Well done, Stuart. It sometimes take exceptional talent to be noticed by critics. But wait! Aren't you one too?<P>Frankly, I too have made my comments here and there on reviews that seem odd but usually when they are so obviously odd or when there is already a consensus in the dance community about the reviews.<P>More than a few insiders also noted to me that a critic recently wrote a somewhat negative review of a company after I had commented on his partiality towards that company and that his reviews of this company are always favorable never mind how bad they are.

So Criticaldance has a good track record for developing the talent of dance critics! So Stuart is one of the three critics who started on the internet; and who are the other two? Basheva and ?

Kevin, I'm not sure who exactly the people Stuart is referring to but now that I think about it, there may be more than three. I'm not sure I'd want to reveal them here out of respect for their privacy.

Ah, looks like the Arts Council of England may be in agreement with me. Check out this thread by Stuart:

Now we're respectable!

<center>(Edited by salzberg to fix link)</center>

<small>[ 08-10-2002, 14:24: Message edited by: salzberg ]</small>

Can the press get away with this:

More in the Ben Stevenson to leave Houston Ballet thread.

<small>[ 08-10-2002, 14:25: Message edited by: salzberg ]</small>

An article on movie critics, but applicable to critics in general...<P>Peter Howell - Toronto Star, 02.27.02:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Careful how you criticize: Web judges are watching</B><P>Marie-Reine Le Gougne got off easy. The French judge behind the Olympic skating scandal only had to answer for one bad call.<P>But we live in the age of the empowered audience, and the Internet is its powerful new weapon. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>To read more go to the Entertainment Section of the <A HREF="http://www.thestar.com/entertainment" TARGET=_blank>Toronto Star</A>.

An article in the NY Times:

I know of at least one critic who no longer posts on a particular dance website, for 'personal reasons'. I took it to mean that they did not like some of the responses to their critiques by this website's readers/posters. I was bothered by a comment this particular critic had made about a dancer being too good looking (what has that to do with the dancer's ability or interpretation of the dance?), and did respond. So does the Internet keep critics honest?

Um... thanks, Corrival, for "waking" this thread up again.

"Too good looking" is an interesting comment to make and it's another fine line. I know people who have been distracted by dancers who are "too attractive" or "too sexy" to enjoy all of the performance. So, perhaps this is a legitimate statement to make and maybe even an honest one. But then again, you're right: what has it got to do with the dancing?

As for that one critic who isn't able to take criticism, that happens a lot... Perhaps one of the professional critics would like to comment on this.

Nothing to do with dance but somewhat related to the topic:

G-d save us from those who would codify art, forcing it into narrow boundaries.

Ed Dorn said it well in his epic poem Gunslinger, in which he cites the danger of being "described", implying that it is -- or at least is much like -- death.

In Arlene Croce's book Writing In The Dark, she mentions a great Merce Cunningham analogy about trying to capture art: writing about dance is like nailing Jello on the wall.

--Andre

I agree. It's much easier, and more meaningful anyway, to write about one's own reaction to art.

<small>[ 24 May 2003, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: Azlan ]</small>

As strictly a learning point, if anybody would like to read exactly how not to pen a professional review, follow this thread to the very bottom (the review mentioned in the 6/23 post) ...

Raiford Rogers Modern Ballet at the Peacock

<small>[ 23 June 2003, 06:12 PM: Message edited by: Jeff ]</small>

Review to a kill - Theatre critics and personal attacks
Theatre critics have long amused readers with caustic write-ups, but personal opinions can be taken too far, says Mark Shenton for The Stage

Though we critics usually try to dispense our wisdom from the lofty heights of objectivity and long experience rather than personal rancour and short tempers, what we write is, ultimately, only a matter of opinion.

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