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writers on dancing

In Munich, a reconstructed "Le Corsaire" and a visit from the Kirov
by Marc Haegeman

Marius Petipa rules in Munich this first half of the year. The local company, the Bavarian State Ballet, programmes several of the choreographer’s full-length classics during the season and Russia’s Mariinsky and Bolshoi return to Munich for brief stints which further reveal the richness and value of Petipa’s inspiration. Central in this homage to the great French master is the new staging of “Le Corsaire” by the Bavarian State Ballet, premiered last January at the National Theatre in Munich and remaining on the programme until July. READ MORE

Letter from London
Henri Oguike Dance Company, Richard Alston Dance Company
by John Percival

Coming across my report on Henri Oguike's programme of a year ago, I see that I wasn't too keen on his group ballet “Tiger Dancing”, and watching it again on his '07 spring tour I found no reason to change my mind. But I was a little more impressed this time by his own solo “Expression Lines” (he gave up his active dancing career after an injury nine years ago and turned to choreography, but still makes a subdued appearance at almost every performance). And once again I found the rest of the show much more enjoyable, comprising two newly made works.

Jess Curtis/Gravity: "Under the Radar"
by Paul Parish

Jess Curtis, who was one of the seminal post-modern dancers here in the 90's, has returned to San Francisco on a half-yearly basis after moving to Berlin and is bringing us periodically absolutely fascinating, and deeply refreshing, bursts of intelligence from those quarters. For a post-modernist, he's always had an old-fashioned respect for his audience. He was getting into circus before he left — he's always respected skill and the average intelligent person's appreciation of skill. READ MORE

Ballet Memphis Does New York
by Susan Reiter