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[dirac]

A review of Alabama Ballet's "Alice in Wonderland" in The Birmingham News.

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Van Fleteren’s and Fillmer’s “Alice” premiered in Samford’s Wright Auditorium — on Friday the 13th — a convergence of medium, subject matter and numerology that probably registered with, well, absolutely no one save a very small subset of the population.

Fillmer’s sure-handed, colorful score, which would have been enhanced by more varied, less literal, repeated sections, set the work’s surrealist, hall-of-mirrors tone, an element that Van Fleteren picked up and ran with in his choreography. The robotic, repetitive gestures and stop-motion effects of the Mad Hatter’s tea party illustrated how creepy, how decidedly non Disney-esque, their collaboration could get.

[dirac]

Connecticut Ballet celebrates its thirtieth anniversary season.

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The 30th Anniversary Gala also includes a pre-performance patron's dinner from 6:30-8:15 pm in the Belding's Autorino Great Hall and a post-performance onstage party with the dancers entitled "Razzle Dazzle! Sizzle."

[dirac]

A preview of Peoria Ballet's "Art That Rocks."

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Consisting of about 40 Peoria Ballet students ages 11 to 22, the concert will showcase music ranging from Frank Sinatra to Led Zeppelin to up-and-coming groups like Vitamin String Quartet, which specializes in classical arrangements of popular music.

"This show is a completely different side to the Peoria Ballet," said Servy Gallardo, the organization's artistic director, who also choreographed the show.

[dirac]

A review of Ballet West by Kathy Adams in The Salt Lake Tribune.

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But now it serves as a reference for the next piece on the program in which Balanchine deconstructs the ballet blueprint, in his subtle yet profound "Emeralds." Although "Emeralds" is part of Balanchine’s evening-length triptych, "Jewels" — which BW performs next April — it clearly stands on its own. And in this production, principal dancer Christiana Bennett’s solo is absolutely spellbinding. Her red hair cleanly done up in a French bun, costumed (by Madame Karinska) in the opaline greens that softly defuse into the bold green backdrop, she exudes an air of mystery and intrigue.

[dirac]

A profile of Tamara Rojo by Ruaridh Nicoll in The Guardian.

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Reading through old newspaper clippings, it is possible to sense the feelings of betrayal and loss in those who pushed her forward and were then left behind. But that is to miss an important part of her character. "There is no major classical ballet company in Spain," she wrote in the Observer in 2009. "Many ballet companies around the world have excellent Spaniards in their ranks, dancers who have been nurtured and trained in Spain, but who are then orphaned by their mother country and forced to emigrate to pursue their careers." She is the exile.

[dirac]

A review of the Columbia Ballet Collaborative by Mary Cargill for danceviewtimes.

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The Columbia Ballet Collaborative was founded in 2007 by a group of professionally trained dancers who were studying at Columbia University.  The original founders have graduated, but the idea has taken root, and the current group (again made up of dancers attending Columbia or Barnard College, many with professional experience) meets regularly to take and give classes, and to put on an annual show.  Their training and experience gave the dancers a polish that traditional student performances lack, and their current status as students meant that the slickness and competitiveness of the current competition circle wasn't an issue; these dancers performed simply for love, and the program was a fine reminder of what a joy dance can be.

[dirac]

A review of Ballet San Jose by Rita Felciano in The San Jose Mercury News.

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As a showcase of powerful male dancing, however, "Clear" works well enough. It is set (primarily) on seven men whose skin-color tights showcase their physiques beautifully. There is a ceremonial quality to the measured walks and framed poses, which give "Clear" a sense of timelessness. I kept thinking of Chinese terracotta warriors. Dancing the central role, perhaps as an Everyman figure, Jeremy Kovitch attacks the bravura choreography -- whiplash turns, high leaps and fast trajectories -- with courage and gusto. An oddly disconnected duet for the lanky Damir Emric and apprentice Joshua Seibel is noteworthy for Seibel's elegance and refinement. He is a dancer to watch.

Balanchine's lovely "Allegro Brillante" received a finely detailed, though rather subdued, performance. That work, in particular, demands live music.

[dirac]

A review of Pacific Northwest Balletposted on seattlepi.com.

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This is one of the last chances to see Principal Dancer Lucien Postlewaite in Seattle. If you were ever a fan, you have to see him now. Not just because he is leaving, but this was his best performance hands down. Postlewaite has always been excellence in motion, but this time he is not just dancing, he is performing. Not only is it the best I have seen him on stage (and that is really saying something) but he looks like he is having fun to boot.

One from The SunBreak.

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In the Primo Vere movement, Kaori Nakamura and Jonathan Porretta [UPDATE: last minute casting change: it was James Moore], dressed in peasant clothes, are young love. Nakamura is not only able to express this through dance, but her face just radiates that first blush of love that will never come again. Their piece is contrasted by Lesley Rausch and Lucien Postlewaite, in flesh-colored unitards, balancing this innocence in the Cour D’Amour movement. Theirs is a familiar, mature love. It’s a depth of love that comes with knowledge and time. Together, they were glorious, languid and touching.

[dirac]

A feature on restaurateur Ethan Stowell.

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  ......And then, in the number 7 spot, we have a modest, 37-year-old local chef, Ethan
Stowell.

Stowell's parents were local royalty, Pacific Northwest Ballet cofounders Kent Stowell and Felicia Russell, the drivers of Seattle's cultural scene for decades. Stowell taught himself how to cook, and began opening a series of restaurants: Union downtown, Tavolata in Belltown, How to Cook a Wolf on Queen Anne, Anchovies & Olives on Capitol Hill, Staple & Fancy Mercantile in Ballard.

[dirac]

Another reviewof PNB. (Hat tip to sandik for the link!)

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Pacific Northwest Ballet opened Apollo & Carmina this Friday, April 13, 2012, with majestic splendor and vitality. These two widely celebrated ballets made for a balanced evening; the austere, neoclassical Apollo delves into the makings of an immortal while the bold Carmina Burana examines the plights and pleasures of the human condition. On opposite ends of the spectrum, Apollo encompasses dignified purity and restraint with its simple costumes, lighting, and music for only strings, while Carmina steeps the audience in the grandiose with an epic score, awe-inspiring sets, and over forty dancers onstage.