Ian Macmillan

For tomorrow's Links - senior critic and dance writer, Ismene Brown, has expressed serious doubts about the value of the competition: http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/culturehousedaily/2015/05/why-dance-needs-a-simon-cowell/

Links – Friday, 15 May, 2015 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Woolf Works, London: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Verity Healey, Exeunt Magazine Siobhan Murphy, TimeOut London Reviews – American Ballet Theatre, Rodeo, Fancy Free, Lilac Garden, Pillars of Fire, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Mary Cargill, Danceviewtimes Review – American Ballet Theatre, Les Sylphides, Pillar of Fire, Fancy Free, Theme & Variations, NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – New York City Ballet, Bournonville Divertisssements, La Sylphide NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Reviews – Northern Ballet, 5-part Mixed Bill, London: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian Zoë Anderson, Independent Review – Rambert, Frames, Four Elements, Dark Arteries, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs News – New York Summer Preview, Whelan, ABT, RB: Marina Harss, New Yorker Review – Zurich Ballet, Four Temperaments, Frank Bridge Variations, Falling Angels, Zurich: Sarah Batschelet, Bachtrack Preview – Daniil Simkin & Colleagues, Intensio, Jacob’s Pillow: Marina Harss, Boston Globe Review – Australian Ballet (Bodytorque), From Something, to Nothing, Sydney: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines News – ENB Choreographics to be streamed: Staff, London Theatre Review – Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Brussels: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Work/Travail/Arbeid Jérôme Bel, Gala Review – New Zealand Dance Company, Rotunda, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Cannes Film Festival – LA Dance Project, Vertigo, Cannes: David Ng, LA Times Review – Sydney Dance Company, Frame of Mind, Quintett, Melbourne: Gracia Haby, Fjord Review Review – Cats Paying Dues, Ever for Love, Remembrances, Entering the Waters, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – James Wilton Dance, Last Man Standing, London: Sara Veale, Fjord Review Gallery – American Ballet Theatre: Copeland, Simkin, Kent & Hallberg: Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair Video – Lindsay Kemp’s Last Dance: Guardian Review – 605 Collective, The Sensationalists, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com Preview – Ballet Flamenco La Rosa, El Padre, Miami: Christine Dolen, Miami Herald

Links – Thursday, 14 May, 2015 Reviews – Rambert, Frames, Four Elements, Dark Arteries, London: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Zoë Anderson, Independent Judith Mackrell, Guardian Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Graham Watts, Londondance Sarah Frater, The Stage Vera Liber, BTG In Rehearsal – David Jays, Guardian Review – American Ballet Theater, Theme & Variations, Jardin aux Lilas, Rodeo, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times TV Documentary – American Ballet Theater: A History: Gia Kourlas, NY TImes Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Stav Ziv, Newsweek Review – Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley, Cinderella (Stevenson), San Jose: Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes Review – Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Mixed Bill, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – Smuin Ballet, Petal, Ask Me + Excerpts, SF: Kate Mattingly, SF Examiner Review – Royal Ballet School & ABT Studio Company, Joint Programme, NY: Leigh Witchel, Danceviewtimes Interview/Preview – Tania Pérez-Salas/Compañía de Danza, Ex-tasis, Made in Mexico, LA: Tre’vell Anderson, LA Times Preview – Hari Krishnan/inDance Company, The Book of Sandalwood, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Preview – Karen Peterson and Dancers + Guests, Mixed Bill, Miami: Rebekah Lanae Lengel, Miami Herald Review – Rama and Dakshina Vaidyanathan, Dwita, NY: Leigh Witchel, Danceviewtimes

Katherine: I regularly use Twitter as a way in to the NY Times and, indeed, others. However, I'm fairly certain that such access counts against my 10 free goes for the NYT.

Renewed acquaintance with Fille this afternoon - this time at Saffron Screen, in Saffron Walden. A full house of something over 200 at a guess, and booked out about a week ago. Most enjoyable and, dare I say, as someone who has been less enthusiastic about Miss Osipova than many here, she certainly softened my views very considerably with her performance as Lise. Saffron Screen is one of two developments in recent years added to the County High School in Saffron Walden. The other is Saffron Hall, a 700-seat first-class concert venue, with a magnificent acoustic - very largely financed, I understand, by a local businessman who has done well in the City. It is already drawing big London names and ensembles, and I have to say it's much better than anything up the road in Cambridge.

John: I agree on both Times publications, but somewhat to my surprise I did manage to get into The Australian recently via Google, but normally that's equally impenetrable.

Alison: I'd be a little surprised if a national paper had deliberately flouted the Data Protection Act after all the ups and downs of recent years. Perhaps you checked a box or, more probably, did not uncheck one, pertaining to permitting further communication from them?

So - all the way to 14 January next, and no mention of Zenaida Yanowsky. Is there anything that one should read into that, pray?

Links – Sunday, 3 May, 2015 News – Former Bolshoi Ballerina, Maya Plisetskaya, has died: AFP, Express Tribune (and elsewhere) Obituary – Sophia Kishovsky, NY Times Preview – Wayne McGregor & Woolf Works for the Royal Ballet: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Tour Preview – Scottish Ballet, Streetcar Named Desire, Chicago: Laura Molzahn, Chicago Tribune Feature – Peter Martins staging a new La Sylphide for NYCB: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Review – Sarasota Ballet, Les Sylphides, Apres-midi d’une faune, Petrushka, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Tour Review – Rosie Kay, 5 Soldiers, Birmingham: Luke Jennings, Observer Q&A – Matthew Bourne: Candice Pires, Observer Review – Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, Romeo and Juliet, London: Jeffery Taylor, Sunday Express Review – Emily Johnson, Shore, NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat

News is breaking that Maya Plisetskaya died earlier to day in Germany: http://rt.com/news/255153-russian-ballerina-plisetskaya-dies/?

This has all been very worthy so far. However, in doing a quick trawl of certain sites for tomorrow's Links, I'm afraid I've seen the first expression of joy that the papers will have "all those lovely little dresses" to look forward to.

Judith Mackrell has quite a substantial preview piece that went up too late for today's Links. So, advance notice for tomorrow: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/may/02/royal-ballet-virginia-woolf-works-wayne-mcgregor

Links – Saturday, 2 May, 2015 Obituary – Terence Kern, MD at Ballet West, ex-London Festival Ballet: Salt Lake Tribune Preview – Helgi Tomasson on his Romeo and Juliet for SFB: Sean Martinfield, Huffington Post Review – New York City Ballet, Apollo, Agon, Symphony in 3 Movements + others, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – Australian Ballet, Symphonic Variations, Monotones II, The Dream, Sydney: Valerie Lawson, DanceTabs Review – Sydney Dance Company, Quintett, Frame of Mind, Canberra: Michelle Porter, Sydney Morning Herald Reviews – Lyon Opera Ballet, Sarabande, Sunshine, Steptext, NY: Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Bachtrack Brian Seibert, NY Times (Scroll down) Reviews – Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The Faerie Queen (Alleyne), Winnipeg: Paula Citron, Globe and Mail Holly Harris, Winnipeg Free Press Review – Trisha Brown Dance Company, In Plain Site, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Reviews – Rebecca Davis & Milka Djordjevich, Bloowst Windku; Mass, NY: Brian Seibert & Siobhan Burke, NY TImes Review – Orlando Ballet, Coppelia, Orlando: Matthrew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel Review – Barrowland Ballet, Whiteout, Glasgow: Alice Bain, Guardian Review – Hofesh Shechter & Friends, Fragments, tHE bAD, Manchester: David Chadderton, BTG Review – Amy Hodge, 7-75, London: Josephine Leask, Londondance Preview – Breakin’ Convention, 2015, London: Clare Evans, Londondance Review – Raghav Handa, Tukre, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Preview – Anjali Austin/Fuzion Dance Artists, Threads, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Next week in: London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Boston: Karen Campbell, Boston Globe New York: Staff, NY Times

Links – Friday, 1 May, 2015 Reviews – New York City Ballet, Apollo, Agon, Duo Concertant, Symphony in Three Movements, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – Bolshoi Ballet, Ivan the Terrible (with Vasiliev), Moscow: Tatiana Kuznetsova, via Ismene Brown Blog Reviews – Australian Ballet, Monotones II, Symphonic Variations, The Dream, Sydney: Deborah Jones, The Australian Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore, Guardian Review – Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The Faerie Queen (Alleyne), Winnipeg: Robert Enright, CBC News Film Review – Ballet 422: Madison Mainwaring, Fjord Review News – Lil Buck at Versailles, as Apollo. Seriously: Claudia Barbieri, NY Times Reviews – Barrowland Ballet/Natasha Gilmore, Whiteout, Glasgow: Mary Brennan, Herald Gareth K. Vile, The List Review – Amy Hodge, 7-75, London: Zoë Anderson, Independent Review – Peggy Baker, locus plot, Toronto: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail News – Alvin Ailey performances cancelled owing to situation in Baltimore: Chris Kaltenbach, Baltimore Sun

Perhaps Madame softened with time for I can say with certainty that such strictures over marriage and subsequent pregnancy did not apply in the early 1960s in the case of the lady who is now my wife. And there were other marriages during her time with the Company. Elsewhere, reverting to that Huff Post link from yesterday - any longterm ENB fans recognise the chap in photo 6?

It was running at 0745, should you wish to find it - and provided a different background to the start to this morning's Links trawl.

Links – Thursday, 30 April, 2015 Review – New York City Ballet, Opening Balanchine Programme, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY TImes Review – XIV St Petersburg Ballet Gala: Kommersant, Tatiana Kuznetsov via Ismene Brown Blog (She doesn’t care for McGregor or MacMillan) Reviews – Australian Ballet, Monotones II, Symphonic Variations, The Dream, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Sue Williams, Daily Telegraph Preview – Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, Chicago: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Review – Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, Romeo and Juliet (Maillot), London: Graham Watts, Londondance Review – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Polish Pieces, Awassa Astrige/Ostrich, Revelations, SF: Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter Opinion – Dance audiences are too caught up to be rude: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Feature – Choreographer Lemi Ponifasio at Venice Biennale: Linda Herrick, NZ Herald Report – Aerowaves – Spring Forward, Contemporary Dance Festival, Barcelona: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Essay – My problem with immersive theatre, and dance: David Jays, Arts Journal/Performance Monkey Essay – My kid is Avant-Garde: Jeffrey Gordon Baker, Dance Umbrella Preview – Hussein Chalayan & Damien Jalet, Gravity Fatigue, London: Anita Singh, Telegraph Preview – CanAsian International Dance Festival, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Preview – Veronica Paeper, A Spartacus in Africa, Joburg & CapeTown: Christopher Torchia, Daily Journal International Dance Day 2015 – take your pick Google

Links – Wednesday, 29 April, 2015 Review – San Francisco Ballet, Caprice, Four Temperaments, Swimmer, SF: Aimee Tsao, DanceTabs Reviews – Mark Morris Dance Group, Spring, Spring, Spring; Whelm, Grand Duo + others, NY: Robert Greskovic, Wall St Journal Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/dancebeat Review – Momix, Alchemia, Richmond, VA: Celia Wren, Washington Post Review – Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Ahnen, London: Shelley Pinto-Duschinsky, Bachtrack Preview – Houston Ballet, La Bayadere, Calgary: Stephen Hunt, Calgary Herald Review – Emily Johnson, Shore, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Preview – Joe Goode Performance Group, Poetics in Space, SF: Kate Mattingly, SF Examiner News – Wheeldon’s American in Paris a leading Tony Nominee: AP, NY Post (And elsewhere!) Opinion – Russian Morality Police Indict ‘Twerking’ and more: Georgy Bovt, Moscow Times Gallery – Dancers in Urban Settings: Omar Z. Robles via Huffington Post Book – Balancing Acts: Three Ballerinas Becoming Mothers, by Lucy Gray: Caroline Bologna, Huffington Post

I have to say that, what with one thing and several others, I find it hard to think that Leanne Cope will ever return to the RB now - and the same may apply to Robert Fairchild as regards NYCB. Time will tell ......

Links – Friday, 17 April, 2015 Reviews – Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Auf dem Gebirge hat man ein Geschrei gehört, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Mark Monahan, Telegraph Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Louise Levene, Financial Times Neil Norman, The Stage Vera Liber, BTG Review – Australian Ballet, Giselle (Stella Abrera), Sydney: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Feature – From the barre to the barracks: a dancer’s Army boot camp: Shelley Eva Haden, Guardian Blog News – Misty Copeland makes cover of Time Magazine: Michael Cooper, NY Times -- Feature/Video – Nadia Comaneci, Time Streaming Preview – Bolshoi Ballet, Ivan the Terrible: Oleg Krasnov, RBTH Report – Erik Bruhn Prize Competition, Toronto: Denise Sum, Danceviewtimes Feature – BBC Young Dancer Competition: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Preview – YAGP Final Benefit Gala, NY: Pia Catton, WSJ Review – Beth Gill, Portrait Study, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Preview – Jacques Poulin-Denis, (Very) Gently Crumbling, Montreal: Victor Swoboda, Montreal Gazette Review – David Raymond & Tiffany Tregarthen, Me So You So Me, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Not getting enough Dance? Feel deprived when on holiday? This could be for you: Left Field Luxe (No doubt others are available.)

Links – Thursday, 16 April, 2015 Reviews – Diana Vishneva, On the Edge, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Judith Mackrell, Guardian Mark Monahan, Telegraph Louise Levene, Financial Times Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Sarah Frater, The Stage Vera Liber, BTG Gallery – Dave Morgan, DanceTabs News – Royal Opera House 2015-16 Programme: Richard Fairman, Financial Times Judith Mackrell, Guardian Blog Hannah Furness, Telegraph Official RB programme: Here with more here and discussion continues: from here Review – Washington Ballet, Swan Lake (Copeland, Mack), DC: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Review – San Francisco Ballet, Programs 6 & 7, SF: Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter News – Sarasota Ballet 2015-16 Season Announced: Carrie Seidman, Herald-Tribune News – Aurélie Dupont’s final performance next month: AFP, Guardian Reports – Dance UK Conference: Emerging Artists, Training, Creativity & Choreography: Claire Evans, Londondance and also here Review – Ballet Hispanico, Conquer, Show.Girl, El Beso, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Film Preview – MOVEment, 7 short films with Choreo/designer collaboration: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Gallery – Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Auf den Gebirge …,London: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Preview – Paul Taylor Dance Company, 3 Program Season, SF: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Preview – Joffrey Ballet, New Works, Chicago: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Preview – Ballet Creole, Agua Como Vida Programme, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star

I've seen four reviews so far for tomorrow's Links, and the common thread is a tendency for the show to be a bit dull and overlong.

Links – Wednesday, 15 April, 2015 Feature – Sylvie Guillem, a life in progress: Sarah Crompton, Economist/Intelligent Life Feature – Kevin O’Hare: Everyone wants the Royal Ballet Choreographers: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Review – Washington Ballet, Swan Lake (Copeland, Mack), DC: Carla Escoda, Bachtrack Review – Ballet San Jose, This Might Be True, Eighty One, User’s Manual, San Jose: Aimee Tsao, DanceTabs Review – Dance Theatre of Harlem, Agon, Coming Together, In the Mirror of Her Mind, Return, NY: Mary Cargill, Danceviewtimes Documentary Preview – American Masters – American Ballet Theatre: A History: Pia Catton, WSJ Blogs News – Ako Kondo, new Australian Ballet Principal: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Melanie Kembrey, Sydney Morning Herald Review – Olga Pericet, Flamenco Sin Título, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – Scottish Dance Theatre, Miann, London: Graham Watts, Londondance Review – Scottish Dance Theatre, Innocence, London: Claire Cohen, Londondance Speculation – An American in Paris looks strongest in Tony race: Michael Riedel, NY Post

Links – Tuesday, 14 April, 2015 Reviews – New York City Ballet, Serenade, Agon, Symphony in C, DC: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Ashley McKean, Danceviewtimes Reviews – Washington Ballet, Swan Lake (Copeland, Mack), DC: Brian Seibert, NY Times George Jackson, Danceviewtimes Reviews – San Francisco Ballet, Prog 7- Swimmer, Four Temperaments, Caprice, SF: Janos Gereben, SF Examiner Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes Jaime Robles, Bachtrack Review – San Francisco Ballet, Prog 6 – Shostakovich Trilogy, SF: Terez Rose, Bachtrack Reviews – Paris Opera Ballet, Nutcracker (Nureyev), La Source: Paris: Patricia Boccadoro, Culturekiosque Review – Dance Theater of Harlem, Homecoming Mixed Bill, NY: Robert Greskovic, WSJ Blog – Widening the debate on British Dance Training: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Reviews – Christopher Wheeldon & others, An American in Paris, NY: Alexis Soloski, Guardian Terry Teachout, WSJ Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Ronni Reich, NJ Star-Ledger Gallery – Curtain calls after Broadway opening of An American in Paris: BWW Reviews – Pacific Northwest Ballet, Swan Lake (Stowell), Seattle: Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times Alice Kaderlan, SeattlePi Review – Stephen Petronio Company, Locomotor/Non Locomotor, RainForest, NY: Martha Sherman, Danceviewtimes Tour Feature – Carlos Acosta & On Before, Southampton: Hilary Porter, Southern Daily Echo News – Ardani 25 Dance Gala, Osipova, Watson, Vasiliev et al, London: DanceTabs Review – Jasmin Vardimon, Maze, Margate: David Jays, Guardian Reviews – Shwe Man Thabin, Burmese zat pwe Mixed Bill, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Review – National Youth Dance Company, Frame[d], London: Shelley Pinto-Duschinsky, Bachtrack Review – The Medea Project, Birthright?, SF: Michael Rosen, SF Chronicle Review – Toronto Dance Theatre, Returning Empathis, Making Belief, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Review – RUBBERBANDance Group, Empirical Quotient, Boston: Jeffrey Gantz, Boston Globe Preview – Seppe Baeyens, Tornar, Brussels: Tom Peeters, Flanders Today If not already seen, and in advance of the formal announcement tomorrow: News – Royal Ballet 2015-16 Season + Discussion: Start here

Something different today - the austere St John Passion (in Latin) by Arvo Pärt, recorded in 1988 in Durham Cathedral with, unusually, a Quartet, the Hilliard Ensemble, at the centre as Evangelist. Those who find something in Pärt's hypnotic Spiegel im Spiegel, used by a number of choreographers, may find this Passion most satisfying.