August 2014

Posted on October 23, 2014

With the summer now in full swing, you might be longing to spend time cooling off, so why not take a look at Debbie Malina’s article on skating and dance on page 56, which might take off some of the heat by putting you on ice? Also in this issue, Graham Watts finds out what it is like to be a dancer appearing in a theatre at the end of a pier, Laura Dodge pays a visit to Urdang Academy, and Paul Arrowsmith takes time out to talk to some senior dancers about the passing on of their dance knowledge.

Arts Council England recently announced its new round of funding awards for dance, and in Dance Matters we find out who the winners are – and also the losers. In the same section, I talk to Kevin O’Hare, director of The Royal Ballet, about the success of the company’s recent tour to Russia, and we highlight English National Ballet’s plans to build a new home for the company and its school in London. Also in this issue, Margaret Willis meets English National Ballet’s Alison McWhinney, who is our latest Dancer of the Month, and in Dance Scene we include reviews of, among others, Northern Ballet, Rambert, Stuttgart Ballet and the Paris Opéra Ballet.

JONATHAN GRAY

August 2014 Volume 104 Issue 1248

Cover stories

14 Not just a bunch of steps. Paul Arrowsmith explores how dancers’ knowledge is recycled

19 Not the end of the pier show. Graham Watts discovers the rigours involved in dancing on the end of a pier

23 Establishing connections. Laura Dodge pays a visit to Urdang Academy

Features

26 Trinity Laban’s architectural gem. Caroline Reilly describes Harlequin Floor’s decade-long collaboration with Trinity Laban

Regulars

06 Dance Matters. The Royal Ballet in Russia, Arts Council England dance funding news

10 Letters

12 Talking Point. Kathrine Sorley Walker considers comedy in British dance

28 Dance Scene. Reviews include English National Ballet, New English Ballet Theatre, Stuttgart Ballet

47 Letter from St Petersburg. Igor Stupnikov sees ballets by Hans van Manen

49 Notes from New York. Jack Anderson reviews ballets by Frederick Ashton

51 Dance Media. New Blu-ray and DVD releases reviewed by Sophie Warner and Jonathan Gray

53 Dance People. Nicolas Le Riche, promotions at Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and The Royal Ballet

55 Obituaries. Mary Anthony, Douglas Steuart

56 Dance Health. Debbie Malina examines the close relationship between dance and skating

60 Dance Education. New teachers at RBS, Rambert School, Freefall

65 Classifieds

66 Where to Learn

75 Calendar

Into Dance

69 Dancer of the Month. Margaret Willis meets English National Ballet’s Alison McWhinney

72 INALA. Zoë Anderson previews a new show at the Edinburgh International Festival

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.