“Perhaps not, if you believe a controversial new study that suggests violence in primitive cultures is overwhelmingly the result of personal squabbles, rather than organised violence between two different groups. The finding contradicts the popular view that humans have evolved to be innately warlike.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
What Causes Deja Vu?
Some researchers believe – based in part on the experiences of certain epilepsy patients – that neural misfirings may be the answer.
Salt Lake’s New Contemporary Dance Company
“When Charlotte Boye-Christensen retired in April after a decade as the artistic leader of Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, she didn’t so much step down as across – taking the reins of a new interdisciplinary dance and arts company called NOW ID.” The new group gives its first performances next weekend – just a day after Boye-Christensen and her co-director get married.
Which Of The Ballets Russes’ Works Have Had Real, Ongoing Impact On Dance?
“In general, much of the wonder we associate with Diaghilev lies in the materials out of which he created his repertory: the scores, the designs, the ideas. And one factor that’s been key to the endurance of the Ballets Russes legend is the extent to which those materials have been re-worked by others over the decades.”
Singaporeans Are Discovering Sexiness
“For decades, the tiny island nation nursed an international reputation of being serious, conservative, and – well, unsexy. In 2003, a survey found that Singaporeans had the least sex of people all the countries surveyed … But times are changing. With its military and economic stability relatively secured, Singapore’s sexual identity is blossoming in ways that are creative, compelling, and even risky.”
T-Model Ford, Old-Time Delta Bluesman, Dead At 90-Something
Described by his record label boss as “the friendliest fun-loving psychopath you’ll ever meet”, Ford never went to school, lived the sort of epically hard life the blues are made of, never touched a guitar until he was around 60, and released his first record in his mid-70s.
Literature Is Dead (According To Straight, White Guys, At Least)
Joel Breuklander: “Every few months, a new ‘Literature is Dead/Dying’ think piece crops up in high-profile media. Perhaps you’ve noticed. As a book nerd, I certainly have, though they’ve begun to bleed together: Their diagnoses of literature’s ills tend to be eerily similar. … Still, until recently I’d never thought to look at the identities of the authors before.”
Theatre Companies Take Risks? Well, So Do Audiences
“However, as a number of new initiatives funded by Arts Council England’s strategic touring programme are exploring, there might be ways for these companies to reduce the risk involved for their audiences without having to become artistically conservative.”
The Joys Of Outdoor Shakespeare, As Seen By A Committed Naturephobe
Charles Isherwood: “Having a real forest (or what can pass for one) portray the role of the Forest of Arden in As You Like It sweetens the atmosphere of that play. Ditto A Midsummer Night’s Dream … And, for many, seeing Shakespeare outdoors frees it from the suffocating air of elitism – or cultural homework – that can often cling to it.”
Nearly One-Third Of St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Players Take Early Retirement
“The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s announcement that 10 long-serving musicians are taking a retirement package stunned many who follow the orchestra.”