Jessica McCann of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre suffered hip pain for years, but by last year's Nutcracker, she reached the breaking point. Doctors said she had the right hip of a 90-year-old and needed a replacement. She was back onstage last month. Here's the story of her surgery and recovery. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"After more than a year of planning, fundraising, obtaining nonprofit status, holding auditions and settling on a name (Azura Ballet), that vision – to revitalize ballet culture and infuse it with a profound emphasis on the mental and emotional well-being of the dancers – is becoming a reality." - Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“The first thing I did was to acquire the rights, which was relatively easy”, he says. “There were no assets. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t disturbing the legacy. I was put in touch with Heather Knight , who is truly amazing. - BachTrack
The story of his defection in Miami while on tour with the National Ballet of Cuba is now the stuff of legend. It was 2003. He was 20, and “hungry for a different scenario." - Cincinnati Business Courier
Associate choreographer Corinne McFadden Herrera: "It’s a never-ending process. The show’s principals generally stay about a year here in the States, and then we try to turn them all over at once. But the ensemble is like a revolving door because of how the contracts work." - Dance Magazine
The tour marks a revival of cultural exchanges between China and the United States. The Asian nation will also host a series of performances starting next week by the Philadelphia Orchestra, marking the 50th anniversary of the orchestra’s historic visit to China in 1973. - ABCNews
"In a 'novel' ruling on 'one of the oldest forms of human expression,' the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturned a decision last year that dismissed choreographer Kyle Hanagami’s lawsuit, which claimed that Epic Games stole his dance moves and used them as 'emotes' in Fortnite." - Billboard
The late Maria Tallchief — considered the country's first prima ballerina and one of the most notable Native American figures of the 20th century — was selected as one of two dozen people to be included in the U.S. Mint's American Women Quarters Program. - Axios
Christopher Marney: "My mum took me. We didn’t see the companies in London. We lived in Essex and we'd see London City Ballet at The Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, because that was the company that toured and would perform at your local theatre." And yes, his revived LCB will definitely tour. - Bachtrack
"Choreographers’ interest in tying ballet directly to literature is a notable turnaround from the 20th century’s Balanchine-influenced rise of abstract, plotless ballets. Using ballet vocabulary to retell the works of great writers is fraught with potential pitfalls. But the medium of dance can also illuminate a book afresh." - Dance Magazine
"It is one of the great classical repertory companies, but I would like to have a company that lives in the present and looks to the future. What is clear is that it has to be a glamorous company, that reflects its history and the city." - The New York Times
This is an ambitious time to revive a ballet company, but on the other hand - crucially, when you've already secured the first three years' funding - why not? - The New York Times
"That was accidental. … (At university) there were modules on contemporary dance. I didn’t know what the hell that was. But I decided because it’s dance, I’ll do that. I don’t think anybody really knows how to combine the two. ... My body got confused, and I celebrated that confusion." - San Francisco Classical Voice
