Ian Macmillan

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.

Links – Friday, 3 April, 2015 Essay – The Naked Skeleton, Some Notes on the Danse Macabre: Madison Mainwaring, Brooklyn Rail Review – American Ballet Theater, Cinderella (Ashton), DC: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Review – Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, London: Rym Kechacha, Bachtrack Review – Australian Ballet, Giselle (Gielgud), the Madeleine Eastoe Farewell, Sydney: Jill Sykes, The Age Interview – Declan Donnellan & Hamlet at The Bolshoi: Anna Galaida, RBTH Review – Liz Gerring Dance Company, Glacier, NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Review – Reggie Gray & Peter Sellars, FLEXN, NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – Rashaun Mitchell, Light Years, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times News – Olivier Awards 2015, Dance Nominees: Clare Evans, Londondance News – Dance Theatre of Harlem, City Center Season: Zita Allen, NY Amsterdam News Review – Gelsey Kirkland Ballet, Cavalry Halt, Harlequinade, NY: Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn & Ellen Dobbyn-Blackmore, Huffington Post News – Two Ailey Dancers Moving to St Louis: Gia Kourlas, NY Times News – Mikhailovsky Ballet chief under Government investigation: Vedomosti via Ismene Brown Essay – Houses Without Masters: Reflections on Platform 2015: Siobhan Burke, Brooklyn Rail Feature – Adult Ballet Classes Make Me High: Caroline Davidson, Telegraph

Links – Thursday, 2 April, 2015 Reviews – Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Judith Mackrell, Guardian Mark Monahan, Telegraph Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Reviews – Liz Gerring Dance Company, Glacier, NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Alastair Macaulay, NY Times London Reviews – Ismene Brown, Spectator Birmingham Royal Ballet, Carmina Burana Royal Ballet, Four Temperaments, Untouchable, Song of the Earth News – Twyla Tharp, 50th Anniversary Plans: Staff, BWW Preview – Norwegian National Ballet, Ibsen’s Ghosts, Houston: Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle Review – Juilliard School, Dark Meadow, Biped, NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat News – BBC Young Dancer 2015 Category Finalists Announced: BBC Feature – Spotlight Dance and Music Finals, Los Angeles: Jeffrey Fleishman, LA Times

Lindsay: Perhaps surprisingly, Mr C is really rather keen on many of the Street Dance manifestations to be seen in town from time to time, so his horizon is posssibly not as limited as one might think. As to malicious, he certainly does not write in half-measures, whether positively or negatively. And as to influence, I note that Louise Levene's name has appeared against a number of London FT reviews in recent days - might that portend some change over the horizon?

Links – Wednesday, 1 April, 2015 Review – Royal Ballet, The Four Temperaments, Untouchable, Song of the Earth, London: Vera Liber, BTG Review – Ballet West, Games, Presto, The Sixth Beauty, The Lottery, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Feature – Alessandra Ferri & Woolf Works: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Feature – Australian Ballet’s Madeleine Eastoe faces retirement: Valerie Lawson, Sydney Morning Herald Feature – Ballet Dancers Leap into Instagram: Pia Catton, WSJ Reviews – Robert Greskovic, WSJ Armitage Gone! Dance, On the Nature of Things, NY Peter Sellars & Reggie Gray, FLEXN, NY News – US companies (Limón, Heginbotham, Bodytraffic) to tour overseas: Brian Schaefer, NY Times Reviews – Dance Massive 2015, Melbourne: Gracia Haby Victoria Chiu, Do You Speak Chinese; Melanie Lane, Merge: Fjord Review Paula Lay, Sue Healey, Vicki Van Hout, Shelley Lasca: Fjord Review Review – East London Dance, Club Life, East London: Josephine Leask, Londondance Review – LDTX, ‘Spring Equinox’ Mixed Bill, Beijing: Catherine Sutherland, Bachtrack News – Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker to be awarded Venetian Golden Lion Award: Alan Hope, Flanders Today And as it’s April 1: Guardian (On days like this we miss ballet.co and its Head Jester)

Links – Tuesday, 31 March, 2015 Obituaries – Mary Clarke, Critic, Author and Editor: Jonathan Gray & Judith Mackrell, Guardian Staff, Telegraph Reviews – Royal Ballet, The Four Temperaments, Untouchable, Song of the Earth, London: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Gerald Dowler, Classical Source Neil Norman, The Stage Review – Bolshoi Ballet, Jewels, Hong Kong: Natasha Rogai, SCMP Reviews – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 2 Mixed Bills, Boston: Alan Helms, DanceTabs Karen Campbell, Boston Globe Report – Erik Bruhn Prize Competition, Toronto: Penelope Ford, Fjord Review Review – Miami City Ballet, 2 Triple Bills, Palm Beach: Leigh Witchel, Danceviewtimes Review – Los Angeles Ballet, Sleeping Beauty (Christensen/Neary), LA: Lewis Segal, LA Times Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Serenade, Carmina Burana, London: Sara Veale, Fjord Review Review – Ballet San Jose, Bodies of Technology, San Jose: Janice Berman, SF Classical Voice Review – Paul Taylor, Shen Wei, Jose Limon Companies, Rite of Spring, Passacaglia & Fugue, Promethean Fire, Troilus & Cressida (Reduced), Diggity, Big Bertha, NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Review – Ballet West, The Sixth Beauty, Presto, Jeux, The Lottery, NY: Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Bachtrack Review – Milwaukee Ballet, Giselle (Pink), Milwaukee: Carla Escoda, Bachtrack Reviews – Ballet B.C., Triple Bill, Vancouver: Pia Lo, Bachtrack Andrea Rabinovitch, Vancouver Observer Review – Peter Sellars & Reggie Gray, FLEXN, NY: Ivan Talijancic, Bachtrack Exhibition – ‘Avant,’ Behind the scenes at Northern Ballet, Leeds: Lindsay Pantry, Yorkshire Post News – Scottish Ballet seeks new Chief Executive: DabceTabs Feature – How to get a job as a Ballet Dancer: Nehemiah Kish, via Claire Burke, Guardian Review – Serge Bennathan, Monsieur Auburtin, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com And the latest thing from San Francisco – No Rejection Dance: Tony Bravo, SF Chronicle

Elegant words from Jonathan Gray, Mary Clarke's successor at Dancing Times, with Judith Mackrell revealing how her Dance writing career started: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/mar/30/mary-clarke

Links – Monday, 30 March, 2015 Feature – Merce Cunningham’s RainForest, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Reviews – Royal Ballet, The Four Temperaments, Untouchable, Song of the Earth, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Judith Mackrell, Guardian News – Svetlana Lunkina finally resigns from Bolshoi: Izvestia via Ismene Brown Review – Miami City Ballet, Heatscape, Raymonda Variations, The Concert, Palm Beach: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – American Ballet Theatre, Theme & Variations, Pillar of Fire, Rodeo, DC: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Review – American Ballet Theatre, Cinderella (& Julie Kent’s Farewell), DC: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Review – Joffrey Ballet, Incantations, Son of Chamber Symphony, Bells, Episode 31, SF: Aimee Tsao, DanceTabs Reviews – Ballet San Jose, Bodies of Technology, San Jose: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Claudia Bauer, Monterey Herald Review – Jessica Lang Dance, Mixed Bill, DC: Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post Review – Ballet B.C., Mixed Bill, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com Preview – Liz Gerring Dance Company, glacier, NY: Jack Anderson, NY Times Review – Gotham Chamber Opera/Martha Graham Dance Company, The Tempest Songbook, NY: Anthony Tommasini, NY Times Late Review – Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, Rite of Spring, The Word, Promethean Fire, NY: Marianne Adams, Danceviewtimes Feature – Russian National Ballet Theatre, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Feature – Annabelle Lopez Ochoa & Juanjo Arques work in Moscow: Brittany Roberts, Moscow Times Review – David Neumann’s Advanced Beginner Group, I Understand Everything Better, Rockville, MD: George Jackson, Danceviewtimes

Before too many more performances, and in the hope that references to "mournful German dirges" might be put into context, this extract from the official Kenneth MacMillan website might help: http://www.kennethmacmillan.com/ballets/all-works/1960-1966/song-of-the-earth-das-lied-von-der-erde.html Besides the explanation of MacMillan's thinking, it includes video of Darcey Bussell's memorable final minutes on the ROH stage - and, without that repeated 'Ewig,' I personally would find the steps for the final trio inexplicable. But we're all different.

Bruce: She does it her way, to quote a former multiple retirer.

He's on Radio 4, Front Row, right now. I'll be interested to see reactions here to the music volume - should anyone think it rather loud, it seems he'd have preferred it louder.

John: BBC London News had just run a short feature - roughly on "shock horror at the Royal Ballet" lines and oblivious to some years of Wayne McGregor there - and "social, non-hierarchical and favours group work" looks to be about right.

Mary Clarke, a name that will have been familiar to many Forum members, has died - a brief notice has been posted by Dancing Times: http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/news/item/1750-mary_clarke_1923_2015

Can I ask if anyone else has had their RAD download purchases effectively wiped out by activating the recent 17 March RAD 'bug fixing' update, as appears to have occurred on my wife's iPad? Not only that, but the formatting of what now appears (thumbnails plus 'Buy Now') seems to have gone awry. The circumstantial evidence that the update has caused all the problems is that, on a iPad Mini where the update has not been activated, all is well. An Uninstall + Reinstall has not helped.

DDD: Title adjusted and moved into 'Not Dance.' Despite some years now of running an iMac, I'm no expert - but can you see if the DVD registers at all under 'Devices' in your 'Finder'? (I'm assuming that much is identical to iMac.) If it's not doing that much, there may well be some compatibility problem. And does it play OK in a DVD Player, do you know?

There's a substantial feature on this by Debra Craine in today's Times 2 - as ever, behind the paywall.

From today's Links, Luke Jennings mentions Scarlett as the likely choreographer and gets in his tuppenceworth about what should/should not be in any new RB production: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/mar/22/swan-lake-royal-ballet-review-mcrae-obraztsova?CMP=share_btn_tw

Just thought I'd drop in that the Ballet Company at the Koblenz Theater will be giving the premiere of Cathy Marston's latest full-length piece "Swan Maidens" tonight. I understand that it draws from the Swan Maiden myths, plus something of Ibsen's Nora from "A Doll's House" and, as so often in the past, she has collaborated once again with Edward Kemp (Director at RADA) as Dramaturg. There was a preview piece - in German, of course - in the Rhein Zeitung, via the theatre site: http://www.theater-koblenz.de/stuecke/swanmaidens/f/presse/0.html

In terms of my own experience, I often wonder whether the whole age-related issue is neither here nor there. I 'found' classical music in my 40s and ballet/dance when almost 60. All of those genres were always out there for me but I came to them when ready, and for reasons that would have had nothing at all to do with the best efforts of Artistic Directors to attract me. But I may be unusual.

Links – Thursday, 19 March, 2015 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Swan Lake (Osipova/Golding), London: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Sam Smith, Londonist Reviews – Paris Opera Ballet, Swan Lake (Nureyev), Paris: Laura Cappelle, Financial Times Reviews – ENB & Northern Ballet, Modern Masters & Romeo and Juliet: Ismene Brown, Spectator Review – National Ballet of Canada, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Toronto: Denise Sum, Danceviewtimes News – Sylvie Guillem: Final UK Performances: DanceTabs Special Olivier Award: Londondance News – Dance in Edinburgh International Festival, 2015: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Feature – Sergei Diaghilev: ballet, beauty and the beast: Sjeng Scheijen, Telegraph (Repeated from 2009) Reviews – Akram Khan, Honji Wang, Shahin Novrasli, The Pursuit of Now, London: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian Matthew Wright, Arts Desk Review – Dutch National Ballet, Cinderella (Wheeldon), Hong Kong: Kevin Ng, Bachtrack Review – Paul Taylor ‘s American Modern Dance, Beloved Renegade, Death and the Damsel, Esplanade, NY: Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Bachtrack Review – Ailey II, Breakthrough, Hissy Fits, Virtues, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Joffrey Ballet, Incantations, Son of Chamber Symphony, Bells, Episode 31, Berkeley: Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes Review – Compañía María Pagés, Utopía, DC: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Feature – Emily Molnar, Ballet B.C. & William Forsythe: Janet Smith, Straight.com Tour Preview – Rambert, Daniel Davidson, Rooster, Inverness: Susan Welsh, Press and Journal Feature – Jessica Lang, Choreographer & Director: Ellen Dunkel, Philly.com Film – Lucy Guerin Inc, Motion Picture: Jordan Beth Vincent, Sydney Morning Herald

Links – Wednesday, 18 March, 2015 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Swan Lake (Obraztsova/McCrae), London: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance, Sea Lark, Death and the Damsel, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Review – Taylor Company & Limon Dance Company, Syzygy, Passacaglia and Fugue, Beloved Renegade + Others, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times News – Ballet San Jose to survive, but re-brand: Sam Whiting, SF Chronicle Feature – English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancers Contenders: Graham Watts, Londondance Review – Joffrey Ballet, Incantations, Episode 31, Son of Chamber Symphony, Bells, Berkeley: Janice Berman, SF Classical Voice Review – National Ballet of Canada, Man in Black, Chroma, Allegro Brillante, Carousel (A Dance), Toronto: Penelope Ford, Fjord Review Review – Pacific Northwest Ballet, Forsythe Triple Bill, Seattle: Pia Lo, Bachtrack Review – Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre, Space Opera, LA area: Victoria Looseleaf, Fjord Review Feature – Dancer Ahmed Yehia on the prospect for ballet in Egypt: Rana Khaled, Daily News Egypt Preview – NZ Dance Company & NZ Army Band, Rotunda, Auckland: Anon, Dominion Post Review – Atlanta Eke, Body of Work, Melbourne: Chloe Smethurst, The Age Review – Rawcus, Catalogue, Melbourne: Jana Perkovic, Guardian

Just back from seeing it in Cambridge - full house in the biggest screen. Miss Osipova is undoubtedly very capable but I have yet to learn to love her and, seeing it again, I really don't care for the production. (Why does that otherwise eminently sensible Queen not summon the constabulary when her Ball is interrupted by an obvious weirdo and his even weirder retinue?)

Links – Tuesday, 17 March, 2015 Review – Pennsylvania Ballet, Swan Lake (Wheeldon), Philadelphia: Alastair Macaulay, NY TImes Reviews – Singin’ in the Rain, (Carsen, Mear, Hatley, Powell), Paris: Michael Billington, Guardian Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Laura Cappelle, Financial Times Reviews – National Ballet of Canada, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Toronto: Paula Citron, Globe and Mail Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Reviews – Pacific Northwest Ballet, Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, New Suite, Berio 3, In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, Seattle: Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times Alice Kaderlan, Seattle Pi Review – Australian Ballet, Giselle (Gielgud), Melbourne: Heather Bloom, Australian Stage Reviews – Sydney Dance Company, Quintett, Frame of Mind, Sydney: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Deborah Jones, Blog Review – Houston Ballet, Ballo della Regina, Jardi Tancat, Etudes, Houston: Jenny Taylor Moodie, BWW Feature – Building Arts Audiences/Pacific Northwest Ballet Case Study: Staff, BWW -- PNB .pdf download, Wallace Foundation Gallery – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Serenade, Carmina Burana: Various, Guardian Review – Helen Simoneau Dance, Task of Doing, Caribou, Moonlight Parade (for Two), DC: George Jackson, Danceviewtimes Review – Par B.L.eux, Snakeskins, Vancouver: Alexander Varty, Straight.com Review – Antony Hamilton & Alisdair McIndoe, Rebecca Jansen & Sarah Aiken, Meeting, Overworld, Melbourne: Gracia Haby, Fjord Review Review – Rosalind Crisp/Omeo Dance, The Boom Project, Melbourne: Chloe Smethurst, The Age And for St Patrick’s Day: Michael Koziol, Sydney Morning Herald

Alison: This may be what you want? http://static.roh.org.uk/showings/swan-lake-live-2015/en.pdf

Links – Monday, 16 March, 2015 Feature – Castaways Choice, 2 Modern Dances: 10 US Critics, The Barre Flies Review – English National Ballet, Modern Masters Triple Bill, London: Gerald Dowler, Classical Source Reviews – Australian Ballet, Giselle (Gielgud), Melbourne: Eamonn Kelly, The Australian Jordan Beth Vincent, Sydney Morning Herald Stephanie Glickman, Herald Sun Reviews – Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance, NY: Death and the Damsel, Beloved Renegade, Esplanade: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Sea Lark, Death and the Damsel, Arden Court, Esplanade, Beloved Renegade: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Review – Joffrey Ballet, Mixed Bill, SF: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Review – Martha Graham Dance Company, Cave of the Heart, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Interview (Part 2) – David Bintley, Director, BRB: Graham Watts, Londondance (Part 1, see Wednesday 11 March) Review – Bolshoi Ballet, Hamlet (Poklitaru), Moscow: Tatiana Kuznetsova via Ismene Brown Review – Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, Inverness: Mary Brennan, The Herald Review – Chunky Move, Depth of Field, Melbourne: Jana Perkovic, Guardian Review – Singapore Dance Theatre, The Sleeping Beauty, Singapore: Joy Wang Xin Yuan, Bachtrack Review – Shelley Lasica, Solos for Other People, Melbourne: Chloe Smethurst, The Age Review – Force Majeure, Nothing to Lose, Melbourne: Chloe Smethurst, The Age