By Grace Edwards.

A dancer’s shoes are their best friend; they minimise weaknesses, showcase strengths, anticipate stresses and adapt to the dancer’s whims. When it’s time to move on to another pair, they remain as a testament to a unique onstage partnership, every move literally etched into their soles.

International dance shoe label Capezio understands first-hand why dancers tend to be staunchly loyal to their chosen brands and styles of shoes. The celebrities and dance legends who have championed Capezio over the years make for a veritable roll call of dance royalty: Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Sammy Davis Jr., Charles “Honi” Coles, Alicia Alonso, Bob Fosse, Mick Jagger, Liza Minelli, Gregory Hines, Tommy Tune, Ann Reinking, Debbie Allen, Ben Vereen, Charo, Merrill Ashley, Rob Marshall, Ashley Tuttle, Fatima, Savion Glover, Brian Friedman, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga.

The Fizzion, a shoe that gives dancers that intimate connection when they interact with the floor, without sacrificing any of the protection, hygiene or functionality.

Among the brand’s most well-known patrons was prima ballerina Anna Pavlova. Her high, weak arches were a source of angst and inspiration at a time when the increasingly strenuous demands of pointe work put great strain on the prevailing styles of pre-modern pointe shoes. Pavlova became so enamoured with Capezio shoes — made in New York by Italian-born founder Salvatore Capezio — she bought Capezio shoes for herself and the entire cast on her first tour to the United States in 1910.

Graeme Taylor, President of Capezio Australia and New Zealand, considers Capezio’s connection to the “greats” one of the most alluring aspects of wearing Capezio shoes. “Dancers, particularly young dancers, who are still discovering who they are as artists, spend as much time practicing in the studio as they do studying other dancers, dance in film and the lives of dancers. It is not just about learning the techniques of dance, but also about defining who you are as a dancer,” he says.

“Choosing a Capezio product literally links them to the history of dance. It makes them a part of the tradition, and the exclusive family of dancers who have worn Capezio over the years. It connects them to the famous dancers they have studied and idolized. The energy of that cannot be replaced by anything.”

Today, third and fourth generation family members continue Salvatore Capezio’s legacy of craft, innovation and commitment, striving to sustain the values which have made Capezio one of the world’s leading dance shoe brands. The most important of these is maintaining a direct connection with dancers.

All That Glitters, Capezio Kids Showing off their new range.

“When the needs of dancers change, we have to listen and respond,” says Taylor. “We do a lot of research to see what the trends are, and what dancers are doing now. For example, there has been an ongoing movement of barefoot dancing. Dancers want that unrestricted connection when they interact with the floor. This was a motivating trend behind FIZZION, a shoe that allows for that intimate connection without sacrificing any of the protection, hygiene or functionality.”

Innovation, it seems, can also come from less obvious sources. The Love Ballet shoe was inspired in part by demand for a shoe that could grow with a young dancer’s foot and fit all the way throughout the dance season. “This was the demand of many dance mums,” Taylor informs me. “Those demands are just as important to us.  That shoe also addresses the demands of dance teachers — no more elastic ties to have to stop and tie in the middle of class, and better foot shaping for more accurate corrections at the foundational level.”

So, what then are the qualities of the “perfect shoe”? According to Taylor, “It is the one that acts as an extension of the dancer’s body. It is the shoe that best allows for that dancer’s individual, personal movement.”

Professional Dancer, Jared Grimes taps out in his Capezio shoes.

“It should help the dancer carry the energy of that movement first to the dance floor and then to the audience. It should always enhance, and never detract, from the dancer’s ability to showcase emotion and technique.”

Until a few years ago, Capezio shoes were not easy to access for Australians and New Zealanders, and had to be ordered from the USA. They also proved quite expensive compared to other brands in the market. In 2007, however, Capezio decided to establish a new warehouse in Australia and reviewed its prices. Demand for Capezio shoes has been growing exponentially ever since. “As Capezio in Australia and New Zealand grew, we then had to build a brand new state of the art warehouse, offices and retail store about two years ago. This new warehouse is currently being extended already,” says Taylor.

As Capezio shoes become more and more visible in shop windows across Australasia, they bring with them their international dance heritage, the lessons learned from over a 100 years helping dancers realise their potential, and the values which originally inspired the creation of the shoe brand.

“Salvatore Capezio’s dedication to providing dancers with technologically advanced, quality tools for their art continues to inspire our innovations,” says Taylor. “Just like in the days of old, the company still remains a fixture in the dance community, relying on dancers’ feedback to continue to bring the best dance products to market.”  

“The team at Capezio believes that dance is about emotion, passion, movement, beauty, hard work, personal interpretation and sacrifice, and the brand is dedicated to serving all genres of dance now more than ever.” 

To view Capezio’s range and find out more about the products visit Capeziodanceanz.com

Photo (top): Capezio Founder, Salvatore Capezio.

Audiences across Queensland will have the chance to experience the grandeur of Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet via live simulcast from the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) on Tuesday 4 June 2013.

The Bolshoi Ballet will present two productions, Le Corsaire and Dmitri Shostakovich’s The Bright Stream, which have never before been performed in Australia, both accompanied by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

The Bolshoi Ballet has not visited Australia in almost two decades and they are performing exclusively at QPAC from May 30- June 9 as part of the QPAC International Series, a partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland to bring the best companies in the world to Queensland.

QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas said this simulcast will be the first ballet to be simulcast by QPAC and will go to eight regional centres around Queensland. It follows on from previous successful simulcasts of performances by Opera Australia, Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra with the Hamburg State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mr. Kotzas said that “the Bolshoi Ballet is one of the biggest and most well-known performing arts companies in the world. Many people will no doubt be excited to see them perform.”

“Our research has shown that audiences feel a strong sense of being connected to the live performance even though they may be halfway across the state. QPAC’s live simulcast program is an important part of how we engage with regional audiences and how we can ensure that exclusive performances such as this one by the Bolshoi Ballet are seen by as many people in Queensland as possible.”

“There are many people on stage and off who make these simulcasts memorable for our audiences. Aside from the dancers and orchestra members you see, there an expert team of directors and crew that craft the experience for the audience.”

“In many ways audiences get a more intimate look at the production than they would if they were in the theatre. And with a production like Le Corsaire which is a huge ballet with massive and intricate sets, regional audiences will be able to see those sets and dancers up close and in detail,” said Mr, Kotzas.

QPAC works with regional performing arts centres across the state installing equipment and providing technical expertise enabling venues to receive performances live from QPAC.

In previous years live simulcasts as much as doubled the number of people able to experience the performance.

Queensland venues participating in the live simulcast of the Bolshoi Ballet are: Burdekin Theatre (Ayr), Moncrieff Theatre (Bundaberg), Cairns Civic Theatre (Cairns), Marquee Gladstone Marina (Gladstone) presented by Gladstone Entertainment Centre, Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre (Mackay), Seafront Oval (Hervey Bay) presented by Brolga Theatre and Convention Centre and Fraser Coast Regional Council, Pilbeam Theatre (Rockhampton) and Empire Theatre (Toowoomba).

This free event is a treat for regional audiences. Make sure not to miss it!

The Bolshoi Ballet - Le Corsaire via Live Simulcast
Tuesday 4 June 2013
Live coverage from 7 pm, performance from 7:30 pm.
Tickets are free.  Bookings may be required.

Regional Venues:

• Burdekin Theatre – Ayr – Book at www.burdekintheatre.com.au or by calling 07 4783 9880.
• Moncrieff Theatre – Bundaberg – Book in-person at box office only. For information, visit www.moncrieff-bundaberg.com.au or call 07 4130 4100.
• Cairns Civic Theatre – Cairns – Book in-person at ticket office or phone 1300 855 835.  For information, visit www.cairnscivictheatre.com.au.
• Marquee Gladstone Marina – Gladstone – (Presented by Gladstone Entertainment Centre). Book in-person at box office or phone 07 4972 2822. For information, visit www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/gec.
• Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre–Mackay- Book at www.mackaytix.com.au or by calling 07 4961 9777.
• Seafront Oval – Hervey Bay- (presented by Brolga Theatre and Convention Centre and Fraser Coast Regional Council) – No bookings required. For information, visit www.brolgatheatre.org or  call 07 4122 6060.
• Pilbeam Theatre – Rockhampton- Book in-person at box office only. For information, visit www.seeitlive.com.au or call 07-4927-4111.
• Empire Theatre –Toowoomba- Book at www.empiretheatre.com.au or by calling 1300 655 299.

Photo: The Bolshoi Ballet in Le Corsaire. Photo courtesy of QPAC

By Rain Francis.

Melbourne’s pretty factor goes up about 200 percent in autumn. The sun is (mostly) shining but it’s not ridiculously hot anymore and a rainbow of leaves is descending… time to rug up and enjoy our fair city. Here are five things for dance lovers to do and see over the coming months.

1. May 25 is International Tap Dance Day, a day which commemorates the “grandfather of tap” Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson. Tap groups all over the city will be out in force, performing famous routines, encouraging tappers to get in for a jam and generally making a racket! Look out for Winston Morrison’s Melbourne Tap Dance and Glamour Puss Studios, amongst others. Stay tuned to their websites to find out where they’ll be performing: www.tapdancingmelbourne.com.au and www.glamourpussstudios.com.au.

2. From May 3-11, ground-breaking indigenous contemporary dance company Bangarra Dance Theatre brings its work Blak to Arts Centre Melbourne. Artistic Director Stephen Page and dancer/choreographer Daniel Riley McKinley have created a work exploring the collision of two worlds. The soundscape of award-winning composer David Page has been fused with the music of cutting edge electronic artist Paul Mac and sets are by the acclaimed Jacob Nash. Bangarra’s works are always engaging and exciting, so book your tickets for this one! Book here: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/event.aspx?id=3444.

3. Get your dancing shoes down to Queensbridge Square (Southbank Concourse) on the first Friday of every month, for the famous First Friday Dance Club. Presented by the City of Melbourne and supported by Ausdance Victoria, the Club is a unique opportunity for anyone to get involved, pick up some moves and most importantly have fun. Led by community and professional dance groups, each Club night will feature a different dance style. It’s free and open to all ages, regardless of ability. Click here for more info: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutMelbourne/ArtsandEvents/ArtsParticipation/Pages/1stFridayDanceClub.aspx.

4. The Australian Ballet has two fantastic productions coming up in Melbourne. From June 6-17, they will be presenting Vanguard, a triple bill of key works from choreographic giants, Jiří Kylián (Bella Figura), George Balanchine (The Four Temperaments) and Wayne McGregor (Dyad). Then, from June 21-July 1, the company brings back Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake, a fresh take on the well-known story ballet from one of Australia’s most loved choreographers. Find out more and book tickets at www.australianballet.com.au/whats_on/main_company.

5. Ballet Revolución returns to Australia after blowing audiences away in 2011. Since their Australian visit, the Cuban company has been performing sold out seasons in London, Paris, Zurich, Berlin, Frankfurt and Vienna. So get yourself down to Arts Centre Melbourne in July! With 20 of the world’s best dancers and eight of the hottest young musicians, the company mixes ferocious ballet with street dance in what The Australian called “an irresistible Cuban cocktail of ferocious sensuality”. From July 17-20 at Arts Centre Melbourne for five performances only. Book here: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/event.aspx?id=3445

Photo (top): Australian Ballet’s Adam Bull and Ty King-Wall in Vanguard. Photo by Georges Antoni

Following their sold out Paris season, the internationally acclaimed St Petersburg Ballet Theatre returns to Perth in July and August to present their full-length classic production of the world’s most famous ballet – Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.

It has been almost 10 years since Australian balletomanes last enjoyed performances by the 55-member company of the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre who last toured in 2004, collecting rave reviews and hanging out the “Sold Out” sign at almost every performance.

Now the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre is coming for a limited season at His Majesty’s Theatre. The seven performance season premieres on Wednesday 31 July 2013, with tickets now on sale.

With the famous Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov version of Swan Lake first performed in St Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre in 1895, Swan Lake, has a rich history in St Petersburg; so it’s only fitting for the company of the city’s namesake to bring the ballet to Australia.

The St Petersburg Ballet Theatre is renowned globally not just for beautiful dancers but also for stunning and grand full-length productions.

Founded by Konstantin Tachkin in 1994, the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre is one of the leading Russian ballet companies. It is based right in the heart of St Petersburg and gives on average 200-250 performances per year.  It claims to be the only classical ballet company in the world that is completely independent of government financial aid or sponsor’s funding.

Tour Producer Andrew Guild said, “Not only does the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre bring their troupe of Vaganova trained dancers, they also bring their magnificent scenery – scenery that has audiences applauding even as the curtain rises – along with sumptuous costumes, dozens of dazzling white tutus and hundreds of pink pointe shoes. The St Petersburg Ballet is truly traditional Russian classical ballet at its very best.”

International media have called the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre “a company with style, restraint and elegance” (Sunday Telegraph, London) that has “left a considerable mark on the history of world ballet” (Danse Magazine, Paris).

“This is the real thing, a grand-scale Russian Ballet – a complete classical full-length work. This is not a concert program. This is not a small group of dancers performing unrelated pas de deux and party pieces. This is Swan Lake, the world’s most-famous ballet and classical ballet performed the way it was intended by one of Russia’s leading classical companies. If you see only one ballet in your life, let it be this,” Guild said.

To book tickets, visit www.ticketek.com.au or call Ticketek on 132 849.

By Rain Francis.

In 2012, a new dance company was born over in Kiwi-land. Led by Artistic Director Shona McCullagh, The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) hit the road rolling with its launch season Language of Living. Met with positive responses from both Auckland audiences and critics, the production is now being rebooted for a North Island tour.

Language of Living comprises a diverse programme performed by some of New Zealand’s top dancers, including Ursula Robb, Craig Bary, Justin Haiu, Hannah Tasker-Poland, Tupua Tigafua and Lucy Lynch. The works come from both extraordinary emerging voices, such as Sarah Foster-Sproull, and New Zealand’s choreographic royalty, such as Arts Laureate Michael Parmenter.

Parmenter’s work Tenerezza, a duet for Craig Bary and Justin Haiu, explores the idea that no movement occurs without initiation by the other. “The piece began very much with the two dancers, both of whom I have worked with on a number of occasions,” says Parmenter. “I had a sense of the particular quality of relationship that I wanted to explore and so that led me to the particular piece of music [by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach], with which too I had had a previous choreographic relationship.”

Tenerezza was developed via two partner-improvisation forms – Piloting and T.A.C.T.I.C.S. – that Parmenter has been developing over recent years, and with which both the dancers had a certain degree of familiarity. “Initially the idea was to have a certain component of improvisation remain in the finished piece, but as it turned out the only remnant of this is in the choreographic relationship to the music, which since both the dance and the music are performed live, is not fixed but varies from performance to performance,” explains Parmenter.

Michael Parmenter. Photo courtesy of New Zealand Dance Co.

Craig Bary is a dancer who is much loved in both New Zealand and here in Australia, having performed with companies such as Australian Dance Theatre, Tasdance, KAGE and Chunky Move. He speaks fondly of Parmenter’s duet. “It’s challenging and exciting to perform every time,” he says. “Because it was created through improvisation techniques created by Michael, it’s really about us, the dancers, and that feels really special.”

NZDC audiences in Auckland and Wellington will be treated to performances of Faune by international choreographers Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Mark Lorimer. Set to Claude Debussy’s famous score L’après-midi d’un faune (The Afternoon of a Faun), the solo will be performed by Ursula Robb, who has worked with De Keersmaeker’s Rosas company in Belgium and the Paris Opera. On the Warkworth, Orewa and Whangarei legs of the tour, a new work has been added to the programme. Without Eve is a humorous take on the art of male conversation by UNITEC choreographer Ashleigh Coward.

Language of Living is an eclectic programme, and audiences can expect to see “world class dancers and choreographies,” as Bary says.

New Zealand Dance Company in ‘Language of Living’. Photo by John McDermott.

Parmenter agrees, even despite having yet to see the production in its entirety. The busy choreographer notes, “What strikes me about the glimpses I have seen of the pieces is a devotion to the ‘art’ of dance itself. This may seem somewhat quaint in light of the current theory-impregnated dance aesthetic, but I can’t help but see it as an act of respect for and maintenance of a rich tradition of aesthetic understanding.”

Aside from its professional performance seasons, NZDC has also been building a Youth Engagement Programme (YEP!). As part of the Language of Living tour, the company will be performing shows just for schools in a variety of centres. They will also be selecting talented local dancers to perform alongside the professional – a wonderful opportunity for dance students.

“The New Zealand Dance Company has a leadership youth engagement role, creating access and mentoring for young people to get hooked into dance,” says Artistic Director Shona McCullagh. “The art form and society are fortified by inspiring the values of courage, enthusiasm, independence and contribution.”

Like Australia – and let’s face it, most places on Earth – New Zealand has no shortage of dance and choreographic talent. With internationally respected training institutions such as UNITEC and New Zealand School of Dance turning out world-class graduates year after year (including a large proportion of Australians), the need for jobs is greater than ever.

“There has been a call for this kind of inclusive and mainstream company for quite some time,” says Bary. “Any company that allows for the development and practice of art forms is a great thing for the cultural diversity and language of its nation. Allowing a voice to our incredible artists and collaborators to share with an interested and excited growing audience is a great way to explore our identity nationally and internationally.”

Language of Living North Island Tour runs from May 25 to June 12. For full venue and ticketing information, visit www.nzdc.org.nz.

Photo (top): Craig Bary and Justin Haiu in Michael Parmenter’s Tenerezza. Photo by John McDermott.

Nutcracker returns to Oz this month for another season of emperor mice, hand-made toys and little girl dreams.

By Paul Ransom.

NOTE: Please read the following with a heavy Russian accent. After all, it is ballet we’re talking about here.

Elik Melikov is still bubbling with energy, despite the fact he is on a late night shuttle bus somewhere in England returning to his hotel after another packed out performance. The company he founded in 1990, The Moscow Ballet of Classical Choreography (La Classique), are not only one of the flag bearers of Russia’s favourite artform but a phenomenally busy company, consistently racking up two hundred plus shows a year. Gruelling schedule notwithstanding, the first thing Melikov says is, “Yes, we are very much looking forward to Australia.”

The Moscow Ballet’s upcoming six-week tour of Nutcracker will feature an ensemble of 40 dancers, suitably lavish costumes and the grand staging of late-Romanov pomp. It’s all part of Melikov’s mission to keep classical ballet front and centre.

“The classical dance?” he begins. “For me every time is number one.” Not an unexpected declaration; but for Melikov and company the commitment is clearly everything. “We make other kinds of performances, we make neo-classical, modern things, but for me it’s like training, like another rehearsal for the dancer. Of course, it’s very interesting because it’s different but every time we are coming back to the classical ballet.”

Russia may well be in the news for Pussy Riot and fallen oligarchs but on the ground and in the dance schools the ballet is still supreme. Melikov contends that this is because ballet is anti-elitist. “Classical ballet is for all the people. You don’t have to have a special knowledge. Everyone can enjoy. This is why it must be saved.”

Melikov would doubtless suggest Nutcracker as a prime example of universal appeal and abiding simplicity. First performed at Moscow’s Mariinsky Theatre in 1892, it has become one of the definitive ballets. Driven by Tchaikovsky’s dramatic score it is ostensibly a G-rated Christmas fairy tale. Featuring the famous Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and The Waltz of the Flowers, it is almost defiantly old world, recalling a time of empire and gaslight.

How this all fits into the touchscreen universe of 2013 doesn’t overly worry the Moscow Ballet. “Nutcracker is a performance for all time,” Melikov states with undiminished pride. “Some people tell me, ‘Sorry, but it’s only for Christmas time,’ but no. Tchaikovsky didn’t just write music for Christmas, he wrote music for all the time, for all the people. For young people, for children, for even the grandmothers.”

As far as Melikov is concerned, tradition is strength not anachronism. “This is a classical performance and the history is important. History is necessary for us,” he argues. “Now we have many shows – modern, neo-classical, everything – and we have many companies coming to Russia and to Australia and we have many, many beautiful shows; but I think it is completely necessary that the old shows keep going. The classical dance is forever, not just for this year.”

However, there is another strain to the narrative, one that might raise eyebrows in some quarters. Melikov openly declares La Classique’s wholly Russian philosophy. “Now in Russia there are many companies with great names like National Ballet and Admiral Ballet but these companies maybe last for one day only,” he scoffs. “Or they are from other countries; not even Russian.”

The Russian-ness of the company and the artform are very much part of Melikov’s modus operandi. “Other countries do classical ballet performance, and they are very good sometimes,” he concedes, before concluding that, “Russia is the mother of classical dance, is the home of the ballet.”

And it couldn’t get much more Russian than Nutcracker (even if the characters have German sounding names).

Photos: Moscow Ballet La Classique performing Nutcracker. Photos by Nadya Pyastolova. Photos courtesy of Lionel Midford Publicity.

Sydney Opera House has regretfully announced that Spring Dance, Sydney’s popular contemporary dance festival, will no longer be held.

Sydney Opera House created Spring Dance in 2009 as part of the centres annual dance program.  For the first three years, it was curated from within the Opera House’s programming team. In 2012, the Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company, Rafael Bonachela, led the program.

The 2012 festival was an outstanding success.  Rafael’s inspiring leadership and varied, exciting program were whole-heartedly embraced, giving Spring Dance its most successful year ever. A special delight was the close Sydney Opera House/Sydney Dance Company collaboration that resulted in last year’s world premiere of Contemporary Women.

‘Agwa and Correria’ by Mourad Merzouki, presented at Spring Dance 2012. Photo by Jess Bialek, courtesy of Sydney Opera House

Unfortunately, even after such a successful year, Sydney Opera House has cancelled the Spring Dance program. As part of the Opera House’s current budget planning they have reviewed their projects and deemed Spring Dance as too expensive. Spring Dance was the most high-profile manifestation of the Opera House’s commitment to contemporary dance.

“While we have been happy to make this investment to support an art form that boasts a relatively small but passionate audience, we can no longer continue to commit the funds required to present it on its original scale.  Rather than present a diminished festival, we have decided to end Spring Dance on the wildly successful note Rafael Bonachela achieved in 2012,” explains Louise Herron, CEO, Sydney Opera House.

“It goes without saying that this decision has been made for purely financial reasons. In no sense is it a reflection on the truly outstanding work of Rafael and our close friends at Sydney Dance Company.”

While the dance industry morns over the cancellation of one of the country’s most adored dance festivals,  Sydney Dance Company and the Opera House plan to collaborate again in August of this year to present the Company in a new work.

“These collaborations are just one of the many ways we intend to continue to work together in the future.  And we will continue to present international dance such as Sylvie Guillem and Nederlands Dans Theater,” says Herron.

Photo (top): Promotional image for Spring Dance 2012, courtesy of Sydney Opera House

By Rebecca Martin.

Russia is arguably the home of ballet. Some of the world’s greatest stars, past and present have trained there and they are renowned for their gymnastic flexibility and dynamic technique. Russian ballet schools and companies are infamously difficult to get into and are incredibly demanding on the body and psyche. Add into that the volatile state of the arts and politics in Russia and you’ve got dancers who are willing to do anything to get to the top and stay there.

When news of an acid attack against The Bolshoi Ballet’s Artistic Director spread on January 17 this year, the dance world was stunned. Most shocking of all was that it wasn’t a random act of violence, but a calculated attack by a disgruntled theatre employee who was unhappy with the state of play at The Bolshoi Ballet.

Ballet has previously only ever dipped its toes into political matters, mainly when a dancer wished to defect from a country, as Li Cunxin famously did from China, but now the art form is knee deep in the political battles of a theatre in crisis.

Prior to the incident on January 17, The Bolshoi’s Artistic Director, Sergei Filin had been feeling under threat for some time, noting that his phones had been blocked, his car tyres slashed and his internet hacked, all of which he believed was a warning.

Bolshoi Ballet Artistic Director Sergei Filin. Photo courtesy of the Bolshoi Ballet. www.bolshoi.ru

Bolshoi Ballet soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko is the alleged mastermind of the attack, although he has said that he didn’t order anyone to throw acid at Filin’s face. Dmitrichenko complained about Filin to an acquaintance, Yuri Zurutsky, who then offered to beat up Filin. Zurutsky was paid 50,000 rubles (about $1,600) by Dmitrichenko to inflict harm on Filin because he was unhappy about the way money was distributed within the ballet company. “I told Yuri Zarutsky about the policies of the Bolshoi Theater, about the bad things going on, the corruption. When he said: ‘OK, let me beat him up, hit him upside the head,’ I agreed, but that is all that I admit to doing,” Dmitrichenko said in court.¹

It has been suggested that Dmitrichenko was upset over Filin’s refusal to cast his girlfriend in a lead role. However, Filin’s lawyer has said that the group of people involved in the attack is much larger than the two men charged by police.  Accusations and theories abound, with The Bolshoi’s general director, Anatoly Iksanov, accusing principal dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze of inspiring the attack. Filin’s appointment as Artistic Director has exposed the infighting at The Bolshoi Ballet, with many dancers resisting his attempts to bring more modern repertoire to the company.  He held an enormous amount of power, deciding matters of scheduling, casting, promotion and salary.

In Russian theatres today, defection and international travel are no longer the sources of drama. Instead, money is the main intruder aside from politics and professional rivalry. A dancer’s meagre salary is only boosted by Filin’s selection to perform leading roles. In Russia, lawlessness and corruption is the norm and what happens in the theatre is a reflection of what happens in the streets.“I feel like I’m on the front line of a war,” Filin said.²

In addition to the acid attack against Filin, The Bolshoi’s reputation has further been harmed by the recent revelations of former company dancer Anastasia Volochkova who claimed that it was a “giant brothel” with dancers forced to sleep with oligarchs and other influential members of society.

In a further twist to the tale, hundreds of dancers have sent a signed letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin demanding an investigation into Dmitrichenko’s confession.  Filin himself believes that Dmitrichenko was party to something much greater than what has so far been uncovered and that the true mastermind is yet to be caught.  Clearly he is not alone in his assertions.

Where does all of this leave ballet in Russia? Does this spell the end of the Bolshoi?

Ballet in Russia is part of the cultural landscape and a benchmark for dancers around the world. But the Bolshoi as a whole is devoid of a cohesive corps de ballet and is populated by gymnastic lead dancers who lack any great artistry on stage. Many of the best dancers are leaving Russia to dance in the United States and Europe and the company’s stars such as Svetlana Zakharova have been poached from The Mariinsky Theatre. The current scandals within The Bolshoi may affect the way the rest of the world perceives the company. Yet while the acid attack was shocking and the allegations of forced sexual activities are appalling, these things are apparently the norm in Russia and the locals are accustomed to such events.

The Bolshoi has fallen a long way since its golden age in the 1960s but it continues to create some of the world’s best dancers, firstly through the ballet school and then the company. Despite this, The Bolshoi itself isn’t guaranteed to last the test of time. The infighting that not only lead to the acid attack but the ensuing conflict amongst dancers and administrative staff, in addition to the current lack of direction for the company, doesn’t suggest much hope remains for a once great company.

“There is no happiness in our past,” the Soviet Bolshoi Ballet star Vladimir Vasiliev once said. ”And there will be none in our future.”³

Sources
1. USA Today www.usatoday.com
2. The New Yorker www.newyorker.com
3. The Atlantic www.theatlantic.com

Photo (top): Photo: The Bolshoi Ballet performing The Bright Stream. Photo courtesy of Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) and The Bolshoi Ballet.

By Rain Francis.

Rudolf Nureyev was one of the single most influential people in the history of dance. This year marks 20 years since his untimely death, but also 75 years since his birth. In celebration of this great man, special events, gala performances and tributes are taking place worldwide in 2013.

There has been so much written about him, and he has become something of an enigma. But what was he really like? We ask two professional dancers who knew him personally, Frederic Jahn and Patricia Ruanne.

Jahn and Ruanne are both involved with The Nureyev Foundation, and worked with Nureyev for many decades during their illustrious careers.

Tell us, how did your involvement with The Nureyev Foundation come about?

Patricia Ruanne
In 1986, I was asked by Rudolf to stage his Sleeping Beauty in Istanbul. This led to my appointment as ballet mistress for The Paris Opera Ballet, at the time when Rudolf was director of the company. I was specifically brought in to help Sylvie Guillem in Rudolf’s new production of Cinderella. Initially I was responsible for all the principals in all of his productions, extending later to other selected choreographers and full company staging.

Frederic Jahn
We, and other principals of The English National Ballet (then London Festival Ballet), created Rudolf’s Romeo and Juliet. He was filming Valentino at the time, so we would start working after nine every night, when he returned from the studios. He was plotting the ballet, and we all changed characters to help him set it. This eventually taught us every role in the ballet, and later he gave Patricia and I sole responsibility for this production.

Will you be involved with any of the events or production in this year of celebration?

Frederic Jahn
In Toulouse, France, we will be doing a Nureyev Gala programme. It will be a selection of his works, including the Balcony Pas De Deux from Romeo and Juliet, the third act of Don Quixote and La Bayadere Act 3.

Rudolf Nureyev with Patricia Ruanne and Frederic Jahn. Photo courtesy of Patricia Ruanne and Frederic Jahn.

There has been much written about Rudolf Nureyev, but how would you describe him?

Patricia Ruanne
Passionate, incredibly hard-working, relentless in the studio but at the same time very tolerant of people’s short-comings, as long as they kept working to improve. He had no tolerance at all for those who gave up or rejected the opportunity to change their habits to their advantage.

He had an endless curiosity about everything related to theatre, from how a costume is made, to which lamps give which effects, to how a conductor controls the orchestra. This acquired knowledge stood him in excellent regard from the point of view of all backstage staff – the man knew what he was talking about.

Rudi was quite childlike in some ways; uninhibited in his enthusiasms, wonderful with children, animals and other people’s parents. He had a great sense of humour and a tangible interest and appreciation of his colleagues.

He was very generous with assistance and information for all levels of the company. He was very demanding of the people who worked closest with him, but never more than he was willing to invest himself. Stimulating, exciting to work with, an unforgettable personality.

What is your favourite of his ballets and why?

Frederic Jahn
Romeo and Juliet was my favourite of his ballets. He made this ballet for a company, and not as a vehicle for himself. Nureyev was a mega-star when he was alive. He was the most photographed person in the sixties; Margot Fonteyn and Nureyev were household names. When he did his own productions he marketed himself in them, hence the numerous variations in Sleeping Beauty. The public and the theatre agents got over and above their money’s worth when a Nureyev production was presented.

In Romeo, he attempted his own choreography for the first time. For Juliet, it was Martha Graham on pointe; extremely difficult choreography. For the corps de ballet, there were real punch-ups created by a fight director. Rudolf did so little for himself and gave the production to the company, so much so that the first night, ballet critics called the ballet, Tybalt and Mercutio. It wasn’t until the theatre critics came that all was revealed. They thought it was a masterpiece – particularly a section in the ballet where Mercutio fakes a false death, which leads his friends to laugh at him, when he truly is dying after his fight with Tybalt. This was his concept, and it’s subsequently been copied in theatrical productions.

His research was impeccable, to the extent that practically every line of the play is interpreted in his ballet. He was right in not making Romeo and Juliet into a romantic ballet – it’s not. It’s about two feuding families, the offspring of which fall in love, in an era of great violence, intolerance and disease.

In what other ways did Rudolf have an influence over dance and theatre?

Frederic Jahn
This story was told by Eugene Poliakov. He was Rudolf’s ballet master at the Paris Opera, as well as the director of Teatro Comunale in Florence, Italy. I was his Ballet Master, and Poliakov and I shared an apartment when he came down to Florence once a month.

These were in the days before Rudolf defected and was still with the Kirov. He was dancing Siegfried in Swan Lake, and in those days all the men wore bloomers over their tights. It was not a particularly attractive look, as it cut the line of the leg. Rudolf was in his dressing room after finishing the first two acts, and refused to do the third act of Swan Lake if he had to wear bloomers over his tights. The management were furious but over a barrel, but they let him do it, as he was already an up-and-coming star in the Kirov.

After that incident, the fashion changed in that theatre, and without doubt, the rest of the theatres in Russia. This change was only in Russia; the West was already showing gents’ legs.

For more information about Rudolf Nureyev and the list of tribute events taking place this year, visit www.nureyev.org.

Photo (top): Rudolf Nureyev dancing with Frederic Jahn, courtesy of Frederic Jahn and Patricia Ruanne. 

By Rain Francis.

Two students from the New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) will represent New Zealand at the Assemblée Internationale 2013 (AI13) in Toronto in April. Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) is hosting eighteen professional ballet schools for the seven-day festival of classes, performances, forums and professional development. Second year NZSD students Jarrah McArthur and Tynan Wood will perform Jeffrey Tan’s Façade at the international gala. The work, created for Singapore Dance Theatre and first performed by the NZSD in 2004, was chosen because it locates the School within the Asia Pacific region.

The schools invited to the AI13 are those with whom NBS has a long-standing history of cooperation over the past 20 years, including the New Zealand School of Dance.

Following an exceptional launch season in 2012, The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) is thrilled to announce their six centre North Island tour of Language of Living this May and June. The company makes a one-night-only return to Auckland’s Aotea Centre before hitting the road to premiere the show in Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Whangarei, Orewa and Warkworth.

One of the most inspirational dance productions of last year, Language of Living is a diverse programme of exquisite works. Earthy, witty and beautiful, the 2013 programme features a selection of choreography by New Zealanders Michael Parmenter, Shona McCullagh, Sarah Foster-Sproull, Justin Haiu and Ashleigh Coward, and international artist Anne Teresa De Keesmaeker. For venue and ticketing information visit www.nzdc.org.nz

New Zealand School of Dance students Jarrah McArthur and Tynan Wood rehearsing Jeffrey Tan’s ‘Facade’ to be presented in Toronto at the Assemblée Internationale 2013

Dance was very much part of the launch for Boosted, the Arts Foundation’s brand new crowd-funding platform, on March 21. The New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD) and Dance Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ) have created the very first dance projects asking for public support on Boosted; the NZSD for support to put its Choreographic Season on stage in May and DANZ to produce a 20th anniversary-edition of DANZ Quarterly this year.

The Arts Foundation has established Boosted to build a new generation of arts donors. It is the only genuinely philanthropic crowd-funding website for arts projects in New Zealand. Boosted enables donors to select projects they would like to support with donations of $5 or more. Visit www.boosted.org.nz to watch the videos for these two projects, to donate or to share them with your networks.

Sharni Spencer is one of six dancers to have been nominated for the Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards 2013. Sharni, who dances with The Australian Ballet, trained in Wellington at the New Zealand School of Dance. While in New Zealand she received the SODA scholarship as well as picking up the Solo Seal and Isobel Anderson Award. Sharni joined The Australian Ballet in 2008 after graduating with a New Zealand School of Dance Certificate in Dance Performance.

Following a sold-out tour in Germany, Black Grace now brings its masterpiece Vaka to Wanaka and Queenstown. Exploring the idea of a raft as a metaphor for hope, Vaka was met with a standing ovation and rapturous applause upon its performance in Europe. Its initial 25-minute showing has now evolved into a stunning 60-minute masterpiece since its return to New Zealand.

Black Grace will be joined on stage by a select group of Southland’s young people, following an intensive week of workshopping with the company.

New Zealand Dance Company presents ‘Language of Living’. Photo by John McDermott

The Royal New Zealand Ballet‘s Made to Move tour has been met with positive feedback from critics and audience members alike. The triple bill consisted of Javier De Frutos’ The Anatomy of a Passing Cloud, Andrew Simmons’ Of Days and Ethan Stiefel’s Bier Halle. In The Listener, Francesca Horsley wrote that “the Made to Move programme epitomises all that makes the company remarkable – daring, talent, passion.” The company is now en route to China, where they will share Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s beautiful production of Giselle with audiences in Suzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Guangzhou.

The Wellington Fringe Festival Awards were held recently, with the Best Dance Award going to How to Make Friends and Still Appear Normal by Natalie Maria Clark and Black Sheep Productions. Natalie also won Best Newcomer. Also nominated for the dance award were Feet of Clay by Livia MacPhedran and Clay Feet Dancers and Gizza Hoon by Pinwheel Dance Theatre.

At the Auckland Fringe, Ross McCormack won Best Performance in Dance for his appearance in Amanimal (Rifleman Productions), which also won Best Production in Dance.

Short+Sweet is back and taking registrations now. Check out www.shortandsweet.org.nz. It’s the festival’s 4th year in Auckland and this season will be the inaugural year of a musical theatre addition, to be called Short+Sweet Song. The festival is held at The Herald Theatre in Aotea Centre, Auckland, from May 28 –June 30.

Photo (top): New Zealand Dance Company presents Language of Living. Photo by John McDermott.