Spring is in the air, and performance calendars are (dare we say it?) almost as busy as they ever have been, if still largely housed on the internet. This mix of online screenings, outdoor events and indoor performances for limited audiences caught our eye this month. Caged In Stefanie Batten Bland’s Kolonial Maria Baranova, Courtesy […]

In 2007, Oregon Ballet Theatre asked Nicolo Fonte to choreograph a ballet to Maurice Ravel’s Boléro. “I said, ‘No way. I’m not going near it,’ ” recalls Fonte. “I don’t want to compete with the Béjart version, ice skaters or the movie 10. No, no, no!” But Fonte’s husband encouraged him to “just listen and […]

It might seem like the majority of the American dance world moves to Vail or Jacob’s Pillow for the month of August, but there’s plenty to see elsewhere. From Royal Ballet dancers appearing in an intimate New York City theater to a new musical based on a Disney animated classic, here are the shows we […]

“Ballet,” said George Balanchine, “is woman.” Throughout his long choreographic career, he placed the ballerina at the center of the action, and all eyes were on her. There are numerous examples, from Mozartiana to Theme and Variations, Square Dance and Chaconne. In this sense, Balanchine was carrying on the tradition of Marius Petipa and other […]

Whether you’re a 2018 grad, a current student or you’ve been in the field for years, commencement speeches offer advice and encouragement for all of us. And when they’re given by dance luminaries, even better. Last Friday, Liz Lerman addressed the class of 2018 at Bennington College, and her inspirational message—that’s candid and even comical […]

  Ballet Hispanico in Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Sombrerisimo. Photo by Paula Lobo, Courtesy Ballet Hispanico.   Anchored in the old, hungry for the new, contemporary ballet is a style that remains ambiguous. It allows the body to careen off balance and the stage relationships to shift. It’s less bent on creating masterworks, and more curious […]

  History.In.Motion NEW YORK CITY Over 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation; 20 years ago, Nelson Mandela helped end apartheid in South Africa. New York Live Arts resident artist Kyle Abraham will premiere three works—a feat that would exhaust even the most seasoned choreographers—inspired by both momentous events. The Watershed, an evening-length […]

Artistry isn’t something you can build simply by showing up at the barre every morning. It’s a mysterious, elusive quality, one of the most difficult to master in dance. And yet it’s the ultimate goal of every dancer. So, how do you get it?   As we put together our first Artistry Issue, I reached […]