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[dirac]

A review of English National Ballet's Nutcracker by Luke Jennings in The Guardian.

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Among the appointments that Rojo has made since coming to the company are Loipa Araújo (associate artistic director) and José Martín (principal repetiteur). Araújo is one of the world's finest teachers, and her influence is evident in the gleam of the ENB corps work. Martín was a dancer at the Royal Ballet who, while not preternaturally technically skilled, was a performer of great wit and elan who knew exactly how to play an audience. Perhaps he could pass a few of his secrets to Berlanga, who is a potential danseur noble with everything going for him except a convincing demi-plié.

[dirac]

A review of The Bang Group's Nut/Cracked by Gia Kourlas in The New York Times.

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Tap dominates, but “Nut/Cracked” embraces a larger world of dance, including glimpses of Balanchine’s “Apollo” and “Serenade,” as well as a riff on the “Rose Adagio” from “The Sleeping Beauty.” Disco fills the stage when a group of teenage dancers from the Dalton School perform arm rolls and point their fingers in the air. (Different student groups appear in each show.)

[dirac]

CBC Live Online goes backstage with the National Ballet of Canada.

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After interviewing principal dancer Sonia Rodriguez in the Karen Kain Dance Studio (see the chat replay below), learning how The National Ballet prepares for the annual production, and making our debuts as cannon dolls, we left our new friends and sweet costumes behind to come back to the newsroom and tell you about the experience.

[dirac]

A review of the DVD "An Evening with the Royal Ballet" by Christie Grimstad for ConcertoNet.

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Those with a penchant for ballet, but wishing to skip extended full versions may want to look into An Evening with the Royal Ballet. Royal Opera House/Opus Arte have put together a nicely balanced selection of passages from renowned performances, but nothing there’s nothing fancy in the presentation: no introduction or forward (only ending credits)…a decidedly “cut and paste” format which to that point does little to create imagination to magnify anticipated highlights. Despite a paltry booklet narrative, the actual collection is pure delight.

[dirac]

After a rough start, Darcey Bussell finds her footing on "Strictly Come Dancing."

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After a triumphant, festive final to the 10th series on Saturday saw Olympic gymnast Louis Smith and professional dance partner Flavia Cacace walk away with the glitterball trophy, the millions of fans of this odd mix of sparkle and hard graft can rest secure in the knowledge that it will be back in 2013 and that Strictly's new heroine, the former Royal Ballet prima ballerina Darcey Bussell, will also return as a judge. On Friday night the 43-year-old Covent Garden star confirmed reports that she is to sit on the panel again.

[dirac]

Melissa Hamilton is interviewed about her offstage activities by Kate Murphy in The New York Times.

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LISTENING In the dressing room before performances, we tend to put someone’s iPod on and let it shuffle through. We play Rihanna a lot. We’re all big fans. I’m addicted to Flo Rida’s “Wild Ones” at the minute. I tend to latch onto a song and listen to it over and over and then won’t be able to ever listen to it again. If I’m feeling down, I’ll listen to the album “Sawdust” by The Killers or “O” by Damien Rice.