Ballet.co Magazine
For January 2009

Previous Ballet.co magazine - December 2008
Next Ballet.co magazine - February 2009

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Quick Links for this magazine
Interviews, Features, In the Galleries, Reviews, Postings Reviews, External Reviews, Photographic Copyright and Credits

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Ballet.co Looks Back on 2008



Reflections on 2008
in London
Lynette Halewood with some recollections on what amused, entertained, irritated, stuck in the memory or unexpectedly faded from it. Also add your own thoughts to the forum thread on 2008


Reflections on 2008
Outside of London
Ian Palmer with his picks of the last year. Also add your own thoughts to the forum thread on 2008


2008 Quiz of the Year
Jane Simpson with a whole bunch of questions about ballet and dance this last year. Answers next month...

Ballet.co 2008 Poll of the Year...


Details
Vote Here
See Results Here

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Interviews and Features


Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur
Senior Principals
English National Ballet
Jeffery Taylor talks to 'Tom & Ag', the most enduring and much loved of dance partnerships, about their recently announced retirement and plans for the future...


Deborah Bull
Creative Director,
Royal Opera House
The high powered Deborah Bull was a guest of the Ballet Association back in July 2008...


Perm State Ballet
'Don Quixote' DVD
Charlotte Kasner: "...the icing on the cake is provided by the casting of Nina Ananiashvili... This DVD provides ample proof that it is not just the Bolshoi that have preserved much of Petipa at his finest as well as being an opportunity to see two major dancers at their absolute finest."


Kirov Ballet
'Raymonda' DVD
Ian Palmer: "It is a master-class (by Irina Kolpakova) in classical purity and essential viewing (together with her Aurora, available on Warner Classics) to anyone interested in the art of ballet."


Kirov/Bolshoi
'Russian Ballet Highlights' DVD
Ian Palmer: "Do not expect anything original ...but as an entry point into the repertory of Russia’s two great ballet companies, it is ideal. It is a snapshot of the Kirov (as it was then) and the Bolshoi of the 1980’s and of its dancers whose names are now passing into legend."


Demelza Parish
and Sabina Westcomb
of the Royal Ballet

The two Royal Ballet Artists were guests of the Ballet Association back in September 2008...


Igor Moiseyev
& His World of Dance
"Igor Alexandrovich Moiseyev (1906 - 2007) was one of the most inventive choreographers of the twentieth century, with a lifespan that encompassed some of the greatest upheavals of modern history. He was perhaps not as feted internationally as he deserved..."


The Astonishing Moiseyev Dance Company, Vols. 1 & 2
Charlotte Kasner: "This collection of some of Moiseyev's most famous dances is a must for any serious collector..."


Claire Wright
Athlete and new Cirque du Soleil dancer
The Olympic trampolinist talks to Graham Watts about dance and a new career...



Capturing Tango...
What makes a good tango image? Carole Edrich speculates as some of her own tango photographs go on exhibition...

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Diaries and weblogs


Madame Galina weblog...
The Queen's Spiel...: '‘Also at Christmas we think of doing good. Well, you might; I’m too busy with the Cava, jumbo single Quality Streets and having arguments with myself while watching black and white films. ‘No, that isn’t Deanna Durbin: she’s not dressed as a nun or swinging round pillars singing Mozart’s Alleluia…’"   (Weblog Home)


Dane Hurst weblog...
Phoenix Dance Theatre
'Our fascination with all things “BLACK”'...
"Another fascinating event that has come to my attention in relation to all things black, is the near extinction of the ‘black truffle’, a super ingredient in modern ‘fancy pants’ cuisine. This truffle, in all its glory is subject to the terms: overused, overpriced and over consumed." and a poem too...
(weblog home)


Rym Kechacha weblog...
In August 2008 Rym joined Northern Ballet Theatre after training at the Central School of Ballet in London and where she kept a weblog for us - great to see her continue to write as she joins her first company.
'The party season!!'
"This stage (at Leeds) is raked, so I’m both dreading the prospect of turning (or generally trying to stand upright), and excited for the challenge- the constant threat of tumbling into the orchestra pit is one thing that can spice up anybody’s life!" (weblog home)

Weblog writers
Carole Edrich
Daniel Jones
Jarkko Lehmus

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In the Galleries

Currently our Images Gallery contains about 5200 images.


Royal Ballet
The Nutcracker
London, Covent Garden
photographed by John Ross


English National Ballet
The Nutcracker
London, Coliseum
photographed by Dave Morgan


Will Tuckett / ROH2
The Thief of Baghdad
London, Linbury
photographed by John Ross

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Reviews
Ballet.co reviews entered between 01/12/2008 and 31/12/2008 are included here...

Danish Reviews

Royal Danish Ballet

'Cinderella (Askepot)': Jane Simpson

"...I don't think the piece works as a whole. Rushton writes of combining the expressiveness of his own style with the stylistic perfection of the ballet; I would prefer to see ballet's own expressiveness properly developed and used."

'Onegin': Jane Simpson

"No company can perform miracles every night, but if the company is a good one there is always some pleasure to be found even in a run-of-the-mill performance. That's what I was thinking in the first interval of the Royal Danish Ballet's Onegin; what I'd forgotten was to add 'and anyway you never know what may happen next', and what did happen was that half way through the next scene the evening exploded into life and turned into one of the finest accounts of John Cranko's four-handed drama..."


German Reviews

Mariinsky Ballet (Kirov)

'Swan Lake': Azulynn

"Ulyana Lopatkina – is there anything that hasn't been written about her Odette/Odile? The Queen is now supposedly past her prime, and yet, in Baden-Baden, she stepped on a foreign stage and delivered an astonishingly moving Swan Lake, brushing aside all concerns. Her spirituality opens up layers of emotion, and on that particular day of December, she combined it with a surging eagerness to tell the story."

'Apollo, Glass Heart' bill: Azulynn

"The famous lack of predictability of the Mariinsky can also be, at times, a source of unexpected delights. Such was the case when I opened the program of Glass Heart and found out, five minutes before curtain up, that the company had added an appetizer to the schedule: Balanchine's Apollo. A welcome treat – especially for whoever was then to sit through the latest work of Kirill Simonov."

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French Reviews

Paris Opera Ballet School

'Demonstrations de l'Ecole de danse (School Presentations)': Ian Palmer

"But the utmost joy was in Roxana Barbacaru's danse de caractère class and a complete performance of the Czardas from Raymonda (currently being presented by the Opéra company on that same stage). Gypsy manners, Hungarian swagger, all aflame in true caractère fashion. What dance, what artistry is being shown by these young dancers!"


Paris Opera Ballet

'Raymonda': Don Q fan

"In Emilie Cozette, POB only fielded 1 etoile which I thought was a bit poor, but the castings for the whole run were generally lacking in etoiles. I don't think I will rush to see a full length Raymonda again I'd rather see a good Swan Lake for more action and a proper story."

'Raymonda': Mara Xan

"I had the opportunity to see few times all the different casts... Maria Alexandrova who is guesting from Bolshoi brought to the show a very different view. She is quite a personality and it shows in her dancing. She gives a lot in a very natural and simple opened character, a bit like Dorothée Gilbert, while the others seem more ethereal for some or more polished. In one word, she shines."

'Raymonda, Homage to Bejart': Janet McNulty

Homage to Bejart: "The afternoon finished off with a fabulous performance of Rite of Spring. I really found this programme to be fulfilling and enjoyable."

more reviews in Postings Reviews section

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USA Reviews

San Francisco Ballet

'Giselle': Oksana Khadarina

"Tomasson's staging of Giselle offers many pleasures: fascinating choreography, eye-pleasing costumes and handsome decorations, but what really make this production work are the dancers themselves. For me, the main attraction of the San Francisco Ballet's Giselle was the exceptional quality of dancing, and on opening night, the performance of all ranks was truly awe inspiring."

'The Four Temperaments' bill: Oksana Khadarina

"Within the Golden Hour is an exotic dance for seven couples, unveiled in three distinctive movements. It vividly displays Wheeldon's signature elements: elegant, slow-motion lifts, off-centered holds, sculptured poses and spacious jumps."

'The Nutcracker': Renee Renouf

"San Francisco Ballet's new production provides thoughtful touches to enhance the story line. LeBlanc was consistently gracious, presenting the choreography with self-effacing amplitude. Boada provided nicely-pitched partnering; to see them essay supported pirouettes and the running leap with LeBlanc ending on Boada's right shoulder was twice a breath catcher."

'The Nutcracker': Renee Renouf

"The (TV) format expands on the connection between the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition and the Nutcracker setting in San Francisco, and does so handsomely, before and after."


Boston Ballet

'Cinderella': Carla DeFord

"For many in the audience of the Boston Ballet production of Cinderella choreographed by James Kudelka, the highlight of the show occurred in Act II when Cinderella descended from the fly space in a huge, brilliantly lit pumpkin to arrive at the ball. The true turning point (all possible puns intended) in this production, however, comes in Act I..."


Atlanta Ballet

'The Nutcracker': Pamela Gaye

"Having seen many Nutcrackers, I was mesmerized by the cohesion of McFall's conception, definitely a tribute to the challenge and the timelessness of the Nutcracker tale as archetype."


Oakland Ballet

'The Nutcracker': Renee Renouf

"Michael Morgan conducted a superior rendition of the Tchaikovsky score while the audience, and the All Stars provided an impromptu atmosphere to the production, managing to reach out and embrace the audience, and reminding one, verily, Oakland Ballet is a community institution."


Nashville Ballet

'The Nutcracker': Pamela Gaye

"...a work that is truly Nashville's own. Among sparkling performances through which are evoked a multitude of childhood visions, the company's reinvention of this Christmas classic assures us of Nutcracker's constant potential for newness and reinvention."


Smuin Ballet

'The Christmas Ballet': Renee Renouf

"There is little doubt that 'The Christmas Ballet' is formulaic, despite the new additions by Viktor Kabanaiev, Val Caniparoli and Ami Seiwart. It also was obvious most of the audience were also repeat and strong admirers of this pleasant, if predictable Bay Area addition to the solstice seasonal diversions."


ODC Dance

'The Velveteen Rabbit': Renee Renouf

"I had a passing impression that Woody Allen might take off on one of his special flights from ODC's imaginative holiday gift to wintertime."


Santa Rosa Dance Theater

'The Nutcracker': Renee Renouf

"The find of the performance was Benjamin Behrends, blond, fifteen; he has been studying just three years, but has all the makings of a danseur noble in bearing, proportions and demeanor in addition to his appreciable technical accomplishment."

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Italian Reviews

La Scala Ballet

'La Bayadere': Susy

"...the third evening showed a polished ballet, with a cdb well tuned, led by three stars at their best, an invigorating audience: miles from the opening show and less than a micromillimeter from perfection."

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Hong Kong Reviews

Hong Kong Ballet

'Giselle': Natasha Rogai

"As Giselle, Leung gave a deeply-felt performance, radiant in her portrayal of first love, moving in the mad scene, with detailed, natural acting and moments of great beauty in her dancing. Her Albrecht, Huang Zhen displayed some beautiful dancing in his solos, with clean, precise beats and a pleasing sense of ease..."

'Giselle': Kevin Ng

"The Hong Kong company's corps de ballet of wilis ...has never danced better. Zhang Yao danced ardently as Albrecht. A minor quibble is that his landings after jumps could have been less noisy. Jin Yao in the title role had an iron-clad technique."

'The Nutcracker': Kevin Ng

"Keshyshev is definitely the most talented male classical dancer the Hong Kong Ballet has had since I first saw the company in 1992."

'The Nutcracker': Natasha Rogai

"Now in its twelfth year, Stephen Jefferies' production of The Nutcracker for Hong Kong Ballet has become a Christmas tradition in itself. This version of the ballet offers plenty of magical effects and comedy for children while catering to adults with demanding choreography, Peter Farmer's beautiful designs and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta's spirited playing of Tchaikovsky's score under Ormsby Wilkins..."


City Contemporary Dance Company

'No End': Natasha Rogai

"This ensemble piece was beautifully performed by the whole company and it was good to see the younger dancers making a strong impression alongside the company's veterans."

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Singapore Reviews

Singapore Dance Theatre

'The Nutcracker': Celine Tan

"Firstly, one would like to say, kudos to the Sugar Plum Fairy couples. Watching the choreography and one could only imagine how demanding the work is. This Grand Pas de Deux was, in one's opinion, Sleeping Beauty Grand Pas with Swan Lake Grand Pas, along with Don Quixote Grand Pas and the normal Nutcracker Grand Pas mixed together."

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UK Reviews

Royal Ballet

'Ondine': Jane Simpson

"Like Sylvia it can look a near-masterpiece one night and a piece of pretty triviality the next; the opening night of this season's run hovered somewhere between the two, with much to like but raising too many niggling doubts to be counted as a success."

'Ondine': Jeffery Taylor

"Rojo's Ondine, allegedly on the sea bed mourning over her lover's corpse, whom she killed with a kiss, is a heartbreaking triumph of the suspension of disbelief."

'Ondine': Wulff

"A remarkably fine performance last night by Ansanelli as Ondine, and one that marks a new stage in her development as an artist. She has really mastered the details of the role..."

'Ondine': Paul Arrowsmith

"Despite my dissatisfaction with the staging and performances some glimmers of what make Ondine special shine through. Ashton's use of the corps in the big ensemble scenes is deceptively simple but very imaginative and dramatic. Seeing more of his works more regularly in recent seasons has revealed his mastery of writing for the corps."

'Ondine': Diandri

"On the dancing front I really loved what Tamara Rojo was doing with the role & choreography as she really does make a little go a very long way, but she must find the role trying in that there's so little dramatic material for her to work with."

'The Nutcracker': Jeffery Taylor

"A staggering 28 years old, this piece has been tweaked by Wright over the years until an aura of near perfection dazzles the audience into a sort of rapture and probably broken the record for five star reviews."

'The Nutcracker': Jane Simpson

"A nice enough evening, but I'd have enjoyed it a lot more if I could have ignored the fussy interpolations of Drosselmeyer and his protegés in the second act, and didn't feel the want of something deeper in Yoshida's interpretation, and could have skipped over the limp Spanish dance and the caricatured grandparents and the lack of any sense of menace from the furry little mice. Loved the tree, though."

'The Nutcracker': Wulff

Choe/McRae debut: "I thought that the Grand Pas went extremely well. I have seldom seen such an assured debut from any couple."

'Draft Works': Bruce Marriott

"I decided at the outset I would try: 1) Marking each piece out of 5, 2) Trying to put down 3 words that seemed to sum it up for me. In the event it proved difficult just to stick to that but here are my short-form notes..."

'Draft Works': Wulff

"This was a very interesting evening. Although some of the pieces were more successful than others, all of them reached an acceptable standard, and all were well danced. ...This was a very interesting evening. Although some of the pieces were more successful than others, all of them reached an acceptable standard, and all were well danced."

more reviews in Postings Reviews section


Birmingham Royal Ballet

'The Nutcracker': Ian Palmer

"It is a production the BRB company dances as if by right, and whilst one might grumble about certain laziness concerning the classical manner in the Snowflake and Flower waltzes, it would be churlish to do so..."

more reviews in Postings Reviews section


English National Ballet

'The Sleeping Beauty': Jeffery Taylor

"But last Thursday's performance would have gone nowhere without Klimentova. Blessedly free of ballet cliché or pantomime cuteness, as the child Princess Aurora coming of age, her youth is in her vulnerability, her impeccable technique has a free flowing natural grandeur but best of all, from the moment she first appears Klimentova connects effortlessly with her audience. She deserved every cheer and more."

'The Sleeping Beauty': Diandri

"I saw last nights show & was generally absolutely delighted with everything about the performance as it somehow just "works" & is very satisfying. ...Aurora was Fernanda Oliveira who has a lovely physique & great technique. She was a very believable Aurora & I thoroughly enjoyed her dancing."

'The Sleeping Beauty': Carmela

"Sarah McIlroy gave a nice performance without being outstanding, assured and tasteful, not too showy. I was also very impressed with the corps dancing and smaller divertissements - they looked more on top of the corps work than the RB corps do..."

more reviews in Postings Reviews section


Matthew Bourne

'Edward Scissorhands': Jeffery Taylor

"It all seems so much better than on first viewing three years ago. ...Scissorhands is probably Bourne's keenest and simplest thought through vision. ...Bourne avoids the pitfall of sorting it all out for us, just leaving in our memories a bright, brittle and witty evening's entertainment."

'Edward Scissorhands': Bruce Marriott

"All these delights can dazzle on occasion but, as involving and compelling dance theatre, I find Scissorhands curiously sterile for much of the time. It seems a heresy to say it but I think Bourne needs to think about adding a choreographer to his list of collaborators!"


Will Tuckett/ROH2

'The Thief of Baghdad': Bruce Marriott

"Without doubt it's Matthew Hart that steals the show as the King of the Mountains - the biggest baddie and slime-ball you can imagine and inclined to lick people to taste their fear. He is a fine speaker of lines..."


'The Thief of Baghdad': Jeffery Taylor

"Less collaboration and a lot more Tuckett perhaps could tighten things up."


Robert North for Birmingham Rep

'The Snowman': Graham Watts

"A show doesn't run in the West End at Christmas for eleven consecutive years without having got the formula exactly right and, for parents with young children ...this is certainly the festive show to see with every nuance of Raymond Briggs' storyboard faithfully reproduced in live action."


Northern Ballet Theatre

'The Nutcracker': Janet McNulty

"I am so glad that I finally got to see Martha Leebolt as Sugar Plum. It has been a pleasure over the past few years to see her develop into such a wonderful dance actress. She imbues even the tiniest gesture with meaning..."

more reviews in Postings Reviews section


The Cholmondeleys and the Featherstonehaughs

'Russian Roulette': Libby Costello

"Perhaps not on the same shelf as a Dostoyevsky classic, Russian Roulette still held it's head up high, giving an ideal form of escapism from the drab grey winter streets."


Cloud Dance Festival

'Cloud Dance Festival Trilogy: Spoke': Libby Costello

"Spoke relied heavily upon pedestrian movement and gestures, intertwined into rigid passages performed mainly in unison."


Martial Dance

'Cloud Dance Festival Trilogy: Yin Yang': Libby Costello

"This company is one to watch - especially when tackling alternate concepts and themes."


Tempered Dance Company

'Cloud Dance Festival Trilogy: Tag Along, Landing': Libby Costello

"The central duet between Johnny Autin and Melanie Simpson maintained the same chemistry as in the earlier work Tag Along, with similar lifts reappearing."

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Postings Reviews section
Paris Opera Ballet 'Raymonda': Stuart Chalmers
Royal Ballet 'Ondine': Paul Williams
Royal Ballet 'The Nutcracker': Graham Watts
Royal Ballet 'The Nutcracker': Paul Arrowsmith
Royal Ballet 'The Nutcracker': DaveM
Birmingham Royal Ballet 'The Nutcracker': Janet McNulty
English National Ballet 'The Sleeping Beauty': Michael LL
English National Ballet 'The Sleeping Beauty': Don Q fan
Northern Ballet Theatre 'The Nutcracker': Janet McNulty

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External Review Links
Each day Ballet.co scour the world for Review links (and news and interviews ones too) and put them in our database along with our own reviews. You can see the last few days' links on the:
TodaysLinks page

In the period from 1 December to 31 December (last update of this page) we have 265 links for you.

Alternatively try searching for exactly what you are after with our: Reviews Advanced Search page

All our links list dancer details, a full list of pieces performed and a brief quote that gives the flavour of the review. Sadly not all papers maintain their links and so we cannot absolutely guarantee any particular URL. Enjoy, and if you think we have missed a review do send us a link.

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Photographic Copyright and Credits

All photographs are copyright and cannot be taken and/or used elsewhere. Click on an image to be taken to the associated page where appropriate credits are stated.

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