8 replies to this topic

[dirac]

President Medvedev inspects the renovated Bolshoi Theater.

http://www.latimes.c...0,3339940.story

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"From the engineering point of view, this is a fantastic building," Medvedev was shown on state-run Rossiya 24 channel telling ballet dancers. He added that he wanted them to revive the spirit of the legendary Bolshoi.

After years of neglect during Soviet times, the Bolshoi's main stage closed in 2005 and was meant to reopen in 2008. The much-anticipated restoration was hit by delays and plagued by a scandal over missing funds.

[dirac]

David Hallberg joins the Bolshoi. Item in brief.

http://artsbeat.blog...in-the-bolshoi/

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He will continue to appear with American Ballet Theater and other companies but only for limited periods each year.

“I want to do this as an American, and I want to do this on behalf of male dancing,” Mr. Hallberg said.

[dirac]

An interview with Karen Kain.

http://arts.national...untry-dance-up/

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“In the world we’ve living in, it’s prohibitively expensive to do that. We’ve fashioned a tour to show a different side of the company. Usually, we go out on the road with a title that’s easier to sell. This time we’re coming with a program that’s probably going to show off the depth of talent in the company more than the big 19th-century ballets do.”

Kain says the National Ballet has a mandate to serve the entire country, and she has a responsibility to be fiscally responsible so the company can continue staging innovative works. “It is a balancing act — one that I take very seriously,” says Kain, a former principal dancer with the company. “There is no point in developing a huge deficit.”

[dirac]

A review of the National Ballet of Canada by Salena Kitteringham in The Edmonton Journal.

http://www.edmontonj...=megadrop_story

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In Edmonton on Monday night, Canada’s National ballet company looked great without a tutu in sight for the opening number called The Second Detail – a piece by American choreographer William Forsythe to an electronic score, set in a white box of a room with a row of white chairs and a simple sign downstage, that mysteriously only has the word “The” on it. The choreographer dynamically keeps one guessing how to fill in that blank after “the” – is it the crisp lines? The soaring extensions? The funky attitude? The strange white dress? All of the above.

[dirac]

Ballet Theatre of Maryland moves into a new studio. Television report with video.

http://www.abc2news....pens-new-studio

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The state's premiere professional ballet company is announcing the grand opening of its new studio-- the Merritt Annex.

On Good Morning Maryland, Dianna Cuatto and two company dancers gave a sneak peek of some upcoming entertainment.

[dirac]

An appreciation of David Y.H. Lui by Max Wyman in The Vancouver Sun.

http://www.vancouver...8960/story.html

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He was the right person at the right time. The new social freedoms of the '60s, reinforced by generous public funding, were fostering an upswing of public fascination with dance, and David, the cheeky upstart muscling in on a field that had been the sinecure of an established promoter for generations, had a canny knack for choosing shows that would pique the public interest -- and his own.

[dirac]

A review of Houston Ballet by David Dow Bentley III for Your Houston News.

http://www.yourhoust...98c2528fcc.html

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Finally, in the view of this critic, the piece de resistance for the evening was the marvelous 1937 ballet, “Les Patineurs,” choreographed by Sir Frederick Ashton, to the music of Giacomo Meyerbeer, with the original Constant Lambert arrangements and orchestrations conducted here for the Houston Ballet Orchestra by Ermanno Florio. The charming scenic and colorful costume designs of William Chappell, the gay lighting designs of Christina R. Giannelli, and the magnificent staging of Hilary Cartwright all combined to capture a lovely winter scene surrounding an ice pond amid a snowy forest.

[dirac]

A preview of the National Ballet of Canada's visit to Vancouver by Dana Gee in The Province.

http://www.theprovin...=megadrop_story

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The Man in Black by James Kudelka celebrates the sound of Johnny Cash. The second detail is an electronic feat of physical dance from the mind of innovative choreographer William Forsythe. Rounding out the trio of premieres is Emergence, choreographer Crystal Pite’s physically dynamic look at insects.

“It’s a study on the social forms and patterns through dance and choreography,” said the National Ballet’s principal dancer Sonia Rodriguez, who dances lead in Emergence. “It is a wonderful piece. The first time I saw it transported me from reality. So hopefully the audience will feel some of that, too.”

[dirac]

More details on Hallberg's jump to the Bolshoi from the Times.

http://www.nytimes.c...et.html?_r=1

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There are other benefits to being in the company. Each lead Bolshoi dancer, as at the Mariinsky, has a former company dancer as a full-time coach. Mr. Hallberg’s will be Alexander Vetrov, who has worked in America and speaks English.

When asked if the Bolshoi would now invite other Western dancers to join its ranks, Mr. Filin said, “They should be really, really good!”