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July 9, 2005
A few more rules on dance writing
To go with these:
12. Don't slam a company that can't take it. Criticise in scale - it isn't going to destroy the Royal Ballet if I slam Symphony in C, but what if I'm the only review some little group performing at Joyce Soho or WAX gets? Save the zingers for someone who can handle it.
12a: A corollary for companies regarding hubris: don't advertise what you can't back up. If your press materials say your regional ballet company is "world class" and I go to your performance and see something less than the Maryinsky, you can be certain I am going to pan you. So don't do it.
13. Try not to kiss and slap. I have to watch out for this because of the way I take notes. I may not write much when watching a variation except a quick note about someone's sickled foot because I happened to notice it. That can accidentally turn into "X gave a lovely performance though her right foot sickles in arabesque." If she did a good job, don't dilute it with a minor detail.
Posted by Leigh Witchel at July 9, 2005 11:34 PM
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