December 2008

Posted on November 4, 2008

There is a distinct Russian feeling to Dancing Times this month. Gerald Dowler was able to talk to Tatiana Leskova, former dancer with the De Basil Ballets Russes, when she was in London recently to oversee The Australian Ballet’s revival of Léonide Massine’s Les Présages at Sadler’s Wells. You can read her fascinating interview on page 23. The Maryinsky Ballet also features strongly this month, with an interview with Igor Zelensky on page 14, and Margy Kinmonth gives a preview of her South Bank Show documentary on the company on page 37.

Ekaterina Kondaurova is our Dancer of the Month, and both the Maryinsky ballet and opera season at Sadler’s Wells is reviewed in DanceScene International and Another Opening Another Show. You can also find Igor Stupnikov’s Letter from St Petersburg on page 73. Also this month, Frederick Lewis recalls Lorna Hill’s ballet novels of the 1950s and 1960s, and David Mead talks to Richard Wherlock, the British choreographer now based at Ballett Basel. In Into Dance, we publish an exclusive interview with Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur with questions sent in by our young readers, and as always there is full coverage of national and international dance in DanceScene International. Finally, all at Dancing Times would like to wish our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Jonathan Gray

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Features

14 Taking it all in his stride. Igor Zelensky interviewed by Margaret Willis

19 IADMS Conference. A report by Rachel Rist

23 Dance in the blood. Tatiana Leskova talks to Gerald Dowler

27 MOVE IT 2009. A preview of next year’s exhibition

28 Always a step ahead. Richard Wherlock interviewed by David Mead

31 Dancing Around Europe. Part 3 by Louise Bennett

34 Dancers in a landscape. The ballet novels of Lorna Hill by Frederick Lewis

37 The South Bank Show. Maryinsky Theatre. A television preview by Margy Kinmonth

39 Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev. Part 2. Researched by Sarah Woodcock

43 Another Opening Another Show. The Maryinsky Opera in The Tale of Tsar Saltan
by Barbara Newman

47 DanceScene International. UK: Dance Umbrella: Scottish Ballet, Nigel Charnock, Batsheva Dance Company, Overture 2012, Mark Morris, Letizia Renzini, Transport Exceptionnels; The Maryinsky Ballet; Sujata Banerjee; English National Ballet; The Royal Ballet; DV8 Physical Theatre OVERSEAS: Ballet du Capitole; American Ballet Theatre

77 Obituaries. Charlotte Kirkpatrick, Rosella Hightower

Regulars

6 Dancematters.
ROH Manchester, Sadler’s Wells

11 Letters to the Editor

13 Talking Point. By Bruce Sansom of Central School of Ballet

73 Letter from St Petersburg. By Igor Stupnikov

75 Miscellany
Violetta Elvin, Paul Richardson

79 Teachers & Training
Molly Lake Award, Bonnie Bird Prize

83 Classified

84 Where to Learn

86 Calendar

97 Books & DVDs

Into Dance!

101 Dancer of the Month – Ekaterina Kondaurova.
Interviewed by Margaret Willis

104 IntoDance. Thomas Edur and Agnes Oaks answer your questions

106 Your Page

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.