Ian Macmillan

I may have mentioned this before in a similar context. Away back in the time of the ROH's 12-strong Opera Ballet, it was decided that the dancers should have acting lessons. So they duly turned up in the Crush Bar one morning to find that their tutor was John Gielgud, and I hear it all went very well.

Sim, apologies if I was not entirely clear - Ruth has correctly penetrated my opaque words!

Ruth: Thank you, that explains things and I should have looked there first!

I saw the streamed performance last night - as did Mrs M, who danced in two of them when with the Touring Company a year or two ago. The two extracts were a tad frustrating compared with the complete Laiderette. Janet does not recall House of Birds with great fervour and I've a suspicion that the extract may have sold it short. Now, can anyone tell me where, when, and by whom Laiderette was performed when new? I may be being stupid, but I can find no mention of it whatever in Alexander Bland's "The Royal Ballet: The first 50 years."

Dave: It's been a change for me to see some colour in House of Birds, as all I've seen is a series of black and whites from a revival circa 1963. (I think it was exclusively a Touring Company work before falling out of the rep.)

Links – Tuesday 17 April, 2018 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Obsidian Tear, Marguerite and Armand, Elite Syncopations, London: Jenny Gilbert, Arts Desk Louise Levene, Financial Times Debra Craine, The Times Graham Watts, Bachtrack Gerald Dowler, Classical Source Neil Norman, The Stage Vikki Jane Vile, BWW UK Reviews– English National Ballet, Voices of America Quad Bill, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Sanjoy Roy, NY Times Zoë Anderson, Independent Emma Byrne, Evening Standard Erin Whitcroft, Bachtrack Maggie Foyer, SeeingDance News – The Merce Cunningham Trust announces global Centennial plans, including the Royal Ballet: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Feature/News – Planning New York City Ballet’s Next Season: Michael Cooper, NY Times Ryan McPhee, Playbill News – Reports of difficulties at Paris Opera Ballet: Henry Samuel, Telegraph Review – Houston Ballet, Don Quixote (Stevenson), Houston: Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle News – Maria Kochetkova to retire from San Francisco Ballet: Leba Hertz, SF Chronicle Review – Pacific Northwest Ballet, Little Mortal Jump, RAkU, Emergence, Seattle: Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times Review – Gandini Juggling/Alexander Whitley, Spring, London: Charlotte Kasner, SeeingDance Review – Holly Blakey & dancers, Cowpuncher, London: Donald Hutera, The Times Anna Winter, The Stage Preview – Ballet Revolución, Sydney: Steve Meacham, The Age

The first English-language report I've seen is by a Telegraph correspondent in Paris, though I doubt that it adds much to what's been reported above: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/16/paris-ballet-dancers-complain-bullying-sexual-harassment-poor/

The Pita piece is, of course, just one of 12 in the Unbound season that's just days away now. The equivalent notes to Programs A, B and C are here: https://www.sfballet.org/explore/articles/Unbound-A-Program-Notes https://www.sfballet.org/explore/articles/Unbound-B-Program-Notes https://www.sfballet.org/explore/articles/Unbound-C-Program-Notes Of UK interest, Cathy Marston's Snowblind is in Program B. In many years of doing Links here and on ballet.co, I can't recall another company that has run such a season of new work. I've taken the liberty of altering the thread title accordingly.

Links – Monday 16 April, 2018 Review – Royal Ballet, Obsidian Tears, Marguerite and Armand, Elite Syncopations, London: Vanessa Keys, Telegraph Gallery – Dave Morgan, DanceTabs Reviews – English National Ballet, Voices of America Quad Bill, London: Debra Craine, The Times Jeffery Taylor, Express Review – Carousel (Choreo, Justin Peck), New York: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – Holly Blakey & dancers, Cowpuncher, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – East London Dance/Tony Adigun, IDENTITY, London: Josephine Leask, DanceTabs Review – DeNada Dance Theatre, Toro: Beauty and the Bull, Leeds: Dawn Smallwood, Reviews Hub Review – Basil Twist, Symphonie Fantastique, New York: Martha Sherman, dancelog.nyc Diary – Los Angeles, this week: Matt Cooper, LA Times Preview – Ka-nei-see I Collective, Nevertheless, San Francisco: Leslie Katz, SF Examiner

Ruth's question is visible now, but no sign of an answer that I can see: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/watch-live-kenneth-macmillan-steps-back-in-time-from-the-barbican-on-19-april-2018

Links – Sunday 15 April, 2018 Reviews – English National Ballet, Voices of America Quad Bill, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Vikki Jane Vile, BWW UK Stefan Kyriazis, Express Lise Smith, Londonist Maria Iu, Exeunt Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard Review – Royal Ballet, Manon – with Hayward, Osipova and Nuñez, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Review – Dorrance Dance, Jungle Blues, Three to One, Myelination, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com Review – Kristina Chan & Others, Mountain, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Gallery – Gandini Juggling & Alexander Whitley, Spring, London: Lidia Crisafulli, DanceTabs Style Feature – Roberto Bolle: Stephen Doig, Telegraph News – Pittsburgh Dance Council 2018-19 Season: Staff, Tribune-Review News – An interesting potential development for ‘teachers’ in New Zealand: Staff, NZ Herald Opinion – Feminists don’t care about the gender gap in ballet. Why should we care about the one in tech? Madison Breshears, Washington Examiner

An interesting potential development under discussion in the New Zealand Parliament: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12032863

5 very positive reviews, plus Dave Morgan's photo gallery, in today's Links!!

Links – Saturday 14 April, 2018 Reviews – English National Ballet, Voices of America Quad Bill, London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Hanna Weibye, Arts Desk Neil Norman, The Stage Rachel Ward, Telegraph Vera Liber, BTG Gallery – Dave Morgan, DanceTabs Review – Martha Graham Dance Company, Histoire, Embattled Garden, Legend of Ten, New York: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Gallery – Staff, BWW Dance Interview – Lar Lubovitch: Confessions of a former Go-Go Dancer: Marina Harss, NY Times Preview – English National Ballet, Giselle (Khan), Dublin: Christie Seever, Irish Times Review – Scottish Ballet, Highland Fling, Edinburgh: Vivien Devlin, Edinburgh Guide Preview – American Repertory Ballet, Sea Shadow, Princeton: Staff, BWW NJ Reviews – Carousel (Choreo: Justin Peck), New York: Rex Reed, Observer Ben Brantley, NY Times Matthew Wexler, Broadway Blog Mark Shenton, The Stage Review – National Youth Dance Company, Used to be Blonde, London: Sara Veale, DanceTabs Feature – US Navy Academy professor teaching Maths and Dance: Rachael Pacella, Baltimore Sun

Links – Friday 13 April, 2018 Reviews – Australian Ballet, Murphy, Sydney: Chantal Nguyen, Bachtrack Deborah Jones, FollowSpot Preview – San Francisco Ballet, Unbound – 12 New Works, San Francisco: Aimee Ts’Ao, Mercury News Reviews – Martha Graham Dance Company, Histoire, Embattled Garden, Legend of Ten, New York: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – Royal Ballet/Charlotte Edmonds, Piggy in the Middle, Sink or Swim, London: Jann Parry, DanceTabs Review – Northern Ballet, Jane Eyre (Marston), Sheffield: Paul Szabo, The Gay UK Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Coppélia (Wright), Sunderland: Naomi Cockshutt, BTG Stream Preview – English National Ballet, Giselle (Khan): Maggie Foyer, Seeing Dance Review – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Mixed Bill, Berkeley: Janice Berman, SF Classical Voice Reviews– National Youth Dance Company, Used To Be Blonde, London: Graham Watts, Bachtrack Scott Matthewman, Reviews Hub Opinion – Too many words in ENB’s First Ballets? Susan Elkin, The Stage Preview – Complexions Contemporary Ballet, StarDust – tribute to David Bowie, Los Angeles: Tim Greiving, LA Times Review – Moscow Ballet Company, The Nutcracker, Wagga Wagga: Sarah Navin, Bachtrack Review – Aerowaves Spring Forward Festival, Sofia: Roisin O’Brien, Seeing Dance News – Yang Liping to stage a Chinese Rite of Spring for 2019 Edinburgh Festival: Brian Ferguson, Scotsman Phil Miller, Herald Feature – Eve Mutso with Scottish Opera: Kelly Apter, The List News – Segerstrom Center, Los Angeles, announces 2018-19 International Dance Season: Kathleen Luppi, LA Times Diaries: - New York, Next Week: Brian Schaefer, NY Times - Boston and thereabouts: Karen Campbell, Boston Globe Preview – Oregon Ballet Theatre, Man/Woman, Portland, OR: Jamuna Chiarini, Oregon Artswatch Experience – Ecstatic Dance NYC, New York: Ellie Shechet, NY Times Preview – National Water Dance, North America, Puerto Rico: Michelle F Solomon, Miami Herald Feature – Steven Loch, Pacific Northwest Ballet – on living & performing with OCD: Brendan Kiley, Seattle Times

.... and you'll find it amongst today's Links.

Links – Monday 2 April, 2018 Review – Royal Ballet, Manon, London: Gerald Dowler, Classical Source Reviews – New York City Ballet, Glass Pieces, Fancy Free, The Four Seasons, Washington DC: George Jackson, Danceviewtimes Sarah L Kaufman, Washington Post Rachael Goldberg, BWW DC Feature – Marie-Agnes Gillot takes a final bow: Staff, The National Review – balletLORENT, Rumpelstiltskin, London: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian Preview – Scottish Ballet, Highland Fling, Glasgow: Kirsty McKenzie, GlasgowLive Review – Queensland Ballet, La Bayadère (Horsman), Brisbane: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing Diary – Around L.A., This Week: Matt Cooper, L.A. Times Tour Review – Royal New Zealand Ballet, The Piano, Dunedin: Tania Kopytko, Theatreview - Teri Crilly’s Final Performance: Staff, Dance Australia Review – BalletX, Gran Partita, On the Mysterious Properties of Light, Big Ones, Amherst: Xi Wong, Daily Collegian Review – Focus Dance Company, Skyline-Fearless Mixed Bill, Taipei: David Mead, SeeingDance

I'd suggest that it would be sufficient if we all merely note the report and, unless someone is in a position to add something from a position of knowledge rather than speculation, leave it at that.

Links – Sunday 1 April, 2018 Review – Royal Ballet, Manon, London: Neil Norman, The Stage Review – London: David Dougill, Sunday Times - Richard Alston Dance Company, Mid Century Modern - Motionhouse, Charge Review – Robert Clark + Audience, Mass, London: Luke Jennings, Observer Review – English National Ballet & School, My First Ballet: Swan Lake, London: Vera Liber, BTG Gallery – balletLORENT, Rumpelstiltskin, London: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Review – Jack Riley & Artists, Alone, Canberra: Michelle Potter, .... on dancing (+ March Diary)

Alison: Somewhat to my surprise, that's what appears to happen. About a month ago we went to Saffron Screen for a catch-up and it had to be re-scheduled as their link to the ROH was faulty that afternoon and could not be put right. So not a DVD as I had assumed till then.

Indigo: For such stories, I suggest you seek out the work of Cathy Marston whenever you can find it. Her Jane Eyre, for example, is currently being toured by Northern Ballet, as is The Suit for Ballet Black. At the moment she is in San Francisco completing/rehearsing her piece Snowblind for the Company's 'Unbound' series of 12 new works, a work for three central characters, two being female. Later this year, she will be in Montreal to prepare her take on Lady Chatterley for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. Where you will not find her, regrettably, is doing anything for the Royal Ballet - unless something is under wraps for the next but one season or later.

Links – Saturday 31 March, 2018 Reviews – Royal Ballet, Manon, London: David Nice, Arts Desk Unattributed, Telegraph (Mark Monahan?) Tour Preview – Northern Ballet, Jane Eyre (Marston), Belfast: Julie-Ann Spence, Belfast Newsletter Review – Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Sutra, London: Philippa Newis, Bachtrack Review – English National Ballet & School, My First Ballet: Swan Lake, London: Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard Reviews – An American in Paris (Wheeldon), Toronto: Martha Schabas, Globe and Mail Karen Fricker & Micael Crabb, Toronto Star Feature – Chicago Dance Month: Kyle MacMillan, Chicago Sun-Times Preview – Dance Theater of Harlem Dougla, New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Feature – Graeme Murphy’s 50 Years with Australian Ballet: Jo Litson, Perth Now

Anna: The Arts Desk was about an hour or so late with its overnight review for today's Links. Not by Hanna Weibye, who has covered most RB work of late, but by David Nice, normally (I think) on their Opera reviews - its 4*, but with something of a sting in the tail: https://www.theartsdesk.com/dance/manon-royal-ballet-review-glitter-and-betray I'm sure we'll have some more by tomorrow's Links.

jmb: Re Hallberg - you could try the Sydney Morning Herald interview in last Sunday's Links.

Links – Friday 30 March, 2018 Reviews – New York City Ballet, Balanchine, Martins, Peck Mixed Bill, Washington DC: George Jackson, Danceviewtimes Hannah Landsberger, BWW DC Review – Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, Lincoln Center Season, New York: Robert Gottlieb, NY Observer Review – Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Sutra, London: Charlotte Kasner, SeeingDance Picture Essay – Akram Khan on Xenos, his last Solo: Guardian Exhibition – Nick Mauss: Transmissions, New York: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Review – Wendy Osserman Dance Company, Undermine, Udjat, New York: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc News – A HQ refurb for Queensland Ballet: Brendan O’Malley, Courier Mail News – Logan Learned & Kristianne Kleine to leave Sarasota Ballet: Jay Handelman, Herald-Tribune Diary – New York, Next Week: Brian Schaefer, NY Times Preview – Dance Theatre Harlem Spring Season: Zita Allen, NY Amsterdam News