July 09

Posted on June 4, 2009

In this month’s Dancing Times, we highlight the careers of two of the world’s leading male dancers. Incredibly, Adam Cooper graduated from The Royal Ballet School 20 years ago this month, and he has since gone on to lead a glittering career in dance, first as a much-admired principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, then leaping to international fame as The Swan/Stranger in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. Since that groundbreaking production, Cooper has gone on to dance, direct and choreograph extensively. Alison Kirkman catches up with him during rehearsals for his latest Sadler’s Wells show, Shall We Dance, on page 15.

In Moscow, Nadine Meisner talks to Nikolai Tsiskaridze, a major star of the Bolshoi Ballet and a controversial figure on the Russian ballet scene. He has some interesting and provocative things to say on page 27. Also in this issue, on page 39, Rachel Rist introduces the new Safe Dance qualification for dance teachers, and on page 31 Debbie Malina looks at how counselling can be beneficial to dancers coping with stress. We also have a host of news stories and reviews from the UK and abroad. Finally, readers should be aware that the Dancing Times offices are scheduled to be refurbished at the end of July, and we will be closed for two weeks. Dancing Times staff will still be able to access their emails, but it might take a little longer for us to respond during this period. Bear with us!

Jonathan Gray

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15 Throw on kid. Adam Cooper talks to Alison Kirkman

21 A LEVEL STUDY AID: Merce Cunningham’s Beach Birds. Part Two. By Dr Lorna Sanders

27 Star of the Bolshoi. Nikolai Tsiskaridze talks to Nadine Meisner

31 Coping with stress. Debbie Malina looks at counselling for dancers

35 She danced for Diaghilev. Anthony Meredith meets Hermione Darnborough

39 Teaching dance safely. By Rachel Rist

41 Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev. Part 9 researched by Sarah Woodcock

45 Another Opening. Alison Kirkman reviews Sister Act at the London Palladium

47 DanceScene International. UK: Rambert Dance Company, The Royal Ballet, Bern:Ballett, Breakin’ Convention, Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova
OVERSEAS: National Ballet of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Ballet,
Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Ballet British Columbia, Sydney Dance Company, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Paris Opéra Ballet, Boston Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, Staatsballett Berlin

67 Obituary. Ninel Kurgapkina, Ivo Cramér, and Frankie Manning

6 Dancematters:
Merce Cunningham, Carlos Acosta

11 Letters to the Editor

12 Talking Point. By Freda Pitt

63 Letter from St Petersburg. By Igor Stupnikov

65 Miscellany. Mikhail Messerer

71 Teachers & Training: ENB School, Transitions,
New Zealand School of Dance

77 Classified

78 Where to Learn

80 Calendar

91 DVD reviews

93 Dancer of the Month – Aaron Robison.
Interviewed by Margaret Willis

96 IntoDance. Angelina Ballerina’s Big Audition. Reviewed by Katerina Pantelides

98 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.