Danza in Italia column returns in the latest issue of Dancing Times

The latest issue of Dancing Times magazine, November 2018, is being shipped to newstands as I write.

The new Danza in Italia column looks at Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote at Teatro alla Scala, with important debut performances from Timofej Andrijashenko, Martina Arduino and Marco Agostino, and with Nicoletta Manni returning as Kitri; Jacopo Tissi comes home to dance again on La Scala's stage with his present company, the Bolshoi Ballet, in La Bayadère, paired with the exciting new ballerina Alyona Kovalyova (aka Alena Kovaleva); and Vladislav Lantratov in the Bolshoi's The Taming of the Shrew who showed up as a surprise substitution a couple of days later as Marianela Nuñez's prince in The Sleeping Beauty in Rome.

Dancing Times editor, Jonathan Gray, writes,

We tackle a difficult subject in this month's health column, written by Debbie Malina, which focuses on informing readers about some of the main organisations and services offering help, support and information for anyone experiencing problems with their mental health. It is shocking to discover that suicide is the leading cause of death among young people in the UK.

This became particularly apparent to me personally following the loss of a family member last year, and the guidance the article offers seems relevant to dancers of all types, some of whom struggle with growing levels of stress, anxiety and lack of self esteem.

Also in this issue Nicola Rayner meets the UK's top level Para Dance Sport couple, Paula Moulton and Gary Lyness, also known as Strictly Wheels; Margaret Willis talks to Dancer of the Month, English National Ballet's Daniel McCormick; Daniel Pratt writes about the inspiration of World Ballet Day; and Fátima Nollén explores the role of classical ballet in Mexico.

There are 21 pages of dance reviews from the UK and around the world, as well as the sad news of the closure in 2020 of the Richard Alston Dance Company, and Rachel Rist answers the question, “When can I go on pointe?”

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.