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☆ A Second Act for Ballet in Iran?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Brian Seibert | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the ballet dancers moved through the familiar rituals of their daily class, they tried to ignore the gunshots and explosions outside. It was 1979, and Iran was in the midst of a revolution that would overthrow the ruling Shah and turn the country into an Islamic republic. The dancers were the last few members of the Iranian National Ballet. On a recent video call from her home in Herndon, Va., she recalled what happened next: the National Ballet, which had been founded in 1958 and had grown and flourished, ended. “All of the foreign dancers in the company had already left,” she said.

Persons: Bahareh Sardari, ” Organizations: Iranian National Ballet, National Ballet Locations: Iran, Herndon , Va, Islamic Republic

☆ Alina Cojocaru: A Freelance Ballerina, Forging Her Own Path
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Roslyn Sulcas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ballerinas like Sylvie Guillem, Diana Vishneva and Natalia Osipova have also pursued independent paths but turned mainly to contemporary work. Dancers today are phenomenal, even better than when I began, and apart from myself, I wanted to create opportunities. The experience of being a freelance dancer during the pandemic, and not being protected by a company, made me realize I would like to do something for other freelancers. I was pregnant with my second daughter, Ella, and I had to deal with other people’s decisions and choose another path. I have seen what works, what doesn’t, the director’s point of view, the dancers’ points of view.

Persons: Sylvie Guillem, Diana Vishneva, Natalia Osipova, Ella Organizations: Ballet

☆ Dua Lipa launches new single with London fan event
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Hanna Rantala | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Dua Lipa dropped her new single "Houdini" on Thursday, celebrating the launch with a secretive fan event in London. The track is the first single from the British-Albanian singer’s third studio album, which is set for release in 2024. "I'm putting on three surprise launch events for Houdini in London, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Lipa's last studio album, 2020's "Future Nostalgia", was an international chart-topper and gained her a Best Pop Vocal Album Grammy and British Album of the Year Brit Award, among many other accolades. Past singles released by Lipa include the hit songs "New Rules", "One Kiss", "Levitating" and "Don't Start Now".

Persons: Lipa, Houdini, Harry Houdini, Danny L, Kevin Parker, I'm, Lipa's, Hanna Rantala, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Albanian, Ballet, Thomson Locations: London, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Europe, Lipa

"Giselle," the Romantic ballet whose title role Alonso is best known for and performed through her 70s, will cap a special gala on Oct. 28, the anniversary date, at the National Theater of Cuba. "Ballet was never (for the) elite in Cuba," said Leonardo Vinageras, a Havana resident and ballet aficionado who attended a recent anniversary event. A ballet dancer warms up backstage before performing "Giselle" during the 27th Alicia Alonso International Ballet Festival of Havana, at the National Theatre, in Havana, Cuba, October 30, 2022. Alonso founded her namesake National Ballet Academy in Cuba in 1948 soon after becoming a star in the New York company that would become the American Ballet Theatre. Inspired by Fidel Castro, Alonso identified herself with his 1959 revolution and moved permanently to Cuba, becoming allies in popularizing ballet with strong government support for the renamed National Ballet of Cuba.

Persons: Alicia Alonso, Giselle, Alonso, Leonardo Vinageras, Alexandre Meneghini, King Louis XIV, Viengsay Valdés, Carlos Acosta, José Manuel Carreño, Fidel Castro, Grettel Morejon, Anett Rios, Alien Fernandez, Richard Chang, David Sherwood, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Ballet, Communist, National Theater of Cuba, Company, of, National Theatre, REUTERS, Bolshoi, Mariinsky, National Ballet of, National Ballet Academy, New York, American Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba, Thomson Locations: HAVANA, Cuba, Havana, of Havana, National Ballet of Cuba

☆ Opinion: My journey from a homeless shelter to the ballet stage
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Opinion Steven Melendez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s Note: Steven Melendez is artistic director of New York Theatre Ballet and a subject of the new documentary film “LIFT,” available on Apple and Amazon. He was born in the Bronx, New York, and has danced as a soloist with Ballet Concierto in Argentina, a principal dancer with the Vanemuine Theater Ballet Company in Estonia, and for more than 15 years with New York Theatre Ballet. CNN —Thirty years ago, I lived in a family homeless shelter in New York City, where dreams and struggles often do battle. The LIFT program did not simply introduce me to ballet; it transformed my life. New York Theatre BalletThe rigorous training demands unwavering commitment, punctuality and the relentless pursuit of perfection.

Persons: Steven Melendez, Steven Melendez Rachel Neville, Diana Byer, Jacques d’Amboise, Talent Organizations: New York Theatre Ballet, Apple, Concierto, Vanemuine Theater Ballet Company, CNN, New York Theatre, US Department of Housing, Urban Development, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Coalition, York Theatre Ballet, National Dance Institute Locations: Bronx , New York, Argentina, Estonia, New York City, Bronx, America

☆ Everything you need to know about London Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Leah Dolan | Nicole Mowbray | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

London CNN —London Fashion Week kicked off on Friday in the glow of a sweltering UK heatwave, and concluded on Tuesday after biblical showers and thunderstorms. More famous faces piled into the London fashion scene over the course of the week. Dave Benett/Courtesy BurberryHowever, some controversial collections and marketing choices brought London Fashion Week outside of the industry bubble and into the wider cultural conversation. Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty ImagesErdem's collection was partly inspired by the protected stately home, Chatsworth House, in the North of England. Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty ImagesAshish returned to the London Fashion Week runway after 4 years with a show that was suitably high-octane and glamorous.

Persons: JW Anderson, Erdem, Simone Rocha, Findikoglu, Halpern, Nensi, S.S, Daley, Anna Wintour, Sienna Miller, Jodie Turner, Smith, Princess Eugenie, Kate Winslet, Cole Sprouse, Suki Waterhouse, Charli, Ncuti Gatwa, Alexa Chung, Mo Farah, “, Damon Albarn, Rachel Weiss, Jodie Comer, Kylie Minogue, Burna Boy, Barry Keoghan, Dave Benett, Burberry —, Daniel Lee, —, Mowalola, HARRI, Sam Smith, JW, Kwok, Joe Maher, Crocs, Sinéad O’Dwyer, Molly Goddard, Victor Virgile, Gareth Cattermole, David, David Cronenberg, David Lynch, 16Arlington, Isamaya Ffrench, Jeff Spicer, Richard Quinn, ”, Goddard, Matty Bovan —, Bovan, ” Richard Quinn, Matty Bovan, tulle, Susan Fang, David Koma, David Lee’s Burberry, Giovanni Giannoni, Di Petsa, beading, Susan Fang's, Henry Nicholls, Chet Lo's, Wiktor, Chet Lo, Shane Anthony Sinclair, Stuart Wilson, TOVE, Daniel Lee's, Shutterstock Burberry, Ashish, Poppy Delevingne, Anderson, KNWLS — Organizations: London CNN, London, Burberry, Vogue, JW, Highbury, Fashion, Brit, BFC, Getty, National Theatre, National, Publishing, London's Barbican Center, British Locations: couture, London, North London, Saudi, Hong, Kong, Erdem, AFP, Englishness, Chatsworth House, North, England, Noor

☆ Fairy-tale return for London ballet company's 'Cinderella'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - The stage at London's Royal Albert Hall has been transformed into an enchanted forest, populated by gnomes, woodland creatures - and over 90 ballet dancers. After a forced four-year break due to the COVID pandemic, the ballerinas of the English National Ballet are back for a spectacular run of "Cinderella," one of the company's biggest shows. Ticket sales for this year's "Cinderella" are up 20% on 2019, according to a spokesperson. Dancing there is a magical experience for Adams, given the venue's 152-year history of hosting momentous cultural events, she said. "It just feels really special to be on the other side of it and to finally be living this out," Adams said.

Persons: London's Royal Albert Hall, Precious Adams, Adams, COVID, Sarah Young, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: London's Royal, English, Ballet, Royal Albert Hall, Thomson Locations: London's Kensington

☆ Fairy-tale return for London ballet company’s ‘Cinderella’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Photography Dylan Martinez | Text Sarah Young | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall has been transformed into an enchanted forest, populated by gnomes, woodland creatures – and over 90 ballet dancers. After a forced four-year break due to the COVID pandemic, the ballerinas of the English National Ballet are back for a spectacular run of “Cinderella,” one of the company's biggest shows. Ticket sales for this year's “Cinderella” are up 20% on 2019, according to a spokesperson. Dancing there is a magical experience for Adams, given the venue’s 152-year history of hosting momentous cultural events, she said. “It just feels really special to be on the other side of it and to finally be living this out,” Adams said.

Persons: London’s Royal Albert Hall, ”, Precious Adams, Adams, COVID, ” Adams, Dylan Martinez, Sarah Young, Troy Dunkley Organizations: London’s Royal, English, Ballet, Royal Albert Hall, Reuters Locations: London's Kensington

☆ Backstage, stars shine at Cuba's National Ballet
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Ballet dancers react backstage as they perform "Giselle" during the 27th Alicia Alonso International Ballet Festival of Havana, at the National Theatre, in Havana, Cuba, October 30, 2022. REUTERS/Alexandre MeneghiniHAVANA, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Cuba's National Ballet, founded in 1948 in Havana, became a pet project of Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution. Castro gave aspiring dancers free training, underwrote the companies' infrastructure, and cemented the national ballet's reputation for beauty and talent. Communist-led Cuba is struggling through economic crisis but its talented dancers continue to practice and perform. Reporting by Alexandre Meneghini, Writing by Dave Sherwood, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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