Dance Magazine articles from December 2007

Dance Magazine archives from December 2007

Curtain up.(editorial)(technology and dance)(Editorial)
December 1, 2007... I was a sophomore in college when I first encountered video used to record dance. It was 1967 and our music-for-dance teacher was taping student pieces. He used a big, heavy camera, and the footage was grainy black and white. Whenever you saw...

Eyes on Nureyev.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... My favorite part of the Oct. issue was the Nureyev "Anniversary" page with those marvelous quotes. It brought to mind memories of dancing with him in 1979 with Murray Louis' company on tour. Nureyev was past his dancing prime then. He...

Tutu redux.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... I enjoyed "The Story of the Tutu" in the Oct. issue. But Karinska did not create the tutu in the photo of Maria Tallchief. The wardrobe mistress, Dunya, made about 50 of them for the first Symphony in C. They were made of several layers of...

Memories, memories.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... The review of Finis Jhung's stretching DVD ("DM Recommends," July) reminded me of what a great teacher he is. I took a class from him once and he made a lasting impression. I was surprised at how much individual attention I got. He gave a...

Around from the get-go.(vital signs)(Palindrome)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Technology and the human body guide each other in strange, enlightening ways in the works of Palindrome, the Nuremberg-based performance group that fuses dance and digital media. Artistic director Robert Wechsler, a...

Resurrection.(vital signs)(Susan Jaffe joins Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Star power comes to Colorado this month. Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet welcomes former ABT principal Susan Jaffe (right) to their stage Dec. 1-2 for a world premiere of Plus One. The piece, created for Jaffe by choreographer and...

Come on baby light my (tango) Fire.(vital signs)(Estampas Portenas)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Igniting the Joyce stage this season, Argentina's Estampas Portenas will coax you out of the cold and into the simmering heat of Tango Fire. Six couples sweep each other from the barrio to the ballroom, tracing tango from its raw, riotous roots...

Good news from up North.(vital signs)(Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company's surplus)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Royal Winnipeg Ballet enters the holiday season in high spirits. This fall the company announced a surplus of $296,233 for the 2006-07 fiscal year. The season included performances of a world premiere of Jorden...

Hopping holiday classic.(vital signs)(ODC/Dance's The Velveteen )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Despite the lack of either a Christmas tree or a menorah, ODC/Dance has made The Velveteen Rabbit a holiday tradition in San Francisco. The dance theater production about a boy's hope for his beloved stuffed rabbit is full of family-friendly...

A striking festival.(vital signs)(Hit It! festival on Minneapolis)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Drumming, clogging, and stepping abound as Minneapolis brings the noise to town with the first ever Hit It! festival, dedicated to percussive music and dance. The lineup is loud: the Flying Foot Forum (Dec. 7, 9, 15)...

The electric slide.(vital signs)(Sustainable Dance Club)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The Sustainable Dance Club has taken the power of dance to a whole new level. The invention of Enviu, an environmental organization, and the Dutch architectural firm Doll, the Netherlands club is powered by an energy-(re)generating dance...

A life less ordinary.(vital signs)(Second Life Ballet, virtual balllet company)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Some ballet dancers don't need perfect turnout--fast fingers will suffice. Second Life Ballet, resident company of the virtual world Second Life, is made up only of avatars (virtual identities). Dancers come together virtually at curtain time...

Quick Q&A: Camille A. Brown.(vital signs)(Interview)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Camille A. Brown is the young choreographer of the moment in NYC. She has a premiere with Alvin Alley American Dance Theater this month at City Center. She wowed audiences at Fall for Dance with her busting-out solo,...

Born under the dancing star ..(anniversary gallery)(Dance Magazine's anniversary)
December 1, 2007... In the last month of our year-long 80th-anniversary celebration, we thought it would be fun for Dance Magazine staffers to take a look at the covers that mark our birth months. As our own take on astrology, we've reflected on the possible...

Electric firebird: Ailey soars in Bejart's classic ballet.(dancematters)(Alvin Alley American Dance Theater's Maurice Bejart's The Firebird )
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Alvin Alley American Dance Theater's addition of Maurice Bejart's The Firebird to this season's repertoire seems unusually classical--until the company steps onstage to perform it. From the hauntingly beautiful...

The Sarasota ballet of Florida, reinvented.(dance matters)(Sarasota Ballet's new artistic director, Iain Webb)
December 1, 2007... After artistic director Robert de Warren retired from the Sarasota Ballet in June after 14 years with the company, lain Webb took the helm. The repertoire had been filled with de Warren's theater-based ballets. But Webb, who danced with The...

A classic jazz combo: 15th Jazz Dance World Congress.(dance matters)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Last August more than 800 dance fanatics from as far away as Ecuador and the Philippines gathered in Chicago for the Jazz Dance World Congress. Founded by jazz master Gus Giordano in 1990, this five-day event focuses on advancing jazz dance...

The 23rd annual New York Dance and Performance Awards (The Bessies) were held in September at the Joyce.(AWARDS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The 23rd annual New York Dance and Performance Awards (The Bessies) were held in September at the Joyce. Choreographer/Creator Awards were given to Luciana Achugar; Germaine Acogny and Kota Yamazaki; Yoshiko Chuma; Emmanuel Gat; Bill T....

The 2007-2008 New York Choreographic Institute grant recipients are BalletMet, Carolina Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet.(AWARDS)
December 1, 2007... The 2007-2008 New York Choreographic Institute grant recipients are BalletMet, Carolina Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and North Carolina Dance Theatre.

Andrew Dinwiddie and Sam Kim are the 2007-2008 artists in residence.(AWARDS)
December 1, 2007... Andrew Dinwiddie and Sam Kim are the 2007-2008 artists in residence and space grant recipients of the BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange.

Jaquel Andrews and Christopher Coomer were promoted to soloist at Houston Ballet.(COMINGS & GOINGS)
December 1, 2007... Jaquel Andrews and Christopher Coomer were promoted to soloist at Houston Ballet. Michelle Carpenter, Peter Franc, and Nao Kusuzaki were promoted to demi soloist.

Mike Radice.(COMINGS & GOINGS)(Limon Dance Foundation's new executive director )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Mike Radice has replaced Randall Fippinger as executive director of the Limon Dance Foundation. Fippinger is now the manager of performances and events at the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance at Williams College, Williamstown, MA.

Glenn Edgerton.(COMINGS & GOINGS)(associate artistic director of the Hubbard Street Dance Center)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Hubbard Street Dance Chicago welcomes Glenn Edgerton, former executive artistic director of Nederlands Dans Theater, as the associate artistic director of the Hubbard Street Dance Center.

Rock out redux.(new york notebook)(Full Circle's Innaviews)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Full Circle comes full circle, bringing a fresh version of Innaviews, their 2006 narrative suite of hip hop dance, to DTVV, Dec. 19-22. In this 70-minute ensemble piece, the intrepid Rokafella (Anita Garcia) and the charming, versatile Kwikstep...

Gumdrop-size Nutcracker.(new york notebook)(New York Theatre Ballet's Nutcracker)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Don't have the time or money to take the children in your life to New York City Ballet's luxurious Nutcracker? Try New York Theatre Ballet's intimate version over at Florence Gould Hall. Choreographed by Keith...

Spanish steps.(new york notebook)(Ballet Hispanico)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Demonstrating its usual zeal for the creativity of Latino artists, Ballet Hispanico celebrates its 20th season at the Joyce with Willie Rosario's Palladium Nights, accompanied by Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. Centered on...

Juggling chaos and order.(new york notebook)(Yvonne Meier's Area 51)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An improviser who loves to stomp through childlike or bizarre situations, Yvonne Meier has long been an influence on downtown NYC. In her new work, Area 51, she promises to combine (along with collaborator Aki...

With visions of tappers.(new york notebook)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Last year Ayodele Casel and Sarah Savelli brought a new winter vision to the stage. They gathered their pals--who happen to be phenomenal tap dancers like themselves--and took Symphony Space by storm. Tappy Holidays is back, and the lineup this...

Gordon does Brecht.(new york notebook)(David Gordon choreographs Uncivil Wars: Collaborating with Brecht & Eisler)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When David Gordon makes a dance/theater piece, he choreographs for props, lighting fixtures, and placards as well as performers. Every element becomes part of a dance. In Uncivil Wars: Collaborating with Brecht &...

Deep relief: why massage helps you dance.(health & fitness)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Massage. The word evokes visions of serenity, sensuality, and relaxation. But for dancers who work 6, 8, or 10-hour days, massage is also a basic requirement for maintaining physical and mental health. Massage practitioners study a variety...

Advice for dancers.(column)(Column)
December 1, 2007... After reading a column you wrote on burnout, I realized why I wanted to quit dancing. My body was completely out-of-whack from taking 20 dance classes a week. I kept getting weird low-grade fevers, felt exhausted but couldn't sleep, and made...

Plugged in: dancers turn to technology to amp up performances.(DANCE & TECHNOLOGY: a special report on today's trends)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A magician's goal is to astonish an audience with seemingly impossible feats through illusion. There is a skill behind it, but the crowd only sees the magic. Dance, an art form sometimes built on pleasing through...

Technology's ghosts: Loie Fuller & the Magic Lantern.(DANCE & TECHNOLOGY)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Before IMAX movies, webcasts, or motion-capture animation, there was Loie Fuller (1862-1928), a dancer who used her era's technology to create marvels. The predigital ingredients of Fuller's hypnotic spectacles...

Tech du Soleil: Cirque's secrets of stage extravaganzas revealed.(DANCE & TECHNOLOGY)(Cirque du Soleil)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] They say that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas--except, that is, when word of mouth travels the globe lauding the extravaganzas known as Cirque du Soleil shows. Indeed, "show" seems too tame a word for the...

Dance wide web: get your dance fix online.(DANCE & TECHNOLOGY)(dance companies' use of websites)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chris Elam has the web to thank for his chance at choreographing Bjork's music video, Wanderlust. The two artists make a great team--both are known for intensely individual yet surprisingly accessible work. While...

Wishing for gifts! Plenty of presents to get you dreaming.(giftguide)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa all in December, oodles of gift-giving opportunities abound. You'll probably find yourself searching for the perfect present to give a loved one. And they'll be looking for a...

A golden state treasure: Sacramento Ballet's sophisticated repertoire belies its size.
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Arnold Schwarzenegger might be the best known citizen of Sacramento, California, but the city's ballet company has made a significant contribution for much longer. Though often overlooked in favor of the thriving San...

Struggling to move: Parkinson's disease took her dance away, but dance gave back.
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] I was reading the newspaper and it started to flutter, as if moved by a small breeze. But the window wasn't open and the fan wasn't on. Strange, I thought, as I traced the origin of the movement to my left hand. I...

A spoonful of sugar plums: dancers on dishing up nutcracker magic.
December 1, 2007... The Sugar Plum Fairy is ballet's ambassador. For so many girls, she's the first ballerina they ever lay eyes on. It' the dancer performs the role with warmth, graciousness, and elegance, the spell is cast. Sugar Plum not only welcomes Clara and...

It takes two.(dmstyle)(dance slippers)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Let us guess. You found a slipper you love and you keep buying it again and again. Isn't it time to experiment? We're not saying to abandon your tried and true friend. But why not consider adding another pair to the...

Life behind the Metaphor: Rudolf Nureyev and the Dutch National Ballet.(Gift Ideas for Dance Lovers: New books and a DVD)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Life Behind the Metaphor: Rudolf Nureyev and the Dutch National Ballet Photographs by Roger Urban, text by Rudi van Dantzig and Roger Urban. Lexington, MA: Nureyev Legacy Project. 2007.128 pp. 82 photos,...

In the Company of Stars: the Paris Opera Ballet.(Gift Ideas for Dance Lovers: New books and a DVD)(In the Company of Stars: the Paris Opera Ballet Photographs )(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... In the Company of Stars: the Paris Opera Ballet Photographs by Gerard Uferas. Paris: Flammarion. 2006. 166 pp. 147 color photos, www.gerarduferas.com, $50. The breadth of emotions and the variety of scenes Gerard Uferas captures in his...

Meredith Monk: Ellis Island (1981), Book of Days (1988), and Interview.(Gift Ideas for Dance Lovers: New books and a DVD)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
December 1, 2007... Meredith Monk: Ellis Island (1981), Book of Days (1988), and Interview The House Foundation for the Arts, 2 hr. 43 min. www.meredithmonk.org, $20. Two treasures from the 1980s, Meredith Monk's rarely seen films Ellis Island and Book of...

Vernon and Irene Castle's Ragtime Revolution.(Gift Ideas for Dance Lovers: New books and a DVD)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2007... Vernon and Irene Castle's Ragtime Revolution By Eve Golden. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. 2007. 297 pp. Illustrated. $40. It's been nearly a century since the young couple rose from their ringside table at New York's Cafe de...

Capture this: technology in college dance departments.(teach-learn connection)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For dancers who choose it, college can be a time of unimaginable plenty (despite the ramen noodles). Resources that may be hard to come by out in the "real world"--studio space, regular class, and technology such as...

RAD method.(TECHNIQUE)(Royal Academy of Dance)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When you imagine a lawyer drafting a legal document, one of the first things that springs to mind is precision. It is with that same detailed meticulousness that a Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) trained dancer...

Nutcracker sweet.(ACROSS THE FLOOR)(Irine Fokine School of Ballet's Nutcracker)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Every December for the past 50 years, northern New Jersey has been treated to one of the most authentic Nutcrackers performed today. The Irine Fokine School of Ballet in Ridgewood mounts the ballet with its original...

Stiefel in school.(ACROSS THE FLOOR)(American Ballet Theatre's Ethan Stiefel)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Dance education has played an expanding role in Ethan Stiefel's career in recent years, so when he was approached last summer by North Carolina School of the arts about becoming dean at the school of dance, he pursued it. "I want to help create...

The Palucca Schule Dresden.(School news)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... How can dance training remain true to tradition and also meet the ever-changing demands of choreography? The Palucca Schule Dresden explored this topic with their "The Best of Both" program from Oct. 5-12, a celebration of dance training to...

National Ballet School.(School news)(National Ballet School and the National Ballet of Canada doing outreach program)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Canada's National Ballet School and the National Ballet of Canada created a joint outreach project this fall called You Dance. The program offers free movement workshops to Toronto-area students. Participating schools are also invited to...

Tisch School of The Arts.(School news)
December 1, 2007... Cherylyn Lavagnino has been named chair of the dance department at New York University's Tisch School of The Arts.

San Francisco Ballet School.(School news)
December 1, 2007... Jean-Yves Esquerre joins the faculty of San Francisco Ballet School. In addition to teaching, he will serve as trainee program supervisor.

Louisville Ballet School.(School news)(Colleen Pratt )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Colleen Pratt joins Louisville Ballet School as a full-time faculty member. She will also act as ballet mistress for the Louisville Ballet Youth Ensemble and assist student choreographers.

Royal Academy of Dance.(Education on the Web)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The Royal Academy of Dance hosts an educational website for children at www.radacadabra.org. The interactive guide explores all aspects of ballet including the orchestra, wardrobe, studio, stage, green room, and foyer. It offers summaries of...

Jeanne Bresciani, Ph.D.: the keeper of the Duncan flame.(teacher's wisdom)(Interview)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jeanne Bresciani is celebrated as an Isadora Duncan scholar, a soloist, a reconstructor of Duncan's work, and a choreographer in her own right. Today, she devotes herself primarily to The Isadora Duncan International...

Karina Gonzalez: Tulsa Ballet's expressive soloist loves the classics.(on the rise)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a brightly lit Tulsa dance studio, Karina Gonzalez runs lightly toward her partner, principal Alfonso Martin, then whirls into a series of pirouettes that end in a joyful arabesque in his arms. The Tulsa Ballet...

Twice is nice: Stroman and Brooks reprise their winning comic combo.(on broadway)(Susan Stroman and Mel Brooks)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Susan Stroman is back on Broadway, and for anyone who values musical theater, that's welcome news. Certainly the most honored of working director-choreographers, she has been largely missing since 2004, when her...

Martha Graham Dance Company.(Dance review)
December 1, 2007... Martha Graham Dance Company The Joyce Theater, NYC September 11-23, 2007 Reviewed by Lynn Garafola [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Martha Graham Dance Company celebrated its 80th anniversary with an ambitious two-week season at The Joyce...

New Ballet: Alison Chase, Amanda Miller and Luca Veggetti.(Dance review)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... New Ballet: Alison Chase, Amanda Miller and Luca Veggetti Miller Theatre, Columbia University, NYC September 27-30, 2007 Reviewed by Cynthia Hedstrom New ballets to live music in an intimate setting, where one can see the quiver of every...

Co. Vision Selective.(Dance review)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Co. Vision Selective Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Vancouver, BC October 2-6, 2007 Reviewed by Kaija Pepper In the world of hard and fast dance, Noam Gagnon is among the best. With Dana Gingras, Gagnon co-directs The Holy Body Tattoo,...

The Legacy of Goh Choo San: In Memory and Tribute.(Dance review)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... The Legacy of Goh Choo San: In Memory and Tribute Singapore Dance Theatre Esplanade Theatre, Singapore September 7-8, 2007 Reviewed by Malcolm Tay Choo San Goh thought that a dance should change your mood and lead you into another world,...

Robert Moses' Kin.(PREVIEW)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Choreographer Robert Moses is continuously challenging perceptions--his and ours. His 10 dancers perform with a lush gutsiness that buoys formal values with a no holds-barred energy. The upcoming show features the...

Philadanco.(PREVIEW)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Step aside, sugarplum fairies, and make way for Philly's favorite modern dance company in Xmas Philes, a saucy spectacular that puts some serious kick in the Christmas classics. Created by Daniel Ezralow (back from the set of Across the...

Marcel Marceau.(DEATHS)(Obituary)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Marcel Marceau (1923-2007) One of the most beloved performers of the 20th century, mime Marcel Marceau died in Cahors, France, in September. Always appearing in whiteface and a striped shirt, slipping from sad to...

Nathalie Gleboff.(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... A former executive director of the School of American Ballet, Nathalie Gleboff died in October at 88. She served as executive director from 1985-2004, and was the last of the women of Russian background chosen by Balanchine and Kirstein to run...

Adam Sklute.(CHANGING RANKS)(resignation from Joffrey Ballet to join Ballet West )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Adam Sklute resigned from the Joffrey Ballet last season to become the artistic director of Ballet West in Salt Lake City, UT. Sklute had worked as the Joffrey's associate artistic director under Gerald Arpino since 2005. His stagings include...

Joan Miller's Dance Players.(RETIREMENT)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... In September Joan Miller's Dance Players gave their final performance at John Jay College in NYC. Included in the special program was Pass Fe White, a work originally danced by Miller at her company's premiere more than 37 years ago. Born and...

Christina Sterner.(RETIREMENT)(Baryshnikov Dance Foundation and Baryshnikov Productions )(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Christina Sterner, managing director of the Baryshnikov Dance Foundation and Baryshnikov Productions for 19 years, is stepping down. Sterner oversaw the creation and operation of the White Oak Dance Project, 1989-2002, producing over 40 tours...

Schools, studios, colleges, universities, companies, teachers, choreographers, dancers, somatic practices & movement arts certification, & dance medicine.(dance finder: a career & learning resource guide)(Directory)
December 1, 2007... United States ALABAMA ALABAMA BALLET Wes Chapman, Artistic Director Alice Cox, Director of External Affairs 2726 1st Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 522-4300; Fax (205) 322-4444 www.alabamaballet.org ALABAMA DANCE THEATRE...

Forward to the past.(attitudes)(Charles Reinhart on ballet dancing)
December 1, 2007... Earlier this year, as summer idly threatened to edge its way into fall, Charles Reinhart, presiding genius and head bottlewasher of the inimitable American Dance Festival, had, not for the first time, a great idea. But this idea, unlike most...