The world’s most acerbic dance commentary
Taking a page from the playbook of political activists in the United States (and closer to home) DanceUK has launched ‘Dance Vote 2010’ in an effort to make political candidates for the up and coming 2010 General Election in the UK state their position in support of dance. From a practical point of view it’s […]
Every so often, here in TheLab™, we get a press release that we throw in the trash, then we read it, take it out of the trash, then throw it back in again because, to be blunt, it’s a bit bloody stupid. One such email arrived today highlighting the above pictured waifs and strays who […]
If you’re new to the wacky world of dance then there is a pretty good chance you will turn to the internet looking for information about this most beleaguered of professions. What is it? Why is it? Where is it? Are probably just a few of the questions you, as a newbie, will want to […]
It sometimes comes up in conversation why things are different for professional dancers compared to other folks doing their particular, non dance, job. Why do we focus on dancer’s pay and health provision so much, what’s all the fuss about? There are many reasons why the work of a professional dancer is “different” but here […]
File this one under “It’s Funny Because It’s Sadler’s Wells Which *Is Dance* But They Didn’t Read Their Funding Guidelines Properly So Let’s Laugh Near Them, Not At Them!” Over the last year or so a question has been niggling away at us, here in TheLab™, regarding just why the self aggrandising London theatre didn’t […]
Writings and rambling in the press are telling anybody that will listen that the current crop of dance shows on television, ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and their ilk, are cheap and nasty but they’re good for dance. The aforementioned BBC “talent” show is doing a contemporary dance bit this coming weekend with choreography […]
The above video features author Ken Robinson making a presentation at TED (Technology, Education, Design) discussing the importance of children being taught to be creative rather than purely academically. Quite a bit of the presentation is concerned with dance. It’s insightful and incredibly funny and reminds this writer of the time when an art teacher […]
BBC News is reporting that the BBC (it’s always a bit weird when they do that!) is shelving plans to run all four acts of ‘In The Spirit of Diaghilev’ from its Christmas schedule. The four acts of the performance, all created by different dance makers, run as one show but the segment created by […]
Sadler’s Wells Theatre makes it back into the headlines, well here at least, after it was discovered they have the “best dance video on the web”! Seriously? Our editor laughed so hard he fell of his chair and broke a hip! The London theatre is apparently not content with declaring that it “is dance” (whatever […]
As the world gets metaphorically smaller thanks to the wonder/curse of the internet, online video, free communication systems and the PDF document making print material almost redundant British Dance Edition (BDE), in the eyes of some, is struggling to remain relevant. Next years event, hosted by DanceXchange (DX) in Birmingham from the 3rd to the […]