Well, I owe this idea entirely to Trina - <P>She mentioned in the Keefer Case thread her reasons for not reading a certain dance publication because it was geared for the teenager. And I agree - that is one of the reasons that I cancelled my subscription a number of years ago.<P>There is a fairly large population of adult dance students - both beginners and those returning to dance - and that is a sadly neglected population. In all the years that I read this certain magazine I only remember one article dealing with this age group. <P>One might ask - what would we like to see in a dance publication? <P>Reviews?<P>News on companies and dancers?<P>Discussions on technique?<P>Pictures?<P>Interviews with dancers? teachers? others involved with dance?<P>Issues - like some of those discussed in this forum?<P>Trina - could you expand on what you meant when you said (in the Keefer Case thread) Dance Europe Magazine seemed to be geared toward adults? adult readers? adult dancers?<P>

I would like to read dance magazines that don't have anything to do with competitions or 'my first pair of pointe shoes'. These are important topics for someone - it's just not ME.<P>I want a dance magazine with a knowing chuckle instead of a nervous giggle. Or, I want a Vogue, not a Young Miss, or even a Ms. magazine, not Vogue - SOMETHING with some OOMPH. I want substance, variety, intelligence, great photos, and killer writing. I want to be challenged as a reader - as a person, as an artist. I know it's a lot to ask for, but humor me. <P>Reading about dance shouldn't mean reading about something pink, young, and shallow (I'm preaching to the choir?). Not that everything in current dance magazines is like that, or that it even adequately represents the depth of their readerships (which they don't), but I will say that it took me all of five minutes to read the last one I bought. It was truly the last magazine of any kind I've purchased in the last year which lead me to say "oh boy, that was a total waste of my money." <P>I've yet to see a magazine about dance that really excites me - they're just not geared for me, no matter what dance demographic they seem to by trying to capture. No one can do everything - I know that, so a paltry few dance magazines can hardly make all of us happy.<P>Re-reading Basheva's questions just now I realize I haven't been as specific as she was looking for in terms of topics for the magazine to cover. I'd take a Criticaldance in print form. So there.<p>[This message has been edited by Priscilla (edited February 24, 2001).]

Well, Priscilla - you sure did answer the general tone of the magazine, however. And I agree, I don't want an article on "ouch pouches versus lamb's wool".<P>I also want timeliness. I don't want to read Nutcracker reviews in May. <P> If I remember correctly in Dance Magazine there was a series of articles many years ago written by an orthopedic doctor (he was a doctor for NYCB and also a dance student), I enjoyed those articles. They were not about "don't turn out from the feet" - they were much more in depth - really seemed to deal with skeletal structure and the dance.<P>And I want Pictures Pictures Pictures - dance is after all a visual art.<P>And I also agree with you Priscilla - I would love to see discussed some of the things we discuss here - like the very lively discussion we have had in several threads in the Studio on the merits and vagaries of teaching very young children dance.<P>That particular discussion - spread over several threads - has obviously hit a real core.<P>As for reviews - I want to feel like I was there.

I think it would be hard for me to find everything I want in one magazine. I MUST say that i was very impressed by Dance Europe. Such articles as "Ballet, A Cultural Cancer"? (while I was initially put off by the title!) was extremely thoughtful and provocative. Ditto with the interview with Wayne Eagling. The photos were extremely high caliber. I was made aware of choreographers and venues I'd never heard of ...for instance, in Berline, ballet stars performing in an offbeat "fringe" contemporary venue--very Cool!<BR>I also read "Contact Quarterly" (only comes out twice a year!) and recommend it to anyone interested in very offbeat, non-mainstream dance. It focuses on contact improvisation, but in the current issue, for instance, there is a wonderful review of a Steve Paxton solo concert. His work is currently being performed by White Oak. So these boundaries of "mainstream" and "non-mainstream" are becoming fuzzy. I also read Yoga Journal and Dance Teacher Now.<BR><p>[This message has been edited by trina (edited February 24, 2001).]

Interesting Trina that the quarterly that you mention comes out only twice a year LOL.<P><BR>I also like articles on the process - the process of choreographing, the process of preparing for a performance, the process of a teacher preparing for a class. <P>I liked the article in Dance Europe Magazine on "Ballet - Cultural Cancer", too - the article made up for the title LOL.

Contact Quarterly...yes, is a misnomer. It only comes out twice a year. I believe this is a finanical issue. They didnt' want to change the name, becasue of "name recognition" situation and because they've been around forever (25 yrs i guess).

My impression is that Dance Magazine is on the cusp of change. The Feb 2001 issue for example includes a story on Raven Wilkinson, a black ballerina in the 1950s, who had to endure racism.<P>They've hired a new, acting Editor-in-Chief, K.C. Patrick, announced in a <B><a href=../../../ubb/Forum13/HTML/000131.html>press release</A></B> that reads "Poised for Change."<P>Perhaps a word or two to the editors will encourage them in the direction you want.

Here's a dilemma -<P>I remember reading in a dance publication many years ago several articles, in issue after issue, about a certain piece of choreography. The articles were all about the choreographer, the choreography, the dancers, etc.....quite a lengthy series on a particular work in progress. Really quite a buildup.<P>Then when the work was actually performed and the critique/critiques were written...it was completely trashed. So I wondered to myself...gee, I wasted all that time reading about the production of that dance when the consensus at the end is that it wasn't worthwhile.<P>What do you think about that? Should the publication have handled it differently?

I don't think so. Obviously, they thought that the fact that the piece was being produced was newsworthy (you obviously thought so, too; after all, you read the articles); I'm not sure how they could have known in advance that it wasn't going to be very good.<P>I'm impressed with their honesty; there must have been at least a fleeting thought that, with all of their preshow publicity, it would have been easier to print a positive review.<BR><P>------------------<BR>Jeffrey E. Salzberg, Lighting Designer<P>Online portfolio: <A HREF="http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg" TARGET=_blank>http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg</A> <P>This Day in Arts History: <A HREF="http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg/arthist.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg/arthist.htm</A><P>

The Canada Council held a symposium at last year's Canada Dance Festival where they discussed funding a new Canadian dance magazine with a web edition. I'm not so sure we need another print magazine. I really think this sort of forum or websites like the Dance Insider where the reviews are produced by dancers are the way to go. <BR>There are enough 'establishment' people in dance who have proferred their opinions over the last 30 years (oh, I know there are people out there who are going to rip that one apart, ) I did some administrative work for an assembly of the World Dance Alliance a few years back and was amused to find that most of the members were of a "certain age" and hadn't kept up with the changing dance community. Sites like this bring everyone together because it's free (well you do need computer access) and because anyone can post information there's no established hierarchy, ie. a very small ballet company can be discussed just as much as a long-time established one. There are no press agents involved or marketing staff which also subverts the hierarchy created by funding. There are a lot of jewels in the rough that only come out in this sort of forum. Additonally, when the emperor wears no clothes it's the people who are more willing to acknowledge it, not necessarily those who have more to lose. <BR>I'm looking forward to the near future when I can carry my little wireless computer 'magazine' around with me and spend my spare time (lol, spare time) reading CD and other reader produced sites.

Yes - PLEASE - find me a dance magazine that isn't all competitions, ads (either for dance supplies or for summer intensives) and little articles outlining what to/not eat and how to break in pointe shoes!<P>I would love to see a magazine geared for ADULTS - something with meaty articles outlining differences in technique (really in depth!), style, etc. I know that costume and makeup design are very important, but for the "average" adult...how many of us get all made up for class on a regular basis!<P>I have to admit - the BEST adult ballet article I've read lately (read: within the last two weeks) has been a fitness column in MODE magazine (great - pick it up!), March edition. It outlines one "plus size" beginner's journey into ballet - really interesting!

One day after ballet class we were all sitting around (about a dozen people) discussing what we liked best about a national dance publication. We each came up with the same answer.<P>Are you ready for this? We each enjoyed reading the "obituaries". Now before you think this sounds ghoulish - the reasons were quite interesting. We enjoy reading about dancers that we otherwise would never hear of. Dancers - well - like us. <P>We got to read about their lives - their schooling, successes - what happened to them when they stopped teaching or performing. We also got to read about dancers who once were very well known - and got to learn about what happened to them.

I never really answered your questions Basheva. What I am looking for in dance publications...hmmm. World wide review of prominent and little known dance companies. Choreographers (profiled) working in contemporary, jazz, tap, world/ethnic dance. Teachers and their training and teaching philosphies/goals. Choreographic processes---all forms, including improvisation. Dance outreach programs to such populations such at-risk youth, seniors, dis and differenlty abled groups. What I AM NOT interested in : dance competitions, "how to's" on auditions, applying for jobs, anything about dance costuming, dancing on cruise ships or at resorts, hmmm...lord knows, most publications don't write just for me...ya know?

I stopped reading the Dance Mag obituaries in the late 80's. It was getting too depressing, reading about friends and colleagues dying of "pneumonia".

You have a good point, Salzberg - all of my partners except one died. But this discussion was before that - in the very early 80's.<P>All sounds like very worthy stuff to me Trina.