James White News

New York City Center's 11th annual Fall for Dance Festival will feature free performances in Central Park and 24 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world, in six unique programs in September and October 2014.

American Ballet Theatre's Shakespeare Celebration on July 2nd delved into magical mishaps while bidding adieu to dancer Yuriko Kajiya. The evening began in a lush wonderland of Frederick Ashton's The Dream and ended with the choppy waters of Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky's The Tempest. Driven by patriarchy, both ballets presented hierarchy and tradition as precariously shifting power schemes.

Rosalie Craig and Shaun Evans lead the cast of Miss Julie / Black Comedy at Chichester, a new production of an acclaimed double bill which celebrates a key moment in this Theatre's history, and its long association with playwright Peter Shaffer.

Written by local playwright Philip Real, Cactus is a World Premiere play, produced as the final show of their third season, by 12 Peers Theater. A loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Cactus moves the events to the Arizona border. Two conflicting vampire families patrol the area; one working with the United States Government to kill illegal border crossers, the other protecting them. When Ron and Julie, two seemingly teenaged vampires from the opposing families, fall in love, will it bring their families closer together, or drive them farther apart? Cactus is a play about doing whatever it takes to protect the people you care about, and the dangers that can complicate even the best intentions.

The American Ballet Theatre (ABT) has confirmed that its full company of dancers will travel to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) to perform in the exclusive Brisbane season which runs from 28 August to 7 September 2014.

Casting for the seventh and eighth weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2014 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

American Ballet Theatre's premiere of the Royal Ballet's Cinderella was a beautifully romantic and astonishingly comedic whirlwind of a fairytale. With Frederick Ashton's cutting-edge choreography set to Sergei Prokofiev's vibrant score, American Ballet Theatre delivered a ballet enjoyable for all ages.

Written by local playwright Philip Real, Cactus is a World Premiere play, produced as the final show of their third season, by 12 Peers Theater. A loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Cactus moves the events to the Arizona border. Two conflicting vampire families patrol the area; one working with the United States Government to kill illegal border crossers, the other protecting them. When Ron and Julie, two seemingly teenaged vampires from the opposing families, fall in love, will it bring their families closer together, or drive them farther apart? Cactus is a play about doing whatever it takes to protect the people you care about, and the dangers that can complicate even the best intentions.

The original cast recording of Andrew Lippa's I Am Harvey Milk was just named by Music Resource Group (MRG) as the winner of Best Soundtrack/Cast Recording in The 13th Independent Music Awards (The IMAs), the influential awards program for independent music and fans. Representing the broad spectrum of today's global independent music scene, the nominees in over 80 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories were culled from thousands of submissions from North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, Greenland and Europe.

Rosalie Craig and Shaun Evans lead the cast of Miss Julie / Black Comedy at Chichester, a new production of an acclaimed double bill which celebrates a key moment in this Theatre's history, and its long association with playwright Peter Shaffer.

Rosalie Craig and Shaun Evans lead the cast of Miss Julie / Black Comedy at Chichester, a new production of an acclaimed double bill which celebrates a key moment in this Theatre's history, and its long association with playwright Peter Shaffer.

Balanchine and Massine on the same program on February 20, 2014? I can't remember that last time I saw that. I wonder if the two would approve. But there is one fundamental difference separating the two choreographers. Balanchine, even 30 years after his death, is still in the forefront of modern ballet choreography, and most of Massine's ballets have fallen into oblivion. To be honest, the only Massine ballets I have seen prior to this were Parade and The Three Cornered Hat, both of which I enjoyed. I'd like to see The Good Natured Ladies, Le Beau Danube, La Boutique Fantasque, Rouge et Noir, Choreartium and Les Presages one of these days, but the chances are very slim. As the old saying goes, keep dreaming.

On the rain-soaked evening of May 16th 2014, ABT delivered a mood-boosting performance of 'Don Quixote' for a full house of grateful dancegoers at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center. Dazzling Gallic-flavored dancing and full-throttle comedy to the music of Minkus helped to push dire flash flood warnings out of the minds of many in the audience. I heard plenty of comments during intermissions by people who said that driving in from the suburbs or sloshing through sidewalk puddles was more than worth the trouble. I agreed!

Dance Against Cancer raised more than $200,000 for the American Cancer Society on Monday, May 5, 2014. Proceeds from the evening will benefit research initiatives and patient and family service programs. More than 500 guests attended the fourth annual Dance Against Cancer. VIP guests enjoyed cocktails, preferred seating, and a gift bag in addition to the performance and post-event reception. The performance featured new work by Brian Reeder created for American Ballet Theatre's Isabella Boylston with New York City Ballet's Chase Finlay and Amar Ramasar, Paul Taylor Dance Company in its first appearance at the benefit, Charles 'Lil Buck' Riley performed with students from National Dance Institute, and included the NYC premiere of Justin Peck's Sea Change. Scroll down for photos from the performances!

New musical theatre is often showcased in fringe venues to test the water and see if the show could have success on a larger platform. Water Babies, however, has its first outing on the stage of one of the largest producing houses in the country, the Curve in Leicester. The production values are extremely high and it is evident that there is a lot of belief in this project. Judging by what I witnessed last night, this production absolutely needs and deserves a future.

Co producers, Erin Fogarty and Daniel Ulbrict of the New York City Ballet, present The 4th Annual Dance Against Cancer, the American Cancer Society's signature dance event dedicated to raising funds and supporting the fight against cancer. Guests enjoy cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres, as well as world premiere dance performances from companies including New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Norwegian National Ballet, Broadway's finest, many more. Since its inauguration, Dance Against Cancer has raised over $200,000.00 in support of the American Cancer Society.

Casting for the third and fourth weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2014 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

World's largest dance network and international student ballet scholarship audition - YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX - will celebrate its 15th Anniversary with three spectacular performances at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater on April 9-11, 2014.

Producers Erin Fogarty and Daniel Ulbricht have partnered with the American Cancer Society to present the fourth annual Dance Against Cancer on Monday, May 5, 2014 with cocktails at 6pm (VIP ticket only), followed by a performance at 7pm, and a post-show reception at the AXA Equitable Theater, 787 Seventh Avenue (between 51st and 52nd Streets), NYC. Tickets are $150 ($300 for VIP) and are available at www.dacny.org.

After five years of planning, design and renovation, the curtain will rise this weekend on the University of Minnesota's historic Northrop. The iconic arts and entertainment venue is returning as the academic and cultural center of the Twin Cities' campus.