Ian Macmillan

Links – Saturday 23 September, 2017 News – The postponed Bolshoi Nureyev is to open in December: Staff, Moscow Times Daria Litvinova, Telegraph Shaun Walker, Guardian Isaac Oliver, NY Times Review – Paris Opera Ballet, Opening Gala, Paris: Laura Cappelle, Financial Times Feature – NYCB’s Megan Fairchild, a Swan with the Screwball Spark: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Reviews – Twyla Tharp Dance, The Raggedy Dances, The Fugue, Entr’acte, Dylan Love Songs, New York: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Martha Sherman, dancelog.nyc Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Bachtrack Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Aladdin, Salford Quays: Georgina Wells, BTG Reviews – Northern Ballet, The Little Mermaid, Southampton: Anna Winter, The Stage Hilary Porter, Southern Daily Echo Review – Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, The Red Shoes, Los Angeles: Jeff Slayton, Bachtrack Diaries: - Around UK Next Week: Judith Mackrell, Guardian - Miami Area Fall Season: Miami Herald Preview – Maira Kalman & John Heginbotham, The Principles of Uncertainty, New York: Brian Schaefer, NY Times News – Joffrey Ballet to be Resident Dance Company at Chicago Lyric Opera: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Review – Hubbard Street Dance, Space, in Perspective, Chicago: Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times Review – Dorothée Munyaneza, Unwanted, New York: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – MK Abadoo, youcanplayinthesun, LOCS, Washington DC: George Jackson, Danceviewtimes Review – Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Mixed Bill, Chicago: Lauren Warneke, Chicago Tribune Review – Joshua Beamish/MOVE, Saudade, Vancouver: Janet Smith, Straight.com

Links – Friday 22 September, 2017 Reviews – English National Ballet, Giselle (Khan), London: Jenny Gilbert, Arts Desk Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack Louise Levene, Financial Times Howard Loxton, BTG Jim Pritchard, Seen and Heard International Review – Twyla Tharp Dance, The Raggedy Dances, The Fugue, Entr’acte, Dylan Love Songs, New York: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Reviews – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Aladdin, Salford Quays: Mark Thompson, Mancunian Matters Melanie Disley, Bolton News Gallery – Northern Ballet, The Little Mermaid: Hilary Porter, Daily Echo Review – New Zealand Dance Company, The Absurdity of Humanity, Wellington: Lyne Pringle, Dominion Post Diary – New York This Week: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Documentary – “Bobbi Jene”: Ken Jaworowski, NY Times News – Nureyev Blue Plaque unveiled in London: David Sanderson, The Times and here: Twitter News – Montreal Metro bans Grand Ballets Poster: T’Cha Dunlevy, Montreal Gazette Review – Kokoro Dance, Embryotrophic Cavatina, Vancouver: Brittany Duggan, Straight.com Speaking in Dance – Faustin Linyekula, Festival of Dreams: Gia Kourlas, NY Times

Very unusually, the Daily Express is first in with an overnight review, and the reviewer was clearly impressed: http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/theatre/854790/Akram-Khan-Giselle-ballet-review-ENB-Sadlers-Wells-Liverpool-tickets-dates And Luke Jennings seems likely to write in similar terms in next Sunday's Observer: https://twitter.com/lukejennings1/status/910770962316038145

Links – Thursday 21 September, 2017 Reviews – English National Ballet, Giselle (Khan), London: Stefan Kyriazis, Express Sanjoy Roy, Writing on Dance (+ Keegan-Dolan Swan Lake) Gallery – Australian Ballet, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Wheeldon): Sukie Kirk & Kat Chan, Guardian Reviews – Twyla Tharp, The Fugue, Raggedy Dances, Entr’acte, Dylan Love Songs, New York: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Reviews – Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, The Red Shoes, Los Angeles: Lewis Segal, LA Times Dyanne Weiss, Liberty Voice Interview – Houston Ballet’s Connor Walsh on dancing Prince Rudolf in Mayerling: Nancy Wozny, Dance Magazine Film Feature – Restoring MacMillan documentary “New Wave Ballet”: Samantha Whitaker, Londondance News – Harris Beattie, RAD Genée Gold Medallist, 2017: Georgia Snow, The Stage Feature – The Dance Scene in Seattle: Moira MacDonald & Brendan Kiley, Seattle Times Feature – Hibbard Street Dance is getting around: Morgan Greene, Chicago Tribune Review – Monica Bill Barnes & Anna Bass, One Night Only, New York: Darryl Reilly, TheaterScene Diary – Seattle, Fall 2017: Staff, Seattle Times Review – Paufve Dance, XO: eXquisite Orientation, San Francisco: Claudia Bauer, DanceTabs Preview – BlueShift Dance, Foodless Food, Baltimore: Sarah Meehan, Baltimore Sun Premium Access: Interview – Carlos Acosta: Mark Monahan, Telegraph

Links – Wednesday 20 September, 2017 Reviews – Royal Ballet & Guests, Opening the New, Hull: Siobhan Murphy, DanceTabs Louise Levene, Financial Times Feature – Preparing for the MacMillan Celebration: Kelly Apter, The List Preview – Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, The Red Shoes, Los Angeles: Jessica Gelt, LA Times - Cast Details: Staff, BWW LA Review – Dutch National Ballet, Van Manen Triple Bill, Amsterdam: Lambrecht Wessels, Bachtrack Preview – Lyric Opera & Joffrey Ballet, Orphée et Eurydice (Neumeier), Chicago: John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune Feature – Anabelle Lopez Ochoa, Choreographer: Lou Fancher, SF Classical Voice Review – West Australian Ballet, The Great Gatsby (Nixon), Perth: Deborah Jones, FollowSpot Preview – Dorothée Munyaneza, Unwanted, New York: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times News – Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, 2018 Season, New York: Staff, BWW Review – Transform Festival, 4 Part Bill - Why Citizenship?, San Francisco: Rita Felciano, Danceviewtimes Review – Peter Fraser, Sounds Like Movement, Sydney: Jill Sykes, The Age News – Update on Houston Theatres: Michael Cooper, NY Times Preview – Sarah Michelson, September2017/\, New York: Siobhan Burke, NY TImes Review – Monica Bill Barnes & Anna Bass, One Night Only, New York: Elisabeth Vincentelli, NY Times Diary – New York This Week: Martha Sherman & Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc

More detail from the RAD here: https://www.rad.org.uk/news/medallists-of-genee-2017-announced?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Genee_MedallistAnnouncement

I see from the New York Times that J P Donleavy, auteur extraordinaire, has died in Ireland: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/books/jp-donleavy-acclaimed-author-of-the-ginger-man-dies-at-91.html?smid=tw-nytimesarts&smtyp=cur&_r=0 Inevitably, the obituary concentrates on The Ginger Man, the novel that made his name and that I picked up from a train station newscounter whilst going on holiday in 1963. To begin with I found the stream of consciousness approach a little disconcerting but, very quickly, I found its rhythm and zipped through the murky doings of Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield to the end. In the years that followed I got through most of his later work, of which I'd have to say that A Singular Man, the tale of George Smith protecting his wealth and constructing for himself an enormous mausoleum, became my favourite. Donleavy's style was, it seemed, something of an acquired taste. I recall recommending him to other years ago, but don't recall anyone taking to him as I had done. Given today's news, I have just marked JP's passing by re-reading George Smith's somewhat outrageous "last will and testicle" from A Singular Man. It's as funny now as it first was back in the later 60s.

Yaffa, you star! There had been no deletion, nor can I see anything referring to such an act but, once I realised how to find that X (by hovering over an icon), all was fixed as you predicted. And a couple of other heavily-used sites have reappeared into the bargain. Many thanks.

I have been using Google Chrome as my default browser for some considerable time now and, when selecting a new tab, would see a number of thumbnail-type icons for regularly-visited websites presented. BalletcoForum has consistently been there, usually at the head of the queue .... until 2 days ago. It vanished and, despite frequent visits to the site each day since, that icon has not reappeared. (And now I come to think about it, DanceTabs was a regular one too until a couple of months back when it also disappeared from the list presented.) It's not a big issue and the URL predictor thingy shows the Forum URL by the time I've typed 'ball.' So, just out of interest, does anyone have an idea as to why an icon that has been so long-lived should suddenly disappear?

With a week to go, a bit of local colour: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-41205262

Links – Saturday 9 September, 2017 Previews – Fall Season Highlights: - Around New York: Alastair Macaulay, Siobhan Burke, Gia Kourlas, Brian Seibert, NY Times - More around New York and on into 2018: Gia Kourlas, NY Times - Strong women and highlights in Washington DC: Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post - Around Boston: Karen Campbell, Boston Globe - Vancouver Area: Dana Gee, Vancouver Sun Preview – Boston Ballet & Wayne McGregor’s Obsidian Tear: Karen Campbell, Boston Globe Preview – Houston Ballet, Poetry in Motion, delayed Opening Bill: Margaret Downing, Houston Press News – Daniil Simkin joining Staatsballett Berlin: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Lauren Wingenroth, Dance Magazine Review – Daniil Simkin & Others, Falls the Shadow, New York: Martha Sherman, Danceviewtimes Reviews - Rosie Kay Dance Company, 5 Soldiers, London: Zoë Anderson, Independent Richard Maguire, Reviews Hub Chris Omaweng, London Theatre 1 Gallery - Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Tour Preview – Richard Alston Dance Company, Carnaval, Gypsy Mixture, Chacony, Edinburgh: Lucy Ribchester, The List Exhibition Preview – Degas in Cambridge and London: Rachel Campbell-Johnston, The Times Review – MoMA/Robert Rauschenberg/Dancers, Dance Among Friends, New York: Gay Morris, Danceviewtimes Preview – Changers: A Dance Story, New York: Melena Ryzik, NY Times Preview – Moving Ethos, “and back again”, Sarasota: Carrie Seidman, Herald-Tribune Diaries: - London Next Week: Staff, Londondance - UK Next Week: Judith Mackrell, Guardian - Portland, OR: Jamuna Chiarini, Oregon Artswatch Preview – Co3/Raewyn Hill, The Zone, Perth: Annelies Gartner, West Australian Review – Jack Riley & Alexander Hunter, Fuse, Canberra: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing Feature – Sewing secrets into every tutu: Sarah L. Kaufman, Washington Post Preview – Dayton Philharmonic & Ballet, Verdi ‘Requiem’, Dayton: Meredith Moss, Dayton Daily News

Unless a stand-in has been found, there may well be just 4 Soldiers tonight. Oliver Russell sustained an injury in rehearsal yesterday and the show went on last night with just four dancers. Edit: All seems OK tonight on the livestream.

If I hear correctly, it seems that GQ (or at least, their presenter) sees him as one of "the most gifted ballerinas of his generation."

I hadn't planned to stay up for this documentary but was quickly ensnared by the truly remarkable story being told. What Alma has produced thus far almost beggars belief and that seemed to be how everyone involved reacted to hearing her work. However, Simon Rattle did note that the road may get harder for her. What we heard was very late-18th century in conception and, for an 11-year old, was quite extraordinary in its breadth. How she can orchestrate as she has without teaching is beyond me, but we must hope that she will develop in the years ahead. My fear would be that the critics will expect to hear something of the 20/21st centuries in her work by age 21, and that they will demand it by 31. But Mozart developed over the years and let's hope that Alma does likewise. PS: How's her younger sister going to fare? She already looks like another remarkable musician in the making.

Links – Monday 4 September, 2017 Feature – Hong Kong needs to attract the best, in ballet as elsewhere: Tammy Tam, SCMP Review – Garry Stewart/Australian Dance Theatre, Be Your Self Redux, Sydney: Jill Sykes, The Age Diary – This week around Los Angeles: Matt Cooper, LA Times Review – Singapore Dance Theatre, Sticks and Stones, Age of Innocence, Organ Concerto, Singapore: Tan Li Min, Straits Times Review – New Zealand Dance Company, The Absurdity of Humanity Double Bill, New Plymouth: Holly Shanahan, Theatreview

Links – Sunday 3 September, 2017 Preview – Jerusalem Ballet Gala: Ori J. Lenkinski, Jerusalem Post Feature – Royal Ballet of Cambodia: Kate Whitehead, SCMP Magazine Review – Australian Dance Party/Alison Plevey: Dempsey’s People … Canberra: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing

Links – Saturday 2 September, 2017 Obituaries: - Janine Charrat, Dancer & Choreographer: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times - Tamara Tchinarova, Dancer & Writer: Valerie Lawson, dancelines Review – Hong Kong Ballet, Don Quixote (Ananiashvili), Hong Kong: Kevin Ng, Asia Times Preview – Monica Bill Barnes & Company, One Night Only (Running as long as we can), New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Preview – Alexandra Pirici, Threshold, New York: Siobhan Burke, NY TImes Next Week – Around London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Review – Tanja Faylene Woloshen & Lise McMillan, Holy Wild, Winnipeg: Holly Harris, Dance Current

Links – Friday 1 September, 2017 Preview – Scottish Ballet’s Young Dancers, The Fairy’s Kiss, Touring: Kelly Apter, The List Interview – Mikko Nissinen, AD of Boston Ballet: Michael Levin, HuffPost Preview – Northern Ballet, Gloria, Las Hermanas, Concerto, Bradford: Emma Clayton, Telegraph & Argus Preview – Rocío Molina, Caída del Cielo, London: Lyndsey Winship, Economist 1843 Feature – Angela Rippon joins the RAD’s Silver Swans: India Sturgis, Telegraph Preview – Jack Riley & Alexander Hunter, Fuse, Canberra: Ron Cerabona, The Age Review – Beach Sessions/Madeline Hollander, Arena, Coney Island: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Diaries: - New York This Week: Brian Schaefer, NY Times - Portland, OR: Jamuna Chiarini, Oregon Artswatch Review – Jonah Bokaer, The Disappearance Portraits, New York: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Preview – Yanira Castro, CAST, STAGE, AUTHOR, New York: Martha Sherman, dancelog.nyc Review – Alison Chase/Performance, no plan b, Portland, ME: David Greenham, Arts Fuse Review – Waangenga Blanco & Khalif Diuof, Via Alice, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Film – Polina: Michael O’Sullivan, Washington Post Owen Gleiberman, Variety US Sheri Linden, LA Times

Links – Thursday 31 August, 2017 News – Houston Theatres after Hurricane Harvey: Molly Glentzer/Wei-Huan Chen, Houston Chronicle - Houston Ballet Statement: BWW Review – Michael Keegan-Dolan, Swan Lake/Loch na hEala, Sydney: Jill Sykes, Sydney Morning Herald Review – Royal New Zealand Ballet, Romeo and Juliet (Ventriglia), Auckland: Brigitte Knight, Theatreview Essay – Melanie Lane’s Nightdance: Gracia Haby, Fjord Review Preview – Rambert, A Linha Curva, Symbiosis, Goat, Edinburgh: Kelly Apter, The LIst Preview – Daksha Sheth Dance Company, Sari, Edinburgh: Kelly Apter, The List Speaking in Dance – Daniil Simkin, Falls the Shadow: NY Times Fall Season Diaries: - Bay Area: Leslie Katz, SF Examiner - Baltimore: Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun

Now it may be that things are different for soloists/principals, BUT .... the Corps has to go on. In RB Touring Company days, eight shows a week was pretty much the norm. My wife will tell you of Saturday afternoons when, having done Act II of Swans and the various national dances with all the costume changes involved, they got to the end of Act IV and are bouréeing like mad, forcing feet through a pain threshold ....... all the while knowing that they'll be doing it again that night. As they used to say in the Services, "Get some time in!"

Does anyone have any idea which setting of the Stabat Mater is used for this? The Company website has nothing that I could find on the piece yet and, whilst I could perhaps envision use of Poulenc, I would not think Palestrina's double choir setting as ideal, for example. The small performing space in that chapel suggests a small-scale setting - and there's not a choir or a speaker in sight.

ENB is clearly out to promote that Song of the Earth/La Sylphide bill: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/news-in-pictures-6wp3k9fnk?shareToken=703e5465611fa6c8d93621cabe30d4cb

A scroll through should reveal a few items of interest in some of today's News pics: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/news-in-pictures-7zjm59v2b?shareToken=86b60bb74600af668106825ab13b1e85

Links – Sunday 20 August, 2017 Review – Mariinsky Ballet, La Bayadère, London: David Dougill, Sunday Times Review – Trisha Brown Dance Company, Opal Loop, Groove and Countermove, L’Amour au Theatre, Jacob’s Pillow: Ken Ross, Mass Live Review – Trisha Brown Dance Company, As above, plus In Plain Site, Williamstown: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal/DanceBeat Review – Dance Editorial, Love is Love, Sydney: Jill Sykes, The Age Review – Shaun Parker & Lucia Mastrantone, Blue Love, Canberra: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing Edinburgh International Festival & Fringe: Preview – Ann Teresa de Keersmaeker/Rosas, Rain: Kelly Apter, Scotsman on Sunday Review – Alfonso Baron & Luciano Rosso, Un Poyo Rojo: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Review – Arab Arts Focus: Dance Double Bill: Kelly Apter, Scotsman

Links – Saturday 19 August, 2017 Review – Royal New Zealand Ballet, Romeo and Juliet (Ventriglia), Wellington: Deborah Jones, FollowSpot Preview – Michael Keegan-Dolan/Teac Damsa, Swan Lake/Loch na hEala, Sydney: Elissa Blake, Sydney Morning Herald Review – Mophato Dance Theatre, Pula (Rain), New York: Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Feature – Will Adams and BuildaBEAST, Pomona, CA: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Preview – Maira Kalman/John Heginbotham, The Principles of Uncertainty, Jacob’s Pillow: Jack Anderson, NY Times Preview – Royal Ballet of Cambodia, Les Etoiles du Ballet, Hong Kong: Kate Whitehead, SCMP Feature – The Royal Ballet’s Emma Maguire & the next Leeds Gala: Margarette Driscoll, Mail Online Diaries: - Edinburgh & London: Judith Mackrell, Guardian - Portland Area: Jamuna Chiarini, Oregon Artswatch Feature –Tracks, Darwin’s Dance Company: Ben Neutze, Daily Review Edinburgh International Festival & Fringe: Review – Seeta Patel & Others, Sigma: Chloe St George, Reviews Hub Review – Boy Blue Entertainment, Blak Whyte Gray: Kelly Apter, Scotsman