Category: dance

Gia Kourlas: “Back [in the 1930s], protests and social justice were part of the fabric of modern dance as it met the moment of the Great Depression and the rise of authoritarianism. ‘The Dance Is a Weapon.’ That was the title of the first recital of the New Dance Group, a socially minded collective formed in 1932. For me, that period of dance haunts the time we’re living in — the pandemic, the election, the uprisings against racial injustice — like a good, progressive ghost.” – The New York Times

Brown, now 88, has been artistic director of the contemporary dance company for its entire 50-year history and, until last year, functioned as its executive director as well. Succeeding her will be the current assistant artistic director, Kim Bears-Bailey. – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Like autotuning in music, which corrects your pitch, the dance AI adjusts your images in video so you’re actually keeping up with the beat. – Protocol

For Lazuli Sky, the first new work Acosta has presented at Birmingham Royal Ballet since becoming artistic director at the beginning of this year, “we wanted a piece where nobody would touch each other and so the dancers will be wearing elongated structures” — in this case, more than six feet wide — “that are not static but are constantly moving and creating different shapes, evoking your imagination.” – BBC

“As part of the testing strategy at the National Theatre, … one person from the Bavarian State Ballet initially tested positive for the coronavirus and subsequent tests showed up five further cases. A spokesperson said, ‘The artistic staff are now in quarantine until further testing in the coming days.'” – Gramilano (Milan)

“Bubbling has gained traction in the dance world as companies and organizations try to find ways of bringing artists together to create work in a safe environment. That involves rules, medical protocols, tests and vigilance, and it requires a presiding authority to decide what those should be. Enter Dr. Wendy Ziecheck, a Manhattan internist, who trained with George Balanchine’s doctor and was the medical director for the Rockettes before taking this unlikely new career path.” – The New York Times

Chase Finlay, the former City Ballet principal who resigned just as news broke that he had shared nude photos of ex-girlfriend Alexandra Waterbury with male colleagues, has now filed an official response to her lawsuit against him. (Waterbury’s suits against the company and the male colleagues were thrown out by a judge last month.) In his filing, Finlay accuses Waterbury of everything from careerism to attempted extortion to assault and battery. – New York Post

“Bubbling has gained traction in the dance world as companies and organizations try to find ways of bringing artists together to create work in a safe environment. That involves rules, medical protocols, tests and vigilance, and it requires a presiding authority to decide what those should be. Enter Dr. Wendy Ziecheck, a Manhattan internist, who trained with George Balanchine’s doctor and was the medical director for the Rockettes before taking this unlikely new career path.” – The New York Times

KDH, an Austin, TX dance group “planned to present ‘At a Distance’ for free over the course of couple of weekends. The show would be pop-up style — informal, free and no seating would be offered. In fact, the dancers would move slowly down the lake to discourage any crowding along the lakeside. Kathy Dunn Hamrick didn’t publicize the plans widely, just a few social media posts. However, somehow, just days before the first the city’s Office of Special Events got wind of the performance plans. Stephen Pruitt and Hamrick were told they could not stage their show.” – Sight Lines

Photographer Krys Alex, on the subject, young dancer Desire’e Kelley: ““I immediately thought about Desire’e and how her face was just plastered all over social media and the internet, different news articles, and memes were created, and she had no clue. All of that really hurt me.” – Classic FM