Category: dance

The new artistic director of the Boston Ballet acknowledges that something of a bloodbath is going on within the company, as more and more dancers are dismissed. But the management strongly denies published reports that the firings are targeting the troupe’s Russian dancers. Boston Herald

Dancer/choreographer Eric Hampton was never one to make headlines with controversial techniques or to follow what the dance world considered to be the latest trends. The quirky, independent Hampton, who died Tuesday at age 54 after a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), will be remembered as a brilliant teacher, and a tireless advocate of the joy of the dance. Washington Post

The dancer who sued the Alberta Ballet last year over her dismissal from the company will likely announce a settlement with her old employer sometime today. Her lawsuit had contended that she was dismissed for having left the company for maternity leave, and gaining weight during the pregnancy that she never completely shed. The company denies that her pregnancy had anything to do with the nonrenewal. The Globe & Mail (Toronto)

The Bolshoi is no longer such a revered name. But a girl’s gotta eat – so the company is franchising out its school, opening a branch of its school in Australia (even though the announcement seems to have surprised the school’s Australian hosts). The Age (Melbourne)

Amid the turmoil of Russia re-inventing itself, and the bitter cold of St. Petersburg, ballet is thriving. “The Kirov (known in Russia now as the Mariinsky) is now widely recognized as Russia’s best ballet company, surpassing the more famous Bolshoi Ballet of Moscow. Its foreign tours have been commercial and critical triumphs. Its performances have dazzled the demanding audiences of London and New York.” The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

An international gala in New York celebrates the biggest international stars of today. “The 13 dancers from the United States and Europe delivered the promised international mix, and Spain, once a country with no classical ballet tradition, looks more and more like a fount of major talent. Somebody must be putting something in the paella.” The New York Times (one-time registration required for access)

Fifteen dancers apparently are on their way out at the Boston Ballet. Their departure coincides with the arrival of a new artistic director, who’s reported to have told the whole troupe “that they would be auditioning for the rest of their lives.” The Boston Globe

While most dance companies struggle with paying the rent, the 11-member David Parsons Company “operates firmly in the black with a remarkable 90 percent earned income, and has been touring roughly 40 weeks a year. Four months ago, the company moved into a brand new building on 42d Street in Manhattan, affording it a 1,500-square-foot office and luxurious rehearsal space.” Boston Globe

The importance of choosing the right music in dance can’t be understated. And yet music is often the downfall of today’s choreographers. “The important choreographers must also be musicologists, interpreters and critics, all rolled into one package. The more substantial the music, the more awesome the challenge for the dancemaker. The finest ballets will tell you something about a familiar score or possibly introduce a wider public to an important piece.” San Francisco Chronicle

Choreographer Jiri Kylian has spent 25 years with the Nederlands Dans Theatre. Indeed it’s difficult to imagine the acclaimed company without him. But now Kylian has stepped aside as artistic director. “The sense of freedom cannot be underestimated, and now I can talk to people from the position of not being their boss.” San Francisco Chronicle