- Abroad: Finnish National Ballet’s 90th Anniversary Culminates in Kenneth Greve's Snow Queen -24.04.2012

The Finnish National Ballet continues the celebration of its 90th anniversary in the year 2012. The autumn season’s first premiere takes place on 21 September 2012 with Ivan Liška’s Le Corsaire. This is the first time the Finnish National Ballet will ever perform this Marius Petipa ballet revival classic from the late 19th century. Ivan Liška based his version on Petipa’s earlier choreography, for the Bavarian State Ballet in 2006. Set and costume design is the work of Roger Kirk and lighting...

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- Abroad: Winners of The Dance Open Award Announced -18.04.2012

As the Dance Open festival, held annually in Saint Petersburgh concluded on April 16 with the final Dance Open Gala of ballet stars, winners of The Dance Open Award have been revealed too. The Award is intended to celebrate the highest personal achievements of ballet soloists each year – the connection of virtuoso technique and artistry, regardless of styles, genres and trends of performances. Organizing Committee of the St. Petersburg International Ballet Award DANCE OPEN annually suggests...

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- Abroad: Tamara Rojo Appointed the New Artistic Director of English National Ballet -14.04.2012

Tamara Rojo, currently a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet is to leave the company to take up the role of artistic director at English National Ballet. Following Wayne Eagling’s stepping down as the artistic director of ENB at the end of the current season, she will take over in September 2012 for the start of English National Ballet’s new season. Welcoming Rojo, ENB chairman John Talbot said: “We look forward to the continuing success of the company which has thrived under Wayne...

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- Abroad: XI International Ballet Festival DANCE OPEN Is About to Start Soon -10.04.2012

This year, as usual, the XI International Ballet Festival DANCE OPEN takes place in St. Petersburg. The organizers prepared unique program that includes three different ballet galas. On April 14 the BAD BOYS of DANCE show premieres in Russia. The performance will be held at the Opera and Ballet Theatre of St. Petersburg Conservatory. The dance company was founded by dancer Rasta Thomas and today their show is one of the most famous dance shows in the world, connecting ballet and acrobatics....

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- Abroad: Boris Bregvadze Has Passed Away -01.04.2012

On Wednesday, 28 March choreographer, dance pedagogue and National Artist of the Russian Federation Boris Bregvadze succumbed to a long-term illness. The artist died in St. Petersburg at the age of 86. Boris Bregvadze was born on March 19, 1926 in Saratov, where he studied at a ballet school of the local Theatre of Opera and Ballet, and where he subsequently won his first engagement. From 1947 he began performing with the famous St. Petersburg–based ballet ensemble of Kirov (now Mariinsky)...

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- Abroad: Edinburgh Festival Programme Released -26.03.2012

The dance programme for this year’s Edinburgh International Festival includes the Mariinsky Ballet, Angelin Preljocaj’s company, Deborah Colker Dance Company, Juillard Dance and others. The festival, which runs from Thursday, August 9 until Sunday, September 2, offers a varied programme of music, theatre, dance and opera. “Every year, since 1947, we have set out to create an event to inspire and uplift audiences,” said festival director Jonathan Mills. Almost 3,000 artists will be coming to...

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- Abroad: Behind the Scene of Royal Ballet – Streaming Day Announced -18.03.2012

On Friday 23 March, for the first time ever the doors of The Royal Ballet rehearsal studios open to a worldwide audience via the company's YouTube channel and the Guardian website. Offering a glimpse into the unique environment of the ballet studio and a chance to witness the work and dedication that go into The Royal Ballet’s performances, the day will begin with a broadcast of morning class live from 10.30am GMT. This will be followed by rehearsals from works such as Alice’s Adventures in...

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- Abroad: International Marinsky Ballet Festival Is Approaching -16.03.2012

In a week from now, on March 22nd, the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will see the start of the 12th International Marinsky Ballet Festival, which is a noticeable annual spring event in the world of ballet. The Festival will run for eleven days, till April 1st. The Festival opens on March 22nd with a premiere — the revival of Roland Petit’s ballet Le Jeune Homme et La Mort, an early masterpiece from 1946, which established his name as a choreographer. Many cult names in ballet are connected...

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- Abroad: Balet Bratislava Stage Another Premiere on Friday -13.03.2012

On Friday, 16th March the third premiere of company Balet Bratislava in the current season takes place at the New Stage Theatre in Bratislava. Several short pieces by famous Czech choreographers have been put together in a programme called Czech In.For the show, dancers of Balet Bratislava have been recently rehearsing Six Dances and Falling Angels by Jiří Kylián, former artistic director of the Nederlands Dans Theater and internationally acclaimed Czech-born choreographer, whose works are...

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- Abroad: London Coliseum to Host Tribute to Anna Pavlova -26.02.2012

The Russian Ballet Icons Gala 2012, a grand gala evening in honour of Anna Pavlova will be held on the 4th March on the stage of the English National Opera in London. The gala’s artistic directors are Wayne Eagling, Artisitic Director of the English National Ballet and the Royal Ballet’s David Makhateli. It will feature famous excerpts from Pavlova’s greatest roles such as Paquita, The Pharaoh’s Daughter, Le Roi Candaule, Giselle, La Bayadére and The Sleeping Beauty as well as classical and...

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