“Whether the religious creeds of our childhoods helped or harmed us, whether we retain or reject them as adults, “something inside of us” is what those teachings remain: a language we’ll always speak, because it was one of the first that we learned. Echoed in a playwright’s work, it’s instantly, almost instinctively, recognizable.” – The New York Times
Blog
Life As A Dancer In Khamenei’s Iran
Writing under a pseudonym, an Iranian woman who studies and practices traditional Persian dance describes both the art form and attempts to preserve and perform in in today’s Islamic Republic. – Dance Magazine
And You Think You Have A Bad Job – The Life Of Moderating Online Content
“The policies that were in place almost parodied themselves. They were so specific on the one hand and totally missing the forest for the trees on the other that you really had to embed yourself into the logic of the particular platform, and of course every platform has its own set of policies that it makes up.” – The New Yorker
A New Play Brings The #MeToo Discussion Forward In Singapore
“In Singapore, … many still hold to another century’s view of the roles of men and women. Victims of sexual misconduct often face shame and blame, and the global reckoning seems far away. … In May, [Ken Kwek’s] play This Is What Happens to Pretty Girls was performed to sold-out audiences, sparking a new wave of conversation.” – The New York Times
Dance Manchester Closes After 27 Years
It was the region’s dance support organization. A spokesperson for Dance Manchester said that as an “old school” company, the organisation was too reliant on public funding to remain “fit for purpose. We know now in the sector that you need more than that.” – Arts Professional
In The World Of Video Games, Black Women Are Making Themselves Heard And Felt
“Black women are among the least represented demographic in the $135 billion global gaming industry. … But an emerging generation of millennial women of color is now beginning to carve out space for others like themselves. They’re building a network of support organizations that never existed before, aimed at facilitating, encouraging and training aspiring female gamers of color to reach new heights in the industry.” – OZY
Why Are We Suddenly So Crazy For Cute?
“The craze for all things cute is motivated, most obviously, by the urge to escape from precisely such a threatening world into a garden of innocence in which childlike qualities arouse deliciously protective feelings, and bestow contentment and solace.” – Aeon
What Theatre Critics Deal With, In The U.S. And Elsewhere
Wendy Rosenfield travels to the International Association of Theatre Critics gathering in Montpellier, shares stories with colleagues, and realizes how much she didn’t know. – Broad Street Review (Philadelphia)
Familiar Argument: Why We Shouldn’t Feel Sorry For Paying Arts Graduates Less
Because the benefits of the jobs – it’s work that’s interesting, even fun… – are worth it? – The Telegraph (UK)
How Aaron Copland Created An American Sound For Classical Music
“He was a man of the left, though of no political party, gay, but neither closeted nor out, Jewish, but agnostic, unless you count music as a religion. On this July 4th weekend, WNYC’s Sara Fishko tells his story.” (audio and transcript) – WNYC (New York City)