Ian Macmillan

Links – Saturday, 16 January, 2016 Features – Mats Ek, Legacies, and the desire for control: Laura Cappelle, Financial Times David Jays, Arts Journal/Performance Monkey Reviews – English National Ballet, Le Corsaire, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Graham Watts, Londondance Review – Akram Khan Company, Until the Lions, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Preview – National Ballet of Canada, A Winter’s Tale, DC: Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post Review – Company Wayne McGregor, Atomos, SF: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle News – Northern Ballet at Harrogate Art Gallery: Graham Chalmers, Yorkshire Post Feature – Best Dance in Scotland, 2016: Kelly Apter, The List Previews – Next week: - in Edinburgh & London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian - in London: Mark Monahan, Telegraph Review – Dance Factory Johannesburg, Swan Lake (Masilo), Montreal: Robert Everett-Green, Globe and Mail Review – Q Dance, dead reckoning, Toronto: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail Review – Sydney Festival, Cut the Sky, Sydney: Brigid Delaney, Guardian Resolution 2016, The Place, London: Reviews: Donald Hutera & Anna Cabre-Nerdiell, The Place - Yann Allsopp, The End of Dance - Heather Walrond Company, The Rising - Amma Dance Theatre, I Think Therefore …. I Ham? Reviews: Lyndsey Winship & Anna Cabre-Verdiell, The Place - Aislinn Mulligan & Antonio Harris, Sonntag - Deptford Collective, Break In News - Edifice Dance, Blood Wedding Book Feature – Like a bomb going off: Leonid Yakobson and ballet as Resistance in Soviet Russia, Janice Ross: Hedy Weiss,Chicago Sun-Times

The matter of choreographers' 'Legacy' has come up in a number of threads from time to time, perhaps nowhere more so than on this one from the mid-past. Laura Cappelle has been talking to Mats Ek about his decision to let his performance licences given to companies to expire, and looks at the issue more widely here: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/27898f0c-b46d-11e5-b147-e5e5bba42e51.html Hans Van Manen was clearly taken aback at this news and posed the question "Imagine if Mozart had done that?" To which we might add "Or Michaelangelo? Or Shakespeare? Or any of hundreds of others whose work has enriched lives in the years since their deaths?" What does it say about an artist who feels a need to control his or her work to the extent that, if he/she is not there, it cannot be used or performed? Are there substantive differences in this regard between performance and the plastic arts? Is it OK to say with Ek that it's "part of the game in dance that you write on water, and things vanish"? Discuss ..........

And if you open this link, there's Sophie Martin down on the farm with shiny new, blue wellies and the calf, Odette: http://twitter.com/GrahamsDairy/status/687229897031446528 Now, as anyone who has watched the weather forecasts over the last two weeks might agree, Scotland has not recently been a place for going outside in a leotard and practice tutu, and the Scots-born cynic in me is wondering if that shot was perhaps taken in a barn at the farm and photoshopped onto an exterior background. And the reflections on Sophie's neck certainly suggest that there was a light source placed down to her right. All of that said, Bravo to Graham's Family Dairy for linking up with Scottish Ballet!

Links – Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 Review – Royal Ballet, Elizabeth, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times News – Mats Ek’s Goodbye isn’t a Farewell: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times News - Mark Morris plans a new full-length work: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – Akram Khan Company, Until the Lions, London: Neil Norman, The Stage - Gallery - Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Review – Daniil Simkin & Others, Intensio, NY: Robert Gottlieb, NY Observer Reviews - Resolution 2016, The Place, London: 8 January: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian News – ABT names Kara Medoff Barnett as Executive Director: Jennifer Smith, WSJ Review – Big Dance Theater, Big Dance: Short Form, NY: Robert Greskovic, WSJ Review – American Realness Festival, Work by Jillian Pena, Keith Hennessy & Jassem Hindi, Yvonne Meier, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Exploited, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune News – Australian Ballet, Joiners & Leavers: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines News – Pamela Tatge, new Director for Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival: Wendy Perron, Dance Magazine Feature – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Shakespeare Season, 2016: Staff, BWW

During this week's Links trawls, I have been made aware that former English National Ballet Principal, Elena Glurjidze, will be giving classes at a Club in Chiswick. The links are more appropriate here: http://www.thehogarth.co.uk/pages/la-barre http://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=leisure&page=adhogarthhealthclub001.htm

Links – Tuesday, 12 January, 2016 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Elizabeth, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Graham Watts, Londondance Neil Norman, The Stage Philippa Newis, Bachtrack Zoë Anderson, Independent Review – Heather Kravas, Dead, disappears; Panopticon, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Feature – Dance Theatre of Harlem, Open Evening: Caryn Cooper, BWW Reviews - Resolution 2016, The Place, London: 8 January – Graham Watts, Londondance 9 January – Zoë Anderson, Independent Preview – Company Wayne McGregor, Atomos, SF: Mary Ellen Hunt, SF Chronicle Interview – Vidya Patel, BBC Young Dancer Finalist: David Jays, Guardian Feature – Bridget Foster, wig maker for the Royal Ballet: Jessica Brown, Time Out London Galleries: - Dancers in the New York Subway: Aaron Pegg, Dance Spirit - Ockham’s Razor, Tipping Point, London: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs - Akram Khan, Mahabharata, London: Tristram Kenton, Guardian

Trog: I don't think there was a M25 Force Field in action and the Q&A session had no breaks in Cambridge.

Links – Monday, 11 January, 2016 Interview – Tamara Rojo on performing Juliet: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Review – Royal Ballet, Elizabeth, London: Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Review – Donna Uchizono, Sticky Majesty, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Reviews - Sydney Dance Festival: Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker, Fase: Deborah Jones, Blog Martin Portus, Daily Review Review – Daniil Simkin & Others, Intensio, NY: Mary Cargill, Danceviewtimes Review – Big Dance Theater, Big Dance: Short Form, NY: Lauren Gallagher, DanceTabs Resolution 2016, The Place, London: Reviews – Amelia Forsbrook, Donald Hutera, The Place - Leila Bakhtali & Keren Smail, When Wishes Shift - Simone Damberg Wurtz, bravery - #PPL Dance, Al-Col-Hol Gallery – Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Review – Thodos Dance Chicago, Sono’s Journey, Chicago: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Review – niv Acosta, Discotropic, NY: Nicole Serratore, Exeunt Magazine 1988 Archive – Dancewear leaps out of the studio: Sara Mitchell, Guardian

For what it's worth, I thought it worth seeing this afternoon, if only to hear much of what we already knew more directly from a number of those involved. And the Q&A was also fairly useful.

Melody: Re costume changes - see Jann Parry's review for DanceTabs in this morning's Links.

Links – Sunday, 10 January, 2016 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Elizabeth, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Mark Monahan, Telegraph Review – Daniil Simkin & Others, Intensio, NY: Lauren Gallagher, DanceTabs Documentary – Bolshoi Babylon: Mark Kermode, Observer Interview – Sir Matthew Bourne: Sarah Freeman, Yorkshire Post Review & Gallery – Miami City Ballet, La Source, Barber Violin Concerto, In The Upper Room, Miami: Jordan Levin, Miami Herald Sydney Festival 2016: Review – Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker, Fase, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Resolution 2016, The Place,London: Reviews: William Bridgland, Alice Westoby, Donald Hutera, The Place - Crystal Zillwood, Evolutio - Traceworks, Jazz Scene - Sarah Louise Kristiansen, An Apple A Day Review – punkkiCo, Salve Regina, SF: Mary Ellen Hunt, SF Chronicle Review – Donna Uchizono, Sticky Majesty, NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Review – niv Acosta, Discotropic, NY: Martha Sherman, Danceviewtimes

No need to wait, Janet - an overnight review from Mark Ronan just posted in Links. Dave: Done it again - those eyes, that face - she's magnificent!

Links – Saturday, 9 January, 2016 Review – Royal Ballet, Elizabeth, London: Mark Ronan, Blog - Gallery: Dave Morgan, DanceTabs Review – SemperOper Ballett, Dresden, Mats Ek - From Back to Blue, Paris: Jade Larine, Bachtrack Interview – Akram Khan: Sarah Crompton, Guardian Review – Daniil Simkin & Others, Intensio, NY: Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Bachtrack Interview – Yannick Lebrun, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre: Anne McCarthy, France Today Retro Review – World Ballet Stars Gala, Cojocaru, Kobborg et al, December, NY: Leigh Witchel, Danceviewtimes Retro Review – New York City Ballet, New Works Program, October, NY: Madison Mainwaring, Fjord Review News – Full Programme for Mr Wonderful, Jonathan Ollivier Tribute: Staff, London Theatre Review – Guandong Song & Dance Ensemble, Dragon Boat Racing, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – American Realness Festival, Opening Night, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times News – It’s Resolution 2016 at The Place: Staff, Londondance Next week – In London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Interview – Jonathan Burrows on 52 Portraits: Carmel Smith, Londondance Feature – Mary Allison/Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Exploited: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Preview – punkkiCO, Salve Regina, SF: Mary Ellen Hunt, SF Chronicle Book Review – A Simple Story: Dancing for His Life, Leila Guerriero, trans Thomas Bunstead: Sarah Crompton, Spectator News – Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui to receive Honorary Doctorate: Bartosz Brzezinski, Flanders Today

Further to an earlier post, the Picturehouse chain will be showing the documentary on Sunday afternoon, 3pm, at 17 of its locations around the UK. Details in the dropdown box here: https://www.picturehouses.com/film/bolshoi-babylon?button=1&_m_utk=7a12ef839608eec81ae57629ef92c932 I don't believe this has been mentioned before but a promotional email this morning also reveals that Deborah Bull will be joining the Q&A afterwards. No sign, however, of Ismene Brown, who has made the goings-on at the Bolshoi something of a specialty over the past two years or so.

The death of Pierre Boulez, one of the 20th Century's most significant composer/conductors, occurred yesterday in Germany. News links are already appearing, including this in the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/06/pierre-boulez-classical-musics-maverick-dies-aged-90?CMP=share_btn_tw Edit: I should, of course, have mentioned that the Paris Opera Ballet's pre-Christmas programme (McGregor, Wheeldon, Bausch) was mounted as a tribute to Boulez. Jann Parry's review for DanceTabs is here, others may be found looking back in Links: http://dancetabs.com/2016/01/paris-opera-ballet-polyphonia-alea-sands-le-sacre-du-printemps-paris/

Don't remember too much about Noddy - it's been some time, after all - so I thought I'd better do some revision. It all seems much deeper than I recall, a framework for large-scale information, indeed. He even harnesses signed epistelomologies and manages heterogenous information: http://www.ida.liu.se/~andla63/TDDD24.2009/articles/article-36.pdf As Jacqueline has said, he's clearly a complex character .... and is probably at the bank with his seeming apologist, having a good laugh.

As something of a postscript to this show and his Carmen for the RB, have I missed any reference on the Forum to Carlos Acosta being involved as choreographer for the Guys and Dolls musical now running at the Savoy Theatre in London? He's not alone as he shares main billing with Andrew Wright, whilst two other Assistants are also listed, and four choreographers strikes me as a lot for a show using just 11 main dancers. I couldn't tell with certainty where Carlos did his stuff, but I'd guess at his being brought in to add a bit of local colour to the number in the Havana bar to which Sky Masterson has taken Sister Sarah on that always improbable evening trip to Cuba.

Links – Tuesday, 29 December, 2015 Feature – New York City Ballet’s Nutcracker Debuts: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Feature – What to look for in 2016: Clement Crisp & Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times (keep scrolling down) 2015 Review – Across Australia: Deborah Jones, Blog

Links – Monday, 28 December, 2015 Interview – Karen Kain, AD National Ballet of Canada: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Interview – Jurgita Dronina, National Ballet of Canada: Courtney Shea, Globe and Mail Feature – The making of Bolshoi Babylon: Carmen Gray (The Calvert Journal) via Guardian Review – Joffrey Ballet, The Nutcracker (Final performance of Joffrey’s production), Chicago: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Feature – Children of The Nutcracker (Houston Ballet): Marene Gustin, Playbill Arts Book + Exhibition – Rick Guest, What Lies Beneath: Unity Blott, Daily Mail 2015 – In Cincinatti: David Lyman, The Enquirer

Links – Sunday, 27 December, 2015 Preview – A month to embrace unpredictability in Dance: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Feature – Houston Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty (Stevenson): Nancy Wozny, Playbill Arts TV Feature – Can ballet ease Parkinson’s symptoms? Jayne McCubbin, BBC News This Week – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Revelations, Exodus & Others, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times

Links – Saturday, 26 December, 2015 The Dance World in 2015: In Montreal: Victor Swoboda, Montreal Gazette In Boston: Jeffrey Gantz, Boston Globe In Hong Kong: Natasha Rogai, SCMP (Scroll down) Top Topics: Lauren Wingenroth, Dance Magazine The Continuing Season: Review – Mark Morris Dance Group, The Hard Nut, NY: Joel Benjamin, TheaterScene Review – Boston Ballet, The Nutcracker (Nissinen), Boston: Jeanne Denizard, Examiner The rest: News – Coming week in New York: Staff, NY Times News – Tutu makers in dangerously short supply says ROH: Lexi Finnigan, Telegraph Review – Blanca Li & Maria Alexandrova, Déesses et Démones, Paris: Gabriella Daris, BlouinArtinfo Feature – Jeroboam Bozeman, with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Gia Kourlas, NY Times

Links – Friday, 25 December, 2015 Following in Santa’s wake, we’ve found a special Christmas Link - Story of The Nutcracker in pictures: Sarah Ardizzone, Guardian And from Bruce Marriott, our Secret Santa and Founding Father, there's Celebrating BRB’s Peter Wright Nutcracker at 25: DanceTabs And non-believers should check the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) rigorous tracking of last night’s flight here and the preparatory special SANTAM here And remember, he’s still up there right now, somewhere over the West Coast of North America. So, from the Links team, a very Happy Christmas to all our Forum members and users!

Let me reinforce John's warning concerning MacKeeper, above. Some years ago, I foolishly allowed myself to be taken in by the sudden and dramatically choreographed appearance of a 'virus' on my Mac, followed almost immediately by the appearance of a message saying that purchase of MacKeeper would put things right. I foolishly went ahead and, after further investigation, discovered that this was a fraudulent operation. As I recall, it all occurred as I was coming out of looking at Google Images associated with some aviation-related topic and happily that's never been repeated. Wait and see the movie in a cinema!

I'm sure folk appreciate that opera can live beyond the walls of the ROH and the Coliseum, and it was certainly alive in the West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge last Saturday evening. The Cambridge Philharmonic, under its enterprising Musical Director, gave an immensely enjoyable concert performance of Jonathan Dove's The Adventures of Pinocchio, possibly its first staged performance. It was commissioned by Opera North and Sadler's Wells in 2007, and has since been performed across the world. The staging, let it be said, was far from stilted and involved the original Director, Martin Duncan, lots of costume, props and movement and, best of all, many of the original Principals. Moving for a moment outside my customary Links sources, there is a report on the occasion here: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Adventures-Pinocchio-Cambridge-Philharmonic/story-28401762-detail/story.html The gallery pictures there are stock images from other concerts at West Rd and in King's Chapel, and a better impression can be gained from the curtain call pictures attached to these Tweets: http://twitter.com/DaliaCramer/status/678515802543398912 http://twitter.com/DaliaCramer/status/678712080053223430 (Full disclosure: I sing in the chorus - and it was a super night. Arvo Part and Durufle next, all a bit different from being turned into donkeys on Saturday.)

I can't say why, but it has just dawned on me that today is the 4th Anniversary of the launch of the Forum, after the demise of ballet.co. (I've a feeling that Bruce and John had had a prior quiet 48 hours or so of technical testing, but 23 December 2011 was the first day for signing-up.) So, with Seasonal Wishes to all, it's also Happy Birthday all round. Thanks to Bruce Marriott, of course, for launching the Forum; to all who have contributed during the two subsequent fundraising drives that we've held; and to all who daily contribute towards making the Forum a reasoned space in the all-too-often frantic world that's the Internet.