January 2015 issue

Posted on January 6, 2015

Happy New Year! We’re particularly proud of the pictures in our gorgeous January issue, which features an interview with veteran photographer Ron Self (who also photographs the World Professional Ballroom Championship for us in this issue) – plus reports, interviews, Strictly and more.

The attraction of opposites

In the last interview of their professional partnership, Domen Krapez and Monica Nigro talk to Alison Gallagher-Hughes about style, technique and elegance:

“When it comes to sheer elegance, Monica wins hands down. Her classic look is without frippery and fuss. She is highly influential in the development of her couture gowns, which first and foremost must look feminine, accentuate the body and incorporate detail…

“‘It also has to provide the right look for the couple,’ she advises. ‘It’s no good it looking good on the lady if the overall picture doesn’t look right…’”

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Tips on technique

Back by popular demand! Our readers’ survey made it clear that dancers are eager to learn and improve. James Whitehead’s column returns, this month talking about timing:

“Sometimes the difficulties in finding the speed come more often when that ticking beat is not so emphatic. Maybe there is little or no percussive element in the music, or it’s found mainly at the beginning of the song, in which case you have to be prepared to listen out for different instruments. Maybe you have to listen to the phrasing of vocals, picking out those words with emphasis, or accents in piano chords to help you find the tempo…”

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Also in the January issue…

Vote for your teacher! We launch the Dance Today Teacher of the Year 2015

Carl Alan award-winners Ron Self and his wife Sheila interviewed about their long career in photography and dance

Strictly Come Dancing’s dark horses: Marianka Swain picks her top five surprise contestants

National treasure: Michael Reilly reports on this year’s British National Dance Championships

The World Championship in photographs

Camilla Sacre-Dallerup tells Nicola Rayner about her new book

Perfect posture for dancers

Stepping out: a preview of 2015 in same-sex dance

Plus reports from the Blackpool Sequence Championships, the ISTD grand finals and Scarborough Dance Festival, reviews of ballroom documentary Dancing in Jaffa, Douglas Thompson’s biography of ballroom stars Irene and Vernon Castle, White Christmas in the West End, variations and sequence scripts, our fabulous listings pages and more!

Buy now

The January issue is in shops now, or you can buy your print copy here or buy your digital copy from all good app stores

Zoe Anderson

Zoë was born in Edinburgh, and saw her first dance performances at the Festival there. She is the dance critic of The Independent, and has also written for The Independent on Sunday, The Scotsman and Dancing Times. In 2002, she received her doctorate from the University of York for a thesis on “Nationhood and epic romance: Ariosto, Sidney, Spenser”. She is the author of The Royal Ballet: 75 Years and The Ballet Lover’s Companion.