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DANCE

The Women Changing 21st Century Dance

The recent appointments of the women and the recent commissions of choreography by women too numerous to mention, are good news for feminism. But only relatively speaking. - Alastair Macaulay

An Exodus From The Bolshoi Benefits Brazil

Star David Motta, 25, "had called Russia home for 13 years. The Bolshoi Academy had taken him in as a boy and turned him into an international star." But he knew he had to leave when Russia invaded Ukraine. - France 24 (AFP)

Interpretive Dance In A Session Of The EU Parliament (By A Famous Choreographer, No Less)

The Twitterverse had a high old time when news and photos hit of the final session of the Conference on the Future of Europe at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, wherein members were treated, apparently without warning, to Angelin Preljocaj's Danse l'Europe. - The Independent (UK)

Ukrainian Dancers Have Spread To The Wind

Some have taken up arms in their country’s defense or have been working to get medical supplies to the frontline. (One died after being injured when Russian shells hit Kyiv.) And many have fled the country, fanning out across Europe — both for safety and to keep dancing. - The New York Times

What Happened To Seattle’s Dance Scene?

The lack of support manifests in a dearth of affordable studio space, limited funding and fewer platforms for emerging artists to perform. It’s an about-face for a city that has nurtured Western dance traditions for more than 100 years. - Crosscut

Dancers At An L.A. Strip Club Have Unionized And Are Picketing Their Employer

When two of their colleagues were fired for complaining to management about unsafe working conditions, the dancers at Star Garden in North Hollywood voted to unionize with the independent labor organization Strippers United (and were promptly locked out). Antonia Crane, founder of that union, reports the story. - The Nation

Now There Are Calls For Artistic Director Patricia Barker To Follow Her Husband Out Of Royal New Zealand Ballet

A week after Michael Auer was reportedly terminated as ballet master over abusive conduct toward company members, two dancers who performed with RNZB in the 1980s have said publicly that Barker should resign as artistic director. The RNZB board says she has their full confidence. - Stuff (New Zealand)

Susan Jaffe Will Be American Ballet Theater’s New Artistic Director, The First In 30 Years

She spent 22 years dancing with ABT (1980-2002), 19 of them as principal, and became one of ballet's top stars. She went on to serve as dean of dance at the UNC School of the Arts and, through the pandemic, artistic director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. - The New York Times

How Russia’s War On Ukraine Is Changing The World’s Ballet Stages

24th of February, this is, was the line, Because it's all changed. All changed. The reputation of Russia and Russian people, even if you are not a soldier, you're just Russian. It, it's all, it still make a shadow on you. - 60 Minutes

How Debbie Allen And Shonda Rhimes Combined Forces To Build A Performing Arts Center

It's big for L.A.: "Five dance studios, a 200-seat performance area and classrooms for the Debbie Allen Middle School of the Performing Arts. The facility also has a studio theater and art gallery." Thank you, Grey's Anatomy and Fame. - Los Angeles Times

A Choreographer Says To Find The Right Way, He First Has To Lose Himself

That might mean collaboration, that might mean mixing forms and traditions - and that might mean rehearsing in silence, with no music for the dancers to hear what their beats should be. - Irish Times

Nijinsky’s Sister Was Even More Revolutionary Than He Was

And she was revolutionary in more than one way.  Not only did Bronislava Nijinska embrace choreographic aesthetics that were radical for her day, she understood — from watching Diaghilev and her brother trying to maintain dance companies in the West — how commercial pressures could be as oppressive as political ones. - The Nation

Ballet Performances Resume In Lviv

An abnormal announcement. "Dear guest, our event will be suspended in case of air raid alert. Dancers and spectators must go to the bomb shelter situated in the theater," it tells the crowd -- a poignant reminder that this is not a regular night at the theater. - CNN

Former Paris Opera Ballet Star Who Fled Moscow Lands As Artistic Director In Munich

Laurent Hilaire, who was an étoile in Paris since Nureyev's days, became director of dance at the Stanislavsky Theatre in 2017; he left Russia after the Ukraine invasion in February. He now succeeds Igor Zelensky (who has returned to Russia) at the helm of the Bavarian State Ballet. - Yahoo! (AFP)

Charlotte Ballet’s New Artistic Director On How Newcomers Can Appreciate Dance

Alejandro Cerrudo: "One of the most common thoughts I've heard from audiences is, 'Sometimes I feel like I don't understand it.' You don't have to. You just have to experience it. Sometimes you like it, sometimes you don't, and sometimes you don't know why you like it, and that's OK." - Charlotte Magazine

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