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It’s pitiful. Poor Francesca. It should be such a happy time for her, and she has to deal with all this idiocy. I hope she can ignore it and just enjoy her days in the sun. I thought Jennifer Hudson sounded dreadful. It’s a very difficult song to pull off, requiring an amazing vocal range that she doesn’t seem to have. I guess there’s time between now and December to record it again.

It had a run of a few days, Lin, but that was a couple of weeks ago. Keep an eye open next year; it’s well worth it!

Is this for an official survey that you are carrying out, DancingtoDance, or for some project or studying you are doing? If so, could you please elucidate what it is. Many thanks.

Thanks for this wonderful review, Duck. I really want to see this piece now! It sounds amazing.

We must also remember that life expectancy was very low in those days; even in the richest families you were probably lucky to pass 40. So girls started having babies very young, to ensure they reproduced in good time. Also, from a purely biological point of view, the teenage years are the best ones in which to be pregnant and deliver a baby.

Incredible match. There has never been a doubles match like it!

From Today's Links: what a fabulous idea this is, and a beautiful way to while away some of the tedium of long-haul flight. I'm glad there was no turbulence during the show! https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2019/07/12/Paris-Opera-in-flight-performance/2139858

Even Serena said: "she played out of her head" and no-one had ever seen Simona play as well as that. She was utterly magnificent and a wothy winner. Serena was very gracious in defeat, and I thought Simona was also gracious and amusing and just thrilled. I also think she has more respect for the British Royal Family than some of its own members do. I am thrilled that she got to meet the Duchess of Cambridge afterwards as that is who she wanted there! Very well done to her on an amazing win.

Many congratulations to all. Very happy with the list, but surprised about some omissions. And I am not really sure about Acri to First Soloist.

I would definitely go for Morera/Bonelli. They are a great partnership, she is one of the best Manons I have ever seen (she is such a great actress, and always excels in MacMillan; I will always be very miffed that she never danced Juliet), and this might be our last chance to see them. I don’t find that Nunez has the edge to carry off MacMillan like Cuthbertson, Morera, Hayward and Lamb do. Hayward is also a wonderful Manon, but as has been pointed out hopefully there will be many more chances to see her excel in the role. So that’s my two cents’ worth!

Such a shame that Rafa and the Fed have to meet in the semis....I want them both to go through! 😥

How right you were about Nadal; I said to my hubby as soon as the match ended that Rafa would ream Sousa!

I suppose it’s because a) something has to happen whilst scenery is being changed; b) it’s a chance to emphasise the pressure that a vulnerable Rudolf is under from the Hungarian separatists. I always think the bit when the emperor looks up at the portraits of his ancestors is very effective, wondering what on Earth is becoming of a once-noble dynasty.

It’s worth looking at the comments on Ballet Alert, our American cousin. When I looked earlier today the comments were generally positive.

I agree Jenny; I was rather surprised that Ryoichi Hirano was the press night Rudolf. I would have had Soares, and if not him, Ball.

I am quite surprised that the LA Times critic thinks that Matthew Bourne conveys obsession more successfully than MacMillan does. Bourne has never conveyed anything deep to me, with the possible exception of Swan Lake. MacMillan, on the other hand, certainly has. Of course his ballets aren't perfect, but I think that he still has much to say. I have often bemoaned on this forum over the years the lack of Tudor ballets in this country; his country, and I still don't understand why. Sir Fred's ballets also need more airing. This was brought home to me in the Fonteyn gala recently....how much work there is of Ashton's that we just never get to see. A cultural crime both. It has been said many times that Americans simply don't 'get' MacMillan and narrative ballets. I don't know whether this is true or not, but I will be interested to read other thoughts from across the pond.

LONDON CHILDREN'S BALLET 'BALLET SHOES' Peacock Theatre, London 5th July 2019 2019 sees the 25th anniversary of the formation of London Children's Ballet by Lucille Briance. She noticed how her painfully shy 7 year-old daughter burst into life whenever she was dancing or in ballet class. Lucille thought that there must be many other children like this, and thus the idea for LCB was born. Little could she have realised then that this idea would grow into a fully-fledged company, sponsored and supported by the great and the good of the ballet world and others...and to wonderful effect. The main premise of LCB is to give children the chance to shine, to have fun and to perform on a proper stage at the end of a year of very hard work. The other aim of the company is to keep participation free of charge, so that all children have an equal chance of joining and participating. Auditions are held, and children of all shapes and sizes are chosen. It doesn't matter a hoot if they intend to have a professional career or not; they are chosen for their suitability for a particular show, or for what they can contribute to others in the company. This was very much in evidence on July 5th in the LCB performance of 'Ballet Shoes', based on the 1936 novel by Noel Streatfeild. 'Ballet Shoes' was originally choreographed for the company by Cathy Marston in 2001, and it has been revived and re-staged here by ex-Birmingham Royal Ballet dancer Ruth Brill (with the blessing of Marston). The result is a joyous and very professional production. The company is large, and the logistics of making a coherent piece from a dense novel must have been onerous; so many costumes, so many children to rehearse, so much to co-ordinate. The story is told very clearly and moves seamlessly from scene to scene. The jaunty music by Raymond Warren perfectly reflects the action onstage, and how wonderful that LCB is always accompanied by a live orchestra. Kate Ford's costumes are ravishing throughout, especially in the Act 2 Midsummer Night's Dream segment. Add in the effective lighting by Mark Jonathan and the clever set design by Charlie Camm, and the scene is set for a wonderful frame with which to encircle the dancing and storytelling onstage. Each and every one of the children gave 100%; they clearly take it very seriously but you could see the enjoyment and fun that each one of them derived from this experience. They were so well rehearsed, and this translated into a very professional performance on a London stage. Congratulations to all of them, to Ruth Brill and to ballet mistress Laura McCulloch (ex-Royal Ballet). It seems a bit churlish to pick out special performances from such a grand group of children, but in this tale of three sisters whose lives end up going in different directions there are bound to be some who really make their presence felt. All three dancers playing the sisters (Stella Chambaud as Pauline...danced in the original production by Ruth Brill, Tilda Marriage Massey as Petrova and Annalise Wainwright-Jones as Posy) were very good indeed; dancing the steps beautifully but able to tell their story at the same time. Annalise Wainwright-Jones has a beaming smile that lit up the whole auditorium and had me smiling along with her and wishing her success. I noticed a boy who played Puck in the Midsummer Night's Dream segment; great dancing, very self assured and already in possession of stage presence and lots of character. Sure enough, when I looked him up in the programme (excellent, by the way, and priced at £6.00 a real bargain) later, Ruben Garcia said that he is starting full-time training at the Royal Ballet School in September. I will be watching out for him in a few years' time! I also particularly enjoyed the performance of Honor Dixon as Nana. Not much dancing involved, but she was entirely convincing as the caring and ever-faithful governess who only wanted the best for her charges and the family. Well done to her, well done to everyone involved in putting on this production, and here's to the next 25 years of London Children's Ballet! Photos: top - Stella Chambaud as Pauline; middle - Annalise Wainwright-Jones (Posy), Tilda Marriage Massey (Petrova) and Hugh O' Sullivan (Mr Simpson); bottom - Annalise Wainwright-Jones (Posy). All photos by Alice Pennefather

Thanks IvyLin. I don’t know how I missed all these, but they have entertained and informed during a long bus ride!

Thanks so much Duck. I will do that if I come over!

Yes he does.

Thank you for your wonderful review, Duck. Thanks to that and the link you posted, I want to go to Stuttgart next season!

What a wonderful post, 2P. Thanks so much!

Bridie don’t forget the dancers choose to do all these extra events, so they aren’t obliged to miss out on potential rest periods. They do it for international exposure, artistic fulfilment and the extra money. Good on ‘em, too!

Wow, looks interesting! Thanks Jane.

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