zxDaveM

1. - yes. Most of the 'backroom' staff and orchestra are British, from what I've seen 2. - yes, to some degree. New Nutcracker (and it was needed!), I think Snow Queen was new, they bring in pieces new to the UK (the last triple bill had two old but new to UK pieces, for example) 3. - yes, they spend most of their performance time touring around England. The folks in London get to see them too, which is cool if they missed out on RB tickets, as its usually easier to get them and much closer to the event (so you don't have to plan months in advance)

channel hopping on the TV, whilst rest of family downstairs watching Endybenders. Was transfixed by her Sugar Plum, so had jotted down her name in the back of an address book (or diary). A couple of years later, had thought about seeing Bjork at the ROH - a) cos I like Bjork, and cos I'd not been to ROH in all the time I'd been in London. Failed at that though, but then remembered the name in the back of the book - so when the opportunity arose to see her live (in Giselle), I went, and was utterly gobsmacked. Then its the usual story - went to see her in something else but she was injured, so saw someone else who I also liked, then the marketing dept got me with some cheap tickets for a triple bill, and before I knew it, I was seeing every production, then several casts, then at least one show from every cast, then almost every show! Which is probably a familiar story to most of us on here! :-)

Miyako Yoshida

I'm a podgy deffo non-dancer, lumpen photographer, but I love her too! :-) (despite her being really hard to photograph, as she moves so quickly)

Arrrrrrr!

Yes, sadly he's injured at the moment

here are some photos, from 2 rehearsals last week. Bennet Gartside and Mara Galeazzi led one cast, Rupert Pennefather and Melissa Hamilton the other. They have their opening shows over the next couple of weeks. Mayerling - Bennet Gartside as Rudolph, Emma-Jane Maguire as Stephanie © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mayerling - Bennet Gartside (Rudolph), Mara Galeazzi (Mary Vetsera) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mayerling (different cast) - Rupert Pennefather and Melissa Hamilton (Rudolph and Mary Vetsera) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mayerling - Empress, and ladies-in-waiting © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Set from DanceTabs - Royal Ballet: Mayerling Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr By kind Permission of the Royal Opera House

Absolutely brilliant mixed bill - Petite Mort is very striking, Le Jeunne homme et la Mort is smoking hot, and even good ol' Etudes sparkles delightfully. Go see! Here are a couple of quick shots - more to come when I get the chance.... Nicholas Le Riche & Tamara Rojo in Le Jeunne homme et la mort © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Amber Hunt, James Streeter in Petite Mort © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Ken Surahashi in Etudes © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Set from DanceTabs - English National Ballet - Ecstasy & Death mixed bill Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

here are a few sample pics. The set will fill up a bit more, when I get the chance. We only could photograph Act 1... Romeo & Juliet at the Capulet Ball (Guillaume Cote & Heather Ogden) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr An ardent Romeo for Juliet (Guillaume Cote & Heather Ogden) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Romeo & Juliet - from the Balcony scene (Guillaume Cote & Heather Ogden) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Set from DanceTabs - National Ballet of Canada: Romeo & Juliet Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

Yes, this is really bad, even for those blinkered fans who only like certain dancers, or have they're fave replaced by one they particularly dislike. I'm sure they wouldn't approach said fave dancer and boo them for being injured or ill - so its not the fault of the replacement, who I'm sure would always do their very best and with minimal rehearsal time to aid them. There have been occasions when I've been disappointed one of my own personal faves hasn't danced, but then often pleasantly surprised to 'discover' a new dancer - just have to relax your mind and give them a chance.

as the reviews for Midnight Express went pretty much as I had expected the piece to be from reading the blurb (even WITH Sergei Polunin), I did my 'booing' with my feet (as it were), and simply didn't buy a ticket. I mean - what were the boo-ers expecting? As for booing generally, can't say I'm in favour, as its not always going to be clear at who or what you booing. Mind you, if you'd paid £200+ for an opera ticket and the singer you'd gone to see gave a duff showing, well, fair do I reckon to give them the 'bird'. If its the production - you only really get a chance to show disapproval on opening night, if the muppets are bold enough to show face at curtain call time...

Shame for young Francesca. Must be lack of rehearsal time, as she was back on stage the other night as a Shade...

...in the tabloid press (full stop, irrespective of the topic)

my pleasure afds! :-)

Some photos from last Friday's photo call. Hats off to Yasmine Naghdi for leading the Shades around the stage doing the arabeques (twice in one day!) Absolutely beautiful and mesmerising to watch... Royal Ballet - La Bayadere: Solor & Nikiya (Nehemiah Kish & Hikaru Kobayashi) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Royal Ballet - La Bayadere: The Shades © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Royal Ballet - La Bayadere: Gamzatti (Yuhui Choe) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Set from DanceTabs - Royal Ballet: La Bayadere Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr By kind Permission of the Royal Opera House

Claudia Dean as 'The Chosen One' catches the eye - look forward to seeing her rip the stage up!

Here are a couple of photos from the stunningly beautiful Nacho Duato pieces (Without Words, and Prelude) we got to see (sadly no time for Nunc Dimittis). Of all the Mikhailovsky pieces I saw, think these were my faves. Mikhailovsky Ballet - Without Words (Nacho Duato) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mikhailovsky Ballet - Without Words (Nacho Duato) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mikhailovsky Ballet - Prelude (Nacho Duato) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Set from DanceTabs - Mikhailovsky Ballet: Nacho Duato triple bill Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

Here are a few more pics. As John says, a bit of a gloomfest, but a fascinating ballet nevertheless Mikhailovsky Ballet - Multiplicity (Oksana Bondareva) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mikhailovsky Ballet - Multiplicity (Marat Shemiunov, Sabina Yapparova, Polina Semionova) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mikhailovsky Ballet - Multiplicity © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Set from DanceTabs - Mikhailovsky Ballet: Multiplicity Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

oh nooooo!!! :-( Hope she is even now making a speedy recovery... (she did manage a performance in Las Hermanas as well, but otherwise, yes, a long time out of action, bless her)

I forgot to mention - the recent Alice in Wonderland showing at the cinema, had a trailer for the showing of the Ashton mixed bill - 'coming soon'. Think its in the summer sometime, but no specific date was mentioned.

After Giselle, strides in Don Quixote! Here area couple of sample photos, with Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova. They only did a little bit as they are performing the opening night later in the day. The set on Flickr will fill up as I complete the processing - but as they are performing today, thought i'd pop up a couple to get things going: Mikhailovsky Ballet - Don Quixote (Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mikhailovsky Ballet - Don Quixote (Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr Mikhailovsky Ballet - Don Quixote (Natalia Osipova as Kitri) © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Set from DanceTabs - Mikhailovsky Ballet: Don Quixote Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

Just got back from seeing it in the cinema, with the Sarah Lamb cast. Pros of cinema visit: sitting down for not much cash and with a decent view; back home in less time than getting to the tube from ROH; superb closeup views; sound was well balanced and rich/detailed; the mini-films about the ballet, characters, and creators, and back-stage bits, were fun and informative (think most online now) cons of cinema visit - the cinema I went to is a bit of a dive these days; no cast sheets again (last time at Nutcracker, they at least turned up at half time); the wider angle shots not so crisp, and very blue tinted; sometimes the shot wasn't on the bit you wanted to see; its still cheaper to stand in ROH Overall though, enjoyed the experience once in my seat, and glad I went. I hadn't noticed watching it live - not even when photographing - how much of the projections are on the dancers (well, Alice really) in scenes such as the 'doors' (with the 'drink me' and 'eat me' bits). The HD cameras really picked that up - and not in a good way.

I'd say, that after the way its sold, 'Alice' is on its way to being a family. Christmas fave. Also, for me anyway - lots to enjoy. Giselle, I'll be there for every one I can get to; same for Jewels, same the mixed bills; I'll probably get to a good few Nutcrackers as I love the last 2/3rds; will look forward to a bit of a romp at a couple of DQ's, a couple of Beauty's, maybe a couple of R&Js (depending on casting). Actually, casting will probably play a big part in how many I see of the 'warhorses' - especially if the young emerging dancers I particularly like, get a shout

Some of NETB's Patrons visited the company at Art Gallery Two Temple Place, for the fund raising event on Monday night. Here are a few photos: Mara Galeazzi, Darcey Bussell, Enya Sainsbury, Erina Takahashi © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr NETB dancers Christopher Furlong & Georgina Rose Connolly, with Darcey Bussell © Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr See more... Set from DanceTabs - New English Ballet Theatre's fund raiser Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

In the Insight, Jacquelin Barrett said not, and I can't say I noticed anything different from this time last year.