Oxford Dance Writers

Bolshoi Ballet: La Bayadère, transmitted live to the Phoenix Cinema, Oxford. 27 January 2013

Glamorous and spectacular, the Bolshoi Ballet’s La Bayadère is both exciting and emotive. On Sunday, the easy and graceful style of Vladislav Lantratov (Solor) was elegant and sometimes thrilling. Maria Alexandrova, a very fine dancer, made Gamzatti’s jealousy of Nikia understandable and dramatically logical, and Svetlana Zakharova conveyed the full range of emotions, from love and happiness through revulsion at the Brahmin’s advances to despair at betrayal. Zakharova was exceptionally lyrical in the third act, although she seemed just a little tense in the variation with the shawl, which might have gone better for her. The corps de ballet dancers were impeccably correct, if perhaps a little rigid, as the Shades, gleaming in the blackness that made them seem to float on air as they glided down the ramp.

The “elephant in the room”, of course was the acid attack on Sergei Filin less than a fortnight ago. (more…)

Presented by Pegasus and Oxford Dance Forum

First Stage in the Pegasus Studio is where you the public can see new performances being made. This Dancin’ Oxford 2013 preview (festival starting in March), is an opportunity to be the first to see new dance work in progress for the festival. Your post show feedback will help shape the artists’ final productions.  Limited places, so call to reserve without delay…

Friday, 25 January, 7.30pm

Suitable for ages 14+ – no charge

Book Online or call 01865 812150

Visit the Dancin’ Oxford 2013 website for more Festival details

Inspired by Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Tac-au-Tac dancers present Dances at an Exhibition, a programme of dances inspired by art works from an imaginary art gallery.  They are joined on Saturday night by friends of Tac-au-Tac, notably Oxford Youth Dance Company.

Tac-au-Tac was founded in 1999. It is a professional contemporary dance company based in Oxford and directed by Joëlle Pappas. Tac-au-Tac dancers collaborate with musicians, artists and film makers to create shows performed locally and abroad. Tac-au-Tac runs extensive education and community programmes. (more…)

Dream Again Dance Company Presents Dull Roots, Spring Rain

Dream Again Dance Company is a new student dance company, founded in September 2012 by Emily Romain and Martha Masoero. The focus of the company is contemporary dance, the majority of the dancers come from a classical background, and the aim is to create an environment in which Oxford University dancers can maintain technical training whilst also fostering creative and performative skills through choreography and improvisation.

Dull Roots, Spring Rain is a poignant exposition of the universal theme of growing up, leaving behind past innocence and reconciling oneself to the present. The show is comprised of three separate, although thematically corresponding, dance pieces, and features film projection and one piece with live drummer. (more…)

Following the huge success of The Sleeping Beauty revival in 2005, and again in 2008 when it was seen by over 150,000 people, English National Ballet is once again performing Kenneth MacMillan’s sumptuous production of Petipa’s 19th century classic and bringing it to Oxford’s New Theatre in February.  Combining grand sets and costumes, Tchaikovsky’s glorious score and virtuosic dancing, The Sleeping Beauty is a dazzling showcase of classical ballet. (more…)

In a year of significant musical anniversaries, here is one of particular dance interest – the centenary of the shocking premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Paris.  Dr Susan Jones sends information of a special event celebrating this groundbreaking work at St Hilda’s College with guest speakers Dame Monica Mason and Jane Pritchard and a concert performance of the score in Stravinsky’s version for two pianos… (more…)

INTEGRATING E-LEARNING TO FOSTER CREATIVITY IN DANCE STUDIES
This seminar presents the design and integration of e-learning in the Dance programme at the University of Surrey and explore their use in other contexts. The materials created use a combination of interactive resources for practical as well as theoretical subjects aiming at developing students’ creativity, reflective thinking and digital skills. Through this seminar, we will share our experiences of creating a set of e-learning packages, open a dialogue with other colleagues about the challenges and benefits of digital transformations in education in the arts and explore how our processes may be beneficial to their practice. (more…)