Royal Winnipeg Ballet

While there has never been a clearly established route to becoming a choreographer, the one Mark Godden has followed is more unusual than most. The 34-year-old Dallas native, resident choreographer of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, didn't even begin to study dance seriously until he was 21.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada is the latest arts group to cancel a tour to China because of the mysterious illness known as SARS. The Canadian ballet company had planned to take Mark Godden's critically acclaimed production of "Dracula" to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou on an 18-day tour, beginning May 25, but heeding a travel advisory issued by Health Canada, a department of the Canadian government, the company has canceled the trip.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada is the latest arts group to cancel a tour to China because of the mysterious illness known as SARS. The Canadian ballet company had planned to take Mark Godden's critically acclaimed production of "Dracula" to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou on an 18-day tour, beginning May 25, but heeding a travel advisory issued by Health Canada, a department of the Canadian government, the company has canceled the trip.

Now in its 53rd season, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada remains driven by insatiable eclecticism. Currently on a three-week U.S. tour of mostly one-night stands, it arrived at Bridges Auditorium in Claremont on Thursday with a typically daunting array of stylistic challenges. The Southland last saw the company at the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival, when it served primarily as a backdrop for ballerina Evelyn Hart.

Now in its 53rd season, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada remains driven by insatiable eclecticism. Currently on a three-week U.S. tour of mostly one-night stands, it arrived at Bridges Auditorium in Claremont on Thursday with a typically daunting array of stylistic challenges. The Southland last saw the company at the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival, when it served primarily as a backdrop for ballerina Evelyn Hart.

Quick, name a ballet that ends with a young girl waking from a glittering but also menacing dream to hug her favorite doll. If you answered "The Nutcracker," you're right. If you answered "The Big Top," you're also right. Jacques Lemay's hourlong circus remake of "The Nutcracker" for Royal Winnipeg Ballet turns up on Bravo tonight at 6 and midnight, with music by Victor Davies replacing Tchaikovsky's score and designs by Mary Robinson Kerr creating a spectacular dream world.

Meehan Takes Canadian Post: Australian dancer John Meehan has been named the new artistic director of Royal Winnipeg Ballet, succeeding the late Henny Jurriens. Meehan, 39, who has recently danced with the National Ballet of Canada, has also danced with the Australian Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and on Broadway.

Since it was created in 1966, the Art Academy of Mexico has been the most important association of artists in the country, honoring achievement and innovation in architecture, art history, graphics, music, painting and sculpture -- but never dance. On Sept. 25, though, ballet choreographer Gloria Contreras will be inducted into the academy, and she plans to accept with a speech describing her attempts to upgrade the image and practice of contemporary classical dance in her native land.

Award-winning choreographer Choo-san Goh, whose ballets have been performed around the world, has died of an AIDS-related illness. He was 39. Goh died Saturday night at his Manhattan home of viral colitis, a disease that frequently afflicts victims of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. He was diagnosed as having AIDS last December. Earlier this year, Goh was awarded the 1987 Cultural Medallion of Singapore, the most prestigious arts award given in the island nation where he was born.

While there has never been a clearly established route to becoming a choreographer, the one Mark Godden has followed is more unusual than most. The 34-year-old Dallas native, resident choreographer of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, didn't even begin to study dance seriously until he was 21.

Quick, name a ballet that ends with a young girl waking from a glittering but also menacing dream to hug her favorite doll. If you answered "The Nutcracker," you're right. If you answered "The Big Top," you're also right. Jacques Lemay's hourlong circus remake of "The Nutcracker" for Royal Winnipeg Ballet turns up on Bravo tonight at 6 and midnight, with music by Victor Davies replacing Tchaikovsky's score and designs by Mary Robinson Kerr creating a spectacular dream world.

The triumphant 1999 four-hour Kirov Ballet reconstruction of the original production of "The Sleeping Beauty" might seem to have been the last word on that great collaboration between choreographer Marius Petipa and composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. However, there are mime passages that haven't been performed as part of the ballet since its premiere in 1890, according to dance historian Frank W.D. Ries, professor of dance at UC Santa Barbara.