Dance Magazine articles from February 2008

Dance Magazine archives from February 2008

Curtain up.(ballet dancers and choreographers)
February 1, 2008... How can one ballerina be ethereal and sexy at the same time? Just watch Diana Vishneva dance and you'll know. She is an astonishing parcel of opposites: strong and delicate, authoritative and vulnerable, energetic and wistful. Now, while still...

A banana a day?(letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... After reading the story on stage fright (Nov. 2007) I can't believe that no one mentioned potassium, which has helped me for years. I've found that taking a small amount (100-200 mg) about an hour before I go on really helps with the shakes,...

Inspired to great heights.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... "Bodies That Beat the Odds" (July 2007) was a major boost for my son. He kept that article with him as a reminder that there would be a place for him in the ballet world. At 5'6", and a powerhouse of a dancer, he ended up making it to the end...

Hooked on dance.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... In our Oct. issue, we asked readers if they remember when they got hooked on dance. Here are two readers' reminiscences. I was 5 years old. My mother always took me to concerts, but this was my first experience at a ballet. It was the...

Corrections.(letters)(Correction notice)
February 1, 2008... In "The Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Reinvented" ("Dance Matters," Dec. 2007), Elite Syncopations is wrongly attributed to Frederick Ashton; it's by Kenneth MacMillan.

Asian sensation.(Japanese dance )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... This month, Japanese dance--in all forms--comes to the Kennedy Center for a festival called Japan! culture + hyperculture. The 13-day affair is jam-packed with 32 different events. Kenichi Ebina, founder of the all-Japanese hip hop group...

COLEctive thoughts.(Dance Collective)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The Dance COLEctive is taking a cue from Martha Graham with Written on the Body. Graham's Deaths and Entrances (1943) was inspired by the Bronte sisters, and artistic director Margi Cole is using them as well as a point of departure for her...

Northern exposure.(dance show)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Alaska, says Argentinean choreographer Diana Szeinblum, is a place we all recognize but many have never been. In her latest evening-length work, Alaska, the Pina Bausch protegee dares to take us there. Through a series of strange and poetic...

Vital stat.(use of hangers for set design)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... John Jasperse used 2,000 hangers to create a suspended set for his work, Misuse liable to prosecution, at BAM. Total cost for the set, costumes, and props? $163.55.

Dance with your DVDs.(DancingFlix)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Have you always wanted to try a street jazz class at Broadway Dance Center, but haven't made it to NYC? Or perhaps you're a Fred-and-Ginger junkie, but can never get your hands on their films. Wish you could? DancingFlix--a Netflix-like online...

Carnival of rhythm.(peruvian culture and dance)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Founded in 1969 to celebrate and preserve Peru's black culture and music, Peru Negro has developed a style as distinctive as the heritage they draw upon. The Afro-Peruvian music and dance ensemble received a Grammy nomination with their 2004...

French menu.(Oregon Ballet Theatre's work)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... This month, Oregon Ballet Theatre is debuting a new bolero--or rather, a new interpretation of Ravel's famous "Bolero." The Brooklyn choreographer Nicolo Fonte uses the idea of "relentless beauty" as a point of departure. Also on the...

Body calligraphy.(vital signs)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The sanctity of ancient ceremony finds colorful, kinetic expression in the dances of Nai-Ni Chen. Fusing Chinese calligraphy, martial arts, and folk ritual with freewheeling contemporary movement, the...

Nina now.(Nina Ananiashvili)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The State Ballet of Georgia has strong dancers, but its star is undeniably the dynamic Nina Ananiashvili, also its new director (see "Georgia on Her Mind," June 07). She can transfix an audience with her dead-on...

Re-duet.(Alla Osipenko)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In November, St. Petersburg celebrated the 75th birthday of legendary Russian ballerina Alla Osipenko. The Theatrical Museum hosted an exhibition dedicated to her, and a collection of reviews was published. But the...

Briana Evigan.(QUICK Q&A)(star of Step Up 2 The Streets )(Interview)
February 1, 2008... On Valentine's Day, Step Up 2 the Streets hits the big screen. This follow-up film to the 2006 success, Step Up gives audiences a role reversal--Briana Evigan, 21, plays Andie, a hip hop dancer from the streets who tries to fit into the...

Show me 50: celebrating Kansas City Ballet.(dance matters)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When a ballet company in America's heartland turns 50, it's cause for rejoicing. Kansas City Ballet has been doing just that since October, dancing virtually nonstop in an eclectic repertoire representative of...

Thoroughly modern Monterrey: fall festival brings the heat.(Extremadura International Contemporary Language Dance Festival )
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One night an all-girl group from Japan obsessively rocks back and forth, then lifts their red dresses to pull a shoe out of their ruffled panties. The next night, a company from China combines a majestic serenity...

Recognizing greats, present & past: DM Awards for Whelan, de Jong, Neuwirth, and Richardson.(Dance Magazine Awards, Wendy Whelan, Bettie de Jong, Bebe Neuwirth )
February 1, 2008... Last year was a time for major dance anniversaries. Dance Magazine turned 80. Jacob's Pillow and Bennington College both turned 75. The Joyce hit 25 years. And in the spirit of anniversary celebrations, the annual Dance Magazine Awards reached...

Two dancers were named Movado Future Legends in 2007.(AWARDS)(Doug Letheren and Kirk Hennaing )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Two dancers were named Movado Future Legends in 2007. Doug Letheren was selected by Mikhail Baryshnikov for the Baryshnikov Arts Center and Kirk Hennaing by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The 2007 New York International Ballet Competition winners include Eun Ji Ha of Korea, who received the gold medal; silver medalists Karina Gonzalez of Venezuela, Na Eun Kim of Korea, and Wu Husheng of China; and bronze medalists Seung-Won Shin and Kwi Sub Park of Korea.(AWARDS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The 2007 New York International Ballet Competition winners include Eun Ji Ha of Korea, who received the gold medal; silver medalists Karina Gonzalez of Venezuela, Na Eun Kim of Korea, and Wu Husheng of China; and bronze medalists Seung-Won Shin...

Ella Baff.(AWARDS)(Chevalier Medal of the Order of Arts and Letters)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Jacob's Pillow executive director Ella Baff received the Chevalier Medal of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Ministry of Culture, an award that recognizes cultural luminaries throughout the world.

Carmen deLavallade.(AWARDS)
February 1, 2008... Carmen deLavallade received the Theatre Arts Education-Individual Award from the Theatre Museum Awards in October.

Guillaume Cote.(Gemini award )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Guillaume Cote, principal with The National Ballet of Canada, received a Gemini award at the Drama, Variety and Comedy gala for his role in the documentary Moving to His Music: The Two Muses of Guillaume Cote.

Konstantin Uralsky.(AWARDS)
February 1, 2008... El Mundo De Goya, choreographed by Konstantin Uralsky, received five awards at the Russian festival Stcena (the stage) 2007.

Miriam Nelson.(AWARDS)
February 1, 2008... Miriam Nelson was given the Tradition in Tap Award in November for outstanding achievements and significant contribution to the tradition of tap dance.

The Mexicanos are coming.(Ballet de Monterrey)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ballet de Monterrey, an exuberant young company from Mexico, comes to the Joyce Feb. 26-March 2. Now under the artistic direction of Miami City Ballet star Luis Serrano (see "Dancers in Love," page 30), the company...

Women on the edge.(Deganit Shemy and Company's Iodine )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Deganit Shemy & Company's Iodine (YOD), an evening-length sextet for women, premieres at P.S. 122, Feb. 5-10. Hailed as one of Israel's most promising young choreographers, Shemy has presented her work in New York since moving here in 2005....

Gonging in the New Year.(Chinese dance)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was once believed that 5,000 years of Chinese culture would be lost behind its red curtain. But since 2004, New Tang Dynasty TV, a Chinese-language broadcaster, has reinvigorated the traditional scene with its...

Fireworks of international ballet.(new york notebook)(Stars of the 21st Century)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... For sheer ballet virtuosity, you can't beat the Stars of the 21st Century. This year the evening brandishes the new power partnership of Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev (both among our "25 to Watch"), whose jumps and turns have to be seen to...

Flamenco, you are woman.(Flamenco Festival)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Flamenco's fiery footwork and coiling hands come to the annual Flamenco Festival, co-sponsored by World Music Institute, at City Center this month. This year's festival pays tribute to outstanding female artists. The...

The return of Foray Foret.(new york notebook)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... One of the most mysterious and vaporous of Trisha Brown's works, Foray Foret makes its way back into the repertoire for the Joyce season Feb. 5-10. The accompaniment is a live marching band playing outside the theater. The effect is like when...

Luis Serrano & Katia Carranza.(from the heart: DANCERS IN LOVE)(husband and wife, artistic director and dancer)
February 1, 2008... He's driven her crazy and then tried to lift her spirits with a big bouquet of flowers; she's treated him like easy prey before being swept off her feet. One day they've gone at each other like the most harried of creatures; the next, they've...

Being green: how vegan dancers can eat smart to stay strong.(your body)
February 1, 2008... Dancers' love-hate relationship with food can make eating a balanced diet a challenge. Add in the decision to become vegan, and it gets even trickier. Being vegan means not eating anything that comes from an animal source, including meat, eggs,...

Advice for dancers.
February 1, 2008... Please help! I have wide feet and very low arches. This makes pointe work extremely difficult. Is there any way to strengthen my arches and instep and create a better profile on toe? Ari Barrington, RI You need to take your foot...

Diana Vishneva mystery & mystique: she stars with top companies around the globe, but now finds artistic freedom in an evening of world premieres.
February 1, 2008... When Diana Vishneva danced the role of Titania in Ashton's The Dream, for the first time with American Ballet Theatre last summer, she offered a vision of the Fairy Queen that stopped even die-hard Ashtonites in their tracks. A creature of...

Brewing up a dance scene: UMW grads team up with local choreographers to build a collective.(University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On a given night at Danceworks in Milwaukee, you might see Elizabeth Johnson, a lush, blonde, ballet-trained mother of three, put on her heels and lingerie and turn pole-dancing into a feminist art. Dani Kuepper, the...

The telling gesture: on his centennial, companies rediscover the subtle power of Antony Tudor.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The first time I encountered Antony Tudor, he was sitting in front of the rehearsal studio of the Joffrey Ballet. He was overseeing the reconstruction of his Offenbach in the Underworld, the underbelly of and...

Wunder kids: child prodigies in dance.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Within each dancer lies the story of her talent--how she discovered it, how a teacher fostered it, how it grew within her. It may take years before talent is revealed. But occasionally a student's raw ability is so...

Great tiny troupes: five little companies taking big strides.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Sometimes the big companies get all the attention, so Dance Magazine decided to highlight five great troupes that come in much smaller packages. With 10 or less dancers, they may be tiny, but that doesn't mean they...

Make an impact: audition looks they won't forget.(style)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... In a room of talented dancers you need an edge to stand out. Confidence in how you look can make all the difference. Clothing that showcases your personality is one way to boost your selfesteem and get noticed. Love how you look in purple? Wear...

Auditions guide 2008.(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Nothing feels quite like an audition. There's the heart flutter when the director looks you up and down, making notes on her clipboard, and the sinking in your stomach when you hear your number didn't make the cut....

Audition advice: tips from the top.(AUDITIONS GUIDE 2008)
February 1, 2008... Dance Magazine asked eight artistic directors and choreographers COwhat they look for in auditioning dancers. Good technique is a must, but passion and intelligence can get you a long way, Dolan, Rachel Leigh Andy Blankenbuehler,...

The ins and outs of audition etiquette: what not to do.(AUDITIONS GUIDE 2008)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Are you trying to land your first job, but keep getting cut right off the bat? Perhaps you're hitting a nerve without even knowing it. Don't save your great performance for when your number is called. Get noticed as soon as you walk in the...

Mental moxy: how to keep your focus despite audition distractions.(AUDITIONS GUIDE 2008)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a cramped holding room, after applying the final coat of mascara and stretching and shaking out jilters, you feel ready (if nervous) Ill approach the task ahead: the next stab at a gig. You walk into the audition...

Auditions anecdotes: even the pros get nervous.(AUDITIONS GUIDE 2008)
February 1, 2008... Think that only newcomers get overwhelmed at auditions? Think again. Even the pros have an array of tales, both triumphant and disastrous. The most successful dancers are the ones who prepare for anything and are willing to do everything. And...

The extra step: how one dancer chased her dream.(AUDITIONS GUIDE 2008)(Kara Brosky)
February 1, 2008... The surest way to ace an audition is to be a fabulous dancer. But sometimes it's pure perseverance that lands you a contract. "Auditions can be really discouraging," says Kara Brosky of Richmond Ballet. "But if you want it badly enough, you...

Dance Magazine auditions guide 2008.(AUDITIONS GUIDE 2008)(List)
February 1, 2008... Employment UNITED STATES ALABAMA Alabama Ballet Audition date: Mar 15, Birmingham AL Style: ballet Audition includes: ballet, pointe Fee: $15 Bring: dance photo, headshot, resume Videos accepted ...

No Way Home: A Cuban Dancer's Story.(Brief article)(Book review)
February 1, 2008... No Way Home: A Cuban Dancer's Story Carlos Acosta. London: HarperPress, 2007. 336 pages. Illustrated. 20 [pounds sterling]. (Not available in the U.S.; order through www.amazon.co.uk.) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In this autobiography,...

Frederic Franklin: A Biography of the Ballet Star.(Book review)
February 1, 2008... Frederic Franklin: A Biography of the Ballet Star Leslie Norton with Frederic Franklin. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2007. 227 pages. Illustrated. Paper. $45. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Elegant and charming, Frederic Franklin...

Traces of Light: Absence and Presence in the Work of Loie Fuller.(Book review)
February 1, 2008... Traces of Light: Absence and Presence in the Work of Loie Fuller Ann Cooper Albright. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2007. 229 pages. Illustrated. $75. Paper. $27.95. The Returns of Alwin Nikolais: Bodies, Boundaries, and...

Ready for anything: Boston Conservatory students learn to switch up the styles.(teach-learn connection)
February 1, 2008... The atmosphere in Studio One at The Boston Conservatory is what you might expect from a well-worn, old New England building: polished dark wood, high ceilings, and windows looking out to brick alleyways. But the dance students fill the room...

Improving port de bras.(THE NEXT LEVEL)
February 1, 2008... Literally translated from the French, "port de bras" means "carriage of the arms." When you recall your favorite dancers, port de bras is often a distinguishing feature that elevates their artistry. Think of the classical simplicity of Margot...

Ballet classes for all.(ACROSS THE FLOOR)(New Ballet Ensemble and School)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Tucked away within a once-dying section of Memphis, TN, New Ballet Ensemble and School is bringing dance opportunities to children unable to afford training. NBE seeks out talented students regardless of their ability to pay, with the intent of...

Class notes.(ACROSS THE FLOOR)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Principal dancers from ge Ballet du Senegal, Mariama Basse and Babacar N'Diaye, traveled to L.A. to teach master workshops in West African dance Nov. 14 and 16 at The Dancers' Studio. One of the several styles they taught was Sabar, a feminine,...

Mary Anthony: bringing theater back into the art of dance.(teacher's wisdom)(Interview)
February 1, 2008... Living legend Mary Anthony moved to New York at age 17, and with $25 in her pocket set out to become a dancer. She was awarded a scholarship to study at the Hanya Holm School, and later joined Holm's company and became her personal assistant....

Tyne Stecklein: a quick study with a strong work ethic, this commercial dancer has made strides in Los Angeles.(on the rise)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With crisp delicacy and a soft, pliant quality in her movement, Tyne Stecklein weaves in and out of a tricky showcase piece at the L.A. Dance Magic national competition in Las Vegas. Her long limbs seem to stretch...

YouBroadway: the magic of musical theater online.(on broadway)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the interviews accompanying the telecast of the 2000 Tony Awards, Kathleen Marshall characterized the ineffable something that distinguishes Broadway musicals from every other kind of theater. She called it a...

Paris Opera Ballet.(Dance review)
February 1, 2008... Opera Bastille, Paris October 5-November 10, 2007 Review by Karyn Bauer-Prevost [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Despite the volatile atmosphere that plagued the early weeks of the Paris Opera Ballet season, including paralyzing...

American Ballet Theatre.(Dance review)
February 1, 2008... New York City Center, NYC October 23-November 4, 2007 Review by Astrida Woods In a way, there are two American Ballet Theatres. There is the company of opulent, full-length story ballets that performs for two months each spring at...

Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal.(Ten Chi)(Dance review)
February 1, 2008... UCLA Live at Royce Hall, Los Angeles November 9, 2007 Reviewed by Victoria Looseleaf After an absence of nearly a decade, the great German empress of NeoExpressionism returned to Los Angeles with the North American premiere of her...

Moiseyev Dance Company.(PREVIEW)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The year 2008 marks two anniversaries for the Moiseyev Dance Company--the 70th of its founding and the 50th of its first American tour at the height of the Cold War. This was the first of the great folkloric troupes to reach these shores, and...

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana.(PREVIEW)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Using the passionate language of flamenco, Pilar Andujar's new Carmen: El Baile premieres on Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana's 25th-anniversary tour. This version, directed by Rafael Lopez-Barrantes, turns Carmen into a woman with a will to...

What's in a name?(RANT & RAVE)(black dance)
February 1, 2008... ... And while we are on the subject of Black History Month, there is something I would like to get off my chest. We are well into the first decade of the new millennium; the Internet has effectively shrunk the world to the size of a marble by...

Maurice Bejart (1927-2007).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Maurice Bejart, born in Marseille, was always a figure of controversy. In continental Europe and Russia he was considered one of the major figures of 20th-century dance, comparable to a Balanchine or an Ashton. But...

Igor Moiseyev (1906-2007).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... One of the most successful folk dance choreographers of the 20th century, Igor Moiseyev died in November. He lived a long life--over a century--which was probably just as well, as he packed into it three or four careers, any of which would have...

Asako Takami (1960-2007).(DEATHS)(Obituary)
February 1, 2008... Asako Takami (1960-2007) founder of Pallavi Dance Group, died in November. The Japanese-born Takami studied the classical Indian dance form, Odissi, in Japan. She taught in the San Francisco Bay Area and performed with the California...

Schools, studios, colleges, universities, companies, teachers, choreographers, dancers, somatic practices, movement arts certification, & dance medicine.(dance finder: a career & learning resource guide)(Directory)
February 1, 2008... United States 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 ...

Stravinsky rises again.('Stravinsky Revisited' by the University of Michigan Dance Company)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The University of Michigan's University Dance Company is staging a throwback--to itself. Revitalizing their own 1989 concert idea, the preprofessional company is dedicating "Stravinsky Revisited," an entire...

A time for Tudor.(attitudes)(Antony Tudor)
February 1, 2008... Antony Tudor was an aloof man, with a sudden, shy, and twisty smile that lit up his face like unexpected birdsong on a rainy day. He was not easy to get to know, being distrustful of compliments, and with a brusque manner that sometimes...