Dance Magazine articles from July 2007

Dance Magazine archives from July 2007

Curtain up.(Editorial)
July 1, 2007... When I was a teenager, the other girls reached puberty way before I did, leaving me with no curves whatsoever. A bunch of us were auditioning for the part of Spanish dance in The Nutcracker, and I guess I didn't look--or feel--very womanly....

Past princesses.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... In our May issue, we talked to some of our favorite Auroras about what it's like to dance the role in Sleeping Beauty. Then some readers shared whom they love: My favorite Aurora was Andrea Vodenhal, with Houston Ballet (1974-1984). She...

Elo's insights.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... Thank you for the article on Jorma Elo ("Something in the Way He Moves Them," April 2007). I was inspired, especially reading about the value of curiosity and constantly questioning one's self and choices. It was great to learn Elo's thoughts...

No faun.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2007... When I saw the picture of Craig Hall and Janie Taylor doing Afternoon of a Faun ("Reviews," May), I was elated. Finally an African American dancer does Robbins' Faun. It might have been done before, but as far as I know this is the first time...

Corrections.(Letters)(Correction notice)
July 1, 2007... In June's "Studio Supplement," American Harlequin's web address was incorrect. The complete address is www.harlequinfloors.com. In "Vaganova in Indiana" (May Teach-Learn Connection), Alyona Borisovna Yakovleva teaches at the Russian Ballet...

A different angle.(VITAL SIGNS)(former dance choreographer)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Those who can dance, do. And those who have danced and are looking for a second career sometimes turn to photographing the subject they love. That's what Keiko Guest has done. After dancing with the Louisville Ballet and Ruth Mitchell Dance...

Festivals all around.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... There is no shortage of celebrations in Belgrade. There are annual festivals for film, theater, summer, music, books, and beer, and this Serbian city added dance to that list a few years ago. This April, the fourth annual Belgrade Dance...

Argentine festival at ADF.(VITAL SIGNS)(American Dance Festival )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Argentina isn't just about tango anymore-the country's dance artists are filling the ranks of the modern dance world too. During a mini-Argentina festival July 5-10, the American Dance Festival will bring four U.S. premieres: Argentina's...

Dancing for Diana.(VITAL SIGNS)(Princess Diana)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The English National Ballet was Princess Diana's favorite company. This year marks the 10th anniversary of her death, and in loving memory of their mother, Princes William and Harry are throwing her a party. They've invited the ENB-Princess...

One for the money, two for the show.(VITAL SIGNS)(Ballet San Jose )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... In March Ballet San Jose strapped on their saddle shoes, slipped into poodle skirts, and sock-hopped back in time in Dennis Nahat's Blue Suede Shoes (1997). Set to 36 of Elvis' greatest hits (including "Jailhouse Rock," below), the ballet takes...

Ring my bell.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Mark Morris Dance Group usually dances to Handel and Lou Harrison, but in April they moved to a different tune-the sound of the New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell. The NYSE invited the company in honor of Morris' Metropolitan Opera...

Ohad's patchwork.(VITAL SIGNS)(Ohad Naharin)(Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet has finally found a project worthy of its terrific dancers. The company will be performing Ohad Naharin's Decadance (right), a collage of 10 dances made over a period of 20 years. Naharin, artistic director of...

The sport of dance.(VITAL SIGNS)(ODC Dance )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The age-old rivalry of dance vs. sports took center stage at "Toe to Toe," a competition to find out who rules when it comes to strength and endurance. The teams? ODC Dance and UC-Berkeley (Cal). The events included a three-legged race, the...

The diva's Frug.(VITAL SIGNS)(Beyonce Knowles)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Beyonce's music video "Get Me Bodied," choreographed by Frank Gatson and Rhapsody James, is a tribute to Bob Fosse's "Rich Man's Frug" (from '60s classic Sweet Charily) and a sexy affirmation of hip hop traditions. "Get Me Bodied" brings the...

Spray on.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Aerosol hairspray may be bad for the environment, but you can never have enough of it in a musical. Hairspray, the cult classic John Waters flick-turned-Broadway musical, is getting a makeover and hitting the screen again this month. The...

Dance Magazine photo contest: and the winners are ...(VITAL SIGNS)
July 1, 2007... In January we asked amateur dance photographers to share their best shots for our photo contest. We got hundreds of fantastic entries! Sorting through them was difficult; we couldn't pick just one. So, without further ado, here are our top...

Anniversary gallery postmodern dance covers.
July 1, 2007... IN THE 1960s AND '70s artists like Merce Cunningham, Twyla Tharp, Trisha Brown, and Yvonne Rainer broke the rules of dance composition. They performed everyday movement, defied the theme-and-variation format, and danced on walls. Because the...

Ballet for every-body: a Pittsburgh company sees past stereotypes.(DANCE MATTERS)(Bodiography Contemporary Ballet)
July 1, 2007... Maria Caruso refused to hang up her pointe shoes just because she didn't conform to the stick-thin classical ballet stereotype. Instead, she created a ballet company that defied ballet's body barriers. The Pittsburgh-based Bodiography...

Bates Dance Festival celebrates 25th anniversary.(DANCE MATTERS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The sprawling campus of Bates College is in full bloom during Maine's adventurous summer dance festival. While there is plenty to see onstage, there's also a lot going on around the college grounds, like site-specific works in a field or in...

Audience & experts disagree; Milwaukee Ballet's competition nurtures new choreographers.(DANCE MATTERS)(Milwaukee Ballet Company)
July 1, 2007... Usually in a competition, the judges judge, and you have a winner. But at Milwaukee Ballet's 2nd Genesis International Choreographic Competition last March, things got a little complicated. After the visiting "experts" voted, another...

San Francisco Ballet.(COMINGS AND GOINGS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... After nine years, GONZALO GARCIA, principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet, will leave the company. He will perform with Christopher Wheeldon's new company this summer and fall. Also at SFB, SARAH VAN PATTEN and RACHEL VISELLI have been...

Houston Ballet.(COMINGS AND GOINGS)
July 1, 2007... Houston Ballet has promoted IAN CASADY and AMY FOTE to principal dancers. Casady has been with the company since 1998, and Fore since 2005.

Orlando Ballet.(COMINGS AND GOINGS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... ISRAEL RODRIGUEZ has resigned from Orlando Ballet. He has been a member of the company since 2000, and was previously a member of Ballet de Monterey.

Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education.(COMINGS AND GOINGS)
July 1, 2007... Former New York City Ballet principal dancer MARGARET TRACEY is the new associate director of Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education.

Ballet West.(COMINGS AND GOINGS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... ADAM SKLUTE former co-artistic director at the Joffrey Ballet, is the new artistic director at Ballet West. MARK GOLDWEBER, the Joffrey's ballet master, has also joined the staff at Ballet West.

Ballet Pacifica.(COMINGS AND GOINGS)
July 1, 2007... After more than 50 years, BALLET PACIFICA of Irvine, CA has closed due to a lack of funding.

Jeanine Durning.(GRANTS AND AWARDS)
July 1, 2007... The Herb Alpert Foundation has awarded $75,000 to five artists of different disciplines, including Brooklyn-based dancemaker JEANINE DURNING,

Joe Goode, Koosil-Ja, Dianne McIntyre, Annie-B Parson, and RoseAnne Spradlin received Guggenheim Fellowship awards for choreography.(GRANTS AND AWARDS)
July 1, 2007... JOE GOODE, KOOSIL-JA, DIANNE MCINTYRE, ANNIE-B PARSON, and ROSEANNE SPRADLIN received Guggenheim Fellowship awards for choreography. The foundation has awarded $7,600,000 to 189 artists.

DD Dorvillier, Clarinda Mac Low and Roseann Spradlin received $25,000.(GRANTS AND AWARDS)
July 1, 2007... DD DORVILLIER, CLARINDA MAC LOW and ROSEANN SPRADLIN received $25,000 grants from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts.

Molissa Fenley.(GRANTS AND AWARDS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... MOLISSA FENLEY received the Rome Prize, which includes a stipend, studio, and room and board at the American Academy in Rome to work on a dance project, The Pattern of the Surface.

In May, the 16th annual Lester Horton awards honored ANDREI Tremaine former dancer with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.(GRANTS AND AWARDS)
July 1, 2007... In May, the 16th annual Lester Horton awards honored ANDREI TREMAINE former dancer with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo; ALLEGRA FULLER SNYDER, teacher, choreographer, dancer, and dance historian; ALFRED DESIO, the creator of Zapped Taps who died...

Sprawl to the wall.(NEW YORK NOTEBOOK)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... With an Emerald-City-meets-Star-Wars sensibility, the Ballet National de Marseille's thrilling production of Metapolis II comes to the Lincoln Center Festival this month. A collaboration between artistic director Frederic Flamand (the...

Process Italian style.(NEW YORK NOTEBOOK)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... One of the most exotic and spare ballets of recent months appeared courtesy of the Works & Process program at the Guggenheim Museum in March. Cincinnati Ballet showed three short works by Italian choreographer Luca Veggelti, all with live music...

Fire Island heats up.(NEW YORK NOTEBOOK)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... One of the biggest bashes of the year, the Fire Island Dance Festival raises hundreds of thousands of dollars each summer for AIDS services. Long considered the signature event of Dancers Responding to AIDS, the proceeds go to almost 500 AIDS...

What is energy? Views from different parts of the dance world.(Mind your BODY)
July 1, 2007... Energy is an elusive concept, and yet it is a part of our daily lives. Low energy can manifest in the form of fatigue, whereas high energy can cause hyperactivity. Some dancers have a calm but powerful energy, others have frenetic agitated...

Advice for dancers: former New York City Ballet dancer Linda Hamilton, Ph.D., is a psychologist, a wellness consultant for NYCB, and the author of Advice for Dancers (Jossey-Bass). She has offered advice to Dance Magazine readers since 1992.
July 1, 2007... I'M A DIRECTOR OF A PROFESSIONAL BALLET COMPANY WHO'S STYMIED BY THE LOW SELF-ESTEEM OF TWO OF MY DANCERS, IN SPITE OF THEIR UNDENIABLE TALENT AND MY POSITIVE INPUT AND STEADY SUPPORT. I WANT TO SUGGEST THERAPY, PARTICULARLY FOR ONE DANCER WHO...

How slow can you go? Visual artist David Michalek turns his slow-motion camera on leading dancers.
July 1, 2007... This month, 44 gigantic dancers will take over the Lincoln Center Plaza. Climbing up the side of the New York State Theater, these figures of Godzilla-like proportions are not something to fear, but rather to marvel at. Dance legends like Bill...

Bodies that beat the odds: dancers of unconventional shapes and sizes talk about the challenges they face.(BODY TALK: dancers on healthy bodies, healthy minds)
July 1, 2007... Nearly a century ago Sigmund Freud declared. "Anatomy is destiny." Today's "Extreme Makeover" culture, where rampant cosmetic surgeries are performed to attain instant ideals of beauty, tends to belie that notion. But in the world of dance,...

Reflections on the mirror: six teachers on when you should--and shouldn't--look.(BODY TALK: dancers on healthy bodies, healthy minds)(Donna Silva, Stephanie Saland, William Whitener, Gus Solomons Jr., Augusta Moore, Janet Panetta)
July 1, 2007... You enter the studio, drop your bag, and find your place at the barre. As you switch sides during your initial stretch, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. But that glance is often far from casual, and what crosses your mind in that...

The secret of my recovery: dancer Kim Okamura shares some lessons she and others have learned about coming back from an injury.
July 1, 2007... I was a second-year corps member when I hurt my knee. One minute I was rehearsing William Forsythe's In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, and the next I was sitting in San Francisco Ballet's third-floor P.T. office with my knee under a bag of ice,...

Dwana's abs, Maria's legs, Irina's back, Larissa's arms: 4 top dancers talk about how they keep all body parts expressive.(BODY TALK: dancers on healthy bodies, healthy minds)(Irina Dvorovenko, Larissa Ponomarenko, Dwana Smallwood, Maria Kowroski)
July 1, 2007... Dancers constantly evaluate--and criticize-various parts of their bodies, while envying those of their idols. They may crave Dwana Smallwood's carved abs, Larissa Ponomarenko's lithe arms, Maria Kowroski's powerful legs, or Irina Dvorovenko's...

The spring in their step: dancers on their favorite floors.(DM STYLE)
July 1, 2007... Dance floors are quiet caretakers. They're a studio's most important feature. And they definitely take a beating! Dancers push, fall, and slide across their surfaces. But even the best floors wear out eventually and might need replacing. Some...

Push-button fitness: DVDS that help dancers stretch and tone.(DANCE MAGAZINE RECOMMENDS)(digital video disks)
July 1, 2007... As a dancer who works at a full-time office job, I've got to get physical whenever and wherever I can. Whether I'm in a hotel room stuck between the bed and the TV or sneaking into an office conference room to do some stretches, I'll do...

Performing with the pros: young dancers gain professional experience with national companies.(TEACH-LEARN CONNECTION)
July 1, 2007... Nervous excitement smelled like hairspray in the children's dressing room of the Kennedy Center Opera House, where two dozen girls waited for their call to places. After their costumes were buttoned and zipped, and lipstick applied, all these...

Luigi, Gus Giordano, and Matt Mattox: jazz masters.(TECHNIQUE)
July 1, 2007... With syncopated hip, rib, and head isolations, jazz dance doesn't ignore the body's sexiness. It puts it front and center. The high-decibel energy trumpets cool confidence, regardless of whether the movement is lyrical, hard-edged, or silly....

Afro-fusion master class.(ACROSS THE FLOOR)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... With intensity worthy of the stage, Vincent Mantsoe explodes in high-kneed jumping, seemingly defying gravity. He infects the room with energized warmth as he pulses to the sound of drumbeats. An internationally awarded choreographer,...

Works and workshops.(TEACH-LEARN CONNECTION)
July 1, 2007... Politicians and dancers aren't usually the coziest of couples. But on March 19 a group of elected officials and community leaders in Maryland were treated to a Laban workshop. Karen Bradley, a dance professor at the University of Maryland, and...

Teacher's wisdom: Edward Ellison.(THIS MONTH)(Interview)
July 1, 2007... Former San Francisco Ballet soloist Edward Ellison is the "go-to" teacher for young dancers looking to polish their technique and artistry. He opened his own school, Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program, in New York two years ago after...

Christine Shevchenko: regal yet strong, the ABT Studio Company member has captivated critics and audiences.(On the Rise)(American Ballet Theatre )
July 1, 2007... The first thing about Christine Shevchenko that commands your attention is her carriage. Regal yet approachable, she can tell an entire story with her expressive torso and lithe arms. But that's just a start. The lovely Ukrainian-born (but very...

On Broadway: newcomers, perhaps, but the Grease reality show winners aren't novices.
July 1, 2007... Practice, practice, practice. That was the ultimate message of You're the One That I Want, the 12-week exercise in hyped-up television that resulted in the casting of Laura Osnes and Max Grumm as Sandy and Danny in the new Broadway...

San Francisco Ballet.
July 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO BALLET WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA JANUARY 24-MAY 6, 2007 On the eve of its diamond jubilee, the San Francisco Ballet has found itself in what may be a period of epochal transition. The diet remained as varied...

BJM_Danse.
July 1, 2007... [BJM_DANSE] THE JOYCE THEATER, NYC APRIL 17-22, 2007 Louis Robitaille's troupe, formerly known as Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, sailed into The Joyce Theater sporting its new, cyber-cool name--[bjm_danse]--and two New York premieres. Guest...

Preview: Manchester International Festival.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The northern city of Manchester, England, will be set alight July 13-14 in a blaze of Cuban culture. The Caribbean island's greatest male dancing export, Carlos Acosta, and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba's prima ballerina Viengsay Valdes team up...

On the web.
July 1, 2007... Read reviews of the Bolshoi Ballet, Matthew Bourne's Edward Scissorhands, Donald Byrd's premiere for Dance Alloy, Ballet Memphis, and much more at www.dancemagazine.com.

Preview: CityParks Dance 2007.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... From Brooklyn to the Bronx, CityParks Dance outdoor series is bringing the heat--and it's free! The festival, which takes place in public parks throughout NYC, kicks off July 14 with Ron K. Brown/Evidence and Nadia Dieudonne & Feet of Rhythm,...

De Strooper returns home.(Transitions)(Paul De Strooper )(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Oregon Ballet Theatre dancer Paul De Strooper was headed for a BA in French at the University of Victoria when he discovered ballet and abandoned the scholar's life for the stage. Now, after a 14-year performing career with the Royal Winnipeg...

Michael Smuin (1938-2007).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Dancer, choreographer, and company founder Michael Smuin died in April at 68. He began his dancing career at the University of Utah, studying with Willam Christensen. Lifelong friend and then roommate Finis Jhung remembers him as enthusiastic...

Gnapa Beatrice Kombe (1971-2007).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A revolutionary figure in the African contemporary dance scene, Gnapa Beatrice Kombe died in February from kidney failure. She was 35. Kombe co-founded the all-female Compagnie TcheTche (the name means eagle; the company is from the Cote...

Walter Nicks (1925-2007).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... After a career spanning six decades and many continents, dancer, choreographer, and legendary teacher of modern, jazz, and Dunham technique Walter Nicks died in April. Born in Pittsburgh, Nicks often credited a persuasive sister and his...

Dorothy Hershkowitz (1945-2007).(DEATHS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Beloved teacher, choreographer, and dancer Dorothy Hershkowitz died of ovarian cancer in Boston in April at 62. Born in New York and educated at the University of New Hampshire, with graduate studies at NYU and Ohio University, she trained in...

United States.(DANCE FINDER: A CAREER & LEARNING RESOURCE GUIDE)(Directory)
July 1, 2007... 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...

River dance.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Alabama Dance Theatre opens their season this month with the Alabama River as their backdrop. Professional guest artists from the Southeast join ADT dancers to present free outdoor performances in "Stars on the Riverfront" July 29-30 in...

International.(DANCE FINDER: A CAREER & LEARNING RESOURCE GUIDE)(Directory)
July 1, 2007... 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...

Somatic practices, movement arts, and dance medicine.(DANCE FINDER: A CAREER & LEARNING RESOURCE GUIDE)(Directory)
July 1, 2007... Certification and training in somatic and movement-based arts. Contact: dcastro@dancemagazine.com AERIAL DANCE/ ACROBATIC/CIRCUS ARTS LAVA HOME STUDIO / BROOKLYN, NY Acrobatics & trapeze emphasizing strength, flexibility,...

Attitudes.
July 1, 2007... What do we find funny, and why do we so rarely find it in dance? I don't want to be serious here, and start pounding out theories from Henri Bergson's celebrated treatise on laughter, but it is strange that so much of physical humor, a humor...