Paris! Opera! Ballet! Is! Coming! To! Singapore! I couldn’t be more excited, which explains all the exclamation points (!!!!!). It’s been 8 long years since they last graced our shores, and as I type that, I feel like the old lady in Titanic. Because 8 years is too long between Paris Opera Ballet performances, and I don’t say that lightly – when I watched their performance of Giselle I cried, and I’ve been haunted ever since (I’ll never let go!).…
Ballet
Interview: Kathryn Morgan, Miami City Ballet Soloist
Posted on May 6, 2019Talking to the queen of ballet youtube, former NYCB ballerina and current Miami City Ballet soloist, Kathryn Morgan, about her dance journey, overcoming her health and personal struggles, social media, body image in ballet, Balanchine.…
It gets to me sometimes when people scold dancers for expressing a political viewpoint, so I finally put my political science degree to direct use and break down the myth that politics has no place in ballet…
The Ballet Dancer’s Guide To Valentine’s Day
Posted on February 14, 2019Holiday season is just round the corner. It’s the most wonderful time of the year… to shop! But with so many options around, how do you know you’re treating your BFFs, loved ones and (of course) yourself to the good stuff? Finding the perfect present for the ballet dancer in your life can be tricky. That’s where we come in. The C&V Squad of professional ballerinas, adult dancers and pre-professionals have narrowed down our ballet favourites, essentials and covetables just…
Photo Sessions – Anjuli Hudson, Jem Choi, Guilherme Menezes & Barry Drummond, English National Ballet
Posted on November 5, 2018I’ve been fortunate to make a bunch of new friends thanks to my work at C&V, but living in Singapore means I rarely get to meet up with my dancer friends living all around the world. So when I heard that the English National Ballet was touring to Hong Kong this July, I was sorely tempted to take the 3 hour flight up to see my friends in person. After a bit of hemming and hawing, I took the plunge…
Esplanade’s annual da:ns Festival should be a highlight in any dance-loving Singaporean’s life. It’s an event I wait for every year, and not just because there’re always some fantastic ballet-related performances – last year’s lineup included Benjamin Millepied’s dynamic LA Dance Project company. It’s also a great way for me to experience types of dance beyond the usual classical ballet repertoire of Swan Lakes and Giselles. Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course, I do so love a good Giselle!…
Audio Interview – Misa Kuranaga, Boston Ballet
Posted on September 28, 2018On our very first C&V Podcast, Boston Ballet Misa Kuranaga talks about her journey from ballet competition wunderkind to struggling freelancer to becoming the first Asian principal dancer at Boston Ballet, and shares how she learnt to accept herself, and find enjoyment in dance and life.…
Interview – Ingrid Silva, Dance Theatre of Harlem
Posted on September 24, 2018From free ballet classes in Rio to dancing in one of the most recognised dance companies in the world, Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Ingrid Silva is the definition of a success story. A ballet dancer, dog lover, role model, social media influencer, women’s advocate and more, her life these days seems filled with endless hustle and go-getting. Armed with a positive attitude and some pretty impressive ballet skills, Ingrid doesn’t take her position as a figure of influence lightly. She…
Are you at Ballet level 3? Or Intermediate? Advanced? Foundation? And Foundation 1 or 2? Ballet skill levels are confusing – we we’ve created the definitive guide to levels in women’s ballet. Whether you’re RAD, Cecchetti, or Vaganova, a professional ballerina or an adult dancer, you’ll find that our Ballet Level Guide is applicable to you. And remember – no matter how good you are, there’s always a foetus in Russia who’s better than you. We also asked the lovely…
A peek at Chun Wai Chan’s instagram makes it evident why he’s a social media star on the rise – whether it’s videos of him making pirouette combination or a series of pas de ciseux look like a stroll in the park, or demonstrating his flexibility and arched feet, or even just standing still, shirtless and with his abs on full display. It’s an impressive showcase of a male dancer’s #balletgoals. But Chun Wai doesn’t just do it for the…
Suffering from World Cup withdrawal symptoms? Moscow 2018 may seem like it happened an age ago (bring it back!), but we’re making the experience last a little longer with a round-up of our #footballet edits. Relieve those several glorious weeks with these fun pictures of many of the World Cup’s footballing stars attempting to give some of favourite ballet dancers a run for their money in the dance department.…
I remember watching YouTube videos of Queensland Ballet’s Lou Spichtig performing at the Prix de Lausanne a few years ago. “What a beautiful dancer,” I thought. “I wonder if she knows about Cloud & Victory? Probably not. But it would be pretty cool if I got to interview her for the site one day!” It turns out that Lou had heard of us – we’d been mutually admiring each others work for some time without knowing it! Several years of…