What To See: January

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Category: What To See

Published: Friday, 13 January 2012 15:20

Written by Cloud Dance Festival

January is a fairly quiet for dance - outside of Resolution!, that is - hence the delayed writing of this roundup. If you're a fan of modern ballet or of experimental contemporary dance, then you're in for quite a few treats this month... But if you're not, then there's plenty to look forward to in coming months.


Royal Opera House

Romeo & Juliet: ongoing until 31 March
Details & tickets (very limited availability): www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=17623

When the Royal Ballet decided to take over the O2 last summer, they chose to perform Romeo & Juliet - and now, in the comparatively intimate setting of the Royal Opera House, you can see why, and benefit from the full emotional impact of this much-loved ballet.


Tamara Rojo and Carlos Acosta performed the lead roles on opening night, and will perform again on 19 January - do what you can to get a ticket! Other performances to catch are Alina Cojocaru & Johan Kobborg (3 & 7 March), Marianela Nuñez & Thiago Soares (13 January) and Lauren Cuthbertson & Sergei Polunin (10 & 22 March).


Draft Works: 24 - 26 January
Tickets & details: www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=17839

Draft Works is the Royal Ballet's dancers' annual opportunity to present their own choreography, performed by their peers. Expect a wide range from classical to very modern ballet, all of it enjoyable; this is also a great chance for the less senior members of the company to shine - always a good thing!


Sadler's Wells

Ivan Putrov — Men in Motion: 27 - 29 January
Tickets & details: www.sadlerswells.com/show/Ivan-Putrov-Men-in-Motion

Men In Motion celebrates male dancers, featuring some of the leading male dancers of today, including Daniel Proietto, Royal Ballet's Sergei Polunin, Ivan Putrov, and principal dancers from the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Ballet. The evening will present an overview of historical and current works, from Spectre de la Rose to Daniel Proietto's breathtaking solo from Russell Maliphant's Afterlight.


Worth Catching

The Place

Resolution!: to 17 February
Tickets & details: www.theplace.org.uk/634/whats-on/listings.html

Resolution! is The Place's annual platform for new dance, offering 87 new choreographers and companies the opportunity to perform their works in one of London's more prestigious dance theatres. With three different companies performing each night, the result is something of a lucky dip - especially as each of the companies are vying to get YOU to watch them!

Assuming that few people can manage to attend every night, we've written our own recommendations on what to see, although others will no doubt recommend other companies instead!


From Street to Stage: an evening with Thiago Soares: 19 January
Tickets & details: streettostage.eventbrite.co.uk

This is an "exclusive evening" by the acclaimed Thiago Soares and Marianela Nuñez, including artwork by William Morris and a balletised (?) tango. Tickets cost £50, and all proceeds go to Street Kids International

Royal Ballet: Romeo & Juliet

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Category: Reviews

Published: Wednesday, 11 January 2012 01:02

Written by Chantal Guevara

"Intimate" isn't a word one would normally associate with the Royal Opera House, but after the Royal Ballet's staging of Romeo & Juliet at the O2 last June, that's definitely how the majestic auditorium felt this evening - with the stage looking somewhat cramped, after the expanses of the stage at the O2.

Romeo and Juliet is perhaps not the most accessible ballet for first-time audiences as it has more storytelling and less dance than, for example Manon, however it has some breathtaking solos and duets which are not to be missed. With a huge cast to accommodate, there are numerous little sections for different characters, which can make the storyline feel increasingly dense throughout Act 1, and thinning out after the first interval, with a notable performance by the ever-engaging Alexander Campbell as the leader of the atonal mandolin players.

For tonight's opening night, the lead roles were performed by Carlos Acosta and Tamara Rojo - hence the performance having sold out long ago. Tamara Rojo, aged 37, was an utterly convincing teenager, from her childlike early scenes to her portrayal of teenage heartbreak and tantrums in Act 3. Even Acosta, who too-often saves his best for the second show, gave one of his finest performances of the past year, almost showing off in endless sequences of turns and jumps. While Act 2 was very much Acosta's Act, almost overshadowing his co-performers, Rojo's spellbinding emotional performances were the focus of Act 3, with Acosta nearly forgotten by the end.

Both Rojo and Acosta gave completely mesmerising performances, as did the rest of the cast - especially Gary Avis as Tybalt, exuding menace in his final scenes; Genesia Rosato as Juliet's nurse; and it's always a treat to be able to watch Kenta Kura in a "leading" role.

Tamara Rojo and Carlos Acosta perform again on 19 January (returns & day tickets only); other performances between now and 31 June include those by Marianela Nuñez/Thiago Soares, Alina Cojocaru/Johan Kobborg, Lauren Cuthbertson/Sergei Polunin, Edward Watson/Leanne Benjamin and Roberta Marquez/Steven McRae. Do what you can to get a ticket.

Resolution! - 7 January

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Category: Reviews

Published: Tuesday, 10 January 2012 01:15

Written by Chantal Guevara

Resolution! is an annual platform hosted by The Place for new choreographers, showcasing a range of dance graduates, dance teachers and dancers from various mid-range dance companies. While in past years, we're reminded that most of today's contemporary dance greats started out in Resolution!, this year's recurring description has been "a lucky dip", which Resolution! truly is, with three companies performing per night over 26 nights, and not knowing what you're going to get till the evening ends.

The second night of Resolution! opened with Matthew Robinson's and Toby Fitzgibbons's second duet for this platform, (why wait for what, for wait for when). Although both are dancers with Scottish Dance Theatre, Robinson has already proved himself to be a choreographer to watch, from his graduate work for London Contemporary Dance School to 'For A Second I Stood', created in 2010 for the Space Cadets, the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance's student touring company.

By contrast, (why wait for what, for wait for when) was a far more experimental and personal work, with the mood shifting for each of the six pieces of music used, ranging from playful interaction during 'Sweet Home Alabama' to enacting broken birds during 'Blackbird'. Robinson and Fitzgibbons have been exploring cinematography, and this was evident from theatrical staging and strong imagery, combining props and projection effectively.

This is clearly a piece with lots of ideas touched on briefly; it will be interesting to see them explored in more depth.


The second work of the evening, BooJack by Daniel Walters, was more theatre than dance, exploring the all-pervasiveness of the media: newspapers all around us, in our clothes, in our mouths, swallowing us whole.

It was a very atmospheric work, with low lighting, dramatic music and stark costumes for the three women, with more of an emphasis on movement than conventional choreography, for example Gwenny Rose Robson shaking while Elodie Frater and Lucy Foster-Perkins tried to suffocate each other with yet more newspaper. At the end of the piece, we could finally make out Robson's words: a story of a school shooting, a sober ending for a light-hearted piece.


The evening ended with an almighty bang from MaxwellDance Project, with their reggae-influenced 'The B-Sides', much to the delight of their loyal fans in the rear of the auditorium.

Maxwell's choreography aimed to be sultry and sinewy, with plenty of flirting and innuendos - Theo Lowe's every hip gyration was met with screams from the audience - although as with their earlier piece 'Je Suis', there was a very clear distinction between the African-trained dancers and the contemporary-trained dancers, which at times detracted from the piece.

Dancers all too often forget to smile - so Shelley Maxwell's dancers' happiness was very refreshing to see, and the vigour and freshness of her choreography made this the clear highlight of the evening.
 

Can’t we all have a chance to dance Hollywood?

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Category: Blogs

Published: Tuesday, 03 January 2012 14:29

Written by Sophie Darrington

It was a highlight on Christmas day to sit down with three generations of family and watch the journey of one of Britain’s most famous ballerinas, Darcey Bussell, conquer one of the greatest challenges within dance: paying tribute to the Hollywood legends of Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

I couldn’t think of a more dedicated, passionate and caring dancer than Darcey Bussell; with numerous charity shows since retiring from the Royal Ballet in 2007 and actively promoting dance through publishing her own children’s books, guest judging on Strictly Come Dancing, and becoming a board member for Sydney Dance Company, dance never seems to stop running through her blood. It was fascinating to watch her journey of learning the three classical Hollywood routines paying dedication to Fred Astaire in an interpretation of ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’, Ginger Rogers in ‘Cheek to Cheek’, and to Singin’ in the Rain stars in ‘Good Morning’.

As much as I came away from the programme filled with knowledge of dance in Hollywood and the difficult challenges faced by dancers today taking on the same movement; I couldn’t help think of how amazing the opportunity would be for every other dancer in the UK to have had the opportunity to learn and perform these legendary routines. Bussell is a beautiful and technical performer and was a joy to watch perform these renowned pieces of choreography. But, with over twenty years of performing professionally, wouldn’t it have been great to have shared this experience with those just as talented and capable, but with a lack of experience due to a drop in opportunities?

With only sixty-eight dance companies being regularly funded in the UK over this past year by Arts Council England and with funding being cut over the whole dance industry in the UK, we’ve all been hit hard in one way or another! It made me wonder why the BBC didn’t offer this opportunity to dancers across the UK through an open audition process, with Darcey Bussell being the presenter and mentor throughout the programme, in order to draw in the public when the programme is screened on Christmas Day.

It irritated me the more I thought of what could have been made of the programme in order to benefit others within the industry. It was extremely clear the amount of money spent on this one show: choreographer Kim Gavin was joined by the gifted conductor John Wilson to create the great artistic produce of choreography and accompaniment which the show couldn’t have run without. The rehearsal venues and performance space would have taken a lot from the budget unless funded otherwise. Costumes were flawless, especially the dress custom made for Darcey for the famous number ‘Cheek to Cheek’.

There has been a very big debate within an online forum on the quality and accuracy of the choreography and the set, and a lot of people were disappointed in Bussell’s final recorded performances and commented on her movement as ‘awkward and uncomfortable’. I think Bussell did a fantastic job and she never set out to achieve perfection in balance with the Hollywood stars. She took on the challenge to present to people the huge influence the dances of Hollywood are to the journey of where dance is today. She achieved this! I simply believe that with individuals in the arts industry within the United Kingdom struggling to find jobs and opportunities at the moment, being dropped from companies which are closing due to funding cuts resulting in more competition for jobs, others should have and could have had the opportunity to share this unbelievable experience with one of UK’s best loved dancers!

‘Darcey Bussell dances Hollywood’ was shown on 25th December 2011 on BBC2 at 6.30pm-8.00pm

You can still catch it on BBC Iplayer here

The Snowman

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Category: Reviews

Published: Tuesday, 20 December 2011 14:51

Written by Celia Moran

To me, Christmas is a time of family traditions. Every household has their own way of marking the festive period with an annual routine of parties, food and celebratory habits. For longer than I can remember, The Snowman has been a pivotal part of our family’s Christmas. It’s almost obligatory for us to watch it, and although my parents no longer have to rewind the tape after the boy’s beloved frosty friend melts, (and as a result, breaks his and my sister’s hearts), I had to see the theatre interpretation of this Raymond Briggs classic. And seeing as this year marks 14 consecutive winter seasons of The Birmingham Repertory Theatre production at the Peacock Theatre, how had I not been before?

Although this version stays fairly true to the original, a few additions have found their way into the plot. The Snowman is still given a grand tour of James’ house with many humorous results; a melting hand and cross-dressing snowman raised more than a few laughs from the children (and big kids) in the audience. The movement for the first half was largely mimetic and despite being a great build up to the famous first flight (and accompanying theme tune), it was definitely slightly longer than necessary.

The biggest twist in the tale comes in the second half of the show. It’s clear from the onset that this snowman has far more attitude and is a bit more refined than in the film, but this becomes even more apparent in the party scene with other hugely characterised snowmen and of course, Father Christmas. Folk-inspired social dances and ballet are used as a backdrop to flirtations with an Ice Princess and a battle to keep ‘baddie’ Jack Frost at bay. All members of the cast shone in this section, exaggerating their characters and slapstick routines to great comedic avail, before reaching the sad realisation that no frozen companion can last forever…… or at least until the next snowfall.

This show absolutely epitomises festive cheer. From the cartoonised set to prancing reindeers and fake snow, any child will be in awe of the spectacle of it all. And maybe for anyone wishing to alter their Christmas traditions, The Snowman could make for a great panto alternative.
 

Best Dance Moments of 2011

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Category: Reviews

Published: Monday, 19 December 2011 01:50

Written by Chantal Guevara

2010 ended with several discussions about the dearth of Good Dance that year, with the hope that Good Dance would play a more prominent role in 2011. Although the conversations had been specifically about contemporary dance, 2011 took a somewhat unexpected twist, as those who follow me on Twitter will know.

If anybody had told me a year ago that I'd be a diehard Royal Ballet fan by the end of 2011, I'd have assumed they had me confused with someone else. Although I've loved modern ballet since I first saw NDT2 in 2000, I've tended to approach modern ballet from the contemporary dance side of things, treading warily among ballet companies in the fear that they might not be "modern enough". That came to a crashing halt in late March, when the amount of raving about Steven McRae in Rhapsody, in the Royal Ballet's then triple bill, persuaded me to book a ticket and see for myself. Although that didn't quite convince me, Mara Galeazzi's gala in April, followed by Draft Works, a platform for the dancers to show their own choreography, were enough to make that final step.

To an extent, it's been a relief that ballet has played such a prominent role in my dance calendar this year, as so many of the contemporary dance companies, especially the eagerly-awaited companies such as La La La Human Steps, Beiging Dance Theatre and Darshan Singh Bhuller failed to live up to their high expectations; this autumn has also seen a worrisome trend towards overlong pieces, as though "leaving the audience wanting less" is the new "leaving the audience wanting more".

There are two notable mentions for 2011, the first of which has dominated discussions about dance this year: dance on film. Yes, Black Swan - and the audiences have been firmly divided into those who took it very very seriously, and complained bitterly about its lack of authenticity and accuracy - and those who laughed nonstop from the beginning to end. Other films released in 2011 were Pina, a beautiful and haunting tribute to Pina Bausch, one of dance's greatest pioneers - and a very limited overdue release of Mao's Last Dancer, Li Cunxin's autobiography, introduced by Chi Cao himself.

The other mention is for "pop up dance" - while there have been several dance installations at galleries such as the Tate and the V&A, the ones I saw were Kristen McNally's #kanyeballet at the Covent Garden Apple Store, New Movement's dance installation at the Architectural Association in Bloomsbury, and Zenaida Yanowsky performing in an installation at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, choreographed by Will Tuckett - each of these events has been an eye-opener, and rewarding for all audiences; let's hope 2012 has even more similar events in store for us. As well as much much much more work by Kristen McNally, of course!!


Best Dance Moments of 2011 are as follows:

- 'The Royal Ballet. Not What You Think'.
Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-46BZD4zNlk

Anonymously posted on YouTube on 16 February, this video was an instant sensation, featuring highlights of the Royal Ballet's many artists and works. It wasn't until The Ballet Bag interviewed the Royal Ballet's Bennet Gartside at Move It! on 13 March that he admitted that he was the creator of this video, which has humbly notched up over 46,000 hits since then. We're still waiting for the follow-up...


- Daniil Simkin, American Ballet Theatre

Although I'd read The Ballet Bag's interview with Daniil Simkin prior to ABT's performances at Sadler's Wells in February, his performance in Benjamin Millepied's Everything Doesn't Happen at Once immediately made it clear that he's in a league way above many ballet dancers. If anything, one could complain that Millepied's piece contained too many dancers who weren't Simkin.

Here's a video of Daniil Simkin from 2006: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2aj79ql9iY


- The Royal Ballet

Outstanding performances this year have been from:
- Marianela Nuñez and Rupert Pennefather in Glen Tetley's Voluntaries
- Kenneth MacMillan's The Rite Of Spring
- Tamara Rojo and Sergei Polunin in Frederick Ashton's Marguerite & Armand
- Lauren Cuthbertson and Federico Bonelli in Kenneth MacMillan's Requiem
- Liam Scarlett's Asphodel Meadows, with special congratulations to Leanne Cope


- Rambert Dance Company

Again proving that their spring programmes are not to be missed, and best seen at least twice, their May programme included a stunning performance of Paul Taylor's Roses, which had been overlooked in all the publicity for Tim Rushton's Monolith, which was reminiscent of Wayne McGregor's earlier work, with a baroque veneer. One viewing really was not sufficient to do this programme justice - or at least, these two pieces.


- English National Ballet's Roland Petit Triple Bill

Coinciding perfectly with our July festival, this triple bill was a long-overdue opportunity to see Petit's work performed in London - which tragically became a tribute to Petit after he died unexpectedly two weeks beforehand. Although the pieces were overlong, and I didn't get to see Le Jeune Homme et la Mort, the sassiness, quirkiness and theatricality of Petit's choreography was wonderful to watch, and a much-needed addition to the London-based ballet diet.

An extract of Le Jeune Homme et la mort, performed by Mikhail Baryshnikov in the film White Nights:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg29jOazkOo


- Birmingham Royal Ballet in Pineapple Poll

Having watched two tributes to John Cranko performed by the Royal Ballet (Tetley's Voluntaries and MacMillan's Requiem), this was the first time I've seen John Cranko's work, which was described as 'quite simply, barking mad' by G J Dowler of Classical Source. With more than a few nods to Broadway style, the charm of this piece was completely irresistible, with dancing and characters to love.

Rehearsals for BRB's performances of Pineapple Poll: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcTHCHDoeJY


- Ballet Cymru's Under Milk Wood

Let's face it, we don't often leave dance shows on an ecstatic high - but that's definitely how the audience felt after Ballet Cymru's skilful adaptation of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood, narrated by Gwyn Vaughen Jones with a haunting score by Thomas Hewitt Jones. It beautifully showcased this small company's dancers, especially Helena Casado Cortes.


- Sydney Dance Company

Although Rafael Bonachela's company received mixed reviews during its recent visit to the South Bank Centre, the evening was a stunning showcase of Bonachela's beautiful choreography, and the impressive ability of Sydney Dance Company's dancers. The second piece, LANDforms, emphasised the dancers' individual abilities through a series of solos, duet and group sections. Let's hope they return soon: England needs Bonachela!

An excerpt of LANDforms: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZNQV7xf8lQ
 

Resolution! 2012: Our Recommendations

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Category: What To See

Published: Tuesday, 13 December 2011 00:31

Written by Cloud Dance Festival

Resolution!, The Place's platform for new dance, returns in January for its 23rd edition, and it looks like it's been stripped back to its roots this time: Aerowaves is absent this year, leaving only 87 companies (instead of the usual 102 companies), and the focus this year seems to be on newer companies and choreographers, potentially making it even harder to pick what to see.

As the audience is reminded at the start of most evenings, many of today's best-known choreographers started out at Resolution - including Wayne McGregor, Javier De Frutos, Mark Baldwin, Katie Prince and Hofesh Shechter; in more recent years, Drew McOnie, Devaraj Thimmaiah and several dancers from Rambert Dance company including Jonathan Goddard and Gemma Nixon have performed their works, as well as a very memorable solo for Royal Ballet principal dancer Edward Watson, created by Kirill Burlov. (Memorable solely for the unfortunate costume Edward Watson had to wear). It is suggested that the future of contemporary dance may perform on any of the evenings in this season... but only time will tell.

This year's lineup showcases a mixture of new graduates, dance teachers, and dancers from various mid-scale dance companies. While there's less Indian dance on offer this year, there's several street dance and hip-hop companies scattered among the 26 nights.

It's worth noting that each of the companies have guaranteed a third of the ticket sales for each night, so there's an element of financial risk for all companies involved - as well as the possibility of making a profit if tickets sell nicely. So if you have a free evening and fancy seeing some dance, do wander over to The Place and support three worthy dance companies!


Full listings are here: www.theplaceprize.com/634/whats-on/listings.html


Recommended Companies:

7 January: Toby Fitzgibbons & Matthew Robinson

This is Toby Fitzgibbons & Matthew Robinson's second Resolution! performance, following from a successful debut earlier this year.

Both Toby and Matthew are dancers with Dundee-based Scottish Dance Theatre; Matthew Robinson has been making a name for himself as a choreographer to watch, from his work while still a student at London Contemporary Dance School to the highly impressive 'For A Second I Stood', commissioned by the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance.

You can watch his showreel here: www.youtube.com/user/mrobinsonanddancers


14 January: Joss Arnott Dance

Joss Arnott's success has been meteoric since his premiere of 'threshhold' at Cloud Dance Festival in July 2010; he is now supported by South East Dance and Dep Arts, and this is surely the start of even greater things. His work is very dynamic and physically challenging - and is not to be missed!

Website: www.jossarnottdance.co.uk


19 January: Giorgio de Carolis & Elena Zaino

This is a collaboration to look forward to: Elena Zaino has worked with Henri Oguike for several years; Giorgio de Carolis is a dancer with Motionhouse Dance Theatre. Elena's videos show her to be an accomplished, talented choreographer, while Motionhouse Dance Theatre is one of the UK's leading dance theatre companies, much-loved for their physical choreography and digital work. What will their finished piece be like... ?


21 January: Gwyn Emberton Dance, Lîla Dance

Gwyn Emberton has an extremely impressive background, having worked with Akram Khan, Inbal Pinto, Jasmin Vardimon, Scottish Dance Theatre, Matthew Bourne and Yorke Dance Project to name but a few. His style of dance is very physical and dynamic - and a treat to watch.

This work, The Seamless Art of Being, is a duet for himself and Berlin-based dancer Johanna Devi with music by German band SWOD, a video backdrop by Aurelien Farjon and lighting design by Estelle Rickelton.  

Website: www.gwynemberton.com


Lîla Dance have received lots of acclaim over the years, with two outstanding performances in Cloud Dance Festival in 2009, and touring extensively since then. Don't miss this chance to see them.

Website: www.liladance.co.uk


7 February: James Löffler

James Löffler has been dancing for Michael Clark and Ballet Ireland over the last few years, and created a very impressive piece for a Ballet Ireland choreographic session last year (described as 'absolutely fab'). We've heard lots of praise about him, so make sure you get a ticket to see him!


17 February: Yuyu Rau

There's always something special about the final night of Resolution!, with some of the best works saved for this night. Last year it was Hagit Yakira, with her feelgood physical theatre piece 'Sunday Morning'; this year, it's Yuyu Rau's first Resolution! performance since 2010's 'Beauty Unveiled', a beautiful mixture of contemporary dance, Chinese dance and martial arts which was later performed at our March 2010 Cloud Dance Festival.

Since then, Yuyu Rau has become an associate artist of Step Out Arts, and has been one of the dancers in the Pet Shop Boys / Javier De Frutos collaboration 'The Most Incredible Thing' - we're really really really looking forward to her latest work.


Worth Seeing

06 January: A.D.Dance Company, The Ticket Theatre Dance

A D Dance Company (previously known as Antique Dances) have been impressing audiences with their creative neoclassical work, performing regularly at their platform at Actor's Church in Covent Garden, and over the summer at the King's Head Theatre. This will be a great chance to see FAWN in a proper dance venue.

Website: www.antiquedances.co.uk


The Ticket Theatre Dance, directed by Lexi Bradburn, has been creating humorous dance works for several years. Sometimes they're hilarious, sometimes the jokes don't always work, but they deserve lots of credit for trying anyway.

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ticket-Theatre-Dance/178275975545007


18 January: Saad

Marc Saad is one of a group of choreographers who graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 2005, whose work fuses irony and wit with theatrical choreography. Marc Saad's last work for Resolution! was 'Porters' in 2007, co-choreographed by Nick Lawson and Christian From, with the tagline "The first rule is you don't talk about it. The second rule is you don't talk about it". Google is very quiet about what he's been up to since then.


25 January: The MyNewt Project

Alex Newton has worked for Ballet Ireland, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English Youth Ballet, and has performed in several works created by Royal Ballet's Will Tuckett.

It sounds like there may be at least a little bit of improvisation taking place during her performance...


10 February: Impermenance Dance Theatre

Impermanence Dance Theatre is a network of Rambert School-trained dancers who are now based across Europe - and led by Josh Ben-Tovim, known to Cloud Dance Festival from his striking performances in Nexus Dance's 'Soul Notes' and 'Of Nothing' (both 2009).

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/IDT2011


17 February: Seke Chimutengwende & Friends

Also performing on the final night of Resolution!, Seke's work is sometimes humorous, always captivating.


Familiar Faces:

13 January: Kip Johnson is a dancer with Protein Dance

17 January: Tourlander's choreographer Soledad de la Hoz was shortlisted for Matthew Bourne's New Adventures Choreographer Award.

20 January: Nina Kov is creating a solo for Random Dance Company's Catarina Carvalho

7 February: James Loffler: previously in National Youth Ballet, now dancing with Michael Clark

11 February: Percussive Customer's choreographer Christopher Owen is a dancer with Candoco Dance Company

14 February: Le Petit Mort Dance Company's choreographer George Adams is a dancer with Ludus Dance.

17 February: Seke Chimutengwende previously worked for DV8 and Punchdrunk, among others

UNDANCE

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Category: Reviews

Published: Sunday, 04 December 2011 20:24

Written by Celia Moran

If Heston Blumenthal made theatrical work, it probably wouldn’t be too different to UNDANCE (although probably lacking in the same skill and detail that this programme exhibited.) In this brand new collaboration between Mark-Anthony Turnage, Wayne McGregor and Mark Wallinger, technology and the arts were combined in a dance/music experiment that provided some stunning results.


For the first half of this programme, audience members donned 3D glasses for the operatic Twice Through the Heart which used text by Jackie Kay and was composed by Mark-Anthony Turnage. This piece follows the story of a woman who kills her husband with a kitchen knife whilst defending herself against his physical and mental abuse. However, she fails to say this in court, so is given a very long prison sentence. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly tells of her very bleak future in everyday language whilst 3D projections float around her. They differ between clear images of her previous life and blurring, illegible shapes as if to suggest that any hope of reclaiming her former existence is slowly turning to dust and then clinging residually to her cell walls. These holograms completely put a barrier between her and the audience, making this solitary figure look even more trapped and helpless. Directed by McGregor, this performance was beautifully executed and not over-dramatised.


Tracing back the line of inspiration for UNDANCE, a shiny new multimedia-full collaboration, we’re brought to Mark Wallinger who produced text based on sculptor Richard Serra’s Verb List and the work of photographer Eadweard J. Muybridge. These were given to Mark-Anthony Turnage to create the score, which in turn, provided a scenario for Wayne McGregor to choreograph from. Phew!


The piece starts with the dancers lined up across the stage (and a screen showing a Muybridge-inspired grid which has been known to aid artists’ desire for verisimilitude). Pre-recorded versions of them either pre-empt the section of movement we’re about to see or join in shortly after the live onstage dancers.


The dancers use deliberate and considered movement, placing a partner or a limb nearer or further away, winding towards or away from someone or something. Accumulated duets and trios performed at the same time that reflected short variants of each other’s material made the ensemble look like a large organism of bodies. Although this huge array of movement was performed twice (including the screen version) at different times, you never felt as if it was too much to watch, and was actually completely coherent; you could either take everything in at once or naturally fix your gaze on a specific area.


This collaboration clearly influenced the choreographic results. There were still hints of McGregor’s trademark, what I believe to be, hyper-extended and slightly birdlike movement, yet with a different, more pedestrian quality. Happily, you’re still given a chance to see the type of movement that you want to watch dancers of this calibre perform. I’d gladly watch Random dancers tackle the simplest of movement, just to see how they did it. Luckily for us (and them), McGregor is still throwing exciting material at his company.

 

Christmas Shows 2011

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Category: What To See

Published: Friday, 02 December 2011 14:54

Written by Cloud Dance Festival

The Christmas lights are out, so the season of Nutcrackers must be upon us. There are also several seasonal shows for younger people, or simply those who are young at heart, ranging from the exciting Mojo by Theatre Rites to the annual return of The Snowman. Unlike last year's clustering of Cinderellas, this year all of the ballet companies seem to have settled on performing the same show. Nutcracker ahoy!

I've never seen any of these shows so I can't comment on any of them; below is a list of all of the seasonal dance shows available over the next six weeks.


Nutcrackers


3 Dec - 18 January: Royal Ballet
Royal Opera House
Tickets & details: www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=16899


6 Dec - 22 Jan: Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker!
Sadler's Wells
Tickets & details: www.sadlerswells.com/show/New-Adventures-Matthew-Bournes-Nutcracker


8 - 30 Dec: English National Ballet
The Coliseum
Tickets & details: www.eno.org/see-whats-on/productions/production-page.php?&itemid=1437

As featured in BBC's Agony & Ecstasy, this is the new production choreographed by Wayne Eagling, and is quite possibly the only Nutcracker featuring a giant balloon.


27 - 30 Dec: Birmingham Royal Ballet
The O2
Tickets & details: www.brb.org.uk/masque/index.htm?act=WhatsOn&urn=119&tsk=show

For those seeking a Nutcracker with a difference, or that arena feel... Joe McElderry will be opening the show, performing songs from his latest album.


For children (and grownup children)


30 Nov - 8 Jan: The Snowman, by Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Sadler's Wells
Tickets & details: www.sadlerswells.com/show/The-Snowman-2011


13 - 31 Dec: BOING! — Travelling Light and Bristol Old Vic
Sadler's Wells
Tickets & details: www.sadlerswells.com/show/Travelling-Light-and-Bristol-Old-Vic-BOING

A children's dance theatre show about the excitement of waiting for Santa.


16 - 31 Dec: Theatre Rites' 'Mojo'.
Barbican Centre
Tickets & details: www.barbican.org.uk/theatre/event-detail.asp?ID=12503

Choreographed by the renowned Arthur Pita, for children. "Particularly suited to those aged over five and inquisitive adults".

Theatre Rites specialises in creating theatre for younger audiences, using performance, installation, puppetry, music, video and sound to create unforgettable performances.

Sydney Dance Company

Details

Category: Reviews

Published: Friday, 02 December 2011 01:07

Written by Chantal Guevara

Considering how utterly spoiled we are in London, both with homegrown dance companies and visiting companies, it's rare to see a company which completely surpasses most of the shows we've seen in the past year or more. And given that this is Sydney Dance Company's first visit to London in around 20 years, it is a testament to Rafael Bonachela's three years as Artistic Director of the company that its work is of such a high standard.


It may have been a postmodernist statement which resulted in an absence of programmes or printed information: only a solitary stand by the doors had a minimum of information about both pieces. In the afterparty, the immediate topic of conversation was the name of the composer (Rafael Bonachela's regular collaborator Ezio Bosso), followed by the costume and lighting designers, with the assurance that all details would be revealed on the company's website.


The first piece, 6 Breaths, was inspired by the act of breathing, although this wasn't necessarily evident. The piece opened with an initial projection of waves and surf, followed by pieces forming the sculpture of a head. Later in the piece, we saw that the statue was of a couple, gazing intently at each other, before slowly disintegrating. In the background, we could make out individual dancers in pools of light; as the projection ended, this was developed further so that we could only see brief glimpses as the dancers stretched, walked, or interacted with each other, with only fleeting snapshots of duets.


What's immediately evident is the quality of the dancers: ranging in age between 24 and 34, their technical ability is of a very high standard, and the grace of their movements is a beauty to watch. Also very evident is the dancers' joy and energy, which adds extra layers of enjoyment to the evening.


6 Breaths is a very technical work, at times reminiscent of Jiri Kylián, alternating between group sections for up to 12 dancers, and dynamic duets and solos. While much of the choreography was unshowy, it reminded us that you don't need to show off to impress, if your dancers are good enough - and Sydney Dance Company's dancers certainly are.


LANDforms was the second piece of the evening, opening with a sensual solo by one of the female dancers, and in direct contrast to 6 Breaths, LANDforms was essentially a showcase for the company's dancers at their best, tailored to their individual strengths: one of the more unforgettable moments was a solo by Chen Wen; it was impossible to stop watching him, even after he was joined on stage by other dancers.


Much of LANDforms was performed through solos and duets, with very physical and dynamic partnerwork, and more creative choreography for group sequences than in 6 Breaths.


Although LANDforms is 50 minutes long, the audience is torn between not wanting it to end, and you also feel that the company doesn't want the piece to end, either. And it is such an exquisitely beautiful piece that the only solution is to see it more than once, not least because it's one of the most beautiful works of contemporary dance performed this year.


If anything, we can grumble that Sydney Dance Company is only performing for three days, because it means that we can't see their work again and again and again. Although there's a rumour that they may return next year, we need them to take up long-term residence in London so that we can see them more frequently, and so that they can inspire London's dancers and choreographers.


It was curious that over at Sadler's Wells, it was the opening night of Wayne McGregor's latest collaboration, yet Rafael Bonachela showed us how to push dancers' flexibility and dexterity and yet create works of undeniable beauty. Cancel your plans and get one of the last few tickets for this show!

Fearghus O’Conchuir

Details

Category: Reviews

Published: Wednesday, 30 November 2011 13:59

Written by Celia Moran

Religion is a subject that many choreographers and artists might choose to stay away from. However, in reference to Tabernacle which explores authority and control through the Irish Catholic Church, Fearghus O’Conchuir states that he does not wish to speak for others, or draw on experiences that are not his. Using his own knowledge of the Catholic Church as well as ideas exchanged through open rehearsals across Ireland, O’Conchuir tries to question issues surrounding the church, whilst recognising that his physicality is not just a product of the dance studio, but imprints from his cultural background also.


Using a completely stripped-back, blank canvas of a stage (and some wooden crate-like benches), the dancers dissolved any notion that the audience were a separate entity to them; whether that was through sitting amongst us or talking directly to us. They dipped in and out of free-flowing , upward-focussed movement or jolty and erratic phrases and combined them with unmistakable religious references made throughout the piece; it was often quite clear that the dancers were recreating ancient paintings of biblical stories. Various choreographic additions which probably wouldn’t shock a seasoned contemporary dance viewer also featured in this work, including nudity and spitting on the set, which I’m not entirely convinced were necessary. The most engaging parts of this piece for me were the times the dancers weaved and clung their way around each other and the benches, yet managed to still travel without us really noticing until they’d reached their destination. It was during these moments that I felt the dancers looked like marooned ship wrecks. This was set off by Irish music which was equally as haunting as it was pretty.


You could not describe Tabernacle as entertainment, which I’m sure is entirely what it was not supposed to be. Although there are dark undercurrents to this piece, I found it left me feeling quite uplifted as the dancers resembled a network of support to one another, as well as a means of survival. Although some sections of the movement vocabulary far outshone others, this piece definitely caused the audience to think about its intention without being too explicit about what it was trying to say or what we should be left thinking.
 

Weekly Roundup: 29 November

Details

Category: What To See

Published: Tuesday, 29 November 2011 15:28

Written by Cloud Dance Festival

This is our final roundup of the year, and your final chance to squeeze in some excellent dance before the Christmas shows and holidays take over. And how better to end than with the long-awaited return of Rafael Bonachela and his company Sydney Dance Company? It's also your last chance to see the current triple bill by Royal Ballet - and it's absolutely worth catching!

We'll do roundups of the Christmas shows, the new Resolution programme and the new Sadler's Wells programme in the meantime.


Highlights

Sydney Dance Company: 1 - 3 December
Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre
Tickets & details: ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/dance-performance/tickets/sydney-dance-company-60714

Three years after Rafael Bonachela took over as artistic director, Sydney Dance Company return to the UK for the first time in nearly 25 years, performing two new works by Bonachela.

Bonachela is one of the most exciting choreographers in contemporary dance;: his career has included choreographing for Kylie Minogue and Tina Turner, winning the first Place Prize - along with the Audience Vote Award and the New York Bloomberg Choice Award, as well as a nomination for the National Dance Awards Critics Circle's Award for Outstanding Repertoire (Modern), and being Rambert's associate choreographer until his departure in 2005.

Bonachela has completely transformed and reinvigorated over the past three years, and this is an exciting opportunity to see the results!


Royal Ballet, Asphodel Meadows / Enigma Variations / Gloria: 29 & 30 November
Tickets & details: 020 7304 4000

There are only two opportunities left to catch this fantastic triple-bill - not helped by the website (and phones) being off-limits due to ROH's Friends Booking on both days. But if you manage to get a ticket, go - you won't regret it!

The programme consists of Liam Scarlett's masterpiece Asphodel Meadows, created for three pairs and an ensemble of fourteen. It's worth going just to see this; Leanne Cope and José Martín are stunning as the central couple tonight (29th) while Tamara Rojo, Marianela Nuñez, Rupert Pennefather, Laura Morera and Bennet Gartside perform the lead roles on the 30th.

Closing the programme is MacMillan's Gloria; on the 29th, Edward Watson and Nehemiah Kish are in the lead roles and unmissable, while Carlos Acosta and Thiago Soares perform on the 30th. In the middle is Ashton's Enigma Variations, a series of character studies. The highlight is Edward Watson's short performance.


Fresh: 3 December
The Place
Tickets & details: www.theplace.org.uk/fresh

FRESH describes itself as "a night of outstanding dance with and for young people", and features some of the country's best youth and professional companies for a showcase of youth talent: the catch is that all adults must be accompanied by minors for admission.

There will be youth performances from Cando2, Candoco's youth company, Avant Garde Youth Dance, Shoreditch Youth Dance Company and London Youth Circus. Also performing is the Hofesh Shechter Company, and Jonathan Goddard will be presenting his highly enjoyable 07941 611971, based on live interaction via mobile phone.

Visit The Place's website for more details, and borrow a teenager for the evening for a great night and a celebration of youth dance.


Worth Catching


Undance: 1 - 3 December
Sadler's Wells
Tickets & details: www.sadlerswells.com/show/Turnage-McGregor-Wallinger-UNDANCE

UNDANCE is a collaboration between choreographer Wayne McGregor, composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and Turner prize-winning visual artist Mark Wallinger, with digital artists OpenEnded Group creating an onstage 3D environment.

One for fans of Wayne McGregor.

bgroup, 'The Lessening of Difference'

Details

Category: Reviews

Published: Monday, 28 November 2011 23:58

Written by Chantal Guevara

2011 has certainly been a successful year for experimental dance, from the controversy over the somewhat dancefree Place Prize Finals, to Protein Dance's LOL notching up an unprecedented three awards in the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards, and now Ben Wright has returned with his follow-up to last year's critically-acclaimed About Around.


Ben Wright has a reputation for successfully combining opera, theatre, spoken word, audience participation and multimedia into thought-provoking and challenging works. The Lessening of Difference was inspired by Wright's reconnecting with David Charles Manners, an old friend who he'd not seen for 19 years, who is now a published author and who collaborated with Wright to provide the written material for this piece.


The opening scenes defined the wintrinesss of the setting, and also the interconnectedness of the group of dancers: even as individuals, they are still connected to each other, and remain so throughout the 80 minutes of this work.


It is easy to see The Lessening of Difference as a work in progress, as it is crammed with ideas, and clearly has too much to say without being clear about what exactly it wants to say. Some sections could have been reduced in length, and maybe others will be cut out in future. But there were certainly some beautiful moments to savour which we can hope will be expanded further.


The obvious highlight was the opportunity to see Nuno Silva featured in this work, both as a singer and as an exceptional dancer, following his years with Henri Oguike, and his recent performances with Clod Ensemble and in Javier De Frutos's collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys, The Most Incredible Thing. From Silva's tender monologue about an ex-girlfriend, to his falsetto singing of the theme from Carmen, to a very expressive solo, it was hard to focus on the other three dancers while Silva performed.


To an extent, this was due to the weakness of the choreographed sections, which felt like half-hearted afterthoughts to accompany the more dramatic sections, for example when Anna Bjerre Larsen flirted with the audience, potraying such anguish at being ignored, or Keir Patrick shyly dancing in front of his webcam. And yet there was a powerful duet between the two men towards the end - if only more of the choreography had had a similar impact.


At the end of the piece, the dancers find the closeness they had sought with each other, and the audience is left with the ambitiousness of Ben Wright's work, with impressive use of projection, amusing song choices, and unforgettable performances by Nuno Silva.

Weekly Roundup: 23 November

Details

Category: What To See

Published: Wednesday, 23 November 2011 14:07

Written by Cloud Dance Festival

It's a fairly quiet week for dance this week, which means that there's no excuse for not seeing the amazing Asphodel Meadows by Liam Scarlett in the Royal Ballet's latest triple bill. And also this week sees The Featherstonehaughs' last ever performances, so get your tickets while you can!


Highlights

Royal Ballet, Asphodel Meadows / Enigma Variations / Gloria: to 30 November
Tickets & details: www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=17621

A friend recently asked if this triple bill would be suitable for her nephew, who's never watched dance, and the unanimous response was "Yes, yes and yes".

Asphodel Meadows, the highlight of this triple bill, was choreographed by rising star Liam Scarlett, still only a First Artist within the company. 'Enigma Variations', choreographed by Frederick Ashton, is a celebration of Elgar's music, while Kenneth MacMillan's 'Gloria' is a response to the horrors and futility of war. While the first cast features Tamara Rojo, Marianela Nuñez, Rupert Pennefather, Carlos Acosta and Thiago Soares, the second cast is also unmissable - Leanne Cope in Asphodel Meadows and Edward Watson in Gloria are both definitely worth seeing. Enigma Variations is a more subtle work, but enjoy the diverse cameo roles.


Royal Ballet, Manon: 15, 17 & 26 November
Royal Opera House
Tickets & details: www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=16853

There are only two performances left of the current production of Manon, and you should definitely try to catch Roberta Marquez and Steven McRae in the matinée performance on Saturday 26 November: even regular ballet audiences have been completely blown away by their pairing in their previous performance.

There's lots to love in this ballet about an innocent girl diverted from a future in a convent to prostitution, true love and the swamps of Louisiana. Savour the  minutiae of the additional characters thronging the stage, including the squabbling whores, Lescaut's Drunken Scene, the increasingly legless Madame, and of course the beautiful dancing and acting of the lead dancers. One to savour.


The Featherstonehaughs: 23 - 26 November
Riverside Studios
Tickets & details:
Egon Schiele - www.riversidestudios.co.uk/cgi-bin/page.pl?l=1312551697
Edits - www.riversidestudios.co.uk/cgi-bin/page.pl?l=1312552376

Don't miss this opportunity to see Lea Anderson’s all male contemporary dance company, The Featherstonehaughs, in their very last performances as they celebrate the end of 25 very successful years, with many of today's leading dance figures among their alumni.

'The Featherstonehaughs Draw on the Sketchbooks of Egon Schiele' is a reworking of their 1998 hit show, bringing to life the tormented artistic vision of Austrian expressionist visual artist Egon Schiele.

Edits draws on the peculiar elasticity of filmic time, the dramatic language of editing and the heightened effect of extreme close-up and makes them live, echoing the subliminal rhythm achieved in film with the use of zooms, pans and tilts but creating a totally new, hypnotic hybrid of dance movement and film effects.


Worth Seeing

bgroup: 25 & 26 November
The Place
Tickets & details: www.theplace.org.uk/10679/whats-on/bgroup.html

This is the latest work by the critically-acclaimed company led by award-winning choreographer Ben Wright. With dancers including Nuno Silva (recently appearing in Clod Ensemble and The Most Incredible Thing, among other works), this piece reflects on the concept of intimacy.

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Jérôme Bel and Ictus

Details

Category: Reviews

Published: Tuesday, 22 November 2011 11:11

Written by Jessica Wilson

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Jérôme Bel’s 3Abschied – with musical accompaniment by Ictus – staged its UK premiere at Sadler’s Wells. It was an intense collaboration embodying the final part of Gustav Mahler’s ‘Das Lied von der Erde’ (or ‘Song of the Earth’), ‘Der Abschied’ (The Farewell), De Keersmaeker having been captivated by this music for some time. With De Keersmaeker performing a solo amongst 13 other bodies on stage, her notorious choreographic stigma was emphasised in the contrast between her actions and their still bodies seated as a small orchestra. It is suggestible that neither commercialism nor her appeal to her audiences influences De Keersmaeker in the slightest: this piece demonstrates that it is her own journey through the particularly sensitive music that is important, rather than staging a performance in essence.

Recently, much controversy has surrounded De Keersmaeker as a result of movements similar to those of her work Rosas danst Rosas appearing in Beyoncé’s latest music video. However 3Abschied was a completely alternative work to that of Rosas – and also Beyoncé – as De Keersmaeker's intense gaze out to her audience confirmed that her work is more important than the associations that surround it. De Keersmaeker was fascinating to watch. The first 30 minutes of the performance equated to her placing a disc in the player and listening intently to Mahler’s work, moving on to talking at length about her processes in creating the work with Bel. As a choreographer renowned for her lack of smile, this action gave much insight into her thinking and intentions for her work, connecting her performance with the audience and allowing them to discover a little to add to numerous speculations. Naturally, the audience wonders what is going through her mind: will we ever really know the woman behind such iconic works?

Despite being advised not to use Song of the Earth as musical accompaniment for her work, De Keersmaeker stated she felt compelled to discover more about it in its acceptance of death by someone who knows they will die very soon, then inviting Bel to collaborate with her. Even De Keersmaeker asks, ‘How do you dance to music which talks about death?’ Her focus on the sickness of the Earth and human beings is not so much an ecological statement but one of acceptance, again. She seems to believe there will be a time when the Earth will no longer be inhabited by humans, but that is simply part of the natural world. The movement De Keersmaeker utilised was subtly anguished in its stances and transitions. The movement was not present throughout the whole performance, with much emphasis also placed on the incredible singer Sara Fulgoni and the poignancy of the musical variations in the journey towards death. De Keersmaeker incorporated the audience into her performance through her pained focus, which was neither contrived or clichéd, allowing her body to take over the hours of rehearsal time to connect deeply with the message that was present throughout. She was committed to the entire process in such purposeful yet simplistic movement, arguably allowing the audience to truly consider the Song of the Earth and what it means for them.

Both the tension and intention of De Keersmaeker’s performance was stark in assigning a choreographic form to the music and embodying it in her physical struggle to advance through it. With Bel also offering his interpretation of their collaboration later in the performance, the audience became privy to a unique work which sought to scrape the surface of something we will never find answers to. The context added by De Keersmaeker and Bel provided the audience with additional feeling that may not have naturally occurred. Today, the eternity of the Earth as we know it is questionable, and whilst this is a worrying position, 3Abschied seemed to confirm that the acceptance of this brings less fear than questioning.

Including Inclusivity

Details

Category: Blogs

Published: Monday, 21 November 2011 11:44

Written by Jessica Wilson

The term ‘inclusivity’ has resonated far and wide in recent years, with dance companies deeming themselves inclusive by providing inclusive or ‘integrated’ practice in their work, with particular examples regarding gender or the integration of able-bodied and disabled-bodied dancers. The increase of inclusivity is indeed commendable, but arguably the use of the term highlights how long our arts practices have previously excluded this. Are able bodies and disabled bodies not all performers? If I am too small to ride on a rollercoaster, it is disabling me from getting on, but I am still classed the same as another human being who is tall enough – the difference is trivial. Whilst the use of the term inclusive appears to echo equality, it draws attention to the fact that there is a conscious effort to make this happen rather than observing it happen naturally, which I believe emphasises the segregation. In my eyes, all dancers are dancers, if they’ve got one leg, short hair or brown eyes, and the segregation that occurs is the result of many years of aesthetic context.

A number of dance companies have developed inclusive practice to a great extent, for example CandoCo Dance Company (www.candoco.co.uk) recently celebrated their 20th birthday, demonstrating two decades of hard work in this particular area of the sector. The company is renowned for working with performers regardless of the perceived ‘dance body type’ that has surrounded the majority of the arts for years. The company is made up of 7 dancers with the vast majority of performers turned away, as their funding simply does not enable them to hire more dancers.  Aside from this, it could be argued that their practice of employing a small number of dancers is still inclusive, treating every performer in the same way regardless of age, gender or ability.

Recently companies have had to restrict numbers and monitor skill base even more closely than before; with so many cuts to arts budgets, payments simply cannot be as widely spread and such a venture of total inclusion cannot be supported, despite the fact the Arts Council prioritises diversity over conventional arts. While CandoCo and StopGAP cannot afford to hire more dancers, they do not limit their practice and continue to work with over 12,000 other people per year, for example through their youth dance company and other projects. StopGAP Dance Company (www.stopgap.uk.com) is another example, recruiting only 5 full-time dancers but actively involved in external activities including workshops, education residencies, talks and more.

The work of dance organisations in inclusive practice must be celebrated, to keep the sector of dance alive in all areas it currently embodies. However I feel to label the practice as inclusive is problematic, as I believe organisations should practice inclusivity anyway by working with participants, rather than labelling them with socially constructed terms and restricting work to certain dancers. Undoubtedly, some dancers may be disadvantaged in terms of, for example, an energetic dance piece including older dancers, yet the work should still be available to them in some shape or form, for example through the opportunities offered by Sadler’s Wells’ Company of Elders (www.sadlerswells.com/page/company-of-elders). To deny dancers their passion for dance, whoever they are, should not be the practice endorsed by any dance company. In restricting dancers, we are restricting the arts in an already limited environment.

Royal Ballet: Asphodel Meadows, Enigma Variations, Gloria

Details

Category: Reviews

Published: Monday, 21 November 2011 01:20

Written by Chantal Guevara

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As this is the final year of Dame Monica Mason's directorship of the Royal Ballet, each work presented has been handpicked by her to celebrate the past and present of British ballet, promising us an "absolute blast" in the process. And so far, this has been the case: the excitement over the latest triple bill has been significant - at least for the chance to see Liam Scarlett's Asphodel Meadows again.

The middle piece of the triple bill, Frederick Ashton's Enigma Variations, opened with a sad note during the matinée performance: Dame Monica Mason appeared on stage to dedicate the performance to the memory of their senior props person, David Allen (?) who had died suddenly two days previously.

Enigma Variations, performed to Elgar's music, reminds us of the changing perceptions of beauty, trying to preserve treasured memories of quintessential Edwardian life to the point that it's almost a surprise not to see an image of Downton Abbey in the background. The characters, representing Elgar's friends, clearly belong to a long-ago era, reinforced by the description of each character in the programme notes, for example "Her gracious personality is sedately shown" for the character of Winifred Norbury.

Enigma Variations is a work for a cast of 14; Elgar's wife and 12 of his friends each portray their characters with a solo, occasionally a duet or a group dance, and sometimes accompanied by Elgar, sometimes simply watched by him. And so the piece is enjoyable for the individual characters performed: Nehemiah Kish is for once perfectly-cast as a pensive scholar, partnered by the "charming and romantic" Lara Turk; Roberta Marquez brought a refreshing capriciousness to her role as a young girl, and José Martín was very memorable as a hyperactive pet dog, even down to his occasional little doggy movements. But nothing could match the sheer intensity and virtuosity of Edward Watson's performance as Troyte: all other characters paled in comparison beside him.

Enigma Variations is an odd work to revive, and we can only assume that this was done at Dame Monica Mason's insistence for her final year. The cameo roles are entertaining, but after the excitement of Asphodel Meadows, it falls rather flat, with largely unremarkable choreography.

Gloria, Kenneth MacMillan's piece about the horrors of war, concluded the programme, led by two soldiers and a woman in white, possibly interpreted as Death, Grace, an angel and/or "that which they are fighting for". Judging by their makeup, they are accompanied by an ensemble of ghostly soldiers, some of whom are sitting or lying down in the battlegrounds to the rear of the stage.

Gloria lacks the powerful impact of MacMillan's Requiem, but is beautifully performed, with many poignant images, especially in the complex relationships between the three lead characters, performed by Thiago Soares, Carlos Acosta and Sarah Lamb in the first cast, and by Nehemiah Kish, Edward Watson and Leanne Benjamin in the matinée. We can easily see Acosta / Watson as the tortured soldier, still traumatised by war, while Soares / Kish is a paternal or authority figure.

Gloria was beautifully accompanied by soprano Madeleine Pierard (Anna Devin in the alternate cast): one of the most haunting images of the work is when all of the dancers are standing still on the stage, heads cocked as they listen to her soaring voice.  

As for Asphodel Meadows, no praise is sufficient. Choreographed by Liam Scarlett last year at just 24 years of age, it is hard to believe that this is only his first major work for the Royal Ballet, such is the maturity, skill and sophistication shown.

Performed by three couples and 14 ensemble dancers, Asphodel Meadows brilliantly showcases the younger talent in the Royal Ballet by placing many of them in such prominent roles, going so far as to place the highly impressive Leanne Cope in the same role as Tamara Rojo - and it is worth seeing the second cast of Asphodel Meadows if only for the sensational duet between her and José Martín. Performed by Tamara Rojo and Bennet Gartside in the first cast, this duet is the heart of the work, accompanied by an emotional duet between Marianela Nuñez and Rupert Pennefather.

Scarlett's choreography is astounding, manipulating the ballet language far beyond its comfort zone, yet always creating thought-provoking beautiful movements, hinting at the richness that awaits ballet in the future. Wayne McGregor's work for the Royal Ballet doesn't even come close to the masterpiece that is Asphodel Meadows - and it's clear that it's Scarlett who should be leading the Royal Ballet into the future, not McGregor.

Royal Ballet: Asphodel Meadows, Enigma Variations, Gloria

Details

Category: Reviews

Published: Monday, 21 November 2011 01:20

Written by Chantal Guevara

As this is the final year of Dame Monica Mason's directorship of the Royal Ballet, each work presented has been handpicked by her to celebrate the past and present of British ballet, promising us an "absolute blast" in the process. And so far, this has been the case: the excitement over the latest triple bill has been significant - at least for the chance to see Liam Scarlett's Asphodel Meadows again.

The middle piece of the triple bill, Frederick Ashton's Enigma Variations, opened with a sad note during the matinée performance: Dame Monica Mason appeared on stage to dedicate the performance to the memory of their senior props person, David Allen (?) who had died suddenly two days previously.

Enigma Variations, performed to Elgar's music, reminds us of the changing perceptions of beauty, trying to preserve treasured memories of quintessential Edwardian life to the point that it's almost a surprise not to see an image of Downton Abbey in the background. The characters, representing Elgar's friends, clearly belong to a long-ago era, reinforced by the description of each character in the programme notes, for example "Her gracious personality is sedately shown" for the character of Winifred Norbury.

Enigma Variations is a work for a cast of 14; Elgar's wife and 12 of his friends each portray their characters with a solo, occasionally a duet or a group dance, and sometimes accompanied by Elgar, sometimes simply watched by him. And so the piece is enjoyable for the individual characters performed: Nehemiah Kish is for once perfectly-cast as a pensive scholar, partnered by the "charming and romantic" Lara Turk; Roberta Marquez brought a refreshing capriciousness to her role as a young girl, and José Martín was very memorable as a hyperactive pet dog, even down to his occasional little doggy movements. But nothing could match the sheer intensity and virtuosity of Edward Watson's performance as Troyte: all other characters paled in comparison beside him.

Enigma Variations is an odd work to revive, and we can only assume that this was done at Dame Monica Mason's insistence for her final year. The cameo roles are entertaining, but after the excitement of Asphodel Meadows, it falls rather flat, with largely unremarkable choreography.

Gloria, Kenneth MacMillan's piece about the horrors of war, concluded the programme, led by two soldiers and a woman in white, possibly interpreted as Death, Grace, an angel and/or "that which they are fighting for". Judging by their makeup, they are accompanied by an ensemble of ghostly soldiers, some of whom are sitting or lying down in the battlegrounds to the rear of the stage.

Gloria lacks the powerful impact of MacMillan's Requiem, but is beautifully performed, with many poignant images, especially in the complex relationships between the three lead characters, performed by Thiago Soares, Carlos Acosta and Sarah Lamb in the first cast, and by Nehemiah Kish, Edward Watson and Leanne Benjamin in the matinée. We can easily see Acosta / Watson as the tortured soldier, still traumatised by war, while Soares / Kish is a paternal or authority figure.

Gloria was beautifully accompanied by soprano Madeleine Pierard (Anna Devin in the alternate cast): one of the most haunting images of the work is when all of the dancers are standing still on the stage, heads cocked as they listen to her soaring voice.  

As for Asphodel Meadows, no praise is sufficient. Choreographed by Liam Scarlett last year at just 24 years of age, it is hard to believe that this is only his first major work for the Royal Ballet, such is the maturity, skill and sophistication shown.

Performed by three couples and 14 ensemble dancers, Asphodel Meadows brilliantly showcases the younger talent in the Royal Ballet by placing many of them in such prominent roles, going so far as to place the highly impressive Leanne Cope in the same role as Tamara Rojo - and it is worth seeing the second cast of Asphodel Meadows if only for the sensational duet between her and José Martín. Performed by Tamara Rojo and Bennet Gartside in the first cast, this duet is the heart of the work, accompanied by an emotional duet between Marianela Nuñez and Rupert Pennefather.

Scarlett's choreography is astounding, manipulating the ballet language far beyond its comfort zone, yet always creating thought-provoking beautiful movements, hinting at the richness that awaits ballet in the future. Wayne McGregor's work for the Royal Ballet doesn't even come close to the masterpiece that is Asphodel Meadows - and it's clear that it's Scarlett who should be leading the Royal Ballet into the future, not McGregor.

Royal Ballet: Asphodel Meadows, Enigma Variations, Gloria

Details

Category: Reviews

Published: Monday, 21 November 2011 01:20

Written by Chantal Guevara

{plgMFV}

As this is the final year of Dame Monica Mason's directorship of the Royal Ballet, each work presented has been handpicked by her to celebrate the past and present of British ballet, promising us an "absolute blast" in the process. And so far, this has been the case: the excitement over the latest triple bill has been significant - at least for the chance to see Liam Scarlett's Asphodel Meadows again.

The middle piece of the triple bill, Frederick Ashton's Enigma Variations, opened with a sad note during the matinée performance: Dame Monica Mason appeared on stage to dedicate the performance to the memory of their senior props person, David Allen (?) who had died suddenly two days previously.

Enigma Variations, performed to Elgar's music, reminds us of the changing perceptions of beauty, trying to preserve treasured memories of quintessential Edwardian life to the point that it's almost a surprise not to see an image of Downton Abbey in the background. The characters, representing Elgar's friends, clearly belong to a long-ago era, reinforced by the description of each character in the programme notes, for example "Her gracious personality is sedately shown" for the character of Winifred Norbury.

Enigma Variations is a work for a cast of 14; Elgar's wife and 12 of his friends each portray their characters with a solo, occasionally a duet or a group dance, and sometimes accompanied by Elgar, sometimes simply watched by him. And so the piece is enjoyable for the individual characters performed: Nehemiah Kish is for once perfectly-cast as a pensive scholar, partnered by the "charming and romantic" Lara Turk; Roberta Marquez brought a refreshing capriciousness to her role as a young girl, and José Martín was very memorable as a hyperactive pet dog, even down to his occasional little doggy movements. But nothing could match the sheer intensity and virtuosity of Edward Watson's performance as Troyte: all other characters paled in comparison beside him.

Enigma Variations is an odd work to revive, and we can only assume that this was done at Dame Monica Mason's insistence for her final year. The cameo roles are entertaining, but after the excitement of Asphodel Meadows, it falls rather flat, with largely unremarkable choreography.

Gloria, Kenneth MacMillan's piece about the horrors of war, concluded the programme, led by two soldiers and a woman in white, possibly interpreted as Death, Grace, an angel and/or "that which they are fighting for". Judging by their makeup, they are accompanied by an ensemble of ghostly soldiers, some of whom are sitting or lying down in the battlegrounds to the rear of the stage.

Gloria lacks the powerful impact of MacMillan's Requiem, but is beautifully performed, with many poignant images, especially in the complex relationships between the three lead characters, performed by Thiago Soares, Carlos Acosta and Sarah Lamb in the first cast, and by Nehemiah Kish, Edward Watson and Leanne Benjamin in the matinée. We can easily see Acosta / Watson as the tortured soldier, still traumatised by war, while Soares / Kish is a paternal or authority figure.

Gloria was beautifully accompanied by soprano Madeleine Pierard (Anna Devin in the alternate cast): one of the most haunting images of the work is when all of the dancers are standing still on the stage, heads cocked as they listen to her soaring voice.  

As for Asphodel Meadows, no praise is sufficient. Choreographed by Liam Scarlett last year at just 24 years of age, it is hard to believe that this is only his first major work for the Royal Ballet, such is the maturity, skill and sophistication shown.

Performed by three couples and 14 ensemble dancers, Asphodel Meadows brilliantly showcases the younger talent in the Royal Ballet by placing many of them in such prominent roles, going so far as to place the highly impressive Leanne Cope in the same role as Tamara Rojo - and it is worth seeing the second cast of Asphodel Meadows if only for the sensational duet between her and José Martín. Performed by Tamara Rojo and Bennet Gartside in the first cast, this duet is the heart of the work, accompanied by an emotional duet between Marianela Nuñez and Rupert Pennefather.

Scarlett's choreography is astounding, manipulating the ballet language far beyond its comfort zone, yet always creating thought-provoking beautiful movements, hinting at the richness that awaits ballet in the future. Wayne McGregor's work for the Royal Ballet doesn't even come close to the masterpiece that is Asphodel Meadows - and it's clear that it's Scarlett who should be leading the Royal Ballet into the future, not McGregor.

Ballet Black, 10th Anniversary Tour

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Category: Reviews

Published: Friday, 18 November 2011 00:21

Written by Jessica Wilson

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Cassa Pancho's award-winning company Ballet Black’s latest (and perhaps shortest) tour stop at Artsdepot, North Finchley, was their final London performance of their Tenth Anniversary tour. First and foremost, the dancers must be congratulated for their perseverance, flexibility and strength throughout the evening. The company has undoubtedly acquired a large following over the past ten years, winning the UK Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding Company in 2010. Despite the programme selling out, it was disappointing to see a number of empty seats throughout the performance of such a celebratory and culturally diverse group of dancers - presumably a reflection on the venue's location rather than on the company itself.

The programme too conveyed diversity, yet the mixed bill was perhaps too much so - with the works covering a very broad spectrum while embodying what is known nationally as ten very successful years in the industry. Each piece might have arguably stood alone with a more impressive stance if it were shown alone, however the dancers must be commended for their vitality and strength behind each of the works performed. The musical scores accompanying much of the evening did little to emphasise the talents of any dancer: only during the narrative piece, Orpheus by Will Tuckett, did the score embody the movement in its entirety, and vice versa. The poignancy of the lovers was heartbreaking over the musical sorrow, emphasised through intense emotional qualities and character traits.

The critically-acclaimed Da Gamba by Welsh-Nigerian choreographer Henri Oguike displayed the dancers' fiery passion for their work yet did not appear to utilise their ability as much as he could have. Despite this, the clear technique and charisma of the dancers was constant, with exceptional display by Sayaka Ichikawa. Her demure expression enhanced the effortless poses she maintained with much strength – of course – yet her performance skills evoked much theatrical illusion. Shift by former New York City Ballet dancer Antonia Franceschi lacked cohesion in its indefinable concepts which were in fact visible, yet this was no reflection on the dancers' talents. Their versatility in adopting numerous styles was impressive, maintaining similar working relationships with each partner they danced with. Awe-inspiring lifts ultimately ‘lifted’ the piece for its audience, who were desperate to applaud and communicate their appreciation.

Ultimately, the celebration of ten years did not extend to the dancers who are an enormous credit to Ballet Black and from my position, deserved more in terms of the expanse of movement and how this was portrayed. Ballet Black is without a doubt an immensely talented and inspiring company, so one hopes that they can now put the past ten years behind them and look forward to an exciting future ahead of them.