Bolshoi Ballet – The Flames of Paris – London
★★★★✰ The great pleasure of Alexei Ratmansky’s version of Vasily Vainonen’s 1932 ballet is the cornucopia of steps to which both choreographers had access: danse d’école, folk and character dances, as well as expressive acting.
Bolshoi Ballet – Don Quixote – London
★★★★✰ The Bolshoi’s Don Quixote continues to delight for the exuberance and skill of its range of performers, with the corps de ballet and demi-soloists taking pride of place.
American Ballet Theatre – Spring Gala – New York
★★★★✰ It isn’t often that a gala program proves satisfying, but this one was the exception.
Carlos Acosta at IDFB – A Classical Farewell – Birmingham
★★★★✰ Winks, finger wags, flamboyant leaps in a criminally short leather skirt – Carlos Acosta gives the people what they want in this winsome bill, a mix of variations he’s assembled to mark his retirement after more than 25 years on stage.
Bolshoi Ballet Summer Season in London 2016
Press release – 11 April 2016 Victor Hochhauser presents BOLSHOI BALLET General Director: Vladimir Urin Artistic Director: Makhar Vaziev ROYAL OPERA HOUSE Monday 25 July – Saturday 13 August 2016 The Bolshoi Ballet…
Ave Maya Gala in Memory of Maya Plisetskaya – London
★★★✰✰ Every gala needs a revelation, and this one was provided by Sergio Bernal, a Spanish dancer who dominated the stage in an imperious farruca solo from Antonio’s flamenco version of The Three Cornered Hat…
Gemma Bond – Harvest: Being, Manner, Depuis le Jour, Then and Again – New York
★★★✰✰ ” Bond’s strength, for now, lies in a kind of old-fashioned insistence on beauty and her ability to coax sensitive, generous performances out of her dancers.”
San Francisco Ballet – Opening Night Gala – San Francisco
★★★✰✰ By way of a défilé, the evening opened with the “Waltz of the Hours” from Balanchine and Danilova’s Coppélia …Soloist Jennifer Stahl led two dozen girls from the SFB School, adorable in cotton-candy tutus.
A chat with Brooklyn Mack, Washington Ballet & English National Ballet Guest Artist
Brooklyn Mack dances with Washington Ballet but has recently been wowing British audiences with English National Ballet in their wonderful “Le Corsaire”. Margaret Willis, much impressed, caught up with him for a chat…
2015 Dance Memories – London
Lynette Halewood with her personal selection of London dance memories this last year…
José Manuel Carreño – Artistic director of Silicon Valley Ballet
José Manuel Carreño on being a great Cuban dancer, now director of Silicon Valley Ballet, and the strong relations developing between the USA and Cuba and what that means for ballet.
Russian State Ballet of Astrakhan – Don Quixote – Guildford
The company, based on the shores of the Caspian Sea, successfully toured the UK in 2013 and has returned again with 37 (from its full company of 65) dancers, offering the popular favourites including its latest “Don Quixote”, which made for a most enjoyable evening.
Obituary: David Drew, Royal Ballet Principal, with the company 56 years
David Drew, for 56 years a member of The Royal Ballet, has died after a long battle with illness. He described himself as one of a ‘bridge generation’ of dancers. The longevity of his career meant that he worked with many figures from the Ballets Russees – but also taught many dancers and choreographers working today.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (Trocks) – London & UK Tour Bills – London
So a tip to the wise up front – see them in London while you can or catch them on their subsequent UK tour….
Gallery – Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo in Don Quixote
The Trocks (Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo) programme 2 opens shortly at London’s Peacock and Dave Morgan was at the photocall for us when they ran their Don Quixote…
Julio Bocca – Director Ballet Nacional SODRE in Montevideo
Julio Bocca, much loved but now no longer dancing, has a new life in Montevideo, running Ballet Nacional SODRE. Marina Harss talks to a busy man rebuilding his company – fast…
Dawid Trzensimiech – Principal, Romanian National Ballet
Graham Watts talks to an ex-RB Soloist doing well as a Principal at Romanian National Ballet…
Kathleen Breen Combes – Principal, Boston Ballet
I was told my body type wasn’t really ideal, and during high school I had ballet teachers who said that maybe I should consider pursuing college because my body wasn’t suitable for classical ballet…
Dores André – Principal, San Francisco Ballet
If it was up to me, I would pay more [salary] to the corps than to the principals. Half the ballet depends on them, and it is very hard to be in a good mood and trying your hardest every day when you are not getting the attention and the development that we get as principals and soloists.
