Gaga, the now-famous style/vocabulary/training method developed by the Israeli choreographer, played a key role in the development of both the staging of the musical and its performances.
Category: dance
Iran’s Latest Protest Meme: Selfie Videos Of Women Dancing
An Iranian teenager had thousands of Instagram followers with videos of herself dancing – without a hijab – to pop music. Last week she was arrested, and on Friday state TV aired her “confession.” In response, many young people are now posting to social media videos of themselves dancing; the hashtag is Persian for “Dancing is not a crime.”
Egypt’s Complicated Relationship With Belly Dancing
In recent decades, belly dance has inspired conflicting impulses among Egyptians, who see it either as high art, racy entertainment or an excuse for moral grandstanding… But if Cairo is the global capital of belly dance, then why do its hottest new stars come from everywhere but Egypt?
What Audience Members Now Think When A Ballet Suddenly Stops
During a performance of Swan Lake, “The curtain came down. The orchestra stopped. The house lights came up. There was no announcement. Most people were on their feet, and many started heading for the doors. We debated what to do. We scanned the crowds below, trying to make sense of what we were seeing. In the balcony, we were acutely aware of how high up our seats were and how many people were in the building. Our hearts were pounding. We did not see a threat, but people were reacting as though something were very wrong.”
The Bizarre Dance Epidemic Of Summer 1518
“Five centuries ago, the world’s longest rave took place in Strasbourg – a ‘plague’ of dancing that was fatal for some. What caused it? Art, poetry and music of the time can provide some clues.”
This Dance Presenter Lost Government Funding – And Found Itself Afterward
“From 2005 to 2014, Dance Manchester held a biennial festival, Urban Moves International Dance Festival, that presented professional dance performances outdoors and in unusual spaces … However, funding changes over the past six years have disrupted that vision and trajectory and … the subsequent loss of [Arts Council England] funding announced in 2017, though devastating at first, has liberated us to pursue our own path. The future may remain insecure, but it allows excitement to build as we return to our vision to develop home-grown artists and audiences through a dance for placemaking approach.”
New York And The Rest Of The Dance World Discover That L.A. Has A Busy Dance Scene
“‘No nudity at all,’ said a dance presenter, incredulously, as she emerged from the final showing of the DCA LA Dance Platform presented here in early June. ‘That would never happen in New York.’ But the dance showcase … was not about what is happening in New York, or London or Berlin. It was focused on dance in Los Angeles, a city where companies, big and small, classical and contemporary, have historically struggled for visibility and viability.”
Sascha Radetsky Named Artistic Director Of ABT Studio Company
“[American Ballet Theatre] made the announcement yesterday, and it makes sense — Radetsky has served as a ballet master for the group since 2016, as well as a teacher for the main company. He succeeds Kate Lydon, who is leaving her post to direct the dance program at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire.”
‘Rips, Tears, And Falls’ – The Nasty Injuries That Can End – Or Not – A Ballet Dancer’s Career
Lauren Post caught her foot in the hem of her costume and tore a knee ligament onstage. Michele Wiles was being lifter high over her partner’s head when he lost balanced and they crashed – onstage. Natalia Makarova famously has a piece of scenery crash onto her mid-performance. And there’s that dreaded pop! of the Achilles tendon rupturing. Sarah Kaufman tells tales of bodily disaster and recovery.
‘Ethnographic Choreography’ – Allison Orr Makes Dances On Sanitation Workers, Power Linemen, Cooks
“Using the movements of everyday workers, she crafts large-scale extravaganzas that have included more than 75 performers (and sometimes trucks), audiences of 2,000, and a deep research process that may involve her learning how to scale a power-line distribution pole or riding with a sanitation worker at 4 am. She recently spoke to Dance Magazine about her unique creative process.”