Ian Macmillan

A scientific study on how dancers deal with pirouettes has had some coverage this morning, including Deborah Bull demonstrating to the Today programme sitting on an office chair. A link to a report on the study is here: http://www.science20.com/news_articles/ballet_dancers_brains_are_different_too-121284 And Imperial College has posted this since I posted Links: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_26-9-2013-17-43-4 Other coverage on this Google page: http://news.google.com/news/rtc?ncl=dwwFLP03qPgn7XM&ned=uk&siidp=3e2e8244a57c0f4e4f198ed1a3b7c3c3d667

Links – Friday, September 27, 2013 Review – New York City Ballet, Balanchine Black & White Bill: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Glasgow Reviews – Scottish Ballet, Rite of Spring, Elite Syncopations: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Mary Brennan presumably, Herald Salford Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Sleeping Beauty: James Stanley, What's On Stage NY Fall for Dance Reviews: Richard Alston Co, Devil in the Detail; Gabriel Missé & Analia Centurion, Esencia de Tango: Justin Peck, The Bright Motion; Jelon Vieira, Fé do Sertão: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Leigh Witchel, NY Post Tobi Tobias on Sara Mearns, Arts Journal (Seeing Things) Brisbane Review – Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre, Rite of Spring, Petrushka: Deborah Jones, The Australian Interview – Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet’s Ebony Williams: Londondance Reviews - Megan Springer, Flutter; John J Zullo Dance/Raw Movement, ALL what THIS do etc: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal (DanceBeat) Book Review – The Royal New Zealand Ballet at 60: Lynne Lancaster, Performing Arts Hub Feature/Interview – Ballet Black/Cassa Pancho: Ruth McKee, North London Newspapers Pirouettes Study – A ballerina’s brain holds the secret: Science 2.0 …. And with less detail but more Darcey: Sam Webb, Daily Mail

Lin: You sneaked in just as I was writing that the 10s were built in the Weybridge factory, and flown out from the Brooklands strip to the larger airfield at Wisley for testing. There is one back at Brooklands - it was acquired by the Sultan of Oman in the mid-70s and modified internally for Ritz-style operations until he decided to go upscale with a 747 in 1987, when a friend delivered it back there. That required very precise flying and, I think, the removal of some trees short of the touchdown zone. The aircraft that went to Dunsfold on Tuesday is, I understand, for the Brooklands Museum. I'm not sufficiently clued-in on distances and so forth to know how that will work in practice. Like Janet, I did a few circuits in the back of a Concorde in May 1977 - Fairford, then the Concorde training base, was having its runway resurfaced and the training moved over to Brize Norton. (Concorde 002 did a promotional visit to Australia in 1972, with RAF VC10 and Belfast aircraft allocated in support, before my time on 10 Squadron.) But back to the 10 - there are now lots of photos etc of yesterday's final arrival around. A good group is here, complete with a number of the shirts you now see at left. ( I hear there were about 500 visitors' cars in all turned up.): http://www.vc10.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=807&p=4686#p4686 And one of the shorter bits of video - do turn up the sound for that glorious Rolls Royce Conway howl in the go-around: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sWNwTIBAYM

Links – Thursday, September 26, 2013 Reviews – New York City Ballet, Four Temperaments, Episodes, Symphony in Three Movements: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Edinburgh Festival: A long Review & Reflection – Scottish Ballet & Others, 4 days of Dance Odysseys: Bruce Marriott, DanceTabs Bolshoi - Filin says he would accept Tsiskaridze’s return: TASS, via Ismene Brown's Blog Twin Cities Review – Hubbard Street Dance, Quad Bill: Caroline Palmer, Star Tribune Review – Houston Ballet, The Merry Widow: Adam Castaneda, Houston Press NY Preview – Andrea Miller/Gallim Dance, Fold Here: Susan Reiter, NY Times SF Preview – Bodytraffic, Kollide: Rachel Howard, SF Chronicle Feature – Alberta Ballet, Madame Butterfly: Stephen Hunt, Calgary Herald London Reviews – Zoo Nation, Unplugged: Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Vera Liber, BTG LA Reviews – David Roussève/Reality, Stardust: Victoria Looseleaf, LA Times Jean Lenihan, Arts Journal (Fresh Pencil) Rehearsal Video – Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Sleeping Beauty (Eks): Allen McInnis, Montreal Gazette Miami’s Top 5 Dance Events, 2013-14: Jordan Levin, Miami Herald MacArthur Fellowships for Abraham & Ratmansky: Marina Harss, Random Thoughts blog News – RAD Genée Competition: Pauline McLean, BBC Scotland Book Preview – Misty Copeland, Life in Motion: Rhonesha Byng, Huffington Post And anyone for a Minuet – provided you know the Time Signature? imgur

Lin: You are quite correct, and the new pic reflects today having been a special day, a subject better continued here: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/4938-end-of-an-era-in-british-aviation/#entry60745

The RAF's last VC 10 aircraft was flown into retirement this afternoon, bringing to an end an era that started in 1962 when BOAC got its first of the type. The RAF fleet began in 1966 when No 10 Squadron was equipped with 14 aircraft, a mix of the basic and Super civil versions, flown in the Strategic Transport role. A number of ex-civil aircraft were later acquired for conversion to Air-to-Air Refuelling tankers. It was an aircraft of unsurpassed elegance. This painting - by Penelope Douglas, and hanging in the Officers' Mess at RAF Brize Norton - is of the C Mk 1 version as I flew it in the mid-70s. The background is at Dulles International Airport, outside Washington DC:

Perhaps predictably after the news that Mr Tsiskaridze has had a meeting with the Russian Culture Minister (today's Links), Ismene Brown's blog now carries news via Novosti that Sergei Filin would accept his return to the Company should the Theatre Director decide that this is appropriate: http://www.ismeneb.com/Blog/Entries/2013/9/25_Filin_says_he_will_accept_Tsiskaridzes_return.html Edit: Ms Brown has expanded her blog post and it's now a TASS report that's used.

Chris: Whilst a same-sex pairing might be interesting, as you suggest, I take it that when you ask about lifts you don't mean in any of the existing choreographies - eg MacMillan, Cranko, Nureyev, Ashton - all created very much with a male/female pair in mind? Apart from the issue of whether such a revision would be permitted by the rights-holders of the existing works, it would surely have to be done in some new choreography - by Matthew Bourne, perhaps? And cross-gender characterisation is certainly possible. The Cathy Marston J&R that I mentioned some posts earlier had a Mercutia, a veritable tomboy well put across by Emma Lewis, if memory serves. And I seem to recall remarking at the time that this gender difference added a certain frisson to her scrapping with Tybalt, who appeared totally aghast when he had killed her.

OK - this thread has drifted sufficiently for me to propose Paula Alonso and Denis Puzanov from Cathy Marston's Bern:Ballet production of Julia und Romeo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_p60al8GsM NB the inversion in the title, and that Paula was the young Annamiggeli in Witch Hunt at the Linbury back in May.

Alison: The Links available in my stint this week have been perhaps 60% Previews of events to come, and it was a welcome relief to have Laura Cappelle's Review of Dutch National's season opener this morning. Oddly, I don't recall having quite such a 'between seasons' feeling in past years.

Links – Friday, September 13, 2013 9/11 Commemoration by NYCB Principals, After the Rain: Jane Levere, Forbes (and follow the New Beginnings link) 4* Review – Dutch National Ballet, Les Sylphides, Corps, The body of the national ballet: Laura Cappelle, Financial Times Preview – Los Angeles Area Fall Season: Laura Bleiberg, LA Times Preview – Boston Area Fall Season: Dana Barbuto, Patriot Ledger Melbourne Review – RAW Dance Company, Bang! Crash! Tap!: Jordan Beth Vincent, The Age Hong Kong Review – Crazy Horse Cabaret, Forever Crazy: Kevin Ng, Time Out HK Toronto Review – Strauss, Coutts, Laurin, Emard, Vital Signs: Paula Citron, Globe and Mail Montreal Preview – Quartiers Danses Festival: Victor Swoboda, Montreal Gazette Sergei Filin to return to Moscow this weekend: Michael Cooper, NY Times Feature – National Ballet of China, Don Quixote: Li Yan, Ecns.cn

Links – Thursday, September 12, 2013 News- Wage negotiation impasse at San Francisco Ballet: Sean J. Miller, Backstage Conductor Scott Speck on Joffrey Ballet’s Russian Masters: Catherine L. Tully, Huff Post Interview – NYCB’s Ashley Bouder: Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Huff Post Costume Preview – New York City Ballet Opening Gala: Gia Kourlas, NY Times NY Preview – Fall for Dance Festival Season: Susan Reiter, Playbill Arts News – ROH joins with Digital Theatre to distribute downloads: Nicola Merrifield, The Stage News – Matthew Bourne announces New Adventures Award Winners: BBC News Carmel Smith, Londondance Feature – Thibaut Eiferman of Ballet B.C.: Janet Smith, Straight.com Preview – Bay Area Flamenco Festival: Jesse Hamlin, SF Chronicle New York Theatre Ballet loses its home and faces closure: Carla Escoda, Huff Post If NYCB’s costumes don’t do it for you, how about Zang Toi’s “Ballet Babe” theme?: Demara White, Global Grind and elsewhere

The ROH and Digital Theatre have joined forces to distribute filmed performances online: http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2013/09/roh-partners-digital-theatre-distribute-filmed-shows/ More detail from the Digital Theatre site: http://www.digitaltheatre.com/browse/royal-opera-house-collection It looks as if you can rent for 48 hours (£3.99), buy for £8.99, or buy in HD format for £10.99. Edit to add: I like the fancy words suggesting that DVDs are no longer selling as well as before.

Links – Wednesday, September 11, 2013 Washington DC Exhibition – Diaghilev & The Ballets Russes 1909-1929: Nora Fitzgerald, RBTH (with Gallery) London News – Kings of The Dance Lineup, 2014: Louise Jury, Evening Standard Sydney News – Sydney Dance Company 2014 Season: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Michaela Boland, The Australian Elissa Blake, Sydney Morning Herald Tour News – Houston Ballet in NYC, Chicago, Paris & More: Staff, BWW Tour Review – Northern Ballet, Midsummer Night’s Dream: Charles Hutchinson, York Press NY Preview – Philadelphia Dance Company, James Brown Tribute: James C. McKinley Jr, NY Times Overseas dancers Bolster West Australia Ballet: Stephen Bevis, West Australian Tour Review – Peter Schaufuss Ballet, Romeo and Juliet (Ashton): Anna Brosnan, Northampton Chronicle London News – Chisenhale Dance Space, Big 30 Season: Carmel Smith, Londondance

Links – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 US Tour Preview – Matthew Bourne New Adventures, Sleeping Beauty: Staff, BWW NY Review – Miro Magloire/New Chamber Ballet, Mixed Bill: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Tour Review – Northern Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Kevin Barry, The Stage Feature – Claire Cunningham, Dancer, Choreographer: Joyce McMillan, Scotsman NY Preview – BEAT Festival 2013: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Chicago Preview – Fall Dance Seasons, 2013: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Hardly News – Bolshoi Ballet rocked by year of scandals: Graham Osborn, RBTH Theatre Review – Edge Theatre, Nijinsky’s Last Dance: Abby Koenig, Houston Press Orlando Ballet’s problem with mould (mold) continuing: Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel And …. A look at tastemaker Maria Kochetkova, setting the tone in San Francisco: 7x7SF

Having watched tonight's proceedings on TV - my Promming days are now behind me - I think that this could well have been the best Last Night ever. Nigel Kennedy was tremendous, Joyce DiDonato was almost beyond words, and Marin Alsop took commanding charge of the whole affair and even succeeded in keeping all of the venues together in "You'll never walk alone." Truly remarkable. And our own BangorBalletBoy and Mrs BBB were spotted in great voice at the end .... after what I believe would have been a very busy day for both. Well done!!

I caught last Saturday night's performance at Sadler's Wells. As I mentioned earlier, this was to be my first viewing of a stage performance and, probably unfairly, I found it less compelling than the film which made such an impression some 50 years ago - the stage is necessarily more restrictive and the numbers of dancers involved seemed fewer than I recall. Nonetheless, it proved an excellent night out and I found Penelope Armstead-Williams' Anita to be the strongest of the main roles. And I suspect that my emotional reaction to the conclusion has been tempered by balletic Romeo and Juliets, particularly MacMillan's, and this seemed all over too quickly. (And at times I was back in Bern with Cathy Marston's Julia und Romeo, where the staging was suggestive of those New York balconies.)

You're getting the hang of this links biz, Janet. Truly - we live in #sensitivetimes!

I've seen a number of similar confrontations posted elsewhere, all set in Air Force station situations - and I fear that the language used on the soundtracks usually degenerates rather more than in this fairly civilised case!

Links – Wednesday, August 28, 2013 A Lost Benjamin Britten Score for Les Sylphides? Michael Cooper, NY Times American Keenan Kampa’s First Mariinsky Season: Allison Geller, SP Times Roundhouse Review – Siobhan Davies Dance, Rotor: Alison Gunn, Financial Times Montreal Preview – Choreo Dave St-Pierre & Cirque Eloize, Cirkopolis: Pat Donnelly, Montreal Gazette Bay Area Preview – Fall Season Highlights: Rita Felciano, SF Bay Guardian This has surely been wrongly tagged as La Sylphide by the paper? Gallery Preview – Australian Ballet, Paquita: Joe Armao, Sydney Morning Herald

Links – Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Ballet San Jose and ABT – A two-way partnership? Wendy Perron, Dance Magazine Stage Tube – NYCB 2013-14 Season Sneak Peek: BWW Edinburgh International Festival, 2013: Reviews– L.A. Dance Project, Moving Parts, Winterbranch, Quintett: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Zoë Anderson, Independent Fringe Reviews – Various Shows: Mary Brennan, Herald

LinMM: This sounds very much like a repeat of the BBC4 Docudrama made some 3 or 4 years ago, one of a series dealing with significant women. If it is, I think it had Anne-Marie Duffy as Fonteyn and a Dutch actor as Nureyev. It had a significant focus on the "Did they or didn't they have an affair?" question, coming down very heavily on the Yes side. Edited to add this link, just found: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1229174/Were-Margot-Fonteyn-Nureyev-really-lovers-A-riveting-TV-drama-brings-ballets-passionate-pairing-life.html

Links – Monday, August 26, 2013 Edinburgh International Festival, 2013: Reviews – L.A. Dance Project, Moving Parts, Winterbranch, Quintett: Sarah Crompton, Telegraph Alice Bain, Guardian Mary Brennan, The Herald Interviews/Previews – José Montalvo, Don Quichotte du Trocadéro: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Kelly Apter, The List Scottish ballet gains ‘Herald Angels’ award for sustained contribution: Herald Quick Q&A – Chris Hampson, Scottish Ballet’s AD: Laura Cappelle, Dance Magazine Elsewhere: Auckland Review – Royal New Zealand Ballet, Swan Lake: Takeshi Ito, Stuff.co BBC TV Review – Flamenco – Gypsy Soul: Ismene Brown, Arts Desk And - Ballet wedding ideas, anyone? Beats me, but that’s what it says here: Huffington Post

From this morning's Links - a reflection by former Australian Ballet dancer Annie Carroll as she looks back on her days in competitions (eisteddfods) down-under against the reality of stage performance: http://dancelines.com.au/elusive-position-ballet-race-won/ I doubt that they will stop happening any day soon, but her thoughts are worthy of consideration.

Links – Sunday, August 25, 2013 Review – Bolshoi Ballet in London, Flames of Paris: Luke Jennings, Observer Ballet competitions and a race that can never be truly won: Annie Carroll (Ex-Australian Ballet), Dancelines Sydney Preview – Akram Khan Company, iTMOi: Elissa Blake, Sydney Morning Herald Feature – New Dancers at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens: Montreal Gazette Documentary Review – Royal New Zealand Ballet, Giselle: Lydia Jenkin, NZ Herald Preview – Jacob’s Pillow Season, Final Day: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Feature/Gallery - Ballets Russes designer Leon Bakst as exotic interior designer: Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post Impressions of a year with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy: Tala Lee-Turton, Yorkshire Post Edinburgh International Festival, 2013: Interview – L.A. Dance Project/Benjamin Millepied: Claire Black, Scotsman Interview – L.A.Dance Project/Composer Nico Muhly: Claire Sawers, The List Festival Fringe: Review – Giulio D’Anna, Parkin’son: Joyce McMillan, Scotsman Review – Antonia Grove, Small Talk: Sally Stott, Scotsman