Ringing in 2011 at the Neujahrskonzert
They’re gonna have to tie me into my seat when the Strauss waltzes kick in at this weekend’s Neujahrskonzert at Walt Disney Concert Hall. New Year’s concerts — famous, festive, and now franchised — are an old Austrian tradition. You know, like sacher tortes and California governors. [How did the Austrians come up with something ...
Natalia Makarova’s 40-year anniversary in the West
Dec
29
2010
It was a blunder. I thought I was calling her assistant to arrange an interview. Instead, I dialed the New York number and Natalia Makarova herself answered the phone. Frozen in fear, I tried to recover gracefully and still get an interview. She wasn’t feeling well and demurred. Later that day, a statement concerning her ...
The dignity of ballerina Natalia Makarova 9
I was struck by a passage in Natalia Makarova‘s biography, “A Dance Autobiography,” (Knopf, 1979) edited by Robert Gottlieb (“What did ballet ever do to deserve this?”) when he was editor-in-chief at the New York publishing house. The text recalls an indignity Makarova suffered at the Kirov Ballet soon before she defected to the West ...
Jack Cole’s top ten list 3
Film zany Michael Schlesinger enjoyed ribbing me with this ‘top-ten list’ he conjured for arts•meme: Top ten things choreographer Jack Cole liked about Christmas 10) Holiday spectaculars at Radio City Music Hall — boy, can them Rockettes kick or what? 9) People telling me how much they love “The Christmas Song.” (Oh, wait, sorry, that’s ...
Bird watching
New York dance critic Elizabeth Zimmer contributes this review to arts•meme: BLACK SWAN aced its opening weekend, albeit one of the slowest box-office weekends of the year; The New York Times on December 6 reported that in the art-house category, playing at only 18 theaters, it grossed $1.4 million, a record for Fox Searchlight, which released it. The ...
Sugarplum heart attack
arts•meme thanks Lou Beach Like Pytor Illych? I love him. Read more: Ken Russell & Dr. Kildare tackle Tchaikovsky
Cunningham “Legacy Tour” enters final year in 2011
Dec
20
2010
In one year’s time, New Year’s Eve 2011/12, Merce Cunningham Dance Company will close for business. Try to see the company in the next year. You will not regret it. Here are some upcoming dates … January 14-15, 2011 Grand Theater Hong Kong Cultural Center Hong Kong Nearly 90² Click here for more information February ...
Barak Marshall’s “Rooster” cock of the walk 3
Dec
18
2010
BREAKING NEWS, JAN 16, 2011: “Rooster” garners first prize in the Los Angeles “A.W.A.R.D.” show for Barak Marshall and BODYTRAFFIC. Read more in the Los Angeles Times Culture Monster blog. Meanwhile, here’s a prior review from December… * * * * * “Black Swan” got you down? Then check out Barak Marshall’s “ROOSTER” — a ...
Don Martin, 80, instructs youngsters in Lester Horton technique 4
Dec
15
2010
Saturday’s showcase of the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts (LACHSA) dance program, which included marvelous snippets of Jiri Kylian choreography, also featured a serene demonstration of Lester Horton technique as taught to the next generation by master instructor Don Martin. Says Martin: “Lester was a genius. He was ahead of his time. ...
Bloody mamas: violence against women in art and life
Monday, November 15, 2010, was a grisly night for women in Los Angeles. Both in art and in life, the blood of women flowed unnaturally and to no good purpose. Shortly after midnight, Ronni Chasen, the owner of her own public relations firm and a hard-driving career woman, was found bleeding to death, crashed in ...