Ian Macmillan

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.

The January Dancing Times is out and, touching on an issue that has popped in and out of this thread, Gerald Dowler has the first of a series of articles on "Preserving the Legacy." It sets out the general problem - "what happens to a dance work after the death of its creator," whilst the next article will investigate the legacies of Balanchine, Robbins and Tudor. There is an indication that another will deal with the role of notation in 'establishing an ur-text,' and my inference from elsewhere in this introductory piece is that there will certainly be yet another on Ashton, MacMillan and Cranko.

Floss: A thread on the ENB Nutcracker was started at 0923 this morning: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/11336-english-national-ballet-the-nutcracker-2015-16/ The 'Performances Seen' section of the Forum is not, nor will it be, considered as an exclusive RB enclave. And whilst I stand to be corrected by colleagues, my recollection is that the Ballet Alert format was considered in the first weeks of this Forum and a decision was taken not to adopt it. The Forum's general approach is essentially something that grew out of its late ballet.co progenitor. And the Moderators would welcome any move by lurking users to make it less London-centric than I fear it may be considered. It is, in the end, what its users make it.

Thomas Tallis - "Spem in Alium" - with full 40-part choir, and 40 matching dancers in eight groups of five. Oh, and choreographed by Cathy Marston. I think that's about it ....

Links – Monday, 14 December, 2015 Feature – Best Dance of 2015 (and a turkey): Luke Jennings, Observer Review – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Two Mixed Bills, NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – Urban Bush Women, Walking with ‘Trane, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Preview – Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre, Joseph’s Coat, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Preview – Lucy Guerin Inc, Pieces for Small Spaces, Melbourne: John Bailey, The Age Feature – A new ballet syllabus in Australia: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Review – Tere O’Connor, The Goodbye Studies, NY: Deborah Jowitt, DanceBeat Review – Bangarra Dance Theatre, Ochres, Sydney: Claudia Lawson, Fjord Review Today's selection of Nuts: Review – Mark Morris Dance Group, The Hard Nut (Morris), NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – National Ballet of Canada, The Nutcracker (Kudelka), Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Feature – SF Ballet Musicians reflect on 40 years of Nutcracker: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Review – Menlowe Ballet, It’s a Wonderful Nutcracker, Atherton: Claudia Bauer, SF Chronicle Report – Ballet of Santiago de Chile, The Nutcracker, Santiago: Igor I. Solor, Digital Journal

For the record, that article was not yet online as this morning's Links were collated.

Links – Sunday, 13 December, 2015 In London & Edinburgh: Reviews – Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, The Sleeping Beauty, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Jeffery Taylor, Sunday Express Review – Carlos Acosta & RB Colleagues, A Classical Selection, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Review – Scottish Ballet, Cinderella (Hampson), Edinburgh: Mark Brown, Sunday Herald A Transatlantic scattering of Nuts: Review – American Ballet Theatre, The Nutcracker (Ratmansky), Costa Mesa: Laura Bleiberg, LA Times Feature – National Ballet of Canada – a look behind the Nutcracker curtain: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Video clip, Globe and Mail Feature – Sarasota Ballet, John Ringling’s Circus Nutcracker: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald Review – Tulsa Ballet, The Nutcracker (Angelini), Tulsa: James D. Watts Jr, Tulsa World Review – Alabama Ballet, The Nutcracker (Balanchine), Birmingham: Rachel Hellwig, ArtsBHAM ….. then there’s this from Miami: Very good quality walnuts, I might add And across the world: Feature – Cairo Opera Ballet Company: Omnia Farrag, Daily News Egypt Feature – Plenty of pink at Gaza Ballet School: Nidal Al-Mughrabi, The Star Online Reviews – Sydney Dance Company, New Breed Quad Bill, Sydney: Deborah Jones, Blog Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Review – yMusic, Bill T Jones, Dianne McIntyre, Come Around Part IV, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times News – Miami Hispanic Dance Organisations find a new home: Lee Stephens, Community Newspaper Preview – Noche Flamenca, Antigona, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Jess Curtis/Gravity, International Collaborations 6, SF: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle

Links – Saturday, 12 December, 2015 Obituaries: - Bryony Brind, RB Principal: Judith Cruickshank, Guardian Sam Roberts, NY Times - Joan Ravenscroft, with pre-WW2 companies: Gillian Beetham & Jenny Lewis, Guardian - Gloria Contreras, Choreographer: Anna Kisselgoff, NY Times Review – Paris Opera Ballet, Polyphonia, Alea Sands, Rite of Spring, Paris: Laura Cappelle, Financial Times TV Film Preview – Rudolf Nureyev: Dance to Freedom: Louise Levene, Financial Times Review – Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, The Sleeping Beauty, London: Lynette Halewood, DanceTabs Louise Lewis, BTG Reviews – Carlos Acosta & RB Colleagues, A Classical Selection, London: Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Tatiana Rathelot, Bachtrack Rachel Elderkin, BTG News – Helgi Tomasson to take SF Ballet home to Iceland next May: Vala Hafstad, Iceland Review Review – Urban Bush Women, Walking with ‘Trane, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Diary – Next week in London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Black Girl: Linguistic Play, LA: Victoria Looseleaf, Fjord Review Review – BalletCollective, Invisible Divide, NY: Susan Yung, Brooklyn Rail Review – Rebeca Medina, Paraíso, NY: Tara Sheena, Brooklyn Rail And finally: Bruising Ballet

A choice item from New Zealand with which to revive this thread: http://wellingtontimes.ca/bruising-ballet/

Indeed - and that scenario has all the essence of the standard 3-Act show. Act 1, Boy meets girl (OK it's two sisters here); Act 2, things happen; Act 3, all live happily, or all die. Now, do we have a composer on here ...... a designer .......?

Links – Friday, 11 December, 2015 Reviews – Royal Ballet, The Nutcracker (Wright), London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Reviews – Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, The Sleeping Beauty, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Mark Monahan, Telegraph Jenny Gilbert, Arts Desk Carla Escoda, Bachtrack Reviews – Carlos Acosta & RB Colleagues, A Classical Selection, London: Siobhan Murphy, DanceTabs Zoe Anderson, Independent Josephine Leask, Londondance Sam Smith, Londonist Gallery – Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Review – Scottish Ballet, Cinderella (Hampson), Edinburgh: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Review – World Ballet Stars Gala, Cojocaru, Kobborg et al, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Love Songs, Cry, Untitled America: First Movement, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Interview – Vladimir Urin and his fear of failing at the Bolshoi: Teatral via Ismene Brown Radio Feature – Reasons to see The Nutcracker: Marina Harss, WNYC News (+ various Video clips) Book Feature – Never too late to dance in Nutcracker? Nora Krug, Washington Post Feature – Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker by the numbers: Erin Kayata, Boston Globe Review – Sydney Dance Company & Carriageworks, New Breed 2015, Sydney: Michelle Potter, DanceTabs News – “The Bonnies’ Choreography Awards, 2015: Carmel Smith, Londondance Preview – Belinda McGuire, Three Muses, Toronto: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail Review – Sara Shelton Mann with David Szlasa, Erasing Time, SF: Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes Preview – Debbie Allen Academy, The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, LA: Jessica Gelt, LA Times ICYMI – State Street Ballet at Denver Airport: 9 News and elsewhere!

Links – Thursday, 10 December, 2015 Obituary – Bryony Brind, Royal Ballet Principal: Staff, Telegraph Seasonal Fare: Reviews – Royal Ballet, The Nutcracker (Wright), London: Graham Watts, Londondance Gerald Dowler, Classical Source Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack Review – New York City Ballet, The Nutcracker (Balachine), NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Reviews – Scottish Ballet, Cinderella (Hampson), Edinburgh: Thom Dibdin, The Stage Review – Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, The Sleeping Beauty, London: Neil Norman, The Stage And on the A La Carte Menu: Reviews – Carlos Acosta & RB Colleagues, A Classical Selection, London: Mark Monahan, Telegraph Judith Mackrell, Guardian Jenny Gilbert, Arts Desk Sarah Frater, The Stage Photo Gallery – 12 of the greatest ballerinas of all time: Telegraph Feature – The Best of Dance in 2015: NY Times Critics, NY Times Review – Mariinsky Ballet, Swan Lake, Tokyo: Joy Wang Xin Yuan, Bachtrack Film & TV – Bolshoi Babylon & Nureyev, Dance to Freedom: Ismene Brown, Spectator Review – White Lights Festival, Thomas Adès Programme, NY: Marianne Adams, Danceviewtimes Review – Keigwin & Company, Wait Nearby, Sidewalk, 3 Ballads, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Pavel Zuštiak & Palissimo Company, Custodians of Beauty, NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat

The first published Obituary, I think, from tomorrow's Links: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12041904/Bryony-Brind-ballet-dancer-obituary.html

The performance is also being streamed to many UK cinemas this afternoon - at 3pm local time, at the ones I know about.

It's a pity that the ballet.co Reviews archive is no longer available - but I hope I'm not alone in recalling Eric Taub's graphic and hilarious description of a Rose Adagio at an American Ballet Theatre Gala that became increasingly desperate for the ballerina concerned - her name escapes me now - and, indeed, for her suitors, as they were grabbed for support. It would have been around 6 or 7 years ago?

It is, I suppose, just within the bounds of possibility that she might (NB the conditional tense) have the views of some here in mind - though I do not doubt that she may feel she encounters 'trenchant Middle Englanders' elsewhere as she goes about her days. I've no idea which pubs she frequents, for example, or who she meets at dinner parties, assuming these are still in vogue in her circles. (Me - I'm Scottish by birth and I was doing Skiffle back in the later 1950s, so I definitely feel I'm excluded.)

Katherine: Wasn't there a saying from some Industrial chief to the effect that 50% of his advertising budget was wasted, but he didn't know which 50%? In the same way, it's probably true that 40% of the printed Globe and Mail isn't read by those who buy it and the publishers are unlikely to know just which pages those are - but online, a cookie here and there makes it very simple for the publishers to know what's being read. Those of us doing Links - and thanks for the compliment - know that too well as we try to husband our allocations of free access on various papers! And that almost certainly has some bearing on the fact that some papers that were regular sources for ballet/dance material when I started on Links no longer have any at all.

Sim: I became aware of it as I started my shutdown last night, and it had run over the previous two hours or so - with some additional contributions from Cloud Dance Festival. Should you want to see what started it, have a look here or on the Twitter feed on DanceTabs: http://twitter.com/LukeJennings1/status/671413724805267456 From what I can tell, the last word was with Wayne McGregor at around 1130: http://twitter.com/WayneMcGregor/status/671474115967123456 Between those two posts I have to say that they both used Twitter's 140-character limit to a more creative extent than in any other argument that I recall there.

Links – Sunday, 29 November, 2015 Feature – Benjamin Millepied at Paris Opera Ballet: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Review – Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Nutcracker (New production), Seattle: Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times Review – Australian Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty (New production), Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Review – Joseph Mercier/PanicLab, Swan Lake II: Dark Waters, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Preview – Tere O’Connor, The Goodbye Studies, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Feature – Lily Kind/Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Voices of Fuzión, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Review – Bangarra Dance Theatre, Ochres, Sydney: Rebecca Whitton, Australian Stage Review – New Chamber Ballet, Gravity & 4 others, NY: Mary Cargill, Danceviewtimes If you need circa 70 Nutcracker features and reviews, Google is your friend. (Sorry, the button that opened up another 60 links seems to have been dropped now, 11am.)

Out of interest, does anyone have memories of Ken MacMillan's House of Birds that suggest it might be worth seeing again?