★★★★✰ The messages of Grigorovich's Spartacus may have changed over the half-century since its creation but new generations revel in its theatricality - and the bolshoi power of its performers.
Archive - July 2019
As part of their 50th anniversary Scottish Ballet presents the world premiere of The Crucible by Arthur Miller, choreographed by Helen Pickett, from 3 – 5 August at the Edinburgh International Festival ahead of a Scottish tour. helenpickett.com www.eif.co.uk www.scottishballet.co.uk Dance at this year’s Edinburgh Festival opens with your brand-new take on Arthur Miller’s The Crucible...
Although Valerie Lawson's context is wide-ranging, she brings individuals into focus with personal details, shining a spotlight onto their roles in Australian dance history. Lavishly illustrated with photographs from Australian archives, her book gives vivid life to long-gone personalities.
Interview - Claire Cunningham's latest work "Thank You Very Much" uses the phenomenon of Elvis Presley and Elvis tribute artists as a springboard to explore impersonation, identity, acceptance and the challenges of being yourself. Josephine Leask finds out more from the lively Cunningham...
★★★★✰ The SKETCH series, from Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, is one of my favorite summer dance events in San Francisco. The company dancers are always terrific, both technically and artistically.
Diane Parkes talks to Lucie Mirkova, Head of Artistic Programmes at Birmingham’s DanceXchange, about their forward thinking new approaches to artist development including linking with others across the UK to do better for new artists...
★★★★★ The Cordoban star Olga Pericet's poetically titled show revealed, wonderfully, a personality too big for flamenco to hold.
★★★★✰ The choice of works emphasised ensembles more than individuals. It was interesting to see large numbers of young men dancing together, as well as a more usual female corps de ballet.
★★★★★ As the gala’s artistic director, Liñán brought together four great talents (three dancers and a singer), backed up by an outstanding group of musicians...
★★★★✰ Fallen From Heaven (Caido del Cielo) is referenced as the celebration of being a woman, and it is certainly all about one woman.
★★★★✰ The show overall gave us a good slice of what ballet is in 2019, and just how adaptable the students need to be these days - exciting times for them and exciting for us in the audience as well.
★★★★✰ You can tell the Danes are in town by the fact that the Joyce Theater has been packed night after night this week.
The Bolshoi Ballet are in London this summer with Spartacus, Swan Lake, The Bright Stream and Don Quixote. One of the world's greatest companies, here are Jann Parry's thoughts on an important visit...
★★★★✰ Mark Morris Dance Group are currently at the Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival performing a triple bill coupling a new work, "Sport", to the much admired "Empire Garden" and "V".
★★★✰✰ English National Ballet School is celebrating 30 years since its inception in 1989 - it had just 12 students in that inaugural year. The numbers are ever increasing and there is evidence of significant talents among the graduates this year.
This years Yorkshire Ballet Seminars take place from 13 July to 2 August 2019 – time for a word with Director Iain Mackay about what makes them so special and his plans…
The Young Talent Festival at London's Royal Opera House included an important Symposium, hosted by Theresa Ruth Howard, under the title "Exposure, Access and Opportunity: Exploring the Cultural Barriers to Ballet." Deborah Weiss with a comprehensive report on a stimulating event...
★★★✰✰ Dutch National Ballet Junior Company at the ROH Young Talent Festival with 5 works – No Time Before Time, Fuse, What Got You Here, Fingers in the Air and In The Future.
★★★✰✰ Light on tap and heavy on concept, the show is inspired by an imaginary conversation between Glover and Gregg Burge – a multi-talented artist lost too young (23 years ago this 4 July) to brain cancer.
★★★✰✰ The great achievement of LCB is to mount professional productions, complete with full orchestra, without charging parents for the privilege.