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Dancing Times

The Dancing Times on when a dance critic is a critic no longer

8 January 2023 by Gramilano 1 Comment

The Royal Opera House auditorium c 2016 ROH. Photograph by Sim Canetty Clarke

The following is a delightful extract from the ‘comment’ section of The Dancing Times from April 1960 on an incident at the premiere of Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal Gardée on 28 January 1960 at The … [Read more...] about The Dancing Times on when a dance critic is a critic no longer

Dame Beryl Grey: an obituary by Mary Clarke

12 December 2022 by Gramilano 6 Comments

Beryl Grey as the Lilac Fairy as photographed by Gordon Anthony for the 1946-1947 season brochure of Sadler's Wells Ballet at The Royal Opera House

Beryl Grey, who has died at the age of 95, was a ballerina, director, administrator, and patron of many dance organisations, who had a distinguished international career but was quintessentially a … [Read more...] about Dame Beryl Grey: an obituary by Mary Clarke

The end of an era – the last issue of Dancing Times is published

27 August 2022 by Gramilano 3 Comments

Dancing Times

The last ever issue of Dancing Times magazine has been published, the September 2022 edition, after 112 years of uninterrupted work in communicating all things dance to its readership. Jonathan … [Read more...] about The end of an era – the last issue of Dancing Times is published

In the July edition of Dancing Times magazine…

5 July 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing Times cover July 2022 photo by Francette Levieux

In the July edition of Dancing Times magazine, my Danza in Italia column talks about La Scala Ballet’s exciting new dancer Alice Mariani as she comes to the end of her first season with the company. I … [Read more...] about In the July edition of Dancing Times magazine…

Promotions at La Scala Ballet announced with Alice Mariani as new Principal Dancer

4 July 2022 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Emeralds-by-George-Balanchine-Alice-Mariani-Marco-Agostino

The International Competition organised by Teatro alla Scala for awarding the posts of prima ballerina, soloists, and corps de ballet has been announced. Happily, as I predicted in the current … [Read more...] about Promotions at La Scala Ballet announced with Alice Mariani as new Principal Dancer

Dancing Times’ June 2022 issue features La Scala’s Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko

27 May 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko outside La Scala in Milan © Graham Spicer

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 … [Read more...] about Dancing Times’ June 2022 issue features La Scala’s Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko

Dancing Times, May 2022 issue

1 May 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

LES ÉTOILES 2022 - Sergio Bernal and Calvin Royal III in Touché © Graham Spicer - 2947

In the May issue of Dancing Times, I write in the Danza in Italia column about the Rome performance of Touché, a lockdown creation for American Ballet Theatre by Christopher Rudd. The European … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, May 2022 issue

Dancing Times, February 2022, out now

1 February 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing Times cover 2022-02 crop

The February 2022 edition of Dancing Times looks at two new productions that jumped through a few hurdles before finally getting before an audience: Jonathan Gray reviews English National Ballet’s … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, February 2022, out now

Dancing Times October 2021 edition

2 October 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Jacopo Bellussi and Alessandro Frola in Peter and Igor, Stravinsky's Love © Graham Spicer_1

The end of an era The current edition of Dancing Times magazine features the last “Notes from New York” column from Jack Anderson, who has been contributing to the magazine for 50 years. He's … [Read more...] about Dancing Times October 2021 edition

Dancing Times magazine’s August 2021 edition with Danza in Italia and queer representation in ballet

2 August 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

47 Danza in Italia - August_crop

Dancing Times’ latest edition is out, and the Gramilano Danza in Italia column talks about Carla Fracci’s appearance in a 12-part televised documentary series about La Scala’s ballet company at a time … [Read more...] about Dancing Times magazine’s August 2021 edition with Danza in Italia and queer representation in ballet

UK’s National Dance Awards announced

28 June 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The Cellist. Marcelino Sambe and Lauren Cuthbertson. ©ROH, 2020. Photographed by Bill Cooper. (6)

This year’s National Dance Awards were announced yesterday at a streamed event from Cervantes Theatre in London. The NDA Chair, Graham Watts, paid tribute to Liam Scarlett who was nominated six … [Read more...] about UK’s National Dance Awards announced

Nominees for the UK’s National Dance Awards 2021 are announced

8 May 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Onegin with Francesca Hayward as Olga and Matthew Ball as Lensky © ROH, 2020. Photographed by Tristram Kenton

The nominees for the 21st National Dance Awards 2021 have been announced by the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle. The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the announcement of awards and award … [Read more...] about Nominees for the UK’s National Dance Awards 2021 are announced

February’s Dancing Times shows Roberto Bolle uncovered

29 January 2021 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

DTCover

The latest issue of Dancing Times is now on sale. In it, I talk to Roberto Bolle – “Bolle Uncovered”. In a frank interview, (with photos by Andrej Uspenski), he talks about his insecurities, getting … [Read more...] about February’s Dancing Times shows Roberto Bolle uncovered

December’s Dancing Times features Manuel Legris, Eleonora Abbagnato, and other delights

29 November 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Manuel Legris - Dancing Times, December 2020

The latest issue of Dancing Times is now on sale. The December 2020 issue ends the year when the magazine celebrated its 110th anniversary, and even with the cancellation of so many shows the world … [Read more...] about December’s Dancing Times features Manuel Legris, Eleonora Abbagnato, and other delights

Dancing Times, the world’s oldest dance magazine, celebrates 110 years

1 October 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing-Times-logo-1

1910 saw George V ascend to the throne, the trial and execution of Dr Crippen, the publication of E M Forster’s Howard’s End and the birth of Alice Marks, later Alicia Markova, the country’s first … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, the world’s oldest dance magazine, celebrates 110 years

Dancing Times, May Edition with the Danza in Italia column

7 May 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Danza in Italia, May 2020 spread

Life is challenging, but Dancing Times soldiers on, as it has done for 110 years, more than any other dance publication. In all that time, even during world wars, it has never missed publishing an … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, May Edition with the Danza in Italia column

Free reading from Dancing Times – the complete archive is available from 2000

1 April 2020 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing Times

Dancing Times has opened up the last 20 years of its archives to all until 7 April. The monthly magazine has its think pieces, reviews, articles about technique, dance’s past and present, but I … [Read more...] about Free reading from Dancing Times – the complete archive is available from 2000

Dancing Times features a countertenor on its cover: Jakub Józef Orliński talks about breakdancing

27 October 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

2019 11 Dancing Times cover

The cover for the November issue of Dancing Times features countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński. I interviewed him a couple of days before his Glyndebourne Festival debut singing the title role in … [Read more...] about Dancing Times features a countertenor on its cover: Jakub Józef Orliński talks about breakdancing

Dancing Times, November 2019 edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Sleeping Beauty at La Scala and Pink Floyd in Verona

22 October 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

2019 11 Dancing Times social media extract

The latest issue of Dancing Times magazine (out on Friday) contains a double-page spread dedicated to the Gramilano 'Danza in Italia' column reviews, with a look at Rudolph Nureyev's Sleeping Beauty … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, November 2019 edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Sleeping Beauty at La Scala and Pink Floyd in Verona

Dancing Times, September edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Woolf Works at La Scala and a Glass triple bill in Rome

28 August 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing Times 2019 09 Danza in Italia

The latest issue of Dancing Times is out tomorrow. In September’s issue, I cover Wayne McGregor’s “amazing” Woolf Works at La Scala with Alessandra Ferri giving a “frighteningly intense” performance … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, September edition – with Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column including Woolf Works at La Scala and a Glass triple bill in Rome

Dancing Times, May edition – including Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column reviewing world premieres of Winterreise and Carmen

26 April 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing Times May 2019 Danza in Italia crop

Dancing Times’ May issue is out now, with a glorious cover featuring Margot Fonteyn – the only dancer to be given the title prima ballerina assoluta by The Royal Ballet – who was born 100 years ago on … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, May edition – including Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column reviewing world premieres of Winterreise and Carmen

Four Auroras – Fonteyn, Sibley, Jenner and Park with The Royal Ballet in 1972

22 April 2019 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Fonteyn 1946 47 Season Presentation Brochure crop

Philip Hope-Wallace was the music, theatre and dance critic for The Guardian from 1959 until he died, twenty years later. The obituarist in The Times called him "a critic of the arts as wise and … [Read more...] about Four Auroras – Fonteyn, Sibley, Jenner and Park with The Royal Ballet in 1972

Dancing Times, February edition – including Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column with La Scala’s new Nutcracker

29 January 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing Times February 2019 crop sm

Cover girl for the February edition of Dancing Times is Ballet Black’s Isabela Coracy, photographed by Angela Zaremba, who is the Dancer of the Month. It was announced recently that Ballet Black will … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, February edition – including Gramilano’s Danza in Italia column with La Scala’s new Nutcracker

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

25 October 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing Times November 2018

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 … [Read more...] about Danza in Italia column returns in the latest issue of Dancing Times

Dancing Times, August 2018 out now – including latest Danza in Italia column

29 July 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Dancing Times August 2018 cut down

The latest Dancing Times magazine is now on sale. The August 2018 issue contains my latest Danza in Italia column with thoughts on the new Le Corsaire by Anna-Marie Holmes at La Scala, with company … [Read more...] about Dancing Times, August 2018 out now – including latest Danza in Italia column

Promotions at La Scala Ballet Company: Martina Arduino, Virna Toppi and Timofej Andrijashenko become Principals

1 March 2018 by Gramilano 2 Comments

La Dame aux Camélias, with Timofej Andrijashenko and Nicoletta Manni, photo by Brescia e Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 2017 01

The official announcement will be made soon, but Martina Arduino, Virna Toppi and Timofej Andrijashenko are promoted as Principal Dancers of La Scala's Ballet Company. Gramilano is particularly happy … [Read more...] about Promotions at La Scala Ballet Company: Martina Arduino, Virna Toppi and Timofej Andrijashenko become Principals

Ahmad Joudeh: from a Syrian refugee camp to dancing with Roberto Bolle

1 December 2017 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Ahmad Joudeh dancing in Palmyra

Ahmad Joudeh was born and raised in the Yarmouk refugee camp, near Damascus. His family is of Palestinian origin — "my grandfather, like so many others, arrived in Syria in 1948" — and yet remarkably, … [Read more...] about Ahmad Joudeh: from a Syrian refugee camp to dancing with Roberto Bolle

From Noverre to Chauviré: A dancer must have a real depth of culture

5 November 2016 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Lettres sur les arts imitateurs Noverre

If you read November’s edition of Dancing Times (and I strongly recommend that you do!), the magazine’s Talking Point column has some musings by Gramilano on the importance of dancers being informed … [Read more...] about From Noverre to Chauviré: A dancer must have a real depth of culture

To Carla Fracci, on your 80th Birthday, from your colleagues and friends

20 August 2016 by Gramilano 23 Comments

Today is the 80th birthday of the Italian ballerina, Carla Fracci. She was born in Milan on 20 August 1936. To celebrate we asked fellow ballerinas, as well as actresses and designers she has worked … [Read more...] about To Carla Fracci, on your 80th Birthday, from your colleagues and friends

Nominees announced for the 15th National Dance Awards

3 November 2014 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle has announced the nominations for the 15th National Dance Awards. The Critics' Circle is composed of five sections: Music, Theatre, Film, Dance and Visual … [Read more...] about Nominees announced for the 15th National Dance Awards

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GRAHAM SPICER

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. I was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. My scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times. I write the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.

You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or follow my Facebook page.

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