“Choreographers have tended to avoid Mozart’s music when making dances, for fear their steps will look trivial in comparison. … There is a lingering sense that dance, which involves physical bodies subject to the laws of gravity and propelled by muscle, will somehow drag down the music’s graceful architecture. … Ridiculous! says Mr. Morris.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Oxford Dictionaries Begins Search For World’s Most Disliked English Word
“Kicking off what it hopes will be the largest global survey into people’s language gripes, the dictionary publisher is inviting English speakers around the world to answer a range of language-related questions under the #OneWordMap initiative, starting with the quest to find the least popular English word.” (includes current leading contender)
Head Of Philadelphia Theatre Company Steps Down After 35 Years
“Sara Garonzik, who has helmed the Philadelphia Theatre Company from its tentative days as a professional troupe in 1982 to its status as a well-regarded and highly visible anchor for the Avenue of the Arts, has decided to step down from her post as executive producing director.”
New York Times Dance Critic Considers Olympic Synchronized Swimming
Gia Kourlas: “Fred Astaire, as the famous saying goes, may have been a great dancer, but Ginger Rogers did everything he did – only backward and in high heels. At least she had gravity on her side. Synchronized swimmers often perform upside-down and without air.”
Are US Nonprofits Dependent On Staffers’ Unpaid Overtime Work?
“[There’s] a gap between the values that many nonprofits hold and the way they treat their own staffs. There’s no doubt that nonprofits today face serious financial difficulties and constraints, but do they have no choice but to demand long, unpaid hours of their employees? … The answers have a lot to do with how nonprofits survive in an economy that’s geared primarily toward profit.”
Earthquake Wrecks Scores Of Pagodas In Myanmar’s Ancient Capital
“At least four people were killed and at least 171 pagodas were damaged in Bagan after a 6.8 magnitude quake struck the area on Wednesday. … The city is one of Myanmar’s top tourist attractions, drawing visitors from all over the world who can view a panorama of temples stretching to the horizon flanked by the Irrawaddy River.”
Italy To Give Every 18-Year-Old €500 To Spend On Culture
“In a scheme that gets underway on September 15th, every Italian resident [born in] 1998 will be given a ‘culture bonus’, which they can use to buy books, concerts tickets, theatre tickets, cinema tickets, museum visits and even trips to the country’s national parks.”
Music Director Of Augusta, Georgia’s Orchestra Abruptly Departs
“After seven seasons leading the Symphony Orchestra Augusta, Maestro Shizuo Z Kuwahara is leaving to pursue other opportunities. … Kuwahara’s departure is effective immediately, said Carra Purvis, the symphony’s development director.”
Museum Of Contemporary Art San Diego Cuts 28 Jobs Ahead Of Expansion
“The [MCASD] is eliminating eight full-time positions and 20 part-time positions in January. … The layoffs come in anticipation of the museum’s big expansion, which will quadruple the exhibition space of the La Jolla location to about 40,000 square feet.”
So, Just How Poorly Paid Are Junior Curators At The Tate?
“In mid-August, [the museum] posted three job listings for assistant curator positions at Tate Britain and Tate Modern with starting annual salaries of £24,360 (~$32,200). The average monthly rent in London, £1,561 (~$2,065), will gobble up all but £5,628 (~$7,450) – or 23% – of that.”