Greetings from Tokyo!
June 8, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
Japan is a balletomane’s paradise: plenty of local and visiting ballet companies, glitzy guest stars (some of them are here on a regular basis) and, of course, the best in ballet merchandise. In the trendiest Tokyo districts flagship dance stores sell premium quality dancewear and ballet shoes, along with – for those more intent on watching ballet than taking class – DVDs, books and glossy magazines like Danza.
During my stay I’ve been surprised by the sheer number of local ballet companies, the quality of their productions and the material they create and distribute to promote them. Generally available at theatre foyers ...
Roberta Marquez & Steven McRae: Dancing Cheek to Cheek
May 21, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
As the 2009/2010 Royal Ballet season nears its final stretch we send it off in style. To celebrate Balanchine’s glittery Symphony in C which closes the season together with McGregor’s Chroma and Wheeldon’s Tryst, we invited principal dancers Roberta Marquez and Steven McRae to talk to us and pose for a Fred-and-Ginger photo shoot. We were in luck as they adore vintage movies and fashion. They meet us at the ROH’s Traviata room dressed to rival Betty and Don Draper; Roberta in a stunning Betsey Johnson fuchsia cocktail dress and stiletto heels, Steven in an elegant dinner jacket and polka ...
On Melancholy Hill
May 18, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
The Royal Ballet’s 2009/2010 season is coming to a close. In the first of two final mixed bills audiences had the opportunity to see a new work by an exciting young choreographer. Bookended by Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet-meets-art-installation Electric Counterpoint and Mats Ek’s irreverent Carmen was Asphodel Meadows, Liam Scarlett’s first ballet for the ROH main stage. After critically acclaimed pieces for the Linbury Studio and Royal Ballet School, we were rather curious to see what Scarlett would create in a big space. Here are our collective thoughts:
Marianela Nuñez, Tamara Rojo and Laura Morera in Liam Scarlett's ...
Concerto
March 24, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
Is this ballet for you?
Go If: Sweeping & romantic Pas de Deux and the Swiss precision of a great corps de ballet are your bread & butter, especially when there are no tutus in sight.
Skip If: You are more at ease with narrative MacMillan. Concerto is MacMillan threading Balanchine territory.
Dream Cast
First movement: Steven McRae and Laura Morera. Good allegro a must.
Second movement: Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg or your favourite power couple.
Third movement: Zenaida Yanowsky or any Balanchine Long Tall Sally.
Steven McRae in Kenneth MacMillan's Concerto. Photo: Johan Persson / ROH ©
History
Kenneth MacMillan went to Berlin in 1966 ...
All These Things That I’ve Done
March 22, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
Rudolf Nureyev. Photo: Pressens Bild/Scanpix ©. Source: Wikipedia
On Sunday evening some of the biggest stars in the ballet world descended upon London’s Coliseum to pay homage to Rudolf Nureyev who would have been 72 years old last week (March 17). Throughout his dancing career Nureyev had a varied repertoire and it would be, of course, impossible to cover all of it or even a large enough chunk in one single tribute. So no trace of Giselle, Romeo and Juliet or even Ashton’s Marguerite and Armand. Instead quite a few loosely connected homages to the Soviet legend along with the usual ...
Romeo and Juliet Roundup
March 21, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
The event? A marathon of Romeos and Juliets at Covent Garden. The challenge? To see almost every cast combination available. The result? A ballet with the feel of one of those great cinematic experiences you just want to prolong. And so for our Roundup this time we decided to match each of these performances to the narrative style of a movie director we admire. If you are as obsessed about ballet as we are or if you are a film buff and would like to explore ballet, here’s an opportunity to choose your perfect “Romeo and Juliet movie”:
Alina Cojocaru + ...
Fun That We Have
March 12, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
Over the past few weeks the big ballet companies have been all over social media flaunting their new seasons, in some cases with fabulous, state of the art, trailers (like San Francisco Ballet and Dutch National Ballet). Hot on their heels and conspicuously earlier comes The Royal Opera House: their next ballet and opera season is wrapped and announced well before the arrival of spring.
There’s one catch though: we’re missing the casting details for the autumn ballets which used to be provided at the same time. While we wait for them, many tweets are being exchanged about dream casts ...
The Royal Danish Ballet
March 5, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
Tradition and heritage are strong words but they fit The Royal Danish Ballet like a glove. They are one of the oldest classical dance troupes in Europe and direct descendants of the Bournonville lineage. With a repertoire that also includes the most prominent choreographers of the 20th century, the Danes have much to be proud of with their home Company.
The Theatre
Combining opera, drama and ballet, The Royal Danish Theatre has long been considered the cultural heart of Copenhagen. Danish theatrical tradition can be traced back to the 18th century and Ludvig Holberg’s comedy series in the Commediehuus (Comedy House) in ...
An Interview with Kim Brandstrup
February 19, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
A few days before we set off for Copenhagen we had the opportunity to chat to UK based Danish choreographer Kim Brandstrup. Kim has consistently produced innovative, modern pieces using non-linear narrative. His film-school background is a visible influence on his style, with plenty of shifts, cuts and stories that are open for personal interpretation. Goldberg, his 2009 project with Royal Ballet Principal Tamara Rojo has just been nominated for an Olivier Award (Best New Dance Production) but the main focus of our conversation was Rushes, Fragments of a Lost Story a piece Kim created for The Royal ...
Have It All
January 12, 2010 · Posted by The Ballet Bag ·
New year, time to update our calendars and balletic schedules. In this post we share our essential ballet picks for 2010. With many of our favourite dances and dancers, plus so many companies stopping by London, we are feeling like seven-year-olds at large in a candy store. The difference being that ballet candy is somewhat more costly (our pockets bleed already and it’s only January). Now that you know where we’ll be going make sure to stop us and say hi.
January – Febuary
While Romeo and Juliet is sure to keep us warm from the Artic conditions outside, we are heading ...
