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writers on dancing

Volume 4, Number 28 - July 24, 2006

this week's reviews

Letter from London
Carlos Acosta, Royal Ballet School
by John Percival

The Royal Danish Ballet at Grønnegaarden
by Eva Kistrup

San Francisco Letter No. 13
West Wave Festival and Erika Shuch Performance Project
by Rita Felciano

Bill T. Jones' "Blind Date"
by Susan Reiter

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE and Philadanco
by Naima Prevots

"Spring Awakening"
by Susan Reiter

Footworks Percusssive Dance Ensemble
by Naima Prevots

Letters and Commentary

Letter from New York:
The Lincoln Center Festival — Opening Week
by Nancy Dalva

Letter from London
Birmingham Royal Ballet, London Studio Centre, Ballet Central,
and Mark Morris's "King Arthur" for the English National Opera

by John Percival

San Francisco Letter No. 12
Migrations, RHJ/Pronounced Ridge
by Rita Felciano

did you miss any of these?

Lincoln Center Festival 2004
The Ashton Celebration

Letter from New York
Lincoln Center Festival

by Nancy Dalva

Letter from London
Birmingham Royal Ballet, London Studio Centre, Ballet Central, and Mark Morris's "King Arthur" for the English National Opera
by John Percival

Vishneva and Corella in ABT's "Romeo and Juliet"
by Michael Popkin

Chunky Move
by Lisa Rinehart

Dušan Týnek
by Susan Reiter

The Royal Ballet's New "Sleepiing Beauty"
by John Percival

ABT's "Sylvia":
Amor Vincit Omnia

by Mary Cargill

what we're reading

Robert Gottlieb on the Royal Ballet's new "Beauty," and Alina Cojocaru, in The New York Observer

Joan Acocella on ABT's Spring Met Season, for The New Yorker

Rethinking the Composer-Choreographer Contract: Deborah Jowitt for The Village Voice

Ismene Brown on the background behind the Kirov and Bolshoi seasons in London, for The Telegraph

Tobi Tobias interviews Julie Kent for Bloomberg News

 

 

 

 

 



Letter from London
Carlos Acosta, Royal Ballet School
by John Percival

Carlos Acosta has no lack of companies wanting to hire his services, but he is obviously a believer in self help too. Hence the two seasons he is showing in London this summer. Just completing is what he carefully does not call “Acosta and Friends” à la Nureyev (but plenty of others do just that), given for a week at Sadler’s Wells, 18-23 July; to come at the Coliseum is the third London showing of his spectacle “Tocororo”, a dance tale inspired by his own life. READ MORE

 

The Royal Danish Ballet at Grønnegaarden
by Eva Kistrup

Had I not read Frank Andersen's programme notes, I would probably have written a review that merely discussed the value of each item on the menu and mused about the pros and cons of outdoor summer performances. I might even have touched the subject of how far a company should go to attract a new audience. But I did read the notes, in which Andersen promises "an exiting programme with popular pieces by some of best choreographers in the World danced by some of the best dancers in the World." READ MORE

 

San Francisco Letter No. 13
The West Wave Festival
by Rita Felciano

The WestWave Dance Festival is exhausting. A mixed-bill program every other night tests even the most dedicated dancer watcher’s stamina. It doesn’t help that so many of the choreographers are young and relatively inexperienced and, it must be said, some, with little talent. READ MORE

 

"Blind Date"
by Susan Reiter

“’Blind Date’” is dense visually, sonically, textually,” Bill T. Jones writes at the end of the program note for his latest work. He’s putting it mildly. Inspired by contemporary events and trends, filled with references to honor, valor, progress, tolerance, patriotism, it practically overflows with ideas, and its sprawling, not always clearly focused action seems ready to overflow even on the vast stage of LaGuardia High School’s Concert Hall. READ MORE

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE and Philadanco
by Naima Prevots

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE and PHILADANCO joined forces for an evening featuring a world premiere and older choreography by Brown, as well as pieces by George Faison and Christopher L. Huggins, and while the performing and technical virtuosity were supreme, the choreographic statements were weak and repetitive. The audience cheered for the numerous lifts and leg extensions, hip swivels, fast footwork and turns, but as my eyes registered many of the same repeated movement patterns, I wondered if the spectacular dancers were being cheated by an overemphasis on virtuosity, and the lack of artistic and choreographic challenges. The program was organized so that each company had a piece to themselves, while the premiere involved both companies. READ MORE

"Spring Awakening"
by Susan Reiter

The few recent new musicals that are not attempts to cash in on the “juke box musical” phenomenon, that are serious attempts to propel the form forward, have not been ones in which dance plays an important role. Last year’s stunning “Light in the Piazza,” now about to launch its national tour, has many virtues, but its luminous staging does not give pride of place to choreography. “Grey Gardens,” an intriguing recent off-Broadway production that is making the move to Broadway in November, features two riveting central characters and a story that spans three decades, but relies only slightly on dance. Donald Byrd’s contribution as choreographer of “The Color Purple,” one of last season’s big (and more old-fashioned) new musicals, is more substantial, and did attract some attention (and a Tony nomination) for robust ensemble dances that help set the tone as the show’s saga winds its way through the decades. But since Twyla Tharp won the 2003 Tony Award for choreography for “Movin’ Out,” the award has gone to those who worked on revivals, rather than new shows. READ MORE

 

Footworks Percusssive Dance Ensemble
by Naima Prevots

Surrounded by children, parents, and grandparents, and sitting on a blanket on the grass outdoors, I watched for an hour while this group of five dancers and two musicians presented an entrancing, very professional and informative program. With a combination of performance and audience participation, the group succeeded in involving all ages sitting on the grass. Showing us beautifully executed samples of traditional and contemporary clogging, African-American stepping, South African boot dancing, inventive tap dance, and fine improvisation, they managed to teach everyone about rhythm in many manifestations. There were imaginative explorations of voice, body parts, clapping, and more, all clearly explained and demonstrated, and all creating happy involvement for the two year olds and the seventy year olds. READ MORE

 

 

 

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