Featured Blogs & Diaries

Lindsay Live
Lindsay Dreyer is Dancer Magazine's Editor at Large. Her blog is full of late breaking news, competition chatter and intriguing perspectives on all things dance!// Updated Nov 11, 2009 //

Laura Diffenderfer
The Editor of Dancer Magazine, Laura is also a writer and choreographer living in Brooklyn, NY.// Updated Oct 22, 2009 //

Matthew Neff
Matthew performs, teaches and choreographs in genres ranging from theater to classical modern to jazz.// Updated Nov 19, 2009 //

Sondra Forsyth
Sondra is Everydancer's Guide to Gotham! While her main beat is ballet news and views, you'll also find plenty of seriously opinionated pointers about what to do and see in the Dance Capital of the World, plus occasional reports about her experiences in and around town.// Updated Sep 17, 2009 //

JAMcosmetics
Jessica Dupont, (formerly Jessica Ann Michaels - JAM), has loved two things her whole life - Dance and Makeup! Get tips and ideas from this seasoned professional and look your best on the street and on the stage.// Updated Nov 11, 2009 //

Meryl Cates
Meryl is a writer and dancer who would like you to share in a variety of topics, viewpoints, critiques, and all things dance.// Updated Nov 19, 2009 //

The Groovaloos
The spot for all things Groovaloo! These dynamic hip-hop performers will keep you groovin' with their weekly posts. They're excited to hear your input and answer any questions you may have.// Updated Jul 22, 2009 //
StyleStation
Each week Martine Quigley will be checking in with you on the latest in the world of entertainment!// Updated Nov 19, 2009 //
Stacie Strong
Stacie, our resident tap aficionado and hardcore rhythm tapper tells all about the wide world of tap!// Updated Jun 05, 2009 //

ErinLamont
Erin Lamont travels the world working as both a master class instructor and choreographer. Based in Los Angeles, she gives the scoop on auditions, bookings, teaching class, judging competitions, and inside takes on everything dance.// Updated Nov 17, 2009 //
GeTfUnKy
Loren Michaels has worked as a professional hip hop dancer and choreographer in over 40 countries. His blog takes you through the rigors of the road, the 'biz,' and provides insightful opinions on all things dance related.// Updated Oct 20, 2009 //

Corrinna
Corrinna Lindholm Stoner is a former Radio City Rockette who has been a teacher of dance at studios and conventions across the country for over 20 years. She is excited to share her stories and experiences, especially now that she is the mother of two budding dancers.// Updated Nov 18, 2009 //

Lauren Humm Fakete
Lauren is a dancer/teacher/choreographer based in New York City. Her blog covers ballet and modern performance reviews as well as fitness news for dancers.// Updated Oct 31, 2009 //

Emily Bufferd
Emily Bufferd is an up and coming New York choreographer currently in the process of starting a company. Her blog invites you on the journey of BEings, a young company based in New York City.// Updated Nov 18, 2009 //

Kim Gower
Kim teaches dance in many different settings and brings those perspective to all of her dance writing, she lives in D.C. and knows all about dance in the capitol!// Updated Apr 22, 2009 //

Joe Cote
Site updates and info. Stay tuned into DancerUniverse.Com's fast pace of dance community development.// Updated Jun 17, 2009 //

Nancy and Art Stone
Nancy and Art Stone have teamed up with Dancer Universe to provide Dance Educators with valuable insight on surviving and thriving in the dance industry!// Updated Feb 18, 2009 //

Owen
Owen is the founder of Dancer Magazine, danceruniverse.com and danceronline.com., and in the past he served as editor and publisher. His blog takes you behind the scenes on the competition circuit.// Updated Apr 26, 2009 //
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Houston Ballet's Got The Nutcracker Covered

In the music industry artists often release new renditions, called covers, of previously recorded and released songs. Often these are explorations and reworkings of the original material, designed to pay tribute to the original, reach a new audience demographic, and/or encourage the listener's interest in the artist by hooking them with a familiar tune. For similar reasons, dance companies worldwide add their versions of The Nutcracker to the fray, making it the most "covered" ballet narrative in the dance world. In this sea of re-hashed material, how does a dance company create a variation that will be a stand-out and beloved at the same time? While there may be no concrete answer to this question, Ben Stevenson's choreography, as performed by Houston Ballet, is an excellent model of this elusive formula.
More after the jump...
REVIEW: Jonah Bokaer's The Invention of Minus One at DiverseWorks
Photo ©Michael Hart
The Texas air was, for a change, a bit chilly. Groups of people stood together on a long, industrial loading platform. Those who had remembered their warmer clothing or coats waited in relative comfort, while others huddled in the crisp night air, thankful for the promise of only spending ten minutes of this evening's event outdoors. The lights of a vehicle focused across the narrow parking lot, casting illumination on a single garage door in a warehouse that mirrored that of the DiverseWorks gallery and performance venue. Known for hosting experimental works of both performance and visual art, this 25 year-old establishment was likely not surprising much of its audience by briefly displaying a portion of the evening's dance performance outside. However, as it was late November, only in a city with a climate such as Houston's could this have been accomplished without protests from the patrons.
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