance onto the airwaves, PBS highlights the Chinatown-based cabaret troupe of 11 spirited grandmothers keeping local history alive: Dorothy O’Donnell, 48hills

 

The young New Plymouth ballerina pirouetting toward a bright future: Matthew Rilkoff, Stuff NZ

 

‘I want to show more crotch!’ Sean Bankhead on his raunchy dances for Beyoncé, Cardi B, Lil Nas X and more: Lyndsey Winship, The Guardian

 

Audio Feature

You can expect more than Swan Lake from the new Australian Ballet Resident Choreographer Stephanie Lake: Kathryn Robinson, presenter/Clare O’Halloran, producer, ABC Radio News

 

Photo Feature

Edwaard Liang at BalletMet through the years: Courtney Hergesheimer, Tim Johnson and Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch

 

 

The Social Pages

Los Angeles Ballet Fundraising Gala

Blair Ingenthron with photos by Shutterstock for Los Angeles Ballet, Broadway World

Staff, Michael Fairman TV

5 minutes ago, DelphiumBlue said:

Alas no…. 

 

Such hardship. I'll have to do a re-read.

Allegedly I went from Ant and Bee to Shakespeare 🤯 one of my parents' friends has an old film, with audio, of me reading something to her eldest, from a collected works. We were four or five at the time. Such early precocity was not followed through! 

2 minutes ago, CCL said:

To be fair, it was ‘re-imagined’ the last time a version of it was made for television. ‘Garnie’ and Theo were rivals for the love of Mr Simpson, if I remember correctly? That put me right off! 

 

To be equally fair, the late great Victoria Wood was excellent as Nana, Emilia Fox was suitably droopy as Garnie, and the whole "Mr Simpson is single" idea was WRONG. I also liked the children who played Posy and Petrova, and who could possibly go wrong casting Dame Harriet Walter and Gemma Jones as the Doctors? Dame Eileen Atkins as Madame Fidolia was good, but IMHO Granada/the BBC missed a trick in not casting someone like Marcia Haydée or Lynn Seymour 🤭

 

TIL that the girl who played Petrova also appeared in The Sarah-Jane Adventures! "Posy" also has an extensive list of adult acting credits.

Links – Sunday 21 April, 2024

 

Review - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Me, Myself and You / Solo / Following the Subtle Current Upstream / Century, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago IL: Kyle MacMillan, The Chicago Sun-Times

 

Review - The Falling Company, Family Room, Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver BC: Emily Lyth, Stir

 

Review - Hofesh Schechter II, From England with Love, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London England: Siobhan Murphy, The Stage (paywalled)

 

Review - Hung Dance, Birdy, The Coronet Theatre, London England: Matthew Paluch, Gramilano

 

Review - Mark Morris Dance Group, Via Dolorosa, Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, San Francisco CA: Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle

 

Review - Sydney Dance Company, ab[intra], Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland OR: Amy Leona Havin, Oregon ArtsWatch

 

 

News - Yamada Yuna wins YAGP classical girls 9-11 category:

Staff, The Japan Times

Staff, NHK World

Staff, Nippon.com

 

News - Ukrainian protests against participation of Mariinsky Ballet dancers in YAGP gala:

Staff, The Odessa Journal

Alisa Melik-Adamian, NikVesti

 

News - Prima Ballerina raises $1.2 million for Main Intelligence Directorate Officers, Katerina Khanyukova: Staff, The Odessa Journal

 

News - High Scorers Awards Ceremony 2023, The Russian School of Ballet and Dancing of the Russian Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka: Staff, Sunday Observer

 

 

Preview - Alabama River Region Ballet, Sleeping Beauty, Davis Theater, Montgomery AL: Staff, The Montgomery Independent

 

Preview - BalletMet, Romeo and Juliet (Liang), focus on retiring dancer Caitlin Valentine, Ohio Theatre, Columbus OH: Bram Fulk, 10WBNS

 

Preview - Béjart Ballet Lausanne, 7 danses grecques / Adage pour deux / The Firebird / Boléro, National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing, and Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts, Nanjing, China:

Staff, China.org.cn

Huaxia, Xinhua News

Sumaira FH, urduPoint (no, I don't know why either)

 

Preview - Samsung Performing Arts Theater, International Dance Day Fest tribute to Jean-Georges Noverre, including folk dances, Ballet Manila and Ballet Philippines, Hong Kong Ballet, Galaw Co. Dance Theatre, etc. etc., Manila, Philippines: Staff, The Manila Times

 

 

Feature - Breaker Rachael Gunn: ‘We are essentially being used to up the Olympic ratings’, B-Girl Raygun knows breaking’s ‘rawness’ will be lost in Paris, but the Australian community is ready for the sport to be legitimised: Jack Snape, The Guardian

 

I think @trog you may have misunderstood OP, or else I did! I read it as the Wikipedia page listing a truckload of rep, but the company's professional website only listing the last 11 years.

Links – Saturday 20 April 2024

 

Reviews

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol England: Paul Wright, Bristol 24/7

 

Elixir Festival: Company of Elders & ZooNation Youth Company, The Exchange, Sadler’s Wells, London England: Monica Cox, The Reviews Hub

 

Elixir Festival: Dance On Ensemble, London Story / never ending (Story), Sadler’s Wells, London England:

Maryam Philpott, The Reviews Hub

Staff, Everything Theatre

 

Hofesh Schechter II, From England with Love, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, London England:

Tamsin Flower, British Theatre Guide

Teresa Guerreiro, CultureWhisper

Richard Maguire, The Reviews Hub

Mark Monahan, The Telegraph

Matthew Paluch, Gramilano

Lyndsey Winship, The Guardian

 

New Adventures, Edward Scissorhands, Theatre Royal, Norwich England and touring: Lu Greer, The Reviews Hub

 

Pacific Northwest Ballet, Sweet Fields / The Calling / The Seasons’ Canon, McCaw Hall, Seattle WA: Rich Smith, The Stranger

 

Paco Peña, Solera, Sadler’s Wells, London England:

Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide

Mary Pollard, Everything Theatre

 

Rambert/Théatre de la Ville, Death Trap (Cerberus / Goat), The Lowry, Salford, England:

Jo Beggs, The Reviews Hub

David Cunningham, British Theatre Guide

 

San Francisco Ballet, Mere Mortals, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco CA: Saul Sugarman, The Bold Italic

 

Scottish Ballet, Swan Lake (Dawson), HM Theatre, Aberdeen Scotland: Rebecca Buchan, The Press and Journal

 

West Australian Ballet, La Bayadère, His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth WA: Graeme Watson, Out in Perth

 

 

Previews

 

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, summer season: Staff Report, The Aspen Times

 

Astana Opera, La Bayadère, Astana Opera House Grand Hall, Astana Kazakhstan: Staff, EL.KZ

 

Atlantic Ballet of Canada, Piaf, Moncton and Fredericton, Canada: Kate Barrio, Telegraph-Journal

 

Ballet Arts, Beauty and the Beast, Carl Perkins Civic Center, Jackson TN: Staff, WBBJTV

 

Ballet Hispanico, Buscando a Juan / House of Mad’moiselle / 18+1, New York City Center, New York NY: Zita Allen, Amsterdam News

 

Ballet Idaho, Carmen / Walking Mad, The Morrison Center, Boise ID: Staff, KTVB7

 

Grand Kyiv Ballet, Swan Lake, The Newmark Theatre, Portland OR: Staff, KATU2 ABC

 

Inland Pacific Ballet, Cinderella, Lewis Family Playhouse, Rancho Cucamonga CA: A.A. Cristi with photos by E.Y. Yanagi, Broadway World

 

Joffrey Ballet, Midsummer Night’s Dream (Ekman), Lyric Opera House, Chicago IL: Neil Steinberg, Chicago Sun-Times

 

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Mixed bill, Tennessee Williams Theatre, Key West FL: Keys Weekly

 

Luxembourg Ballet, Peer Gynt, CAPE, Ettelbruck Luxembourg: Staff, Delano

 

Nashville Ballet, Romeo and Juliet, Tennessee Performing Arts Center Jackson Hall, Nashville TN: Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World

 

Ozark Ballet Theater, Cinderella, Bentonville West PAC, Centerton AR: Monica Hooper, The Free Weekly

 

Pacific Festival Ballet, Noah’s Ark, Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks CA: Staff, Simi Valley Acorn

 

Queer the Ballet, Dream of a Common Language, Baruch Performing Arts Center, New York NY: Music MCM, Martin Cid Magazine

 

Smuin Contemporary Ballet, Tupelo Tornado / Broken Open / Untwine / Starshadows, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco CA: Staff, San Francisco Bay Times

 

Texas Ballet Theater, Beauty and the Beast, Dallas and Fort Worth TX: Staff, FTWToday

 

James Wolburg/Alonso Vásquez, Swan Lake, ACT2PV, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: Victor Espindola, Out & About Puerto Vallarta

 

 

News

 

Ramona de Saá has died, legendary Cuban ballet teacher:

President of Cuba’s tribute: Staff, Prensa Latina and Cuban News Agency

Carlos Acosta and Acosta Dance tribute: Ed Newman, Radio Habana Cuba

 

Ballet Cymru programme supporting children with arthritis:

Elizabeth Birt, South Wales Argus

Chloe Seaton, ITV News

 

Surgery posed a threat to his career. Now, this Nashville Ballet dancer returns to the stage: Forrest Sanders, News Channel 5 Nashville

 

Venezuelan Ballerina, works at gas station, providing for her family: Jacquelyn Kisic, WINK News

 

National Theatre to adapt Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes, Olivier Theatre, London England:

Andrew Gans, Playbill

Matthew Hemley, The Stage (paywalled)

Stephi Wild, Broadway World

Alex Wood, WhatsOnStage

Staff Writer, Theatre Weekly

News Desk, West End Best Friend

 

World record number of dancers en pointe, Plaza Hotel, New York NY:

The Associated Press, ABC News

Staff, Hawaii News Now

James Barron, The New York Times (paywalled)

 

 

Features/Interviews

 

Lady Camden aka Rex Wheeler, drag queen ballerina: Jan Wahl, San Francisco Bay Times

 

Seth Collier, dancing from Australia to L.A.: Haley Hilton, Dance Spirit

 

This major champion used ballet to get better at golf. Here’s how dance can benefit your game, too: Keely Levins, Australian Golf Digest

 

Abigail Ending Explained: A Bloody Ballet Where Death Is A Divertissement: BJ Colangelo, Slash Film

 

Where you can take adult ballet classes with Allison DeBona and Rex Tilton (formerly of Ballet West) in Salt Lake City, Utah: Cassidy Swain, ABC4 Good Things Utah

 

 

The Social Pages

 

Fashion Favorites Came Together For YAGP’s 25^th Anniversary Gala: Freya Drohan, Vogue

 

Swiss Fashion House Turns a Stunning River Oaks Manse Into a Grand Fashion Stage to Salute a Houston Ballet Power Woman – Akris and Jul[i]e Kent Fit Together, A Party With a Purpose: Shelby Hodge with photos by Miroma Photography, Paper City

 

 

 

And because it's Saturday…

 

Bolshoi Ballet: Standing at The Beeches Stud: Leo Powell, The Irish Field

 

Or if horses under the bonnet are more your jam,

 

Citroën Nods to Annoying Construction Delays with an Epic Ice Ballet: BETC Paris, Little Black Book

 

 

Paywalled, but you may have access

 

Reviews

 

Dance Theatre of Harlem, Nyman String Quartet #2 / Pas de Dix / Blake Works IV, New York City Center, New York NY: Faye Arthurs, Fjord Review

 

Martha Graham Dance Company, American Legacies, New York City Center, New York NY: Siobhan Burke, The New York Times

 

Repertory Dance Theatre, Gamut: Hallelujah Junction / Marimba / Solfège, Jeanne Wagner Theatre at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Salt Lake City UT: Sophie Bress. Fjord Review

 

Sydney Dance Company, ab [intra], The Joyce Theater, New York, NY: Brian Seibert, The New York Times

 

 

News

 

Mariinsky Dancers Barred From Youth Ballet Gala in New York, Two dancers from the Russian company were set to perform at a benefit for a prestigious competition for young dancers, but they were sidelined after protests by pro-Ukrainian activists: Javier C. Hernández, The New York Times

 

 

Book Reviews

 

Errand into the Maze: The Life and Works of Martha Graham by Deborah Jowitt, reviewed by

Marina Harss, The New York Review (paywalled, but free to register to read)

Candice Thompson, Fjord Review

 

 

Features/Interviews

 

Loving Him Meant Facing My Greatest Fear, Living with a disability, I shielded myself from dance. Then I met him: Chloé Cooper Jones, The New York Times Magazine

 

FKA twigs Dances Martha Graham: ‘This Is Art in Its Truest Form’: Gia Kourlas: The New York Times

 

If you're talking about the national company from a certain island continent @Goeff Whitman, please don't make me cry.

 

The only Ashton we've seen in twenty years is The Dream (twice), Marguerite and Armand (teamed with the fairies last year), and the second and third parts of a triple also including the fairies in 2015, which were Symphonic Variations and Monotones II.

 

Tetley made work on the company.

 

Balanchine does appear on a semi-regular basis.

 

MacMillan does not. Manon and Concerto are the only two pieces of his I can remember in the last twenty years.

 

Robbins - nothing since 2008.

Thanks for noticing my snark @DD Driver 🤣

 

As my mother would have said (she said it about the bed scenes in The Silver Rose), "It's so unnecessary!"

Links – Friday 19 April, 2024

 

Review – Sarah Aitken, Make Your Life Count, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Perth WA: Wolfgang von Flugelhorn, ArtsHub

 

Review – The Australian Ballet, Carmen (Inger), Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW:

Chantal Nguyen, The Sydney Morning Herald (scroll down)

Michelle Potter, …on dancing

 

Review – Elixir Festival: Dance On Ensemble, London Story / never ending (Story), Sadler’s Wells, London England: Matthew Paluch, Broadway World

 

Review – KVN Dance Company, Coppélia, Towngate Theatre, Basildon England and touring: Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard International

 

Review – Paco Peña, Solera, Sadler’s Wells, London England:

Charlotte Kasner, SeeingDance

Alice Kennedy, The Reviews Hub

 

Review – Queensland Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scarlett), Playhouse Theatre QPAC, Brisbane Australia:

Michele-Rose Boylan, Australian Arts Review

Deborah Jones, FollowSpot

 

Review – Rambert, Death Trap, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Wales: Beth Steer, The Reviews Hub

 

Review – West Australian Ballet, La Bayadere (Horsman), His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth WA: “the reviewer wishes to remain anonymous due to the controversy around cultural appropriation in this production”, ArtsHub

 

Film Review – Abigail, ballet vampire horror-comedy

Tara Brady, The Irish Times

Julian Malandruccolo, Keith Loves Movies

Shelagh Rowan-Legg, Screen Anarchy

 

 

Preview – Ballet Cymru, Romeo and Juliet, Torch Theatre, Milford Haven Wales: Elizabeth Birt, Milford Mercury

 

Preview – Compagnie Maguy Marin, May B., Sadler’s Wells, London England: David Mead, SeeingDance

 

Preview – Miami City Ballet, Swan Lake (Ratmansky), touring to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, FL: Christine DiMattei, WLRN South Florida

 

Preview – Peoria Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, Five Points Washington, Washington IL: Jody Holtz, WCBU

 

Preview – Sarasota Cuban Ballet School/Carlos Acosta, On Before, Sarasota Opera House, Sarasota FL: Dylan Campbell, SRQ Magazine

 

Preview – Schuylkill Ballet Theatre, A Tale of a Frozen Heart, Zwerling Auditorium, Schuylkill Haven PA: Hyun Soo Lee, Republican Herald

 

Preview – Scottish Ballet, Swan Lake (Dawson), touring: STV News via YouTube

 

Preview – Youth America Grand Prix, Stars of Today meet Stars of Tomorrow, David H Koch Theater Lincoln Center, New York NY: Staff, City Guide NY

 

 

News – Posthumous tribute to Ramona de Sáa of Cuba’s National Ballet: Staff, Prensa Latina

 

News – English National Ballet School appoints new Artistic Director: Arts People, Arts Professional

 

News – Guinness World Record Dancers En Pointe:

Siena Linton, Classic FM

Morning Show, Fox5 Atlanta

Precious Fondren, Gothamist

Guy Lane, Guardian

 

News – Sara Mearns to guest with National Ballet of Canada in Jewels, Toronto ON: Stephi Wild, Broadway World

 

News – National Dance Awards 2023 nominations announced:

David Mead, SeeingDance

Graham Spicer, Gramilano

 

News – La Scala names its new rehearsal studio the Carla Fracci Sala: Graham Spicer, Gramilano

 

 

Interview – Eun-Me Ahn: Phoebe Roberts, The Brooklyn Rail

 

 

Profile – Eric Best, Houston Ballet soloist: Nancy Wozny for Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit

 

 

Feature – Resonant Rituals: Martha Graham’s Rite Forty Years After its Debut: Hannah Chang Foster, The Brooklyn Rail

 

 

Link of the Week – 1990 Royal Ballet School Documentary: “A Place to Dance”: Bruce Marriott, LiftedLeg

 

 

Dance Academy is set at a fictional "National Academy of Dance" in Sydney. The girl who plays Tara is a very talented dancer IRL who trained at Tanya Pearson's school, but even in the first episode was clearly "too big for ballet". The character suffers a leg injury in season 1, a back injury (inflicted by an unqualified teacher) in season 2, and a "career-ending" injury in season 3. Not a good prospect. She does eventually dance with the company on a short term corps contract but hates the restrictions and runs out on a performance because Ben is in hospital. 

 

Abigail's drive for perfection and her viewing of her body as betraying her because of puberty is a common modern story trope; the food issue comes later and is part of her attempts at control over her body and life.

 

Kat's precocious talent and almost complete lack of regard for the rules is laughable and she's accepted to dance at the Moulin Rouge at 16?

 

The second season's focus on the "Prix de Fonteyn" predated by some years the RAD's changing the Genée to Fonteyn.

 

Ben is immature (well, he's a year younger than the rest), and is unable to get in to his dream company, but by the time of the movie he's a principal in Austin, Texas. He works too hard which causes his leukaemia to recur.

 

The series was clearly made with the cooperation of AusBallet, as contracted company dancers and works created for the company appear in the show. Dancers-turned-actors Kip Gamblin and Josef Brown appear as teachers. Amusingly, the doyen of the company, Sir Jeffrey, is played by Barry Otto, whose daughter Miranda appears in the movie as the company's AD.

 

None of the characters' original dreams were realised in the end. The dreams changed to fit the available circumstances instead.

 

@Lindsay, Gloria 

was in it for the training in order to make money, as was Marcia Rutherford. Lorna Hill, a vicar's wife in the 1950s, used her own daughter's training at the Wells School as background for the books. Of course they're written from a certain POV, and a lot of the content is dated, but we're reading from now 70 years later. Caroline is my favourite character. Mariella giving up her vet course to marry Robin is STUPID.