Ballet Talk > Baryshnikov terminates dance history project?

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Amy Reusch

Oct 31 2002, 02:24 AM

I just got the following blurb from Ballet-Tanz' newsletter digest:

QUOTE

USA - Mikhail Baryshnikov
The star and director of the White Oaks Dance Project has unexpectedly announced the termination of this highly successful venture which set out, primarily, to communicate the history of American contemporary dance to U.S. society by means of some central examples. Baryshnikov is leaving for Europe where he will direct the dance Biennale in Venice in 2004, replacing Belgian FrÈdÈric Flamand who is to head the festival in 2003 ... reports Jochen S

Does anyone here know more about the subject? [Yes, of course I should subscribe to Ballet-Tanz and find out, but no, I probably won't in the next few days] However, I guess I should post this for those more diligent than I:

QUOTE

TO FIND OUT MORE subscribe to ballet-tanz or order single issues at http://ballet-tanz.de

Is he terminating White Oaks? Or just that dance history project of White Oaks? I'm very curious. I had so admired his initiative in trying to preserve dance by performing it.

~ Amy (feeling archaic not using a pseudonym)

vila

Oct 31 2002, 05:19 AM

there was in article in the french le Monde reviewing White Oak in festival Romaeuropa last week which would imply that it is due to injury and an operation not to be delayed "the étoile is giving up dance and putting a term to W.O, the company he created 10 yrs ago(...) "

"Le soir de la première représentation, le Teatro Argentina est sur le qui-vive. L'étoile arrête la danse, et met fin à White Oak, la compagnie qu'il créait il y a dix ans, pour enfin interpréter du contemporain, tout son saoul. Après deux genoux, c'est son épaule droite qui part en capilotade et qu'il faut opérer. "

As for future plans it only states rather mysteriously "Après, il verra".(..after that he shall see...)

link to the article in french :
http://www.lemonde.fr/article/0,5987,3246-...295312-,00.html

Mel Johnson

Oct 31 2002, 07:43 AM

Dance history always seemed to me to be an ancillary activity of White Oak. Too bad, because we could use more working dance historians. Big problem is, it pays even worse than regular history!;)

Pamela Moberg

Nov 18 2002, 05:39 PM

Mel, you made my day!
So, you claim that ballet historians make even less money than so called ordinary historians.
Folks, just come and have a look at, sitting forlornly at the wild shores of (not of love, now quoting Leslie whatshername, one time wife of Roman Gary) a person sitting here, eking out a miserable living of teaching morons English. Jee, I wish I were elsewhere...
Ballet history - that is enjoyment on Saturday nights when TV is a pain in the ...
How funny is that...
Story of my life....
No live ballet in sight... OK, I have some very god videos...

Nanatchka

Nov 19 2002, 10:30 PM

The Wilder Shores of Love: The Exotic True-Life Stories of Isabel Burton, Aimee Dubucq de Rivery, Jane Digby, and Isabelle Eberhardt, by Lesley Blanch. One of my favorite books!

Amy Reusch

Dec 3 2002, 01:45 AM

The latest newsletter from Ballet-Tanz has this:

QUOTE

USA - Mikhail Baryshnikov
The dancer's press office states that the White Oak Project will have an official hiatus in 2003, suspending operations while Baryshnikov focuses on other projects. He is not retiring, as may have been misunderstood. Concerning the Venice Biennale, he has been asked to act as artistic director of the dance section of the Biennale in 2004 but as yet he has neither accepted nor declined this offer. Contrary to reports in the Italian press and apparently by the Biennale itself, he is merely in preliminary talks.

I heard he's been in class in NYC lately. I hope White Oak returns from hiatus someday.

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