Category: dance

“Four weeks is a long time in morris dancing. Only last month, stories were circulating that Morris dancing was a dying past-time. But now, if new reports are to be believed, it’s enjoying a major comeback. Of course, morris dancing never left anywhere for it to come back to – because unlike Lily Allen, Twitter or political leaders, it is something that is entirely impervious to trends and utterly immune to what we – the public – think of it.”

The company “has a great new home, is regrouping and trying new tactics to stabilize itself, including restructuring and adding to its board, she says. School improvements are on the way, and it has increased programming; adding adult morning programs and Mommy and Me classes.”

The group was founded in the Depression and provided inexpensive lessons. Choreographers associated with it produced important works, many of them with a populist and activist bent.

The Batsheva Dance Company has been dogged throughout its North American tour by calls for a boycott from activists angry about Israel’s invasion of Gaza. The BDC’s artistic director says, “I think it’s not really going to make a difference to boycott a dance company. I’m thinking, where else can they channel their energy?”

Last month, when the troupe cancelled the remainder of its 2008-09 season, “many thought the company was out of business. In fact, the dancers are performing more than they would have in the regular season – but in other venues.”

Choreographer Stanton Welch, the company’s artistic director, sees the last Queen of France as a victim of multiple circumstances. “One part in particular struck me: When they took her to the Austrian border and stripped her of her clothes before handing her over to the French. What an act of complete humility [sic] for a teenager.”

“The pressure is on [Rafael] Bonachela to create a blockbuster season. He was appointed in November, more than a year after Tanja Liedtke was killed in a pedestrian accident as she was about to take up the reins at the company.”

“In the fragile realm of dance, funding is hard to come by even in the best of times. But now, despite a decidedly mean economic climate, the Pew Charitable Trusts’ dance program has awarded its largest sum yet: $917,000 to 26 performers and organizations.”

Due to worse-than-expected ticket sales, the company “is fighting for economic survival… administrative pay has been cut 10 percent, dancer contracts have been reduced by three weeks and, following the season’s final scheduled performance on March 22, ‘the entire staff will go on indefinite furlough.'”

“Groups supporting Palestinian interests have asked the Northrop Dance Series to cancel a Feb. 18 appearance of the Tel Aviv-based Batsheva Dance Company.” The groups’ leader says, “It has nothing to do with the content, but we’re asking people to boycott because of the funding they receive and because of the policies of the state of Israel.”