Ian Macmillan

Emeralds: Could you try "alumni alumnaeque" on your in-house Latinist?  Been a while since I was dabbling therein.  

Wayne McGregor has left the Royal Ballet?  Odd - he's still showing as Resident Choreographer on the ROH website as I write and, as far as I can recall, no announcement of a departure has appeared in recent Links posts.  Is there a link anywhere to such an announcement?  

Sim: I just ran a Test entry on that thread and it worked fine.  (Now deleted.)

Jan - you may very well be correct plus, as I recall, I started Links in the last 18 months or so of ballet.co's existence.  That was a somewhat more complex task, as it involved keeping the site's Reviews database up to date.  All a long time ago ....

Before the season ends, may I just slip in (not for the first time) a mention of Morten Lauridsen's version of "O Magnum Mysterium," heard several times in past days, and which was danced to by the magnificent Zenaida Yanowsky in an Acosta & Friends programme some 10-15 years ago - as a solo with choral backing and, I think, in the Coliseum. 

 

I've been more conscious of "The carol of the bells" than in past years.  I understand that it's of Ukrainian origin, and that may have a bearing on it's becoming more prominent. 

Links - Saturday 23 December, 2023

 

The Seasonal stuff:

Feature - At City Ballet, history Is made with two black Dewdrops: Gia Kourlas, NY Times

 

Feature - The beauty and pain of being a Nutcracker ballerina: Christine Lenahan, America Magazine

 

Premiere Reviews - Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker, Chicago:

Steven Oxman, Chicago Sun-Times

Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune

 

Review - Scottish Ballet, Cinders!, Glasgow: Lucy Ribchester, The List

 

Meanwhile elsewhere:

Feature - Dancers in Sensor Suits: CGI videos reveal performance meaning: Staff, Loughborough University

 

Review - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mixed Bill with Premieres, New York: Faye Arthurs, Fjord Review

 

Review - Isaac Mizrahi, Nico Muhly, and Dance Heginbotham: Third Bird, New York: Cecilia Whalen, Fjord Review

 

Preview - English National Ballet, Carmen, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

 

Preview - State Ballet of Georgia, Swan Lake, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

 

Feature - Australian Ballet ends 2023 with Swan Lake and 14 promotions: Deborah Jones, Follow Spot

 

Feature - 10 top ballet and dance shows to see in 2024: Mark Monahan, Telegraph

 

Feature - American Ballet Theatre’s Michael de la Nuez: Marina Harss, Dance Magazine

 

Feature - Ex principal dancer uses ballet to transform young lives in Leeds: Robyn Vinter, Guardian

 

And to finish:

Australian Football - Pies appoint ex-ballet employee Wright as AFLW coach: Justin Chadwick, Northern Daily Leader

Links - Friday 22 December, 2023

 

Review - Sarasota Ballet, Theme and Variations, In the Upper Room: Sarasota: Marina Harss, Fjord Review

 

Stream Review - La Scala Ballet, Coppélia (Ratmansky), Milan: Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard

 

Review - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mixed Bill with Premieres, New York: Caedra Scott-Flaherty, NY Observer

 

Review - Limón Dance Company, Women’s Stories, New York: Karen Hildebrand, Fjord Review

 

Preview - Holiday Season with Ballet Stars, Miami: Orlando Taquechel, Miami Herald

 

Exhibition - Mapping the Lesser-Known Territories of American Modern Dance: Brian Seibert, NY Times

 

Exhibition - Meredith Monk. Calling, Munich: David Mead, SeeingDance

 

News - Francesco Ventriglia to be Alberta Ballet’s new artistic director: 

Michele Jarvie, Calgary Herald

Graham Spicer, Gramilano

 

Feature - Joffrey stage managers make the magic happen: Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune

 

Feature - Hong Kong Dance Company uses Chinese folk dance to recall the relationship between humans and nature: Ashlyn Chak, SCMP

 

 

And some seasonal stuff:

Feature - Scottish Ballet’s festive family favourite returns to Aberdeen: Staff, Press and Journal

 

Photo Feature - Young Kenyan ballet dancers stage early Christmas performance: Staff, Al Jazeera

 

Links - Thursday 21 December, 2023

 

The Seasonal Stuff:

Review - Royal Swedish Ballet, The Nutcracker (Isberg), Stockholm: Maggie Foyer, Bachtrack

 

Feature - How The Nutcracker has been reimagined, for better and worse: Hugh Morris, NY Times

 

Video Feature - Tales of the The Nutcracker Kids: Gia Kourlas & Gabriel Blanco, NY Times

 

Stream Review - Royal Ballet, The Nutcracker: Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard

 

Review - Northern Ballet, The Nutcracker: Laura Rowe & Charlotte Ambrose, York Vision

 

Feature - Mexican dancers take center stage at The Joffrey Ballet’s Nutcracker: Gisela Orozco, Chicago Sun-Times

 

Review - Oregon Ballet Theatre, The Nutcracker (Balanchine), Portland, OR: Amy Leona Havin, Oregon Artswatch

 

News - Paris Opera dancers to go on strike over Christmas period: Jonny Walfisz, Euronews

 

 

And elsewhere:

Feature - The Ballet Dancers from Dance Magazine’s 2024 “25 to Watch”: Staff, Pointe Magazine

 

Feature - Marrugeku dance group and the racist history of pearl diving in Australia: Kelly Burke, Guardian

 

And with apologies to Michelle Potter's '... on dancing' website this morning, this super photo from one of the RB annual programmes of at least 10 years ago is appropriate:

Links - Wednesday 20 December, 2023

 

The Seasonal stuff:

Review - Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, Edward Scissorhands, London: Staff, Time Out London

 

Reviews - San Francisco Ballet, The Nutcracker (Tomasson), San Francisco:

Jim Munson, BWW SF

Richard Bammer, Vacaville Reporter

Heather Desaulniers, Critical Dance  (incl Berkeley Ballet Theater/Post:Ballet and Smuin Contemporary Ballet shows)

 

Review - Philadelphia Ballet, The Nutcracker: Camille Bacon-Smith, Broad St Review (+ 2 other local shows)

 

Review - Badisches Staatsballett, The Girl & the Nutcracker, Karlsruhe: David Mead, SeeingDance

 

Review - Scottish Dance Theatre, Pirates!, London: Financial Times

 

Feature - They danced in The Nutcracker as children. Now they're performing It again as adults: Terry Trucco, Playbill

 

And elsewhere:

News - Leanne Benjamin to head Queensland Ballet:

Karen Van Ulzen, Dance Australia

Nick Dent, The Age

Deborah Jones, Follow Spot

Jason Blake, Limelight

Michelle Potter, ... on dancing. (That outback photo from years ago reappears)

 

Review - Ballet Vlaanderen, Seven Deadly Sins, Petrushka, Ghent: Vikki Jane Vile, Bachtrack

 

Preview - Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, Pants, Vancouver: V S Wells, Straight.com

 

5 Book Reviews - Dance by the book: Moving stories: Martha Ullman West, Oregon Artswatch

 

Video Feature - Anthony Madu, from a viral video to Elmhurst and who knows where: Staff, BBC News

 

News - More dancers allege body-shaming and bullying at UK ballet schools: Mark Daly, BBC News

 

There's quite a hefty review of this Coppelia for the New York Times in today's Links.  You might want to compare what you see with what Ros Sulcas reckons she saw. 

Links - Tuesday 19 December, 2023

 

Obituary - Bill Jack, architect for the ROH redevelopment: Staff,  The Times (+ share)

 

 

The Seasonal stuff:

 

Review - English National Ballet, The Nutcracker, London: Alexander Simpkins, Bachtrack

 

Reviews - Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, Edward Scissorhands, London:

Helen Hawkins, Arts Desk

Lydia Wharf, Gramilano

 

 

Review - Scottish Dance Theatre, Pirates!, London:

Siobhan Murphy, The Stage

Tamsin Flower, BTG

David Mead, SeeingDance

 

Feature - Nutcracker Nostalgia: Alanna Love, En Face Magazine

 

Feature - How The Nutcracker went from flop to festive fan favourite: Garth Grimball, SF Examiner

 

Review - Australian Ballet, Storytime Ballet: Cinderella, Melbourne: Stephanie Glickman, Australian Stage

 

 

 

And elsewhere:

Review - La Scala Ballet, Coppélia (Ratmansky), Milan: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times

 

October Review - (LA )HORDE, Room with a view, New York: Ann Binlot, Document Journal

 

Feature - Behind-the-scenes at Australian Ballet’s 2023 season of Swan Lake: Elyssa Kostopoulos, RUSSH

 

Feature - The Best Dance of 2023 in London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

 

Interview - Jane Sanig, ex-dancer and teacher: Joy Sable, Jewish Chronicle

 

Interview - Choreographer Antoine Hunter: Two Spirits, One Mission: Lou Fancher, SF Classical Voice

 

Review - Hong Kong Dance Company, HerStory, Hong Kong: Natasha Rogai, SCMP

 

 

Links - Monday 18 December, 2023

 

The Seasonal stuff:

Review - Scottish Ballet, Cinders!, Glasgow: Emily Moffett, The Student

 

Review - English National Ballet, The Nutcracker, London: Vera Liber, BTG

 

Review - Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, Edward Scissorhands, London: Sarah Crompton, The Observer

 

 

Reviews - Scottish Dance Theatre, Pirates!, London:

Lyndsey Winship, Guardian

Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

 

Preview - Rome Opera Ballet, The Nutcracker (Chalmer): Graham Spicer, Gramilano

 

Review - John Cranko School & Stuttgart Ballet, Aktion Weinachten - Mixed Bill, Stuttgart: David Mead, SeeingDance

 

 

 

And elsewhere:

 

November Review - National Ballet of Canada, Onegin (Cranko), Toronto: Denise Sum, Danceviewtimes

 

October Review - American Ballet Theatre, Single Eye, Depuis le Jour, On the Dnipro, New York: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc

 

Review - Mourad Merzouki/Compagnie Käfig, Zephyr, Ludwigsburg, David Mead, SeeingDance

 

Review - Sydney Dance Company, New Breed 2023 - Quad Bill, Sydney: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing

 

News - Dancers of National Youth Ballet of Germany perform in Beijing: Xinhua Agency, People's Daily Online

 

 

Footnote:

There were two Royal Ballet related items in yesterday's Sunday Times.  I can find neither online.  (One was a drinks advert.)

Links - Sunday 17 December, 2023

 

The Seasonal stuff:

Reviews - Scottish Ballet, Cinders!, Glasgow:

Allan Radcliffe, The Times  (+ share)

Mary Brennan, The Herald

Graeme Strachan, BTG

 

Review - English National Ballet, The Nutcracker, London: John O'Dwyer, Seen and Heard

 

Reviews - Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, Edward Scissorhands, London:

Debra Craine, The Times  (+ share)

Deborah Weiss, Bachtrack

Nicola Claire, SeeingDance

 

Feature - Eugene Ballet, The Nutcracker, Anchorage, Eugene,OR: Jean Zondervan, Oregon Artswatch

 

Review - Chris Davis, One Man Nutcracker, Philadelphia: An Nichols, Broad Street Review

 

Feature - Houston Ballet's Danbi Kim and The Nutcracker: Margaret Downing, Houston Press

 

 

Meanwhile, elsewhere:

Late Tour Review - Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, Romeo and Juliet, Wolverhampton: Georgia Brooks, Redbrick

 

Review - RAWdance: Loving Still, San Francisco: Rachel Howard, Fjord Review

 

Review - Tiffany Mills Company & Ensemble Ipse, Triple Bill, New York: Faye Arthurs, Fjord Review

 

Review - Lisa Schlesinger & Hussein Smko,  Iphigenia Point Blank, New York: Karen Hildebrand, Fjord Review

 

Photo Preview - La Scala Ballet, Coppélia (Ratmansky), Milan: Graham Spicer, Gramilano

 

Preview - Restless Dance Theatre, Private View, Adelaide: Steve Dow, Limelight

 

 

2023 Roundups:

London: Mark Monahan, Telegraph

Chicago: Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune

Thanks - I probably beat you to it by about 5 minutes.

Thread title duly altered.

Links - Sunday 10 December, 2023

 

Feature - Sweating through creativity- how Twyla Tharp created In the Upper Room: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

 

Review - École des Sables/Pina Bausch Foundation, The Rite of Spring, common ground[s], New York: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc

 

Preview - RAWdance, Loving Still, San Francisco: Garth Grimball, SF Examiner

 

'Tis the Season ......

 

Feature - In search of the real Nutcracker: a tale of sickness, psychosis and suicide: Victoria Smith, Telegraph

 

Review - National Ballet of Canada, The Nutcracker (Kudelka), Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star

 

Review - Hollywood Ballet, The Nutcracker, Los Angeles: Jillian Verzwyvelt, Ballet Herald

 

Review - Philadelphia Ballet, The Nutcracker, Philadelphia: Peter Dobrin & Ellen Dunkel, Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Butting in to say it was just the TV at Uncle Roderick's house, where we went for the day!

Links - Saturday 9 December, 2023

 

Obituaries:

Janet Panetta, Dancer, Choreographer and Teacher: Claudia Bauer, NY Times

Sir John Trimmer, KNZM, MBE, dancer: Staff, The Times (+ share)

 

 

Interview -  Alina Cojocaru: ‘When people tell me I’m a natural, I just want to scream’: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian

 

Feature - They’re ready to revamp L.A.’s ballet scene — after falling madly in love on and off stage: Steven Vargas, LA Times

 

Preview - Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Nelken, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

 

Review - Lucy Guerin Inc, Pieces - Triple Bill, Melbourne: Gracia Haby, Fjord Review

 

Catchup Review - Paris Opera Ballet, Robbins Programme - En Sol, In the Night, The Concert, Paris: Eva S. Chou, Fjord Review

 

Review - Continuum Dance Project, Not Eye, Us, Cambridge, MA: Thea Singer, Arts Fuse

 

Documentary - Call Me Dancer  - Manish Chauhan’s unlikely path to the professional stage: Kyra Laubacher, Pointe Magazine

 

 

'Tis the Season ......

Review - Royal Ballet, The Nutcracker (Wright), London: Jonathan Gray, Gramilano

 

Review (of sorts) - Royal Ballet, The Nutcracker, London: Orion Scott, Hello! Fashion

 

Review - Boston Ballet, The Nutcracker (Nissinen), Boston: Caitlin Beal, Daily Free Press

 

Tour Review - The Hip Hop Nutcracker, Chicago: Jerald Pierce, Chicago Tribune

 

Picture Essay - Dance Centre Kenya’s Nutcracker: Luis Tato, Guardian

 

Video Feature - Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker is jam-packed with state-of-the-art technology: Don Shipman, Atlanta News First

 

 

https://slippedisc.com/2023/12/northern-ballet-sinfonia-are-told-to-play-their-own-funeral/

Links - Friday 8 December, 2023

 

'Tis the Season ......

Reviews - Royal Ballet, The Nutcracker (Wright), London:

Maggie Foyer, Bachtrack

Siobhan Murphy, The Stage

Louise Levene, Financial Times

Mark Monahan, Telegraph

Debra Craine, The Times  (+ share)

Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

Joy Sable, Jewish Chronicle

 

Review - New York City Ballet, The Nutcracker (Balanchine), New York: Marina Harss, Fjord Review

 

Review - Alberta Ballet, The Nutcracker, Edmonton: Angela Johnston, Edmonton Journal

 

Feature - How Houston Ballet brings 1,750 Nutcracker costumes to life: Molly Glentzer, Texas Monthly

 

Feature - Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker features up-and-coming BC dancers: Sara Harowitz, Straight.com

 

News - Finnish National Ballet, A Christmas Carol (Bintley), Helsinki: Staff, Ballet Herald

 

 

Film Feature - The Red Shoes (1948) review — a perfect work of art about the price of success: Kevin Maher, The Times (+ share)

 

Online Review - Pacific Northwest Ballet, Love and Loss Triple Bill, Seattle: Graham Watts, Gramilano

 

Review - Dancing With Glass, New York: Faye Arthurs, Fjord Review

 

Review - Bayerisches Staatsballett: Silent Screen, Schmetterling, Munich: David Mead, SeeingDance

 

Review - Crystal Pite/Kidd Pivot, Assembly Hall, Toronto: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail.  Also, Lydia Perovic, Globe and Mail

 

Review - Alessandro Marzotto Levy, Irene, Florence: Veronica Posth, SeeingDance

 

Links - Thursday 7 December, 2023

 

Feature - Best New York Dance Performances of 2023: Gia Kourlas & Brian Seibert, NY Times

 

Review - Houston Ballet, Jubilee of Dance, Boston: Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle

 

Feature - National Ballet of Canada's Nutcracker cast look ahead to what brings them joy: Duane Cole, Globe and Mail

 

Feature - Ballet West Academy elevating Salt Lake City as an international ballet training ground: Jacqueline Mumford, Utah Business

 

Feature - La Probabilité du Néant uses hip-hop to preach the importance of getting involved: Mike Usinger, Straight.com

 

 

News/Video - Northern Ballet releases first Inclusive dance film, Every little thing is a change: Staff, BWW UK

 

News - Ballet teacher cleared of student assault charges: Staff, BBC News (+ elsewhere)

 

TV News - BBC Four, New Year's Day: Rambert, Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper

 

News - Cast set for La Strada, the first full length ballet presented by Alina Cojocaru OBE: Stephi Wild, BWW UK

 

Film News - Dutch National Ballet's Giselle coming to a cinema near you: Staff, Ballet Herald

 

Links - Wednesday 6 December, 2023

 

Feature - Amy Hall Garner readying a new work Century for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Brian Seibert, NY Times

 

Preview - Limón Dance Company, Women's Stories 4-Bill, New York: Caedra Scott-Flaherty, NY Observer

 

Review - Dancing With Glass, New York: Robert Greskovic, Wall St Journal

 

News - State Ballet of Georgia to bring Swan Lake to London Coliseum: Staff, Theatre Weekly

 

 

'Tis indeed The Season ....

Review - Northern Ballet, The Nutcracker, Leeds: Geoffrey Mogridge, Ilkley Gazette

 

Review - Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater, The Polar Express, New Jersey: Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance

 

News - Ballet dancers help Heathrow prepare for second-busiest December: Neil Lancefield, Independent (+ elsewhere)

 

News - It takes a team to present Mother Ginger character in Colorado Ballet's The Nutcracker: Libby Smith, CBS News

 

 

 

Indeed, top of this morning's Links.