The Dumbing Down of the New York Times

[Katharine Kanter]

The New York Times has had, since January 2005, a new dance reviewer.

Doubtless for budget reasons, Mr. John Rockewell, for that is his name, was switched over from the newspaper's music section.

One assumes that it must have been the Rock Music or Country'n Western Section, because one would rather believe that no classical musician could possibly be so blasé, so negligent, so disdainful of an entire art form as to write things such as this on ABT's programme last night,


"The program opened with Fokine's "Spectre de la Rose" (....) this ballet again starred Herman Cornejo in the Nijinsky part, along with Xiomara Reyes. Mr. Cornejo danced with his usual effortless athleticism and looked great, and Ms. Reyes filled her decorative role decoratively".

Yeah, Baby.

Rockwell's writing standards are Knee High to a Grasshopper. Perhaps he is a relative of the pre-War, hyper-realist painter Norman Rockwell. That would fit, wouldn't it ?

Although ol'Norman knew how to use a paintbrush rather better - so far as it went - that little John does a pen.