Gia Kourlas, a dance critic for "The New York Times," wrote a decidedly tepid review of a recent performance of "The Peony Pavilion" by the China Jing Ling Dance Company at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. She did manage some faint praise for what she flippantly called the "trippy" lighting and the costumes that created a "psychedelic universe," which she described this way: "Even when it's tacky, it's incredible." Yet she was not impressed enough with the dancing to say much…

World Ballet International Artistic Director Misha Bart will be holding audition for eight Corps de Ballet Male Dancers and Four Corps de Ballet Female Dancers with strong Classical Ballet Technique for the production of Ballet Anne Frank.Rehearsal/Performance Dates are August 20 - September 20 2012.Please send applications (CV,one portrait picture and one ballet picture showing full body) before February 15 2012 by email to misha@worldballetinternational.org. Audition…

Dear Dancers,

This post originally appeared on ThirdAge.com. The readers at that site are largely uninitiated when it comes to the dance world, but I thought you insiders here at DanceArt.com would enjoy my ballerina's eye view of the holiday ballet we all love and know so well. Feel free to add some "Nutcracker" memories of your own in the comment section!

Warmest holiday wishes,

Sondra

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"The Nutcracker" season is in full…