‘It's Nutcracker time and dancers from around the world will thrill English audiences. Yet is this internationalism a threat to our own ballet establishment,’ asks Louise Levene. <BR>A well researched piece, which presents the views of some of the leading UK ballet directors, without coming to any easy conclusions. I take heart from the admirable Monica Mason’s relaxed attitude.<BR>I can understand the point made about the wonderful POB training, which enables them to look great in such a wide range of work from Petipa to Forsythe.<P>I have a memory that we had a discussion thread on this theme somewhere, but I can't find it at the moment. If the Moderators want to consolidate, please go ahead. <P> <A HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=003319252016647&rtmo=gjblggZu&atmo=rrrrrrvs&pg=/et/00/12/26/btnut26.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et?ac=003319252016647&rtmo=gjblggZu&atmo=rrrrrrvs&pg=/et/00/12/26/btnut26.html</A> <BR>

I,too, remember that we had a most interesting thread on this subject. I did a search trying several "key" words but to no avail. Maybe someone else will be more successful.<P>I think that we sort of agreed that whilst internationalism may engender a loss of individual national styles of dance/ballet, it has an unstoppable momentum.<P>We may mourn the loss of the countryside as freeways tear up the hills, but the automobile is here to stay and growing. So, too, the international aspect of shared art forms from culture to culture.

Another example of this internationalism is the Kirov Ballet's acquisition of MacMillan's Manon this year.