October 2020

Posted on November 3, 2020

Welcome to this special anniversary edition of Dancing Times. We are incredibly proud the magazine has reached this momentous milestone in its history, especially in light of the fact that within that time span of 110 years – two world wars, and political and economic turmoil, as well as pandemics – it has never missed an issue. The COVID-19 lockdown has been especially difficult for the magazine, but our small and dedicated team of just five people  – all of them working from home – are totally committed to bringing you as much material on dance as possible. I would like to thank them – as well as all our contributors and advertisers, and Warners, our printer and distributor – for their continued dedication and support during the past six months.

As the world slowly returns to some semblance of “normality” (I know I’m not the only one thrilled to be able to take a dance class again), you will notice we have been able to re-introduce the Calendar pages at the back of the magazine. As we go to press, there remains precious little dance to be seen live on stage here in the UK (top marks to Birmingham Royal Ballet, then, set to be back on stage later this month), but it’s heartening to observe just how many performances are scheduled to take place across Europe. Dance has always found a way to survive; we must be optimistic and look forward to a new, reinvigorated and highly creative future for the art form we love.

JONATHAN GRAY

October 2020 Volume 111 Issue 1322 

Cover stories

12. Dancing Times at 110

Gerald Dowler interviews editor Jonathan Gray about the Dancing Times’ 110^th birthday, and hears from other figures in the UK dance world

Features

18. A tribute to Philip Richardson

Beth Genné on the founding editor of Dancing Times

22. Going outside

Fátima Nollén discovers how Miami City Ballet has re-imagined its upcoming season

28. Shine on

Photographer Chris Nash introduces a new volume of his pictures celebrating the Richard Alston Dance Company

31. Back in the room
Strictly Come Dancing siblings Kevin and Joanne Clifton talk to Nicola Rayner about returning to theatres this autumn

37. Gardening leave
Gavin McCaig discovers that dancers have been taking to their gardens and allotments during lockdown

Dance Today

54. Socially distanced Strictly
This year’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing will look and operate rather differently – but the spirit should be the same, says Marianka Swain

56. Tips on technique 

By James Whitehead

57. Technique clinic 

By Phil Meacham

58. Simon’s Guide to Swing 

By Simon Selmon 

59. Stepping Out 

Marianka Swain finds out what Pete Meagher has been doing during lockdown

60. Somewhere in time
Jack Reavely remembers Major Eric Hancox

Regulars

6. News
English National Ballet postpones autumn 2020 season

12. Talking point 

By Henry Danton

41. Dance Scene UK
David Mead attends The Grange Festival

44. Variety Lights
Barbara Newman sees Fanny and Stella at the Garden Theatre, the first musical to be produced in London following lockdown

46. FRANCE/dance
By Laura Cappelle 

48. Letter from St Petersburg
By Igor Stupnikov

50. Notes from New York

Jack Anderson samples dance at the Guggenheim Museum

61. Subscriptions

63. Dancer of the Month
Margaret Willis interviews The Royal Ballet’s Ashley Dean

66. Obituaries
José Barrios, Joan Harris, Pauline Wadsworth

71. Products

73. Education
English Youth Ballet, Ballet West goes into liquidation

74. Health
Debbie Malina investigate craniosacral therapy and its origins

77. Classifieds

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

82. Last Dance
We look back to October 1980

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.