8 replies to this topic

[dirac]

The artistic directors of Queensland Ballet and West Australian Ballet will be departing.

The Australian

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Klaus has created the bulk of QB's work since taking over in 1997 but Marsden says the successful candidate may be a choreographer who also regularly invites others into the company, or a leader who curates work rather than creates it him or herself: "All three types are in the mix."

She quashed rumours QB would merge with Brisbane-based Expressions Dance Company, which has been directed since 2009 by Natalie Weir, a former resident choreographer with the Australian Ballet. There had been conversations only about the sharing of resources, and "no plans for a merger at this time".

The West Australian

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Cavallari cited wanting to be nearer to family and friends, including his partner who in November 2010 underwent a bone marrow transplant in Germany, as a primary reason for the move.

"I will certainly miss the company and have valued my time in Perth and Australia, but you never know what life will throw at you, and you have to be in a position to respond," he said.

[dirac]

An interview with Terence Kohlerby Deborah Jones in The Australian.

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While Kohler was checking out ideas for dance-making, company directors were noticing his possibilities. The short version of his story is that Kohler has made "between 15 and 20 works - closer to 20", including four full-length ballets, has won a swag of awards and is a resident choreographer at Munich's eminent Bayerisches Staatsballett (Bavarian State Ballet). He has a commission for a full-length work for 2013.

But at the moment he is in Perth for his Australian choreographic debut, making a piece for West Australian Ballet's annual Quarry season, which is part of Perth International Arts Festival. More precisely, Rhetoric will mark Kohler's professional debut in the land of his birth - he was making dances when still a student at Sydney's McDonald College, and getting noticed for them.

[dirac]

An interview with the head of Korea National Ballet, Choi Tae-ji.

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“Celebrating the 50th anniversary, I thought it was time for us to try something new, like an encounter with gugak. The start is Hwang Byung-ki, and we also want to work with singer Ahn Suk-seon in the future,” said Choi.

Three choreographers will be in charge of the dance, one of them from France. The venture to merge different cultures is also in line with Choi’s goal to create works that reflect not only Korea’s identity but also a common language the whole world can relate to.

[dirac]

Dancer Robyn Simmons DeKeyser needs a double lung transplant.

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She has danced with the Joffrey Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, the National Ballet of Cuba and the Southern Ballet Theatre. Grace personified.

She also is a wife and mother, has a Master of Business Administration and owns her own dance company, Ballet Bravura. She once was named Mrs. Brevard County in the Mrs. Florida Scholarship Pageant.

[dirac]

A photo gallery of auditions for the School of American Ballet held in Seattle.

[dirac]

Photo gallery: Backstage at Olympic Ballet Theater's Nutcracker.

[dirac]

Miguel Terekhov is dead at age 83.

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Mr. Terekhov danced with Col. W. de Basil’s Ballets Russes from 1942 to 1947, and with the rival Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo from 1954 to 1958. Although he performed classical roles, he was best known as a character dancer, winning praise as the imperious Shah in “Schéhérazade,” the crusty old General in “Graduation Ball” and Dr. Coppélius, the eccentric inventor, in “Coppélia.”

While with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, he met and married Yvonne Chouteau, one of the five “American Indian ballerinas” of Oklahoma, the others being Rosella Hightower, Moscelyne Larkin and Maria and Marjorie Tallchief. Ms. Chouteau survives him.

[dirac]

A review of the State Ballet of Russiaby Suzanne Fulks in The Palm Beach Daily News.

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But, it is important to note that Part is not a member of this company, but rather was performing as a guest artist on loan from American Ballet Theatre. Trained at the esteemed Vaganova Ballet Academy, Part first danced with the Kirov Ballet before leaving to join ABT as a soloist, where she has been thriving for the past decade.

Perhaps even more misleading was the billing of her partner, Alexei Tyukov, who is listed in the playbill as “principal dancer of Bolshoi Theatre.” While cursory research reveals that he may have been trained at the Bolshoi Academy, one can find no evidence of him ever dancing with the Bolshoi Ballet. Regardless, the performance he gave was nowhere near the caliber that the Bolshoi Ballet company would 
require.

[dirac]

Zippora Karzoffers tips on coping with diabetes.

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Karz eventually learned to balance diabetes and her career as a ballerina. Now a dance teacher and a diabetes spokesperson and educator, Karz wants to stop others from making her mistakes. "Never let anyone tell you that diabetes will stop you from doing what you love, but don't -- as I did -- put your health at risk for the sake of achieving success," she cautions.