The Dutch National Ballet's New Season

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In Double Dutch Delights 17 Feb 2016 I mentioned the preview of the new opera and ballet season in Amsterdam which I attended as a Friend of the Dutch National Ballet. Tickets for the new season go on sale on 1 June and tickets for the more popular performances sell out like hot cakes that are going out of style.

Probably the most popular event is the opening night gala which takes place on 7 Sept this year.  I was there last year and I described it without the slightest exaggeration as The best evening I have ever spent at the ballet 13 Sept 2013. It's a performance within a party to which every member of the audience is invited. It is a chance to meet the stars and last year I bumped into the magnificent Michaela DePrince. Tickets for this gala can be purchased through the National Ballet's website. You don't have to be a Friend. You don't even have to be Dutch. Right now there are still a lot of seats but that could change overnight. In case you're wondering I have already bought my ticket and booked my return flight.

I mentioned Michaela DePrince just now. Last year she gave a masterclass at Danceworks which I covered in Michaela's Masterclass 8 July 2015. She is coming back to Danceworks to give another masterclass on 18 July 2016 (see Another Masterclass 2 May 2016. Details about the event are on the Summer Ballet Classes page of Danceworks' website. If only I were young and strong and skilful enough to take that class or indeed any of the other master classes that are on offer - but perhaps you are.

Still on the subject of Michaela DePrince there is a great interview of her in English which appears to have been made for RTL in which she discusses a music video she made with Beyoncé. She seems to have been as excited at meeting Beyoncé as I was at meeting her at last year's gala. According to the news item the video portrays a secret society of strong, proud women: The Secret Society Women. It continues:

"Besides Michaela, the storyline also includes tennis star Serena Williams, model Winnie Harlow, actresses Quvenzhané Wallis and Amandla Stenberg, and pop duo Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Naomi Diaz, known as Ibeyi. Also featuring in the video are Lezley McSpadden, Gwendolyn Carr and Sybrina Fulton, mothers of children who were killed in acts of police brutality in the United States."

The news item carries a photo of her in David Dawson's A Million Kisses to my Skin but I will mention that when I do my appreciation of Dawson which will  appear very soon.