February 2019

Posted on February 27, 2019

Editorial and contents February 2019

This month we mark some major anniversaries, welcome some new appointments, and talk to a whole host of dancers and other people involved in the industry. In News we report on the appointment of the new directors of both Rambert and Birmingham Royal Ballet, two of the UK’s leading dance companies, and on page 41, Kathy Elgin highlights the upcoming 50th anniversary season that Scottish Ballet will be presenting in 2019. In addition, we also pay tribute to the late Elaine McDonald, “Scotland’s first ballerina”, who sadly died before she could participate in the company celebrations.

Interviews this month feature Northern Ballet’s Cuban premier dancer Javier Torres, who has been nominated for the Dancing Times Best Male Dancer Award at the forthcoming Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards in London this month; Bonnie Langford, the West End star who will soon be appearing in the stage musical version of 9 to 5 at the Savoy Theatre; Ballet Black’s Isabela Coracy, our Dancer of the Month; and Friedemann Vogel, the international ballet star who is based with Stuttgart Ballet. There are also articles on auditions, Hot Yoga, photographing ballroom and Latin American dancing, and the upcoming MOVE IT dance event at London’s ExCel. All this, and so much more, Dancing Times is as packed as ever. We hope you enjoy it!

JONATHAN GRAY

Dancing Times, February 2019 Volume 109 Issue 1302

Cover Stories

15 – Feeling lucky. Jonathan Gray talks to Northern Ballet’s Javier Torres

23 – MOVE IT 2019

26 – What a way to make a livin’. Nicola Rayner speaks to Bonnie Langford in advance of 9 to 5: The Musical

41 – Highland fling. Kathy Elgin celebrates Scottish Ballet’s 50th anniversary

Features

19 – Audition advice. Laura Dodge offers some ideas to graduates about to enter the dance profession

31 – The flight of Terpsichore. Part Two of Gerald Dowler’s history of Russian ballet between 1941 and 1961

35 – Natural progression. Fátima Nollén takes a look at the dance scene in Colombia

45 – Being Friedemann. Gerald Dowler meets Stuttgart Ballet’s Friedemann Vogel

Dance Today

72 – Picture perfect. Alison Gallagher-Hughes asks what makes the ideal dance photograph

76 – Hot stuff. Nicola Rayner on hot yoga for dancers

78 – Tips on technique. By James Whitehead

79 – Technique clinic. By Phil Meacham

80 – Simon’s Guide to Swing. Simon Selmon remembers the Jiving Lindy Hoppers

81 – Stepping Out. Marianka Swain highlights the 20th anniversary of the Pink Jukebox Trophy

82 – Somewhere in time. By Jack Reavely

Regulars

6 – News. Carlos Acosta to direct BRB

10 – Letters

13 – Talking Point. By Sean Gandini

49 – Dance Scene. Reviews this month include Scottish Ballet, English National Ballet, The Royal Ballet, New Adventures, Basel Ballett, Hamburg Ballet

63 – FRANCE/dance. By Laura Cappelle

65 – Letter from St Petersburg. By Igor Stupnikov

67 – Notes from New York. Jack Anderson sees seasons by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Trocks and Diana Vishneva

69 – Danza in Italia. By Graham Spicer

85 – Dancer of the Month. Ballet Black’s Isabela Coracy interviewed by Margaret Willis

89 – People. Sergei Polunin, Dance in the New Year Honours

90 – Obituaries. Elaine McDonald, Raven Wilkinson, Thea Nerissa Barnes

93 – Media. New books and DVDs

95 – Products

96 – Building resilience. By Rachel Rist

99 – Education. CDMT Conference

100 – Health. Debbie Malina looks at breath control and its benefits for dancers

103 – Classifieds

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

110 – Listings

114 – Last Dance. We look back to February 1979

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.