Blossom

Are any Friends attending the season preview on Wednesday? Keen to hear more about the new season plans…

5 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

 

I suppose you could call the music 'cinematic' in a way (for both Winter's Tale and Like Water for Chocolate), in that it supports the choreography rather than drives it along. In the same way a film score enhances the atmosphere/mood of what we are watching without writing the script, Talbot's score supports the choreography, rather that the choreography responding directly to the music, though the music does 'set the scene' as it were. So in that respect, I find it very effective, and for my money, doesn't intrude on the dancing.

 

Interestingly Talbot composed for Wonka which was much more inspiring. 

Links, Monday 6 May  2024

 

Review – Royal Ballet, The Winter’s Tale, ROH, London:

Debra Craine, Times (share token)

Maggie Foyer, Seeing Dance

Jonathan Gray, Gramilano

 

Review – Boy Blue, Cycles, Barbican, London: Nicola Clare, Seeing Dance

 

Review - New Chamber Ballet,  Secret Place, Mark Morris Dance Center, Brooklyn: Leigh Witchell, Dance Log NYC

 

Review – Gauthier Dance/Dance Theaterhaus Stuttgart, Swan Lakes/Minus 16, Toronto, Ilana Lucas, Broadway World

 

Preview – Kate Prince Company, Message in a Bottle, New York: Lara Strum, Broadway World

 

Preview –Zfin Malta/Ballet D’Jerri, Geographers of Solitude, Malta: Staff, Danza Magazine

 

Preview – West Australian Ballet, State: Contemporary Vision: Staff, Have A Go News

 

Preview – From Peasant Prince to Mao’s Last Dancer (play) – Staff, Blue Mountain Gazette

 

Feature - Fallen Angels Dance Theatre gives recovering addicts hope: Kate Houghton, Cheshire Life

 

Feature - Why choreographer Choo-San Goh is so important to the Singapore Ballet: Ethan Kan, Tatler Asia

 

And finally, who knew there was actually a  Bangor Ballet?

News – Ballet Bangor rehearses for Enchante: A Royal Garden Party: Staff, WABI 5

On 04/05/2024 at 10:18, Sim said:

As I said above, I really did enjoy last night.  It has taken me a few years to warm to Winter's frost, but I do like it.  No, it doesn't engage me emotionally. 

 

I was hoping that when I see it live (for the first time) I might feel an emotional connection. The storytelling appears to be quite sharp, the acting excellent, but have found that the dancing is just dancing, there are no swells of emotion and no real emotional pull or feelings between the characters in the choreography. So I assume that the physicality of the steps is what makes the choreography truly emotive and that perhaps this is the missing piece of the jigsaw with Wheeldon. I hope I feel differently when I see it live, or that perhaps (as with Like Water for Chocolate where I much preferred the second cast) it’s down to casting. 

 

Review - Royal Ballet, The Winter’s Tale, ROH, London:

 

D35 now taken

Pricing for Autumn also in the Friends email. Balking at the top price for Alice and Cinderella and foresee tough times sales wise. £190.

15% off for booking 3+ Orchestra Stalls performances but excludes Alice and only brings top price down to £160. Somehow I don’t think this will be so successful. 
£145 for top price for Maddaddam, a lot for McGregor.

Definitely some oddities in the lower tiers of pricing but I am not an expert in working out what refers to what…

 

 

Thank you @li tai po, a life to truly celebrate. 

I still have scs d35 for 7 May if you need.

D34 taken, D35 remains.

I'm no longer able to go to Winter's Tale on Tuesday 7 May.

I have 2 SCS (STANDING) tickets, D34 and 35, face value is £14.

 

I’d never met @capybara and wasn’t aware of her illness but have always enjoyed her posts so this has come as somewhat of a shock having had a number of days away from the forum (in fact, there was a mention in another thread which indicated what had happened before I found this one).

 

From reading the tributes, she was a lady we might all aspire to be. 

5 hours ago, San Perregrino said:

 

I suspect that ballet has been bringing in more money and/or audiences than opera in recent times and may continue to do so going forwards. Giving greater prominence to the importance of ballet in the partnership has to be a good thing.

Interestingly, based on a book I got hold of about the ROH a while ago, opera always seems to be the one which suffers during a downturn .

2 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

POB were due to dance it before strikes and/or Covid intervened, I can't remember which. Also I think that Vienna has a production?

Excellent! I would happily make a grand tour of Europe to check them all out!

Rojo’s Raymonda is enjoyable despite being a completely different storyline. The best thing about the production is that it keeps the spectacular music alive (albeit rearranged), given it is not performed widely (Denmark and Netherlands are the only full productions I have been able to find outside of Russia which is not currently an option).

26 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

All the available options on my membership are ticked; what more can I do?!

I emailed the friends team.

1 hour ago, bridiem said:

 

I made sure quite recently that I  am opted in to everything, and haven't received it...

Me too - and it seems I was not opted in.

If you don't receive the post performance surveys, this is usually a clue.

Happy birthday @Silke H, what a lovely birthday treat.

Gutted I didn't book for this - leaving for hols at the crack of dawn and I think it would have been too much to take on (and it wouldn't have gone down well with my husband while he is left to finish packing, deliver dog to sitter etc). 

 

I reached out to the Friends team having not received the survey. Note that if you haven't received it, you're probably opted out again... All survey emails were sent on Fri and Sat.

Links – Tuesday 16 April 2024

 

Review - Zoonation Youth/Company of Elders, The Exchange, Lilian Baylis Studio, London: Nicola Claire, Seeing Dance

 

Review- Acogny & Malou/ Louise Lecavalier,/Ben Duke, Elixir Festival, London: Graham Watts Gramilano

 

Review- Patrick Bone & Molly McGeachin, Giselle Remix, The Pleasance, London: Frank Milazzo, Broadway World

 

Review - Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Seasons’ Canon, Seattle: Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

 

Review - Queensland Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Brisbane: Ruth Ridgeway, Bachtrack

 

Review- Hong Kong Dance Company, The Legend of Lanling, Hong Kong: Natasha Rogail, South China Morning Post

 

Preview- Rambert/ Jill Johnson, Analogue, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

 

Preview - American Repertory Ballet to present a Midsummer Night’s Dream: Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World

 

Preview- Carlos Acosta performs in the US for two nights only: Carrie Seidman, Pointe Magazine

 

Preview - Oakland Ballet Company to Celebrate Graham Lustig With Lustig LIVE! Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World

 

Preview - Ballet & Billy: Festival Ballet Albuquerque brings the New Mexico outlaw's story to the stage: Adrian Gomez, Albuquerque Journal

 

Preview - “Despertares” Returns to Revolutionize Ballet in Mexico: Staff, Latin American Post

 

Season Preview – Chicago’s National Landmark Auditorium Theatre 24/25 Season: Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World

 

Season Preview - New York City Ballet’s 2024-25 season to include world premieres by Justin Peck, Camilo Quan and Alexei Ratmansky: Natan Zamansky, Playbill

 

Season Preview- New York City Ballet unveils 2024-25 season featuring 58 ballets: Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World

 

Feature - Yasmine Naghdi: Why is dance being cancelled in schools? Debra Craine, The Times (share token)

 

Feature- Ballet star and survivor Steven McRae says dance must change: Mohammad Ali, Urdu Point

 

Feature - Quantum Leaps: Balletina and Quantum Physicist Merritt Moore connects humans and machines: Nina Pasquini, Harvard Magazine

 

Feature - Much loved ballet Swan Lake lures back RZNB dancer: Rose Treadwell, The Post

 

News- Elmhurst Ballet Company will perform MODE in Birmingham and London: 

Stephi Wild, Broadway World

Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide

 

News- Bolshoi dancers’ Seoul show cancelled amid global cancellations of Russian arts: Yonhap, Korean Herald

 

News- How an American ballerina is helping MS research in Scotland: Staff, BBC News

 

News - Ballet Hawaii Welcomes Richard Vida as Executive Director: Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World

Links – Monday 15 April 2024

 

Review - Elixir Festival, Triple Bill, Sadlers Wells: Sarah Crompton, Observer

 

Review- Patrick Bone & Molly McGeachin, Giselle Remix, The Pleasance, London: Terry Eastman, London Theatre 1

 

Review- Anarchy Dance Theatre, Second Body, Coronet Theatre, London: Nicola Claire, Seeing Dance

 

Review- Matthew Bourne, Edward Scissorhands, Bradford: James Ballands, British Theatre Guide

 

Review- Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ottowa: Courtney Castellino, Broadway World

 

Review- Madison Ballet, Timeless, Madison, Wisconsin: Dan Van Note, Cap Times

 

Review- Benjamin Millepied & Alexander Theraud, Unstill Life, Los Angeles: Victoria Looseleaf, Fjord Review

 

Review- Toronto Dance Theatre, Spring Double Bill, Toronto: Ilana Lucas, Broadway World

 

Review- 10th Alembic Artists Residency Cohort, Performance Works North West, Oregon: Hannah Krafcik, Oregon Arts Watch

 

Review- Philadelphia Ballet, Bailando con Maria, Philadelphia: Cindy Moukaro, Etownian 

 

Review - National Taichung University of Sport, Dance Department, Graduation Performance: David Mead, Seeing Dance

 

Article- Why using dance to help with MS is an inspiration for us all: Staff, The Scotsman

 

Article- Why Misty Copeland says this dance competition helps students thrive: Alex Ross, People via Yahoo News

 

Article - Ballet star and survivor Steven McRae says dance must change: Eric Randolph, Fox 41

Not received it. I am guessing it will go out in waves as so many Friends. Or I am hoping as I do always like to have my say!

David Bintley wise I would love to see Still Life at the Penguin Cafe danced by the Royal Ballet. I fulfilled a childhood wish seeing it with my daughter in 2017/18 when she was 10 or 11. I remember first seeing it in a ballet book when I was 8 or 9 along with Elite Syncopations. I don’t think either ever made it to Manchester where I grew up. I know the digital rights situation makes it a little difficult but would love the Bintley even if it only made ROH Stream.

On the Onegin front, is this a rumour or a solid prediction? 

Links, Sunday 14 April 2024

 

Review - Aakash Odedra & Aditi Mangaldas, Mehek, Sadlers Wells, London:

Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

Bruce Marriott, Lifted Leg

 

Review - KVN Dance Company, Coppelia, Chesham: Bruce Marriott, Lifted Leg

 

Review – Dance Theatre of Harlem, Nyman String Quartet No. 2/Take Me with You/Balanchine Pas de Six/Blake Works IV: The Barre Project: Kasey Broekema, Ballet Herald

 

Review – American Ballet Theatre, Woolf Works, New York: Jillian Verzwyvelt, Ballet Herald

 

Review – Philadanco, Roots & Reflections (Director’s Choice), Philadelphia: Ellen Dunkell, Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Review – West Australian Ballet, La Bayadere, Perth: Rita Clarke, Limelight

 

Preview – Carlos Acosta, On Before, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald Tribune

 

Feature - The Youth America Grand Prix: ‘It was amazing to be on the stage’: Magee Hickey, WPIX NYC via MSN

 

News - Benesh Movement Notation to train young dancers in Frederick Ashton’s repertoire: Graham Spicer, Gramilano