3 replies to this topic

[grace]

last night i saw, for the first time, some choreography by Australian Simon Dow, the previous AD of Milwaukee Ballet, now AD of West Australian Ballet.

two of his works were presented, a pas de deux from Spartacus, and his Rite of Spring.

i wonder whether any members have seen any of his works before, and can offer any thoughts about either of these works, OR about his choreography in general?

postscript: i think this 'rite of spring' is a new creation.

[grace]

picking up my thread with zero replies, eight months later:

still no takers?  :shrug:

[glebb]

Sorry Grace.   Though I knew Simon in NYC many years ago and have heard wonderful reports about him as a teacher, I've never seen his ballets.

[Alexandra]

Simon Dow danced with Washington Ballet for several years (very nice dancer) and was assistant (or possibly associate, I forget) artistic director for a year -- one of the poor fellow who came in thinking they had the company only to find that Miss Day still reigned.

I saw one of his ballets then -- very after Forsythe, during the period when Forsythe's "ballets" had some dancers doing nonstop movement with others walking around with odd things on their heads.  I also saw a piece he did for a workshop at WB, a very heartfelt work about AIDS that I didn't find very interesting as choreography.

(I'd also say that he had the reputation here for being a very, very nice person as well as an excellent teacher, especially good at working with dancers who are injured, with a gift for slowly bringing them back to fighting shape.)