Cleopatra, CEO, comes to rule Los Angeles

Architecture & Design · Dance
We chatted with Heidi Duckler, in the final creative phase for her upcoming dance work, “Cleopatra CEO,” which opens this Friday night on the 51st floor of Paul Hastings Tower in downtown Los Angeles, and runs for three subsequent weekends. The architecture-savvy choreographer, celebrating 30 years as a local dance maker, was last seen running ...

Please do not mess with Golfo 2

Dance
This dear man, his name is Andreas Fussel, comes to us courtesy of our good friends on Facebook, Richard Slaughter and Marcus Galante. Andreas is all dolled up to play the role of Golfo in the Bournonville ballet, “Napoli.” This he did from its premiere in 1842 until 1863. Golfo is a sea demon ruling ...

Talent! Joy! Pure pleasure! Thank you Don Cornelius.

Dance · Music
What a mover~! Put Michael Jackson right up in the dance superstratum. How I wish I could have saved him.

Jungle boogie

Dance

Dance preservationist Norton Owen honored with ‘Dance in Focus’ award 1

Dance
On 20 January 2012, the Dance on Camera Festival, now powering up in New York, honored Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Director of Preservation, Norton Owen, for his outstanding contribution to the dance film genre. [click on photo for detail] Said Marta Renzi, board president of the Dance Films Association, which runs the annual Lincoln center ...

What makes a Balanchine ballerina? Meet Carol Sumner. 1

Dance
A relatively short torso astride a dauntingly long set of legs. A straight, strong, vertically held back. A house style of aggressive physical attack. All are in evidence in photos of Carol Sumner, a former soloist with New York City Ballet. She danced for Mr. Balanchine from 1958 to 1978, twenty years that she calls ...

Where industry meets the arts

Dance · Visual arts
E.O. Hoppé, Large Alternator, Siemens-Schuckert werk, Gartenfeld, Germany, 1928 Unknown photographer, GE Plant in Schenectady, 1934. Features Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers (Shawn at center) Hoppe photo credit: E.O. Hoppé Estate Collection, courtesy Graham Howe Shawn photo courtesy, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Archive, courtesy Norton Owen Like this? Read more: Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival ...

Jack Cole rocks Rita Hayworth’s world in “Tonight and Every Night” (1945) 1

Dance · Film
The ditty she sings is inane (remember, it was the War!) and the costume is not her greatest. But Rita Hayworth does her thing prettily enough. Life changes when a monster-dancer joins her on stage — Jack Cole. Choreographers: Pay attention @ 1:43.  That is how to make an entrance — sliding in on your ...

Marie Bryant put a bun in Betty Grable’s oven 5

Dance · Film
The silken jazz dancer, Marie Bryant (1919-1978), seen here jiving with the great Harold Nicholas, was, for a time, rehearsal assistant to Jack Cole. That’s interesting. Cole’s performance group was all white. It wouldn’t be otherwise. But he clearly relied on Bryant for special tasks. Asked what she did for Jack Cole, Bryant replied,  “I ...

Go postal: use choreographer commemorative stamps

Architecture & Design · Dance
Finally. A great reason to use snail mail. You can smack a beloved choreographer right onto the envelope. Jim McMullan, the well known poster designer for Lincoln Center, created the images following a first lot of choreographer stamps in 2004. That group featured mini portraits of dance giants: George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Martha Graham, ...