dirac

Magda Saleh has died at age 79.

Indianapolis Ballet announces its 2023-24 season.

A review of Dutch National Ballet by Vikki Jane Vile for Bachtrack.

A review of Queensland Ballet by Ruth Ridgway for Bachtrack.

An interview with Andrew McNicol.

Kang Mi-sun of the Universal Ballet wins a top prize at the Benois de la Danse.

A review of the Royal Ballet by Sarah Crompton in The Observer.

A review of the English National Ballet in "Cinderella" by Louise Levene in The Financial Times. Graham Watts reviews ENB for Bachtrack.

New artistic director Dani Rowe talks about her ambitions for Oregon Ballet Theatre.

A look at the creation of "Like Water for Chocolate" by Marissa DeSantis for Harper's Bazaar.

Labor unrest at the Australian Ballet.

Li Cunxin is retiring from the artistic directorship of the Queensland Ballet.

I found the use of first names most disconcerting with regard to Kirstein, who is consistently referred to chummily as "Lincoln." I think the topper for me was when she kept calling Nelson Rockefeller as "Nelson," even in contexts where there was unlikely to be any confusion with his brother David, who also figures briefly in the book. vipa writes: Some of what Homans writes about von Aroldingen tallies with what others have written (cf. Moira Shearer's "Balletmaster). She does go into more unflattering detail. However, she is generous to von Aroldingen as a dancer, I think. And she does give credit to von Aroldingen for being there when Balanchine needed her most. I was more puzzled by the treatment of Farrell, who is accused of "wily manipulations" that go undescribed and with "unerring instinct" helps herself to a choice place at the barre occupied by a "rising young dancer," which readers of Merrill Ashley's "Dancing for Balanchine" will identify readily, since Ashley complained therein that when Farrell came back she took Ashley's favorite spot at the barre. (Farrell says in her own book that she just wanted to stand next to her old comrade and partner d'Amboise for support, as they had always stood together, a perfectly reasonable explanation.)

I finally got around to watching "Give a Girl a Break" in its entirety. I always enjoy watching the Champions dance, especially Marge. I generally agree with what miliosr writes above. No classic, but there are worse ways to spend ninety minutes. Fosse's character is also named "Bob" and since his character is very much second banana to Gower Champion's Ted Sturgis and Fosse spends much of his onscreen time racing around doing Champion's bidding, it makes for some unintentionally amusing moments ("Bob, get me some coffee....Bob, I don't have time for this right now").

I got a copy of the book from the library and am dipping into it now. Given the many minor errors that reveal themselves even in a casual reading, I’m glad I didn’t buy it and will wait for another, cleaned-up edition. Along with the errors pointed out by others, I would add that it’s Barbara Milberg, not Barbara Millberg, and before Homans’ book I only ever saw the diminutive of Patricia McBride’s first name spelled as “Patty” not “Patti.” Minor, but distracting. Preliminary comments: Even allowing for the fact that Balanchine’s sex life and eroticism were central to his life and art, the sex gossip became tedious, especially in the latter part of the book. TMI. When Balanchine saw Seligmann’s costumes for The Four Ts, he asked Seligmann, “Where is Mary Ellen? I can’t see Mary Ellen.” I ask the same question. While I realize that Homans couldn’t possibly mention every dancer who featured in Balanchine’s life, it seems to me that to omit any comment on Mary Ellen Moylan’s career with Balanchine leaves an important gap. I was also sorry to see no mention at all of Marnee Morris, although it’s a lesser omission. I am more familiar with some periods of Balanchine’s life than others, and unfortunately Homans’ descriptions of ballets and interpretations of events are sufficiently puzzling to me for the parts of his life that I know better that they make me untrusting of her account of matters that I don’t know as well. “Plain-faced” Diana Adams? I should be so plain as Diana Adams. Yeesh. I echo the thanks of AnthonyNYC for this book, however. I’m finding out a lot I didn’t know and a major comprehensive biography of Balanchine is long overdue. I would like for this book not to be the last one, but it’s probably the only one we will get for a long tme to come, so thanks to Homans for undertaking the project and staying with it.

Thanks, Anthony_NYC. I remember Arlene Croce writing that while both Ashton and Balanchine were both inspired primarily by women in ballet, the difference in their sexual orientation could be discerned in Ashton's emphasis on the upper body and Balanchine's with the lower.

La Scala announces its 2023-24 season schedule.

A review of the Ural Opera Ballet by Ilona Landgraf in her blog, "Landgraf on Dance."

A feature in Harper's Bazaar on the Australian Ballet's first performances of "Jewels."

A photo gallery of "Coppelia" performed in Venezuela.

A review of "Chita,"below.

The School of Ballet Arizona and Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras present Raymonda.

An interview with Kiyon Ross.

Ballet Kelowna celebrates its twentieth anniversary.

Richard Bonynge, who will be 93 this year, recorded many ballet scores, including rarities, but if I recall correctly he did not conduct ballet live.