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[dirac]

Edward Villella departs abruptly from Miami City Ballet.

Associated Press

Miami City Ballet has brought in Michael Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as a consultant to help financially restructure the company. Kaiser performed similar tasks for the American Ballet Theater and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the 1990s, though he says the Miami troupe is in better shape than those companies at that time.

The New York Times

Mr. Villella said no lawsuits had been filed, and that he did not want to bring a case. “I don’t want to jeopardize the company in any way,” he said. “If I did that it would be a major statement and it’s not what I’m about. I don’t want to do anything that would be detrimental to my dancers — my former dancers. Those kids are amazing. They have made me look good. I appreciate them.”
When asked if any legal action was threatened, he said, “I will allow you to use your imagination.”

The Miami Herald

Villella would not inform company dancers and staff of his departure in person, Eroncig said in a separate email to the board of trustees. Instead, the troupe’s former leader emailed them.

“I am both pleased and saddened to be writing you,” Villella’s email said. “Pleased, because we have achieved so much together and because I have faith in the future that all of you are helping to create. Sad, because it is hard to say goodbye. I have decided that with the leadership transition plan well underway, it is best for me to leave the company now.”

Read more here: http://www.miamihera...l#storylink=cpy

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A story on the dearth of black dancers in ballet by Sarah Marsh and Olivia Goldhill in The Guardian.

While most companies will hire a non-white dancer, there are very few that will employ more than a handful. Christopher McDaniel, a dancer at Los Angeles Ballet, believes unofficial quotas affect job offers. "I've done a few auditions, and companies are initially interested because they needed one or two black dancers in the company. But once the spots get filled, the attention is no longer there. I have felt that some companies will accept you because they need one black dancer to look better in the public eye."

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A Huffington Post item by Christopher Duggan on photographing the Joffrey Ballet, with photos.

This idea is amplified at Jacob's Pillow, where world-renowned companies perform on a world stage. It's a big deal to premiere work at the Pillow. All eyes are here. I knew the company wanted approval of the images before they were given to the press, so I wanted to be sure I delivered both quality and quantity. I made a larger number of photographs than I typically do at dress rehearsal, and prepared and edited the photos for use within hours. It's a lot of pressure to photograph for press use, but it's something I've grown used to in the fast-paced world of performance documentation.

[dirac]

The Biennale de Danse de Lyon will present experimental productions of "Swan Lake" and Romeo and Juliet."

Masilo keeps some elements of the traditional “Swan Lake” in place: the tutus, the balance between solos and ensemble dances, some of the pointe passages, and, of course, Tchaikovsky’s music — but mixed with other sounds from the repertoire of Steve Reich and Camille Saint-Saëns. In her version, classical ballet is fused, in a very natural fashion, with African dance, which is interpreted across its history — from ritual performance to modern jazz. At times, the stage resembles a tribal cabaret filled with cries, and the production takes on an inward-looking intensity and vital power.

[dirac]

A profile of Lourdes Lopez, with video clips.

That is likely to be her biggest challenge: finding a way to increase audience turnout, which will undoubtedly involve appealing to Miami’s Latin population, while keeping true to the company’s classical tradition.

“You can’t escape the fact that 80 percent of Miami’s residents are Latino but audience numbers don’t reflect that.... Is it marketing? Maybe. Programming? Maybe. Is it the way you talk to them? Maybe,” she said. “I view the fact that I speak Spanish as an opportunity to get out to the community and say we are here and we represent you.... nosotros somos juntos [we are together].”