Ian Macmillan

DrewCo: As one of those who carries out our daily Links trawl, I would agree up to a point. I thought there was a good deal of coverage of the Bolshoi visit from Alastair Macaulay in the NY Times. But over the last six months or so, Leigh Witchel has pretty much disappeared from the New York Post, where he was once very regular, and is now to be seen online from time to time on Danceviewtimes, and Robert Gottlieb is only an occasional contributor to the NY Observer. But when these critics do write, my impression is that they are allowed many more column inches to develop an argument in depth than is often the case over here these days on our larger number of broadsheets. (Even Clement Crisp in the FT seems thus limited..... but it may just be that he has an ability to say what he needs in a few well chosen acerbic or laudatory words.)

Links – Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Review – Mariinsky Ballet, Swan Lake, London: Sarah Crompton, Telegraph Previews – Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Mark Morris Dance Group, Acis and Galatea, NY: Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, NY Times Robert Johnson, Star-Ledger Lincoln Center Out Of Doors, New York: Review – Turko-Persian Diaspora: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Review – Paul Taylor Dance Company, Triple Bill: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Outdoors Review – Dusk Dances, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Review – Lenka Vagnerová & Company, Riders: Kirsty Morgan, Bachtrack Review – Keneish Dance, Tabula Rasa: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Review – Dance Base Roundup: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Feature – A San Francisco therapeutic Dance project: Meredith May, SF Chronicle Scroll down here to find Mesdames Rojo and Cojocaru in fancy frocks: Daily Mail And after years of daily Links here and at ballet.co, what does this say about us … or you: Two Thirds of Theatregoers do not read reviews: Nicola Merrifield, The Stage

What follows is copied from the Company website - so subsidy is coming from the Flemish Region, the City and Province of Antwerp, and the Province of East Flanders. (There is a bit below this stating that there's also some commercial support from a number of sources.) Thus, it looks to me very much as another example of what Belgian friends used to call a 'parastatal' organisation, perhaps what we might call a Quango over here. I doubt that it is 'an independent Arts organisation' as such - and, of course, the previous Director had to go when she had a run-in with the Flemish Culture mInister. Royal Ballet Flanders is an institution of the Flemish Community and is subsidized by

Bruce: You may well be right. If 69% of the Company (a very precise figure) wrote late last year that they had no confidence in her, then they covered such feelings very well when I saw them in a vibrant R&J in Antwerp in March this year. And I wonder what period is covered by "Eventually" as regards 15 out of 45 leaving? The annual joiners/leavers/promotions announcement this summer listed just 4 as leaving. Yet there is a clear sign in that piece that she has not been at one with a number of folk with, perhaps, one side of an argument being pushed hard in support of the recent decision that she must go.

Links – Tuesday, August 5, 2014 Reviews – Mariinsky Ballet, Swan Lake, London: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Judith Mackrell, Guardian Zoë Anderson, Independent Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Rosamaria Kostic Cisneros, Bachtrack Live Stream – Mariinsky Ballet in class, tomorrow: Sarah Crompton, Telegraph 2nd Review – Vail International Dance Festival, Colorado: Alastair Macaulay, NY TImes Feature – Nina Ananiashvili staging Don Quixote for HK Ballet: Natasha Rogai, SCMP Review – English National Ballet, Coppélia, London: Gerald Dowler, Classical Source Preview – Post:Ballet, Five High, SF: Andrea Pflaumer, SF Examiner Review – Camille A. Brown, Mr TOL E. RAncE, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times News – McDonald Ballet Scholarship Winners, Sydney: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Review – Theatre With Teeth, Dirty Decadence: Donald Hutera, The List Review – Eowyn Emerald and Dancers, 50-minute programme: Donald Hutera, The List Review – Barely Methodical Troupe, Bromance: Donald Hutera, The List Review – VTDance & Scottish Ballet Dance Artists, iWitness, Special Edition: Lucy Ribchester, The List

"Lights Out" for one hour at 10pm UK time tonight. A small family pilgrimage, extending to the fourth generation, will go over to France later this month to be in the Le Cateau area on 26/27 August. The purpose: to commemorate my maternal grandfather whose war with the BEF came to an end that night in the confused - later, controversial - circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders after the battle there.

Links – Monday, August 4, 2014 Reviews – Mariinsky Ballet, Swan Lake, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Preview – Osipova and Vasiliev, Solo for Two: Judith Mackrell, Guardian -- Gallery: Barry J Holmes, Guardian Feature – ABT Soloist Sascha Radetsky ‘s last performance: Sascha Radetsky, Vogue Review – Vail International Dance Festival, Colorado: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times News – NYCB Gala to present three World Premieres: Michael Cooper, NY Times/ArtsBeat Review – Lincoln Center Out of Doors, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – John Heginbotham, Chalk and Soot, Jacob’s Pillow: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal Feature – Backstage with Royal New Zealand Ballet: Carly Thomas, Stuff.co Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Review – Vendetta Mathea, Homme/Animal: Lucy Ribchester, The List Review – Brazouka/Arlene Phillips: Claire Sawyers, The List Review – This is Brazil – The Show: Claire Sawyers, The List Seen previously? – The Ballerina Project, Dane Shitagi, Huffington Post And for your Autumnal delectation: History Come Dancing!! Evening Times

Bruce, many thanks, and it's a piece well worthy of inclusion in tomorrow's Links. I don't think that any of us trawls Vogue as a matter of course, and it also appears to have slipped through the mighty Google net.

Links – Sunday, August 3, 2014 Review – Mariinsky Ballet, Swan Lake, London: Laura Thompson, Telegraph Reviews – Mariinsky Ballet, Romeo and Juliet, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Jeffery Taylor, Sunday Express Feature – The Art of the Ballet Conductor: Marina Harss, NY Times Six Reviews – Pilobolus Dance Theatre, New York: Barre Flies Laura Jacobs, Robert Johnson, Joel Lobenthal, Eliza Minden, Apollinaire Scherr, Leigh Witchel Feature – English Youth Ballet: James Murray, Sunday Express News – Sydney Eisteddfod Finalists: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Feature – Sergei Kirov, whose name replaced Mariinsky: Gus Peters, St Petersburg Times Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Review – Barely Methodical Troupe, Bromance: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Review – Made in Macao, Playing Landscape: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Preview – Fleur Darkin/Scottish Dance Theatre, Miann: Kelly Apter, The List

Links – Saturday, August 2, 2014 Review – Bolshoi Ballet, Spartacus, NY: Marianne Adams, Danceviewtimes Review – Natalia Osipova & Ivan Vasiliev, Solo for Two, LA: Jean Lenihan, Arts Journal/Fresh Pencil Gallery – Mariinsky Ballet, Swan Lake, London: Dave Morgan, DanceTabs News – Assis Carreiro no longer AD at Royal Ballet of Flanders: Dancing Times Review – Dance Theatre of Harlem, Lark Ascending, Contested Space, Return, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Feature – Passion, Summer Heat and Ballet: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Review – Wendy Whelan, Restless Creature, London: Sara Veale, Fjord Review News – Russian Culture Minister backs down on salaries threat: Izvestia via Ismene Brown's Blog Reviews – BalletBoyz, the TALENT, Serpent, Fallen, London: Graham Watts, Londondance Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Zoë Anderson, Independent Vera Liber, BTG Review – Sylvie Guillem & Russell Maliphant, Push, London: Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Feature – Roy Kaiser’s 35 Years at Pennsylvania Ballet: Julie Diana, Playbill Arts Review – ODC/Dance, Breathing Underwater, Lifesaving Maneuvers, SF: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Preview – 12th Montreal International Tango Festival: Victor Swoboda, Montreal Gazette Next week in London & Edinburgh: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – Indira Kadambi & Sheejith Krishna, Bharata Natyam Recital, DC: George Jackson, Danceviewtimes News – DanceEast announces new Associate Artists: Lucie Sheppard, Londondance Feature – Dancing to cheer commuters!: Kevin Fagan, SF Chronicle

Her departure is being covered in De Standaard and other Flemish media, but with nothing to add to what's in the Dancing Times piece which, in turn, reflects what's on the company website.

Indeed! So what has gone wrong this week with her departure backdated to Monday, and when she had tweeted this just a week ago today? @SuffolkBroad: Back #antwerpen from fab hols #valencia & #sicily new season mon @BalletFlanders & new Choreo, dancers, ballets! Can't wait 2 c everyone !

I had not planned to say more but Bruce Marriott of DanceTabs has, I think, summed up the position quite neatly on Twitter: "@DanceTabs: Only 3 years age difference between Parish & Tereshkina but their R&J felt like The Graduate at times. He ought to run off with Paris's page" Frankly, Mr Parish did his best but was not helped by Ms Tereshkina who, for me, showed no interest in anyone but herself. (As for Paris, after a brief moment of dutiful grief by Juliet's tomb, he took off smartly with that female Page who always looked ready to offer all the comfort he might require.)

Just back from Night 2 and I defer to The Bard's dying Mercutio: "A plague on both your houses" as portrayed in this dreadful production. Other opinions are no doubt available.

Quite so, as part of their 'Flanders Fields' commemoration: http://www.balletvlaanderen.be/?page_id=5027〈=en

How true!! I had thought this item might have been a reprise of the piece danced to Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium, the one saving grace of the last Acosta show that I attended some years ago, and in which there was a brief moment of hers that I remember still when, as a relatively new mother, she interpreted the line 'iacentem in praesepio' - but I see that it was something else, Sight Unseen by Edwaard Liang, danced to one of Arvo Part's compositions. I'm delighted to hear that she made it her own.

Links – Tuesday, July 22, 2014 Review – San Francisco Ballet, Maelstrom, Within The Golden Hour, Glass Pieces, Paris: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – San Francisco Ballet, Paris Season to date: Laura Cappelle, Financial Times Preview – Bolshoi Ballet, Spartacus, NY: Joan Acocella, New Yorker Interview/Podcast – The Royal Ballet’s Stephen McCrae: Alice Lagnado, Voice of Russia Gallery – Carlos Acosta/Cubania, Derrumbe, London: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Gallery – Dance at Latitude Festival, 2014: Lise Smith, DanceTabs Feature – Top Tips for welcoming family Arts audiences: Mari O’Neill, Guardian Review – Brasil Brasileiro, London: Jeffery Taylor, Express Feature – How Li Cunxin brought MacMillan’s R&J to Brisbane: Kent Gordon, Yahoo! 7 News Review – Rosemary Lee, Under the Vaulted Sky, Milton Keynes: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian Preview – RAWdance, Turing’s Apple, Burn In, etc, SF: Andrea Pflaumer, SF Examiner

Links – Monday, July 21, 2014 Preview – Vasiliev and Osipova, Solo for Two, LA/London: Joseph Carman, LA Times Review – San Francisco Ballet, Maelstrom, Within the Golden Hour, Glass Pieces, Paris: Jann Parry, DanceTabs News – Atlanta Eke, Keir Choreographic Award Winner, Melbourne: John Bailey, The Age Anne Lin, Guardian Jill Sykes, The Age Review – Northern Ballet, Concerto Six Twenty-Two, Concertante, The Architect, Leeds: Bruce Marrioitt, DanceTabs Edinburgh Fringe Preview – Lenka Vagnerová, Riders, La Loba, Edinburgh: Lucy Ribchester, DanceTabs Feature – Coppélia – why is Art obsessed with lifesize dolls? Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Feature – Hillar Liitoja, Red Light Green Light, Toronto: Paula Citron, Globe and Mail Feature – Marguerite Derricks, Hoofing It From Hollywood: Rebecca Milzoff, NY Times Review – Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company, Frida, September Sonnet, Magritte Magritte, NY: George Jackson, Danceviewtimes Review – Aerial Dance Chicago & Elements Contemporary Ballet, Surge & others, Chicago: Laura Molzahn, Chicago Tribune Preview – FJK Dance, Arabesque, Tango Unframed, NY: Jack Anderson, NY Times Review – Philip Adams Balletlab, Live with it We all have HIV, Melbourne: Chloe Smethurst, The Age

Links – Sunday, July 20, 2014 Review – San Francisco Ballet, Caprice, Hummingbird (Scarlett), Symphonic Dances, Paris: Jann Parry, DanceTabs News – Nikolai Tsiskaridze still ‘acting’ at the Vaganova: Sources via Ismene Brown's Blog Reviews – Rambert Event and Joseph Mercier, Of Saints and Go-Go Boys, London: Luke Jennings, The Observer Review – Keir Choreographic Award Semi-Finals, Melbourne: Gracia Haby, Fjord Review Video – Gillian Murphy & James Whiteside, A New York Moment in Brisbane: Israel Rivera via Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Feature – Degas, his paintings, and some quotations: Priscilla Frank, Huffington Post Preview – Barrowland Ballet, The River, Glasgow: Kelly Apter, Scotsman And OK, it’s a quiet day, so: Ant Ballet: Daily Mail

Links – Saturday, July 19, 2014 Reviews – Bolshoi Ballet, Swan Lake, NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Bachtrack Features: David Hallberg at The Bolshoi: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Svetlana Lunkina in Canada: Victor Swoboda, Montreal Gazette Reviews – San Francisco Ballet, Maelstrom, Hummingbird (Scarlett), Glass Pieces & others, Paris: Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Judith Mackrell, Guardian Sarah Crompton, Telegraph Interview – Nicolas Le Riche on leaving POB: Maria Sidelnikova, Kommersant via Ismene Brown's Blog Gallery – English National Ballet, Coppélia in rehearsal, London: Laurent Liotardo, DanceTabs Review – Daniel Ulbricht & NYCB Dancers, Furiant, Two Hearts, Liturgy, Fancy Free, etc, Jacob’s Pillow: Brian Seibert, NY Times DVD Feature – Shakespeare: huge dance fan: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Tour Review – Bangarra Dance Theatre, Patyegarang, Canberra: Michelle Potter, Sydney Morning Herald Coming Up in London: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Judith Mackrell, Guardian Paris Exhibition – Les Ballets Suédois, Palais Garnier: Judith Mackrell, Guardian (Scroll down) Review – Les Saisons Russes, Polovtsian Dances and others, London: Graham Watts, Londondance Review – Shen Wei Dance Arts, Map, 0-12, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – Pilobolus, The Inconsistent Pedaler, All Is Not Lost, NY: Unattributed, NY Times Review – ARC Dance/Marie Chong, The Blue Room, Recurring, etc, Seattle: Alice Kaderlan, Seattle Times Feature – Team Scotland’s Bolshoi Ballet Expert: Louise Andrew, BBC Scotland

Links – Friday, July 18, 2014 Reviews – San Francisco Ballet, Caprice, Hummingbird (Scarlett), Symphonic Dances, Paris: Sarah Crompton, Telegraph Opinion – A Blueprint for Artistic Survival: Rupert Christiansen, Telegraph Review – Bolshoi Ballet, Swan Lake, NY: Mary Cargill, Danceviewtimes -- Feature – David Hallberg at the Bolshoi: Jocelyn Noveck, Enquirer-Herald Review – Anna Teresa de Keersmaeker/Rosas, Elena’s Aria, NY: Martha Sherman, Danceviewtimes Feature – Lucy Guerin, Choreographing the National Theatre’s Medea: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Interview – Choreographer Stephen Petronio: Nancy Dalva, Brooklyn Rail Interview – Shiori Kase, First Soloist, English National Ballet: Bruce Marriott, DanceTabs Review – Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, New York Season: Brian Schaefer, Brooklyn Rail Review – Les Saisons Russes, Petrushka, Les Sylphides, Polvtsian Dances, London: Neil Norman, Express Feature – Degas’ ‘Little Dancer’ at The National Gallery, Washington DC: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Review – Clod Ensemble, Red Ladies, London: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian Review – Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival, Glasgow: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Preview – Marcelo Gomes at Fire Island Dance Festival: Brian Schaefer, NY Times Review – Dorrance Dance, ETM: The Initial Approach, Jacob’s Pillow: Brian Seibert, NY Times Preview – RAWdance, Turing’s Apple, Burn In, SF: Rachel Howard, SF Chronicle Review – Dance and Process Multiple Bills, NY: Leslie Allison, Brooklyn Rail Feature – So, just what is a theatre? Risa Shoup, Brooklyn Rail Preview – Kaeja d’Dance, Porch View Dances, Toronto: Paula Citron, Globe and Mail And from the Treasure House that is Google: Feature – Catching up with Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev: Marcy Medina, Women's Wear Daily Feature – Sarah Murdoch, Mogul en Pointe: Jenna Clarke, Daily Life

PdeQ and others, I think you'll find some extremely profound examples here: http://brooklynrail.org/2014/07/dance/dance-and-process

Having just 'liked' Dave Morgan's post re Sarah Kundi, it now strikes me that it's probably worth adding that her joining ENB represents a result for Cassa Pancho's Ballet Black and that company's stated aim of getting more Black and Asian dancers into mainstream ballet until, one day, it should not have to exist at all.

We don't normally encourage cross-posting but could those with children accepted for the course please have a look at this new thread. A Mum needs help and you might be able to help.

Links – Sunday, July 13, 2014 Reviews – Rosas/Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, Rosas danst Rosas, NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – Les Saisons Russes, Le Coq d’Or, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Review – Paul White, Anatomy of an Afternoon, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Review – Nederlands Dans Theater 1, Sehnsucht, Schmetterling, London: Sara Veale, Fjord Review Coming up: In London – Clement Crisp, Financial Times Near Boston – Karen Campbell, Boston Globe Feature – Janet Collins, the first black dancer at The Met: Amanda Holpuch, Guardian Feature – Gina Gibney, Power Broker in NY Contemporary Dance: Alex Traub, NY Observer Preview – Alma de España Flamenco Dance Company, Pasajes, Victoria, BC: Paula Citron, Globe and Mail Review – Dancing on the Edge, Edge 2 & 3 Programs, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com Preview – Dr Chandrabhanu, Navagraha, The Planets of Destiny, Darebin: Bhakthi Puvanenthiran, The Age Review – Okareka Dance Company, Mana Wahine, Dunedin: Anna Bate, Theatreview Feature – London Boys Ballet School: Andy Dangerfield, BBC News