Jean-Guillaume Bart, former Étoile at the Paris Opera Ballet, created his version of The Sleeping Beauty for the Yacobson Ballet Theatre in St Petersburg in 2016. His POB colleague Eleonora Abbagnato — currently both an Étoile in Paris as well as director of the Rome Opera Ballet — asked him to adapt it for Rome last year. Some of it works, some does not. He has opened up many … [Read more...]
Dancing Times, August 2018 out now – including latest Danza in Italia column
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 dancers Nicoletta Manni, Timofej Andrijashenko, Martina Arduino and Mattia Semperboni. The theatre also dedicated a series of evenings to Rudolf Nureyev to mark the 80 years since he … [Read more...]
James Hobley, Britain’s Got Talent’s autistic dancer, now 19 leaves ENB’s school to join Scottish Ballet
James Hobley, first known to the general public as a Britain’s Got Talent finalist in 2011, has graduated from English National Ballet School and has a contract to start his professional career with Scottish Ballet. I wrote about his story three years ago, because it is extraordinary and reads like a fable. Here is the beginning of that article about James becoming a … [Read more...]
Meeting Alice Bellini, winner of English National Ballet’s People’s Choice Award 2018
Alice Bellini, who graduated from The Royal Ballet School last year, has won this year’s People’s Choice Award at the annual Emerging Artists competition held by English National Ballet to promote its new talent. The People’s Choice Award is voted for by audience members so represents how an artist communicates with the public. This is my first season with English National … [Read more...]
Covent Garden Dance Company director Matt Brady on his company and its dancer Mara Galeazzi
The Covent Garden Dance Company was founded in 2006 by its director Matt Brady. Twelve years later, the blurb on its site proudly states, The Covent Garden Dance Company is renowned for taking beautiful and unique locations around the world and creating a stunning 400 seat dinner theatre. We pride ourselves on our reputation of creating programmes that are beautiful and … [Read more...]