September 2017

Posted on September 27, 2017

With the summer, such as it was, slipping away, in this new issue of Dancing Times we look forward to some of the events coming up in the autumn months. September always means the beginning of a new series of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, and in this month’s magazine, Marianka Swain ponders the knotty problems surrounding judging in the world of ballroom, as well as some of the challenges that will be faced by Shirley Ballas, Strictly’s new head judge. In addition, Zoë Anderson talks to choreographer Ben Duke about Goat, his new work for Rambert, which opens on tour next month. Duke reveals how some of his choreography has been shaped by the recent terrorist attacks endured in the UK during the summer, and also in this issue we highlight the Gala for Grenfell organised by Arlene Phillips that brought the UK dance world together in order to raise funds for the victims of the horrific tower-block fire. Finally, we offer you a taster of a beautiful exhibition of sets and costumes by Marc Chagall that has just opened in Los Angeles, as well our much-loved regular features.

JONATHAN GRAY

Dancing Times, September 2017 Volume 107 Issue 1285

Cover Stories

15 – Life after the Bolshoi. Margaret Willis meets Svetlana Lunkina, who is making a new life in Canada

21 – Gala for Grenfell. Photographs by Elliott Franks

30 – Willing to show. Zoë Anderson talks to Ben Duke about his new work for Rambert

39 – The memoirs of Nadia Nerina. Nadia Nerina recounts her decision to stop dancing

Features

23 – Somewhat elevated. Nicola Rayner on a new partnership in exhibition dancing

28 – Chagall on stage. Jonathan Gray introduces an exhibition of stage designs and costumes by Marc Chagall

35 – On stage. Jenny Veldhuis discovers how extra performance opportunities have benefited the students of Berlin’s State Ballet School

42 – Turning the Titanic. Graham Watts talks to Tamás Solymosi, director of the Hungarian State Ballet

Dance Today

74 – Judgement time. Marianka Swain delves into the world of ballroom judging

78 – Building a successful dance school. By Sarah Gittins

80 – Tips on technique. By James Whitehead

81 – Technique clinic. By Phil Meacham

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

83 – Stepping Out. By Marianka Swain

84 – Notes from the dance floor. By Lee Knights

86 – Somewhere in time. By Jack Reavely

Regulars

6 – News. Acosta Danza, Bournemouth Summer Festival

12 – Talking Point by Shobana Jeyasingh

47 – Variety Lights. Barbara Newman on butoh in south London and Hoochie Koochie at the Barbican

49 – FRANCE/dance by Laura Cappelle

51 – Letter from St Petersburg by Igor Stupnikov

53 – Notes from New York by Jack Anderson

55 – Dance Scene. Reviews include Tanguera, English National Ballet, Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company, National Ballet of Canada, Stuttgart Ballet

89 – People. English National Ballet promotions, Phil Ashby

90 – Dancer of the Month. Margaret Willis meets Rambert’s Stephen Quildan

95 – Obituaries. Nathan David

97 – Products

99 – Education. The Royal Ballet School

105 – Health. Debbie Malina marks the fifth anniversary of the National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science

109 – Classified

110 – Calendar

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

122 – Last Dance. We look back to September 1977