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DANCE

Is The Australian Ballet Fighting Back Against Body-Shaming? Or Just Being Pissy About A Very Negative Review?

Artistic director David Hallberg and others are indignantly rebuking The Sydney Morning Herald, saying that "critique of dancers' bodies" is "not acceptable." The sentence in question: "The dancers are fabulous, although – and perhaps this was the lighting – (they) seem unusually thin this season." The assessment of the choreography, however, is blistering. - The Guardian

You’re In College Getting A BFA In Dance. How Much Do Good Grades Matter?

"Rather than exams and essays, the studio classes that make up the bulk of BFA programs evaluate students on less tangible benchmarks like artistry, technique, and performance. How much weight are BFA programs really putting on grading — and how much do students’ grades matter during, and after, their time in college?" - Dance Magazine

When Benjamin Millepied Choreographed A Gender-Neutral “Romeo And Juliet”

You'd expect any controversy to be over his decision to have dancers leave the auditorium and perform around the building while cameras transmit their movement to an onstage screen. But no, discussion in France (in 2022!) centered on the variable-gender casting. Millepied says, "They were talking about it on gameshows." - The Guardian

New Visions For Broadway Choreography

This broader vision of theatrical choreography is worth noticing and applauding. - The New York Times

When Real Estate Developers Actually Help Dance Companies (Yes, It Can Happen!)

"It's true that developers’ motives are rarely altruistic: Many have found tax and other benefits to pairing up with dance companies. And not all of these unusual developer–company marriages have been entirely happy. Still, participants in four recent partnerships say their deals have offered remarkably good solutions to longstanding problems." - Dance Magazine

The Choreographer Of Bridgerton

"I’d rather take people to a place where they have to be very brave through a terminology that they’re used to, rather than a terminology that scares the pants off them. I would ask them what would they like to nonverbally portray to the audience." - Dance Magazine

Why Gregory Dolbashian Up And Moved His Dance Company To Dallas

"In the four years since making the seemingly counterintuitive decision to leave his native New York for Dallas — moving his DASH Ensemble dance company along with him — the former child actor, born risk-taker and master networker has become a go-to collaborator on the Dallas dance scene." - The Dallas Morning News (MSN)

She’s Been Lighting Contemporary Dance In Downtown Manhattan For 46 Years

Carol Mullins, now 85, has been designing and operating the lighting for Danspace Project since 1978. "When people ask her why she has stayed there so long, she replies that she’s still learning, 'and there’s a new set of problems every couple weeks.'" - The New York Times

Silent Disco And What We’ve Learned About The Power Of Moving Together

So what does the “silent disco” phenomenon tell us about dance? Researchers have used it to study social dynamics, finding that it interferes with the social bonding effects of dance. Silent disco may even help us to better understand the evolution of musicality and our rhythmic abilities. - The Conversation

When ESPN Meets Mark Morris Dance Group

"The new ESPN+ series 'Tryouts,' … tracks some of the country’s most intense tryouts and auditions. Rather than focusing exclusively on traditional sports, many episodes highlight more niche groups: a Monster Truck competition, Long Beach Lifeguards tryouts, the USA curling team," and, in this case, open auditions for Mark Morris. - Dance Magazine

Nikolaj Hübbe To Step Down As Artistic Director Of Royal Danish Ballet

Hübbe, who became a major star during his 18 years as a principal at New York City Ballet, returned to his homeland in 2008 to lead the national ballet company. He will depart from his current position when his contract expires in 2026. - DR (Denmark) (via Google Translate)

The Ballet Of Elvis Presley

Choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa: “He seemed caged because of the fame he encountered at a very young age. … I decided to make a mosaic portrait of his persona, music, inspirations, beliefs and struggles. Ultimately, fame alienated him from reality and destroyed him.” - Bay City News

Does The Life Of Broadway Dancers Depicted In “A Chorus Line” Still Ring True Today?

There aren't many open calls anymore; the first audition today is usually a self-shot video. Otherwise? "Please, God, I need this job" is as true-to-life as it was 50 years ago. The difference nowadays, says one former dancer, is that "we’re trying to make the industry a better place." - The Guardian

Why The Twin Cities’ Leading Dance Venue Closed Down

"Reasons for the closure (of the Cowles Center) … include the lingering financial effects of the pandemic shutdown, lower ticket sales since 2020, and changes­ in funding priorities from both individual philanthropy and the education world. But the biggest factor? The owner of the building." - Dance Magazine

Study: A Neuroscience Technique To Learn Choreography

The technique uses a wave-like visualization of model dancers, enabling learners to anticipate and execute dance moves without prior rehearsal. - Neuroscience News

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