Category: dance

So of course there are floats and princesses and the requisite Disney Doing Disney Things going on with the Magic Happens parade, but: “The stars of Magic Happens are the dancers, significantly elevated from their traditional role revving up the crowd with upbeat moves between set pieces. The 90-or-so performers are graced with heavily theatrical choreography, which at times borders on interpretive dance. In turn, Magic Happens possesses a keen awareness of dance as a language.” – Los Angeles Times

The San Francisco Ballet School is facing an unpleasant reality for its dancers – and (finally, say some) changing up the way it operates. “For the San Francisco Ballet to operate both a school and a full-service dorm — with plans for healthy food service and in-residence physical therapy to meet the needs of dancers — might set a new standard.” – San Francisco Chronicle

Well, Tom Steyer did drop out after the South Carolina primaries, but it will be hard to forget what happened onstage the night before: “At a Friday night rally at historically black Allen University in Columbia, Steyer was joined onstage by Juvenile for a rendition of the rapper’s 1999 hit, ‘Back That AzzUp.’ Though the candidate did wield a mic, he largely left the verses to the pro (Steyer’s wife and daughter served as backup dancers). Footage of the spectacle was suddenly everywhere, in tweets, retweets, social media and news stories.” – Los Angeles Times

The African nation is getting prosperous enough to begin (slowly) offering state funding to the performing arts. One beneficiary of this development is Mophato Dance Theatre, which combines traditional Botswanan dance with contemporary movement vocabulary. (video) – BBC

Charlotte Vanweersch alleges that the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds hadn’t taught her how to properly lift a partner as heavy as the one she was assigned for a “throwing and lifting” routine and that she suffered serious shoulder and neck injuries as a result. She is asking the court to award her up to £500,000 in damages. – The Times (UK)

“That’s because what Robbins created wasn’t just a series of dances, however peerless, but an overarching view of how, beyond anything else, movement could tell a story,” writes Gia Kourlas. Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s choreography for Ivo van Hove’s new Broadway staging “is part of a larger vision that renders it extraneous or, worse, inconsequential.” – The New York Times

Exploring the context in which the ballets arose offers insight into their complexity, and helps us question contemporary assumptions about the choreography, librettos, and music that have survived. By pairing imagination with historical awareness, we can rediscover the experiential aspects of dance and music and gain insight into these arts as we practice them today. – San Francisco Classical Voice

And it’s not just the Trockaderos and Cinderella’s mean stepsisters, either. Gilbert Bolden of New York City Ballet, James Whiteside of ABT, Bennet Gartside of The Royal Ballet, and Raffaele Morra of (yes) the Trocks talk about how and why guys dance on their toes. – Dance Spirit

“Unthinkingly defending one’s powerful friends has real-life consequences. What [illegally fired dancer Karline] Marion, and other dancers who may find themselves in a similar situation, will take away from this letter is that there is no winning against a well-connected director. Even if you gather the necessary evidence, play by the rules, and wait, the people you most admire may still call you crazy and obfuscate.” – Dance Magazine

The dancers, including lead dancer Wu Husheng, aren’t finding it easy to train and rehearse with masks on. “Wu, 33, says he can normally train for an hour at a time, but he feels breathless in just 20 minutes with the mask on.” The dancers have seen more than 30 of their performances, especially abroad, canceled, and some dancers can’t get out of quarantines to return to Shanghai. – Reuters