Ian Macmillan

Links – Monday, 11 April, 2016 Review – Sarasota Ballet, Enigma Variations, Stars and Stripes, Sarasota: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Interview – Claire Calvert, Royal Ballet Soloist: Luke Jennings, Observer Review – San Francisco Ballet, Programs 6 and 7 (Countenance of Kings etc), SF: Janos Gereben, Examiner.com Reviews – National Youth Dance Company, In-Nocentes, London: Bruce Marriott, DanceTabs Anna Winter, Exeunt Magazine Reviews – Alexander Whitley Dance Company, Pattern Recognition, London: Lynette Halewood, DanceTabs There is also a Financial Times review here to which I have no access – Sorry. Preview – International Dance Festival Birmingham, 2016: Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Preview – Twyla Tharp new work in New York: Joshua Barone, NY Times Previews – Angelin Prelocaj Company, Blanche Neige, Brisbane: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Nathanael Cooper, Brisbane Times Review – Viktoria Danyi & Others, Skin Me, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Louise Bédard, La Démarquise, Montreal: Mark Mann, Dance Current

Links – Sunday, 10 April, 2016 Review – Sarasota Ballet, Enigma Variations, Stars and Stripes, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Review – San Francisco Ballet, Continuum, In the Countenance of Kings, Theme and Variations, SF: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Preview – Ballet West, The Nijinsky Revolution, SL City: Heather Hayes, Deseret News Review – Motionhouse, Broken, London: Jeffery Taylor, Sunday Express Review – Sharp & Fine, All Roads Are Lined With Teeth, SF: Leslie Katz, SF Examiner Feature – Shen Yun Performing Arts and Falun Gong: Jessica Gelt, LA Times Previews – Around Boston: Karen Campbell, Boston Globe - Sheva….my Precious Treasure: Radhika Pillai, Examiner.com Feature – Lauren Fagone and life beyond dance: Zachary Reid, Richmond Times-Dispatch News – New leadership sought for DC’s Dance Place: Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post

Links – Saturday, 9 April, 2016 Reviews – San Francisco Ballet, Continuum, In the Countenance of Kings, Theme and Variations, SF: Claudia Bauer, DanceTabs Carla Escoda, Huffington Post Ann Murphy, SJ Mercury News Gilly Lloyd, Examiner.com Review – San Francisco Ballet, Prism, Seven Sonatas, Rush, SF: Jaime Robles, Bachtrack Review – National Ballet of Canada, La Sylphide (Kobborg), Ottawa: Natasha Gauthier, Ottawa Citizen Feature – Lourdes Lopez & Miami City Ballet: Marina Harss, NY Times Review – Queensland Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scarlett), Brisbane: Deborah Jones, Blog Review – Ballet Hispanico, Flabbergast, Bury Me Standing, Club Havana, NY: Lauren Gallagher, DanceTabs Review – Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Going Home Star, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com Review – National Youth Dance Company, In-Nocentes, London: Christopher Curtis, Bachtrack Review – English National Ballet, My First Ballet – Sleeping Beauty, London: Stefan & Tilly Kyriazis, Express Review – James Batchelor & Collaborators, FACES, Canberra: Michelle Potter, The Age Preview – Pennsylvania Ballet & Others, Trisha Brown – In The New Body, Philadelphia: Staff, Dance Journal Feature – Anuradha Nehru & Kalanidhi Dance: Debra Bruno, Washington Post Feature – Bolshoi on the lookout for young choreographers: Yana Zhilyayeva, RBTH Gallery – Alexander Whitley Dance Company, Pattern Recognition, London: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Next Week – Mariinsky in Cardiff & ENB in London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – Tatyana Tenenbaum, Thunder, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times

But when all is said and done, isn't it a piece of theatre - and so, before getting too concerned over detail, some suspension of belief is quite in order?

Links to two Friedemann Vogel tweets in the past half-hour: http://twitter.com/FriedemannDance/status/718380463858020352 http://twitter.com/FriedemannDance/status/718381144987840513

Links – Friday, 8 April, 2016 News - Johan Kobborg - What’s happening in Bucharest? Jennifer Stahl, Dance Magazine Discussion BalletcoForum Review – Dance Theater of Harlem, Gala Performance, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Reviews – San Francisco Ballet, Prism, Seven Sonatas, Rush, SF: Janice Berman, SF Classical Voice Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes Livestream Preview – Bolshoi Ballet, Don Quixote: Priscilla Frank, Huffington Post Review – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Open Door, Awakening, A Case of You, Revelations, Berkeley, Bachtrack News – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, June Season, NY: Joshua Barone, NY Times Preview – Alvin Ailey Dance Theater & AileyCamp, Seattle Program: Melody Datz Hansen, Seattle Times Diary – New York Dance Listings, April 8 -14: NY Times Review – FJK Dance, Take Two, Reflections, Interface, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Preview – Fevered Sleep, Men & Girls Dance, Folkestone: Catherine Love, Guardian Feature – George Williams, using movement to overcome learning difficulties: Jonathan Wells, Telegraph Preview – D A Hoskins, Jackie Burroughs is Dead …, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Video Installation Review – Rosane Chamecki & Andrea Lerner, Eskasizer, NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Interview/Preview – Dwight Rhoden/Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Imprint/Maya + others, LA: Victoria Looseleaf, Fjord Review Gallery – National Youth Dance Company, In-Nocentes, London: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs

Well, OK (sort of) if things are being sorted out - but it hardly augurs well for longer term relations within that Opera House. Who knows where things will stand a year from today.

Well, I have to say that the prospect of Zenaida Yanowsky and Clemmie Sveeas in one work, plus Ed Watson, is very appealing.

Things look normal again to me now - much better than earlier.

John: Definitely slower than usual here.

The Dancing Times has been quick off the mark: http://dancing-times.co.uk/news/item/1911-matthew_bourne_red_shoes

And it seems that Bourne's Vicky Page will be dancer, Ashley Shaw: http://twitter.com/GWDanceWriter/status/717289325885583361

In the days of ballet.co, the well whence the Forum sprang, we could be sure of something from Bruce. DanceTabs seems not to lend itself to such diversions. But elsewhere, I see that BMW has continued its custom of recent years with an excellent ad for 'xDrive Baby Boots' offering 'Total Stability In All Conditions.' Pictured in blue, we are reassured that they are also available in pink. I have little doubt that their appearance will result in upwardly-mobile parents enquiring where they can be bought. And in the Times, just opposite the ad, there is an article on a campaign to change the names of Imperial and King's Colleges to Gaia and Citizen's respectively. It connects with the third Leader, often given over to matters in a lighter vein, that ends with a quotation from a Dr Primus Aprillis, Reader in Histrionics .... just possibly a clue to the veracity of the reportage though, these days, one can't be entirely sure about that.

Links – Sunday, 27 March, 2016 Review – Ballet Black, Cristaux, To Begin, Begin, Storyville, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Review – Juilliard Dances Repertory, Roses, Moves, Symphony of Psalms, NY: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Preview – Northern Ballet, 1984, Edinburgh: Steve Hendry, Sunday Mail Gallery – balletLORENT, Snow White, London: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Tour Review – English National Ballet & School, My First Ballet: Sleeping Beauty, London: Vikki Jane Vile, A Younger Theatre Gallery - Roy Tan, BWW Preview – Ballet West, Beauty and the Beast, SLC: Autumn Thatcher, Salt Lake Tribune Preview – Radouan Mriziga, “-55”, NY: Jack Anderson, NY Times

Links – Saturday, 26 March, 2016 Feature – Scarlatti and my step into other dance cultures: Richard Alston, Guardian Preview – Dance Theater of Harlem, Women Who Move Us, NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Diary – Coming up in New York: NY Times Review – Washington Post, Hamlet (Mills), DC: Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post Feature – Julie Kent: approaching the top job at Washington Ballet: Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post Review – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Exodus, No Longer Silent, Open Door, Boston: Marcia B. Siegel, Arts Fuse Review – Stephen Pelton, Lauda Adrianna, SF: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Reviews – Companhia Urbana de Dança, ID: Entidades, Na Pista, LA: Victoria Looseleaf, Fjord Review Cynthia Lum, Examiner.com Review – Trajal Harrell, The Ghost of Montpelier Meets the Samurai, Berkeley: Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes Review – Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance, Diversion of Angels, Three Dubious Memories, Spindrift, NY: Mary Cargill,Danceviewtimes Review – Pacific Northwest Ballet, Rush, Little Mortal Jump, Year of the Rabbit, Seattle: Xavier Lopez Jr, Seattlepi Review – Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Le Corsaire, Seattle: Rosemary Jones, Examiner.com And: Russia’s Dance Floor Diplomacy: Moscow Times

Links – Friday, 25 March, 2016 Preview – Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty, MoMA NY: Katherine Brooks, Huffington Post Reviews – Royal Ballet, Giselle (Nuñez & Muntagirov), London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Anna Winter, Exeunt Review – Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance, Various Programs, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – Juilliard Dances Repertory, Moves, Symphony of Psalms, etc: Brian Seibert, NY Times Feature/Interview – Jonathan Watkins, Choreographer: Mary Brennan, Herald Review – Batsheva Dance Company, Three, Paris: Patricia Boccadoro, Culturekiosque Review – Compania Urbana de Dança, ID:Entidades, Na Pista, LA: Christina Campodonico, LA Times News – New York City Ballet’s 2016-17 Season: Michael Cooper, NY Times News – Daniel Gaudiello leaves Australian Ballet: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Deborah Jones, Blog Photo Gallery – Miami City Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Staff, BWW Review – Texas Ballet Theater, Cinderella (Stevenson), Dallas: Jennifer Davis-Lamm, Dallas Observer Exhibition – Shen Wei: Dance Strokes, HK: Kevin Kwong, SCMP Preview – Alain Platel/Les Ballets C de la B, Coup Fatal, Brussels: Ian Mundell, Flanders Today And, of course: President Obama invited to tango in Argentina: BBC News

Links – Thursday, 24 March, 2016 Feature – Acosta Danza, Carlos Acosta’s new company in Cuba: Staff, Euronews Review – Ballet Black, Cristaux, To Begin, Begin, Storyville, London: Tatiana Rathelot, Bachtrack Review – Pacific Northwest Ballet, Little Mortal Jump, Rush, Year of the Rabbit, Seattle: Alice Kaderlan, Seattlepi Reviews – Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance, Mixed Programmes, NY: Robert Greskovic, Wall St Journal Michael Popkin, Danceviewtimes Review – Australian Ballet, Forgotten Land, In the Middle .., DGV, Melbourne: Gracia Haby, Fjord Review Review – SF, Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter - Trajal Harrell, The Ghost of Montpelier Meets The Samurai - San Francisco Ballet, Dances at a Gathering, Swimmer, Song for a Dead Warrior Feature – Colleen Neary & Thordal Christensen, LA Ballet: Victoria Looseleaf, Fjord Review News – Canadian National Arts Centre, 2017 Dance Season: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail News – Despite Silicon Valley company closure, its School carries on: Mark Macnamara, SF Classical Voice Review – Juan Siddi Flamenco Santa Fe, Solea, Fiesta Flamenca etc, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Eiko and Guests, A Body in Places, NY: Martha Sherman, Danceviewtimes Preview – Kate Wallich, Industrial Ballet, Seattle: Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times Review – Company 605, Vital Few, Vancouver: Alexander Varty, Straight.com Review – Peabody Dance, Spring Showcase etc, Baltimore: George Jackson, Danceviewtimes Tour Review – Northern Ballet, The Tortoise and The Hare, Cambridge: Jude Clarke, Cambridge News Interview – Kevin Finnan of Motionhouse: Carmel Smith, Londondance Photo Essay – World Irish Dancing Championships, Glasgow: Murdo Macleod, Guardian

I've been busy elsewhere and have just picked up on this interesting thread. So, on the matter of whether costumes might have been specially made for a TV recording, I know that was done for a BBC recording of De Valois' Checkmate in pretty much the same timescale as here - and a set of yellow costumes was made for the Red characters to show up properly in black and white. (Provenance? My wife was in the Black team.)

Katherine: I echo the others' Thanks, and the clip indicates fairly clearly why the tutu is not the cheapest form of dance costume.

See both Friday's and yesterday's Links for the BBC piece and a convergent article from the Washington Post!!

Personally, I have never forgiven The Archers for replacing Dick Barton - and the channel still gets changed as soon as that Rumpty-tumpty-tumpty-tum is heard. (For the much younger amongst you, this was still in the days of the post-war Light Programme, when Dick Barton, Special Agent, occupied that early evening 15 minute slot - and with a much more dramatic theme tune, one that defies onomatopoetic rendering here.)

Links – Sunday, 13 March, 2016 Feature – Gelsey Kirkland’s Academy of Classical Ballet: Marina Harss, NY Times Review – Paris Opera & Paris Opera Ballet, Iolanta, The Nutcracker (Pita, Cherkaoui, Lock), Paris: Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack Preview – Miami City Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Balanchine, but undersea), Miami: Jordan Levin, Miami Herald Review – Australian Ballet, Forgotten Land, In the middle, somewhat elevated, DGV, Melbourne: Jordan Beth Vincent, Sydney Morning Herald Reviews – Houston Ballet, Dyad 1929, Wings of Wax, West Side Story Suite, Houston: Adam Castaneda, Houston Press Theodore Bale, Culturemap Review – Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker/Rosas, Golden Hours (As You Like It) & Gecko, Institute, London: Luke Jennings, Guardian Review – German Cornejo, Immortal Tango, London: Jeffery Taylor, Sunday Express Feature – A Decade of Sarasota Contemporary Dance: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Review – Dance COLEctive, Revelry/20 Years, Chicago: Laura Molzahn, Chicago Tribune Review – Eiko, A Body In Places, NY: Martha Sherman, Danceviewtimes Feature – Iain Mackay, the UK’s first male dance ambassador: Judith Duffy, Sunday Herald

Links – Saturday, 12 March, 2016 Reviews – San Francisco Ballet, Coppélia, SF: Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes J B Rosario, SF Examiner Gilly Lloyd, Examiner.com Review – New York City Ballet, La Sylphide, Bournonville Divertissements, DC: Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Preview – Boston Ballet, Pas de Quatre (Yakobson), Boston: Karen Campbell, Boston Globe Review – Boston Ballet, Onegin, Boston: Tiffany Chen, Wellesley News Review – Joffrey Ballet, In Creases, Passengers, Rendez-vous, Fool’s Paradise, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Review – Stephen Petronio Company, Glacial Decoy, Big Daddy (Deluxe), MiddleSexGorge, NY: Lauren Gallagher, DanceTabs Review – Farruquito, Improvisao, NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – Basel Ballet, Sleeping Beauty (Cerrudo), Basel: Sarah Batschelet, Bachtrack Reviews – Marc Brew Company, For Now, I Am, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Josephine Leask, Londondance - Gallery: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Review – Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Analogy/Dora: Tramontane, SF: Steven Winn, SF Chronicle Review – Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, Ride the Culture Loop, We Remember, Steps of Silence, Kurt Weill, NY: Mary Cargill,Danceviewtimes Diary – Next Week in Cardiff, Newport & London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Interview – Luca Silvestrini on May Contain Food, on tour: Staff, Londondance Gallery – Behind the scenes at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy: Staff, Moscow Times Report – Reconciliation & Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Going Home Star, Vancouver: Amanda Siebert, Straight.com Feature – Flesh-colored tights: empowering my daughter through dance: Garlia Cornelia Jones-Ly, Washington Post And remember, not everyone likes dancers: Tom Phillips, Guardian

Links – Friday, 11 March, 2016 Review – San Francisco Ballet, Coppélia, SF: Claudia Bauer, DanceTabs Reviews – National Ballet of Canada, The Four Temperaments, Rubies, Cacti, Toronto: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Review – Mariinsky Ballet, Raymonda, DC: Alexandra Tomalonis, Danceviewtimes Reviews – Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker/Rosas, Golden Hours (As You Like It), London: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Neil Norman, The Stage Vera Liber, BTG Review – Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Nelken, Adelaide: Deborah Jones, Blog Reviews – Northern Ballet, Swan Lake (Nixon), Leeds: Lauren Ballinger, Huddersfield Examiner Ali Turner, Leeds List Review – Royal New Zealand Ballet, Selon Desir, In the middle, somewhat elevated, Cacti, Christchurch: Sheree Bright, Theatreview Review – Stephen Petronio Company, Glacial Decoy, Big Daddy (Deluxe(, MiddleSexGorge, NY: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Features – What dancers can teach about dealing with an office romance: Chloe Angyal, Huff Post 1 & Huff Post 2 Gallery – Richard Alston Dance Company: Rick Guest, Guardian Review – Claire Cunningham, Give me a reason to live, Melbourne: Chloe Smethurst, Sydney Morning Herald Review – Molly Poerstel, Are We a Fossil, and of Facings, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – Jo Stromgren Kompani, The Hospital, NY: Brian Seibert, NY Times Diary – New York listings for March 11-17: Staff, NY Times Feature – Why don’t they make shoes for black ballet dancers? Kirstie Brewer, BBC News

Links – Thursday, 10 March, 2016 Reviews – San Francisco Ballet, Coppélia, SF: Allan Ulrich, SF Chronicle Ann Murphy, Marin Independent Journal Reviews – National Ballet of Canada, La Sylphide, Toronto: Denise Sum, Danceviewtimes Marissa Trarback, The Dance Current Preview – National Ballet of Canada, Alexander Ekman’s Cacti, Toronto: Michael Crabb, Toronto Star Reviews – Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker/Rosas, Golden Hours (As You Like It), London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Judith Mackrell, Guardian Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Lise Smith, Londondance Review – Ave Maya Gala, London: Margaret Willis, Bachtrack Reviews – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Awakening, Open Door, Love Songs, Revelations, Chicago: Laura Molzahn, Chicago Tribune Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Review – Stephen Petronio Company, Glacial Decoy, MiddleSexGorge, Big Daddy (Deluxe), NY: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – Alessandra Ferri & Herman Cornejo, Trio Concertdance/Aakash Odedra Company, Quad Solo Bill, NY: Robert Greskovic,Wall St Journal Preview – Kelley Donovan & Dancers, The Body Becomes the Messenger, Boston: Merli V Guerra, Arts Fuse Feature – Maria Hassabi, Plastic, MoMA, NY: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – Martha Clarke/Alfred Uhry, Angel Reapers, NY: Joel Benjamin, TheaterScene Interview – Marc Brew – “the dancer was still within me,” For Now, I Am, London: David Hutchison, The Stage News – Contemporary Dance in Pittsburgh this spring: Adrienne Totino, Examiner.com Film – Spear, featuring Bangarra Dance Theatre: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines Blog – Jarkko Lehmus’ latest piece “Worlds and oysters and all that jazz” at DanceTabs Feature – Nando Messias on The Sissy’s Progress, London: Londondance