This is a New York Times article about Emerging Master Choreographers:<P><A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/17/arts/17KOUR.html" TARGET=_blank>Reserving a Stage for Tomorrow's Choreographers</A><P>

Basheva, thanks so much for posting this article. As a Juilliard alumni, I was very interested in the whole idea that students were being encouraged to pursue choreography.As of late, I had heard many stories that the technical level of the students was very high; but I had not heard a whole lot about the artistic nurturing that these students might be receiving. It was gratifying to hear that Mr. Harkarvay was seeing his way to realizing that although a dancer might not possess the perfect dancer's body (the young choreographer highlighted in the article), they still might have something significant to contribute to the field of dance.

Yes, it is an interesting article, but I would have liked to read a lot more about the programe and perhaps less about the two young choreographers. <P>I become more and more interested in the background to teaching/nurturing choreography and the huge difference in approach between the professional level modern dance schools here and the ballet schools.

You are very welcome, Trina - I am glad you enjoyed the article. It took me a fair while to get it - the New York Times was being stubborn - but then I am stubborn too.<P>It helps for me to have feedback about the articles that I post (especially the modern dance - because I have so little knowledge of modern dance) because then I know what you folks are interested in.

Stuart-not clear on your question regarding the Juilliard article. Do you mean the difference in training of ballet choreographers vs. modern choreographers?

Yes, exactly trina. In European modern dance schools choreography is a core part of the curriculum. See the info. about the Rosas School in Belgium, from this topic:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.criticaldance.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000185.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.criticaldance.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000185.html</A> <P>I am not aware of a ballet school where this is the case. I've discussed this elsewhere and will try to research it further in the coming months. My gut feel is that it is one of the reasons why there are many interesting choreographers emerging from the Modern arena and few from ballet. I know others disagree with this latter statement.

Stuart - I heartily agree with your statement. I speak only from my personal experience in San Diego. And, only in the ballet world, here.<P>In all my years of study - over 30 now - I have never seen any student given an opportunity, or encouraged to pursue the possibility of choreographing. In fact quite the opposite. There is quite a closed ballet autocracy here, in my opinion.<P>When I was teaching I used to hold an annual "Student Choreographer Workshop". This was not the result of enlightened altruism on my part. One year I was just overwhelmed with dance committments and in an effort to preserve my sanity, came up with the idea of allowing my more advanced students the opportunity to choreograph for themselves. They could break up into any groupings they desired, they chose their own music and designed their own costumes.<P> I vetted the offerings before they went into serious rehearsal. There were no serious problems and 95% of the work was well beyond my expectations. In fact one young woman emerged with real talent which she pursues to this day (over ten years later) in Los Angeles.<P>To my knowledge I have never seen opportunities offered or encouraged in the ballet schools here. The autocracy rules.<P>

I am not familiar with training for ballet choreographers. My perception (notice the word"perception") is that if what you're saying is true, it's very interesting. Because it seems like ballet companies are "raiding (in a good way!) modern choreographers to spice up their repertoires-ie David Parsons, Paul Taylor, Alvin Ailey, to name a few. And not really nurturing any choreographic talent within their own ranks? Anyone got a differing opinion?

Trina - my gut feeling, for what it's worth, is that the ballet world seems to be a much more autocratic world, at least as I have perceived it. Much more closed.<P>There are some instances here in San Diego where ballet dancers wanted to expand into choreography, and had to go the modern dance groups to get that opportunity. <P>Maybe the very fact that modern dance (and forgive me if I wrong since my knowledge of modern dance is so very limited) welcomes innovation more than ballet does, and perhaps that extends to people as well as choreography.<p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited December 21, 2000).]