The Australian Ballet performing “Heavenly Creatures” by Will Davidson
(via dancehistory)
THE BALLERINA PROJECT
One of my favorite NYC sights is seeing dancers warming up in the subway…have you experienced it? You’re waiting for the train and all of a sudden the person standing next to you starts to do a plie. There’s just something about that kind of beauty against a urban backdrop.
Which is why I’m equally fascinated with a photo series that’s been around for sometime now, The Ballerina Project. It’s an ongoing project by Dane Shitagi that depicts ballerinas amongst organic backdrops.
The project has been going steady for 10+ years in New York and now it’s trying to move on to a new phase – mini documentaries to compliment the photographs. Dane hope these will give new audiences a more complete and accurate representative of ballet to help sustain it’s future.
*Unfortunately, Dane’s Kickstarter for this new phase ended 6 days ago without being funded. Here’s hoping he can get it rev’d up again.
**STORY was originally written for ARTNERDNY - where you can check out my weekly artnerd obsessions.
(via sexgenderbody)
Remembering the legendary Native American dancer Maria Tallchief who passed away at 88 last Thursday, April 11.
(via sexgenderbody)
![cuntext:
[A collage of excerpts by Ohad Naharin, Danz is a retrospective that fully explores this Israeli choreographer’s signature style. Impressively flexible limbs and spines, deeply grounded movement and small gestures set in counterpoint to explosive bursts, all sprung from an arresting dance language of Naharin’s own making.These choreographies require the dancers of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens to tap into the rhythms and sounds of their own bodies and express the intimate sensations they find in a state of total freedom. This colourful and vibrant unfolding of the soul is accompanied by compositions that range from Beethoven and Brian Eno to surf-rock songs.]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/fec8ba937e717fbb0c0740c021048b0e/tumblr_mk53tijNYX1r7gbcqo1_500.jpg)
[A collage of excerpts by Ohad Naharin, Danz is a retrospective that fully explores this Israeli choreographer’s signature style. Impressively flexible limbs and spines, deeply grounded movement and small gestures set in counterpoint to explosive bursts, all sprung from an arresting dance language of Naharin’s own making.
These choreographies require the dancers of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens to tap into the rhythms and sounds of their own bodies and express the intimate sensations they find in a state of total freedom. This colourful and vibrant unfolding of the soul is accompanied by compositions that range from Beethoven and Brian Eno to surf-rock songs.]
[A collage of excerpts by Ohad Naharin, Danz is a retrospective that fully explores this Israeli choreographer’s signature style. Impressively flexible limbs and spines, deeply grounded movement and small gestures set in counterpoint to explosive bursts, all sprung from an arresting dance language of Naharin’s own making.
These choreographies require the dancers of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens to tap into the rhythms and sounds of their own bodies and express the intimate sensations they find in a state of total freedom. This colourful and vibrant unfolding of the soul is accompanied by compositions that range from Beethoven and Brian Eno to surf-rock songs.]
Wan Ting Zhao and Daniel Deivison Oliveria in The Nutcracker, San Francisco Ballet, 2012.
I love this picture because I have never before seen a ballet related photo were the “couple” is interracial and none of them are white.
FUCK YEAH BALLET DANCERS OF COLOR
seriously if I knew enough about ballet I would create the tumblr
SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS SHOULD DO THIS
not exactly what you’re talking about, but there is blackballerinas, in case it’s of interest! (this photo is gorgeous.)
(via homoarigato)
This is such a lovely idea. Imagine, dancing a variation on that canvas with paint on your pointe shoes…I wonder what the Giselle Act 1 variation will look like…or the Sugar Plum Fairy, or the Swan Lake Odette pas de deux…
(via kaptainkaister)
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre performs Minus 16. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see them do this live then you really need to check them out when they perform in a city near you. The entire show was great but I thought this particular sequence was above and beyond. Great work Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre!
oh my god. one of my favorite companies dancing one of the best pieces i’ve ever seen by one of my favorite choreographers.
CLUTCH MAGAZINE: Misty Copeland signs two book deal
In some ways Misty Copeland could be considered an anomaly. Most ballet dancers are primed early on in life, but Misty Copeland didn’t start taking ballet lessons until she was 13-years-old, which is considered unheard of in the world of ballet. Although she had a late start, that hasn’t prevented Copeland has taken the Ballet world by storm. Within four years after she started training, Copeland was accepted into the prestigious American Ballet Theater (ABT). Copeland is third African-American female soloist for the ABT, one of the countries leading ballet companies.
According to a release issued Wednesday by publishers Simon & Schuster and G.P. Putnam’s Son Books, Copeland, 30, is working on two books. Copeland’s memoir will go into details to describe the battles between her mother and dance instructors while she was a teen. The media frenzy surrounding custody issues overshadowed her dance career, and placed pressure on the already strained relationship between Copeland and her mother. The second book will be a picture book for younger readers dedicated to the art of ballet. Both books are scheduled for a 2014 release.
On my list.
(via nezua)
Hello my name is China Smith! I live in Austin, Texas. I am a mother, dancer, teacher and founding artistic director of Ballet Afrique. I am also a dreamer.My dream is to motivate and mentor children who typically do not have access to the dance arts. I use dance to reach and inspire children, promote self-confidence and appreciation for themselves and their culture.I am so proud of our small studio—we were recently noticed by Oprah’s The O Magazine for the work we do and our impact on the youth of the community! Unfortunately this accolade will not help keep our facility open as we discovered that the building where we are located is in jeopardy of closing due to new management. This closure will have a direct affect on our students who are working towards securing performing arts scholarships upon graduating from high school and those who are just discovering the art of dance. This has accelerated our need to build our own facility, our own dance home!Fundraising GoalsWe are raising funds to create our own space so that we may continue providing quality arts programs to families who otherwise don’t have the opportunity or means. Your donation will provide the students with proper materials to conduct classes, including mirrors, ballet barres, appropriate flooring for ballet, contemporary, West African, hip-hop, tap and jazz dance, and a roof over our head. We want to ensure these students have the same quality experience regardless of their economic surroundings. 100% of your contributions will provide aid in building a performing arts center that will serve the community for dance.Go here to donate:Please BOOST!!!!!!
(via kristalclearly)
Akua Noni Parker and Antonio Douthit in Jiří Kylián’s PETITE MORT. Photo by Paul Kolnik.
holy shit two of my favorite dance things in one photo: alvin ailey dancers and jiří kylián. can’t believe i didn’t go see kaguyahime this fall.
(via blackballerinas)
Mikhail Baryshnikov during his student days at the Vaganova Ballet Academy, circa 1962.
(Source: fashionnasty, via dancehistory)
This time…will be the last…as a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater that she holds the white parasol above the baptism scene in “Revelations,” the last time she and her yellow dress help turn the whole theater into a rocking church. Ms. Robinson is retiring. Her tenure, which began in 1981, is the longest of any female dancer in Ailey company history. She is the last dancer still performing with the troupe to have been chosen by the founder, Alvin Ailey (who died in 1989)…
more.
(via wocsurvivalkit)
