Welcome to Dancing Times - Britain's leading monthly dance magazine

In conjuction with our very special issue of Dancing Times, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the publication of our first issue, we have taken the opportunity to re-launch our website, as well as the layout of the magazine. We hope you enjoy the final results!

Dancing Times can state with some pride that throughout the often turbulent century of its existence – two World Wars, the Wall Street Crash and Great Depression, and the current financial crisis – we never missed the publication of a single issue and have remained true to our aims of recording with honesty the events and developments in all aspects of dance. Dancing Times played an instrumental role in the formation of such important teaching bodies as the Royal Academy of Dance and the British Dance Council, and it has witnessed the UK dance scene change beyond all recognition. Just some measure of the love and respect the magazine has garnered can be read in the wonderful tributes published on page 25 of our latest issue. Kathrine Sorley Walker salutes our first editor, Philip Richardson, on page 12 and our beloved editor emeritus, Mary Clarke, is interviewed by Gerald Dowler on page 53. Also in this issue, we interview The Royal Ballet’s Lauren Cuthbertson, look at how dance floors have changed over the years, and preview the 2010 season from Dance Umbrella.

After our celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Rite of Spring last month, we get back to business with another packed issue of Dancing Times. I was lucky enough to travel to Norfolk, Virginia, with Birmingham Royal Ballet in order to see the company participate in the Virginia Arts Festival at the end of April, and you can read my report of the proceedings on page 23. Iris Fanger introduces us to Boston Ballet on page 14 in advance of its first London season in over 30 years, and on page 19 Patricia Linton draws some conclusions from the Focus on Style series of lectures held at The Royal Ballet School over the past few months. Gerald Dowler interviews Reid Anderson, director of Stuttgart Ballet, on page 27, and Paul Arrowsmith examines composer Benjamin Britten's relationship with ballet in time to mark the 100th anniversary celebrations of his birth. Finally, on page 36, Sarah Woodcock pays tribute to a very special lady, dance photographer Frederika Davis, who, amazingly, celebrated her 90th birthday on May 28. The interview includes some of Frederika's early photographs, but you can also see examples of her more recent pictures amongst the many reviews included in Dance Scene.

JONATHAN GRAY, EDITOR