DANCESCAPE - news and happenings

Dance Magazine, June, 1999

The Gallery at Lincoln Center is saluting New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the Kirov Ballet with "Fantasy & Flight," an exhibition of art inspired by dance (May 18-July 10). Works by painter Mitch Caster, bookmaker Kaarin Holmberg, and sculptor Helen Hosking are on view, but for many dancegoers the photographs of Costas should have the most resonance, as in this signature image from Balanchine's Serenade of NYCB's Maria Kowroski (en pointe) and Kyra Nichols.

Harris Green

Famed designer Geoffrey Beene can have received few tributes as artful--or as unique--as Beauty and the Beene: A Modern Legend, just published by Abrams. The poetically cryptic text by Laura Jacobs is ingeniously arranged around boldly stylized drawings of Beene creations by Thai artist Sirichai. Describing the flamenco dancer at right, for example, Jacobs writes about a "quick and thorny heel ... A red dress blossoming." And the whirling, churning patterns of Sirichai's skirt calls up flamenco rhythm. Just stare at it awhile.

H.G.

Parkstone Press's The Great History of Russian Ballet (reviewed on page 49) includes among more than 200 illustrations many rarities, such as this set design by Valentina Khodasevich for Rostislav Zakharov's Fountain of Bakhchisarai (1934). This ballet, very popular in Russia, has never been brought to the U.S. The Kirov Ballet will fill that gap next month when it performs Fountain at the Metropolitan Opera House July 6, 7, and 10.

Bart Roth