dirac

True. Pointework is certainly part of the definition of classical ballet as it's understood today and it is likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future, even though it is of course not the only thing that defines what makes a work or dancer classical. Certainly the wider public would recognize it as such. Yes, indeed.

Larry Keigwin ties the knot. Congrats.

That's charitable of you, California, but it sounds like very native passive-aggression to me. "You say you want equality but I still have to get on one knee and kiss your hand, you cow! But no, really, it's great."

He's also unlikely to plagiarize SparkNotes for his lecture. Nice choice. Can't complain. The Buried Giant and The Remains of the Day are terrific, Never Let Me Go was - interesting.

Ratmansky doubles down (again) on Facebook. Big of you, fella. I hope someone can persuade Ratmansky to listen to Leigh Witchel's sound advice.....

Must disagree respectfully. Bad idea, and I can guess why Robbins nixed it when he was still around to do so. It is true that Robbins' genius was most purely expressed in his work for musical theater, but it doesn't give most of the pieces much meaning wrenched from their context. The same was true of the Fosse anthology. The argument will be, better this than nothing. Maybe. Well, it will be a nice break for the dancers, who will get to wear sneakers and stuff.

I hadn't heard that before, kfw. Thank you so much for the link.

Gottlieb’s article is affectionate but also condescending. Possibly a younger writer and, yeah, a woman, would have been able to bring a different perspective to the topic. Some time ago I saw a piece on how romance novels have changed with the changing status of women that was most interesting. Gottlieb talks about that a bit, but only superficially. I will say I hope I have his energy when and if I get to his age. (It’s not that romance novels aren’t silly – by and large they are – but like other forms of mass culture they reflect the culture in occasionally illuminating ways. Of course, a lot of genre writing aimed at men is silly, too, but it doesn't get dinged for it the way writing intended for a female audience does.) Thank you for the links, Quiggin. Interesting reading. Gopnik, like Talleyrand, seems to have a talent for surviving through regime changes. Probably any editor would find his astonishing glibness useful. That (very flattering) photo reminds me of the famous one of young Truman Capote reclining seductively.

There’s this revelatory clip of Iovine in the studio with Nicks making her first solo album, and Nicks with her backup singers very politely raises an issue about one of her songs and Iovine just walks right over them (“I feel like I’m surrounded by a bunch of lawyers heah”). Somehow I don’t think he talked to Petty or Springsteen that way.

The Heartbreakers had a wonderful sound, you could always tell it was them. Very bright and articulate man, always a good interview subject. I saw him recently on an early episode of the HBO documentary series “The Defiant Ones” about Jimmy Iovine and Dr Dre. Iovine was producing the Heartbreakers and there were complications involving the Petty song “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” which launched Stevie Nicks’ solo career, and it was an interesting glimpse of how getting radio airplay and the timing of album release could work in those days. He seemed like a pretty levelheaded guy, I hope the toxicology report is nothing like Carrie Fisher’s, who also died of cardiac arrest. Petty was still getting a decent amount of airplay, so I didn’t immediately think anything when suddenly “Refugee” and “Here Comes My Girl” came on. (Unlike when Donna Summer joined the majority, when as soon as I heard “Last Dance” and “I Feel Love” I thought, “Oh, Donna must have died.” We're now down to two remaining Traveling Wilburys....

After their Dylan experience, I expect they will retire the prize - from any more rock stars. (Tough luck, Boss.) Thanks for keeping us informed, Pamela!

After massive cardiac arrest. Let's hope that the reports of his death turn out to be greatly exaggerated. Petty is 66 years old.

I guess Martins figured they could line up to work with her somewhere else. I think Verdy told B.H. Haggin that the last straw was when Balanchine took “Emeralds” from her and gave it to Christine Redpath, explaining that Redpath didn’t have enough to dance that season.

Preparation surely helps, but it is likely going to be a wrenching adjustment in any case. Professional athletes often report having similar challenges. We all have to cope with bodies that fail us and declining abilities, but dancers and athletes have to do so at an age when many people in other professions are still considered to be relatively young and just entering the prime of their careers. Suzanne Farrell said that for a long time she could not listen to any beautiful music, until she began coaching and staging and could relate to the music in her own dancing once more. She also said before her retirement that even though she had other things in her life besides dancing, she knew nothing else would ever mean as much, because dancing had taken up so much of her life. In the cases of Ashley and Whelan, it’s true they were not ready to go even though it seems to have been time to go and that can hardly make the transition easier, but that’s just people being human. Also they had been in the company since they were kids. It must feel like getting kicked out of your house. It's certainly gentler than getting a pink slip. Melissa Hayden said she once asked Balanchine if she could have one of her old roles back, and he said, “No, dear, you’re too old.” Well, she asked.

The Kennedy Center Honors don't honor athletes - not yet, anyway . There's really nothing to stop Mrs. Trump from attending if she were so inclined; as I said upthread, I don't think she would receive a hostile reception if she were to change her mind and attend - just the opposite, in fact. Herb Alpert weighs in: You could argue that if Trump were to attend the KCH, his appearance there would basically be an exercise in irony, since he wants to eliminate the NEH and the NEA and has never shown any interest in art or the arts beyond purchasing portraits of himself with his foundation's money. On the other hand, a symbolic honor from the president may be better than no recognition at all (?)

I haven't yet had the time to click on the interview but I intend to. Thanks for posting this.

An auction of Hepburn's stuff will be held at Christie's.

Thanks for posting, pherank. I'm sorry he's gone, but 90 years is a nice run. RIP to a wonderful actor who could make his presence felt in the briefest role.

Thanks, Buddy. Has anyone seen this?

I suppose Matilda's monarch was pretty "low rent," too if you think about it. But Kschessinska 's affair with Nicholas took place before he ascended the throne, so comparisons to royal favorites who wielded political power don't really hold. I can't say that their romance sounds very interesting on the merits, even Kschessinska 's own account. Didn't realize represson and censorship came in with the commies. (The Russian people really haven't gotten much of a break.)

In separate orbits and watching on their separate gadgets. (I think of the child of a friend who was frustrated when she watched a show on TV and couldn't watch it again immediately. It wasn't on a digital loop.)

The pattern with all the cable stations that began by featuring the performing arts (Bravo, A&E, Ovation) is that they moved away from that programming gradually or quickly. A&E was originally intended as a cable counterpart to PBS, arts programming on a commercial channel. Didn't work in the long term as they sought out more advertising and younger eyeballs. In some areas you can get Classic Arts Showcase, a satellite channel -- and non-commercial.

As was their Brideshead Revisited -- a wonderful dramatization of the novel. Brideshead Revisited was PBS, around 1980.

RIP. I freely admit there were times I had no idea what he was on about. From the Guardian piece: It is nice that he was generously recognized in his own lifetime, not always the case. A book on his early years was recently published: Thank you for posting, Drew.

Culture is a girl thing. Interesting that Mrs. Trump is also a no-show, since as the article points out past presidents who didn't attend sent their wives instead. I do not think she would receive a hostile reception. However, to date she hasn't shown much enthusiasm for her "job," not that I blame her in any way whatsoever, so maybe this is just a good excuse to skip it.