Ian Macmillan Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Each day we add the latest links to reviews and interviews that we find on the major newspaper web sites around the world. If you find a link that we have missed do please post it up, preferably as a URL link. Last week's thread: See last weeks and earlier links here: http://www.ballet.co...ry/todayslinks/ Bookmarking this page: Click on the following link and then bookmark the links page that comes back - it's a special URL that will always bring you to the thread with the latest reviews: http://www.ballet.co.uk/todayslinks Reviews Database The review links we find go in a database - we have many thousands of entries and you can search it on company, dance, dancer, reviewer, publication, theatre, city or a combination of all of them! Just fill-in the boxes here: http://www.ballet.co...h/db_search.cgi Non Working Links: Some papers move pieces on their websites so it is impossible to guarantee links. If you find a recent link that does not work and you have found a working version by all means post it up. And thank you! Registering with papers: It's an increasing fact of life that papers ask readers to register before letting them have free access to pieces. Usually registration is a one off process and then, providing you've ticked any obvious boxes, you should be remembered as a registered reader and the links we give should take you straight to the pieces. In registering for papers many people get themselves a Yahoo or Hotmail email account and thus protect their main email from any inadvertent problems. Seeing Pieces Behind a Pay-wall Some papers have introduced a pay-wall. We don't generally list pieces we can't freely see. However some of the papers will show the article for free if the reader visits the page by way of a Google search. If we can do this then we list, but alas cannot give a 2 stage link - only the link that works if you are a subscriber. If you are interested but not a subscriber then use the details we give to search Google and take it from there. And Finally... We should not need to state this but these links are for our readers' use and not for other websites to take and pass off as their own. We ask all visitors to respect Ballet.co's site and the way it operates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 Saturday Links - 31 December 2011 REVIEW: Merce Cunningham Dance Company For Cunningham Dance Company, Contentment and Finality at Armory Events USA, New York, Park Avenue Armory Dancers: Collwes, Crossman, Desjardins, Goggans, Hinrichs, Madoff, Mitchell, Munnerlyn, Nelson, Riener, Scott, Toogood, Weber by Alastair Macaulay "They say that a drowning man’s past life flashes before his eyes. If drowning brought me further visions of all this choreography, I’d die content." New York Times 2011: Ballerinas, Cuts and the Higgs Boson Theory Jolts and closures in a year that questioned how people want their dance and what we should fight to keep by Ismene Brown "For the biggest 2011 story was the arts subsidy cuts, from which I mourn the likely death of what was, a dozen years ago, a world-famous British contemporary dance creative ecosystem." Arts Desk REVIEW: American Ballet Theatre Ratmansky's 'Nutcracker' full of intimate touches The Nutcracker USA, New York, Brooklyn Academy of Music Dancers: Elliman, Hallberg, Kelly, Monroe, Murphy, Souriau-Levine by Jocelyn Noveck "Ratmanksy gives us children's behavior typical of, well, kids at a holiday party on a sugar rush....(and) seems to have invented a new step called the "tantrum pas de chat" — same as the classic step, but with the feet landing in a petulant thud." Associated Press Scottish Ballet ready to turn to new page Departing AD Ashley Page and his work by Tim Cornwell "Page has brought a distinctive style to his new versions of classic story ballets, including The Nutcracker and Cinderella. They have spurned Christmas family magic for darker, subversive twists in the tales" Scotsman New York Preview: Focus Dance Festival Focus Dance gives American artists a boost by Robert Johnson "Several emerging artists, and one veteran dance maker, will share four programs during this miniseries designed to shine a light on the American dance scene." Star-Ledger Australia: Ballet's stars dance to the music of time Seven former professional dancers who have successfully branched out by Jane Albert "Retirement comes early in the physically brutal world of dance, but the life of a professional dancer is so all-consuming it can be difficult to dedicate any thought to the future. Many don't want to think about it." The Australian It's not just the Merce Cunningham Company saying "Farewell" Boston Ballet ‘Nutcracker’ bear will retire on Saturday And here he is Boston Globe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 (edited) Sunday Links - 1 January 2012 Who's pulling the strings in Russia's ballet revolution? A 'banana millionaire', a pair of Bolshoi defectors, an avant-garde Spaniard and an all-powerful agent are the principals in this power struggle by Luke Jennings "As with Duato and Sarafanov, the whole thing was engineered by Danilian, who is the agent of both dancers. If Osipova and Vasiliev have won any freedom at all, it is the freedom to make more money for Danilian." Observer Interview/Feature: Liam Scarlett, Dancer and Choreographer A Cherub’s Classical Vocabulary by Roslyn Sulcas "The Miami commission may well catapult Mr. Scarlett into the wider dance world. He has already had inquiries, he said, from several dance companies in the United States and has plans to create a work for the Norwegian Ballet this year and another piece for Miami, in addition to two new pieces (one with Jonathan Watkins) planned for the Royal Ballet." NY Times Miami City Ballet debuts work by hot young British choreographer, Liam Scarlett One of the youngest and most talented choreographers in ballet makes his U.S. debut by Jordan Levin "MCB artistic director Edward Villella is thrilled that he and his troupe are playing a part in the rise of Scarlett, whom he believes could be an important new talent." Miami Herald REVIEW: Mariinsky Ballet Swan Lake ballet puts up flawless show at ROHM Swan Lake Oman, Muscat, Royal Opera House Dancers: Kondaurova, Zyuzin by Sarah MacDonald "Kondaurova is amazing here, because while her dancing remains sublime, her energy is very different. As Odette she was soft and gentle, but as Odile she is somewhat morbid and wicked but alluring nonetheless!" Times of Oman REVIEW: English National Ballet The Nutcracker UK, London, Coliseum Dancers: Streeter by Jem Bloomfield "Still, Eagling’s production, designed by Peter Farmer, is a terrifically enjoyable show. The programme notes say they sought “a darker vision”....But they managed it. For once the Mouse King is a genuinely compelling villain..." California Literary Review London: Stage picks for 2012 - Claire Calvert A fairytale ballet dancer amongst our bright hopes for the year ahead by Gemma Kappala-Ramsamy and Kate Kellaway "But is she going too far too fast? "No," she says firmly. "I want to go as fast as possible. I am so ready."" Observer 2012: A silver year for Matthew Bourne, and moments of solid gold It looks to be a good year for men in dance. by Jenny Gilbert "If the coming dance year belongs to any individual, it's Matthew Bourne, celebrating a quarter-century of mould-breaking dance theatre." Independent 2011: Mariinsky, Manon, and a German Dane Memory defines what lasts: ephemeral dance and theatre, permanent art, it's what stays in the mind that matters by Judith Flanders "And Alina Cojocaru danced Manon as though it too were newly made. I’m told that there was a lot of backstage flak for her – it is true, not every step was performed exactly as choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan. But my god, the spirit was MacMillan’s, and the emotional power. It was one of the greatest tours de force I have ever seen." Arts Desk 2012: New Dance Makers A sudden healthy crop of new dance makers; young, adventurous and usually male. by Jeffery Taylor "ENB director Wayne Eagling has commissioned 22-year-old Williamson to recreate Michael Fokine’s 1910 classic, The Firebird, to the Stravinsky score; a balletic sacred cow if ever there was one. The premiere is at the London Coliseum in March and I can already hear the critical pencils sharpening to stiletto deadliness." Express Faces to Watch in 2012: Dance, Theater, Architecture and Art Select Buttons 1-3 for the Dance names by Laura Bleiberg "Millepied, Osipova, Wolfe " LA Times My Day on a Plate: Nancy Osbaldeston The dancer with the English National Ballet prepares for her performance in The Nutcracker with a light lunch and a pasta dinner. by Nigel Denby Telegraph Argyll's Ballet West to head east for China tour A Scottish dance school is preparing to make its third tour of China. BBC News For the record: New Year honours: the full list including: KB: Antonio Pappano, MD at the ROH CBE: Prof Joan White, ex-RAD OBE: Julia Farron, ex-Sadlers Wells Ballet and RAD MBE: Karen Gallagher, Barbara Benson-Smith, Mary Rose Watt Guardian And, on behalf of the Today's Links team, a Happy New Year to one and all! Edited January 1, 2012 by Ian Macmillan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Monday's Links - 2 January 2012 REVIEW: American Ballet Theatre A Fairy Tale Stoked by Childhood Dreams The Nutcracker USA, New York, Brooklyn Academy of Music Dancers: Cornejo H, Gomes, Gorak, Hallberg, Herrera, Kajiya, Lane, Murphy, Part, Reyes, Riccetto, Simkin, Stearns, Tamm by Alastair Macaulay "How can we add up the positive and negative aspects of this Nutcracker? I changed my mind at every performance. And I keep changing my mind about Mr. Ratmansky. When I say he is the finest artist choreographing in ballet today, I say so with mixed feelings about ballet itself." New York Times REVIEW: Merce Cunningham Dance Company Merce Cunningham Dance Company concludes Park Avenue Armory Event USA, New York, Park Avenue Armory Dancers: Mitchell, Weber by Susan Reiter "The dancers bowed on each stage, then collected and held hands on the central stage for repeated bows. Ultimately, they had to leave us, and with their final exit, a powerfully significant and influential era in contemporary dance had come to a close." Los Angeles Times Après Merce by Alma Guillermoprieto "Followers like myself also loved his senseless determination to make every piece new, even if it meant losing audience members unwilling to work that hard for the payoff: in a favorite story, his brother once asked, 'Merce, when are you going to make something people like?'" New York Review of Books REVIEW: Mariinsky Ballet Gala show brings curtains on 2011 in Oman New Year's Eve Gala: Chopiniana, Simple Things, Carmen Oman, Muscat, Royal Opera House Dancers: Golub, Kondaurova by Sarah MacDonald "ROHM’s New Years Eve Gala with the Mariinsky Ballet was really the perfect end to 2011 and a splendid way to start 2012." Times of Oman REVIEW: Les Ballets de Monte Carlo Lac Monaco, Monaco, Grimaldi Forum Dancers: Coppieters by Ora Brafman "The ballet was intense and Swan Lake will never be the same after the tempestuous Lac." Jerusalem Post REVIEW: Aletta Collins Reviving a Long-Lost Tale From Kurt Weill’s Archive Magical Night UK, London, Linbury Studio Theatre Dancers: Cooke, Gulgec, Randi, Ridley-DeMonick, Ruggeri, Adams-Camacho, Comerford-McDonald, Luo by Roslyn Sulcas "The happy ending, however, like much of the opening section, feels slightly formulaic, the choreography is often repetitive, and the show as a whole has - at least from an adult point of view - little of the sophistication and captivating magic of William Tuckett’s Faeries, last year’s Christmas production at the Linbury." New York Times Daniil Simkin - Man of the moment by Diane Baker "In addition to working for the American Ballet Theater, Daniil Simkin travels the world appearing in galas and as a guest artist. Tracking his travels on Twitter gives one a whole new appreciation of the term jet-setter; the man is always on the move." Taipei Times Swinging Parties New York City's swing-dance demimonde. Slideshow by Piotr Redlinski New York Times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 (edited) Tuesday's Links - 3 January 2012 REVIEW: Merce Cunningham Dance Company Will Cunningham's Works Survive? Park Avenue Armory Event USA, New York, Park Avenue Armory Dancers: Crossman, Goggans, Mitchell, Scott, Swinston by Robert Greskovic "As sell-out crowds at the Armory milled around the venue's vast Drill Hall for these final MCDC appearances - which took shape as sampler presentations of Cunningham's dances - the event, with dancers appearing on three separate raised stages, had the air of a fashion designers' runway show." Wall Street Journal REVIEW: Merce Cunningham Dance Company One Last Time Park Avenue Armory Event USA, New York, Park Avenue Armory Dancers: Collwes, Crossman, Desjardins, Goggins, Hinrichs, Madoff, Mitchell, Munnerlyn, Nelson, Riener, Scott, Swinston, Toogood, Weber by Tobi Tobias "The curtain calls were many, with the dancers lining all four sides of the central platform and then reforming as a tight hand-in-hand circle again and again." Arts Journal REVIEW: Merce Cunningham Dance Company The Merce Cunningham Dance Company takes its last bow Park Avenue Armory Event USA, New York, Park Avenue Armory by Robert Johnson "Ironically this fiercely independent choreography, the thing Cunningham valued most, cannot survive without a company trained to perform it. The claim his troupe was euthanized to save the repertoire from decay makes no sense, since closing the company abruptly hastens this decline." Newark Star Ledger REVIEW: Merce Cunningham Dance Company After The End Of Merce Park Avenue Armory Event USA, New York, Park Avenue Armory by Michael H Miller "Dancers cycled onto and off of the stage, moving with such ease and subtlety that it was hard to tell when an entrance or exit had been made until after it happened." GalleristNY Roslyn Sulcas's four London Nutcrackers: REVIEW: Matthew Bourne London Succumbs to the Spell of The Nutcracker Nutcracker! UK, London, Sadler's Wells Dancers: Brennan, North, Shaw, Trenfield, Vassallo, Westmoreland by Roslyn Sulcas "the creation of steps has never been Mr. Bourne’s strength. His gifts lie in his sense of theater, his wit and timing and his understanding of the dramatic essentials of the stories he has transformed through contemporary, almost allegorical settings." New York Times REVIEW: Royal Ballet London Succumbs to the Spell of The Nutcracker The Nutcracker UK, London, Covent Garden Dancers: Hamilton, Ondiviela, Polunin, Hinkis by Roslyn Sulcas "More interesting were two junior leads, Meaghan Grace Hinkis as Clara and Ludovic Ondiviela in the Nutcracker/Nephew role, both notable for their lively, articulate musical phrasing and confident grace." New York Times REVIEW: Birmingham Royal Ballet London Succumbs to the Spell of The Nutcracker Nutcracker UK, London, O2 Arena Dancers: Millar, Willis by Roslyn Sulcas "For the first half (I moved for the second act), this screen was the only way to see anything at all from where I was seated at orchestra level, which meant I had no sense of the transformation scene in which the drawing room and tree swell to immense proportions, nor of the oft-praised snowflake dance ..." New York Times REVIEW: English National Ballet London Succumbs to the Spell of The Nutcracker The Nutcracker UK, London, Coliseum Dancers: Acosta Y, Kase by Roslyn Sulcas "Shiori Kase metamorphosed from a perfectly pleasant young Clara into a radiant Sugar Plum Fairy, whose transformation into a fluid, precise, enchantingly musical and technically assured ballerina was made more touching by Yonah Acosta’s tender, courteous partnering." New York Times Top artists reveal how to find creative inspiration with contributions from Tamara Rojo and Wayne McGregor "Do Empty Panic Forage Generate ..." The Guardian Birmingham's 3rd International Dance Festival The world comes to Birmingham to dance by Diane Parkes "Due to hit the streets and venues of the city in April, the month-long festival will see leading companies from across the world descend on Birmingham. Included in the line-up, which was announced recently, are Sylvie Guillem together with Russell Maliphant, Royal Ballet of Flanders ..." Birmingham Mail Review of 2011, Melbourne Staging a year in slow motion by Chloe Smethurst "There were quite a few interesting new works presented, and some very welcome remounts of existing work. Yet, on the whole, there was less dance on offer, and more of it was passable than brilliant." The Age Taipei Gala Starry, starry night by Diane Baker "Next weekend will see a virtual UN of dancers (five Russians, two Canadians, two French, two Americans, two South Koreans, a Spaniard and a Czech) on stage at the National Theater for the Sixth International Ballet Star Gala." Taipei Times Edited January 3, 2012 by JohnM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Wednesday's Links - 4 January 2012 REVIEW: Merce Cunningham Dance Company 5 stars Park Avenue Armory Event USA, New York, Park Avenue Armory Dancers: Collwes, Desjardins, Goggans, Hinrichs, Mitchell, Nelson by Apollinaire Scherr "... we clapped and wept and roared for the Merce Cunningham dancers to come back, to stay. They did return to the stage again and again for bows, looking more overwhelmed each time. But they could not stay forever." Financial Times REVIEW: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Trying Always to Please, Rarely to Challenge Revelations, Journey, Arden Court, Home, Minus 16, Streams USA, New York, City Center Dancers: Mack, Sims LC by Alastair Macaulay "Strangely, the difference between good and bad choreography counts for less at Ailey than at anywhere else. The lure is neither the individuals nor the material they perform so much as a more generalized feeling of large-spiritedness that the Ailey company always delivers." New York Times REVIEW: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Robert Battle, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater Artistic Director Involves Audience In Show Minus 16, Home, Revelations USA, New York, City Center Dancers: Mack, Rushing by Jocelyn Noveck "Later, these dancers suddenly appear in the audience, looking around in a rather sinister way for partners to bring up onstage. At a recent performance, some of those recruited looked like deer in the headlights, but most of the amateur dancers were footloose and uninhibited, including one elderly woman who truly brought down the house ..." Huffington Post Dancing Diplomacy: American Troupes to Tour Again for State Department by Juie Bloom "American dance companies are once again heading overseas to practice a kind of choreographed diplomacy as part of the second season of DanceMotion USA." New York Times Dance Flash: Reflection and Anticipation Abound by Becca Klarin "Strangely, over the past few weeks, my brain keeps rolling over the past year like a silent black and white film, as I remember fun-filled flashbacks like watching RAWdance swoop through the dining area at Orson (never ever try to eat gnocchi while watching a duet! Your fork will miss your mouth every time)." SF Appeal Le martyre de Saint Sebastien by Sue Gilmore "Next week, Michael Tilson Thomas dials the wayback machine on his long tenure with the San Francisco Symphony and returns to the highly unusual, overtly theatrical work by Claude Debussy that the conductor introduced to the Bay Area in its full form for the first time in his inaugural season in November of 1995." Contra Costa Times New costumes for MacMillan's Rite of Spring Kinder Aggugini teams up with the English National Ballet by Alicia Waite "As part of the Beyond Ballet Russes season, which will celebrate the legacy of Russian choreographer Diaghilev's legendary dance company, Kinder Aggugini will be creating the outfits for an English National Ballet production of The Rite of Spring ..." Telegraph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Thursday's Links - 5 January 2012 REVIEW: Merce Cunningham Dance Company Hail and Farewell Park Avenue Armory Event USA, New York, Park Avenue Armory Dancers: Collwes, Crossman, Desjardins, Goggans, Hinrichs, Madoff, Mitchell, Nelson, Riener, Scott, Toogood, Weber by Deborah Jowitt "Considering that for many years, he and his company performed under difficult conditions before an uncomprehending public, he was, I’m sure, tickled by the adulation that his dancers have been receiving in recent years. And he might might have been amazed by the rapt response at this final Event." Arts Journal Preview: Come Fly Away, Chicago by Hedy Weiss "Frank DID come to a performance of Nine Sinatra Songs at the Uris Theatre in New York once, and it was fantastic,” Tharp recalled. “He took a huge freight elevator, walked out on stage to take a bow with the dancers, and the audience almost died." Chicago Sun-Times Come Fly Away - a work in progress Sinatra - filtered by Twyla, Vegas by Chris Jones "When Come Fly Away opens Jan. 10 in Chicago at the very suitable Bank of America Theatre, it will be fundamentally different from the show I saw on Broadway nine months ago." Chicago Tribune Preview: Elizabeth Streb, NY Occupy The Armory! by Brian McCormick "It is the greatest feeling in the world to actually do something your mind tells you is impossible. We do this every day, all the dancers. Our rehearsals are electrifying." Gay City News The Globe and Mail's 2012 dance preview (Canada) by Paula Citron "What I’m least excited to see The late choreographer Alvin Ailey created 79 works, but you wouldn’t know it given the tendency of the company he founded ... to include his 1960 signature Revelations at every performance." Globe and Mail Dance Stars of 2011 Graf was still off the charts when ranking dance stars by Carolyn Kelemen "Still, my fondest remembrance of Alicia's dancing came in late spring at the Ballet Royale studio on Red Branch Road, where she danced a solo for friends, families and, especially, for mentor Donna Pidel. Indeed, the Columbia native is the shiniest star in this planet's dance galaxy, and ranks first in our list of best dance performances of 2011." Baltimore Sun Alvin Ailey, LC Sims and the posters Leaping Into History by Urban Gardiner "I'm thinking of one poster in particular: It was last season's, and it starred company member Linda Celeste Sims looking like an airborne citizen of Avatar's Pandora. She's dressed in not much more than strategically placed streamers of turquoise body paint." Wall Street Journal DESH performances cancelled by Natalie Woolman "Akram Khan has had to cancel future performances of his one-man show DESH due to an injury." The Stage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Friday Links - 6 January 2012 Links today were actually done by Anna Merrick Reflecting On Wheeldon by Wendy Whelan “I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I didn’t put much stock in his dream, though I found it endearing that he wanted to grow up to be a choreographer one day. ” Playbill Arts Why should we fund the arts? by David Edgar “Publicly funded arts institutions are under more pressure than ever to quantify the social benefits they bring, as would be done for schools and hospitals. But isn’t the crucial role of art to challenge the way society is run?” The Guardian REVIEW: English National Ballet Strictly Gershwin UK, London, Coliseum Dancers: Cao, Gruzdyev, Klimentova, Muntagirov, Robinson by Ismene Brown “shows are not conceived with dancers in mind but with box office, and box office this is, with costumes and lighting of high glitz and elegant cut,….” The Arts Desk REVIEW: English National Ballet 3 stars Strictly Gershwin UK, London, Coliseum Dancers: Birkett, Cao, Glurdjidze, Konvalina, Mills, Takahashi by Clifford Bishop “The best numbers feel like ballet daydreaming that it might be something else. ” Evening Standard REVIEW: English National Ballet 3 stars Strictly Gershwin UK, London, Coliseum Dancers: Birkett, Mills, Robinson by Patrick Marmion “The big problem really is that Strictly Gershwin feels like one of those K-tel greatest hits albums. The ecstatic pitch of the sound and spectacle grows more and more wearying…” Daily Mail REVIEW: Scottish Ballet The Sleeping Beauty UK, Glasgow, Theatre Royal Dancers: Ahmet, Blyde, Cavallari, Harrison, Hersh, Jeffs, Laplane, Martin, Mutso, Robertson, Sato, Zarallo, Kingsley-Garner, Kinross by Mary Brennan “the romantic vision at the heart of Ashley Page’s choreography is fully realised in performances that sparkle with beguiling personality as well as thrillingly assured technique.” Herald Scotland Feature: Ballet San Jose by REYHAN HARMANCI “Like a dancer careening wildly to the edge of the stage, Ballet San Jose, one of the most respected arts institutions in Silicon Valley, was on the brink of chaos last year.” New York Times 2012 DANCE HIGHLIGHTS – PUTTING SPRING IN THE STEP by Neil Norman “The lingering chill of February will be chased away by the Spanish heat of the Flamenco Festival.The performers include Carmen Cortés and her husband, guitar virtuoso Gerardo Núñez. February 7 to 19, 0844 412 4300/ www.sadlerswells.com ” Express Dominion Post pick of Dance performances 2011 by Not named “2011 will also be remembered for Pina, the astonishing documentary by Wim Wenders of Pina Bausch, the seminal figure in 20th-century European dance-theatre. ” Dominion Post Fire poi dancing classes by STACEY ANDERSON “Taking turns, each student swung two blazing poi in circular patterns, with varying degrees of grace and proximity to their panicked expressions. ” New York Times Cultural Life : Melissa Hamilton by Charlotte Cripps “YouTube is one of my greatest means of seeing other companies and dancers. I think it can be very detrimental for dancers only ever to see their own company. ” The Independent From Brisbane to the Bolshoi by Jennifer Ennion “Dancing in Russia has always been Chloe Dean’s goal, so being accepted into the acclaimed Bolshoi Ballet Academy is the ultimate dream come true.” Brisbane Times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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