6/2/18 O&A NYC ITS SATURDAY- ANYTHING GOES: Celebrating LGBTQIA Pride Month- The Dying Swan. Dancer Ida Nevaseyneva (

Ida Nevaseyneva (real name Paul Ghiselin) is the socialist real ballerina of the working peoples everywhere, comes flushed from her triumphs at the Varna Festival, where she was awarded a specially created plastic medal for Bad Taste. Continue reading

5/24/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Natalia Makarova & Ivan Nagy (with Itzhak Perlman & Lynn Harrell) – Swan Lake

Natalia Makaova, and one of her favorite partners, Ivan Nagy, dancing the White Swan Pas de Deux from “Swan Lake.” They are accompanied on-stage by violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Lynn Harrell. Continue reading

5/17/18 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Sir Mix-a-Lot- Baby Got Back

Baby Got Back“, also known as “I Like Big Butts“, the hit song written and recorded by rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot from his album Mack Daddy.  The song samples the 1986 Detroit techno single “Technicolor” by  Channel One. Continue reading

5/14/18 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Breakin – Turbo (broom scene)

From the 1984 break dance movie Breakin’ the famous broom scene by Boogaloo Shrimp (Turbo)  Continue reading

5/13/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Mother (Isadora Duncan c. 1923)

Loretta Thomas performs Mother featuring choreography by Isadora Duncan (c. 1923) with music by Alexander Scriabin. Duncan bore two children, both out of wedlock. The first, Deirdre Beatrice (born September 24, 1906), by theatre designer Gordon Craig and the second, Patrick Augustus (born May 1, 1910),by Paris Singer, one of the many sons of sewing machine magnate Isaac Singer. Both children drowned in the care of their nanny in 1913 when their runaway car went into the Seine River in Paris.

Mother (Isadora Duncan c. 1923)

In her autobiography, Duncan relates that she begged a young Italian stranger, the sculptor Romano Romanelli, to sleep with her because she was desperate for another baby. She became pregnant by him, and gave birth to a son on August 13, 1914; the infant died shortly after birth.

 

5/4/18 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Maya Plisetskaya Dances Bolero, And The Dying Swan

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Maya Plisetskaya, Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the Bolshoi Ballet, danced Maurice Bejart’s Bolero set to the famous Ravel score in 1975. Plisetskaya created a stunning theatrical experience. What makes the piece so compelling is that although Plisetskaya may be accompanied by dozens of other dancers mirroring her movement, the first and only focus is on the prima ballerina herself.  Continue reading

4/21/18 O&A NYC DANCE/REVIEW: newsteps- a choreographer’s series

By Walter Rutledge

The Chen Dance Center began the 34th consecutive newsteps; the semi-annual emerging choreographers’ series, Thursday, April 19 at the Chen Dance Center, 70 Mulberry Street in New York’s Chinatown. This season the three-performance spring showcase, which runs through Saturday, April 21, selected works from “non- dancers”. Professional artists, actors, musicians, singers, photographers, who applied their expertise of their respective art forms to the choreographic process. The five choreographers selected through an open audition for the April concerts are Kate Douglas, Bryndon Cook, Lauren Oliver, Alec Funiciello, and Sophia Zukoski. Each choreographer is given rehearsal space, an honorarium, mentoring from a member of the selection panel, and multiple (three) performances to give the works time to “find its own voice”. Continue reading

4/18/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Afternoon Of A Faun- Tanaquil LeClercq and Jacques d’Amboise

In Afternoon Of A Faun (1953) Jerome Robbins‘ genius take on the old Debussy/Nijinsky ballet. A 1955 Canadian broadcast of the two legends of the NYC Ballet (and the original ballerina in this) Tanaquil LeClercq and Jacques d’Amboise (Francisco Moncion original danseur). Continue reading

4/15/18 O&A NYC GOING BACK TO AFRICA WITH WaleStylez: African vs Jamaican dancing compilation 2017


The dance off between continents Africans vs North American’s Jamaicans- who’s better- you decide! Continue reading

4/9/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Lloyd Knight- In His Zone

Lloyd Knight, principal dancer with Martha Graham Dance Company, is in his zone. He  joined the Graham Company in 2005 and was promoted to soloist in 2009. In 2014 hard work, diligence and appreciation for choreography Knight simply defines as, “art” was rewarded with a promotion to principal dancer.  On Wednesday April 11th the Martha Graham Dance Company will begin a four performance New York City season at New York City Center. O&A NYC Editor in Chief Walter Rutledge sat down with Lloyd for what has become our annual pre-season chat. Continue reading