Who’s a good boy? I’m a good boy – so there’s a special treat for me and for all of us in your new Dance Gazette. The canine choreography on our cover is a tease for an exclusive report from Crufts, the world-famous dog show. It’s dancing dogs, people!

Elsewhere in this new issue, we explore questions around pointe shoes. There’s a reason the tale of Cinderella speaks so strongly to ballet dancers. The idea of a young person stepping into the shoe that will magically transform their lives – there’s an enchantment in that.

Taking that step into pointe shoes is a highly-charged rite of passage. When do you know you’re ready? How do you find the right shoe? And how do you ensure that you dance in them safely? We explore this often contentious process, and hunker down alongside the RAD’s expert fitter in London.

Who’s a good boy? I’m a good boy – so there’s a special treat for me and for all of us in your new Dance Gazette. The canine choreography on our cover is a tease for an exclusive report from Crufts, the world-famous dog show. It’s dancing dogs, people!

Elsewhere in this new issue, we explore questions around pointe shoes. There’s a reason the tale of Cinderella speaks so strongly to ballet dancers. The idea of a young person stepping into the shoe that will magically transform their lives – there’s an enchantment in that.

Taking that step into pointe shoes is a highly-charged rite of passage. When do you know you’re ready? How do you find the right shoe? And how do you ensure that you dance in them safely? We explore this often contentious process, and hunker down alongside the RAD’s expert fitter in London.

This packed issue ranges far and wide. As São Paolo prepares to host The Fonteyn for the first time, we spotlight the inspiring Brazilian ballerina Ingrid Silva. In some countries, dance isn’t a matter of simple joy – we speak to some of the Iranian dancers going underground simply to enjoy a ballet class.

We also quiz dancers from ballet to breaking about what they eat and drink to fuel their performance, and ask artistic directors of some of the world’s leading ballet companies about a tricky balancing act: programming productions that appeal to both audiences and artists. Wagging tails at the ready – jump in!

David Jays
Editor