Bruce Wall

The NYT obituary is here. (Mr. d’Amboise, Clive Barnes wrote in The New York Times in 1976, “is not just a dancer, he is an institution.” .... In a 2018 interview, the City Ballet dancer Adrian Danchig-Waring described the qualities that Mr. d’Amboise had embodied as a dancer: “There’s this machismo that is sometimes required onstage — that bravura, that swagger, that confidence, and we all have to learn to cultivate that, and yet it’s such a huge canon of work. Within that, there are poets and dreamers and animals. Jacques is a reminder that all of that can be contained in one body.”)

Simply one of the all time greats; ... someone who deserves the title 'legendary' .... not only as a dancer but as a man of dance. He changed our world forever. We were VERY lucky to live in his time. May he rest in the glorious peace he oh, so well deserves.

This is so very sad. I, too, had the good fortune of meeting and corresponding with Katherine. She will I know be much missed by all who knew her and profited from the generosity of her wisdom. She always did Canada proud. RIP.

What a fine season. I think that Comedy of Errors will make a brilliant ballet in Bintley's hands. It is such a joyous undertaking. I always remember that fantastic Hollywood production in the RSC's glory days with Judi Dench and Michael Williams .... It fairly pranced along it did.

Enjoyed much of the Stattsballet piece ... originally done for ABT - although I did not see it then .... It was wonderful to see how many of the dancers participating have moved on from their time when at ENB. Think No Man's Land for ENB will be one of the standout Scarlett pieces for me. It really was so meaningfully haunting.

Shocking news in the truest sense. I cannot I'm sure adequately imagine how his family and friends must be feeling at this point. My heart pours out to them.

A great artist has been robbed from our time. We were so lucky to be able to share in her artistry. She made the theatrical air she graced crackle with excitement and anticipation. RIP.

One word: Luscious. Can't wait.

I was wondering how to creatively prepare a video today for the prisoners - I use them to demonstrate various verse forms over Zoom - and I struck upon the idea of Olivia de Havilland as the exemplar for Lord Byron's 'She walks in beauty' .... Largely because she did - 'walk in beauty' that is - and - in a way - still very much does in my own mind's eye. I had the great good fortune to play (if that's the word) Ms. de Havilland's grandson in one of those ghastly TV movies they used to make. There were two good things about it (apart from the fact that it WAS a job) and those were (i) that it was shot in Gramercy Park which was only a few blocks from my own apartment and - much more importantly - (ii) it allowed me to have the inestimable joy - and it WAS - of spending hours in Ms. de Havilland's trailer. She was a true glory of a woman. Happily we really got on. She was so wonderfully down to earth. She had at that point largely given up acting ... but did do 'quick bits' (her expression) for money - which this very much was. It certainly wasn't art. She was writing books as her main endeavour. She would write in long hand, in French. In fact whenever anyone else would come a-knocking she'd shoot me a signal we'd established to 'switch to French' just so she needn't be disturbed unless they REALLY needed her (Very often it was passers by who had seen her name on the trailer door) ... What I remember - and cherish - most vividly was her laugh. It was a kind of extended giggle - and was certainly replicated in those oh, so telling eyes, rife with their almost child-like rapture. I was delighted to find an example of such to put in this little film. I hope this makes you smile ... as I'm certain that is what she would have wanted. Indeed, I know it would have been.

Forgive me if this has been mentioned elsewhere hereabouts (have been really busy so may have missed it) but Pennsylvania (PA) Ballet has announced their Spring '21 Digital Season: https://paballet.org/spring-2021/

I woke this morning needing a little Spring. Thanks be to William Wordsworth ..

TOTALLY agree with Ivy Lyn. Enjoyed also Cool from West Side Story as danced on current NYC streets .... with the original Robbins choreography. See that there is at least one NYCB dancer in that mix too ... and that Robbie LaFosse was a creative consultant.

My heart broke when I saw this. He was such a magnificent dancer; such a lovely man. It was a different world. R.I.P.

I've had a couple of much appreciated notes from BcoF members with kind words about the work, i.e., the few segments of which I've shared here. Thank you. To let you know how it actually comes about - and has now for some 23 years - I'd like to share an infomercial (there are several now actually - but this was the first) made to engage the prisoners on their closed circuit television service in reference to remote programmes run during the Covid interval. You can find that here - should you be remotely interested. You will need a password. It is 'LSWCR' - ALL CAPS. (Very imaginative I know ... NOT! ) .... Enjoy.

And now for something COMPLETELY different .... well, not about dance ... (or maybe it is) .... It is a fantasy sonnet on Birds. Might be good for a giggle .... and, for surety, it is only one minute 41 seconds in flight .... https://youtu.be/LHYH2z9Ay0g

The Les Etes de la Danse programme - originally planned for 2020 - and re-organised for 2021 - has now been cancelled due to the uncertain times as wrought by the global pandemic. Chères amies, Chers amis, Après ces longs mois compliqués et laborieux pour tous, les temps à venir sont malheureusement encore bien incertains et troubles pour le spectacle vivant. Dans le contexte que nous connaissons actuellement, les compagnies programmées en 2020 et reportées en 2021 ne sont pas en mesure de nous garantir leurs présences pour les représentations prévues en juillet et septembre prochains. Aussi, c’est avec grande tristesse que nous vous informons que la saison 2021 des Étés de la Danse est annulée. Nous souhaitons vous remercier de la confiance et de la fidélité dont vous avez fait preuve au fil des années et également – surtout – ces derniers mois. Si vous avez acheté des places pour une représentation de Cendrillon par le Dutch National Ballet ou de Giselle par le English National Ballet, le Théâtre du Châtelet ou la Fnac vous contacteront dans les meilleurs délais pour vous informer de la procédure de remboursement mise en place. Nous remercions tout particulièrement le Théâtre du Châtelet, sa direction et ses équipes, pour leur écoute, leur disponibilité et leur soutien indéfectible. Nous restons bien sûr à votre entière disposition pour toute information complémentaire. Prenez soin de vous et à très bientôt. Pia de Brantes Présidente des Étés de la Danse

Looking good to me

Again not ballet - but certainly theatrical .... and it does reference 'little girls in ballet dresses'. I was asked to record this as part of a series that will soon be released. It's Noel Coward's 'The Boy Actor'. Very much a character study .... and - at least for me - an act of coordination trying to hold the phone still. Thought you might enjoy it .... and some of the young students auditioning might well be able to identify/laugh along with certain segments. (Well, it's a hope anyway.)

2021 DIGITAL SEASON Just announced today, New York City Ballet is creating several new works and special programs for digital release this winter and spring. Following is an overview of this exciting programming with more on our winter activities below. All performance streams and Inside NYCB presentations will be available free of charge. Visit our website for complete details and The New York Times for additional coverage. FEB 23 - MAR 18 Three Sides of Balanchine We’re kicking off an array of programming with a three-week series exploring the narrative, classical, and neoclassical aspects of George Balanchine’s choreography as represented by Prodigal Son, Theme and Variations, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto, a group of works spanning more than 40 years of creation. Scroll down for the schedule of events, including virtual workshops and onstage presentations. MAR 9 A Parting Pas de Trois This year’s virtual version of the Company’s Annual Luncheon fundraising event will honor three NYCB principal dancers who will retire during the 21-22 performance season. During the program, Maria Kowroski, Ask la Cour, and Gonzalo Garcia will each perform an excerpt from a work closely associated with their NYCB careers and participate in a conversation with NYCB Board Member Donya Archer Bommer, which will also feature performance clips from the dancers’ repertory. Event tickets starting at $350 are available online; for more information, please contact NYCB Special Events at specialevents@nycballet.com. APR 8-22 Kyle Abraham World Premiere Choreographer Kyle Abraham returns to premiere his third creation for NYCB, beginning with a three-week COVID-compliant residency bubble at the Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, NY. Subsequently, his new work will be filmed onstage at the David H. Koch Theater and digitally released in early spring. MAY 6-20 Spring Gala featuring Justin Peck World Premiere NYCB's first-ever virtual gala will take place May 5, highlighted by a world premiere from NYCB Resident Choreographer Justin Peck, who is creating a solo for Principal Dancer Anthony Huxley to a string quartet arrangement of Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, along with excerpts of ballets by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins newly filmed for the occasion. The gala program will be digitally released on May 6 and available to view free of charge for two weeks. Gala tickets, including an opportunity to mingle with Company artists online, start at $2,500; for more information, please contact NYCB Special Events at specialevents@nycballet.com. INSIDE NYCB: TUESDAYS AT 8 PM Inside NYCB presentations corresponding with each week's featured ballet will release on three consecutive Tuesdays, starting with Prodigal Son on February 23. Principal Dancer Russell Janzen hosts these onstage rehearsal sessions and conversations with NYCB artists and repertory directors, offering unique access and insights into each work. These events will be available to stream for nine days after airing. PERFORMANCE STREAMS: THURSDAYS AT 8 PM Performance streams of complete ballets begin February 25 with Prodigal Son, a narrative work from 1929. The following two weeks will feature the virtuosic 1947 showpiece Theme and Variations on March 4 and Balanchine’s 1972 neoclassical masterpiece Stravinsky Violin Concerto on March 11. These streams will be available for one week after they air. Access both the Inside NYCB presentations and performance streams on YouTube and our website as of their respective 8 PM airings. New episodes arrive beginning Monday, February 22, exploring Prodigal Son, Theme and Variations, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto as part of the Three Sides of Balanchine series. But you don't have to wait – binge a variety of chats before the next episodes are released. For the practical minded .... There might be some interest in the activities below ... WINTER VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS Warm up with movement workshops for participants of all ages and ability levels. Dancers from across the Company's roster lead these lively classes, which are livestreamed via Zoom. Tickets are available now. FEB 22 – MAR 8 Ballet Essentials Online for Teens and Adults of All Levels These hour-long, open-level workshops every Monday at 6:30 PM EST include a ballet warm-up, choreography inspired by Company repertory, and an interactive Q&A with the hosting dancer. Tickets: $0, $10, and $15 FEB 24 – MAR 10 Signature Steps for Experienced Teens and Adults For intermediate- to advanced-level teen and adult dancers, these one-hour sessions every Wednesday at 6:30 PM EST feature a barre and abridged center work exploring George Balanchine's signature aesthetic. Tickets: $30 FEB 25 – MAR 11 Access Workshops for Teens and Adults with Disabilities Movers of all ability levels are invited to join a different Company dancer each week at these hour-long workshops every Thursday at 6 PM EST. Attendees will be led in a warm-up and choreography inspired by NYCB's repertory, with modifications and movement options offered for all. Tickets: $0 and $15 FEB 27 – MAR 13 Ballet Breaks for Children (Ages 3-8) Get your tiny dancer moving with these 30-minute sessions each Saturday at 11 AM EST. Our young fans will explore basic ballet concepts and learn a new dance together each week. Tickets: $0, $8, $12 FEB 27 – MAR 13 Access Workshops for Children with Disabilities Lively movement workshops designed especially for children with disabilities, these 45-minute sessions every Saturday at 12 PM EST include modifications and movement options to accommodate all little movers. Tickets: $0 and $10 Ticket sales for a series of spring virtual workshops, running May 3-22, will open at a later time.

Such wonderful news. Munich here I come (yet again) ..... when safe!!!!

The Club we both belong to has a very detailed one for members. Well worth the resourcing. Have found a lot of riches there.

FAO: jmhopton - Hi Joan, If you ever want to get rid of formatting here .... copy the text you are struggling with over in Word - select it all - and then hit Control + Space Bar. That will take out the troublesome formatting. Then all you need do is copy it over into the BcoF box and it will look perfect. It will also keep any links you may have in-bedded in the original text. Hope that helps.

A feast of finesse as bright and buoyant in its relief as that Amanda Gorman gifted the world with yesterday:

I know a lot of people here (including myself) enjoy Cranko's Oneign ... so you might be interested in the segment from the NBoC (National Ballet of Canada's) digital season just released. You can see Lunkina/McKie in that a piece from that work.

Think DonQFan's list is excellent. Would just like to add for the Royal Ballet FILLE ... because I have a feeling we all need its sun just now ... If there ever was a ballet to evoke smiles that is it in my book.