Les Ballets de Monte Carlo – LAC (after Swan Lake) – London
All up it’s an entertaining and chic-looking take on Swan Lake, and one where you don’t have to know the original to enjoy it. But I’m glad I have seen a pukka Swan Lake or three…
New York City Ballet – Jewels: Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds – Washington
In many ways, Jewels is Balanchine’s choreographic résumé – a retrospective and a vivid showcase of his aesthetics and creative genius…
Mariinsky Ballet – London season including Casting
Casting Released for Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Apollo, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Firebird, Marguerite and Armand, DSCH, Cinderella (and remember all casting can change…)
Perm Ballet – Serenade, Concerto Barocco, The Second Detail – Paris
The Perm Ballet has become a regular fixture in France over the past six years… the company embarks every winter on a countrywide tour akin to a Ballets Russes expedition. This year, they visited 19 different venues…
Ethan Stiefel is standing down as Royal New Zealand Ballet Artistic Director after just 3 years
A shame – not long for either him or the company to know one another. Three years is not the normal tenure for being artistic director of a company – 5 would be…
Mariinsky Ballet – Swan Lake – Washington
The formula for the success of the Mariinsky’s Swan Lake is simple. The love story between a beautiful young woman turned into a swan and a prince is told in a direct, traditional manner. There is no symbolism or hidden meaning here, no exaggeration or melodrama.
National Dance Awards 2013 – Leanne Benjamin and Matthew Bourne’s citations for outstanding achievement in dance
At Monday’s National Dance Awards two de Valois awards were given for outstanding achievement in dance. Here are Graham Watts citations for Leanne Benjamin and Matthew Bourne, as given on the day.
David Hallberg with Australian Ballet – Cinderella – Sydney
…Hallberg’s entrance drew gasps and shouts of ‘bravo’ from the audience. His magnificently stretched jetés soared through the air…
Martha Clarke Takes on Colette’s Chéri + Herman Cornejo interview
Novels are treacherous terrain for choreographers. So much of what draws us into a book and imprints itself in our imagination …is almost impossible to convey in the language of the body.
Matthew Bourne / New Adventures – Swan Lake – London
I’m not ashamed to admit to a tear in my eye at the final curtain…
Company XIV – Nutcracker Rouge – New York
If you think about it, Nutcracker lends itself quite naturally to an erotic treatment. Coming of age story, voyage of discovery, fantasy playground filled with tantalizing delights
Russian State Ballet of Astrakhan – Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet – Guildford
As its whistle-stop tour drew to its final week, the Russian State Ballet settled down for three consecutive days at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.
Ballet San Jose – 2013 Benefit Gala – San Jose
This was an evening not to be missed. Newly appointed Artistic Director, José Manuel Carreño, made sure that the quality of the eighteen guest artists for Ballet San Jose’s Gala Performance would tantalise even the most skeptical dance fan.
Boston Ballet – La Bayadere – Boston
As for the whole ballet, it’s a 19th century expression of the racist Orientalist view that says India is a land of groveling slaves and despotic rajahs, unbridled lust and pervasive corruption, abundant opium and yielding odalisques. …Once past all that, however, it’s a lavish and thrilling spectacle with abundant pleasures for eye and ear.
Matthew Bourne / New Adventures – Sleeping Beauty – New York
For all Bourne’s imagination, his version makes even less sense than the original.
City Contemporary Dance Company – It’s My Turn showcase – Hong Kong
It’s My Turn is the 2013 edition of City Contemporary Dance Company’s annual showcase for new choreography… Although this wasn’t a vintage year, all four pieces offered something to enjoy…
Smuin Ballet – XXtremes: Seiwert, Kylian and Smuin bill – San Francisco
Earlier this month Smuin Ballet danced their XXtremes bill in San Francisco with works by Amy Seiwert, Jiri Kylian and Michael Smuin. Aimée Tsao with thoughts on the bill and where the company might be heading…
