August 2015

Posted on August 27, 2015

Although there is only one major Russian company visiting London this summer, there is a definite Russian feel to this latest issue of Dancing Times. As well as Igor Stupnikov’s regular Letter from St Petersburg, Graham Watts, chair of the UK Dance Critics’ Circle, reports on an extraordinary conference held in that same city devoted to the future of choreography for classical ballet.

In addition, in Hong Kong Natasha Rogai meets Sergei Filin, director of the Bolshoi Ballet; Daniel Pratt interviews Sandra Jennings about her work with The George Balanchine Trust, which has included staging A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the Maryinsky Ballet; and Andrew Foster highlights another significant centenary in the history of Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Further afield, Caitlyn Lehmann takes a backstage look at The Australian Ballet’s new production of The Sleeping Beauty and, closer to home, Laura Dodge visits London Contemporary Dance School. We have been delighted by the response to the news of the merger of Dancing Times with Dance Today (see last month’s magazine), and publish a letter of appreciation from a long-time reader on page 10.

JONATHAN GRAY 

Dancing Times, August 2015 Volume 105 Issue 1260

Features

14 / Learning from Beauty. Caitlyn Lehmann goes backstage at The Australian Ballet’s new production of The Sleeping Beauty

18 / Flying by themselves. Graham Watts joins a discussion about the future of ballet

26 / Carrying a better solution. Daniel Pratt talks to Sandra Jennings about working with The George Balanchine Trust

31 / Nurturing the individual. Laura Dodge pays a visit to London Contemporary Dance School

Regulars

06 / Dance Matters. Young People at Dance East

10 / Letters

12 / Talking Point. Daniel Pratt wonders if today’s dancers have the stamina to tackle existing repertoire

36 / Dance Scene. Reviews include Paco Peña and Birmingham Royal Ballet

49 / Variety Lights. Barbara Newman sees A Damsel in Distress and wonder.land

53 / Letter from St Petersburg. By Igor Stupnikov

57 / Obituaries. John Auld, Albert Evans, Colette Marchand

59 / Dance People. Company promotions

61 / Dance Health. Debbie Malina considers the intricate relationship between dance and the equine world

65 / Dance Education. White Lodge reunion

69 / Classified

70 / Where to Learn

76 / Calendar

73 / Dancer of the Month. Delia Mathews interviewed by Margaret Willis

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.