Important Matter

Jordan Matter is a US photographer who studies dancers around the world rather as Edgar Degas did in Paris over a century ago. One of my favourite works is his photo of Michaela DePrince in the woods. He has published a number of books of his work which sell very well.

Matter's latest work is Dancers after Dark  which is described as "a stunning photography collection of nude dancers at night."  Over 300 dancers took part in 400 locations in 7 countries including the UK "with no clothes, no arrests and no regrets."  The above video shows how Matter took those photos. The book will be launched in the UK at a party at Danceworks in London between 18:30 and 21:00 on 11 Nov 2016. Admission to the party costs £5 which will be refunded to anyone who buys a copy of the book.

The next day Matter will return to Danceworks to present two photography workshops.  The first is entitled Dancers Among Us which takes place between 13:00 and 16:00. The second is based on Dancers after Dark and takes place between 17:00 and 20:00. There was a similar workshop last year after which Matter tweeted:

“What happens when 25 photographers and 4 dancers come together for a workshop @Danceworks London? Pure magic. I’m already looking forward to next year’s workshop!”

Each workshop costs £90 to attend or £150 for two.

Readers will find Danceworks's address together with a map and comprehensive travel information on the "Contact Us" page on its website.  

London Ballet Circle

I mentioned the London Ballet Circle in August on 31 Aug 2013. I have now joined the Circle or rather rejoined it as I was a member while I was an undergraduate at St Andrews in the early 1970s but allowed my membership to lapse when I went to UCLA for graduate studies in the USA. Now that I have rejoined I am getting all sorts of useful information in its newsletters and Facebook page.

For instance there is an announcement about the English National Ballet School's special public performances at its studio theatre on Hortensia Road on Saturday 19 October, at 14:00 and 16:00 as part of the Chelsea Festival.  It also celebrates the school's 25th anniversary.  Tickets are £10 for adults £10 and £5 for children and further information can be obtained from galinawilkinson@enbschool.org.uk  on 020 7376 7076.  If I lived in or near London I would be there like a shot.

While talking about the English National Ballet School I should add that two of its students did well at the Genée which I mentioned in "Yet More Good News from Ballet West - Natasha Watson's Medal in the Genée" 30 Sept 2013. . Isabelle Brouwers received a silver medal and John-Rhys Halliwell a bronze. John-Rhys Halliwell also won the audience award.  Belated congratulations to those guys and all the best for the future.  I look forward to seeing them on the stage soon.

More useful information that I have just received from the London Ballet Circle is about Dance UK, the national voice for dance. The website of this organization has information about auditions, events, fitness, jobs and campaigns.  One of the items is Launch in Leeds on 23 Oct which is on my home turf. It is a day long seminar on "How to make a living in dance and how to have a long career" which is run by Northern Ballet, Phoenix, Leeds Met and Yorkshire Dance. Jolly interesting even to someone like me who is far too old and far too fat and arthritic to have any aspirations to a career in dance.

Finally the London Ballet Circle is holding a special event for its new president Sir Peter Wright on the 28 Oct 2013. I would love to have attended the event but I will be on my way back from a meeting of arbitrators that takes place at the UN agency for intellectual property in Geneva that day. The evening for Sir Peter promises to be splendid and I hope everybody who can attend has a great time.  I shall look forward o reading all about it.

You should by now have realized that it is worth joining the London Ballet Circle even if, like me, you live nowhere near London and give the Big Smoke the widest of all possible berths.  If you want to join here is their membership page with details of subs and how to join up.