September 2020

Posted on September 24, 2020

Well, here we are entering the sixth month of lockdown in the UK due to the coronavirus pandemic and there is still virtually no dance to be seen live on our stages. Although Dancing Times is able to report this month on recent performances in France and Italy seen by Laura Cappelle and Graham Spicer, it is with a heavy heart that I realise it may be some time before professional ballet and contemporary dance companies are able to return to our theatres and dance venues in the UK.This month, Gerald Dowler talks to a number dance professionals across the country in order to find out how things are progressing. In addition, Nicola Rayner investigates how COVID-19 has affected major ballroom and Latin American dance championships.

On a happier note, we highlight two people who have made significant contributions to dance in this country – English National Ballet’s Jane Haworth and Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Doug Nicholson – as hear from four upcoming young male dancers in the worlds of classical ballet and same-sex dance competitions.

Jonathan Gray

Dancing Times, September 2020 Volume 110 Issue 1321

Cover stories

17. Starting again
Gerald Dowler finds out how UK dance companies and venues are preparing to come out of lockdown

22. Calling it a day
English National Ballet’s Jane Haworth discusses her career with Deborah Weiss

35. Waking up from a dream
Graham Watts interviews choreographer Luca Silvestrini about 21 years of Protein Dance

58. Eat to beat disease
Lee Knights talks to Dr William Li about how we can eat our way to strong immunity

Features

29. Back to Blackpool?
Nicola Rayner speaks to competitors, teachers and dance promoters about the postponement of this year’s Blackpool Dance Festival and other major championships

38. Dancing for Mr B
Gavin Larsen concludes her interview with the School of American Ballet’s Susan Pilarre

42. “How fortunate am I…”
Paul Arrowsmith meets Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Doug Nicholson, a veritable man of the theatre

Dance Today

60. Tips on technique

By James Whitehead

61. Technique clinic
By Phil Meacham

62. Simon’s Guide to Swing
Simon Selmon reflects on what five months of lockdown has meant for social dancing

63. Stepping Out
Marianka Swain speaks to new same-sex competitors Dean Thirwell and Orion Russell

64. Somewhere in time
By Jack Reavely

Regulars

8. News
Northern Ballet postpones the premiere of Merlin, redundancies at Sadler’s Wells, Michael Clark exhibition at the Barbican

12. Letters

14. Talking point
By Paul Arrowsmith

48. FRANCE/dance
Laura Cappelle sees two live dance performances in Paris

50. Danza in Italia
By Graham Spicer

52. Letter from St Petersburg
Igor Stupnikov hears from the Maryinsky Ballet’s Konstantin Zverev

54. Notes from New York
Jack Anderson watches the two online dance festivals

65. Subscriptions

67. Dancer of the Month
Margaret Willis interviews Northern Ballet’s Joseph Taylor

70. Obituaries
Zizi Jeanmaire, Jelko Yuresha

73. Media
New on DVD and Blu-ray disc

75. Products

77. Education
Ballet West

78. Health
Debbie Malina consider some of the mental health issues being faced by dancers at this time, and the range of options that can enable them to access help appropriate for their needs

81. Classifieds

82. Last Dance
We look back to September 1980

Simon Oliver

Simon Oliver has been production editor of Dancing Times since 2010 and is highly experienced in design across print and online magazine production. Throughout his career, Simon has worked on a diverse range of subjects including music, family history, book collecting and poker.