In the recent Degas exhibition at the Royal Academy, one of my favourite rooms was the one that set Degas's obsession with the dancing body in context with the photography of the period. It featured the work of Eadweard Muybridge, whose meticulous stop-motion technique tried to capture the dynamics and line of the moving body. Read more – ‘360 degree ballet’.
Lauren Cuthbertson fought to ballet's front rank – and kept her sense of humour. Now she's dancing one of its most challenging roles: Manon Read more – ‘Lauren Cuthbertson’s true grit’.
With Kenneth MacMillan’s first full-length work for The Royal Ballet, both he and the Company struck artistic gold – the June performances at The O2 Arena once more proved the ballet’s enduring hold over audiences. Read more – ‘Romeo & Juliet Royal Opera House 2012’.
A sneak peek at the upcoming production, 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' by The London Ballet Company, at the King's Head Theatre. An exploration of the Olympic games and the many ways in which the worlds of dance and sport cross over. Read more – ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius by The London Ballet Company’.
If the sunshine and warm weather wasn't enough to be looking forward to this summer, we've also got possibly one of the greatest choreographed new Ballets that London and the Royal Opera House has seen thus far. Read more – ‘Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland – ROH’.
With the upcoming release of the Black Swan in cinemas across the UK we have decided to run a little competition so that you can take home your own very piece of the Black Swan. Read more – ‘The Black Swan Premiere – Picture Perfect’.
The Bar Method workout creates a uniquely lean, firm, sculpted body by combining the muscle-shaping principles of isometrics, the body-elongating practice of dance conditioning, the science of physical therapy and the intense pace of interval training into a powerful exercise format that quickly and safely reshapes and elongates muscles. Read more – ‘The Bar Method’.
Ballet Shoes is a 2007 British television movie, adapted by Heidi Thomas from Noel Streatfeild's 1936 novel Ballet Shoes. It was produced by Granada Productions and first appeared on BBC One on boxing day after the christmas of 2007. Read more – ‘Ballet Shoes’.
Shakespeare’s tragedy of doomed young love receives a wonderful interpretation in Gounod’s opera. It combines all the drama of the well-known story and the emotional and stirring music typical of the composer of Faust. Read more – ‘Roméo et Juliette’.
The V&A’s major autumn exhibition, Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes 1909–1929, open 25 September 2010 until 9 January 2011, will explore the world of the influential artistic director Serge Diaghilev and the most exciting dance company of the 20th century. Diaghilev combined dance, music and art in bold ways to create ‘total theatre’. A consummate collaborator, he worked with Stravinsky, Chanel, Picasso, Matisse and Nijinsky. Read more – ‘Victoria Albert Museum Ballet Russes’.
Visitors to the V&A Museum this month will have the chance to see the work that goes on behind the scenes of a ballet production, with open classes and rehearsals.As part of the Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes exhibition, students from the English National Ballet School, in nearby Chelsea, will be rehearsing and performing at the museum's Old Lecture Theatre. Read more – ‘Rephrasing Ballets Russes’.
The Royal Ballet’s Principal dancers have achieved the highest rank in the Company, each performing the leading and most featured roles in the ballets. Paul’s opportunity to photograph them came about last year during a meeting with Principal, Steven McRae. Read more – ‘Royal Ballet Portraits by Paul Smith’.
Presided over by the prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso As every two years Havana will become the capital of the dance when in late 2010 the International Ballet Festival of Havana open its 22nd rendition, one of the oldest and most prestigious events in the world of dance, which in this year will reach 50 years of history. Read more – ‘International Ballet Festival of Havana’.
Whenever visitors see the historic auditorium of the Royal Opera House for the first time, it always amazes them. Built in 1858 after the previous theatre burnt down, its splendid period character has been wonderfully preserved ever since. There are the rich red curtains of the stage, the stunning ceiling (which now hides very modern technology), the glittering gold of the proscenium arch, and the red and gold lights which replaced the old gas lamps! And enveloping it all is Read more – ‘Velvet, Gilt and Glamour – Tour the Historic Auditorium’.
The Royal Opera House has updated their itunes store with the latest rehersal from the great ballet, Swan Lake. View the Swan Lake in Rehersal Read more – ‘Swan Lake in Rehersal’.
