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Maya Plisetskaya Has Passed Away at 89 [Videos]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | May 4, 2015

Ukraine Today uploaded this video where ballet stars pay tribute to Bolshoi Legend: Maya Plisetskaya. Maya Plisetskaya Has Passed Away at 89 Maya Mikhaylovna Plisetskaya (Born on 20 November, 1925 – 2 May, 2015) was a Soviet-born ballet dancer, choreographer, ballet director, and actress, who held Spanish and Lithuanian citizenship. In 1960 she ascended to prima ballerina assoluta of the Bolshoi. Plisetskaya studied ballet from age nine and first performed at the Bolshoi Theatre when she was eleven. She joined the Bolshoi Ballet company when she was eighteen, quickly rising to become their leading soloist. She was not allowed to tour outside the country for sixteen years after joining the Bolshoi. During those years, her fame as a national ballerina was used to project the Soviet Union’s achievements during the Cold War. Premier Nikita Khrushchev, who lifted her travel ban in 1959, considered her “not only the best ballerina in the Soviet Union, but the best in the world.” As a member of the Bolshoi until 1990, her skill as a dancer changed the world of ballet, setting a higher standard for ballerinas both in terms of technical brilliance and dramatic presence. For more on Maya Plisetskaya’s life visit Wikipedia.org. Maya Plisetskaya Has Passed Away at 89 This documentary was make in 1964, at the age of 44 honoring the ballerina’s long career. It would last until 1990, when she would retire at the age of 65! Video courtesy of YouTube. Maya Plisetskaya Has Passed Away 89 The ballet world has lost an icon, an era has come to its end. She will be sorely... read more

John Kerrison, Official Photographer for CBN [Slide Show]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Apr 22, 2015

We are proud to announce that British photographer, John Kerrison has been commissioned as Classical Ballet News’ official photographer. And we’re are very excited! John Kerrison, Official Photographer for CBN Video from Romy Macias’ YouTube channel. John Kerrison was born on the coast of East Anglia in 1952. He left his studies as a young teenager and went on to have a variety of jobs until he qualified as a German and French teacher, a job he held until his recent retirement. During his teaching years he developed a love for photography and was able to experiment with digital cameras without the huge cost of processing film. He began as a motorsport photographer, then to landscape until the fateful day he discovered ballet. It was through a television programme that he knew that this was a genre he wanted to photograph more than any other! John Kerrison, Official Photographer for CBN Kerrison is a prize-winning, reliable and very experienced professional photographer. He values all his clients whether high profile or not and I can be relied on to produce images of the highest quality. I always listen carefully to potential clients requirements to ensure I can deliver the images they need. My goal is to help my subjects relax and make sure that they enjoy the experience as well as my results. – John Kerrison, John Kerrison Photography John Kerrison, Official Photographer for CBN Here are the photos and one extra lined-up for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy! All photos are from the 10th anniversary Russian Ballet Icons Gala, March 8, 2015 at the London Coliseum, produced by Ensemble Productions. [Note:... read more

Behind The Scenes with Photographer Luis Pons [Video]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Apr 14, 2015

It’s not often you get to witness what goes on behind-the-scenes of a photo shoot.Today, we are in luck! Take a look at the video that documented the photo shoot. Thanks to Krista King-Doherty for posting this video on YouTube. Behind The Scenes with Photographer Luis Pons The backdrop is New York City; the ballerina: Juliet Doherty and the photograper is Luis Pons. I’ve known Luis Pons for a couple of years now and been attentively following his career. From photographing Spanish dancers to ballerinas in the streets of New York City, Luis has refined his eye and lens and perfected his craft. Here is the first interview I did with Luis Pons and more articles and slideshow of his breathtaking work. Behind The Scenes with Photographer Luis Pons To see more of Luis Pon’s beautiful photography, follow Luis on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/PonsPhotography. Behind The Scenes with Photographer Luis Pons If you enjoyed this video and image, please sign-up for our free once-a-week newsletter by filling the form... read more

Misty Copeland Speaks About Being a Black Ballerina [Video MashUp]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Mar 25, 2015

Acclaimed ballerina Misty Copeland joins Diane [Rehm] to talk about her remarkable career and how she is challenging physical stereotypes that she says keeps ballet stuck in the past. Video courtesy of The Diane Rehm channel on YouTube. “It took me a while to understand that I was alone.” – Misty Copeland “I think that it was the way my mother raised me, it wasn’t something that I was aware that I was going to be viewed by the world as a black woman. She made that very clear to me and my siblings even though we are bi-racial. I never really felt like I was the only black one, not even in my ballet class from a young age. But once I became a professional it actually was brought to my attention by an adult. And that’s when I stepped back and thought: “Wow, this is a little bit strange, to be the only black woman in a company of eighty dancers.” And for a decade I was. I just went through times where I felt extremely alone. I was going through puberty and you join a company when your 17 years old. And you really wanto to feel accepted and you want to connect with people.” Misty Copeland Speaks About Being a Black Ballerina If you prefer to listen to the interview, click here. Or click on the video below for the full interview. In this interview Misty talks about her childhood. “I was born in Kansas City, Missouri and moved to the Los Angeles area in California when I was 2 years old. My mother raised us 6... read more

Julian Mackay Rising Star at Prix de Lausanne 2015 [Videos]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Feb 18, 2015

Here’s Julian’s classical variation from Giselle. Thanks to Prix de Lausanne for sharing video on YouTube. Julian Mackay Rising Star at Prix de Lausanne 2015 He’s just 17 and he’s already won medals at the Sochi and Istanbul; he was also awarded the Kelvin Coe Scholarship from the En Avant Foundation. Julian will be the first American male to graduate from the Bolshoi Academy. But that’s not all; his siblings (three more) are scattered around the world studying ballet or dancing with renowned ballet companies! Julian Mackay Rising Star at Prix de Lausanne 2015 All participants, as you know, have to perform a contemporary choreography. Julian danced “Solo for Diego.” Here it is. Video from YouTube. If you’d like to see the entire article go to Gramiliano.com. Julian Mackay Rising Star at Prix de Lausanne 2015 If you enjoyed Julian MacKay’s story and his videos, sign-up below to stay connected to the world of... read more

2015 Prix de Lausanne is Under Way [Videos]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Feb 4, 2015

2015 Prix de Lausanne is Under Way 2015 Prix de Lausanne is under way and it looks exciting! This year’s contestants arrived at Lausanne on Monday, February 2 ready to learn and share their dancing skills. The week is practically half way gone. Here are the first three days of this exciting event. Enjoy! In this video trailer you can spot Alessandra Ferri from last year’s Prix. Did you see her? Video courtesy of Prix de Lausanne YouTube channel. 2015 Prix de Lausanne is Under Way This second video was uploaded by one of the Chinese contestants during registration day. You can catch snippets of the women’s and men’s classes. Video from YouTube. 2015 Prix de Lausanne is Under Way In the next two videos you can take a peek at the contestant’s contemporary classes and their classical variations. 2015 Prix de Lausanne – Daily Live Streaming – Monday February 2nd It was great to see Miko Fogarty as one of the contestants in this video during her run through of Raymonda! (minute: 41:20) Video link from YouTube. 2015 Prix de Lausanne – Daily Live Streaming – Tuesday February 3rd Link from YouTube video. Tell us what you think and who do you see as strong contenders for the top spots. I personally miss the Emotional Blog series the Prix has done in past years where they introduce a few dancers each day. You really get to know the candidates, not only in class but outside. I hope you enjoy the videos and subscribe to our weekly updates. Don’t forget to follow the Prix’s livestream... read more

Top 5 Audition Tips from Experts

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Jan 28, 2015

Auditions are nearing, so what a great time to get some expert advice! Here are Top 5 Audition Tips from Experts The first one may seem obvious, but it’s probably the hardest to do, especially if you’re really nervous, but vital to your overall performance. Top 5 Audition Tips from Experts 1. “Stay relaxed.” 2. “Wear something you feel good in—but keep it simple and clean.” 3. “Give yourself a good warm-up before the audition class.” 4. “Be ready mentally and physically.” 5. “HAVE FUN and enjoy the class!” Top 5 Audition Tips from Experts Bonus Tip (from me 🙂 ): Get to the audition on time, or rather with plenty of time in advance. Rushing is sure to get you all worked up and nervous. If you arrive half an hour to a full hour early, (remember to allow time for registration, if the case may be). This way you’ll have time to relax and get in “your calm and confident state,” or in the zone, as they say! To get the full scoop, leap on over to San Francisco Ballet’s site here. If you enjoy our site, please sign-up for weekly updates on the... read more

Angel Corella Has Built His Career on Change [Video]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Jan 8, 2015

Artists, those perennial outsiders, hold a mirror up to the human experience. To live a creative life is to embrace change. A challenge made even more daunting in an unfamiliar land. Yet America continues to be a magnet for artists. Angel Corella Has Built His Career on Change In this video preview, Angel Corella shares his journey from his country, Spain, to the world-wide stage; his return to Barcelona and most recently to the U. S. Video from Articulate channel on YouTube. Angel Corella Has Built His Career on Change Make sure to also watch the video link at the end of the post! “They’re willing to pay $150 million for one player, but they’re not open to pay $2 million for a full ballet company.” Pennsylvania Ballet’s Artistic Director Angel Corrella explains why he dissolved the Barcelona Ballet in 2012. Angel Corella Has Built His Career on Change Don’t forget to watch Angel Corella on the premiere of Articulate – live on air Thursday, 1/8 at 10:30 pm on WHYY, or online anytime at whyy.org/cms/articulate!... read more

Wendy Whelan Retires After 30 Years of Dancing [Video]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Oct 18, 2014

One of New York City Ballet’s favorite prima ballerinas, Wendy Whelan, will say “farewell” tonight in, what sounds like an amazing program. Wendy Whelan Retires After 30 Years of Dancing …on Saturday night, at 47 years old, she’ll give her final New York City Ballet performance before she retires. Not every dancer can be a ballerina, and not every ballerina gets to dance with the New York City Ballet. So when one makes it, and then stays with the company for three decades, it’s a big deal. More on NPR: Poetry-in-Motion by Nina Gregory. Whelan, though she is forty-seven, doesn’t pretend she’s ready to stop dancing. “I have something more interesting to say than I did when I was twenty-five,” she has protested. Maybe she’ll get to say it—she’s putting together duet programs for touring. Read more at The New Yorker: Restless Creature. Wendy Whelan Retires After 30 Years of Dancing To hear her thoughts on what she’ll feel during her final performance, please click here. Thanks to NYCenter on YouTube channel for this amazing video. Wendy Whelan Retires After 30 Years of Dancing It’ll be interesting and exciting at the same time to see where Whelan takes the next stage of her amazing dancing career! Please “Like” or share below!... read more

How Do I Get My Knees To Straighten? [Video]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Jul 2, 2014

This was a problem I had during my years of training, and I know I’m not alone: You feel as if your knees are completely straight, yet your teacher keeps asking you to straighten them; they look bent! What do you do? How Do I Get My Knees To Straighten? Lisa Howell from the Ballet Blog, is a physiotherapist from Australia who has authored several ebooks for ballet dancers. Here’s her advice. It can be tricky to work without the help of a professional physiotherapist. So read, but consult your ballet teacher or physiotherapist before doing this on your own! How Do I Get My Knees To Straighten? There are a few things that I routinely check on anyone who complains of knees that don’t straighten. 1 ) The first thing I do is assess how much range they have in their knees, by bending and straightening the knee myself (i.e. with no muscle activity. Some girls have reasonable range but just find it hard to do it themselves). 2 ) If the student has full range but just finds it hard to straighten the knees in class, I get them to sit with their legs outstretched and “pull up” their knees, at the same time as I feel the muscle on the inside of the knee. 3 ) If however the student does not have full range in the knee even when it is being moved by someone else, we need to track down exactly what is blocking the range. The first thing to check is where she “feels” the restriction when she tries to straighten her knees. Does she feel a stretching in the back... read more

iPad App Puts You In The Choreographer’s Seat. See How! [Video]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Jun 25, 2014

The divide between a perfomer and the audience is blurred in the new iPad application that puts users in control of the choreography. Passe Par Tout (Passe-Partout) is the third app from 2wice Arts Foundation that offers a new way to experience dance. iPad App Puts You In The Choreographer’s Seat. See How! What this app is doing that is different from the others is that it’s letting the viewer have a little bit more insight into what it takes to create choreography. As you work with these layers, you start to see unison and symmetry and repetition — I was hoping that we would be able to visualize some very core concepts that exist in choreography by letting the viewer interact with them.” Article from The New York Times here. iPad App Puts You In The Choreographer’s Seat. See How! Video courtesy of The New York Times. Choreography by Justin Peck, Principal with New York City Ballet. iPad App Puts You In The Choreographer’s Seat. See How! The 2wice Arts Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the visual and performing arts. The Foundation, which began in 1989, has its headquarters in the legendary New York City Center. The work of the Foundation is to publish digital and print projects that focus on the intersection of photography, dance, design, performance, fashion, art and architecture. http://www.2wice.org/ You can get this app at iTunes... read more

If You Think Ballet Is Only For Thin Girls? Think Again! [Video]

by Romy Macias, Senior Editor | Jun 19, 2014

If You Think Ballet Is Only For Thin Girls? Think Again! Big Ballet Confronts Body Stereotypes When you think of ballet dancers, you immediately imagine strong, yet very thin bodies. Well, think again. Former Royal Ballet dancer, Wayne Sleep has come up with a new reality show. “Oh, no, not another one,” you’re thinking. Sleep knows, first hand, what ballet dancers go through with body their type and image. He struggled, not with his weight, but with his height. Not many ballet companies were willing to hire a 5’2 male dancer. Likewise, aspiring ballerinas need a certain body type and weight to advance their careers. A otherwise good female dancer can lose her chance at her dream of dancing if she doesn’t fit the mold. Sleep decided to give these dancers that chance; he created “Big Ballet”. While the concept of “Big Ballet” seems ripe for humiliating its stars (as reality shows often do), the show insists its intent is to change the perception that ballet dancers must be thin to be beautiful. In fact, most of the participants (who range widely in age) have prior dance training, but quit in discouragement after being told they were too heavy. For them, the opportunity to perform gives them a chance to finally fulfill a lifelong dream. Full article at Pointe Magazine. If You Think Ballet Is Only For Thin Girls? Think Again! Wayne Sleep shares: At only 5’2″, Sleep is famous for being the shortest male dancer ever admitted into the Royal Ballet School. Had he not left his audition for the school early and missed his final physical examination, he would... read more

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