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Nijinsky -The Hamburg Ballet
Queensland Performing Arts Centre
26 August 2012

By Elizabeth Ashley

The Hamburg Ballet’s choreographer John Neumeier found it fitting that “the 40^th season of my company begin with a tour to a new place, half-way around the globe, to communicate with a new audience the importance of Nijinsky.”

Nijinsky is Neumeier’s homage to the enigmatic and brilliant Russian dancer/choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky – ballet’s first international male superstar. Achingly beautiful and disarmingly emotional it has become one of the company’s signature works.

Neumeier paints a grand portrait, combining the intimacy of Nijinsky’s creative vision and memories with broad brushstrokes of world history, moving from the sparkling Belle Epoque to the darkness of World War I. The depth of this portrait combines the German willingness to express the rawness of human misery with an enticing quality of sensuality.

In two parts, the ballet opens as Nijinsky prepares for his final performance that he dubbed his “wedding with God”. Guests walk onto the stage – couples, individuals. We see the distinctive signature hat of Serge Diaghilev, we hear the guests speaking – it’s the Tower of Babel, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, Chinese, German…the diversity of the Hamburg Ballet Company foreshadows the sense of fragmentation and madness that will come.

Part I is a stream of consciousness where Nijinsky, imagining the appearance of Diaghilev, fills the stage with his past memories of family, relationships, his sensational career with the Ballet Russes and famous roles – the Harlequin, the Golden Slave in Schéhérazade and the Poet in Les Sylphides.

It also portrays his search for a new choreographic language and the ensuing artistic breakthroughs of L’Après-midi d’un faune, Jeux and Le Sacre du printemps.

In these dreamlike sequences Nijinksy the man is always present, simultaneously dancing with his various alter-egos, creating confusion in the audience’s mind as indeed for Nijinsky. Alexandre Riabko in the main role is intoxicating, his eyes seek the audience, conveying innocence, vulnerability, fear and madness.

Part II of the ballet immediately shifts to a somber and oppressive mood. The audience witnesses Nijinsky’s descent into madness as he sees the world around him going crazy – a brother in a straightjacket, Diaghilev with a new lover and protege, uniformed soldiers signaling the advent of the Great War.

Poignancy and oppression culminate with the appearance of Nijinsky’s Petrouchka, brilliantly portrayed by Lloyd Riggins. In Petrouchka we see Nijinksy himself, a vulnerable and misunderstood troubled soul who can only unleash a tragic, silent scream.

The cast of dancers who portray Nijinsky’s fevered memories are not only superb dance technicians but also charismatic actors who engage the audience with immediacy and raw emotion. They draw us into the ebb and flow of relationships – between Nijinsky and those in the world around him as well as Nijinsky with the troubled and sensitive inner world of the man himself.

The cast is impressively large and the sets are simple, but effective, relying strongly on Cubist primary colours and geometric shapes. Only the first and the last scene make use of a realistic villa-style intimate performance space. A stirring score of emotion-charged music from Chopin, Schumann, Rimsky-Korsakov and Shostakovich heightens the dramatic intensity – this is powerful stuff.

Neumeier combines the classical ballet tradition from which Nijinsky emerged and the modernist breakthroughs which he introduced. The broad spectrum of Nijinsky’s career is a juxtaposition of various moods and forms of dance: white ethereal visions from Les Sylphides; splashes of jewel colours and a gold-clad Nijinsky in Shéhérazade; the purity of Mariinsky Theatre ballerinas contrasting with the distinctly ‘camp’ and barely covered nymph from Spring and the uninhibited animalistic faune.

Neumeier’s Nijinsky is a living portrait capturing a man whose consciousness was a rich tapestry of memories, hallucinations, symbolic myths, hardened realities and emotional hardships.  This portrait continues to entrance audiences today as it did with Brisbane’s QPAC theatre, culminating in a rapturous standing ovation and no less than 5 curtain calls.

Photo: Hamburg Ballet’s Alexandre Riabko and Silvia Azzoni by Holger Badekow

iOU Dance Solo Series
Sydney Opera House, as part of Spring Dance
August 24 2012

By Nicole Saleh.

The Sydney Opera House warmly welcomed Sydney’s best independent solo dance artists to take centre stage for Spring Dance 2012.

The iOU Dance Solo Series featured six home-grown solos by talented choreographers, each performing their own unique work showcasing their versatility as an artist. This solo series was originally created as a tribute to the Io Myers Studio at the University of NSW, where many independent artists research and develop their works. From the rehearsal room to the Opera House, Spring Dance curator, Rafael Bonachela, has given these vibrant artists an iconic platform to share their creativity and artistic spirit to a much wider audience.

The evening started with a fascinating performance of Anton’s SuperModern 2.1, an adaptation of his full length work, SuperModern – Dance of Distraction. Dressed in a plain t-shirt and sweat pants with his feet firmly planted on the ground, Anton’s structured improvisation of his upper body with hectic and repetitive. Shaking and twitching movements from his head to his fingertips seemed to demonstrate the unrest we can feel by the constant bombardment of technology in our lives. Strong and powerful lighting direction enhanced this work, with light streaming onto the stage to form a square box. This conveyed a sense of being trapped, and that Anton was energetically trying to break free. Anton’s choreography and execution was highly engaging, and I’m eager to see how it translates into his full length work.

Martin del Amo. Photo by Jess Bialek

Another highlight of the evening was the simplicity of Craig Bary’s modern choreography, and his ingenious use of a chair in his work titled Awaken Absence for Josh. Craig explored the notion of how you can still feel a presence when a space is empty, as if it should be occupied. A specially commissioned music piece by Eden Mulholland, provided the momentum for Craig’s swift movements. His interaction with the chair was as if this object was a person, and he used all parts of his body from his hands, legs and even his head and neck to glide the chair effortlessly around the stage. His strong yet fluid movement saw him playfully jump, turn, tumble and envelop himself around the chair. Craig’s strong sense of emotion in his performance allowed him to easily connect with the audience.

Martin Del Amo presented two short works. Part 1, Disorientation and Part 2, What Good Is Sitting Alone In Your Room, a tribute to the style of Bob Fosse. In his second work Martin unexpectedly appeared in a short black dress and stuck a series of poses and static movements that mimicked the characteristic silhouettes of Fosse’s choreography. This highly unique work by Martin paid homage to one of the greatest choreographers of our time that has influenced both cabaret and jazz dance.

Bringing a spiritual flavour to the evening was Narelle Benjamin’s piece titled Nobody, inspired by Hindu Goddess Kali. With the jingling sound of bells and use of a sword, Benjamin’s amazing flexibility and core strength allowed her to twist and shape her body into yoga inspired poses and headstands that marvelled the audience.

It was wonderful to see incredible women showcased in this solo series including Kristina Chan. In her work Lost and Found, Kristina sought to find her place in the world. With a strong sense of curiosity, her movement at times was reminiscent of an animal in the way she twisted her arms behind her, along with alert and sharp head movements. Although this work did not showcase fully Kristina’s amazing ability as a dancer, it did strongly deliver the message of being on a journey to discovery.

Kristina Chan presents 'Lost and Found'. Photo by Jess Bialek

The last solo of the evening by Timothy Ohl, was a departure from dance in its purest form, to physical theatre. In this highly entertaining work, Timothy took on the persona of a reality TV star named Jack. Not taking himself too seriously he made fun of pop culture and the need for people to find fame. Essentially he is a ‘jack of all trades and master of none’. Competing to win a reality dance contest, Timothy showed his breadth of dance styles from tap to break dancing and even included a flash back to the era of 80s jazz dancing, complete with a sparkling blue unitard! He engaged the audience through his use of humour and cleverly incorporated technology into his work where he sang a duet on stage with himself on a TV screen. Even though this work pushed the boundaries of dance and entered the arena of physical theatre, the audience appreciated its relevance and gave it the greatest response.

With a varied and eclectic program, the iOU Dance Solo Series has successfully put independent dance theatre on the map for all to see, showcasing the diversity of talent within this dance community. Even in a world renowned venue like the Sydney Opera House, the artists couldn’t resist bringing a sense of local community to the theatre, inviting the audience after the show to join them in the Opera House foyer for a chat and a snag from the Aussie BBQ.

Top photo: Timothy Ohl performs at iOU Dance Solo Series. Photo by Jess Bialek

The Cirque du Soleil big top is invaded by insects. And yes, creepy crawlies can definitely dance!

By Paul Ransom.

The new millennium circus boom has made acrobatics sexy and the creators of Quebec’s Cirque du Soleil extraordinarily wealthy. It’s also brought about a once unlikely marriage between the big top and the black box, so much so that the latest Cirque show to land on these shores is being steered by two female choreographers, Deborah Colker and Dutch born Marjon van Grunsven.

The show in question, Ovo, is an intricate insectoid love story featuring more than fifty performers, many of whom have been trained to “dance like insects.”

Speaking from Brisbane, where the show is currently playing, Ovo’s Artistic Director van Grunsven declares that circus and dance are natural companions. “Dance, like acrobatics, starts in a very technical way,” she explains. “You learn the steps, you learn the terms and you start to execute them; and then when you get really good at it you can start to explore and improvise. An acrobat will do his or her tricks just like a dancer would do a pirouette or any of their tricks.”

Spider. Photos by OSA Images, Costumes by Liz Vandal

It is in the collision of physicality that the two disciplines coalesce; and under the blue and yellow grand chapiteau of Cirque du Soleil such pairings are not only possible but executed on a massive scale. According to van Grunsven, “It’s all about movement. Anybody can move and with Ovo it’s about circus tricks and movement. So, for instance, we say to our cast ‘move like a cricket’ and we go from there.”

In order to get into insect mode the cast buried themselves in endless documentaries and, says Marjon van Grunsven, visited “insectariums.”

Whilst that clearly represents a choreographic challenge for both Colker and vans Grunsven, working with acrobats unused to the more subtle exactness of dance turns out to be more liberating than limiting. “From a choreographic standpoint there is nothing more exciting than being able to work with bodies that can do more than you ever dreamt of being able to do yourself.”

As always, Cirque delivers spectacle, technical perfection and considerable daring, particularly when it comes to the flying acts. Given that Ovo is about insects, airborne athleticism is only to be expected. “So it’s our task to get these acrobats to move and dance,” van Grunsven says, “but at the same time we get this extra gift of being able to incorporate their tricks into our choreography. This is fantastic.”

For someone from a dance background the other enormous challenge is the sheer scale of the enterprise. Ovo has already been on the road for three and half years and clocked up over fifteen hundred performances. It’s hard to imagine a straight dance show running for that long non-stop without serious staleness setting in.

However, as Marjon van Grunsven has learned, the key to freshness is evolution. “We never say, ‘okay, this is it and it’s going to be like this for the next ten years.’ That’s actually a bit different from many of the big ballets. Nutcracker has been the same choreography for I don’t know how many years. Our show is the same in concept but we allow it to change; the steps aren’t specifically set.”

On a personal level, working on the same show since its April 2009 Montreal debut has forced Ovo’s Artistic Director to continually renew her inspiration. “It’s definitely challenging. I’ve gone through periods where I’ve thought, ‘okay, it’s time for a change’ but those moments only last for about a week.”

Ovo Characters. Photos by OSA Images, Costumes by Liz Vandal

Having toured North America and played to a staggering two million people, Ovo leaves its home continent for the first time for an extensive Australian tour taking in five mainland capitols. With its trademark blend of circus trickery, big budget staging and family friendly theatrics, the insects of Ovo will surely pack out tents around the country.

From van Grunsven’s perspective, Ovo is far more than a well-choreographed circus. “We just wanted to do something with insects,” she recalls, “and perhaps renew for the audience a respect for the life of insects and for the earth.”

As it turns out, the show more closely resembles classical ballet than an Attenborough documentary, in that it has a magical fairy tale quality and a very clear narrative. “We just started off with an idea about insects and after we started working on it our three main characters – a lady bug, a fly and a beetle – just emerged and it was kind of logical after that that it became a love story.”

There is perhaps something apt about the show’s title, (which means egg in Portuguese), because the union of dance and circus should produce a very spectacular chicken – or in this case, very graceful insects.

For tickets to Ovo and tour information visit cirquedusoleil.com/ovo

By Kristy Johnson.

Opening to rave reviews in Sydney, An Officer and a Gentleman is continuing it’s packed out season. Part of its success no doubt lies in the choreography. Turning a Navy drill sequence into something for the stage provided a challenge for choreographer Andrew Hallsworth. Yet what we see on stage is something quite naturalistic and a true testament to the work of one of Australia’s most talented visionaries.

Here, Dance Informa chats with Andrew on the creative process behind the musical.

How did you find the experience of choreographing for An Officer and a Gentleman? Was any part of it challenging?

Well, what was challenging was the physicality of it. When the candidates go through their training program it includes lots of climbing, jumping, crawling on the floor, getting dunked under water, and gun drills. So that was kind of challenging but exciting at the same time. It was something I’ve never really done on stage before. And because I wasn’t going for a ‘dancey’ kind of version, like a West Side Story where the men all dance around the stage, I had to find a choreographed sort of physicality that looked naturalistic. That was really challenging. How many times does a push up look like a push up? Or an ab exercise look like an ab exercise? It has to look like something else because you’re doing a musical.

Had you worked with any of the dancers before on other productions?

Yes, there were quite a few of them I had worked with before, including Amanda Harrison and Bert Lamonte. There’s a whole bunch of them I had worked with on other shows, whether they’d been musicals or something else. Then there was sort of a new crew that had come in. So it was all about finding new professional relationships with them.

'An Officer and a Gentleman' rehearsals

How far in advance did you begin rehearsals?

We started seven weeks out from the opening, so we had four weeks in the rehearsal room and then we were in the theatre for three weeks. It was about seven weeks all up.

Is that generally how it works for other musicals?

It’s about the same. It’s usually seven to eight weeks. We started in March and we opened in May, and that’s the usual kind of set up for those big musicals. I’m doing a production company show in Melbourne at the moment and we have two weeks to get it up and running. We work really fast. You have to surround yourself with really good, experienced people.

Were you present at the auditions for An Officer and a Gentleman?

Yes, I sure was. We workshopped it over two years leading up to when we opened. We did a big workshop in Melbourne, and then we went to New York and had a workshop there. And then just before we started rehearsals, we just did a mini workshop which was with actors around the table to hear the flow of it again, and the auditions happened before that. Probably six months leading up to the opening. So it’s been a two-year process.

Do you think Australian musicals are on the same level as what you see on Broadway? Or is Broadway on a much grander scale?

It’s on a grander scale because there are so many more shows there. You go to New York and you see that the whole midtown area and every street has got three theatres on it on either side of Broadway. Clearly it’s the mecca where musicals were born and they do it the best there, without a doubt. But Aussies are as strong as the Americans are. Our production of Priscilla in Australia was just as strong as the Broadway production that’s just about to close. But there’s just that Broadway thing….I don’t know what it is. It’s that whole midtown section and every night there’s billboard after billboard, so whenever you see a show there, you’re just so enraptured in all the musical theatre around you. It just makes everything much grander and more professional. As far as talent goes, I think there’s just more dancers there. When you audition in New York you see dozens and dozens and dozens of people for one particular role. There are just so many shows there and so many more stars.

Having started out as a performer, do you prefer to be on the other side of the creative process and be involved in choreography?

Yeah, I do.  I loved performing in shows, but even when I did my first show when I was 17, I was interested in the process of how they built the musical up. I’d always watch rehearsals even if I wasn’t in the dance routine. I’d always sit in and watch. I was never interested in being a leading man or anything like that. As soon as I had a few shows under my belt, I started wanting to be a dance captain and wanting to be an assistant and just that general progression towards going ‘well I like choreographing, let’s see whether this is going to happen or not’. I was lucky enough to align myself with Ross Coleman who kind of mentored me for 12 years, and then I was choreographing my own shows. Having him there and pushing me opened a lot of doors to what I’m lucky enough now to be able to do. It’s always been something I’ve been interested in.

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD.

Even mild dehydration can affect performance.  Staying hydrated is extremely important to a dancer’s performance because the first signs of dehydration are fatigue and poor balance.  Thirst actually only kicks in after the body has lost 1-2 litres of water. If you are thirsty then you are already dehydrated.

The science

Water makes up approximately 60% of body weight and is the largest component of the human body.  The muscles we work so hard to develop as dancers (skeletal muscles) are about 73% water, your blood is about 93% water and even bones and teeth contain some water. Water is critical for maintaining homeostasis within the body and important in the thousands of biochemical and physiological functions our bodies go through every day. Water aids in digestion and is important in the transport and elimination systems of the body.

Overheating and performance

It’s important for dancers to know that being properly hydrated helps keep the body from overheating. Helping the body promote heat loss when dancing full out will improve athletic performance and aid in recovery. This is especially important for dancers wearing hot costumes and performing under stage lights. Sweat losses during performance can be significantly more than during rehearsal of the same piece. This is why drinking regularly (even small, regular sips) is an important habit during a show.

How much is really needed? Can a dancer get fluids from other things besides water?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes (we all know that dancers are athletes) start their exercise already hydrated with about 500ml of beverage taken before you begin. Then drink 150-300ml every 20 minutes or so. This means that your reusable water bottle should be your constant companion in the studio or backstage.  Every dancer is a little different but pre-professional and professional level dancers should aim for about 2800-3500ml of fluids every day.  That’s about 12 – 15 cups.  About 20-25% will come from foods like fruits and veggies, but about 80% comes from what you drink.  Aim to get most of your fluids through water, but juices, sports drinks, and even tea and coffee can be counted toward that goal. Some dancers find that mixing 50% sports drink with 50% water in their reusable bottles helps them get through long rehearsals or classes. This is because sports beverages contain a source of readily available energy (calories) and electrolytes that are lost in sweat.

But I want something besides just water…..

Prevent dehydration by eating lots of fruits and veggies.  Consider melon, squash, oranges, apples, pears, grapes, leafy greens and salads in addition to beverages like tea, whole fruit ice-blocks, sports drinks, smoothies, soy milk, almond milk, and yoghurts.

What about caffeine?

Caffeine makes us more awake and is known to enhance athletic performance. But there can be too much of a “good” thing.  Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, not a source of energy.  Yes, caffeine can also promote water loss and dancers should limit caffeine, but those beverages can still count toward your daily intake. I always recommend limiting or avoiding soft drinks. They are empty calorie bombs and can make bones weaker.  One cup of coffee is fine, but being overly jittery doesn’t help your dancing.

So be good to your body and good to the earth by taking your reusable water bottle with you everywhere and refilling it often!

Emily Harrison
Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University, USA. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com www.dancernutrition.com

How well do you know the ballet classic?

By Rain Francis.

1. Who composed the original score for Swan Lake?

a) Prokofiev

b) Mozart

c) Stravinsky

d) Tchaikovsky

2. Who choreographed the original production, which premiered in 1877, one year after the composer’s death?

a) Marius Petipa

b) George Balanchine

c) Michel Fokine

d) Julius Reisinger

3. The black swan’s name is:

a) Odette

b) Odile

c) Ophelia

d) Octavia

4. Name this character from Swan Lake:

a) Siegfried

b) Carabosse

c) Von Rothbart

d) Dr. Coppelius

5. Matthew Bourne’s version of Swan Lake is well known particularly because:

a) The corps de ballet consists of black swans, not white swans

b) The swans are danced by men instead of women

c) It does not use any of the original score

d) All of the above

6. As part of their 2012 season, The Australian Ballet will present Swan Lake. Who is the choreographer of this version?

a. Stephen Baynes

b. Graeme Murphy

c. Meryl Tankard

d. Natalie Weir

7. In the 2011 film Black Swan, which dance company was used as the corps de ballet?

a) New York City Ballet

b) Miami City Ballet

c) Pennsylvania Ballet

d) Mariinsky Ballet

8. Who danced the roles of Odette/Odile in the premiere of Petipa/Ivanov’s Swan Lake?

a) Pierina Legnani

b) Olga Nikolayeva

c) Anna Pavlova

d) Tamara Karsavina

9. How many dancers traditionally perform the dance of the Cygnets?

a) two

c) three

c) four

d) six

10. True or false: Swan Lake was the first ballet to be performed by The Australian Ballet?

Answers: 1 – d, 2 – d, 3 – b, 4 – c, 5 – b, 6 – a, 7 – c, 8 – a, 9 – c, 10 – True

Top photo: Adam Bull & Amber Scott in The Australian Ballet’s Swan Lake. Photography Jim McFarlane.

Character photo: Christopher Saunders as Von Rothbart. Copyright John Ross. Photo source: www.ballet.co.uk/gallery/jr-royal-ballet-swan-lake-roh-1008/jr_swan_saunders_onsteps_067_500

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD.

1. Eat more vegetables

I can’t stress the importance of this strongly enough.  Aim for at least 4 servings per day, and the more colorful your selection the better.  Vegetables contain important bioactive compounds such as phytonutrients like polyphenols, flavoinoids, carotenoids and lycopene. These are powerful cancer fighters.  Dancers can’t go wrong with eating more vegetables. Veggies are low calorie, low fat, high in fibre, and high in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, folic acid and selenium.

2. Eat more fruits

Fruits also contain the cancer fighting phytonutrients listed above. Fruit is the ultimate convenience snack. It is easily portable, tasty, and many varieties don’t need refrigeration. Throw an apple or orange in your dance bag today. Keep a bowl of washed grapes in your fridge for healthy snacking when you want something quick.  Fruit is delicious, easy, low calorie and packed with nutrients. Try to get your fruit from the whole fruit and limit or avoid sugary juices.

3. Reduce your consumption of meat

Eating a plant based diet has been shown again and again to reduce risk for cancers, not to mention the risk of heart disease and diabetes. The American Dietetic Association states that vegetarian diets can be healthy for persons of all ages and activity levels and may prevent certain diseases.   It is entirely possible to eat a more plant based diet if you are a dancer or other athlete. Get important nutrients like protein, iron and zinc from a well varied diet that includes beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and vegetables.  Dancers need slightly more protein and iron, but high meat intakes and excessive heme iron (from meat) may actually increase cancer risk.  Beans and leafy greens contain iron and these foods help fight cancer.  If you are a vegan you will need to supplement your diet with B12. Plant based diets also help reduce greenhouse gases and are better for the environment.  If you are interested, talk to a registered dietician about planning well balanced plant based meals.

4. Stop smoking now

Seriously, enough said.  Not smoking is one of the single most important things you can do for your health and the health of those who breathe the air around you.

5. Lose the extra pounds if you are overweight

Excess weight is a major risk factor for many different cancers.  The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently reported that putting on weight when younger (in your 20s or 30s) as opposed to later in life can increase risk for endometrial cancer.  Preventing or delaying weight gain can pay off in lower cancer risk.  Meeting with a registered dietitian can help you develop a plan that you can stick to long term. It’s not about losing a few pounds quickly, real health comes from lifestyle changes that you can live with over time.  Start off by limiting portion sizes and eating more veggies, then gradually add more steps until you reach your goals.

6. Eat more naturally and limit processed foods

I know we are all busy, but dancers have to be judicious about what they feed their bodies. Processed foods (including soft drinks) are not only more expensive, but usually pack a high calorie punch.  They can contain preservatives, additives, high-fructose corn syrup, and other unhealthy stuff that dancers don’t need. Buy foods in bulk, make big portions when cooking and freeze the extra. Invest in a slow cooker so you can throw some ingredients in and it will be all ready when you come home from a long day.

7. Get adequate vitamin D, but don’t mega dose

As dancers we all know the importance of vitamin D in strong bone density (preventing stress fractures). But you may not know that vitamin D has been shown to also be cancer protective.  For the dancers that I work with, I typically recommend getting approximately 800 IU per day.  That may mean having to supplement for dancers who are avoiding dairy. Getting 10-15 minutes of sun can be a good source too, but of course we don’t want to increase our skin cancer risk by baking in the sun for too long. If you supplement, be careful not to mega dose. Vitamin D can be toxic in high amounts.

8. Exercise regularly

Most dancers get plenty of exercise, but if you are recovering from an injury or if you are a former dancer it helps to schedule exercise just like you would schedule anything else.  Try something new or out of your comfort zone like a different style of dance, martial arts, yoga, or rock climbing. If you are currently dancing regularly; swimming or pilates can be great activities for cross training on days off.

9. Limit alcoholic beverages

New reports from the US National Institutes of Health state that women who have one drink per day can increase their breast cancer risk by 5%. Heavier drinking can increase risk by as much as 50%. Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer should avoid drinking altogether.  Another consideration for dancers is that even one drink can negatively affect athletic performance for several days after consumption.

10. Avoid BPA in canned foods and plastic containers, and don’t microwave food in plastic

BPA is a building block of plastics and exposure (especially in children) may increase cancer risk.  BPA can be found in some plastic containers and in the lining inside cans. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, The Environmental Working Group, and the Harvard School of Public Health all warn of the dangers of exposure to BPA.  Try using glass containers to store food, or look for “BPA free” if you must use plastic. We can all benefit from less plastic in our lives.  Plus eating fresh is always better.

Emily Harrison
Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University, USA. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com www.dancernutrition.com

Sources and additional information can be found at:

Alcohol and cancer risk: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_123484.html

BPA: www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2011-releases/bpa-exposure-behavioral-difficulties.html

The Environmental Working Group: www.ewg.org
www.ewg.org/meateatersguide

Plant based diets and disease prevention: The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine www.pcrm.org

Scarborough P, Allender S, Clarke D, Wickramasinghe K, Rayner M.  Plant based diets and the environment: Modelling the health impact of environmentally sustainable dietary scenarios in the UK. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012 Apr 11

Campbell T C, Campbell TM.  The China Study. Ben Bella Books, 2009.

ADA position statement on vegetarian diets: www.eatright.org/about/content.aspx?id=8357

Murphy MM, Barraj LM, Herman, D, Xiaoyu BI, Cheatham R, Randolph RK. Phytonutrient intake by adults in the United States in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption.  Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Feb, 2012.

Link A, Balaguer F, Goel A. Cancer chemoprevention by dietary polyphenols: promising role for epigenetics. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010 Dec 15;80(12):1771-92

Krishnan AV, Trump DL, Johnson CS, Feldman D.The role of vitamin d in cancer prevention and treatment. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2012 Feb;38(1):161-78.

Photo: © Braden Gunem | Dreamstime.com

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine -covering dance Australia, dance training, dance auditions, dance teacher resources and more.

By Rain Francis.

If Parris Goebel has been making waves in the international hip hop scene for the past few years, she’s just caused a tsunami. The 20 year-old Samoan-Kiwi was recently announced as a choreographer for Jennifer Lopez’ first world tour.

It’s a dream come true for the South Auckland dancer and choreographer, but she is no overnight success. Parris formed her own, all-female crew ‘ReQuest’ in 2007, and has been working hard to push the boundaries in her field. In conjunction with her father and manager, Brett Goebel, Parris runs The Palace, a dance studio in Auckland which is dedicated entirely to teaching the art of hip hop.

At last year’s Hip Hop International’s World Dance Championships in Las Vegas, The Palace cleaned up. Crews choreographed by Parris took home two gold medals and one silver – out of four categories. The previous two years, ReQuest had won the gold. In 2010, they were the first group ever outside North America to be selected for Season 6 of Randy Jackson’s America’s Best Dance Crew, triumphing over 400 crews in the auditions before making it all the way to the finals. More recently, Parris was crowned Female Choreographer of the Year at the 2012 Industry World of Dance Awards.

And now, at the time of writing, she is in Los Angeles, working with three other acclaimed choreographers on a stage show that will be seen by much of the world. American Idol judge Lopez has paired up with Enrique Iglesias for the two-month tour, which begins in July and covers South America, Europe, Asia and the States. It was reportedly J-Lo’s boyfriend – ex-back up dancer and now lead choreographer Casper Smart – who suggested Parris for the role.

So what’s it like to work with one of the biggest names in pop music? According to Parris, Lopez is “a very positive and genuine person. She is passionate about her work and wants the world to feel emotion through her music.”

In the recent American Idol finals, Lopez hit the stage with ReQuest to perform Parris’ signature ‘Polyswagg’. Parris describes the style as “combining sassy woman fire with aggressive inner strength. The grooves, heavy hits and milky flow are unique and will leave you inspired!”

Her recent successes have catapulted Parris onto the international stage, and her goal to be one of the world’s leading choreographers could be well within reach. As her father says, it’s “no longer a long term goal, [it will] pretty much happen in the next year.”

That family support, coupled with pure passion and dedication, have brought the choreographer this far. Her dancing journey began at age three with jazz classes, and although she now also enjoys contemporary dance, it’s hip hop that has her heart. “I have loved it since I was young,” she says. “It calls you and has so many ways to express yourself. It’s raw and from the street. You can do it if you are short, tall, big or small, boy or girl.”

To have achieved so much at such a young age is truly an inspiration. So what’s her secret? “Believe in yourself, chase you dreams”, Parris says. “Make sure you have only positive people around you. Anything is possible. Crowns up!”

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine -covering dance in Australia, dance training, dance auditions, dance teacher resources, dancewear and fashion and more.

How much do you know about George Balanchine, one of the 20th century’s most famous choreographers?

By Rain Francis.

1. George Balanchine was born in which country?

a) USA

b) Germany

c) Russia

d) Poland

2. With which composer would you MOST associate Balanchine?

a) Tchaikovsky

b) Stravinsky

c) Ravel

d) Gerhswin

3. Which of the following is NOT represented in Balanchine’s Jewels?

a) Sapphires

b) Rubies

c) Emeralds

d) Diamonds

4. Which group of dancers was Concerto Barocco choreographed on?

a) New York City Ballet

b) Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

c) Julliard School of Dance

d) School of American Ballet

5. How many times did Balanchine marry?

a) none

b) twice

c) four times

d) five times

6. Which dancer created the lead role in The Prodigal Son?

a) Serge Lifar

b) Vaslav Nijinksy

c) Leonide Massine

d) Mikhail Baryshnikov

7. Which ballerina created the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker ?

a) Maria Tallchief

b) Suzanne Farrell

c) Gelsey Kirkland

d) Patricia McBride

8. Which was the first ballet Balanchine choreographed in America?

a) Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux

b) Serenade

c) Agon

d) Apollo

9. Which of the following Greek muses is NOT present in the ballet Apollo?

a) Terpsichore, muse of dance

b) Caliope, muse of epic poetry

c) Clio, muse of history

d) Polyhymnia, muse of mime or hymns

10. Theme and Variations is choreographed to a score by which composer?

a) Stravinsky

b) Prokofiev

c) Satie

d) Tchaikovsky

ANSWERS: 1 – c; 2 – b; 3 – a; 4 – d; 5 – d; 6 – a; 7 – a; 8 – b; 9 – c; 10 – d

Photo: English National Ballet. Thomas Edur and Agnes Oaks performing Balanchine’s Apollo. Photo by Patrick Baldwin.