Mary Lynn Slayden

He is to take over the company during second half of 2011 and Gillian Murphy is joining him.

A friend of mine Bill Stephens interviewed Rasta Thomas a few months ago for his program on Artsound a radio production for the National capital region of Canberra. Thomas's Bad Boys of Ballet were coming to tour in Australia. They were also performing in Canberra which is not always on the dance calendar. Thomas was a no-show for opening night. There was no insert, no announcement and no replies to inquiry as to why he didn't perform. There certainly could have been a very valid reason for him not dancing, but generally there is some acknowledgement as to why an artist can't appear. Especially since his appearance was somewhat anticipated based on his celebrity. I don't want to sound too critical but it didn't seem very professional. On the other hand his interview with Bill who kindly copied me a transcript was interesting and Rasta Thomas eloquent and the program sounded interesting.

http://www.culturecapital.com/feature.php?id=1

Jan Petrus Bosman, former artistic director at Virginia School for the Arts, dies http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/news/local/...the_arts_/6768/

I think it would be great if the WB had a second home here in Prince William County Virginia. A brand new performing arts complex will be ready in 2010! http://www.communityperformingartscenter.com/

Mike, I couldn't say it better myself. It is lovely to see first class dancers close-up. It feels they are performing just for me. As an audience member for the first time for 7 X 7 I felt that I was a lucky insider invited to see something special. I didn't see any empty seats either.

I know the topic is Most Handsome Male Dancer but I wish to name Choreographer/AD Trey McIntyre as a tall, all-American strikingly good looking guy...he was a dancer too. I hear he has charm, wit and an incredible good sense of humor. His ballet's certainly do.

Just turned TV on to find they will have a segment on New Jersey ballet school run by Irene Fokine. Showing here in DC area @ 9am.

PBS website: The Mark Morris Dance Group performs Morris' lush and evocative "Mozart Dances" from the New York State Theater. Commissioned by Lincoln Center last year for the 40th anniversary Mostly Mozart Festival, the work premiered to three sold-out houses and wide critical acclaim. The dance is set to three piano works of Mozart performed by music director Louis Langree, soloists Emanuel Ax and Yoko Nozaki, and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra. Some PBS stations are airing the performance on Friday or Saturday.

This is on offer for September here in DC. Igor Stravinsky and The Rite of Spring In Cooperation with the Embassy of the Russian Federation With Buffet Luncheon Fri., Sept. 28, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Today Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring (Le Sacre de Printemps) stands as a magnificent masterpiece of 20th-century music, but it didn’t start out that way. From the first notes played at the premiere, the musical score elicited such loud objections from the audience that Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes dancers could not hear the enormous orchestra playing in the pit just below them. In this daylong seminar at the Embassy of the Russian Federation, Harvard University music professor Thomas Kelly highlights the musical traditions and cultural milieu that colored Stravinsky’s savage musical score, Vaslav Nijinsky’s astounding choreography, and Diaghilev’s genius in bringing the artists together. Kelly evokes what it was like to attend the 1913 Parisian premiere and hear the extraordinary music that provoked a riot then but influenced generations of later composers. Luncheon is included. Business attire. There are no ticket sales at the door. Participants must bring avalid ID to the program. For members it cost $85 non member $131

Why even applaud at all then if it's optional then let's all just leave as soon as the performance is over. Oh better yet lets just have films of ballet, if we don't need to show our appreciation then why have live dancers? I sure hit a nerve here. I think there may be lots of guilty early leavers posting some of these thoughts. I stand by my opinion.

Who is rude? Obviously I know the answer to that question. These people weren't elderly, but if they can't stay for the entire event then perhaps they should get the dvd or get an aisle seat. I think the curtain calls are as much about the perfomance as the ballet. Interesting point you make but it won't make me change my mind. I think most dancers would prefer that the audience show it's respect and appreciation. If they did an exit poll of early leavers I would bet it is more about beating the crowd in the parking lot, getting a cab etc. I don't think a few minutes it takes to see the curtain calls can make much of a difference.

Amazing while attending NYCB's International Balanchine on Wednesday evening's performance I encountered a woman with a scooter. My friend a guest of mine from London asked her if she was allowed to bring this into the theatre (obviously). She said yes that she usually kept it under her seat but was making a quick getaway and left it in the corridor near the door. I commented that she was one of "those" people who leave at the curtain calls and told her it was rude. Justice was served however since someone nicked her scooter before she left and she gave a little cry of dismay when she realized this. My seatmate to my left also left before the curtain calls though I could tell that she wanted to escape earlier. I think my body language had translated to her that I wasn't going to budge. As she passed making me miss the dancers bows I told her it was rude to do this. Everyone understands a need to get to a restroom or such but this is just pure and simple selfish behavior. Why do these folks come anyway. This happens at the Kennedy Center as well but it seems worse as there is an exodus before the ballets are finished. I also had a rude staff encounter at the MET after a matinee of Sleeping beauty. I have complained via letter so won't rant on about that here. I am going to start a grass roots campaign to refuse passage to anyone next to me until the lights come up and the performers have stopped coming on. Let them wet their pants!

oops

Virginia Ballet Theatre's 45th Anniversary Gala March 9th, 10th and 11th TCC Roper Performing Arts Center Join Virginia Ballet Theatre in celebrating 45 years of dance with an evening of intrigue and fantasy through three very diverse pieces. Firebird, a piece originally staged for VBT in 1997 by Frank Bove to the music of Igor Stravinsky, tells the story of a Prince who frees a Princess from a wicked sorcerer with the help of a mystical Firebird creature who is part bird, part woman. Cameron Basden, current Ballet Mistress and Assistant Artistic Director with The Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, sets Glenn White Suite, a tribute to Tidewater Ballet Association graduate and principal dancer with The Joffrey, Glenn White. The piece includes sections from Kettentanz, Birthday Variations and Suite Saint Saens, collaborations of Gerald Arpino, current Director of The Joffrey Ballet, Robert Joffrey and Glenn White. VBT Artistic Director, Frank Bove, and former Principal dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Duncan Cooper, collaborate on the world premiere of Mr. Evil & The Forever Diamond, a contemporary piece paying homage to the spy films and television shows of the 1960s. Tickets available through TicketMaster or by filling out a ticket order form and mailing it to the Virginia Ballet Theatre, Attn: Tickets at 134 W. Olney Road in Norfolk, VA 23507. Orders may also be faxed it to the VBT box office at 757.622.7904.

"Experience the excitement of the Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinees-live in HD on the big screen! The world premiere broadcast of Chinese composer Tan Dun's epic opera, "The First Emperor", features legendary tenor Placido Domingo as Emperor Qin, who founded an empire that would survive for 2,000 years. Tan Dun's music is a fascinating mix of East and West and the monumental production is by revered Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou with costumes by designer Emi Wada." Since this is apparently sold out what a great way to see it. How about doing this with ballet too! I saw a preview of this at Tyson's Corner, VA AMC theatre when I went to see a movie last week. What a fantastic idea.

Deborah Kerr originally trained as a ballet dancer, appearing at Sadler Well's in 1938.

Sorry but I thought it listed it for tonight. Good grief!

With everyone's help I finally found out I can see it on WETA on Monday @ 8:00PM or the Maryland station later. Looking foward to it. I recommend a DVR or TIVO to anyone who is thinking about getting one. They make recording, skipping commercials etc so easy. Then you can copy to VHS or any other storage system.

Try as I might I can't find out when it will be shown here. The PBS web site says WETA HD is tonight but what about us regular folk?

I saw Saturday's matinee. It was a perfect afternoon at the ballet for me. I thought the program fit the company well. The orchestra seating section was quite full and the audience was very warm and appreciative. Karen Akers is very well known and I was lucky enough to see her perform at the New York Cabaret convention in 2001. She is cabaret royalty and I think it is a very innovative idea to combine her artistry with that of the Washington Ballet's. I though Oui, Non more than held it's own with the two other ballets. The backdrop for Oui, Non was breathtaking. The lighting was used very effectively. I also though the costumes were lovely. They moved well for the dancers and were wonderfully designed sort of 1940's. Dirty White? I though more of a rich off-white. Keep it coming WB!

I recently began corresponding with a distant family member regarding our joint ancestors. She shared this document with me that was written by Emily Virginia Semple. Mrs. Semple was born in 1829 and wrote this account of her childhood when she was 63 years old. "From my grandmother's we took boat again and went down to Mobile to visit Uncle Robert D. James, who spent his winters in Mobile and his summers in Clarke County. My childish recollection of Mobile has always been to me as a lovely dream, about orange blossums, white jasmines, music and dancing. I was allowed to go to the theatre to see "Fanny Elssler" dance. The exquisite grace of the movement of body and limb entranced me. To attain such perfection I thought I would be delighted to spend my whole life in dancing. The thought was innocent too and my mother was of the same mind. She let me go to the dancing school the following year to Mr. Robinson in an old two-storied wooden building in Montgomery where Gassenheimer's store now stands."

From the Washington Ballet website: Join us for a Celebration of the Life of Mary Day Monday, October 30, 2006, 7:00 pm The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall Participants include Kevin McKenzie, Amanda McKerrow, Virginia Johnson, John Gardner, Georgia Engel, Cartier Williams, Lily Neill, Pat Berrend, The Washington Ballet and others FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

It seems to me from the articles I read that Kay Kendall the President of the board is not sympathetic to the dancers position. I am not sure any aide would reach them through the Washington Ballet Board of Directors.

Good on you Lana! Congratulations to young Lana Jones of AB who won the Telstra 20,000 dollar prize this year. My daughter trained at Betsy Sawyers/Canberra Youth Ballet with her. Lana was always a lovely young dancer (8years old onwards) and a sweet person. It is so nice to see her doing well at AB. Wonder what she'll do with the money? World tour!!??? best wishes, Mary Lynn Slayden