8 March 2005
Tuesday 8 March 2005 21:30-22:15 (Radio 3)
Presented by Susan Hitch. Jacqueline Rose talks about the history of Zionism. Plus a look at the impact of martial arts on the dance world.
Programme Details
The late Dr David Kelly was one of the government's foremost experts on weapons of mass destruction. The controversial film maker Peter Kosminsky has made a new factually based drama charting the last 10 years of his life and work - showing how this most private of men changed from being convinced that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, to being sceptical of that fact as time went on. So how does a film maker go about showing the life of such a private individual, who was involved in one of the most highly political stories of recent years, and who died so tragically? Susan Hitch finds out.
The philosopher Hannah Arendt, in a prescient piece of writing, predicted that the foundation of the state of Israel would lead to the conflict it experiences today - a prediction echoed by the Zionist Martin Buber in May 1948. In a forthcoming book, The Question of Zion, Professor Jacqueline Rose argues that looking at the beginnings of Zionism helps us understand what is happening today in Israel. She joins the historian David Cesarani to discuss this most potent of subjects.
When only a schoolboy, Alexander Pushkin was picked out by Emperor Alexander 1st of Russia as a writer to fear. He was banished from the capital and sent to the remote south of Russia. Only thanks to the pressure of his friends, was Pushkin's first masterpiece - the lyric poem, Ruslan and Lyudmila - published at all in 1820. The eminent Irish novelist Colm Toibin pays tribute to the revolutionary impact of this poem, and draws comparisons with the writers of Ireland and the architects of Catalonia. He talks to Susan Hitch about the power of Pushkin.
And when push comes to shove - a famous contemporary dance piece by Twyla Tharp and danced by Mikhail Baryshnikov - shows some of the influence of movements not traditionally associated with dance, let alone ballet. Big kicks to the sky with a flat foot. Angular mechanical arm movements. The latest storehouse of movements being plundered by contemporary dance is martial arts. It is changing the way choreographers make dance - as well as changing dancers' bodies. The dance critic Judith Mackerel and the dancer Rob Tannion join Susan Hitch to discuss the martial art of dance, and discover a long and proud history of the two disciplines dancing together.
Night Waves, live at 9.30pm here on BBC Radio 3.
Presenter: Susan Hitch
Producer: Ariane Koek
Additional Information:
1) The Question Of Zion by Jacqueline Rose is published by Princeton University Press. On Sunday March 13 she will be talking to DD Guttenplan as part of Jewish Book Week
2) The Government Inspector by Peter Kosminsky is to be shown on Channel 4 next Thursday March 17 at 9pm.
3) Ruslan and Lyudmila by Alexander Pushkin, is published by Hesperus Press in a new translation by Roger Clarke
4) For martial arts inspired dance:
Australian Dance Theatre are currently touring the United Kingdom. You can find out where to catch them by looking at their website www.adttour.co.uk/ Singapore Dance Theatre are at the Peacock Theatre in London next week. Fro details visit www.sadlerswells.com/peacock/2005_2006/singapore
Take Action: Stunt Dancing - Rob Tannion's workshops on martial arts and dance are at the South Bank Centre in London throughout this month. More details can be found at www.londondance.com/
