I’ll admit it. I grew up in the type of community that would have torn a growing boy to shreds had he been foolish enough to express interest in becoming a ballet dancer. Bear in mind that this was before Billy Elliot opened people’s minds to the possibility. Regardless, others were not so stifled by peer pressure and one such male ballet dancer went on to achieve unprecedented levels of fame, success, and critical-acclaim. Notoriously secretive, this is his story – read more.
Ballet has never been blessed with the coolest of reputations and some would say the dance form’s on the last of its slender, perfectly-toned legs. But, then again, I would’ve said something similar about ice dancing and we all know how grotesquely popular that’s become with the introduction of celebrity, glamour, and that silver-fox, Philip Schofield. The English National Ballet is hoping to boost its own popularity by featuring fashion designers, popular indie artists, and, presumably, great dancing. At least I hope the last factor’s still considered important. Read more .
Ballet fans, meet indie fans. Indie fans, this is ballet… When delving for musical accompaniment for the English National Ballet, ArtsWom imagine it’s rather rare for one to discard the classical works of Chopin, Ravel and Stravinsky in favour of a popular indie outfit usually more interested in careening to the top of the charts, than providing a soundtrack for one of the world’s most classical artforms. Not so in this case however, as a team comprising the aforementioned ballet company, Sky Arts and leading fashion designer Giles Deacon, have moved to sign up regular NME coverstars Bloc Party to provide the music behind their latest project, in a magnificent coming together of these two mutually-exclusive genres.
Airing throughout the Christmas period, and lasting for just fifteen blink-and you-miss-them minutes, the innovative ballet, choreographed by English National Ballet’s 22 year-old Artist of the Company Jenna Lee, is set to be a modern tour de force. Fusing all the excitement of contemporary dance with ballet’s classic tradition of strength and fluidity, each of the ballerinas will be decked in magnificently alluring costume, all created by the unconventionally brilliant fingers of Giles Deacon.
What’s more, the generous producers have even thrown in a brief behind-the-scene documentary that reveals all of the inspiration and secrets behind the making of Ballet Rocks. Which is kind of them… Make sure to catch it!
Broadcast times
Sat 22 Dec 2007 12:45AM - 1:00AM
Fri 28 Dec 2007 11:45PM - 12:00AM
Mon 14 Jan 2008 10:30AM - 10:45AM
Sat 26 Jan 2008 5:45PM - 6:00PM
Traditionally, a British Christmas is a very traditional affair. Rosy-cheeked youngsters gather to roast chestnuts over an open fire that rages from the car they’ve just hi-jacked. Families are joyfully united for an hour to enjoy the seasonal death of a major character in the Eastenders’ Christmas Day special. Your dad spends most of the time desperately searching for batteries before realising that what was actually required is one of those silly rectangular types which are impossible to get hold of and so he resorts to the shed before your cousin gets too drunk and makes a scene.
All these elements come together to make the 25th December the most magical day of the year, but even these special moments are essentially meaningless without that classic Christmas Day movie – Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman. Whether you love the understated charm or despise the sugary-sweet sentimentality, there can be no denying that 96% of the country would rather go ‘walking through the air’ than watch the Queen’s speech.
If you are partial to a taste of nostalgia with your Noel, but would also like something a little different, Sky Arts are broadcasting Robert North’s ballet version of The Snowman over the Christmas season – starting on Thursday 20th December at 4:20pm. If you like watching well-choreographed chubsters in white snowman outfits prancing across an on-stage winter wonderland, this could be your greatest Xmas yet.
The much anticipated Fosse weekend has finally arrived, being announced by Forward to Yesterday in the early hours of the (American) morning. We hope Fosse fans from across the globe are uniting around the, rather attractive, banner now adorning Bob Westal’s blog (pictured below) and we also hope admirers from the UK tuned in to Sky Arts’ special broadcast of Fosse, which showcases some of his the most memorable moments from his revolutionary career.
Follow Forward to Yesterday closely for more great articles about the legendary choreographer. Westal has already been refusing to let his keyboard rest easy, with several enlightening posts already adorning his site. This writer has little chance of bettering anything written there, so I recommend all readers have a read - you might learn something.
In the meantime, allow me to point you in the direction of some areas of interest for any looking to further stimulate the old grey matter with regards to the great Bob Fosse.
DeviantArt is one of my favourite places to visit on the ‘net. Think of any topic you can and type it into the search box, and the chances are that you’ll find a whole host of inspiring creations by some truly talented folk. Follow this link for some Fosse-related artwork.
Similarly, Flickr boasts some excellent images. If you are looking to dress up an article this weekend, you can hardly go wrong by using a photo or two from here - though be sure to cite the source!
If you require something more stimulating than a static image, get a quick fix of Fosse and hit this crazy link.
Finally, click this link to be taken to the ‘That is So Fosse’ group on Facebook and join up! Facebook groups are quite possibly one of the most under-utilised features of the social network, with people collecting groups with the same sense of indifference they would collect friends on MySpace. Featuring discussion boards, shared photos, videos, links, and an instant relationship with a horde of like-minded peeps, this is a resource that should not be ignored.
Well, tomorrow is the beginning of the Fossethon, so head along to Forward to Yesterday for more great articles about the famed choreographer responsible for such musical favourites as Chicago, Sweet Charity and Big Deal. Today, Bob Westal has written about Cabaret, the award-winning film of the 70s, starring Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles – an American dancer performing at a Berlin club in Weimar-era Germany.
The Nazi rise to dominance persists throughout the film, as a subtle backdrop to the changing lives of the main characters. There are only a few scenes that explicitly show the Nazi influence, and one of the most provocative is the focus of Forward to Yesterday’s post. Click here to read the fantastic article and view the powerful video - not to be missed.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the web, Andrew Markworthy starts a discussion on the Home Theater Forum asking, what was so marvellous about Bob Fosse? If you have an opinion, leap over there and let him know!
With the Fosse blogathon only days away, we may be a little premature in presenting this little gem we found on Vox Blog Not Knowing, Not Trusting – but, we don’t mind.
The artist formerly known as Unknown and now currently known as DJ Unk (but born as Anthony Platt), has one of his most popular songs mashed up with some classic Fosse in this YouTube video.
East meets West in this touring production from the human circus that is Cirque du Soleil. Preferring to focus on the performance of humans rather than animals, this company puts on many, many shows around the world which continually amaze audiences. Acrobats, tumblers, jugglers and trapeze artists provide a visual delight in this Sky Arts presentation. The dragon of the East meets the lion of the West in the Cirque’s twist on Chinese theatre, which celebrates the four elements of the world – earth, water, fire and air.
Spectacular feats of human skill and strength make this performance unmissable. The aerial magnificence, fantastic juggling and unbelievable tumbling mean that there is always something to entertain the eye. Speaking from experience (ArtsWom recently was in the audience at another Cirque show, Love, the Beatles-based Las Vegas production) there is literally never a dull moment with constant movement and distraction, and we highly recommend watching this programme.
Why not share your Cirque du Soleil experiences here?
Mon 08 Oct 2007 5:30PM - 7:00PM
Wed 10 Oct 2007 8:45AM - 10:15AM
Made in 1989, two years before the death of the great ballerina, this is the only filmed personal account of her life and is being shown on Sky Arts this week. Presented by Fonteyn herself from her home in Panama, this fascinating programme looks at her life from the age of four right through to the glittering heights of her career. From Dame of the British Empire, to Ballerina Assoluta and figure of political intrigue, her life was full of both successes and incident.
She attained perfection in the most difficult and demanding of the arts, and captivated audiences around the world. This exclusive insight into her thoughts on her career makes for enthralling viewing, and is further enhanced by contributions from eminent contemporaries such as Dame Ninette de Valois and Rudolph Nureyev.
If you enjoyed the show, why not let others know your thoughts here.
London’s world-leading dance festival continues to attract some of the art form’s most established figures. Names such as Siobhan Davies, Michael Clark, Russell Maliphant and Charles Linehan lead the event’s performances that also include dancers from Japan, Slovenia, France, Australia, Canada and the UK
Sky Arts has been able to go behind the scenes of the spectacle to offer a series of short programmes that follow some of the organisers, artists and performers involved. The ten minute-long shows will be screened throughout the month of October and features some great footage, interviews and insight into this year’s Dance Umbrella.
If you would like some idea of what to expect from the international celebration of contemporary dance, Sky Arts have a short promotional video on their website which reveals some of the wild and wonderful performances happening over the coming weeks.
Of particular interest to ArtsWom is Tranports Exceptionnels, an unusual and yet somewhat alluring act by French choreographer Dominique Boivin. Check out the short YouTube video below and, of course, visit Sky Arts to find out more!
Come October, a wealth of vibrant and daring performers from a variety of cultural backgrounds will contort and flex their finely-honed figures in England’s capital with the arrival of Dance Umbrella 2007.
London’s premiere annual dance festival kicks off on Wednesday 3 October and runs until Saturday 10 November at venues across the capital. Until, then allow ArtsWom to feed you some resources to prepare for the event described as “one of the most prestigious contemporary dance festivals in the world” by The Sunday Times.
First of all, the Dance Umbrella website is a packed venue, presenting press information, festival background and an event diary for you to pack into your mind-hole. For a slightly more digestible and personable taste of the forthcoming event, you might like to visit the Dance Umbrella blog which seems to be narrating the progress of the event organisers and highlighting some key performances. Finally, Sky Arts has gained behind the scenes access to the festival and will be running short programmes documenting their three days spent following the organisers, artists and performers involved in making Dance Umbrella the highly significant event that it is.
The much-celebrated U.S. choreographer Bob Fosse died 20 years ago this month and, as a tribute to the highly influential figure, Sky Arts has been airing Fosse - a two-hour long collection of his most memorable performances, including such classics as Big Spender, Steam Heat and Mein Herr. Slide gracefully across to the Sky Arts website to see viewing times and discuss Fosse and his achievements by exercising the power of your clicking finger across this attractively hued text.
Meanwhile, across the blogosphere…Forward to Yesterday is preparing an almighty blogathon in honour of the late luminary, starting on Saturday, November 10, 2007. Follow this link to find out more, though ArtsWom will be following the progress of the Fossethon on these pages with a great deal of interest. In the meantime, tune in to Sky Arts and visit these two blogs for a taster of some classic Fosse:
First performed in 1988, just as global warming was being mooted as a phenomenon that should be grabbing our attention, David Bintley’s eco-ballet asks some interesting questions about man’s effects on the globe which are even more appropriate now than at the time of the original show. The ballet is based on the music of the Penguin Café Orchestra, the brainchild of Simon Jeffes. This in turn is based on a dream Jeffes had where music was played in a place called the Penguin Café.
Having toured the globe delighting and entertaining audiences young and old, Still Life At The Penguin Café is an engaging and stimulating comment on the state of the environment. With the intriguing half human half penguin characters, the appearance of the Great Auk between scenes, the ballet contains powerful references to the great flood and Noah’s Ark. This maybe hints at the director’s feeling that the same is inevitable if the environment continues to disintegrate at the current pace thanks to man’s contributions.
Do you have any thoughts on the use of ballet to drive home environmental issues? If so, why not discuss them here?
Tuesday 31 July 2007 1:00pm - 2:00pm – Sky Arts and Sky Arts HD
ArtsWom wanted to inform all art wommers with this swift and sleek article of the airing today of Coppélia, the ballet for all creation fantasists.
In Coppélia, dance is used to tell the story of a mechanical girl brought to life by Dr. Coppélius. Perhaps inevitably, the beautiful and perfect being becomes the centre of a young man’s affection as love and temptation collide pushing the narrative towards its central motifs.
French choreographer Maguy Marin revels in the fantasy aspect of the tale and urbanizes the scenarios, while tingeing proceedings with some thematic content of a sordid nature. If you loved Weird Science and Swan Lake you are going to seriously enjoy this balletic fare.
It’s Friday and therefore time to shake the week-gone-by out of your system by cutting a rug and busting up some cabbage patches! Yesterday we speculated on how and where we were going to groove like a drumming monkey with the help of Dance Forums. Each contributor to the ArtsWom canon has finalised their post-Thursday, pre-Saturday plans for getting down, up and generally all over the crazy place; they are as follows:
Sam – Will be snapping his neck and cracking his elbows in a mechanical explosion of rhythmical lethargy, submerged in a Parisian basement, engulfed by a heavy mood, fuelled by the deepest of reds and surrounded by silent and dramatically posed French actresses.
Seb – Can’t wait to foxtrot, wearing a suit made of glass on a dance floor of mirrors. The venue is a top the tallest building in Norway where he floats an American smooth and whirls a waltz. His slippers, made from swan feathers that were sown by the fairest hands of the fairest virgins, barely touch the floor as he dances with princess, after princess, after princess until the sun rises, accompanied by the gentle after-dawn pop of champagne bubbles in flutes made of ice.
Jack – Almost certainly will be living the dream in a sweltering salsa club on the east-side of Broadway, with a pair of chunky wooden castanets. Shimmering like a Spanish prince decked in gold leaf and sparkles, the senoritas simply won’t know what has hit them.
Holly – Fancies a schmaltzy slow dance with a star cross’d lover in a smoky jazz club fronting as a warehouse in Stoke, whilst knocking back a fruity Margarita or two.
Dance Forums, one of those sites with a URL that ensures success is virtually inevitable, is a great source of conversation for both dance fans and non-dance fans. It is hard to imagine even non-dance fans finding nothing of interest here as the forum covers such a wide range of styles and topics that it is even easy to imagine a thread titled, “I stand by the side of the dance floor holding a beer and looking hazily at girls – what advice can you give me?” Even better, there would definitely be a flurry of helpful responses!
Here is a selection of some of our favourite conversations happening at the moment:
Pet Peeves at Dances – Gripes about the most annoying habits to be on the wrong end of turns into a more pointed conversation when sufferers of such habits emerge to argue their case…
I have no idea how to dance - We can all do with a few basic pointers. Impress those opposite sex-like people with your moves.
If you can detect a faint whiff of garlic in the air, it’s because the French Film Festival UK has invaded our shores with the typically-French intention of mocking our dainty, English sensibilities and seducing our spouses. That’s just the price we p
East meets West in this touring production from the human circus that is Cirque du Soleil. Preferring to focus on the performance of humans rather than animals, this company puts on many, many shows around the world which continually amaze audiences. Acrobats, tumblers, jugglers and trapeze artists provide a visual delight in this 
