December 2017

Posted on December 19, 2017

Editorial and contents December 2017

As 2017 draws to a close, Dancing Times brings you dance from unusual places and situations. The Palestinian dancer Ahmad Joudeh was born in a refugee camp in Syria, and had to fight against the disapproval of society – and his father – in order to fulfil his dream of becoming a dancer. Now living in Amsterdam, Joudeh tells his inspiring life story to Maggie Foyer. Meanwhile, in the sultanate of Oman, dance and ballet is regularly performed at the Royal Opera House in Muscat. Laura Dodge travelled to the city on behalf of Dancing Times in order to see a performance of Swan Lake and find out more about the cultural work of the theatre.

Also in this issue, former Strictly Come Dancing professional Camilla Sacre-Dallerup talks to Nicola Rayner about her decision to stop dancing; Zoë Anderson finds out about a new production of the stage musical Guys and Dolls in Manchester; Graham Watts catches up with tap dance legend Savion Glover; and we highlight a new display at the Victoria and Albert Museum by Anthony Crickmay, one of the greatest dance photographers of our age.

In addition to the above, there is so much more in this month’s magazine to keep you interested, and just enough space here to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas!

JONATHAN GRAY

Dancing Times, December 2017 Volume 108 Issue 1288

Cover Stories

18 – A message for peace. Maggie Foyer meets the Palestinian dancer Ahmad Joudeh

23 – Tradition with innovation. Laura Dodge visits the Royal Opera House Muscat

28 – A farewell to dance. Nicola Rayner interviews former Strictly Come Dancing champion Camilla Sacre-Dallerup

74 – Energy, movement and life. Zoë Anderson talks Guys and Dolls with Kenrick “H2O” Sandy

Features

33 – Passing along the tap ball. Graham Watts meets the tap legend Savion Glover

38 – People and performance. We highlight a new photographic display by Anthony Crickmay

40 – From Tsar to Commissar: Ballet and the Russian Revolution. Gerald Dowler concludes his series on the impact the Revolution made on Russian ballet

Dance Today

78 – How to partner up with Latin music. Lee Knights finds nine key ways to improve your musicality

80 – Tips on technique. By James Whitehead

81 – Technique clinic. By Phil Meacham

82 – Simon’s Guide to Swing. Simon Selmon on a meaningful conversation

83 – Stepping Out. By Marianka Swain

84 – Notes from the Dance Floor. Lee Knights sees Vamos Cuba!

86 – Somewhere in time. By Jack Reavely

Regulars

6 – News. National Dance Award nominations announced, Musicals DVD competition

12 – Letters

17 – Talking Point. By Jane Ashby

45 – Variety Lights. By Barbara Newman

47 – FRANCE/dance. By Laura Cappelle

49 – Letter from St Petersburg. By Igor Stupnikov

51 – Notes from New York. By Jack Anderson

53 – Media. New books and DVDs

55 – Dance Scene. Reviews include Dance Umbrella, Kenneth MacMillan: a National Celebration, Michael Clark

89 – People. Ann Hutchinson Guest, Mark Skipper

90 – Dancer of the Month. Margaret Willis meets The Royal Ballet soloist Anna Rose O’Sullivan

94 – Obituaries. Alexander Morrow, David Vaughan

97 – Products

101 – Education. Rambert2, The Hammond School, The Royal Ballet School

105 – Food on the hoof. Debbie Malina looks at food and dance

109 – Classified

111 – Calendar. Our guide to what’s on this month in the UK and abroad

118 – Listings. Where to learn to dance

122 – Last Dance. We look back to December 1977

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.