Peter Boal Remakes Pacific Northwest Ballet Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:50:12 -0800 "In less than five years at [the Seattle company], he has added a remarkable 57 ballets to the repertory. While many artistic directors remain in the wings, except for the occasional speech at a gala event, Mr. Boal follows almost every performance with a discussion."... A Dancer's Flight From The Mullahs Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:35:41 -0800 "Afshin Ghaffarian's identity papers described him as an actor, a profession that was not to the liking of the Basij militia [But] acting was a cover. Ghaffarian is a dancer - an activity banned by Iran's Islamic rulers." The 23-year-old recounts his struggle to make dance within Iran, his capture at a protest and his escape.... Is Balanchine Weighing Down Ballet? Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:19:02 -0800 A dozen dance professionals offer opinions, including this from Virginia Johnson, Dance Theatre of Harlem's new artistic director: "Balanchine is the gold standard, but we have to let some green shoots come up somewhere."... Summing Up The 00's For Dance Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:05:22 -0800 "If we measure the new choreography of the last decade against that of earlier ones, then 2000-9 was thin."... A Motorcycle Ballet Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:38:54 -0800 "Feld Entertainment Inc., the live entertainment production company behind Disney on Ice and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, is taking an edgy turn with its latest production, 'Nuclear Cowboyz,' a post-apocalyptic motocross spectacle that sprinkles scantily clad dancers and special effects atop a gas-fueled ballet of high-flying motorbikes."... In Dance, The '00s Were Gently Transformative (And Not) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:43:49 -0800 Among the changes: "While waiting for the new savior, ballet has admitted the language of modern dance into its world and, very cautiously, sought solutions in the movement lexicons of non-European cultures." Also: "In just a few years, YouTube has become an indispensable resource for the dance world."...