August 2013

Posted on October 1, 2013

In this issue of Dancing Times, we pay tribute to a very special man, David Wall, the former Royal Ballet principal, ballet master of English National Ballet and former director of The Royal Academy of Dance, who sadly died of cancer at the tragically young age of 67 on June 18. The news of his death came as a shock to many, and on page 58 Mary Clarke offers an obituary I am sure you will agree does him justice. We also publish tributes from his former dance partners, Lynn Seymour and Doreen Wells, as well as Deborah MacMillan, widow of choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, and ballerina Daria Klimentová.

On our website you can also read an interview with Wall by Zoë Anderson, which we originally published in 2007.

Also this month, Nadine Meisner travels to Toulouse to meet artistic director Kader Belarbi and see his completely new version of Le Corsaire for the Ballet du Capitole; Barbara Newman reviews the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical that has just opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane; and Debbie Malina uncovers some surprising connections between dance and the sport of boxing.

Jonathan Gray

Contents

Features

14 Capitole Corsaire. Nadine Meisner travelled to Toulouse to meet Kader Belarbi and see his new production of Le Corsaire for the Ballet du Capitole

19 Sliding doors. Kevin Berry meets Ben Wright, choreographer and director of bgroup dance company

24 Dance and lifelong wellbeing. What is it that makes dance such a powerful contributor to health and wellbeing at all ages? Laura Dodge attends the Royal Academy of Dance’s three-day conference to find out

33 Les Ballets 1933. Gerald Dowler highlights a short-lived ballet company that played a significant role in dance history

34 Dance schools: Central School of Ballet. As Central School of Ballet celebrates its 30th anniversary, Laura Dodge visits the school to discover why its ethos and training methods have proved so successful

Regulars

6 Dance Matters. Cojocaru joins ENB, Bolshoi Ballet plans, New Adventures Choreographer Award

10 Letters

12 Talking Point. Gerald Dowler discusses the nature of state support for dance

23 Variety Lights. Barbara Newman on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Drury Lane

28 Dance Health. Debbie Malina considers the relationship between boxing and dance

37 Dance Scene. Reviews this month include : The Forsythe Company, Britten Dances, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Jean Abreu Dance, Boston Ballet and the Stanislavsky Ballet

53 Letter from St Petersburg. Igor Stupnikov sees a new Nacho Duato ballet at the Mikhailovsky

55 Dance Media. New books and DVDs

57 Dance People. BRB and Royal Ballet promotions

58 Obituaries. David Wall

61 Dance Education. New RBS director announced, Millennium Performing Arts

65 Classifieds

66 Where to Learn

68 Calendar

IntoDance

77 Dancer of the month. Margaret Willis talks to the Bolshoi Ballet’s Anna Tikhomirova

80 West Side Story. Zoë Anderson takes a looks at the world-famous musical about to be revived this month at Sadler’s Wells

82 Your Page