LiLing

I will remember Clive Barnes for his kindness and tact, as well as his love of dance. I remember Clive and his wife at the time, Patricia working to help Valery and Galina Panov get out of Russia, back in the bad old days. There was however, one time his usual tact was lacking. He praised another ballerina's debut in a Tudor role that was closely identified with Sallie Wilson, in a way she felt insulted her. During an intermission at the Met, she dumped a drink on his head........ he dined out on the story for ages! May he rest in peace.

Martha Hill....distracted him with a teaching job when he should have be supervising a revival.

Yes, I thought surely she would be promoted this season. It is puzzling given the last couple of women promoted to principal. I'm not saying they aren't deserving, but certainly no more than Reichlin, IMHO

As for no intermission, I certainly could have used a chance to stretch It was old home week in the audience, if there had been an intermission it probably would have taken some time to get people back in their seats. Maybe anticipating this, they were afraid of running into overtime for the crew. It wasn't noted in the program, but Continuo was choreographed as a vehicle for students at Juilliard. It would make a very useful rep. piece for second tier companies. And yes, it was wonderful to see corps dancers given a chance to shine. The whole cast danced it beautifully.

I just finished reading Brown's book, and found it fascinating for a number of reasons. She kept a detailed journal all the years she was with Cunningham, and wrote extensively to her mother, a dancer and therefore a knowledgeable and interested correspondent, who kept all the letters. She quotes extensively from these, so much of what is in the book is what she thought and felt at the time it was occurring. It is full of profiles of the most amazing collection of people: Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Peggy Guggenheim, Pierre Boulez, Marcel Duchamp, and of course John Cage, whom she loved, and Merce himself with whom she had a very complicated, and to me surprising relationship. For young dancers today, it will give a realistic sense of what it was like to be a pioneer in a very exciting period of dance in this country.