dirac

More. The Independent CultureWhisper Slipped Disc Bachtrack

The Vacaville Ballet Company presents a brand-new Nutcracker this year.

Reviews of the Royal Ballet in "Mayerling." The Financial Times The Daily Telegraph The Stage The Times

The historical background of MacMillan's "Mayerling," by Clemmie Read in Tatler.

Queensland Ballet presents "Manon."

A preview of Ballet Arkansas' "Dracula."

Nevada Ballet Theatre, likewise.

Boston Ballet revamps its Turning Pointe networking event.

'Tis the season: A preview of Carolina Ballet's "Dracula."

The Stuttgart Ballet celebrates Egon Madsen's eightieth birthday.

An interview with Brooklyn Mack, on tour with the English National Ballet.

An interview with dancers of the United Ukrainian Ballet, which is currently touring Australia.

The Kyiv City Ballet visits Texas.

Antoinette Sibley, who's in the movie, returned to dancing after having a child. I think her daughter would have been a toddler at the time the movie was made. Melissa Hayden and Allegra Kent both returned to the company after pregnancies, but they were both principals with a) strong relationships with Balanchine who had proved their special value to the company and 2) had the desire and support to make a return happen. I don't think he and von Aroldingen had yet formed their later close relationship; she said she had to prove to him that her marriage and child hadn't made her what Balanchine described as "Mrs. So-and-So." Balanchine did have a point, in that husbands, particularly then, had expectations of a wife that could conflict with the dedication required of a ballerina. Having said that, the main problem it seems to me is that, as California says, the movie seems to be endorsing the perception -- which, as Helene says, was real enough. The Turning Point presents the issue simplistically and melodramatically - have a child and abandon your career forever, or concentrate on your career and look forward to a barren and empty old age, albeit in a very nice flat:). That's lovely, cobweb. And I would say the movie does convey that the ballet world is an exciting place to be and work, and its heroine doesn't end up hurling herself in front of a train or bleeding to death onstage. What do others think?

I'm not sure there's any way that a scene with women hitting each other with their handbags isn't going to evoke the Batley Townswomen's Guild reenacting Pearl Harbor. Thanks for the heads-up, California. The movie doesn't turn up on cable as frequently as it once did, so it would be a good idea to take advantage. The Turning Point, for all its failings, actually looks pretty good in the context of the ballet movies that have followed it, including Ross' later efforts. I never have any trouble sitting through it. And of course where else are you going to see all those wonderful dancers at once? I love the scene where Danilova points to herself and then to each dancer in turn, "From Maryinsky to me, from me to you..." It's a sweet evocation of the passing of ballet tradition from generation to generation. One thing that definitely hasn't aged well is the idea that womanizing makes a man more appealing and is at worst a fairly forgivable quirk, a concept that Ross and Baryshnikov would return to in Dancers.

The Astana Opera House presents "Cinderella."

List23 informs its readers about Lisa Rinehart.

Tulsa Ballet presents a free outdoor performance this month.

San Francisco's Miss Tilly teaches her last classes.

Washington Ballet performs at Wolf Trap.

Melanie Hamrick has written a novel.

A review of New York City Ballet's "Play Time" by Michelle Hyun Kim for Pitchfork.

Sacramento Ballet's "Beers and Ballet" series returns.

Dancer and teacher Diana Cartier has died at age 83.

Lori Belilove is interviewed by Tom Phillips for danceviewtimes.