Tuesday, April 29, 2025

News and Ideas Worth Sharing

Alex Bloomstein

Alex Bloomstein began dancing in 1977. He studied ballet, modern, composition and choreography with many teachers over the years. Alex performed his choreography, as well as the choreography of others, at numerous venues, including the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and Dance Theater Workshop (now New York Live Arts) in New York City. Alex has taught ballet technique and pointe, modern technique, composition and choreography, improvisation, social dancing and movement for actors in a wide variety of settings, and he still regularly teaches. From 2006 to 2021, Alex was the Artistic Director of Ballet Arts Studio, a conservatory-level ballet and dance school in Beacon, New York. Between 1986 and 1988, Alex wrote dance reviews for The Berkshire Eagle, The North Adams Transcript, and The Schenectady Gazette. Alex is also a lawyer who practices in Hillsdale, New York.

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David Parker and The Bang Group bring ‘Nut/Cracked’ to Kaatsbaan Cultural Park on weekend of Dec. 20

To make sure everyone knows this is no ordinary “Nutcracker,” Parker’s version for The Bang Group is entitled “Nut/Cracked.” Yes, Parker uses the Tchaikovsky music, but not familiar orchestral versions.

DANCE REVIEW: Company Wayne McGregor at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park

Sir Wayne McGregor's interdisciplinary works encompass dance, film, music, visual art, technology, and science, and the work he presented at Kaatsbaan this weekend, “Autobiography (V100 + V101),” is no exception.

The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival is nurturing and supporting dance and dancers all year round

Jacob's Pillow is an institution that promotes dance and dance education in the Berkshires, and supports and nurtures artists and choreographers, all year round.

DANCE REVIEW: Kaatsbaan Cultural Park’s ‘New Works Bill’ of dance

All of the pieces on the program were nurtured and developed through residencies at Kaatsbaan. Results from the three residencies in performance this past weekend were extremely impressive.

Kaatsbaan Cultural Park is now featuring its fall events in dance

This fall, opportunities still exist to experience all that Kaatsbaan’s Cultural Park has to offer. It is not that far a drive, and worth the trip.

DANCE REVIEW: South Chicago Dance Theatre at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

There is a pronounced buzz around South Chicago Dance Theatre, and around company founder and School of Jacob's Pillow alum Kia S. Smith herself.

DANCE REVIEW: Dance Theatre of Harlem at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

The program the company is presenting at the Pillow is eclectic, and it is abundantly clear that Garland still wants the company to represent something larger than itself, in the most expansive and inclusive way possible.

DANCE REVIEW: kNoname Artist/Roderick George at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

It seems fitting that the very first Men Dancers Award was just presented to Roderick George, whose company kNoname Artist performed his work for men dancers, entitled “Venom,” last Thursday evening on the Henry J. Leir Stage.

DANCE REVIEW: Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

Everyone should go see Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca at the Pillow this week. It is a wonderful, elevating and enriching experience.

DANCE REVIEW: Parsons Dance at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

The program Parsons has brought to the Pillow represents work he has made over the past 40-plus years, including perhaps Parsons’ most famous piece, “Caught.”

DANCE REVIEW: Camille A. Brown & Dancers at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

This past week, Brown brought her company to Jacob’s Pillow, performing the excerpt “TURF” from her 2017 piece “ink,” and also unveiling the world premiere of her new work “I AM.” Both were presented with live music.

DANCE REVIEW: David Dorfman Dance at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

Dorfman first came to the Pillow as a dancer with Susan Marshall & Company way back in 1987. He then returned with his own company for the first time in 1993, and he has had a relationship with the Pillow ever since.

DANCE REVIEW: Momix at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

As the world has advanced technologically, so, it seems, has Pendleton. Thankfully, although the pieces are more complicated visually and technologically, they still manage to retain much of his signature organic simplicity.

DANCE REVIEW: Social Tango Project bring ‘Social Tango, a dance journey’ to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

When a wonderful company like Social Tango Project makes its debut at Jacob’s Pillow, as is happening this week, it is extremely easy to just go, sit back, and revel in the prodigious partnering, the shimmering dancing, and the beautiful music.

DANCE REVIEW: ‘SMASHED2’ by Gandini Juggling at PS21

PS21 is just over the border in Chatham, N.Y. Judging by what I have seen at the venue this summer, I think you will be very pleasantly surprised, and challenged, if you make the trip.
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