Ian Macmillan

Bruce: I've no explanation to hand, but the apparent critical divide seems very real thus far, with just one positive review. And I find it stranger still when Cathy's Snowblind for San Francisco Ballet was so well received last year, both in the Bay Area and when later taken to Washington DC - her essential approach there strikes me as very similar. But just thinking about her work as simply 'ballet' seems sure to bring disappointment and that's not where she works at all, to my mind - though I'd certainly agree about "ballet informed movement." As ever it's probably a matter of taste. But I was heartened to see this a couple of hours ago - no sign there of a disappointed audience, or that Misty Copeland and Cory Stearns were at the end of a relative dud.

Links – Friday 7 June, 2019 Reviews – Royal Ballet, The Firebird, A Month in the Country, Symphony in C, London: Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Vera Liber, BTG Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Feature – Marcelino Sambé, New Royal Ballet Principal: David Sanderson, The Times Review – American Ballet Theatre, Jane Eyre, New York: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Reviews – San Francisco Ballet, Bespoke, Hummingbird, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, London: Vera Liber, BTG Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Documentaries: - Natalia Osipova, Force of Nature: Peter Bradshaw, Guardian - Nureyev: Rachel Saltz, NY Times Preview – Ballet Black, Click!, Pendulum, Ingoma, Edinburgh: Kelly Apter, The List News – Paul Taylor Dance Company – A Departing Generation: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – School of American Ballet, Concerto Barocco, Garland dance, New Sleep, Bourée Fantasque, New York: Carol Pardo, Danceviewtimes Review – San Francisco Ballet School, Graduation Programme, San Francisco: Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter News – Scottish Ballet teams with the Every Voice Choir: Phil Miller, Glasgow Herald Review – Merce Cunningham Celebration, April 17, New York: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc Diary – New York, Next Week: Brian Schaefer, NY Times Previews – Seattle International Dance Festival: Gemma Alexander, Seattle Times Sandra Kurtz, Oregon Artswatch Review – Ryuichi Fujimura & Lucky Lartey, Passing It On, Sydney: Jill Sykes, SMH

I'm relieved to see Michael Popkin's substantially more positive review for Danceviewtimes in today's Links. As this Forum shows, day in and day out, we all see things differently when in a theatre - and Cathy's Jane seems to have worked for him, as it did for me some three years ago in the small Richmond Theatre in southwest London, during the tour of Northern Ballet's original version. The scale then was small, with nowhere near 40 dancers, so perhaps there might be an 'issue' with putting it on a substantially larger stage, as has been suggested. Nonetheless, from what I've seen on Twitter, Cathy has been in New York for some time - and as Janet said, above, both Jenny and Daniel de Andrade have assisted in the staging. So, for good or ill, what was seen is what Cathy wanted to show. And, of course, the production goes to Joffrey Ballet in Chicago in October.

Tonight, at the New York Metropolitan Opera House, American Ballet Theatre will stage the US premiere of Cathy Marston's Jane Eyre, first commissioned by Northern Ballet and toured in the UK during 2016. I hope we might hear reactions from any members over there, in addition to newspaper reviews picked up in Links. For now, Playbill has published a useful introduction.

Something on Twitter caught my eye this morning, and it may serve to start a thread for occasional gems from the past. Current members from the ballet.co era will remember the very distinctive reports from Eric Taub in New York, none more distinctive than this review of the ABT Gala in May 2007 that immortalised a Rose Adagio that Veronika Part must recall in horror: https://web.archive.org/web/20070703020525/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_07/jun07/et_rev_abt_0507.htm

Norman Lebrecht gives "the achievements she lists" in italics - and are we to take it that the 4 words in a reversion to a normal font under her photograph is his personal comment on same?

Something of tennis interest in today's Links - from the Washington Post.

Links – Monday 27 May, 2019 Feature – Is crowdfunding the future of opera and ballet? Laura Cappelle, Financial Times Review – American Ballet Theatre, Whipped Cream, New York: Mary Cargill, Danceviewtimes Review – Scottish Dance Theatre, Ritualia, The Circle, Edinburgh: Dominic Corr, Reviews Hub Review – Rambert2, Grey Matter, E2 7SD, Killer Pig, Edinburgh: Dominic Corr, Reviews Hub Review – Cas Public, 9, London: Teresa Guereirro, Culture Whisper Speaking in Dance – Anthony Huxley of NYCB: Gia Kourlas, NY Times News – Ballet Review to suspend publication at the end of the year: Ballet Review And Dance Critic Sarah L Kaufman ponders: - Why Roger Federer is the most graceful athlete of our time: Washington Post

Links – Sunday 26 May, 2019 Reviews – Pam Tanowitz & Colleagues, Four Quartets, London: Sarah Crompton, The Observer Emma Byrne, Evening Standard Review – TAO Dance Theatre, 4 and 9, London: Maryam Philpott, Reviews Hub Review – Backhausdance, Scene Unseen, Beyond the Noise, One Continuous Line, Irvine, CA: Laura Bleiberg, LA Times Review – Dauntless Movement Crew, Jump First, Ask Later, Sydney: Jill Sykes, The Age Gallery – Cas Public, 9, London: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs

For anyone who missed this morning's Link, it seems there will be some fairly fantastical costumes in this show: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2019/may/24/cinderella-costume-parade-english-national-ballet-christopher-wheeldon-in-pictures

We saw a catchup screening this afternoon. It's a while since I last saw it but, whatever Sir Matthew has done to it for this revised version, it made a much greater impression than any I recall previously. The Principals were all excellent and the Company no less so. In particular, the Act I and Act III equivalents seemed much sharper than I recall and the final bedroom scene was very powerfully put across. A treat! And being used to other streamed performances, I was slightly taken aback by the British Board of Film Censors certificate and no interval - a real movie, indeed.

Links – Saturday 25 May, 2019 Review – American Ballet Theatre, The Seasons (Ratmansky), New York: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Review – Pam Tanowitz & Colleagues, Four Quartets, London: Deborah Weiss, DanceTabs Jenny Gilbert, Arts Desk Picture Preview – English National Ballet, Cinderella (Wheeldon), London: Tristram Kenton, Guardian Review – Scottish Ballet, 2019 Digital Season: Róisín O’Brien, SeeingDance Feature – New challenges at New York City Ballet: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc Diaries: - UK, Next Week: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian (Scroll well down) - Southern California, Next Week: Matt Cooper, LA Times Reviews – Masters of Choreography, Beats on Pointe, London: Graham Watts, Bachtrack Rachel Nouchi, BTG Review – Peter Pleyer, triton tanzt.twisted trident, Berlin: Veronica Posth, SeeingDance

Links – Friday 24 May, 2019 Review – Royal Ballet, Romeo and Juliet (Various pairings), London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Reviews – American Ballet Theatre, Ratmansky Season Programmes, New York: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Ivy Lin, Bachtrack Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc Review – Pam Tanowitz & Colleagues, Four Quartets, London: Donald Hutera, The Times Tristram Fane Saunders, Telegraph Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Neil Norman, The Stage Vera Liber, BTG Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper News – David McAllister to step down as AD at Australian Ballet: Nathanael Cooper, Sydney Morning Herald Diary – New York, Next Week: Brian Schaefer, NY Times Preview – DanceAfrica Festival, New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – Victoria Fox & Dancers, Still I Rise, Brighton: Katie Columbus, Arts Desk Reviews – New Zealand School of Dance, Choreographic Season, Wellington: Deirdre Tarrant, Theatreview Jennifer Shennan, ... on dancing

Links – Thursday 23 May, 2019 Feature – Twyla Tharp, Sara Rudner, Isabella Boylston & Misty Copeland on learning Deuce Coupe: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – American Ballet Theatre, Serenade after Plato’s Symposium, The Seasons, New York: Mary Cargill, Danceviewtimes Review – San Francisco Ballet, Shostakovich Trilogy, San Francisco: Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter Review – Queensland Ballet, Serenade, The Shadows Behind Us, Soldier’s Mass, Brisbane: Deborah Jones, FollowSpot Preview – Birmingham Royal Ballet, [Un]leashed Triple; Hobson’s Choice, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Tour Review – Northern Ballet, Victoria, Cardiff: Mike Smith, South Wales Argus Reviews – Seeta Patel, The Rite of Spring, Dance Dialogues, London: Josephine Leask, DanceTabs Vikki Vile, Culture Whisper Review – Wim Vandekeybus/Ultima Vez, Traptown, Brighton: Katie Columbus, Arts Desk Review – Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, He takes her by the hand …., Wuppertal: Chris Wiegand, Guardian Tour Review – Matthew Bourne/ New Adventures, Swan Lake, Sheffield: Velda Harris, BTG Review – Beats on Pointe, London: Eleanor Sofflet, SeeingDance Preview – London Children’s Ballet, Ballet Shoes, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Feature – Outside Looking In, an indigenous Dance programme, Ontario: Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

I see that The Times has picked up on the Italian protest - there's a piece in today's World News pages. No need for a link as I can't see anything new.

I make it 7+ years since he walked out from the RB. Is this latest round of discussion going anywhere new?

The papers have started getting it online. The Guardian leads with Cathy Marston's piece and gives some useful early background: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/may/14/royal-ballet-2019-season-cathy-marston-jacqueline-du-pre The Times piece is more general: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/what-to-look-out-for-in-the-new-season-at-the-royal-opera-house-8mqlsbrrs?shareToken=81489a0c5d62a9a11e59fc7629c048d4

With the Press Embargo and the ROH website seemingly at odds with one another, might there be scope for the recruitment of a Right and Left Hand Coordinator?

I'm at one with Bruce Wall in saying "About time" at the news that Cathy Marston has her first main-stage commission for next February. Her subject is, no surprise, another strong female one in Jacqueline du Pré and, as so often before, I note that Edward Kemp will be involved in creating the scenario. Philip Feeney has also served her well before in developing scores for her work, and the interest here will no doubt be in incorporating significant cello pieces. And does the RB have a dancer who might cope with a bit of the Elgar Concerto, for example?

If I recall aright, in recent years DanceTabs has tweeted the main points as the briefing continued, and I dare say he may do so once again.

Links – Sunday 12 May, 2019 Obituary – Andrei Kramarevsky, Ballet Teacher: Neil Genzlinger, NY Times Review – Royal Ballet, Within the Golden Hour, Medusa, Flight Pattern, London: Roslyn Sulcas, The Observer Review – New York City Ballet, Balanchine Quad Bill, New York: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – Mark Morris Dance Group, Pepperland, New York: Tom Phillips, Danceviewtimes Film News – Force of Nature Natalia: Nicola Rayner, Dancing Times Reviews – Yang Liping, Rite of Spring, London: Vera Liber, BTG Matthew Paluch, Culture Whisper Review – Kiera Martin, Wild Card: Where Ye From, London: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Review – Scottish Dance Theatre, Ritualia, The Circle, Dundee: Mark Brown, Herald Review – Ballet BC, Minus 16, Bedroom Folk, Poesia, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com Review – Deborah Colker Dance Company, Dog Without Feathers, London: David Dougill, Sunday Times (Scroll down) Preview – Les Grands Ballets Canadiens/Vanesa Garcia-Ribala Montoya, Parlami d’Amore, Montreal: Jim Burke, Montreal Gazette Review – Lara Kramer Danse, Windigo, Melbourne: Kim Dunphy, Sydney Morning Herald 5Q&A – Morgann Runacre-Temple, Choreographer: Bruce Marriott, DanceTabs

.. or possibly more readily, here

Links – Saturday 11 May, 2019 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Within the Golden Hour, Medusa, Flight Pattern, London: Jenny Gilbert, Arts Desk G J Dowler, Classical Source - Gallery: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Feature – What Merce Cunningham taught the Judson dance rebels: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – San Francisco Ballet, Shostakovich Trilogy, San Francisco: Terez Rose, Bachtrack Review – Northern Ballet, The Great Gatsby, Salford: Mark Brown, Telegraph Reviews – Deborah Colker Dance Company, Dog Without Feathers, London: Siobhan Murphy, DanceTabs Rachel Nouchi, BTG Reviews – Viviana Durante Company, THREE, 8:38, SEVEN, London: Jack Buckley, Seen and Heard Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Review – Australian Ballet, Unspoken Dialogues, The Chairman Dances, Aurum, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Eifman Ballet, Tchaikovsky Pro et Contra, Toronto: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail Review – English National Ballet, Emerging Dancer Competition, 2019, London: Vikki Jane Vile, BWW UK Review – Pennsylvania Ballet, Trigger Touch Fade, DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse, Glass Pieces, Philadelphia: Ellen Dunkel, The Inquirer - - Principal Ian Hussey retiring: Tom Turner, Playbill Features – Choreographer Marion Motin on dance and hip-hop: Laura Cappelle, Financial Times Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Interview – Farooq Chaudry on Yang Liping’s Rite of Spring, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Preview – Faso Danse Théâtre/Serge Aimé Coulibaly, Kalakuta Republik, London: Georgina Butler, Culture Whisper Question – University of California’s dance school has its first graduates – but where do they go from there? Makeda Easter, LA Times Diaries: - UK Next Week: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian (Scroll down!) - Southern California, Next Week: Matt Cooper, LA Times Preview – Miki Orihara, “Resonance III” Solo Mixed Bill, San Francisco: Lou Fancher, SF Classical Voice News – Contact Dance Film Festival: Nim Wunnan, Oregon Artswatch

Links – Friday 10 May, 2019 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Within the Golden Hour, Medusa, Flight Pattern, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Debra Craine, The Times Zoë Anderson, Independent Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Mark Monahan, Telegraph Anna Winter, The Stage Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Graham Watts, Bachtrack Emma Byrne, Evening Standard Vera Liber, BTG - Costumes for Medusa: Alyson Lowe, Vogue Video – A conversation on ABT’s US Premiere of Jane Eyre: Cathy Marston, Isabella Boylston, Devon Teuscher: Elda Rotor, 92Y Review – San Francisco Ballet, Shostakovich Trilogy, San Francisco: Claudia Bauer, DanceTabs Feature – Carlos Acosta: Critics’ Circle Services to Arts Award: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Reviews – English National Ballet, Emerging Dancer Competition, 2019, London: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Vera Liber, BTG Review – Liss Fain Dance, Close the Door Slowly, San Francisco: Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes Review – Breakin’ Convention, 2019, London: Eleanor Sofflet, SeeingDance Review – ENB School Choreography Competition, London: Maggie Foyer, SeeingDance Review – Elevenplay (+ some AI?), discrete figures 2019, New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Review – Clod Ensemble, On the High Road, Doncaster: Mark Smith, BTG Diary – New York, Next Week: Brian Schaefer, NY Times

Further to PdQ's post, above, members of what was then the Opera Ballet were used as extras in the 1958 UK Premiere at the ROH and in a photocall with Poulenc beforehand: