Ballet Around The World

FEBRUARY 24 2007, BATH: Moscow City Ballet are presenting a double bill of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty, at the Theatre Royal Bath until February 24.

St Petersburg Ballet returns

Because of this unprecedented success and the clear demand by ballet and theatre patrons to see first-class productions of the great classics, the St Petersburg Ballet Theatre has returned to South Africa with their 55 dancers, including the legendary prima ballerina Irina Kolesnikova, Dmitry Akulinin, Sabina Yapparova, Andrey Yakhnuk, Olga Ovchinnkova, Dymchik Saykeev and other principals and soloists.

The St Petersburg Ballet Theatre comes to Cape Town for a brief season until April 8 presenting two ballets at the Artscape Opera House : Giselle, which was first performed at the Paris Opera on the 28 June 1841 and has often been described as the world's most romantic ballet. It was also performed for the first time in St Petersburg in 1842. The second work is the timeless favourite Swan Lake.

Boys can dance

If someone mentions that their 8-year-old is studying ballet, tap and jazz dancing, chances are the listener immediately gets the mental image of a girl in a pink tutu.Where, then, do great dancers like Mikhail Baryshnikov, Fred Astaire and Gregory Hines come from?Just ask Gabe Jackson.Jackson, a second-grader at Woodlawn Elementary, recently wrapped up performances as a mouse in Tulsa Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" and has his eyes — and feet — set on becoming a professional dancer."I tried it out, it seemed fun and I liked it," Jackson said when asked how he got started dancing at age 3.In the years since, the 8-year-old has brought home some serious hardware from various dance competitions. A bookshelf in his room is full of trophies, plaques and other items of recognition.In addition to dance, Jackson also studies related disciplines like gymnastics and tumbling.Dance, his mother Cheryl Jackson said, "was the only thing we could sign him up for when he was 3."Gabe started walking at 9 months and by the age of 2 could walk a balance beam."He could keep a beat with songs, and I thought, 'Hmm, OK, I'll sign him up for dance,'" Cheryl Jackson said."He couldn't play (base)ball or soccer or anything at 3, and we needed a break."For the first couple of years, Cheryl and Gabe's father, Dennis Jackson, thought they were simply indulging a youngster's fleeting interest.Then came Gabe's first competition, in which he walked away with most outstanding dancer age 6 and under honors."That's when we decided maybe we weren't just proud parents — maybe he has a talent," Cheryl Jackson said."We figured as long as he's doing something he really enjoys, that's fine with us," Dennis Jackson said.Gabe studies various forms of dance twice a week at Ovations Dance Studio and also practices solo once a week.Gabe is one of just two boys in his dance classes and was one of four male mice in "The Nutcracker."Understandably, he hasn't yet figured out just how handy being one of few boys among many girls can be.Gabe said he puts up with the other girls in his class just enough to get through each lesson.When he's not on stage, Gabe can be found in the pursuits any boy his age would — Cub Scouts and video games in particular.Steven James 224-5185 Ext.200assteditor@sapulpadailyherald.com

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Paul Taylor's Choreography Shines

No more criticism or acclaim would affect Paul Taylor's firmly established status as one of the most praised American modern dance choreographers. Yet, the 76-year-old choreographer incessantly experiments with varieties of human movements that seek to crystallize the abstract human condition in the physical realm.

The 2007 Paul Taylor Gala on March 6, celebrating the company's 52nd year, showcased dances that reflected the wide chronological and emotional spectrum of Taylor's works. The New York premiere of the hilarious "Troilus and Cressida (reduced)" and the world premiere of the grave "Lines of Loss" were flanked by the light and delightful "Aureole" and "Arden Court," which were choreographed in 1962 and 1981, respectively.

"Troilus and Cressida (reduced)," in contrast to its serious Greek title, evokes a fairy tale in which a brave prince saves a beautiful princess from the hands of evil-except that there is no brave prince, no beautiful princess, and the evildoers are gleeful Greek invaders.