Benny

Yes, I have. It is a thoroughly contemporary dance show. Only one character dances en pointe (the dead mother/fairy godmother). I happen to like Stijn as a choreographer, but if contemporary is not your taste, you may not like it. Also, the part of Cinderella really needs a dancer who has strong dramatic abilities for this version as was evident when the show premeired a few years ago. The first cast Cinderella (Gurard, now retired) really made the piece work much better than the younger 2nd cast cast one. You can find in depth reviews at both The Dance Current and Maisonneuve magazine.

Mirielle mentioned earlier that she didn't know who the dancers were in the picture. The central figure ("Christ") is Vincent Warren. Vincent is American. He immigrated to Canada in the early Sixties and danced as a principal dancer with Les Grands until 1979. Since then, he has taught at the company's school and for many years, until his retirement this year, was the curator of La Bibliotheque de la danse, one of the best dance collections in Canada. Thanks Mirielle for sharing such a wonderful picture!

Where I live the local "ballet" company doesn't do much ballet at all. While I enjoy the diet of "crossover" of Kylian, Duato, etc. that this troupe serves up and like quite a few of the many contemporary dance groups here, I long to see Giselle and Swan Lake. To do so, I must hope for touring companies or go out of town. As far as Segal's article is concerned, I too agreed with some of his points. Nonetheless, ballet in general is having such a tough time as it. I thought his tone inappropiate and of no help to the general public or those in the ballet world.

For how The Nutcracker opened up the world of dance, theatre and music for one dance critic as child see on www.maisonneuve.org, "In Praise of Nutcrackers Big and Small," http://maisonneuve.org/index.php?&page_id=12&article_id=1981.

Patricia Barker is interviewed in anticipation of the 2005 Gala des Etoiles at www.maisonneuve.org. http://www.maisonneuve.org/index.php?&page...article_id=1720

Thanks Ari. Your work on the links page has helped make ballettalk.com the most valuable dance website for me.

My guess is Karen Kain.

A review with visuals of the Gala appears on www.maisonneuve.org, "The Dance Scene" .

Just wondering what any of you have made of the difference between Gottelieb and Kisselgoff's reviews of Musagete?