Act I: Farewell. Act II: Arrival.


We decided to walk around and for a moment we were like, ‘Are we in Toronto?’ We covered most of downtown in an hour. But as the days went on, we realized that there is great food, it’s very eclectic, and the vibe is quite funky.

Picking up the baton from the NYT, who covered their imminent departure back in August, New Zealand’s Dominion Post checks in with Gill and Ethan on their new (zealand) digs. “Murphy’s family visited New Zealand a few years ago and were charmed by it another factor in the couple choosing to come. They had serious talks about it, though ‘and thought’, says Murphy, ‘about how we felt, individually and together, professionally and personally. A big driver is that it’s a naturally beautiful country, and then coming here and seeing the potential of dance.‘”

Ethan elocutes.

Not to be crass, but Ethan Stiefel, the American Ballet Theatre principal who starred in the film Center Stage, has had a shitty year.Time Out: New York publishes an extended interview with my sister’s boyfriend, Ethan. Which reminds me: ABT’s City Center season is now in full swing, so get your tickets while you can. (I’ll be going several times over the next few weeks.)

My little green friend.



“You must feel the Force around you, here; between you, me, the treat, the squirrel, everywhere!…yes, even between the land and the frisbee.” Ok, I know this is wrong on a lot of levels, and I’ve even gone on record (4/9) as being opposed to dressing up animals like Star Wars characters in the past. (Caped crusaders, tho’, are another matter.) Nevertheless, my sister‘s boyfriend Ethan saw this particular outfit and thought it screamed Berkeley, and, well, he does look ready to lay a Jedi-by-way-of-Wookie smackdown, doesn’t he? At any rate, happy halloween out there, y’all, and be safe.
Update: In barely related news, Yoda channels Honey Daniels.

Dance Me to the End of Love.

“As Murphy and Stiefel rehearse William Forsythe’s idiosyncratic workwithinwork, it’s clear that they each have their own perspective on how to get the job done. Watching Murphy assimilate style, process corrections, and absorb dramatic interpretation suggests that her mind works like a computer — efficient and effective…Stiefel, on the other hand, appears laid back, but he instantly programs Forsythe’s stretched and skewed moves into his body.” In honor of Valentine’s Day, Dance Magazine (who seem pretty bad about updating their site) have put my sister Gillian and her long-time paramour Ethan on the cover of the February 2005 issue, along with a short profile of the two together. Gill’s upcoming Swan Lake stint at the Kennedy Center (with Angel Corella) is also being filmed for perpetuity on DVD, so it’s a big month all around for little sis.

Pillars of Fire.

ABT and Gill‘s City Center season opens to grand reviews: “Gillian Murphy as Hagar, the repressed heroine, knew that a Tudor dancer emotes through movement, not the face, and much of her impact came through sheer muscular power, especially in her space-devouring leaps…The beauty of Ms. Murphy’s performance was in its contrast, between her dazed outcast and a desperate but not hysterical woman whose emotions visibly surge through her body.” Also in dance news, the Globe profiles Ethan Stiefel, my sister’s boyfriend.