Dona Nobis Pacem. The film
…New Zealand’s Gray Veredon (more on him later), and the remarkable Douglas Wright. Both Neumeier and Wright shared the magnetic inspiration of Nijinsky, of dancer and of choreographer in their own calling, and I was more than once made mindful of Wright by this choreography of Neumeier and by the performance of Martinez, which is about the finest compliment I can offer to them all. Jennifer Shennan, 29 April 2024 Featured image: DVD cover, Do…
Sir Jon Trimmer (1939–2023)
…ous man and his death is deeply felt by many. I look forward to posting an obituary from Jennifer Shennan in due course. Update: Jennifer Shennan’s obituary of Jon Trimmer is now posted. See this link. Michelle Potter, 29 October 2023 For more about Jon Trimmer on this website see this tag. Featured image: Jon Trimmer as Captain Hook in Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 1999 production of Russell Kerr’s Peter Pan. Photo: © Maarten Holl. Courtesy Royal Ne…
Dance diary. March 2022
…personality Russell Kerr died in Christchurch earlier this month. Read an obituary with a great range of images at this link. I am expecting an obituary from his close friend and colleague Jennifer Shennan shortly and will publish it on this site when received. For further material on Russell Kerr and his activities on this website follow this tag. Michelle Potter, 31 March 2022 Featured image: Robyn Hendricks as Anna and Callum Linnane as Vronsk…
The golden ties that bind
…ernoon, which you would have to rate a small miracle. The mercurial Warren Douglas was there that day and danced the Faune, as well as many roles at RNZB in following years. Years later but still young, he died tragically, of complications from Aids. It was so sad and so wrong to have to write his obituary. We must never forget the dancers whose lives that cursed illness snatched away. Warren might well have become a brilliant director of RNZB, an…
Giselle. The Royal Ballet
…in Australia in 2002 during the Royal Ballet’s tour that year. I like that Wright’s research into the historical background of the ballet has informed the work, especially in relation to character development. The current season by the Royal Ballet confirms my conviction that Wright’s production is an exceptional one. Sarah Lamb as Giselle and Ryoichi Hirano as Albrecht perhaps don’t reach the emotional heights of others I have seen in these roles…
Dance diary. October 2020
…www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GMNvFo7kgQ&feature=emb_title Here is a link to an obituary published in The Guardian. Kristian Fredrikson. Designer. More reviews and comments Unity Books in Wellington hosted a lunchtime forum in its bookstore on 15 October. The forum was chaired by Jennifer Shennan and featured former Royal New Zealand Ballet dancers Kerry-Anne Gilberd, Anne Rowse and Sir Jon Trimmer. (l-r) Anne Rowse, Kerry-Anne Gilberd, Sir Jon Trimmer…
Dance diary. December 2019
…There have been various revivals John O’Brien (1933–2019) After posting my obituary for Barry Kitcher last month, I was contacted by a reader who brought to my attention another death in the dance world—that of former Rambert dancer and much admired teacher, the Australian-born John O’Brien. Much of O’Brien’s life was spent in England and I never saw him dance, but here is a link to an obituary written for The Stage. Apart from his many performing…
Lightscapes. Royal New Zealand Ballet
…of torso movement that evokes the likes of choreography we have seen from Douglas Wright dancers—which made him a standout in a cast of already strong dancers.) There are a number of quotations oddly laid out in the program notes, but I guess that matters not as simply following and absorbing the dance as it progresses from a dark and troubled beginning to a clearer lighter place was all the guidance we needed. Topp and Buswell collaborated brill…
Dance diary. January 2015
…5 (Update May 2019: Online links to articles published prior to mid 2015 in The Canberra Times are no longer available) ‘Vibrant, expressive show.’ Review Dancing for the gods, Chitrasena Dance Company, The Canberra Times, 19 January 2015, ARTS p. 6. ‘In the WRIGHT frame of mind.’ Profile of Sam Young-Wright of Sydney Dance Company, The Canberra Times, ‘Panorama’, 24 January 2015, pp. 10–11. ‘A classic in its own right.’ Preview of Graeme Murphy’s…
The Nutcracker on film. The Australian Ballet
…all the dances, Arabian, Chinese, Russian and so forth, according to Peter Wright’s vision for the role. Benedicte Bemet as Clara with artists of the Australian Ballet in The Nutcracker, 2014. Photo: © Jeff Busby Ingrid Gow was also impressive as Clara’s mother where I could not help but notice how expressively she used her arms, especially in her dance with Clara’s father (Brett Simon). Andrew Killian made his presence felt as the occasionally fr…