Ian Macmillan

Oh dear!

I got the same Too many connections message for a period earlier today (circa 9 - 9.30) whilst trying to get into Links, but with no difficulty regarding other areas of the Forum. Then all was OK and still is at 1pm.

Bluebird: Well done, and many thanks for finding that ballet.co thread - where I see that several others were greatly taken by that Cuthbertson/Harvey pdd. I'm sure I won't be alone in using it as an entry point to having a canter down Memory Lane, ballet.co style.

To return to Julia's long conversation with Cathy Marston, I was interested to hear that Lauren Cuthbertson had to stand-in for Gillian Revie in Between Shadows, the ballet based on the The Go-Between when, as mentioned, she was in her first weeks with the RB. That was in May 2002, so I presume that Lauren's final years at RBS had been curtailed. Whatever the case, there was a significant pdd with Martin Harvey - "performed in a boldly erotic manner" said one review. And perhaps Lynette H may recall describing it on ballet.co as "of startling emotional and physical intensity"? My reaction at the time was the more mundane "Does her Mum know what's going on here?" and I don't doubt that her interaction with Cathy paved the way to what we saw in The Cellist. It's also worth adding that very soon after her arrival as Director in Bern, she found her company at threat from a consultants' report that suggested that the Ballet Company's costs were largely equal to savings that the Theatre was going to be required to make. So, amongst everything else she had to deal with as a new arrival, she found herself having to rally public support - which was successful for the duration of her time as Director. Hard experience behind her, should she wish to consider another Directorship elsewhere.

Saturday 30 May, 2020 Interview/Essay – Cathy Marston, Choreographer: Julia, To The Pointe Feature – Richmond Ballet & ABT, Deferred Debuts & Reviews: Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance In Lockdown: Stream News – ENB, Song of the Earth, Manon: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Streaming Reviews: - BalletBoyz, Deluxe: David Cunningham, BTG - NYCB, End of Digital Season: David Mead, SeeingDance - Mark Morris, Dance On! – 4 New Works: Gia Kourlas, NY Times - Australian Ballet, Paquita, La Sylphide: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing ….. and who's up for Bob Fosse … with Barbies? Dance Magazine

I agree - this conversation appears to have been highly productive and was an excellent preparation for revisiting The Cellist tonight. I may have a ramble around other aspects of what came up tomorrow but, for now, warm thanks for a sound piece of work.

Just watchediThe Cellist again, for the first time since the Premiere. I can only say that it appears to have grown in intensity since then - a thoroughly satisfying piece of dance theatre, remarkably interpreted by all involved.

Friday 29 May, 2020 Interview – Cathy Marston, Choreographer: Deborah Weiss, Dance for You Magazine In Lockdown: News – Dance Companies Take Baby Steps Back to Rehearsal: Alex Marshall, NY Times …. but The Southbank Centre’s gloomy pessimism is failing its orchestras: Richard Morrison, The Times Feature - Bolshoi dancers in lockdown: Yuri Resheto, Deutsche Welle Streaming Reviews: - Royal Ballet, Anastasia: Deborah Weiss, DanceTabs - Crystal Pite & Jonathon Young, Revisor: David Cunningham, BTG - Notes from Quarantine, NYCB and others: Faye Arthurs, Fjord Review - Ballet Black, The Waiting Game: Maggie Foyer, SeeingDance - Béjart Ballet Lausanne, Ku: David Mead, SeeingDance - English National Ballet, Swan Lake: Vikki Jane Vile, BWW UK

Thursday 28 May, 2020 Obituary – Nancy Stark Smith: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Feature – Natalia Makarova's 'La Bayadere' celebrates 40th anniversary: Sarah L Kaufman, Washington Post In Lockdown: News - Swiss theatres allowed to reopen for audiences up to 300: David Mead, SeeingDance Streaming Review - Bolshoi Ballet, Swan Lake: Martha Graham, Hérodiade: Sara Veale, Spectator

Wednesday 27 May, 2020 Preview – Royal Ballet, Men at the Barre: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Feature – The River, a new landscape for contemporary dance: Josephine Minhinnett, Fjord Review News – Xanthe Geeves, 2020 Emerging Female Classical Choreographer: Staff, Dance Australia From Lockdown: Feature – A Pragmatist’s Progress: Mark Morris Adapts to Creating Online: Marina Harss, NY Times Streaming News/Reviews: - Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Francois Rousseau, Julie Gardette, Where do the birds go? Graham Watts, DanceTabs - Corey Baker + Dancers + Bathtubs, Swan Lake Bath Ballet: Chris Wiegand, Guardian Zoe Paskett, Evening Standard - Lincoln Center At Home/Hubbard St Dance/Mark Morris: Brian Seibert, NY Times - Australian Ballet, The Merry Widow; Bangarra Dance, Ochres: Deborah Jones, Limelight - San Francisco Ballet, Snowblind, Bjork Ballet, Gala/Spellbound: Staff, Playbill

Tuesday 26 May, 2020 Feature – Filming Men at the Barre: Richard Macer, Arts Desk - Preview – Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper From Lockdown - Streaming News/Reviews: - Ballet Black, Depouillement: Maryam Philpott, Reviews Hub - Taiwan dancer-choreographers, Project Sau.té: David Mead, SeeingDance - South African International Competition goes online: Staff, BWW South Africa

Monday 25 May, 2020 With the world still very much in Lockdown: Feature - The Fall of Autumn: Live Performance Producers Giving Up on 2020: Arts Writers, NY Times News – Queensland Ballet reschedules to 2021: Staff, Dance Australia Feature – Ballet teacher, Hollywood dancer Joan Bayley turns 100: Makeda Easter, LA Times Streaming News/Reviews: - Wilkie Branson, TOM: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Maryam Philpott, Reviews Hub - Jake Mangakahia, Australian Ballet, Icarus: Staff, Dance Australia - Rosa Strati, Sent from my iPhone: Caitlin Halmarick, Theatreview

Sunday 24 May, 2020 From a world still in Lockdown: Feature - Companies have taken to streaming and won a whole new audience: Sarah Crompton, Sunday Times Streaming News/Reviews: - NYCB, Week 5, Diamonds, Liturgy, Carousel (A Dance): David Mead, SeeingDance - Crystal Pite/Jonathon Young, Revisor: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper - Pacific Northwest Ballet, Swan Lake (Stowell): Sondra Forsyth, BWW Dance

Baroness Deborah Bull, former Principal with the Royal Ballet, asked just such a question in the House of Lords some days ago. It referred, however, to professional dancers but I'd imagine that any response could apply to those in 'elite' schools: The relevant Minister has assured her she will get a response and Baroness Bull has said she will share it once received.

Saturday 16 May, 2020 Obituaries – Anne Heaton, Dancer: The Times Telegraph Opinion – The greatest ballets of all time: From Swan Lake and the Nutcracker to Manon: Zoe Paskett, Evening Standard From the world of Lockdown: Feature – Wanted: a choreographed way out of the crisis: David Mead, SeeingDance Feature – Old Argentines keep spirit of tango alive in the age of coronavirus: Benedict Mander, Financial Times News – Australian Ballet seeks $15m credit deal to survive lockdown: Nick Miller & Nick Galvin, SMH Streaming News: - New York’s Lincoln Center: Home Dance Week: David Mead, SeeingDance - Richard Alston Online, 22 Dances: Theresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper - More from ENB, Nora, Swan Lake (Deane); Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper - Pacific Northwest Ballet, Serenade + keeping fit: Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times - YAGP: Audience Choice Awards – Think you can judge? Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance

Friday 15 May, 2020 Feature – A way ahead for the Royal Opera House? Neil Fisher, The Times Feature - A brief (hardly complete) history of classical ballet: Wayne F Anthony, Toledo Blade Streaming News & Reviews: - Best Dance & Live Arts next week: Staff, The Times NY Times LA Times - Recommendations from Richard Alston: Guardian - NYCB’s Digital Season: Charlotte Barnett, NY Observer - London Contemporary Dance School, Frame Rush Festival: Maryam Philpott, Reviews Hub - La Mezcla in San Francisco: Lou Fancher, SF Classical Voice Video - An online ballet lesson with Dior and a Paris Opera principal: Harper's Bazaar

Things are stirring at the ROH according to a major piece in today's Times. "A priority is the ballet company ......." https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/4f56c338-95f0-11ea-97b5-8f15973668de?shareToken=11619b1b49aabee8e237f347877b684a

Thursday 14 May, 2020 Still looking for that first Nil Return …… Streaming Review: - American Ballet Theatre, Together Tonight: Lilah Ramzi, Vogue

Wednesday 13 May, 2020 News from Lockdown: - Ailey, Balanchine and a Lesson in Mourning: Siobhan Burke, NY Times - Men at the Barre: Inside the Royal Ballet: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper - San Francisco Ballet, Romeo and Juliet (2 casts): Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter - National Ballet of China, Annual Creative Workshop: David Mead, SeeingDance Streaming Reviews: - Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, Swan Lake & Romeo and Juliet: Deborah Weiss, DanceTabs - Australian Dance Theatre, ADAPT; RNZB, The Piano: RB, Winter’s Tale: Deborah Jones, Limelight - Flatpack screendance competition, 12 films: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian

Tuesday 12 May, 2020 Around the world: Feature – Carlos Acosta – his hopes for BRB: Theresa Ruth Howard, Dance Magazine Feature – The road back to live concerts? But Dance?? Richard Morrison, The Times News – Perpetuating the Martha Graham Legacy: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Feature – The Nrityagram Ensemble – still performing: Sarah L Kaufman, Washington Post From Lockdown: Review - Royal Ballet, Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words; Alice Hiley, Reviews Hub News: - ABT Theatre Offstage: A 2020 Virtual Season: Staff, BWW - NYCB announces its digital Week 5: Staff, BWW - LA companies going virtual: Makeda Easter, LA Times - London Boys Ballet School to give classes online: Georgia Snow, The Stage

From today's Times: The road back to live concerts: plans for Radio 3, the Proms and Wigmore Hall: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/8f3c0166-9389-11ea-97b5-8f15973668de?shareToken=f9b0f43b4807beb6eae76772b329400b Nothing there about Dance, but an indication of how some things might go in the near-mid term?

Of possible relevance here - today's Times carries a photo of what's captioned as a Dutch theatre using glass screens/partitions to increase safety, presumably. I'm assuming it's a system test of some kind.

Monday 11 May, 2020 An issue confronting all theatres: - Royal Albert Hall faces closure over social distancing: Craig Simpson, Telegraph - And what about staff and performers backstage? David Gray, Dance Enthusiast -------- Forum discussion here Meanwhile, in Lockdown - Streaming News & Reviews: - NYCB, Concerto DSCH: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing - Béjart Ballet Lausanne, Piaf: David Mead, SeeingDance - Ballet Black, Click!: Maryam Philpott, Reviews Hub - West Australian Ballet, Genesis – Short Works: Staff, Dance Australia - Bangarra Dance Theatre, Nandhu: Staff, Dance Australia - Bim Ajadi & others, Here/Not Here: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian - National Ballet of China, Creative Workshop: Chen Nan, Asia One

Sunday 10 May, 2020 Lockdown - Streaming Reviews: - NYCB, Rubies, Concerto DSCH: David Mead, Seeing Dance - Alexander Whitley, 8 Minutes: Maryam Philpott, Reviews Hub - The Place/Luca Silvestrini, Border Tales: Eve Newstead, Reviews Hub - Oleg Stepanov, I can’t be present due to travelling: Veronica Posth, SeeingDance

Saturday 2 May, 2020 Obituary – Helen McGehee, Dancer & Teacher: Anna Kisselgoff, NY Times Lockdown - Streaming News and Reviews: - Pacific Northwest Ballet announces video releases: Sondra Forsyth, BWW Dance - English National Ballet, Dust: Nicole Wilkie, Theatreview - West Australian Ballet, A moment a memory: West Australian