In every field of culture, the "folk" takes second place. This denies the inventive power of our people. Modi's Hindu regime uses this hierarchical structure to impose its dominance by asserting Sanscritic superiority in the form of a Hindu hierarchy. - The Art Newspaper
Certain corners of Twitter need to be reminded of this: a bitter argument broke out last week between those who find him an insufferable incel and those who insist he's an abused and bereaved teenager who deserves compassion (and those who disagree are heartless). Folks, remember: Holden is fictional. - Vulture
Melissa Barak was a leading dancer for Los Angeles Ballet during its first five seasons. She also performed with New York City Ballet, and in 2013 founded her own contemporary ballet company, Barak Ballet, which is on hold while Barak focuses on her new position. - Los Angeles Times
The software called Voyager improvises responses to a live performance in real time. Last week, New York's Ensemble Signal and jazz flutist Nicole Mitchell performed George Lewis's Tales of the Traveler, for which the orchestra's part is notated but the soloist(s) improvise, with Voyager playing a Disklavier. - The New York Times
Why did I even want to be an actor? It was a question I hadn’t thought to ask myself; the dream had calcified in my bones too long ago. Childish reasons, in my case. Excitement, praise – hunger for fame, even. I know now that the life of an actor would suit me very badly. - The Guardian
"You may not know her name, but (Kate) Berlant is influential in comedy circles, and her digressive style stands for everything that a scripted autobiographical play doesn't. And she is having trouble wrapping her head around it." - The New York Times
Companies that once saw China as a vital growth market stand to lose out on billions of dollars in $100 concert tickets, $12 matinee stubs and $5 bets. - Wall Street Journal
The long-planned institution on Charleston's waterfront, set to open next January, will tell stories of the Africans involuntarily brought to the U.S. and their descendants. Here's an overview of its construction, what will be in its galleries, and a few small controversies. - Charleston City Paper
"(He) moved seamlessly between genres, writing serious comic novels, comic serious novels and bestselling mystery novels — in addition to working on soap opera One Life to Live, which drew acclaim during his run as head writer for its zany humor and sensitive explorations of social issues." - MSN (The Washington Post)
"The (Gospel) manuscript is to be repatriated next month to the Kosinitza Monastery in northern Greece, where it had been used in liturgical services for hundreds of years before it was stolen by Bulgarian forces in 1917." - The New York Times
For both film and TV, the four current acting categories will be replaced with two, lead and supporting performances, with ten nominees each. For film, there will also be a best breakthrough performance award with five nominees of any gender. - Variety
"On Thursday, the two announced that more than 20 NPR shows, including Up First and Throughline, are now available on the platform. ... The addition of NPR podcasts comes just as YouTube recently added an Explore page dedicated to the format." - Endgadget
Some are continuing to create dance as possible; most are doing volunteer work as well. Several are developing ways to assist solders with stress (physical and mental); one couple is devising a method to teach them how to fall, crawl, and get up without injuring themselves. - The New York Times
Aaron Watkin, a 52-year-old Canadian who has spent the last 16 years as artistic director of the Semperoper Ballett in Dresden, actually danced with ENB for two seasons three decades ago. He officially becomes the company's artistic director next August; Rojo heads to San Francisco Ballet this January. - The Guardian
The revelation begs a question: At a time when TV and film productions are churning out increasingly elaborate sets in the streaming era, and audiences remain hungry for IRL immersive experiences, could installations like Netflix’s Sistine Chapel have a second life? - Artnet
