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[dirac]

A review of Maine Street Ballet by Jennifer Brewer in The Portland Press Herald.

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"The Poet's Love" may be the most stunning piece of choreography Linda MacArthur Miele has ever created for Maine State Ballet. It has a rare compositional perfection -- in both choreographic musicality and dramatic flow -- that makes it a true privilege to view.

The ballet, which premiered last year, had its first reprise on Friday evening. The music (a famed song cycle by Robert Schumann with Heinrich Heine's poetry) has an unmistakable poignancy, which Miele and her dancers have captured beautifully.

[dirac]

A story on the current vogue for dance-related television shows by AJ Marechal in Variety.

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Despite the proliferation of similarly themed shows, producers see the dance genre as a goldmine for niche outlets targeting femmes. While singing shows are generally aimed a wider aud, dance shows are buoyed by an intensely loyal base of devotees.

"With dance, there are much smaller genres and very passionate viewers," says Nigel Lythgoe, the dynamo of dance TV who is exec producer of Fox's long-running "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Chance to Dance."

[dirac]

A story on Las Vegas' new Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

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Last month, The New York Times focused on The Smith Center's arrival, exploring how Las Vegas became "as much Liszt as Liberace," to quote the article's headline.

In April, the Cleveland Plain Dealer's classical music critic wrote that, with The Smith Center, "Las Vegas has staked a place on the musical map, presenting to the globe a venue where even the best ensembles will be glad to appear" - including the Cleveland Orchestra, which "sounded great there."

[dirac]

An interview with Eva Kolarova of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.

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This time, no fewer than 13 choreographers are presenting works, including Eva Kolarova, a 24-year-old Czech-born ballerina who joined Les Grands just last year. Kolarova’s contribution consists of two extracts from her hour-long work called Metamorphosis of Love. Kolarova is not waiting, however, until the end of the month to show what she can do. Independently of À Suivre, she’s staging the entire Metamorphosis of Love Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at Théâtre La Chapelle.

Kolarova is quite candid about her choreographic ambition. Not long after arriving in Montreal (her first trip to North America), she broached the subject of choreography with Les Grands’ artistic director, Gradimir Pankov. At the time, À Suivre was yet to be scheduled.

[dirac]

A review of Mikhail Baryshnikov in "In Paris" by Tobi Tobias in her blog, "Seeing Things."

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Mikhail Baryshnikov, who plays the leading role, undertook the production simply because he wanted to. Lord knows he’s earned the privilege through his breathtaking performances as a classical dancer, first in Russia, then in America, which offered him not just personal freedom but a wide repertory; his exploration of modern and postmodern dance; and his creation of the Baryshnikov Arts Center in Hell’s Kitchen to foster the growth of the arts. He owes the world nothing more and deserves the opportunity to do as he pleases.