Feb 2010 in this issue [updated Mar 6, 2010] focus on Dance in Higher Education From Kennedy Center 'Sleeping Beauty' reviews editors' choice

'Sleeping Beauty' [new] Mariinsky Ballet by Carmel Morgan -- February 9, 2010, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Opera House, Washington, DC Opening night of the Mariinsky Ballet’s “The Sleeping Beauty” (choreographed by Marius Petipa and revised by Konstantin Sergeyev in 1952, with additional choreography by Fedor Lopukhov) in Washington, DC, starred one the world’s most popular ballerinas, Diana Vishneva. I suspect Vishneva drew the large crowd, despite the snowy weather, but cabin fever may also have been responsible for the sizeable audience. read more... [new] New York City Ballet by Colleen Boresta -- February 7, 2010, Lincoln Center, David Koch Theater, New York After “The Nutcracker,” “The Sleeping Beauty” is probably the favorite ballet of children (and adults who never quite grew up). The story is a well-known fairytale and young dancers often take part in the performance, especially in the Garland Waltz section. Peter Martins’s streamlined version of “The Sleeping Beauty” seems to be choreographed especially for little viewers. In some adaptations of this ballet the story can be lost amongst all the dancing. Martins’s version allows the narrative to shine through. read more...

National ballet of Canada's Heather Ogden and Guillaume Coté Interview by Toba Singer "Yes, I have been injured, and the impact hits you as the kind of shock Princess Aurora feels in that moment. I was sidelined for the first time by my injury and experienced what it was like to be starving for the opportunity to dance as I sat and watched others in class." read more... Helen Lai, the First Lady of Hong Kong Dance Interview by David Mead Hong Kong-based Helen Lai might not be that well-known to dance-goers in the West, but she has been creating outstanding dances for over 30 years and remains one of East Asia’s foremost dance-makers. read more...

Focus on Dance in Higher Education Click for this month's focus

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New York City Ballet Classics Revisited

Kent Stowell on Seattle Dance Project

Boston Ballet in Ottawa

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reviews

 

[new] Jon Kinzel - 'Responsible Ballet (and what we need is a bench to put books on)'
by Robert Streicher -- January 30, 2010, The Kitchen, New York City
Entering The Kitchen’s spacious West 19th Street performance space for the first time after 20 years of absence from the dance world, gave me adequate reason for new dance hope, something that so often eludes American "downtown dance" in its current experimental state. And, waiting for the lights to fade in this vast, bare, grey, cavern of a space, brought to mind older and bolder sensations. But, just like 35 years ago with the Judson Group, there were many falls and some recoveries.
read more...

[new] Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan - 'Moon Water'
by Carmel Morgan -- January 29, 2010, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Eisenhower Theater, Washington, DC
“Moon Water,” choreographed by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan’s Lin Hwai-min, is many things. For example, it’s a meditation as well as a dance. Whatever its nature, it is undeniably beautiful to behold. Like the moon and water of its title, the work is strong, pure, and profoundly rooted in life itself. While watching it, I couldn’t help but get lost in the flow. And that was a wonderful experience.
read more...

Moscow Festival Ballet - 'Coppélia'
by Alyssa Schoeneman -- January 20, 2010, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, Illinois
The Moscow Festival Ballet’s Wednesday night performance of “Coppélia,” despite the strength of its first two acts, was ultimately a victim of circumstance. Most modern performances of the ballet omit the third act’s wedding day divertissements, a choice that would have benefitted the Moscow Festival Ballet; Act III fell flat due to its lack of plot and the company’s visibly waning energy.
read more...

'The Illustrated Book of Invisible Stories' - choreography by Janice Garrett and Charles Moulton
by Heather Desaulniers -- January 16, 2010, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
These days, it is practically impossible to attend modern dance without having video, multi-media, new media and mixed media shoved down your throat. The once artistically valuable exploration of “dance and technology” has become meaningless and boring because of over-saturation. It is very frustrating that a rigorous undertaking has morphed into a faddy trend, though I do understand why video and multi-media still elicit such a presence in current choreography.
read more...

A.H. Dance Company - 'Chameleon'
by Victoria Dombroski -- January 8, 2010, Dance New Amsterdam, New York
The A.H. Dance Company performed a piece of work entitled “Chameleon” at the APAP Conference Showcase at Dance New Amsterdam. This piece choreographed by Alaine Handa incorporated both dance and film to carry out a variety of notions dealing with children growing up in various countries all over the world, more than likely due to the careers of their parents demanding travel.
read more...

Flamenco Deconstructed - Flamenco Aparicio Dance Company with guest artist Omayra Amaya
by Carmel Morgan -- December 5, 2009, GALA Hispanic Theatre, Washington, DC
My newest winter holiday tradition is bundling up to go see a flamenco performance, rather than taking in yet another tired Nutcracker. Although I’m far more familiar with ballet technique than flamenco, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the proud traditions and fiery beauty of that art form. To the contrary, during the time of year when I’m typically feeling smothered by too much Tchaikovsky and Sugar Plum Fairies, I hunger for something offering more substance, and flamenco definitely delivers.
read more...

The 2009 Eureka Dance Festival
by Heather Desaulniers -- December 12, 2009, The Jack Guidone Theater, Joy of Motion Dance Center, Washington, D.C.
Performance opportunities are imperative for emerging choreographers. Artists must have the chance to develop their ideas, show their work, and receive feedback, though finding a venue in which to do so is not easy. DC area artists are fortunate to have an available presentational forum in Kate Jordan and Orit Sherman's new venture, The Eureka Dance Festival. This ambitious project will help fill a void, fostering artistic growth and choreographic mentoring.
read more...

Northern Ballet Theatre - 40th Anniversary Gala
by David Mead -- December 12, 2009 -- Grand Theatre, Leeds, United Kingdom
Most anniversary galas tend to look back at reprise highlights from the company’s repertory. For Northern Ballet Theatre’s 40th birthday party though artistic director David Nixon preferred to present an eclectic mix of English and European dance of today including, unusually, pieces by all four English large-scale ballet companies. And what a sparkling evening it turned out to be.
read more...

Daria Fain/HUMAN BEHAVIOR EXPLORERS - 'The Extent to Which'
by Victoria Dombroski -- January 7, 2010, Dance New Amsterdam, New York
Daria Fain’s “The Extent to Which” was a very intriguing piece of work performed at Dance New Amsterdam as part of the APAP Showcase. Before the dancing started, the audience could see scattered matter, clay balls that looked as if they were thrown sporadically around the floor. To begin there was a film shown of a previous performance in which plexiglas panels were put up creating a barrier between the audience and dancers.
read more...

Lesole's Dance Project
by Carmel Morgan -- December 13, 2009, Dance Place, Washington, DC

Nicholas Andre Dance
by Victoria Dombroski -- December 20, 2009, Joyce Theater Soho, New York

coming: Mariinsky Ballet, Ballet Nice Méditerranée, Havana Rakatan

editors' choice · Woking Dance Festival Feb 19 - Mar 6, 2010 -- Woking, England Highlights this year include Maven, commissioned by the festival and performed in the Lightbox Gallery; UK premieres by Omar Rajeh (Lebanon); Laila Diallo (UK/Canada); Sonia Gomez (Spain); Yael Flexer & Nic Sandiland (UK/Israel). · Vancouver International Dance Festival March 12 - 21, 2020 -- Vancouver The Vancouver International Dance Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary with performances by various artists.

 

For ballet-dance magazine
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Executive Editor 2003-2005
Mary Ellen Hunt

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Associate Editors & Compositors
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