Victoria Tennant, acclaimed actress and daughter of Russian prima ballerina Irina Baronova, is set to launch a new book on her late mother, Irina Baronova and the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, on Wednesday 10 December at the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Baronova is renowned as one of the iconic choreographer George Balanchine’s protégés, one of his Baby Ballerinas.
In conversation with dance archivist Jane Pritchard, Victoria Tennant will deliver a presentation on the book as well as showing previously unseen film footage of her mother, followed by a Q&A session and book signing. Tickets are available at £15 for non-members, £10 for RAD members and £7 for enrolled RAD students. Your ticket will include a glass of wine and the chance to buy a signed copy of the book at a greatly discounted price of £30 (RRP £38).
This sumptuous, illustrated history tells the story of Irina Baronova (1919–2008), prima ballerina for the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo and later for Ballet Theatre in New York. She was also Vice President of the RAD and was honoured with the QEII Coronation Award in 1996. Drawing on rare photographs, letters, correspondence, oral histories and interviews, Victoria Tennant warmly recounts her mother’s dramatic life.
The launch takes place from 7–8.30pm in the Genée studio at RAD headquarters, 36 Battersea Square, London SW11 3RA. To book your place at what is sure to be a fascinating event, promising to tell the story of one of ballet’s most glamorous stars, contact Sarah-Jane Lewis at [email protected] or call 020 7326 8051.
The Hunger Games phenomenon is heading to the London stage. The unique theatrical experience based on the popular young-adult novels and Lionsgate film franchise will launch in summer 2016 in a new purpose-built theatre next to Wembley Stadium in London. The company is partnering with Dutch media company Imagine Nation and US-based Triangular Entertainment, who will use innovative and immersive staging techniques to bring the dystopian story to the stage.
Do your knees hurt when you land from a jump, go downstairs, do grands pliés, or sit with them bent for long periods of time? “Jumper’s knee” could be the problem, a strain of the patellar tendon that runs from the lower kneecap to the upper shin. It is common in male ballet dancers and basketball players, who also jump a lot.
After graduating from London Studio Centre’s Intoto Dance Company, Rhiannon toured the UK with various dance groups and appeared in numerous TV and corporate events. She recently finished her first season as resident showgirl and cancan dancer at La Nouvelle Eve in Paris, and has been booked to work with other companies in Paris so will continue to perform there over the winter season.
The nominations for the 15th National Dance awards promise a ‘vintage list’ of eventual winners as traditional dance boundaries are broken down and the spotlight falls on the younger, rising stars. The nominations have been whittled down from a long list of nearly 400 names, and from a year’s worth of performances that took place between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014. A new category, the emerging artist award, was added this year to ensure younger and less established dancers and choreographers were acknowledged, keeping the spectrum of talent as broad as possible.
Equity has responded to plans to allow child performers to start work at 7am – an hour earlier than adults – and has called for more clarification on streamlining child performance regulations. The government has just completed consultation over bringing the regulations for children working on screen or stage in line with each other: when children can take part in performances and the breaks they must have.
It has been announced that English National Ballet will become Sadler’s Wells’ first associate ballet company. This exciting relationship will see ENB present two annual seasons at Sadler’s in the spring and autumn of each year from March 2015 onwards.
Rumour has it, the brand new musical adaptation of the classic 1993 movie Sleepless In Seattle could be making its way to the West End in 2015, delighting fans all over.
Thousands of dancers – from professionals to absolute beginners – are set to join Swing Patrol’s Swing Dance balls across the UK from late October to the end of November. The balls celebrate the first tour of the UK from lindy hop legend, Frankie Manning, in the UK’s biggest series of swing dance events. “Swing”, “jitterbug” and “lindy hop” are all synonyms for the street dance style popularised by Manning and other dancers in New York City from the late 1920s to late 1940s as they fused style, energy and fun.
Leeds-based company Northern Ballet has recently announced its plans for 2015, following a very successful year on the stage and in the studio in 2014. Having staged a number of successful productions with the dust slowly settling, 2015 looks set to be another exciting year for the company.