Ian Macmillan

Links – Sunday, 16 August, 2015 Feature – Jonathan Watkins and 1984 for Northern Ballet: Karen Attwood, Independent on Sunday Review – St Petersburg Ballet Theatre, Swan Lake (Kolesnikova), London: Jeffery Taylor, Sunday Express Joyce Theater Ballet Festival, New York: Review – Emery LeCrone, Ritornare, Partita No2 in C Min, Lasciatemi Qui Solo, Innermost Part of Something: Lauren Wingenroth,DanceTabs Q and A – Martian Bussi, Dancing with Diggers: Bruce Marriott, DanceTabs Feature – Men in non-traditional jobs (Scroll to Australian Ballet’s Brett Chynoweth): Zohra Aly, Sydney Morning Herald News – Battery Dance Festival, New York: Jack Anderson, NY Times Edinburgh: Review – Sylvie Guillem, Life in Progress: Alan Morrison, Sunday Herald Review – Danza del Caribe, Itara: Donald Hutera, The List Review – Okareka Dance Company, K’Rd Strip: Donald Hutera, The List

Links – Saturday, 15 August, 2015 Reviews – St Petersburg Ballet Theatre, Swan Lake (Kolesnikova), London: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Graham Watts, Londondance Sarah Frater, The Stage Vanessa Keys, Telegraph Vera Liber, BTG Lynette Halewood, DanceTabs Feature/Preview – Sylvie Guillem, Life in Progress, Sydney: Nick Miller, Sydney Morning Herald Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival: - Reviews – La Otra Orilla, Moi et Lesautres: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Ken Ross, Mass Live - Review – Sarasota Ballet, The American, Monotones I & II, In a State of Weightlessness: Janine Parker, Boston Globe Sarasota Ballet Gallery: Sarasota Herald-Tribune The Pillow’s Past: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Feature – Polunin, Clark, Bruce, McGregor, Pop, Shifting Boundaries, The Future etc: Hazel Sheffield, Independent Feature – American Contemporary Ballet rediscovers a Russian Classic: Leilah Bernstein, LA Magazine Documentary – Feelings Are Facts: The Life of Yvonne Rainer: Craig Takeuchi, Straight.com Review – Adrien M/Claire B, Hakanaï: Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com Preview – New Zealand Dance Company, Lumina Triple Bill: Bernadette Rae, NZ Herald Feature – Lam Chung-wing, POB’s First Chinese Dancer: Fionnuala McHugh, SCMP Who Knew? – The RB’s Alexander Campbell helping English Cricket: Daniel Lane, Sydney Morning Herald Edinburgh: Next Week – Israel Galvan, Ballett Am Rhein: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Reviews – Lost Dog, Paradise Lost (Lies unopened beside me): Kelly Apter, WOW24/7 Lucy Ribchester, The List Review – L’Enfant Qui …..: Sally Stott, WOW24/7 Review – Remote Control, Project HaHa: Lucy Ribchester, The List Reviews – Ballet Revolucion, Balletronic: Nick Awde, The Stage Lucy Ribchester, The List

Links – Friday, 14 August, 2015 Interview – Alexei Ratmansky and his Sleeping Beauty for ABT: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival: - Review – Sarasota Ballet, The American, Monotones I & II, In a State of Weightlessness: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times - Feature: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Joyce Theater Ballet Festival, New York: - Review – BalletX, Sunset, 0639 Hours: Lauren Wingenroth, DanceTabs Review – Osipova, Vasiliev and Others, Solo for Two, NY: Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Bachtrack Interview – ABT’s Stella Abrera: Emil Guillermo, NBC News Feature – Isaac Hernandez, ENB Principal: Brian Rashid, Forbes News – Principal Rupert Pennefather to leave RB after 16 years: Georgia Snow, The Stage Gallery – St Petersburg Ballet Theatre & Irina Kolesnikova, Swan Lake: Dave Morgan, DanceTabs Feature – Balé de Rua, Streetwise Afro-Brazilian Dancers: Monica Mark, Guardian Review – SummerWorks/Mexe, Capoeira programme, Toronto: Laura Beeston, Globe and Mail

As I recall, the first ballet that Cathy Marston created on leaving Bern was Elephant Man for Copenhagen Summer Ballet. She was commissioned to make another piece and it opens there tonight - Lolita. A short trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7z5xRqma5k And another taster: https://instagram.com/p/6UqNa3BPhl/ Tantalising, and I know I'll regret not seeing it.

As I look back over the years at my own 'entry points,' it seems they appeared at times by which I was ready to 'enter' as consequences of a number of things. I'd always been aware of classical music, but did not find or explore it any any depth until it began to fulfil something in me that I needed in my mid-40s. Similarly, I stumbled upon ballet, something I'd always known was available, almost 15 years after that through meeting the lady, now my wife, who had been a dancer with the Royal Ballet and who was still teaching and examining in the field. I may be unusual, but perhaps the answer lies in 'for everything there is a season' - and if that is more widely the case, we could stop worrying and let the future look after itself.

Links – Thursday, 13 August, 2015 Feature – Taking Ashton’s Sylvia to Teatro Colón: Marina Harss, NY Times Joyce Theater Ballet Festival, New York: Reviews – BalletX, Sunset, 0639 Hours: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – Joshua Beamish/Move: The Company: Leigh Witchel, Danceviewtimes Reviews – Ashley Bouder Project, Unsaid, In Passing, Rouge et Noir: Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Bachtrack Alexandra Villareal, Huffington Post Review – Chamber Dance Project, Mixed Bill: Christopher Atamian, Huffington Post News – NYCB’s Sara Mearns pulls out: Staff, BWW London Reviews: Ismene Brown, Spectator Sylvie Guillem, Life in Progress Carlos Acosta, Cubania Queensland Ballet, La Sylphide Review – Osipova, Vasiliev and Others, Solo for Two, NY: Joel Benjamin, TheaterScene Previews – Sarasota Ballet at Jacob’s Pillow: Staff, BWW Nick Reichert, YourObserver Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Historic Gallery, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Drive East Review – Ashwini Ramaswamy, Shankara Sri Giri, Varnam, Thillana,NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Edinburgh: Preview – Ballet Revolución, Balletronic: Lucy Ribchester, The List Review – Shows at Dance Base, Nijinsky’s Last Jump, Oog, Underneath, Between Us & Hunting Dust, Special Edition 2015: KellyApter, WOW24/7 Review – RemoteControl, Project HaHa: Billy Barrett, WOW24/7 Preview – Tao Dance Theatre, Weight x 3: Mary Brennan, Herald And last but far from least: Feature – Alastair Macaulay recalls Janet Baker’s voice: NY Times Essay – Between the Dancer and the Dance, First of a series: Apollinaire Scherr, Fjord Review

A contribution from Florida: http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/performing-arts/article30869652.html

Links – Wednesday, 12 August, 2015 Feature – Dancing into freedom: 4 great Soviet ballet defectors: Dmitriy Romendik, RBTH Festival Review – ABT, NYCB, Boston Dancers, Balanchine Programs, Vail, CO: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – Balé de Rua, Baila Brazil, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Drive East Festival Review – Archana Joglekar, Solo Kathak Program, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – MOVE: the company, Pierced, Little Eye, Burrow, Stay, Surface Properties, NY: Rose Marija, BWW Previews – Indian Dance, Sarasota Ashton, Joyce Festival: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Interview – Christopher Marney, on making the moves for McQueen: Clare Evans, Londondance Review – SummerWorks Performance Festival, Toronto: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail Edinburgh: Review – Sylvie Guillem, Life in Progress: Kelly Apter, WOW24/7 Reviews – 5 Shows at Dance Base, Nijinsky’s Last Jump, Underneath, Special Edition 2015, Gaze of the Kavaluan, Between Us & Hunting Dust: Mary Brennan, Herald Review – Impermanence Dance Theatre, Da-Da-Darling: Kelly Apter, WOW24/7 Review – Mary Bijou Cabaret, Hitch!: Ben Walters, Scotsman, WOW24/7 Review – Let’s All Dance, Princess and the Frog: Brian G.Cooper, The Stage

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose? Perhaps nothing has happened to the audience outside London. I've quoted this several times before but, in the ROH 1959-60 Annual Report, the following was said, no doubt written by Madame De Valois: "The company's provincial tours ... have revealed the essentially conservative nature of provincial audiences, who have preferred to play safe with the classics rather than risk a triple bill of novelties, and the repertory has been modified in consequence." With that said, and on a similar tack to earlier posts in this thread, the report goes on to pray TV in aid: "Television could play a helpful educative role here if, instead of concentrating on presenting the classics which are particularly unsuited to the medium, it showed some modern ballets which would seem better adapted to the limitations inevitably imposed by the screen." It's possibly no help in pursuit of cause of a malaise and a cure, but all of the above was written during what many now look back to as the "Golden Age" of British ballet - yet we now sustain more companies up and down the land than was the case then. And, Floss, purely out of interest, why do you single out the Covent Garden Amphitheatre audience as your comparator with the ENB audience more generally?

As irrevocable proof that Ms Copeland has 'arrived,' had anyone else noticed that she was the answer to the picture question in today's Times 2 Quiz?

John is probably slotting this in as I write ... but see final Link back on Saturday 1 August. Some things stick in the mind!

A little more background here: https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2015/matthew-bournes-car-man-cancelled-following-tragic-accident/

I trust that the shade of Robert Burns will forgive me but, back in the ballet.co era, I seem to recall ending some remarks on a RB performance on these lines: "From scenes like these Auld Scotia's grandeur springs, And flies around the world on shortbread tins." Sir Walter Scott would surely revel in knowing that, some 200 years after he stage-managed the visit to Scotland of a tartan-clad George IV, this Bournonville ballet keeps his work alive. What he'd make of the natty pin-striped kilts for business use now seen in the Edinburgh tartan shops is perhaps another thing.

The 'Style' supplement in today's Sunday Times is running a feature around what appears to be a coffee table photo book "Roberto Bolle: Voyage into Beauty." Seems there's yet another upsurge in chaps doing ballet classes etc etc in pursuit of a super-fit physique.

240 views in 10 hours and 3 replies - very quiet. Good night all.

Almost 72 hours since the last post in this area - a record?

Links – Saturday, 1 August, 2015 Festival Preview – Akram Khan on Sylvie Guillem, Life in Progress, Edinburgh: Kelly Apter, The List Next Week: - London & Edinburgh: Judith Mackrell, Guardian - New York & Jacob’s Pillow: NY Times Reviews – Daniel Ulbricht & Stars of American Ballet, Mixed Bill, Jacob’s Pillow Festival: Ken Ross, Mass Live Janine Parker, Boston Globe Review – The 7 Fingers, Cuisine & Confessions, Vaison-la-Romaine: Christina Gallea Roy, DanceTabs News – Alistair Spalding, Director at Sadler’s Wells, awarded Honorary Doctorate: Londondance Fringe Preview – Vangeline, Butoh Beethoven, Edinburgh: Donald Hutera, The List Review – QL2 Dance, Reckless Valour, Canberra: Michelle Potter, The Age Review – Renegade Performance Group, Dapline!, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Walter Dundervill, Arena, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – New Original Works (NOW) Festival, Program 1, LA: Jean Lenihan, Arts Journal/Fresh Pencil Gallery – Ballet British Columbia interprets the headlines: John Lehmann & Marsha Lederman, Globe and Mail US TV Preview – Flesh and Bone: Yvonne Villareal, LA Times

Links – Friday, 31 July, 2015 News – Sergei Filin’s Contract as Bolshoi Director Will End in March, 2016: Tass, via Ismene Brown Blog Staff, Moscow Times and elswhere Ismene Brown, Arts Desk Reviews – Sylvie Guillem, Life in Progress, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Siobhan Murphy, Londondance Feature – Violette Verdy, Elements of Style: Marina Harss, The Nation Feature – The Creation of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon: Jann Parry, Playbill Arts Review – Daniel Ulbricht & Stars of American Ballet, Mixed Bill, Jacob’s Pillow Festival: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Philadanco & TU Dance, Outdoor Mixed Bill, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times NY Weekend Preview – Lincoln Center Out of Doors Programme: Joshua Barone, NY Times Review – Fuzion Dance Company, Bubbe Dance, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Preview – Farm to Ballet Project, Vermont: Kathleen Burge, Boston Globe Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Preview – Dance Base Programme: Mary Brennan, Herald Preview – Danza del Caribe, Itara: Donald Hutera, The List Preview – Discotheque Machine: Kelly Apter, The List

Some English-language links: https://au.news.yahoo.com/entertainment/a/29132907/russias-bolshoi-theatre-to-ditch-acid-attack-ballet-chief/ http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-entertainment/article/1845228/bolshoi-wont-renew-sergei-filins-contract-ballet

Links – Thursday, 30 July, 2015 Interview – Li Cunxin, Director Queensland Ballet: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – Mariinsky Ballet, Le Parc, St Petersburg: Isabella Zijp, Bachtrack Review – San Francisco Ballet, Outdoor Mixed Bill, SF: Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter Review – Carlos Acosta, Cubanía, London: Margaret Willis, DanceTabs Review – Matthew Bourne, The Car Man, London: Ismene Brown, Spectator Review – Ardani 25 Dance Gala: London: Ismene Brown, Spectator Feature – Dance This Week: New Books and Exhibitions: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times News – NY Fall For Dance Program: Joshua Barone, NY Times News – Joyce Theater Festival: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Fringe Preview – Scottish Ballet, 1 to 10, Edinburgh: Kelly Apter, The List Review – Circa/Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, French Baroque, Sydney: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Interview – Wang Yuanyuan, Choreographer: Vanessa Yung, SCMP Review – Reckless Sleepers & Sarah Aiken, A String Section, SET, Melbourne: Gracia Haby, Fjord Review Reassuring News – Coliseum Lake Refilled! BTG

Links – Wednesday, 29 July, 2015 Reviews – Carlos Acosta, Cubanía, London: Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Vanessa Keys, Telegraph Siobhan Murphy, Londondance Neil Norman, The Stage Howard Loxton, BTG Feature – Danza Contemporanea De Cuba: Rhiannon Brace, Londondance Gallery – Tocororo Suite: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Feature – Sylvie Guillem’s “Big Goodbye”: Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard News – ABT announces its Koch Theater Fall 2015 Season: Staff, BWW Review – Compagnie Maguy Marin, May B, Enniskillen: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Related: Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph Simon O’Hagan, Independent Review – New Art Club, Hercules, A Dance Cabaret for All Ages, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Interview – Sally Marie: Donald Hutera, Londondance

Links – Tuesday, 28 July, 2015 Review – San Francisco Ballet, Outdoor Mixed Bill, SF: Mary Ellen Hunt, SF Chronicle Review – Daniil Simkin, Intensio Quad Bill, Jacob’s Pillow Festival: Ken Ross, Mass Live Review – Doug Varone, ReComposed, The Fabulist, Durham, NC: Brian Seibert, NY Times News – New dancers join Miami City Ballet: Jordan Levin, Miami Herald Review – Michelle Dorrance, Blues Project, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Feature – BRB’s Celine Gittens: Janelle De Souza, Newsday Review – Antony Hamilton, Ruth, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Preview – Kate Ben-Tovim/Gideon Obarzanek, Kuda Lumping, Melbourne: Philippa Hawker, The Age Review – Nacera Belaza, Into The Night, London: Neil Norman, The Stage Review – Christopher Williams, Jason, Ruins, Janet, Spirits of the Air, Dardanus Suite, NY: Leigh Witchel, Danceviewtimes

There's also a hefty DanceTabs piece by Jann Parry in today's Links: http://dancetabs.com/2015/07/a-heads-up-on-queensland-ballets-la-sylphide-li-cunxin/

This supplement was certainly not included in the pack delivered here this morning.

This article from The Stage may not come as a surprise to everyone, but anyone considering a career through Dance might like to have an inkling of what may lie ahead: https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2015/professional-dancers-earn-less-5k-year/?utm_content=buffer78982&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer