In June's edition of Dancing Times magazine (out now) I talk to La Scala's principal dancers Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko about life as an onstage and offstage couple:
Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko are principal dancers with the Ballet of La Scala, Milan. They often dance together and are also a couple offstage – curiously, one of three couples among La Scala's eight principal dancers. ‘Nico' is from Galatina, a picturesque town south of Lecce towards the tip of Italy's heel; ‘Tima' is from Riga, the capital of Latvia on the Baltic Sea.
‘There are certainly differences in culture,' says Manni. ‘We notice it a lot, especially in our relationship with our families. In Italy we are more emotional, much more protective, they are…'
‘We seem a little colder,” says Andrijashenko. They frequently complete each other's sentences. “Yes,” says Manni, “but in reality, he has a southern soul.'
The couple are also featured on this months' cover.
Also in the current issue, Gerald Dowler visits, in some unexpected ways, some famous names of the dance world in Paris; Fátima Nollén finds out about the Mexican inspiration behind Christopher Wheeldon's new full-length work for The Royal Ballet, Like Water for Chocolate, which opens next week; and Margaret Willis talks to Kayla Collymore, who will be appearing in The Car Man with New Adventures at the Royal Albert Hall.
Dancing Times' editor, Jonathan Gray, sees three of New York City Ballet's programmes during the Stravinsky Festival 2022:
Fifty years ago, New York City Ballet (NYCB) presented a festival that marked the 90th birthday of Igor Stravinsky. Sadly, the Russian-born composer – a long-time associate and close friend of the choreographer George Balanchine – died the year before, in 1971, but the festival in his honour proved a milestone in the company's history. During a week of performances, NYCB presented no fewer than 30 ballets, 20 of which were world premieres that included Balanchine's Divertimento from “Le Baiser de la fée”, Duo Concertant, Scherzo à la Russe, Stravinsky Violin Concerto and Symphony in Three Movements. The festival also featured important revivals of works Balanchine had already choreographed to Stravinsky, including Agon, Apollo, Firebird and Orpheus. For many it was an overwhelming artistic experience, and remembered with a rosy glow of nostalgia, so when NYCB announced it was to hold another Stravinsky Festival in 2022, it was an opportunity too good to miss.
Also in the June issue…
- Tina Hughes talks to Terry Hyde about his mission to support dancers
- Dr Jacqueline Smith-Autard extends our conversations about teaching methods
- James Whitehead looks at a revered figure in the waltz
- Phil Meacham looks at promenades in the paso doble
- Simon Selmon shares his tips for going professional
- Pete Meager reviews Le Rendez-Vous de Paris
- Jack Reavely remembers his friend, ballroom champion Peter Eggleton
- Shobana Jeyasingh on creating a new work during a global pandemic
- Barbara Newman reviews a new production of Oklahoma!
- Laura Cappelle on François Alu's promotion to étoile at the Paris Opéra Ballet
- Leigh Witchel sees New York City Ballet in new works and repertoire by George Balanchine
- Jonathan Gray reviews a new biography on Bronislava Nijinska
- Debbie Malina considers the scope of work being undertaken by Scottish Ballet in helping to promote health through dance
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.
