Five Dances – a modern ballet evening

Hungarian National Ballet, Erkel Theatre, Budapest – June 1, 2013

In its aim to attract newcomers to enjoy dance, the Hungarian National Ballet certainly got things right when putting together its latest evening of modern ballets. With pieces not too long to let attention wander, and accompanied by beautiful music with plenty of passion and comedy to please everyone, the two-hour programme did just what it set out to do. The 2,000-seat auditorium of the Erkel Theatre in Budapest was packed with all ages, from youngsters to oldies, and their enthusiasm for the programme was infectious. Whistles, cheering, slow (appreciative) handclapping followed the curtain calls, and for those more used to the big story-telling traditional ballet evenings the company is known for, this programme certainly opened eyes to seeing that dance without specific scenarios can be just as entertaining.

A Service of Thanksgiving for the life and work of Phrosso Pfister, dance teacher and educator, will be held at St Paul’s Church, Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9ED at 12 noon on Thursday, July 4, 2013.

Victoria Marr, first soloist with Birmingham Royal Ballet, will be dancing her very last performance with the company, as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis in Giselle, at Birmingham Hippodrome in June.

The black and white photographs of the dancers of the Ballets Russes in Natalia Goncharova's designs for Les Noces, posed in the gardens at the back of the Casino in Monte Carlo in the 1920s, are a reminder of the works created in the principality by Serge Diaghilev's company – works that have enriched the dance repertoire ever since. Jean-Christophe Maillot, the current artistic director of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, attempts to maintain the spirit of Diaghilev – partly by supporting the work of emerging choreographers, partly by providing a platform for other companies, and partly by his own drastic reconstructions of classical ballets, with his LAC being the latest contribution to the company's repertoire. His most recent project is the establishment of a ballet academy for talented young dancers.

Dancing Times Ltd is the publisher of two independently produced specialist dance magazines, Dancing Times and Dance Today. In continuous production since 1910, the company is looking for a permanent, full-time Financial Director, educated to First Degree level and who is a fully qualified member in one of the professional accounting bodies (e.g. ACA, CIMA, ACCA), to provide financial management and overall general management direction.

Freed of London are presenting an evening with the stars of Peter Schaufuss’ Midnight Express. Taking place on Wednesday, April 3, Freed of London will be holding the exclusive event at their flagship store in St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden.

English National Ballet has teamed up with Dancing Times to offer its readers the chance to win four tickets in a private box for a performance of its Ecstasy and Death programme at the London Coliseum in April. The programme includes a rare chance to see the Paris Opéra Ballet étoile Nicolas Le Riche appearing opposite Tamara Rojo in Roland Petit’s Le Jeune homme et la Mort.

Birmingham Hippodrome is hosting a live broadcast of an open rehearsal by Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo on Friday, February 1. From 4.15pm onwards the theatre will broadcast a live video feed from one of the boxes in the auditorium as “The Trocks” – as they are affectionately known – take to the stage before an invited audience. Viewers are also invited to “join them from the comfort of your office chair, sofa or even on the bus!”

Sergei Polunin, who so dramatically resigned from The Royal Ballet earlier this year, is to take the lead role in the UK premiere of Peter Schaufuss’ dance production of Midnight Express at the London Coliseum in April 2013.

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