Sunday, October 20

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A review of New York City Ballet by Marianne Adams for danceviewtimes.com.

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Ten years is a long time to be doing anything, and when it comes to serving as Resident Choreographer and creating ballets at a rate of up to four per year for one company, it’s an especially admirable feat.  It was thus fitting that New York City Ballet celebrated Justin Peck’s big anniversary as a resident creator with a program of all his works, ranging from the more classically Peck “In Creases” and “Everywhere We Go,” to his more experimental “Solo” and “Partita.” Whether these were the most representative ballets, or the best ones to show Peck’s range, is perhaps a matter of taste and certainly a matter of opinion, but the company danced them well, and it was clear that if there is a legacy heir to fit the shoes of Balanchine and Robbins as the company’s era-defining choreographer, Peck is starting to fit the bill.

 

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A review of American Ballet Theatre by David Mead for "Seeing Dance."

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American Ballet Theatre opened its fall season with two world premieres. They could hardly have been more different, choreographically and musically. Best of the pair, and by some way the most interesting, was in-demand choreographer Kyle Abrahams’ Mercurial Son, his first commission for the company.

 

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A review of Philadelphia Ballet in "Le Corsaire" by Ellen Dunkel in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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One thing he didn’t change in 2017 was the central story that most ballet companies continue to incorporate, that the female lead, Medora, is an enslaved woman. Another character, Ali, is the slave of the male lead and romantic interest, the pirate captain, Conrad.

“The last time, [audiences were] a little bit sensitive to that,” Corella said last month, “so I changed the story line.”

But was it really so different? Well, no. Nor was slavery the only issue.

 

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A review of the Joffrey Ballet in "Atonement" by Kathleen Anwar for Broadway World.

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Ian McEwan’s Atonement—a modern literary masterpiece—presents a story of star-crossed lovers, familial tensions, and the destructive power of deception, set against the backdrop of a world on the brink of war. While the intricacy and psychological depth of the novel might seem like a challenging fit for a ballet adaptation, the Joffrey Ballet and choreographer Cathy Marston have achieved a remarkable feat, translating the emotional complexity of the narrative into a stunning dance performance. This production delivers a visually captivating experience with its meticulous attention to costumes, set design, and ensemble choreography, creating a sensory-rich journey for audiences.

 

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Northern Ballet seeks a joint venture with Opera North in hopes of returning to performance with live music.

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Whichever way you look at it, musicians are going to lose orchestral jobs.

 

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Desiree Bortolussi is retiring from Ballet Kelowna.

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As much as turning your passion into your profession can seem like a dream, she said it make it hard to find work life balance.

“I think any artist understands that as much as you leave work at work, it does come home with you a little bit. You're always thinking about, 'I have to practice this and tomorrow I need to go over that again,'” she said. "When you're doing something that you love or you're passionate about it as a job, it can consume your life sometimes."

 

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A CBS News story on the National Ballet of Ukraine's U.S. fundraising tour. Video.

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The National Ballet of Ukraine is touring several states in an effort to raise money for children stuck in the wartorn country.

 

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New Orleans Ballet Theatre presents "Dracula."

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The work focuses on Jonathan Harker, summoned to the Count's castle, and his exploration of his own darkness and relationship to Mina. Josh Reynolds dances as Dracula.