The New York Times published an article today about a dance photography exhibit taking place in New York right now. Sounds, and looks from what can be gathered by the two photos accompanying the review, like the show — titled Capri’s Camera on Dance — is mediocre at best.

However, I did enjoy the article, what it says in the first paragraph especially:

Although the truest essences of dance lie in rhythm and three-dimensional space, the art is so naturally picturesque and photogenic that any exhibition in which one photographer devotes himself to the subject should be interesting for the different aspects it reveals.

Full article on nytimes.com.

A last, definite and official date has finally been released:

5 – 14 September 2008
Messe Basel

Grand Opening: Friday, 5 Sept 2008, 18:00
Messe Basel, Hall 2, 2nd Floor

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri 12-19h
Sat-Sun 10-19h

Oh come all ye balletomanes and photography aficionados!!!

Natalie Wagner, welche bei meinem Projekt mitgemacht hat, tanzt am kommenden Sonntag, 3. August im Kongresshaus Zürich:

Commonality Dance Company, L.A.

Choreografie: Adam Parson

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So, 3. August 2008 20 Uhr

Kongresshaus Zürich

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Die Contemporary-Jazz Dance Company verzauberte das Publikum

bereits in Asien, Deutschland und Italien. Das erste Mal kommen sie in die

Schweiz und bieten auf höchstem Niveau ein Abendfüllendes Programm

aus Kurzstücken an.

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Gast-Tänzerin: Natalie Wagner

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Tickets: www.starticket.ch / 0900 325 325

Company: www.cdanceco.com

Organisation: www.naway.ch

Swan Lake in animated films…:

Clip from Karo Yabuki’s Sekai Meisaku Douwa – Hakuchou no Mizuumi (Swan Lake), (Japan, 1981)

Opening from the same film dubbed in English

Opening scene from Richard Rich’s The Swan Princess (USA, 1994)

Trailer for Owen Hurley’s Barbie of Swan Lake (USA, 2003)

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…and comic strips:
In 1998 Tachibana Higuchi created a manga with the title Swan Lake. You will find it for download at dragonvoice.org and a review at sunny side up.

As the example of Kerli showed, Swan Lake — and ballet in general, for that matter — is still present in popular culture. And because I am fascinated by the various forms this presence can take on, I decided to compile some of the ways in which ballet and Swan Lake have appeared in popular culture. A few music videos…:

Labutí píseň – Jiří Suchý, Vlasta Kahovcová, TOČR, Karel Krautgartner (Czechoslovakia, 196?)

Toni Basil – Mickey (on the Kenny Everett Video Show) (USA, 1982)

Ballet Dancer – The Twins (Germany, 1983)

From Louis de Cahusac: La Danse ancienne et moderne ou Traité historique de la Danse, Paris 1754:

“Everything that is without action is unworthy [...]; all of it becomes an ornament without taste and without warmth.” (Vol. III, p.118)

From Klaus Geitel: Pas de deux in photography in: Kilian 2006: Vladimir Malakhov – “Jahrhunderttänzer” :

“…there is nothing more difficult than trying to do justice to classical dance with a camera. [...]

To photograph ballet requires a good eye, first-class knowledge of and understanding of classical style, and patience. Above all else, patience!”