John Cranko News

Smuin Ballet will continue its 20th Anniversary Season March 14-29 with the Bay Area tour of its XXtremes Winter Dance Series.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, under the artistic leadership of Glenn Edgerton, will present its first-ever mixed repertory program devoted to the work of a single choreographer during the Spring Series, March 13-16, 2014. This engagement's four works by Sarabande (1990), for an all-male ensemble and set to Bach's second partita for solo violin with electronically manipulated live vocals; and Falling Angels (1989), for a cast of eight women and set to part one of Steve Reich's phased-percussion composition, Drumming, to be performed live by Third Coast Percussion, Ensemble- in-Residence at the University of Notre Dame's DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

The Hamburg Ballet, led by Director and Chief Choreographer John Neumeier, brings the classicThird Symphony of Gustav Mahler to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance on Wednesday, February 19, and Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 7:30PM. The Harris Theater is the only American venue that will present Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler during the company's U.S. visit in 2014.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton will continue Season 36 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, tonight, December 12-15, 2013. Click below for a sneak peek at ONE THOUSAND PIECES!

As part of the Britten 100 Celebrations Birmingham Royal Ballet will perform The Prince of Pagodas in 2014. Ahead of a London Coliseum season from Wednesday 26 until Saturday 29 March the ballet, choreographed by Birmingham Royal Ballet's award-winning director David Bintley, will be performed at The Lowry Salford Quays (30 Jan - 1 Feb), Birmingham Hippodrome (25 Feb - 1 March) and Plymouth's Theatre Royal (19 - 22 March).

STARZ announced today the involvement of internationally-renowned dancers in the original drama series 'Flesh and Bone' (previously announced as an 'Untitled Ballet Project') currently in development at the network.

The fourth South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC), supported by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund, takes place at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, from 17 to 23 February 2014. Formerly known as the Cape Town International Ballet Competition (CTIBC) it is the only event of its kind on the African continent and attracts top dancers from SA and the World. A new competitor category has also being announced for the 2014 awards.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton will continue Season 36 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, December 12-15, 2013. Click below for a sneak peek at ONE THOUSAND PIECES!

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the innovative contemporary Dance Company from the American West led by Artistic Director Tom Mossbrucker and Executive Director Jean-Philippe Malaty, returns to the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Street, for one performance only tonight, October 5 at 7:30 pm.

Boston Ballet announced today that Barry C. Hughson will resign his post as Executive Director in January 2014. Hughson will join the Toronto-based National Ballet of Canada replacing Kevin Garland as Executive Director.

Smuin Ballet will kick off its 20th Anniversary Season tonight, October 4-12 at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts with its XXtremes Fall Program.

On the heels of a critically acclaimed tour to London, Boston Ballet returns home to kick off the 50th season with Night of Stars on Boston Common, a massive free performance for the greater Boston community. Admirals Bank is the Presenting Sponsor for this sensational one-night-only event taking place tonight, September 21 at 7:00pm.

From tonight, September 19-29, 2013, Houston Ballet presents Ronald Hynd's comic and enchanting The Merry Widow.Adapted from Franz Lehar's beloved operetta, the internationally-admired British choreographer Ronald Hynd adds a new layer of lavish spectacle and choreography to the original story of The Merry Widow to create an irresistibly charming and intoxicating tale of high jinks, finance, romance, and intrigue. The production features magnificent scenery and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno. The company will give seven performances at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston.

On the heels of a critically acclaimed tour to London, Boston Ballet returns home to kick off the 50th season with Night of Stars on Boston Common, a massive free performance for the greater Boston community. Admirals Bank is the Presenting Sponsor for this sensational one-night-only event taking place on Saturday, September 21 at 7:00pm.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the innovative contemporary dance company from the American West led by Artistic Director Tom Mossbrucker and Executive Director Jean-Philippe Malaty, returns to the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Street, for one performance only Saturday, October 5 at 7:30 pm.

From September 19-29, 2013, Houston Ballet presents Ronald Hynd's comic and enchanting The Merry Widow. Adapted from Franz Lehar's beloved operetta, the internationally-admired British choreographer Ronald Hynd adds a new layer of lavish spectacle and choreography to the original story of The Merry Widow to create an irresistibly charming and intoxicating tale of high jinks, finance, romance, and intrigue. The production features magnificent scenery and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno. The company will give seven performances at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets start at $19, and may be purchased at www.houstonballet.org or by calling 713 227 ARTS (2787).

From September 19-29, 2013, Houston Ballet presents Ronald Hynd's comic and enchanting The Merry Widow.Adapted from Franz Lehar's beloved operetta, the internationally-admired British choreographer Ronald Hynd adds a new layer of lavish spectacle and choreography to the original story of The Merry Widow to create an irresistibly charming and intoxicating tale of high jinks, finance, romance, and intrigue. The production features magnificent scenery and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno. The company will give seven performances at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets start at $19, and may be purchased at www.houstonballet.org or by calling 713 227 ARTS (2787).

Smuin Ballet will kick off its 20th Anniversary Season in San Francisco this October with its XXtremesFall Program, featuring a lineup of stunning works that showcase the range and versatility of the lauded Smuin dancers. In XXtremes, Northern California audiences get their first look at Ji?i Kylian's acclaimed Return to a Strange Land, set to four heart-rending pieces for solo piano by Czech composer Leoš Jana?ek. Smuin also brings back by popular demand the enchanting ballet Dear Miss Cline, a buoyant and colorful romp set to the music of Patsy Cline by Choreographer in Residence Amy Seiwert, and Carmina Burana, one of Michael Smuin's most lauded works, set to Carl Orff's 1937 dramatic cantata of the same title. The XXtremes Fall Program plays October 4-12 at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Single tickets ($25-$72) and 20th Anniversary Season subscriptions ($120-$174) are available at www.smuinballet.org or by calling (415) 912-1899.

On a rainy August day I curled up on the couch with BBC's recently released and re-mastered television broadcast of John Cranko's The Lady and the Fool and Pineapple Poll. Accustomed to contemporary ballet sensibilities, I was a bit skeptical of the black and white recording of these two 1959 performances, yet, as the comic ballets unfolded on my television screen, I slowly fell in love with the character dance and theatricality that are highly reminiscent of an old fashioned musical comedy.

Devon Carney, Associate Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Ballet, and Yves de Bouteiller, former principal dancer of the Milwaukee Ballet and Ballet du Nord, will be on the faculty for the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet's Summer Intensive beginning today, July 22, and running through July 26 in Shreveport, Louisiana.