1/3/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Nureyev- Ballet’s Most Incredible Story

Shall We Dance FridayNureyev- Ballet’s Most Incredible Story is a striking and moving documentary from BAFTA nominated directors Jacqui and David Morris traces the extraordinary life of Rudolf Nureyev. From his birth in the 5th class carriage of a trans-Siberian train, to his dramatic leap to freedom in the West at the height of the Cold War, and unprecedented adulation as the most famous dancer in the world. Continue reading

11/21/24 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY:  Christine Shevchenko & Calvin Royal lll- Swan Lake Act 3 excerpts

 

Christine Shevchenko is Odile the black swan seductress and Calvin Royal is the poor duped Prince Siegfried  in excerpts from Swan Lake Act 3. Continue reading

12/20/18 O&A NYC IN MEMORIUM: Raven Wilkinson Ballet Pioneer Dies at 83

Raven Wilkinson the first African-American to join a major international company had passed,  she was 83.  Continue reading

10/13/18 O&A NYC ENCORE PERFORMANCE: Matthew Bourne΄s Swan Lake (2012)

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake was first staged at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London in 1995. The longest running ballet in London’s West End and on Broadway, it has been performed in the UK, Los Angeles, Europe, Russia, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Israel and Singapore.  Continue reading

5/24/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Natalia Makarova & Ivan Nagy (with Itzhak Perlman & Lynn Harrell) – Swan Lake

Natalia Makaova, and one of her favorite partners, Ivan Nagy, dancing the White Swan Pas de Deux from “Swan Lake.” They are accompanied on-stage by violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Lynn Harrell. Continue reading

5/2/17 O&A NYC DANCE REVIEW: Dance Theatre of Harlem

Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) presented their annual New York City season April 19, 20 and 21 at New York City Center. The performances marked the sixth season since the company’s much anticipated return after a seven-year hiatus. This new re-configured DTH, under the artistic direction of former company principal dancer Virginia Johnson, continues to mature into a new and important dance voice, while staying true to its founding principles. Continue reading

6/8/16 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Swan Lake- III Act- Sylvie Guillem, Manuel Legris, Cyril Atanasoff

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The Swan Lake III Act pas de trois in Rudolf Nureyev’s version with Sylvie Guillem, Manuel Legris and Cyril Atanasoff from the 1988 Paris Opera Ballet production. Continue reading

5/22/15 O&A Shall We Dance Friday: Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux – Patricia McBride and Mikhail Baryshnikov

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Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux with Patricia McBride and Mikhail Baryshnikov was recorded in 1979. George Balanchine acquired the rights to the music in 1953 and he used it to devise a party piece for a principal couple, amending the choreography each time to suit each pair of dancers. You have to admire Patricia McBride’s diamond-edged footwork including entrechats skimmed millimetres from the floor, or wonder how Baryshnikov’s twelfth consecutive double cabriole can look as easy and elegant as the first.  Continue reading

5/4/15 O&A Dance: Un Mémoire Maya Plisetskaya (1925- 2015)

 By Walter Rutledge

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Maya Plisetskaya one of the most acclaimed ballerinas of the 20th Century has died of a heart attack in Germany at the age of 89. Known as both a superlative technical and dramatic performer, Plisetskaya was a mainstay in Russian ballet for more than five decades. Mikhail Chvydkoi, a former Russian culture minister, described Plisetskaya as a dancer who “was anchored in the Russian tradition but always tried to explore new horizons”. Continue reading

4/23/15 O&A Dance: Youth America Grand Prix – Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow Gala

By Walter Rutledge

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The 2015 Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) held their culminating gala event on Thursday, April 16, at the Koch Theatre, Lincoln Center. The evening aptly dubbed Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow showcased the talent of aspiring youth and their professional counterparts. The night was an exciting mix of promise, perfection and professionalism. Continue reading