Dance Magazine articles from April 2009

Dance Magazine archives from April 2009

Curtain up.
April 1, 2009... Sometimes I think of choreographers as natural elements. Twyla Tharp is water. Trisha Brown is a cloud; Jose Limon is earth; so is Ronald K. Brown. Martha Graham is rock--or blood. Merce Cunningham is glass (I know, glass is not an element, but...

My body, myself.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2009... Where are all the normal-sized people in the dance world? Not everyone is as thin as the dancers in your magazine. It's an unrealistic goal for most people. As a dancer who is aspiring to be on Broadway, I am really discouraged hot to see...

Applause from the pews.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2009... Thank you for the article by Janet Weeks about liturgical dance ("Dancing Between the Pews," Dec. 2008, dancemagazine.com/issues/December-2008). It gives readers a clear overview of the historical background as well as current trends in...

Kudos from students.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2009... I enjoyed the article that followed a day with a dancer from School of American Ballet ("A Day in the Life," Jan.). I would love to audition to study at SAB, so it was a good window on what it's like to spend a day there. Kenzie C. ...

Correction.(letters)(Correction notice)
April 1, 2009... In "Beijing's Modern Movement" (Feb.), two names were misspelled. The correct spellings are Wang Mei (not Wong Mei) and Zhang Shou He (not Jong Sho Ho). Also, the Beijing Modern Dance Company is not housed at the Beijing Dance Academy.

Europe goes south.(vital signs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Skip going to Europe this spring and go to Houston instead to see some of the most interesting companies from the Continent. The boldly enterprising Dance Salad Festival brings a dazzling array of work to Wortham...

Just Rite for Whelan.(vital signs)(Wendy Whelan )(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... A rash of new Rite of Spring productions is breaking out this season in tribute to the Ballets Russes centennial. Stravinsky's cataclysmic music poses a major challenge for any dance-maker. Adam Hougland, principal choreographer of Louisville...

North of the border.(vital signs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... There's still time to catch some of the Vancouver International Dance Festival, which runs through April 4. At the 10th edition of the festival (it started as a celebration of Butoh in '98), companies and dancers from all over will perform...

enCORE.(vital signs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The contemporary CORE Performance Company tackles three new works by international women choreographers this month. In "Three," the company will perform world premieres by Amsterdam's Beppie Blankert, Mexico's Alicia...

Sinful scots.(vital signs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Scottish Ballet is celebrating its 40th anniversary in its new home at Glasgow's Tramway International Arts complex. When they first moved in earlier this year, they showed their classical side with The Sleeping Beauty. But this month they'll...

Virtual Merce.(vital signs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Now you can get inside the Merce Cunningham Studio from anywhere in the world. Mondays with Merce is a series of free web casts in which viewers can see the legendary choreographer teach advanced technique class and conduct rehearsals. Each...

Houston's fresh choreography.(vital signs)(Houston Ballet II)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This year, the annual Spring Showcase for the Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy will show off more than just the talents of its students. Also on the bill will be the work of Houston Ballet II's own budding...

Performing as protest.(vital signs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... On New Year's Eve, Miguel Gutierrez and 31 other artists from 31 states and the District of Columbia improvised for 24 hours straight as an act of protest and remembrance for those displaced by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. All of the...

Hootie in a Tutu?(vital signs)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Columbia City Ballet is getting ready to rock out! The dance troupe is paying homage to their own South Carolina-grown Hootie & the Blowfish in a ballet about the hand. They'll incorporate a multiscreen video set-up to simulate the concert...

Staying afloat in the economic fall: dance groups find ways to survive the recession.(dance matters)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Economic times are tough, which means times are even tougher for the arts. Ticket sales are dropping, donations are declining, and companies are being forced to take drastic measures to meet budget demands. Even...

A Philadelphia company goes to Guinea: bringing African tradition back to the U.S.(dance matters)
April 1, 2009... As the Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble learned the African ballet Mali Saido, often their eyes swept over the clear beaches and dusty streets of Conakry, Guinea--a big change from their rehearsal studio in Philadelphia. The sights...

Sleepless in Amsterdam.(newyork notebook)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Dancers slip in and out of a white backdrop and pair up for angular duets to an eerie score of chiming bells in Jiri Kylian's Sleepless. It will be performed this month by NDT II at the company's Joyce debut. Nederlands Dans Theater's slinky...

Warbled swan song.(newyork notebook)(Ros Warby )(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One of Australia's most intriguing experimental dance artists, Ros Warby returns to DTW with ber solo Monumental, which has been called "monumental" by Melbourne critic Hilary Crampton. A dancer who can move from...

A master at 90.(newyork notebook)(Merce Cunningham )(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... The eternally avant-garde Merce Cunningham is having a birthday bash. Given his creativity and productivity, it's hard to believe he's turning 90. For his BAM season April 16-19, he is collaborating with the rock band Sonic Youth, bassist John...

No more buts: new methods and meds can help dancers to finally quit for good.(your body)
April 1, 2009... This June, Andee Scott will celebrate her second year of quitting smoking. After a cervical cancer scare, the Austin-based dancer felt she needed to give up the pack-a-day habit she'd had since college. "I was frightened," she says. "Up until...

Advice for dancers.
April 1, 2009... Is caffeine bad for me? I've heard that it's a diuretic, but dancers I work with also say it can weaken bones. I'm used to having three cups of coffee a day. Do I need to quit? Coffee Junkie Saratoga, NY Caffeine has gotten a bad...

Petronio in bloom: a daring intellect, he's been taking risks for 25 years.(Stephen Petronio)
April 1, 2009... Stephen Petronio set Shila Tirabassi spinning in a circle, releasing her only when she stopped abruptly and shot her back leg out in arabesque. "Perfect," he said, moving away as she turned on the diagonal, allowing space for Amanda Wells to...

Out of ideas? Five dancemakers on coping with being stuck.(Interview)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We tend to think of choreographers as particularly creative people. That may be true, but it does not mean that the ideas and movement flow every minute of the day. Just as writers have writer's block, dancemakers...

Balancing act: Cuban ballerina Viengsay Valdes takes bravura to new lengths.
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Some like white, others prefer black. But Viengsay Valdes, Ballet Nacional de Cuba's dazzling ballerina, likes both colors of swans. "When I've danced a good Act II Odette," she says with a grin, "I know that my...

The dazzle: Youth America Grand Prix celebrates 10 sparkling years of showcasing young talent from around the world.
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The late Clive Barnes, whose insights contributed so much to this magazine, once called the annual Youth America Grand Prix gala in New York, "the highlight of the season." Dance enthusiasts will argue fiercely about...

Uncover hidden treasures: show off your legs in shorts and skirts.(dm style)(Buyers guide)
April 1, 2009... Now that warmer weather is right around the corner, it's time to let those lovely limbs loose! Shorts and skirts are just what you need to call attention to your legs. From sporty athletic mesh shorts for hip hop to delicate wrap skirts for...

The science inside a dance: what can choreography do for scientific research? William Forsythe and Ohio State University team up to find out.(teach-learn connection)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Streaks of light arc between dancers, topographical maps chart the peaks and valleys of motion, and 3D animation captures movement as geometric shapes. These are not scenes from some futuristic dance but glimmers of...

Do's & don'ts: improving petit allegro.(teach-learn connection)
April 1, 2009... No matter how much you may love ballet class, there are probably parts you dread, and the lightning-fast petit allegro might be the most daunting of all. Nancy Bielski, who teaches ballet at Steps on Broadway and American Ballet Theatre,...

A cross the floor: parallel processes.(teach-learn connection)
April 1, 2009... Ne'Kisha Williams might not be able to define "quantum entanglement," but she can sum up how it relates to movement with a single word: mirroring. The sixth-grader is one of 15 students at Girard College who are creating a dance based on the...

Frank Andersen: showing how Bournonville is done.(teacher's wisdom)(Interview)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Frank Andersen has devoted great energy to preserving and advancing Bournonville technique, the signature style of the Royal Danish Ballet. A recipient of a 2002 Dance Magazine Award, he recently retired from his...

Katharine Precourt: dynamic and fearless, the Houston Ballet demi-soloist has shown range and depth.(on the rise)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Blending feminine strength with crisp clarity in her "Dark Angel" debut, Katharine Precourt held Serenade's chalice-shaped arabesque until the audience almost gasped. In one transformative moment last year, the...

Dancing 9 to 5: Andy Blankenbuehler brings his multilayered movement style to the feminist office classic.(on broadway)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Between the October closing of 9 to 5: The Musical's Los Angeles tryout and the start of rehearsals for its April arrival on Broadway, the performers were on hiatus. Nevertheless, on a chill February day Andy...

Miami City Ballet.(Dance review)
April 1, 2009... Miami City Ballet New York City Center, NYC January 21-25, 2009 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During Miami City Ballet's first Manhattan season, there was none of that "I've got my deal fixed" complacency we sometimes see in the...

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet.(Dance review)
April 1, 2009... Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet Cedar Lake Theater, NYC January 8-18, 2009 Cedar Lake keeps getting better. The European-looking NYC-based company is slick, sleek, and technically fierce. Their winter season included two world...

Jeanine Durning.(Dance review)
April 1, 2009... Jeanine Durning Danspace Project St. Mark's Church, NYC January 15-17, 2009 Jeanine Durning's latest multimedia excursion, Ex-Memory: waywewere, peers into that mysterious place between lived experience and how we recollect...

Makharbek Vaziev.(NEW ROLE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... The former artistic director of the Kirov Ballet, Makharbek Vaziev, has been at the helm of La Scala Ballet since January. He will hold this position for three seasons. Vaziev trained at the Vaganova Academy and joined the Kirov in 1979....

Gage Bush Englund (1932-2009).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Among effective, generous, and committed movers and shakers of American ballet, Gage Bush Englund was a dominant figure. She died of cancer in January at the age of 77, while ballet mistress for American Ballet...

Jonathan Phelps (1967-2009).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... The multitalented Jonathan Phelps died in January at the age of 42, after complications from heart surgery. Known mostly for his performances with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the 1990s, he was also an inspiring teacher and...

United States.(dance finder: a career & learning resource guide)(Directory)
April 1, 2009... ALABAMA ALABAMA BALLET Wes Chapman, Artistic Director Alice Cox, Director of External Affairs 2726 1st Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 322-4300; Fax (205) 322-4444 www.alabamaballet.org ALABAMA DANCE THEATRE Kitty Seale, Dir....

Underneath it all.(dance finder: a career & learning resource guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In their upcoming program "Exposed," Dance Alloy digs beneath the surface of everyday life in search of hidden meaning. The Pittsburgh-based ensemble brings back the hauntingly simple Dancing to Music by Victoria...

International.(dance finder: a career & learning resource guide)(Directory)
April 1, 2009... ARGENTINA MANUEL VALLEJOS DANCE JAZZ STUDIO Lavalle 1579 C.P.1048-Buenos Aires Tel/Fax (541) 371-6811 AUSTRIA SALZBURY INTL BALLET ACADEMY (SIBA) Yehuda Maor, Ballet teacher/Master Salzburg Ballet. Phone +43+069911134586...

Somatic/movement.(dance finder: a career & learning resource guide)(Directory)
April 1, 2009... Somatic Practices, Movement Arts, and Dance Medicine Certification and Training in Somatic and Movement-Based Arts. Contact: dcastro@dancemagazine.com ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE BALANCE ARTS CENTER NYC Alexander Technique for Dancers...

Why I dance.(from the heart)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With his elegant line and unaffected stage presence, Sascha Radetsky long held his own among American Ballet Theatre's cadre of male stars. A soloist in the company since 2003, he stood out even in the most bravura...

Studio talk.(EDITOR'S LETTER)(Editorial)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... AT A TIME when public schools across the country are cutting their arts budgets, we thought it both apropos and inspiring to call attention to K-12 institutions where the arts are viewed as an essential element of a child's overall education....

Making an entrance: Elaine Gardner's inclusive approach to dance at Nichols School.(PROFILE)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Elaine Gardner's Upper School students pile into a vintage gym turned dance studio with their snow-caked boots, drop their coats, scarves, hats and gloves, put out the barres, and get down to serious dance business....

In the studio.(TIPS AND ADVICE)
April 1, 2009... ON PARTNERING: * When the male-to-female ratio is low, have boys double or triple up, going across the floor with each group, rather than resting between combos. The extra practice builds stamina and teachers boys how to partner different...

In the classroom.(TIPS AND ADVICE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... "We have a saying: 'Make your program so valuable to your school that the parents would want to burn down the building rather than lose it.'" --Joanna Caves [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If parents are involved in your program, it's...

From studio to stage.(TIPS AND ADVICE)
April 1, 2009... Be Here Now Have your students move around the room when taking class. "That way the body gets used to being in front of people, behind people, and your body awareness becomes more well-rounded. You have to be comfortable with whatever...

Staffing.(TIPS AND ADVICE)
April 1, 2009... Manage Performance Proactively Explain the obvious. Employees must understand what is expected of them. Outline what is acceptable and what is not. Use that framework to evaluate on-the-job performance and enforce discipline, if necessary....

Studio biz.(TIPS AND ADVICE)
April 1, 2009... Be Consistent Stick to consistent policies, even when they are unpopular. The challenge is to allow people to leave your studio if they don't like a policy, yet remain confident that you provide a quality experience. "I've seen people who...