“There is something so special about being the first to see something. These fresh new works are in progress, developing and that draws an audience into it." - CultureOC
Why is the State Ballet of Georgia travelling for a long residency in London? Well … “with the Bolhoi and Mariinsky - both of which used to visit London regularly - now persona non gratae in the West, there’s a void begging to be filled.” - The Telegraph UK (MSN)
"Sadler’s Wells East is due to open later this year in London’s Queen Elizabeth Park, site of the 2012 Olympic Games. The 550-seat auditorium, which sits opposite the Olympic Stadium (now home to West Ham United football club), will be the fourth stage programmed by Sadler’s Wells." - Dance Magazine
Last Sunday, as dancers carried heavy sheets of metal and glass in Joan Jonas’s Mirror Piece I & II, audience members from Los Angeles's performance community held signs saying "Fair Pay 4 Dancers" and "Getty We C U Paying Performers Poorly" (meaning about half what MOMA paid for the same piece). - Hyperallergic
The youngsters who studied with Gene Medler at the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble remain devoted to him and his teaching methods for years after they graduate, and among his alums is Michelle Dorrance. One key is Medler's "student mind-set": he didn't start learning tap until age 27. - The New York Times
"The 2024 Olympics could be a turning point for dancers who are accustomed to making a living performing and teaching." What's more, "like dancers, athletes have short professional careers, but Olympic success can extend their shelf life: There’s a well-constructed off-ramp for Olympic athletes." - Dance Magazine
"Now known at the highest level as 'artistic swimming,' it was for decades one of the few athletic activities women could pursue, albeit in uncomfortable, baggy, not-exactly-aerodynamic attire. Despite — or perhaps because of — its popularity, synchronized swimming’s status as a legitimate sport would be contested for just as long." - The American Scholar
Dance “people” will recognize the innate beauty of her pose that is rooted in the cartoon version of OO as gangly. Even in her clodhopper shoes, this Olive Oyl is luscious. - ArtsMeme
But seriously: “Sophisticated imaging technology has helped reveal that dance’s multifaceted demands engage the mind as intensively as the body; that dance can root our minds more firmly in our physical selves; and that dancing together can help us relate to each other.” - The New York Times
He grew up on a dairy farm, but took tap and ballet. He “was in middle school when a recruiter from Richmond’s Virginia School of the Arts visited the Wolfmeyer School and invited him to spend his high school years there,” launching the dance portion of his career. - Oregon ArtsWatch
New director Lauren Post, currently dancing Romeo and Juliet with ABT’s corps de ballet at the Met, has some ideas: Focus on education first, and eventually, “Minneapolis could be a destination for classical ballet training, and potentially even for a strong local company.” - Pioneer Press
The Biennale's board of directors said Thursday that the British choreographer will remain at the helm of its Dance Department in 2025 and 2026. He has held the position since 2021. - ANSA (Italy)
Choreographer Wayne McGregor, artistic director of the Biennale's dance division, made a point of selecting work that he describes as "innovative, edgy, and perhaps more difficult to like." - Dance Magazine
"The settlement, which includes back pay and an apology, … came after the National Labor Relations Board ruled recently that the Syracuse City Ballet was wrong to fire the dancers, who went on strike in part to protest what they described as unsafe working conditions." - The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY) (MSN)
"Neumeier is 85, which might seem like a decent age to retire. But choosing to go was difficult for him. 'It was a rational decision, not an emotional one. … When I started approaching 50 years here, I thought, I don’t want a downward slide.” - The New York Times
