Author: Douglas McLennan

“Aerial dance is a new trend catching on in the dance world, especially in the western United States. ‘One of the most exciting performances we ever did was a vertical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet out of the 23rd story of a skyscraper in Houston. We were 350 feet in the air with the Houston Symphony below us and 40,000 people watching. It was magical, and it had quite an impact on people’.” USAToday 07/25/01

In honor of artistic director Anthony Dowell’s departure from the Royal Ballet, the company will be projecting a full-length performance of Swan Lake on a giant screen in the plaza outside Covent Garden. London Evening Standard 07/24/01

Anthony Dowell was perhaps the Royal Ballet’s best dancer ever. By contrast, as head of the company for the past 15 years, he’s shown his limitations as an artistic director. Now he’s moving on. The Independent (UK) 07/20/01

Lewis defends charges that his programming is too “market driven” and that he is having problems with some of his dancers. Nonetheless two of the company’s most prominent dancers have said they are leaving at the end of the season. National Post 07/18/01

The chairwoman of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet resigned from the board last week, half way through her four-year term. She said she quit “on a matter of principle” but she is believed to have been at odds with Andre Lewis, the company’s artistic director. National Post 07/17/01

“Like other performing arts, dance is sharpening its marketing skills. In the meantime no dance seems to go unexplained. Are program notes or any other kind of education necessary?” The New York Times (one-time registration required for access)

What’s it take to run a successful ballet company? When Carole McPhee took over management of the English National Ballet, the company had a huge debt. She turned things around and turned the ENB into a successful touring company. After 11 years McPhee is leaving ENB and returning to Australia. The Age (Melbourne)

A year ago Ballet Arizona was on the brink of collapse, and only an emergency bailout allowed the company to meet its payroll. But things have turned around – “Ballet Arizona is emerging from that near-death experience with a clear artistic vision and a more stable public image. Most tellingly, the level of red ink that nearly drowned the troupe last year has receded.” Arizona Republic

Choreographer Jerome Robbins was much beloved for his work. But he was legendarily awful to work with, an unpleasant man who knew how to keep a grudge…The New Republic

Former ABT and Joffrey II dancer George Thompson has been named the next executive director of the Washington Ballet. Thompson is currently the VP/GM of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Florida. He will begin work in his new post in August. Washington Post