ArtsJournal: Arts, Culture, Ideas

DANCE

Sudden Move: Oregon Ballet Theatre Ousts Artistic Director

“I was informed on Wednesday of this week that the board has decided to go a different direction in the AD role and that my resignation was required by . This was an unexpected development." - Oregon Arts Watch

Diverse Dance Companies Suddenly Have A Wealthy New Benefactor

MacKenzie Scott, ex-spouse of Jeff Bezos who was heavily involved in launching Amazon in the 1990s, gave generously to many pandemic (and perenially) cash-strapped dance companies in her latest philanthropic efforts. "This round of gifts promises to have an especially large impact on New York dance, with generous aid to some of the city’s most diverse companies. Alvin Ailey American...

The Choreographers And Dancers Of TikTok Go On Strike

At least, the Black choreographers and dancers do - following the lead of dancer Erick Lewis, who posted a massively viral video saying, "This app would be nothing without Black people." And yes, the loosely organized "strike" is having a pretty big impact on TikTok's numbers. - Washington Post

By The Bay, Bhangra Meets Bollywood And Struts It On YouTube

"Today, artists like Toor, 31, are changing the way that bhangra and other Indian dance genres are seen, creating dances meant to be consumed online in productions that resemble professional music videos. … reflects a new wave of Indian diaspora dance, a wave that has been enabled by platforms like YouTube and TikTok, and intensified during the pandemic...

A New Company To Get Retired Dancers Back Onstage

Alice Topp and Jon Buswell, resident choreographer and technical director at the Australian Ballet, have just launched a Melbourne-based troupe called Project Animo, whose roster will be made up of performers in their 30s and up who have retired from the country's major established companies. "They've learned their craft," says Topp, "they've experimented, and now they're in a place...

After 25 Years Victoria Morgan Steps Down As Director Of Cincinnati Ballet

To right the organization's financial ship she had to make tough choices early on—the first task the company's executive committee gave her was to release a third of the company's dancers. - Pointe Magazine

Pennsylvania Ballet Changes Its Name To Philadelphia Ballet

"I by no means want anyone to think we're abandoning Pennsylvania," said executive director Shelly Power. "but it's about our identity as one of the most important cities in America." - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui To Direct Geneva’s Ballet Company

Since 2015, the Moroccan-Belgian choreographer, one of Europe's most prominent contemporary dancemakers, has been artistic director of Ballet Vlaanderen in his hometown, Antwerp. At the end of next season, he will step down from that job to move to the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève. (in French; for a Google Translate version, click here) - Le Monde (Paris)

Venezuela Is Down To Just One Ballet Company, And That One Is Teetering

"Ballet Teresa Carreño in Caracas … is the last ballet company remaining in the country, a hallowed institution that was already on its last legs due to politicization, lack of resources, absence of artistic direction, and now the COVID-19 pandemic. The absence of an artistic director sits at the core of BTC's challenges. ... After being a leader in...

A New Dance Company To Mine The Experience Of Older Dancers

“It can take a long time to work out what your voice is, particularly in ballet. After 100 Nutcrackers, 100 Cinderellas, to get to a point where you can make decisions yourself is incredibly empowering.” -Sydney Morning Herald

Choreographers Test Monetizing Their Work With NFTs

One NFT has been minted for each of the three holograms. The creators will receive a majority percentage of the auction sale, along with a percentage of any secondary sales. - dot LA

Five Pioneering Black Ballerinas Speak Up

Life as a pioneer, life in a pandemic: They have been friends for over half a century, and have held each other up through far harder times than this last disorienting year. - The New York Times

Using Dance To Heal Rape Survivors In Congo

"'I started doing this because of the girls who came to us in a state of silence. They were raped at a young age and they didn't know how to express themselves. They were so withdrawn,' said Lusambo. Now the same women line up in brightly coloured leggings for her classes, where they learn to reconnect with their...

How “In The Heights” Made NYC’s Streets Dance

The last time I felt such a sense of release watching dancers spill onto the streets in a movie was in “Fame.” - The New York Times

COVID’s Toll On Argentina’s Tango Scene Has Been Heavy

"The empty, dark dance floor at the Viruta Tango Club is a symbol of the pandemic-induced crisis facing dancers and musicians of an art form known for close physical contact and exchanging partners. … Equally damaging has been the closing of borders, preventing the arrival of tourists, the main source of financing for the local tango industry. Tango tours...

Our Free Newsletter

Join our 30,000 subscribers

Latest

Don't Miss

function my_excerpt_length($length){ return 200; } add_filter('excerpt_length', 'my_excerpt_length');