Upbeat: Out of orbit

MEANWHILE in Canada they are planning Holst's Planets on ice. The action takes place in 'a strange Olympian bathhouse surrounded by an endless black sea that can be frozen at the whim of the gods into a giant skating rink', says the production company, Rhombus Media. Archetypal male and female figures will be forced through trials. In case that starts to pall there are also underwater dancers. Lar Lubovitch is choreographing it with his New York-based company. Charles Dutoit will conduct the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and they will also appear in the film - exact state of metamorphosis not yet known. Expect a release on video cassette and laserdisc in autumn next year.

After that, the company plans to collaborate with an ice skater and a kabuki artist on Bach's suites for cello (choreographer, Mark Morris; soloist, Yo-Yo Ma).