
American Ballet Theatre – Fall Gala and The Masters bills – New York
★★★★✰ The fewer the speeches, the better the gala – this universal truth seems to have bypassed the organizers at American Ballet Theatre…

Bolshoi Ballet – Jewels: Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds – Brisbane
★★★★★ As you would expect Diamonds was the highlight of the three part Jewels.

Some Memorable Performances of 2018 – New York
Other years have been more exciting, I think, but this one has had its share of remarkable performances, including a few thrilling ones. Here, in no particular order, are the ones that really stood out, for one reason or another.

Royal Ballet – Jewels: Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds – London
★★★★✰ The first Emeralds ballerina, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, could be a water nymph, touching the hands of her suitor, Valeri Hristov, in the opening pas de deux before drifting out of reach.

Miami City Ballet – Opening Night Gala: Serenade, Symphonic Dances – New York
★★★★✰ This is dancing that makes one hungry for more.

San Francisco Ballet – Continuum, In the Countenance of Kings (premiere), Theme and Variations – San Francisco
★★★★✰ San Francisco Ballet (SFB) saved the best for its last mixed bill of the 2016 season.

Chase Johnsey, Dancer, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Yet again the Trocks had a fabulous critical reception during their Autumn UK tour and mentioned in nearly every review was Chase Johnsey, or in Trocks speak their petite ballerina Yakatarina Verbosovich. So what makes Chase/Yakatarina tick? Time for an interview…

Lawrence Rines – Boston Ballet, Corps de Ballet
“I feel as though now that I’m older, working smart is the best thing as a dancer and artist. It’s not about NOT trying as hard as when I was younger, but really thinking about things.”

American Ballet Theatre – After You, Monotones I & II, Brahms-Haydn Variations – New York
ABT galas are more laid-back than City Ballet’s; they’re less “produced,” with fewer speeches or slick video presentations. For the most part, the company just gets on with the show, with minimum fuss.

Gallery – Birmingham Royal Ballet in Theme and Variations, Enigma Variations and Kin.
Gallery by Dave Morgan…

New York City Ballet – Liebeslieder Walzer, Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3 – New York
A great Liebeslieder is like a short story, a complete world in fifty minutes of dancing; this Liebeslieder is still a work in progress.

Boston Ballet – Thrill of Contact: Theme and Variations, The Concert, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, fremd – Boston
Boston Ballet closed its season with a generous offering of four ballets spanning almost 70 years… and including a world premiere and two company premieres…

New York City Ballet – Walpurgisnacht Ballet, Sonatine, La Valse, Symphony in C – New York
After a week of modernist works by Balanchine set mostly to Stravinsky, Hindemith, Webern, there’s no denying that a night of French music falls sweetly on the ear.

American Ballet Theatre – Les Sylphides, Pillar of Fire, Fancy Free, Theme and Variations – New York
There are times when a dance lover just can’t believe her good fortune and one of those times comes around once a year in New York…

San Francisco Ballet – 2016 Season Announced
Hot off the presses, San Francisco Ballet 2016 season announcement includes two world premieres, three full-length revivals and numerous bold-face names, including Forsythe, Ratmansky and Wheeldon…