December 2021

Posted on December 16, 2021

Editorial and contents December 2021

This month, Gavin McCaig pays tribute to David Nixon, his artistic director at Northern Ballet, who steps down from his role later this month – everyone at Dancing Times also wishes David the best for the future. In addition, we discover more about the role played by board members of the UK’s dance companies, hear from Sonya Tayeh, choreographer of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which has just opened in London’s West End, find out how dance has been faring in Argentina since the start of the pandemic, and salute the wonderful partnership of John Whaite and Johannes Radebe, the first male same-sex couple to have competed on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Which just leaves me, all being well, to wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers!

JONATHAN GRAY

Dancing Times, December 2021 Volume 112 Issue 1336

Cover Stories

13 – Leading light. Gavin McCaig pays tribute to David Nixon, his director at Northern Ballet

17 – Dancing her life away. Choreographer Sonya Tayeh speaks to Nicola Rayner about Moulin Rouge! The Musical 

25 – Nutcracker and the Snow Ballet. Caitlyn Lehmann discovers a “Snow Ballet” pre-dating The Nutcracker

69 – Stepping Out. Marianka Swain reflects on Strictly Come Dancing’s first all-male pairing

Features

21 – Lean back, lean in. The role of dance company boards, explored by Paul Arrowsmith

29 – Surviving the pandemic. Fátima Nollén finds out how dance companies in Argentina have been returning to the stage

32 – Emerging conversations. Susan Crow concludes her article considering how best to educate tomorrow’s ballet dancers

37 – Realms. Matthew Brookoff marks the 60th anniversary of George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Dance Today

64 – Strictly safety. Marianka Swain asks how can you avoid dance injuries

66 – Tips on technique. By James Whitehead

67 – Technique clinic. By Phil Meacham

68 – Simon’s Guide to Swing. By Simon Selmon

70 – Somewhere in time. By Jack Reavely

Regulars

6 – News. MOVE IT returns for 2022

10 – Talking Point. By Sharia Johnson

41 – Dance Scene International. Reviews include Ballet Black, Ballet Theatre UK, Dance Umbrella, Hong Kong Ballet, The Royal Ballet 

55 – Variety Lights. By Barbara Newman

58 – Danza in Italia. By Graham Spicer

59 – FRANCE/dance. By Laura Cappelle

60 – Letter from St Petersburg. Igor Stupnikov reviews a new production of Swan Lake by the Mikhailovsky Ballet

61 – Notes from New York. Leigh Witchel on the return of American Ballet Theatre

73 – Dancer of the Month. Margaret Willis interviews Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Eilis Small 

77 – Obituaries. Mirella Bartrip

79 – Media. Sarah Woodcock reviews the book Dance and Costumes

81 – Products

83 – Education. Edinburgh Festival Ballet School

84 – Theatre myths. Debbie Malina looks at theatre superstitions, myths and rituals

87 – Classifieds

89 – Calendar. Our guide to what’s on in the UK and abroad

94 – Listings. Where to learn to dance in the UK

98 – Last Dance. We look back to what was published in Dancing Times in December 1981

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.