John Mallinson

This. But surely not the ROH.

An interesting collection of goodies today but you MUST check out The Space.

Links – Tuesday May 1, 2012 Review - San Francisco Ballet, Don Quixote, SF: Janos Gereben, San Francisco Examiner, and here Toba Singer, California Literary Review Review - International Ballet Festival, Dance Open, St Petersburg: Margaret Willis, DanceTabs Review - Youth America Grand Prix gala (honouring Natalia Makarova), NY: Jocelyn Noveck, York Daily Record/AP Review - City Contemporary Dance Company, Blind Chance, Hong Kong: Natasha Rogal, DanceTabs The Space, a new UK live arts web channel opens: Ismene Brown, The Arts Desk. The Space Review - Bolshoi Ballet, The Bright Stream, cinema relay: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Review - Smuin Ballet, mixed bill, SF: Ann Murphy, Inside Bay Area Review - Bloom! Dance Collective, City, NY: Gia Kourlas, New York Times Review - Tulsa Ballet, Off the Floor: James D. Watts, Tulsa World Preview - Introdans, NY: Rebecca Milzoff, New York Times Preview - Ballet and boxing on the South Bank: Clifford Bishop, Evening Standard Dieter Graefe and Onegin in Australia: Tim Douglas, The Australian Dance students soar at Youth America Grand Prix: Laura Bleiberg, Los Angeles Times Orlando Ballet's Blake Kessler wins Junior Grand Prix: Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel Preview - Les Ballets Eloelle (successor to Les Ballets Grandiva), Sydney: Stephen Bevis, Sydney Morning Herald Review - ENB2, My First Sleeping Beauty, York: Katherine Wootton, The Yorker Catherine Finta, York Press Jeremy Hunt's secret is out: he loves to dance the lambada: The Guardian

Another thing that may be relevant is that the Russian training includes much more character dancing than is common in the West.

Clement Crisp complained (amongst much else) about the thunder in the storm scene. I too thought there was much more of it, not especially loud but more prolonged, in the performance on Saturday evening. I found it intrusive and that it disturbed the music. The 1981 recording sounds as if the storm effects were produced with a thunder sheet whereas now they sound more 'real'. Anyone else notice this?

ROH Chief Executive Tony Hall, Executive Director of The Royal Shakespeare Company Vikki Heywood, and Director, Tate, Nicholas Serota join veteran broadcaster John Tusa to discuss everything from funding for the arts and the Cultural Olympiad to the future of their art forms. This discussion held on April 18th is now available to listen to or download via iTunes. It's the one at the top of the list with release date of 27.4.12.

I think not but we've been well served by the Bolshoi, Mariinsky and Ballet Nacional de Cuba so any Royal Ballet production would be head to head with them - assuming those companies can still afford to come to London. (What tragedy if not.)

Hate to find myself defending the ROH's website but I disagree! The What's On button is essentially a Book Now button and it is only 3 clicks from the home page to choosing seats in the actual performance that one wants to book. I can't see how they could make it fewer. One can argue round and round whether What's On or Book Now is the more appropriate label: I favour the former, you the latter! What mystifies me on the rather scrappy home page is what the listings under On Stage represent - at present it seems to be four forthcoming productions chosen at random i.e. things that are not On Stage. Actually the more I look at it the less I like it from a visual design point of view but I do think it's easier to use than before.

Links – Monday April 30, 2012 Obituary - Moscelyne Larkin, a founder of Tulsa Ballet: Jack Anderson, New York Times Review - Youth America Grand Prix gala (honouring Natalia Makarova), NY: Brian Seibert, New York Times Review - Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Ismene Brown, The Arts Desk Clement Crisp, Financial Times (praised by two, demolished by one!) Review - San Francisco Ballet, Don Quixote: Allan Ulrich, San Francisco Chronicle Review - Smuin Ballet, Swipe, Through, Symphony of Psalms: Claudia Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle Review - Battery Dance Company, Perceptual Motion: Alastair Macaulay, New York Times Review - Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, Les Chambres des Jacques, Night Box, Erie: Steve Sucato, DanceTabs Review - Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company, Lyric Suite: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Review - Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, mixed bill, LA: Debra Levine, Los Angeles Times Review - Ballet Boyz, mixed bill, Beirut: India Stoughton, The Daily Star (Lebanon) First dance injury clinic for NHS to open: Branwen Jeffreys, BBC News Baryshnikov the actor again: Frank Rizzo, Hartford Courant What’s on in NY: The New Yorker Mark Morris world premiere part of Seattle’s On the Boards 2012-13 season: Misha Berson, Seattle Times 5 questions with Ballet Arizona's Ib Andersen: Raquel Velasco, East Valley Tribune

We linked to the NYT's article about the Tanaquil LeClerq book back in February.

Thanks. It's a pleasure - most of the time! And it does seem thoroughly worthwhile.

Links – Sunday April 29, 2012 Review - The Royal Ballet, La Fille mal gardée: Jane Simpson, DanceTabs Review - Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, (v. the RB’s Sweet Violets) London: Luke Jennings, The Observer Review - Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, London: 5 stars, Jenny Gilbert, Independent on Sunday Review - Paris Opéra Ballet School, Spectacle de l’École de Danse: Rachel Mann, DanceTabs Film - YAGP documentary, First Position: Laura Bleiberg, Los Angeles Times Preview - Chet Walker’s Heat Wave: The Jack Cole Project, NY: Rebecca Milzoff, New York Times Review - Sarasota Ballet, Theatre of Dreams: Carrie Seidman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune Dances Made to Order - online dance film festival: Zachary Whittenburg, Time Out Chicago Review - Smuin Ballet, mixed bill: Janos Gereben, San Francisco Examiner

Click What's On or on a date in the calendar.

My goodness Bruce you were up early! Thought I was slow off the mark spotting this at midnight!

Links – Saturday April 28, 2012 Review - Boston Ballet, Don Quixote: Thea Singer, Boston Globe Review - Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, London: 4 stars, Judith Mackrell, The Guardian Laura Dodge, LondonDance Review - Joffrey Ballet, Spring Desire: Catherine L. Tully, Huffington Post Film review - Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance: David Noh, FilmJournal Fledgling Ballerinas, Just Learning to Fly - docu about YAGP contestants : Rebecca Milzoff, New York Times Review - Ballet Revolución, London: 2 stars, Clement Crisp, Financial Times Jeffrey Gordon Baker, LondonDance Review - Trajal Harrell, Antigone Sr., NY: Claudia La Rocco, New York Times Review - Gideon Obarzanek, Faker, NY: Brian Seibert, New York Times Review - Noism, Washington: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Review - Armitage Gone Dance, Drastic Classicism, The Watteau Duets: Zachary Whittenburg, Time Out Chicago Ballet star Angel Corella ready for his next act (Q&A): Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle Dancing for Ballet Austin, motherhood a complicated dance: Nicole Villalpando, Statesman.com David Hallberg photos - ‘An Immaculate Contorted Anguish’ (!): Flaunt

Carlos Acosta has a new website and the top news item is 'Carlos to Choreograph 3 Act Ballet for the Royal Opera House!' - his exclamation mark, not mine. The ballet is Don Quixote, out of the RB's rep since Ross Stretton introduced the Australian Ballet's Nureyev version in 2001. I assume that the headline is a bit exaggerated but I wonder what his source will be. Presumably it will be produced for the 2013-14 season.

Links – Friday April 27, 2012 Obituary - Hugo Fiorato, New York City Ballet conductor: Paul Vitello, New York Times Review - Scottish Ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire, London: 4 stars, Clifford Bishop, Evening Standard Review - Ballet Revolución, London: 3 stars, Sanjoy Roy, The Guardian Ballet Revolución: gallery, Dave Morgan, DanceTabs opening night photos, Tatler Review - Joffrey Ballet, Spring Desire: Zachary Whittenburg, Time Out Chicago Joffrey Ballet’s spring series is immensely desirable: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Review - Gideon Obarzanek, Faker, NY: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times The Cultural Olympiad - the list: The Telegraph Alvin Ailey troupe wants to bring everyone to their feet: Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald Interview - Chet Walker on Heat Wave: The Jack Cole Project: Gia Kourlas, Time Out New York Patrick Thaiday’s last night with Bangarra Dance Theatre: Ashleigh Wilson, Australian Interview - Clara Blanco, San Francisco Ballet soloist: Toba Singer, California Literary Review

Shirley, thanks. I've been looking all over for them!

Many apologies for the loss of the recent postings. We had two topics on the subject of the new website so I thought best to merge them. In the process the content of the more recent topic seems to have been lost. I am at a loss to explain this as I've tested out merging topics in the Test forum and it seems to work fine. The last query was from Alison who couldn't get the ROH website on their old address, http://www.roh.org.uk/. Just to confirm this has not changed.

No, that's right. Internal links have changed but the base URL remains the same.

The first London visit of the Cuban company Ballet Revolución. Described as 'an explosive fusion of ballet, contemporary dance and hip hop from a company of supremely talented Cuban dancers and live musicians.' Ballet Revolución. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr ©Dave Morgan. Ballet Revolución. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr ©Dave Morgan. More… Dave Morgan: Ballet Revolución - 21 photos Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Discussion of this production is here.

It's fine here (maybe because I'm closer!) It pains me to say it but it does look as if they've improved things in terms of navigating the site and finding what you want, though there are still bits missing and some wonky links. The booking module seems to be working and is clearer, including choosing your seat, though I haven't found anything I want to book - it takes three clicks to get from the home page to ticket selection which isn't bad. Less glitzy than before, much lighter in colour, even a little old-fashioned.

Sounds like Part I of the upgrade. No doubt more pain and inconvenience is to come. For the next few hours, as part of the build of our new website, we are installing some upgrades. We would like to apologize for any frustration this may cause. We plan to resume service after 11pm this evening. Although you cannot check information or book tickets online during this time, you can still book tickets until 8pm this evening by visiting the Box Office in person or ringing +44 (0)20 7304 4000. Between 8pm and 11pm it will not be possible to make a booking. When service returns you will notice some changes to the website. We look forward to introducing further changes in due course.

Odd. All external links should open in a new window or tab.

Opening on July 18 these converted underground oil tanks are part of the new extension to Tate Modern. The Tanks are going to be home to performance and the first exhibits will include Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's Fase and work by Yvonne Rainer. Details.