When Makhar Vaziev took over the Bolshoi last year, he declared that classical ballet was and will always remain the company’s lifeline. And so it was when the Bolshoi toured to Japan in June, where a program of classics — Giselle, Swan Lake and Flames of Paris — dominated over 12 days of performances at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan concert hall. In Giselle, when Evgenia Obraztsova runs, her body
by Gary Smith When Stuttgart Ballet gives a party, it’s a big one. Celebrating Vancouver-born Reid Anderson’s 20 seasons as artistic director involved a week of international guest artists joining stars of Stuttgart Ballet and students of the German company’s affiliated John Cranko School, along with more sparkle dust and cascading balloons than you could
by Laura Cappelle There is a special joy in seeing an upstart company or festival fulfill its promise, and St. Petersburg’s Dance Open has done just that. Last spring, it celebrated its 15th anniversary, rebounding from budget cuts to present a satisfyingly full program, geared toward recent creations. The Vienna Ballet returned, while Dresden’s Semperoper