Ashley Benefield was acquitted of second-degree murder but convicted of manslaughter in the 2020 death of her ex-husband in Florida. The Benefields were the founders of the highly-publicized American National Ballet, which, in 2017, fell apart for lack of funding just as it was about to start rehearsals. - The Washington Post (MSN)
"Popularly known as horse dancing, dressage involves riders directing their horses to perform a series of moves, including pirouettes, that are thought to have military origins. … (British equestrian Becky Moody) explained what it takes to nurture and train an equine ballerina." - The New York Times
The proposal is twinned with the appointment of a music laureate. “If the legislation is ultimately signed into law, the home state of Jacob’s Pillow, Boston Ballet, and The Yard will get a shiny new government spotlight on dance.” - Dance Magazine
"We were so dissapointed. It started to Rain just before the Can Can began. 10 seconds before you saw us. We were trying to towel down and dry the stage off with rags." - Buzzfeed
Despite the long and serious effort to codify it as an athletic discipline, complete with approved moves, scoring, and judging criteria, pole dancing has had trouble escaping the association with striptease and sex work. On the other hand, some practitioners object to the erasure of sex work from the sport. - Slate (Yahoo!)
Van Cleef & Arpels has sponsored a months-long festival called Dance Reflections in London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, New York, and, this year, Kyoto. And it supports residencies, revivals, new productions and touring through a network of partnerships with theaters, festivals and dance companies in 16 countries so far. - The New York Times
The dance was dreamt up by Kelley Heyer, a New York-based actor and content creator who decided to film herself making it up “on a whim”. - The Guardian
“In an open letter posted on his social media accounts, Glass says he has not given the ballet company permission to use his music, and he strongly urges them not to proceed with any such production.” - StereoGum
"Senior breaking is one of a growing category of sports tailored to Japan’s large population of older people who, thanks to the country’s extraordinary longevity statistics, are determined to keep popping and locking for as long as their bodies will allow." Their inspiration: breaking as an Olympic sport. - The Guardian
A dancer's day is all about discipline, be that in relation to movement or intake (even healthy, appropriate eating: food is fuel etc). So when it comes time to leave the constrained environment, is it any wonder if things go off the scale in the opposite direction? - Gramilano
When you’re dancing with another person, or folk-dancing in a big group circle, or country line-dance, or disco dance—that’s how I started—you’re concentrating on being with other people, and realizing what your body is doing. You’re not scheming power trips. - Dance Magazine
"After negotiations between the SFA-CGT union representing performers, Paris 2024 organizers and Panam 24 (the producers of the opening ceremony) ended in a stalemate and a continued strike notice Tuesday, the union said Wednesday it accepted an offer involving increased pay for performers’ broadcasting rights." - USA Today
"(They) worry this is yet another attempt at gentrifying their art form and ways of life. (Breaker) Anne Nguyen … argues that the 'sportification' of breaking will push dancers to forego improvisation and individual spirit. 'Instead, they will be strategic, planning everything from A to Z, to get high scores.'" - Condé Nast Traveler
"This year’s theme is 'We Humans,' a title that might conjure fleshy bodies and emotional connection, but the opening weekend’s performances focused as much on physics, formal systems, busy brains and interactions with technology, in keeping with (artistic director Wayne) McGregor’s own preoccupations." - The Guardian
“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
