“Parade was advertised as the world’s first cubist ballet – mostly in deference to Picasso’s designs, but also as a way of explaining the comic, disconnected logic of its fairground scenario and the clash of musical styles and found noise (pistol shots, sirens) in Satie’s score. … But for National Dance Company Wales (NDCW), it is Diaghilev’s relation to the Russian revolution that has provided the starting point of its show P.A.R.A.D.E.” Judith Mackrell has a look.
Category: dance
Benjamin Millepied On The Struggle To Make Ballet More Diverse And Equitable
“In the American ballet world, issues of diversity and equality are front and center. Many have pointed to a lack of female choreographers and heads of major companies. Millepied says that’s a problem that’s specific to ballet. ‘There are amazing choreographers in contemporary dance. If ballet schools made that more part of their mission, I think more women would be choreographing.'”
Brooklyn Has A Newish ‘Bone-Breaking Dance Scene’ Inspired By Jamaica [VIDEO]
“When we’re in a dance battle, it’s really like a battle – it’s a way for people to let their emotions out,” says one contestant in the ever-evolving subculture.
Telling The The Oral History Of A Community Through Dance In Apartments And Hair Salons
That’s right, a dance of oral history: “‘Sit, Eat, Chew’ also staged performances in a private apartment, a restaurant, a public park, and a museum. The stories — told in Mandarin, Cantonese, English, and through movement — were culled from interviews with senior citizens and local youth. The project, born out of a desire to share oral histories from Manhattan’s Chinatown residents with the public in an engaging way, was funded through a Kickstarter campaign as well as several nonprofit and city and state grants.”
Making Dance Look Somewhat Realistic Onscreen
Basically? Hire a good choreographer, or two. “The critic in all of us gets particularly savage when watching a dance film or a musical. We demand great acting and exceptional dancing, seeking both to transport us. During this current resurgence of the musical genre, and as more dance-focussed films emerge, the choreographer has become central to many productions.”
Dance Isn’t For Everyone?
This may as well be a mantra in the dance world. We have become entrenched in the Darwinian notion that the emotionally weak will be weeded out. There is no room for them anyway.
‘Dance Isn’t For Everyone’ – Mental Health And The Profession
Kathleen McGuire: “When I wrote about my struggle with depression, and eventual departure from dance because of it, I expected criticism. I was prepared to be challenged. But much to my relief, and horror, dancers from all over the world responded with support and stories of solidarity. The most critical response I saw was this one: ‘Dance isn’t for everyone.’ This may as well be a mantra in the dance world. We have become entrenched in the Darwinian notion that the emotionally weak will be weeded out. There is no room for them anyway.”
Ten Ballet Stars Tell What ‘The Red Shoes’ Meant To Them
“It turns out it wasn’t easy to find dancers in their 20s (or even a decade older) who were moved by it or who had even seen it: They came of age with Center Stage and Black Swan. … But for an older generation, and for some just discovering it, the film is a touchstone.”
What The Hell Is Going On At American National Ballet? Here’s What We Know So Far
The news broke yesterday that the fledgling company, announced with fanfare earlier this year with an emphasis on diversity of backgrounds and body types – had fired nearly two dozen dancers and had seen yet more resignations, including of its marquee star. Jennifer Stahl and Amy Brandt talk to ANB’s executive director as well as current and former dancers – and piece together a tale of changed management, a changed vision, and a hush-hush impending merger with another company.
American National Ballet Drops 23 Dancers And Loses Big-Name Talent As It Tries To Get Off The Ground
The still-gestating Charleston-based company, which announced ambitious plans to “reinvent and diversify” the art form earlier this year, asked its members last Friday to sign nondisclosure agreements. Then, on Monday, “23 dancers … were told they were demoted or fired. It was part of an effort to address financial realities.” Three choreographers and coaches, including Rasta Thomas and Octavio Martin, left the company in August; its leading principal dancer, Sara Murawski, resigned this week. (ANB says that 24 dancers remain on its roster.)