AUGUST 2002
Friday August
30
WHY
BILLY'S LEAVING: Long before William Forsythe announced this week he would
quit the Frankfurt Ballet, there had been rumors. Rumors his contract might not
be renewed. Rumors city funding was to be cut. Critics have charged that
Frankfurt's cultural policy has been half-hearted, and that its commitment to
excellence is weak. "The short-sighted discussions on whether the culturally
derelict banking city wants to keep financing a choreographer of world renown
has been simmering for quite a while." Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung 08/30/02
- Previously: CAN YOU FIGURE
OUT WHY HE'S LEAVING? Here's a resignation speech for you. William Forsyth
announcing he'll leave the helm of Frankfurt Ballet (which he tuned into one of
Europe's most experimental contemporary companies) in 2004 after 20 years: "For
the present, I feel strongly that my own methodological evolution would be best
served if conducted in a context less integrated into a field of political
practice that is, understandably, challenged by the task of establishing primary
descriptive models of cultural policy that can be accurately represented by
numbers." The New York Times 08/29/02
AUSTRALIAN
BALLET'S NEW ERA: Richard Evans is, at 35, Australian Ballet's youngest-ever
executive director, as he begins the job this week. "This organisation being 40
years old, there's a lot of conversation about what's happened in the past,
about the 'golden age' of the Australian Ballet... but the essence I'm
interested in is the future, and what we can do in the next few years to mix a
bit of alchemy ourselves and to really take it to a whole other level."
The Age (Melbourne) 08/30/02
Thursday August
29
CAN YOU FIGURE
OUT WHY HE'S LEAVING? Here's a resignation speech for you. William Forsyth
announcing he'll leave the helm of Frankfurt Ballet (which he tuned into one of
Europe's most experimental contemporary companies) in 2004 after 20 years: "For
the present, I feel strongly that my own methodological evolution would be best
served if conducted in a context less integrated into a field of political
practice that is, understandably, challenged by the task of establishing primary
descriptive models of cultural policy that can be accurately represented by
numbers." The New York Times
08/29/02
Wednesday August
28
WHO
OWNS A DANCE? "A federal judge has ruled that the majority of dances that
modern dance legend Martha Graham created belong to the Martha Graham Dance
Center, dealing the second blow in as many months to Graham's heir. Ronald A.
Protas had claimed sole ownership to Graham's dances and their sets and
costumes. But U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum ruled that Protas
only has the rights to one dance, "Seraphic Dialogue," a dramatic piece about
Joan of Arc. The Martha Graham Center dismissed Protas, who was a close
companion of Graham, as artistic director more than a year ago. Graham died in
April 1991." Baltimore Sun (AP)
08/27/02
Sunday August
25
WHAT BECOMES A
CLASSIC? "Just what makes a ballet a classic? Consider what happens, or
doesn't happen, in certain productions of supposed classics. We often don't know
what ballet's classics really are choreographically. Company directors claim to
revere the classics. Stars long to dance them. Audiences flock to see them. But
what is it that they are seeing or dancing? The choreography for many works has
eroded. Some scenes have been altered, some have been omitted and others have
been added." The New York Times
08/25/02
Friday August
23
WHY
WE DANCE: Dance is one of the most basic arts. Millions of people dance. So
"why do many people still find dance, the friendliest art, so mysterious when
they encounter it on a concert stage? Perhaps the problem is communication. When
we see another human body, we expect it to look familiar. We also expect to read
with ease the physical signals that other people's bodies send us. Yet
choreographers - the artists who make concert dances - give the body an
exceptional appearance." Newark Star-Ledger
08/23/02
Wednesday August
22
ROCKETTES
SETTLE: Radio City Music Hall has made a settlement with its Rockettes,
averting a strike. The Hall will buy out 41 of the veteran dancers for $2
million - between $30,000 and $120,000 per dancer, depending on length of
service. "It's not the price the Rockettes wanted, but in the context of the
negotiations, it was a reasonable price." The New York
Times 08/22/02
BAD
MOVES: New York Magazine miscalculated when it fired dance critic
Tobi Tobias. But the magazine has been cutting back on space for its other
critics, and some might worry other cutbacks are in the works. "Eliminating a
major voice from an important venue—either for budgetary reasons or to bring in
someone trendier—is not merely a dance-world scandal, it’s a dark comment on the
priorities of today’s journalism." New York
Observer [low down in the column] 08/21/02
Monday August
19
DECLINING DISCOURSE
ON DANCE: What's happening to dance criticism? There's less and less of it.
Major publications around the US have been cutting back on dance coverage. The
latest to go is New York Magazine's esteemed Toby Tobias, who was recently let
go from the magazine. Orange County Register
08/18/02
Sunday August
18
DANCE
FESTIVAL BRIBE SCANDAL: Thirty thousand people are expected in Liverpool to
attend Creamfields, Britain's largest outdoor dance festival. But the festival
has been hit with charges of corruption after police "arrested one of the
organisers for allegedly bribing a council officer responsible for awarding its
licence." The Guardian (UK) 08/17/02
DANCE
FESTIVAL CALLS IT QUITS: Los Angeles dance presenter Dance Kaleidoscope has
folded after failing to find a new director. "In its heyday, Dance Kaleidoscope
was the city's premier showcase for local dance, presenting a multi-week
festival of modern, classical and world dance performances. In summer 2000, the
event included five performances of nearly 30 artists or groups in four
locations over three weekends." Los Angeles Times
08/17/02
Thursday August
15
ROYAL DANCERS
WON'T STRIKE: Dancers of the London's Royal Ballet may be unhappy with
artistic director Ross Stretton (they were talking strike earlier this week).
But after talks with Covent Garden chief, the dancers have decided not to take a
job action. BBC 08/14/02
Wednesday August
14
ROCKETTES
REJECT CONTRACT: The Radio City Music Hall and its 41 Rockettes have broken
off negotiations on a new contract. Owners of Radio City want to buy out the
dancers and hold auditions for each new show. Cablevision, owner of the
Rockettes, is holding a firesale of its assets, and trying to cut down on
expenses. For now the Rockettes will work without a contract. Newsday 08/14/02
Tuesday August
13
BOURNE
AGAIN: Star choreographer Matthew Bourne has had a rough couple of years.
"He lost control of his celebrated production of Swan Lake and of his company,
Adventures in Motion Pictures, and the big plans to settle as resident company
at London's Old Vic collapsed." But he's staging a comeback "His team of loyal
dancers, once familiar AMP faces, have formed a new company, aptly called New
Adventures." The Telegraph (UK) 08/13/02
FAILED
PROMISE? Ross Stretton's fortunes as director of London's Royal Ballet took
a quick dive in his first season. "Only last September the Australian walked
into Covent Garden as the Royal Ballet’s new boss, full of plans to move the
company forward. Today his own dancers are so upset with his style of management
that they are threatening to strike." The Times (UK)
08/13/02
- NATIONAL
SNOBBERY? "There are two main reasons why the first year of Stretton's
three-year contract has ended badly. The first reason is chauvinism. The
attitude in the British ballet world is this: Australia does not tell us what to
do - we tell it... Sydney Morning Herald
08/13/02
Monday August
12
THE
LATEST TRENDS IN DANCE: Toronto's Festival of Independent Dance Artists is
Canada's largest international dance festival. "The first half of the festival
reveals several interesting trends: There is an emphasis on beautiful dance,
anchored in strong technique and form. There are also more group pieces rather
than a long line of solos. The solos themselves are less introspective and
self-indulgent than in previous years. Humour is making a welcome return."
The Globe & Mail (Canada) 08/12/02
ENDANGERED
ROCKETTES: Is Rockefeller Center getting ready to toss out its high-stepping
Rockettes? "The corporate owner of the landmark concert venue wants to replace
the standing roster of Rockettes with a system of open auditions. The dancers
with the trademark high-leg kicks have been working without a contract since
February." Nando Times (AP)
08/11/02
Sunday August
11
UNHAPPY
ROYAL DANCERS: Dancers in the London's Royal Ballet are unhappy with
director Ross Stretton, who just completed his first season with the company.
"The performers' principal gripe concerns Stretton's casting decisions, which
are said to have left dancers uncertain whether they would be performing in
productions until the last minute, and the public attending performances not
featuring the advertised cast." Dancers have considered taking a no-confidence
vote in Stretton's regime. The Guardian (UK)
08/10/02
Friday August
9
ATLANTA
HIRES NEW EXEC DIRECTOR: Atlanta Ballet has hired Terri Rouse as its new
executive director. Rouse comes from the visual arts world, where she has run
museums. "She joins Artistic Director John McFall at the helm of the ballet,
which has a $7 million annual budget. The company, with 22 full-time dancers, is
coming off a season of critical kudos but struggling with a $1.2 million
deficit." Atlanta Journal-Constitution
08/08/02
Wednesday August
7
DANCING
WITHOUT A NET: "Nowhere in the nation is there anything like Boulder's
Aerial Dance Festival. It is unique. It is cutting-edge. And during the next few
days, students will converge on Boulder to study with the greats of this
emerging art form... What, exactly, is aerial dance?" Think low-flying trapeze
work, combined with elements of modern and classical dance. Weird? You betcha.
Dangerous? Sure. But hey, it's art. Denver Post
08/07/02
Tuesday August
6
DISAPPOINTING
FIRST YEAR: Ross Stretton has just finished his first year as director of
London's National Ballet. How'd he do? "Yes, ballet is a hazardous job and every
company gets its share of injuries, but the Royal Ballet right now seems worse
than most. Possible causes are choice of repertoire, overworking dancers through
casting policies, and the quality (or lack of it) in teaching – all of which
must end up on the director's plate. Not a wonderful end for Ross Stretton's
first year in charge." The Independent (UK)
08/05/02
DANCE
PIONEER DIES: Freidann Parker, co-founder of the Colorado Ballet, has died
at the age of 77. Parker and her lifelong business associate and companion,
Lillian Covillo, established the Colorado Concert Ballet in 1961 and saw it
through a number of incarnations. Today, the Colorado Ballet has a company
roster of 30 professional dancers and 30 apprentices. Denver Post 08/06/02
Monday August
5
SCOTTISH
BALLET'S NEW COURSE: Ashley Page is about to take over as director of the
troubled Scottish Ballet. The company's directors have declared the company will
be remade into a modern company. Page says that will mean expanding the company.
He also says that "under his directorship the ballet would be performing an
'eclectic' mix of work, which may require the addition of another 10
contemporary-skilled dancers to the company." The
Herald (Glasgow) 08/04/02
Sunday August
4
THINKING
THE UNTHINKABLE: Is New York dance on the road to extinction, or at least
irrelevance? On the surface, it seems like a silly question. After all, the Big
Apple is the undisputed capitol of American dance, and one of the world's great
centers of the art. Certainly, there is "a strong circumstantial case for New
York still being the dance capital of the world - until you notice that every
one of these attractions relies on a presiding talent that is either
middle-aged, old or dead." So once the Baryshnikovs and the Cunninghams are
gone, will young innovators like Mark Morris and Christopher Wheeldon really be
able to carry on the tradition of great American dance? The Telegraph (UK) 08/03/02