In London, a ‘Frankenstein’ With Empathy

News, Shows

LONDON — The creature of “Frankenstein,” or “The Modern Prometheus,” as the author Mary Shelley subtitled her 1818 masterpiece, is perhaps literature’s most misunderstood and misrepresented character: more an infantile outcast longing for love than a vengeful monster chased by pitchfork-wielding mobs.

It is that misbegotten aspect that drew the choreographer Liam Scarlett to bring Shelley’s story to life in a full-length work for the Royal Ballet, running May 4-27.

While the thought of a dancing monster may strike some as funny — think Peter Boyle in a white-tie-and-tails routine with Gene Wilder in “Young Frankenstein” — for Mr. Scarlett it was a chance to reinterpret a story that has long enthralled, and often baffled, readers and audiences.

American Dance Institute Launches Scholarship Initiative to Promote Racial Diversity in Dance Training

News, Training

Diversity is a hot-button topic in today’s dance world. It’s often linked to conversations about the rise of Misty Copeland, and there have been many notable outreach efforts, such as Charlotte Ballet’s partnership with Dance Theatre of Harlem, American Ballet Theatre’s Project Plié, The Washington Ballet’s recently launched program called Let’s Dance Together and the work done by the International Association of Blacks in Dance.

Dance/USA Hosts Audience Engagement Webinar

News

Looking for advice on how to build and maintain an engaged audience for your dance company? Join Dance/USA for its live webinar series, where you can share ideas with a variety of artists and presenters on everything from building community to including disabled audiences. The biweekly series began on February 10, with talks on site-specific work, establishing a following and cultivating new dance fans, and will continue with its next session on March 23.