Saturday, March 11

[dirac]

Guillaume Diop is promoted to etoile at Paris Opera Ballet.

Quote

The promotion, announced on stage at the end of Diop's performance of "Giselle" in Seoul, propels him to the ballet's highest rank without having to go through the "Premiere" category for several years as is usually the case.

 

[dirac]

Minnesota Ballet concludes its season with "The Sleeping Beauty."

Quote

In the prologue, the scene opens on a lavish court setting, filled with layers of color and depth. Scenic designer Ann Gumpper outdid herself with the grandness of the first act. The stage, filled with both professional and student dancers from the school of the Minnesota Ballet, laid the foundation of the storyline. Costuming by Sandra Ehle and Heather Boudreau was both charming and colorful. Lighting designer George Hommowun worked his craft well by making dramatic lighting changes to a plainer backdrop in Act 2 into a thing of beauty.

 

[dirac]

A review of the National Ballet of Canada by Michael Crabb in The Toronto Star.

Quote

Last December principal dancer Genevieve Penn Nabity and corps de ballet member Larkin Miller made unanticipated opening-night debuts as the leads in Kudelka’s version of “The Nutcracker”, replacing, due to injury, the previously announced cast. It was immediately clear that they are a match made in ballet heaven. It’s therefore not so surprising that Kudelka chose them as the leads in “Cinderella”, according them the honour of Friday night’s opening.

 

[dirac]

A review of Ballet Black by Graham Watts for Bachtrack.

Quote

Ballet Black is a small company that has always punched above its weight. For most of its life to date, that capability has had much to do with the incomparable star quality of Cira Robinson, who left the company, after 14 glorious years, at the end of 2022, to become artistic director of the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars. The departure of a leading dancer is profoundly felt in any company, but I took my seat at The Barbican wondering how significant a loss this would be for such a small ensemble when Robinson had been so much its leading light.