8 replies to this topic

[dirac]

The dance school of the UNC School of the Arts forms a partnership with American Ballet Theatre.

The Winston-Salem Journal

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It's designed to give UNCSA's dance students the same kind of training and connections that their JKO counterparts have in their quest to land positions at ABT and its Studio Company for apprentices.

And it raises the profile of UNCSA, enabling it to use the ABT logo on its website and in recruiting and fundraising materials.

The Business Journal

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Starting this fall, UNC-SA will begin teaching ABT's National Training Curriculum, and ballet faculty will receive training and certification in the program, which trains young people in ballet principles. The campus will also become part of ABT's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, a training program for students from ages 11 to 18.

[dirac]

The Bolshoi revives Angelin Preljocaj's “And then, 1,000 Years Peace – Creation 2010.” Item in brief.

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The abstract work was inspired when the French choreographer visited Moscow in 2007 to select several soloists to take part in one of his productions. He was so impressed by the dancers of the Bolshoi that he came back to choreograph a new work for them.

[dirac]

Q&A with Charlotte d'Amboise and Terrence Mann.

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When you were young, did you travel with your dad, Jacques d'Amboise, the famous dancer and dance educator?

CA: I grew up in the ballet world, because of dad. It's very different from the musical theater world. Ballet dancers are very focused and very serious from a very young age: they have to be. They were never that warm or playful with me when I was on tour with them. But the musical theater people are great with the girls: really fun and interactive. So they love being along with us when we travel.

[dirac]

A profile of Polina Semionova by Gia Kourlas in The New York Times.

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Though she regularly performs as a guest artist with other companies, the Bolshoi-trained Ms. Semionova is a member of the Berlin State Ballet, which she joined at the invitation of its artistic director, Vladimir Malakhov. At the time she was 17 and considering offers from the Bolshoi and Mariinsky companies, but Mr. Malakhov, a former Ballet Theater principal, upped the ante and offered her a contract as a principal dancer.

“I was like, O.K., I think I should try it,” she said, laughing. “I think it was a gift from destiny. I believe that in life you have signs, and you just must be careful to see them. So I took this as a sign, which said, ‘Look — why not?’ ”

[dirac]

A review of 'Billy Elliot'by Robert Hurwitt in The San Francisco Chronicle.

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Elton John's score is a mixed blessing, though a great improvement over his "Aida" or "Lestat." John's at his best in some of the more folk- or union-based songs and a few whimsical numbers, aided by Hall's smart lyrics, but overindulges in sentiment. Without taking anything away from music director Susan Draus' hardworking small ensemble, there's something prepackaged about hearing instruments you know aren't actually in the pit.

Still, Daldry and Darling's vibrant stagings grab hold from the start. "The Stars Look Down," razzle-dazzle girls' dance-class "Shine" and explosively evolving "Solidarity" introduce the eclectic dance forms. The eyes never rest as Billy's home and other sites unfold and slide in from the walls of Ian MacNeil's boldly drab union-hall set (expressively lit by Rick Fisher).

Interview with choreographer Peter Darling.

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....When casting the movie, Daldry and Darling saw hundreds of potential Billys, and came close to abandoning the project when a youngster with both dancing and acting talent proved elusive. They finally settled on Jamie Bell, though ballet was not a strong suit.

"Jamie was a fantastically rhythmic boy, but he would freely admit he would never have gotten into the Royal Ballet," Darling said. "I think it's always best to meet the performer where their skill is."

[dirac]

Galmont Ballet performed last month.

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Frank Galvez and his wife, Lucia Montero, who talked to me minutes before the show began, said they were thrilled this season has gone so well. They formed the ballet, and were directing the performance with Anastacia Hawkins-Smith. This was their season closing performance, and 24 dancers would perform eight pieces for those in attendance.

Just before the curtain went up, I also spoke with Nalan Seda, the only male dancer of the group. He said he was originally encouraged by his first teacher in Puerto Rico to start dancing, and was excited to be performing with the ballet. Congratulations to all the dancers on a great season.

[dirac]

An interview with Oklahoma University's new ballet instructor in the campus paper.

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Clara Cravey, who has had her name on posters in front of the Theatre Champs-Elysees in Paris and the Volksoper Theatre in Vienna, has made a home in Norman to contribute her instructing talents to the OU School of Dance.

On Tuesday afternoon, Cravey was found in a studio at the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center surrounded by girls attending the SummerWind Youth Ballet Camp, a dance camp that draws dancers from across the country. Cravey critiqued the young dancers in everything from arm movements to head positions.

[dirac]

Bridgett Zehr and Zdenek Konvalina explain why they are leaving Canada to join the English National Ballet.

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Ballet dancers have short careers. Just as they hit their stride as fully-formed artists the body starts sending messages that their days are numbered. There’s no time to waste and, after five years in Toronto, Konvalina, 32, and Zehr, 26, are eager to explore a broader horizon.

“Being in London places us at the heart of the ballet world,” says the Czech-born Konvalina. “It’s an excellent hub for guesting engagements abroad and there’s so much dance happening in London; lots of stimulation and inspiration.”

[dirac]

Q&A with Alina Somova by Gia Kourlas in Time Out New York.

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What is it like to work with Ratmansky? What is his influence on your dancing?
Ratmansky is an incredibly talented man, and that wins you over and encourages respect. His choreography is highly original and it has its pearls. Today, unfortunately, there are so many choreographers who have “borrowed” a bit from everybody—Forsythe, Kylián, Balanchine and many others—but they have nothing of their own, nothing original, nothing unique. Ratmansky has his own unique and recognizable style. And I like the fact that his choreography is still based on classical ballet. It’s great rehearsing with him. In terms of his inner culture, he is a very noble man. He is very demanding, but he never piles on the pressure; he can set a task and get you so involved in the process and convince you that it never once enters your head to say, “I won’t do that, I can’t, it doesn’t suit me.” You believe him absolutely and you follow after him however difficult it may be.