THE MAGAZINE
Arguing for Instagram: How Algorithmic Addiction Can Advance the Dancer
It starts with one harmless minute on your phone, right? Just a few minutes on Instagram, one more video on YouTube, and soon enough hours have passed and nothing you originally set out to accomplish has been done. But you can learn to turn this form of procrastination into a vital tool for your own artistic education.
Inspiring Words at the 2024 Prix de Lausanne
From 29 January 2024 until 4 February 2024, dance students and ballet lovers all over the world got to experience the Prix de Lausanne in daily live streams. Apart from the dancing, one of this year’s highlight were the inspiring words spoken at the awards ceremony by two former prima ballerinas, President of the Jury Darcey Bussell and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Alessandra Ferri.
Introducing Choreographer Merce Cunningham: Embracing Chance in Modern Dance
Many dancers often fear forgetting their dance on stage, or messing up the sequence of steps. Imagine your choreographer rolling a die just before the curtain opens to determine the order of the choreography that night. Merce Cunningham (1919-2009), a renowned American modern dancer and choreographer, did just that—relying solely on trust and chance, thereby taking collaboration to a new level.
Dancer Dorms
Join Thy-Lan Alcalay on a tour of her dorm room turned mini fitness studio. Thy-Lan is a dance and architecture student at Barnard College of Columbia University, New York.
Revelations: A Dance that Reveals the Spirit of Alvin Ailey and the Soul of the African American Story
Every dance company has a piece that encapsulates its identity. For Alvin Ailey American Dance Company, this piece is Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece Revelations. Ailey’s company was one of the first to welcome dancers of all races. Revelations is Ailey’s highly personal take on the African American story: he described the childhood memories that inspired the piece as “blood memories.”
Six Favorite Dance Movies in NYC *Unranked
Dance in NYC has a deep and powerful history; shaped by cultural fusion, rebellion, and preeminence. Below are six films in no particular order, both new and old, famous and obscure, of genres from ballet to salsa, to watch this Christmas break to relax and get in the spirit of dance in the city!
Natascha Mair, Principal Dancer, on “Sugar Hill:” “We all inspired each other!”
Natascha Mair, principal dancer, is gearing up for a very different Nutcracker: from 20 until 30 December 2023, her fans will be able to watch her in Chicago in Sugar Hill, a show choreographed to Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s The Nutcracker Suite, a jazz interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. TWoA talked to Natascha about Sugar Hill and about some of the most memorable Nutcracker moments in her career.
Street Artist JR at the Paris Opera: Back to the Cave
What happens when street artist JR, choreographer Damien Jalet and composer Thomas Bangalter collaborate on a show on the scaffolding covering the iconic Palais Garnier, the old building of the Paris Opera that is currently being restored? Hint: think human bats in Chanel.
A Ballet Dancer’s Take: On Balletcore
Balletcore is “just” a fashion trend (think cottegecore, blokecore, gorpcore…the list goes on) - but do you sometimes wish for more? What isn’t included in the phrase Balletcore is the implicit understanding of what it means to be a ballerina. Sometimes, Balletcore makes any serious dancer cringe. But take heart: there are some fashion houses who get it right!
Happy Thanksgiving! Aaron Copland and Martha Graham’s “Appalachian Spring”
Of all the holidays associated with America, Thanksgiving is by far the most uniquely American one. So, if you are looking for a ballet or a classical music piece to get you into the mood for turkey, stuffing and pie, enjoy our feature about Aaron Copland and Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring.
Cloud Gate: 50 Years of Singing the Song of the Wanderers
When you think of contemporary or modern dance, you might primarily think of big names like Martha Graham and Akram Khan, who are part of the European and American dance scene. But did you know that for the past 50 years, the modern dance company Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan has performed around the globe? Read on for some interesting facts about Cloud Gate, who will be performing their new production Lunar Halo at London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre from 30 November until 2 December 2023.
Choreographer and Composer Olivier Tarpaga (USA/Burkina Faso): Translating Emotion to Movement
Oliver Tarpaga does it all: he is a dancer, choreographer, musician, composer, and storyteller. For over 20 years, he has produced invigorating theater works. Although he sources inspiration from his ancestral home of Burkina Faso, his work is not limited to raising cultural awareness. Read on to find out more about his most iconic works.
How to Become a Cello: Royal Ballet Principal Marcelino Sambé in Cathy Marston’s “The Cellist,” Royal Ballet, 20 October – 2 November 2023
Cathy Marston’s one-act ballet “The Cellist” tells the tragic story of star cellist Jacqueline du Pré (1945-1987). TWoA spoke to Royal Ballet principal Marcelino Sambé, who created the part of “The Instrument” – Jacqueline du Pré’s cello. Sambé is performing the part again in the Royal Ballet’s current run of the ballet.
Birmingham Royal Ballet: “Black Sabbath - The Ballet”
A ballet with heavy metal music performed by a symphony orchestra? No way? Think again: Birmingham Royal Ballet just premiered its fastest selling show ever: Black Sabbath - The Ballet.
Viviana Durante, Artistic Director of English National Ballet School: “Follow Your Dream and See Where It Takes You!”
Even talking on Zoom from her office at English National Ballet School, Viviana Durante exudes that special something that made her one of the most celebrated dancers of her generation. Since 2020, she has been the artistic director of English National Ballet School (ENBS). TWoA talked to Viviana about leaving home at age eleven to train in a foreign country, her vision for dance education, the importance of giving meaning to every step, and much more.
Fancy a Visit to Paris Opera Ballet?
Fancy a visit to Paris? On 14 July 2023, you have a chance to do so virtually: the Paris Opera’s streaming platform will be streaming Carolyn Carlson’s cult work Signes live from the Bastille Opera. TWoA loves to look at the link between painting, music and dance. Signes is exactly about this link.
Happy Birthday, Igor Stravinsky! Celebrating an Icon of Twentieth Century Music and Ballet
There are few ground-breaking composers who are also famous for their ballet compositions. If Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Prokofiev are the only ones who come to your mind, think again: Igor Stravinsky is one of the most important composers of the twentieth century and an icon of modernism, but his most famous compositions were created not for the concert hall, but for the ballet.
Keep Cool!
It’s a busy time right now: the school year is coming to an end. Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or angry and fed up? Keep it cool, even if it’s difficult. Need some inspiration? Watch Riff from the West Side Story telling the Jets to keep it cool.
Happy Birthday, Irina Kolpakova!
On 22 May 2023, the great Russian ballerina and coach Irina Kolpakova turned 90. Since 1990, Kolpakova has been American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) principal coach. At ninety, she continues to coach ABT’s dancers in all variations and pas de deux from the company’s classical repertoire. Here some interesting facts about Kolpakova’s life.
Christian Spuck and Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Messa da Requiem’ at Staatsballett Berlin
Christian Spuck’s ballet Messa da Requiem is having a good year. The production has been performed across the globe and recently entered the repertoire of Staatsballett Berlin. But turning an oratario into a ballet is not easy. Read on for more.