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Terpsichore

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  1. Terpsichore
    Just to say that I got to see Candoco at The Lowry on 11 May 2022. It is a company about which I had heard a lot but had never got round to watching until now. I have written a short review in "Terpsichore". I liked "Set and Reset/Reset" very much. It took me longer to appreciate "Last Shelter" and I probably need to see it again at least once to understand properly. It was the first show that I had seen following my own injury in March. I could not help contrasting the speed and grace of an artist who was also on crutches with the heavy weather that I made from the multistorey car park to the Quays. Casndoco may have started in a spinal injury unit but it should now be celebrated for its virtuosity and originality.
  2. Terpsichore
    I returned to the Royal Opera House this evening for the first time since lockdown. It was quite a homecoming. Seldom have I been imore thirlled by a new work. I was particularly impressed by Pedro's duet with Tita and the final conflagration. Excellent performances by all, particularly Naghdi, Corrales, Kaneko and Bracewell. I liked Talbot's score, Crowley's desighns and Katz's lighting. I shall review the ballet properly in Terpsichore when I return to the North.
  3. Terpsichore
    I like their old Midsummer Night's Dream too but I like yesterday's version even more. It is a completely different production. They use a lot of other props from dustbin lids, cereal packets and tents but I don't remember any brollies.
  4. Terpsichore
    You can tell that I am excited about this ballet because I am writing this review mmediately after watching the show and driving over 74 miles from the theatre.. The work that I have just seen is Ballet Cymru's Dream by Darius James and Amy Doughty. at Theatr Clwyd in Mold I have long been a fan of that ompany and I think that this is its best work yet. I am so impressed with it that I am seriously tempted to cancel plans to spend the jubilee weekend in London and see the baller again in Bangor on 4 June. As the title suggests it is based on Shakespeare's play but it is nothing like the interpretations of the play by Ashton, Maillot, Nixon, Pita or even James and Doughty's earlier Midsummer Night's Dream. For a start thetre is an original score performed on stage by Frank Moon. There are some novel characters such as "Lysandia" and "Hermia's Mum" and "Hermia's Dad" double as Titania and Oberon. Otherwise the ballet follows the play pretty faithfully with Puck mixing up the lovers, Bottom changing into an ass and Pyramus and Thisbe. The mechanicals' play was hilarious. I particularly liked Wall and the Man in the Moon in a space suit Robbie Moocroft danced Oberon and Isobel Holland Titania as well as Hermia's mum and dad. Kotone Sugyama was Hermia, Beth Meadway Helena. Caitlin Jones Lysandia and Jacob Hornsey Demetrius and Bottom. Sanea Singh made a very impressive Puck. One of the reasons why I admire Ballet Cymru so much is that its Duets programme intoduces ballet to children in rural and inner city primary schools who might otherwise not get a chance to see it. The company operates that programme in cooperation with community dance bodies throughout Wales. Before the show chiidren in the programme showed their skills in a short performance. At the very least childeren on the programme should develop a life long interest in dance. For a few it may even encourage them to make a career in dance.
  5. Terpsichore
    Good morning all As many subscribers to this website know, I have a particularly soft spot for the Dutch National Ballet, I was attracted to it originally by the recruitment of Michaela De Prince to the Junior Company. Over the years I have got to know other members of the company. I had hoped to visit Amsterdam next month for Rachel Beaujean's new production of "Raymonda" but I injured myself in Powerhouse Ballet's "Waltz of the Flowers" intensive. I underwent emergency surgery in Leeds General Infirmary 2 weeks ago. While recuperating from the operation I contracted coronavirus which has prevented me from going anywhere, I have had to miss Hannah Bateman's last show in Northern Ballet's "Casanova", Ballet Cymru's "Made in Wales", in Newport and Ballet Black at The Barbican as well as "Raymonda". "Well" as the Sergeant-Major in "It ain't half hot Mum" used to say: "Oh Dear!", "How Sad!" "Never Mind!" And the reason I am not too sad is that HNB has just published its new programme which includes: "Celebrations" a mixed bill with works by Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon and Ted Brandson in September Peter Wright's "Sleeping Beauty" between October and January Another mixed bill in November with works by Balanchine, Van Manen and Aeques A David Dawson double bill which includes a new ballet by Dawson to be called "Dawson" in December A nationwide tour by the Junior Company Rudi van Dantzig's "Swan Lake" between 11 May and 16 June "Verdi's Requiem" in conjunction with the Dutch National Opera in February, and "Dporian" a joint ballet/hip hop production based on the Oscar Wilde story by Ernst Meisner. Anybody who wants more details including links will find them in "Terpsichore". I am particularly looking forward to "Dawson" as I am a massive David Dawson fan. Dawson's "Swan Lake" for the Scottish Ballet impressed me greatly. I don't generally like reinterpreting my favourite ballets, I have never really liked David Nixon's "Swan Lake" or Akram Khan's "Giselle" (though I respect the opinions of those who think otherwise. I think Dawson got "Swan Lake" right, With best wishes
  6. Terpsichore
    I attended the first night of Chelmsford Ballet's "Tales of Beatrix Potter" at the city's Civic Theatre on Wednesday night and was very impressed. It was a very polished production choreographically and technically. The show started with Beatrix Potter at her desk. She rose to her feet and characters from her tales came to life one by one. Each scene represented a different tale. All the nursery characters were there: Peter Rabbit, Mrs Tiggy Winkle, Jeremy Fisher, Jemima Puddle Duck and many others. The sets and costumes were lavish. Each tale was danced to a different back cloth and I think the artist must have drawn from nature as the scenes reminded me of the gentle rolling hills and woods of rural Essex rather than the fells and lakes of Cumbria. Each character had its own animal head painstakingly constructed by the wardrobe group. In previous shows there had been impressive computer generated projections. There was just one in this show representing the pond at the start of this show. This production shows what can be done by non-professional dancers. Chelmsford Ballet was the model for Powerhouse Ballet. I hope that we can stage a show as good as Chelmsford's one day. There are two more performances today. If you live in London, the Home Counties or East Anglia you should try to see one of those shows. If you live in the North of England and can get to Leeds by 12:00 today you can join our Nutcracker Intensive Workshop with Jane Tucker. We have had several cancellations because of covid and have 3 extra spaces at the barre. For those who are interested, I have reviewed "Tales of Beatrix Potter" in Terpsichore.
  7. Terpsichore
    I have an update on Chelmsford Ballet. I received recently an invitation to watch their annual show, Beatrix Potter Tales in association with Frederick Warne & Co, that starts tomorrow in the Chelmsford Civic Theatre and continues until Saturday. I hope to be there tomorrow night and my review will appear in Terpsichore a few days later. Anybody who wants to attend will find more details in my preview in Terpsichore dated 13 March.
  8. Terpsichore
    Powerhouse Ballet will hold an intensive choreographic workshop on "Waltz of the Flowers" from Act II of "The Nutcracker" at Dance Studio Leeds between 12:00 and 18:00 on Saturday 19 March 2022. We are always on the lookout for new talent so anyone who would like to attend the workshop will be very welcome. Further information and a registration link are here. I shall report on the event here and in Terpsichore next week.
  9. Terpsichore
    I agree with that. With the possible exception of the revival of "The Miracle in the Gorbals", I think Don Quixote is the best show that I have ever seen from that company, I enjoyed it even more than the Royal Ballet's production which we both saw at Covent Garden on the same day. I am looking forward to seeing it again in London later this year.
  10. Terpsichore
    I attended Northern Ballet's Casanova at the Grand Theatre last night. It was the first time that I had seen the company live on stage since its 50th anniversary gala on 4 Jan 2020 and it was great to see it again. The title role was danced by Lorenzo Trosello who impressed me a lot. It was the first time I had noticed him in a leading tole/ Also impressive was Abigail Prudames who danced Bellino which seems to be the most challenging female role. However, it was a particular pleasure to see Hannah Bateman who has long been my favourite female artist at Northern Ballet. She was Madame de Pompadour. The story is not particularly easy to follow. I have seen Casanova several times but even I had to refer to the programme notes at times. I continue to admire Muzzey's score, Oram's designs and of course Tindall's dramatic choreography. I have written a more detailed review in Terpsichore if anyone is interested. The show will remain at The Grand until 19 March. It opens at the Sheffield Lyceum on 22 March and will then proceed to London and The Lowry. IMHO Casanova is one of the best works in Northern Ballet's repertoire. I strongly recommend it.
  11. Terpsichore
    I have long regarded the Birmingham Royal Ballet's season at The Lowry as a harbinger of Spring. It is not always true. One year the company's visit coincided with the Beast from the East. I had tickets for Cinderella and never did make it to the theatre because the M62 was blocked and the railways were up the creek. By contrast March was unseasonably warm the next year. My friend and I had intended to see the show on Wednesday night but it was cancelled for the reasons already discussed. We would have had very good seats in the centre stalls had the show taken place. Our tickets for Friday were close to the stage but right at the end of the row so my friend missed such details as the sails of the windmill morphing into claws in act II and some of the table dancing in the last act.. We still had a great time. In fact I think it was the best show that I have ever seen in Greater Manchester and as I was born and worked there for most of my life I have seen a lot I have also followed the Birmingham Royal Ballet and its predecessor company for many years and I don;t think I have ever seen that company dance better. Pressure of work kept me from the theatre yesterday otherwise I would have seen it again. We have already booked to see it in London, It is nice to be able to see land review regularly live performances again. I started with Acosta Danza last week and am looking forward to seeing "Casanova" again. I am also looking forward to returning to Amsterdam for Rachel Beaujean's "Raymonda".
  12. Terpsichore
    Whether a cricket fan or not, I am sure that everyone who uses this website will be saddened by the untimely death of the Australian bowler Shane Warne. Commiserations to his family and friends.
  13. Terpsichore
    We modelled our company on Chelmsford Ballet. I know that is still in business because I recently renewed my subscription to it. They have staged some magnificent full length productions in the past and I am sure they will again. There are several other companies up and down the country including some in London. Until that happens we have a teacher and several members in London and we should be happy to stage a class to which you and/or others would be welcome.
  14. Terpsichore
    The last two years have been tough for everyone in the arts but they have been particularly hard for adult ballet students who long to perform in public. However, throughout the pandemic we continued to hold company classes every month - first online and later in the studio. We never stopped moving and we stayed together. Now that the country is emerging from lockdown Powerhouse Ballet can plan for the future. My immediate aim is to stage a mixed bill which will include Terence Etheridge's Aria, Yvonne Charlton's Morning, Waltz of the Flowers and Snowflakes from The Nutcracker and part of the wilis' choreography from Act II of Giselle. In the medium term, we plan to set up an associates class and I have engaged the assistance of someone with considerable experience in that area to advise me. Eventually, we shall seek charitable status for which we shall need trustees, a business manager and a full-time artistic director. If you are an adult ballet student in the North of England who longs to perform before an audience you would be very welcome to join us at our company class. The next one will take place this Saturday at Dance Studio Leeds between 15:30 and 17:00;.
  15. Terpsichore
    As I have not dared to travel to Amsterdam or even London since the start of this pandemic, I have had to make do with live streaming. Today I watched the Dutch National Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. This is the first i have watched it. The reason I had not seen it before is that I had assumed that it would be very much like English National Ballet's. I quite like Eagling's version for ENB but not as much as some of the company's previous productions and certainly not as much as Sir Peter Wright's for the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Royal Ballet or Peter Darrell's for Scottish Ballet. I enjoyed this very much more than ENB's and I think that is because of Toer van Schayk's designs and the very straightforward story. I hope to see it on stage once this pandemic is over. I shall write a full review for Terpsichore as soon as I receive a cast list and photos from the company but here are some of the ballet's features. As in the Royal Ballet's production there is a prologue but in the Dutch version it shows Hans and Clara getting ready for their parents' Christmas party. Hans is making a thorough nuisance of himself splashing water about and annoying his sister and nurse. There is then a party in which Drosselmeyer distributes his presents to the kids including a Nutcracker to Clara, The Nutcracker actually walks and is the most ingenious nutcrackers I have ever seen. More like a robot than a toy. No wonder Hans takes an interest in it. When his sister is not looking he grabs it. Clara tries to grab it back with the usual consequences. The ballet is called "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" and there is a reason for that, The rodent plays quite a big role in this ballet. He is part of the entertainment at the party. He and his fellow rodents fight the toy soldiers and he also shows up for a duel with the Nutcracker in Act II. He is even in the start of the snowflakes divertissement which is beautifully staged and beautifully danced. That scene ends with Clara, Drosselmeyer and the Nutcracker taking a selfie. Van Schayk's set for Act II is fascinating. It seems to centre around a circular feature which seems to represent a cat's eye in one scene and a black hole in another One way or another the mouse disappears down it and the Spanish, Arabian, Chinese and Russian dances follow. The Arabian dance seemed to be something out of Le Corsaire. Men were being led about in chains. The mirleton divertissement was also very different. It seemed to be set in ancient Greece and vaguely reminded me of L'Apres Midi d'un Faune and Papageno and Papagena from the Magic Flute but I can't think why. Today the leading roles were danced by Maia Makhateli, Jakob Feyferlik and Edo Wijnen. There will be another live streaming on Christmas eve at 13:00 our time with Anna Tsygankova, Constantine Allen and James Stout. It will set you back 12.50 euro which is less other leading companies charge for video streamings. I had a reviewer's ticket but I would gladly have paid to see the show. I see that this website is celebrating its 10th anniversary. I joined it in December 2013 so I suppose I am no rather an enfant terrible. Maybe a veillard terrible. Merry Christmas all.
  16. Terpsichore
    I saw the show again in the Riverfront Theatre in Newport this evening. That is the company's home theatre and they danced before an appreciative audience They also had a bigger stage and could dance behind a gauze screen. I was able to pick up all sorts of nuances that I had missed before such as the ECG reading and the incorporation of Calon Lan into the score. Giselle has a weak heart. The percussion at the start and end of Act represents her heart beat. Ballet Cymru had danced well in Leeds and will have made a lot of friends but they were lifted by their home crowd. I met Catrin Finch who re-created the score at a reception after the show. She has very kindly agreed in principle to give me a short interview for Terpsichore. I will write a proper review for Terpsichore after I return to Yorkshire.
  17. Terpsichore
    Yesterday I stepped inside a theatre for the first time since February 2020 and not without a fair degree of trepidation to see Darius James and Amy Doughty's new production of Giselle for Ballet Cymru. I had already seen a screening of the premiere in Lichfield and reviewed it for Terpsichore in Giselle Reimagined and I had attended a workshop on the ballet at Yorkshire Dance the day before so I knew what to expect. I have remarked many times that James and Doughty take the essentials of the great ballets and remould them for a small cast that is constantly on the road. They succeeded sin my view with Cinderella, Romeo a Juliet and Beauty and the Beast and I think they can chalk up Giselle as another success. Certainly I prefer it to Akram Khan's and I liked it at least as much as Dada Masilo which I also admired. If you want to remake one of the world's best known and best loved ballets that is the way to it. James and Doughty commissioned Catrin Finch to adapt Adam's score. She had worked with them before on Celtic Concerto and The Light Princess. The opening bars of Adam's overture for Acts I and II remained unchanged and there snatches of his score in the mad scene and there was a Welsh folk air at the beginning but most of the rest of the score was new. The choreographers had left the story more or less intact but there were a few changes. Albrecht was not the lord of the manner but a bounder who was cheating on his wife. At Wednesday's workshop Andrea Battagia who danced Albrecht suggested that he might be a social worker. The costumes were contemporary and the ballet seemed to bve set in post-industrial Southeast Wales. The choreography was very different. Giselle's theme was a complicated hand and upper arm movement which Beth Meadway taught us in the workshop instead of the familiar jumpty jump. Ballet Cymru's scenery is projected into a backcloth and I have to say that the projections and lighting were impressive. I particularly liked the country churchyard at dawn as the wilis (renamed zombies in this version) scuttled away. Everyone in the cast danced well. I was particularly impressed with the leads, Battagoa and Meadway. Meadway is tall with a naturally expressive face. In a couple of scenes in Act II when she appeared en pointe in a romantic tutu I was reminded of lithographs of Carlotta Grisi. Battagia crossed the stage with grace and elegance assured of the attention of the crowd. Izzie Holland and Robbie Moorcroft as the female and male leaders of the zombies were awesome in both the old fashioned and contemporary senses. Yasset Rolden was a smouldering Hilarion. I will follow his career with interest, For those who do not know the story this is the best possible introduction. I did miss the dreamlike floating quality of the traditional Giselle but this Giselle is set in contemporary brexit Britain where unpleasant things oozing out of cracks are much more common than aetherial spirits. Not everybody's panad o de but it is mine.
  18. Terpsichore
    We had a very good evening at Yorkshire Dance yesterday. We could muster only a handful of attendees on our side but they included some our most able and enthusiastic members. The workshop was held at an awkward time but 17:15 to 18:30 was the only slot I could get in the whole of Leeds. And yesterday was the only day on which the company was free to give a workshop in the North of England. It will perform at the Pontio Centre in Bangor on 27 Nov and I had thought of hosting the workshop there but that date clashes with our own "Waltz of the Flowers" workshop. Also, Bangor is a very long trek for all our members east of the Wirral. Robbie Moorcroft who dances one of the "Zombies" (the equivalent of the "Wilis") gave us a basic class to warm us up. Beth Meadway who dances Giselle taught us part of one of her solos whre she is torn between Albrecht and Hilarion. Andrea Battagia who dances Albrecht and Izzie Holland who dances Myrtha also worked with us. The workshop was shorter than usual and we started late because parking in Leeds has become a nightmare since the West Yorkshire Playhouse redevelopment but it was a delight to work with highly trained and very accomplished dancers. After the class we joined the rest of the company in Martha's Room. I had collected some Welsh goodies that are not readily available in England from Bodnant the day before and Katherine Wong surprised us with some delicious Chinese cooking. I had arranged a video conference over Zoom for those who could not attend the workshop or get together. We were joined by Sarah Lambert from Birmingham who contributed to our discussion. The artistic director, Darius James, told us how he came to create the ballet. Beth Meadway discussed the role of Giselle and her interpretation of it. Andrea Battagia discussed his interpretation of Albrecht's role. As the story is reset in post-industrial Southeast Wales where there are not many lords of the manner he was an intriguing outsider but still a rat. I contrasted the conventional ending (and indeed that of James and Doughty) to Dada Masilo's which is much more understandable in my book. Ballet Cymru's genius is that it takes the essentials of the great ballets and remakes them for a small cast on the road. It had done that particularly successfully with Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet and Beauty and the Beast. I think its re-imagined Giselle will be a similar success. When I get time I shall publish a more detailed report on Powerhouse Ballet's website and Terpsichore.
  19. Terpsichore
    Thanks. I shall do short reviews of today's workshop and tomorrow's show for BalletcoForum in addition to reviews for Terpsichore if you like.
  20. Terpsichore
    I regret that I have not felt sufficiently confident to return to the theatre until now. Ballet Cymru's Giselle on Thursday will be the first live performance that I will have seen Ballet West's Swan Lake in Glasgow on 9 Feb 2020 unless you count Fever Ballet's two girls in tutus in Manchester cathedral last July which I don't. The last shows I saw in London were the Royal Ballet's Onegin and English National Ballet's 70th anniversary gala both on the same day. I have supported the companies by joining the Friends schemes of all the major British companies except Northern Ballet plus the Dutch National Ballet, Ballet Cymru and Ballet Black and by making occasional donations. Northern Ballet is different because it no longer has a Friends subscription scheme though it does retain a patrons' scheme. I have supported that company by attending nearly all its online ballet classes by one of my favourite teachers and with occasional donations. I have also attended one of its in-studio classes. I supported ballet generally by holding online classes at least once a month which attracted dancers from as far away as Roumania and Canada as well as the members of Powerhouse Ballet. Some of those classes were given by performers in Ballet Cymru and other companies. I pay all my teachers £75 for a 90-minute class plus expenses. I also held the Stage Door Zoom interviews with several of my favourite dancers including Sarah Kundi and Damian Johnson until the London Ballet Circle started to do the same thing on a bigger scale. Much as I love ballet and understand the importance of live performance I shall be 73 in February and have a condition that would make me vulnerable to covid. I have taken all sensible precautions to avoid getting it. I had my booster shot on Friday and I am losing weight. I hope to make it to Amsterdam to see my beloved Dutch National Ballet and also to London, Birmingham and Glasgow to see my other favourite companies within the next few months.
  21. Terpsichore
    I love that company too, Alison. I think James and Doughty's Cinderella is the bnest much as I love Hampson's for Scottish Ballet and Christopher Wheeldon's for the Dutch National Ballet and English National Ballet. I also admire their adaptations of Dylan Thomas Child's Christmas to dance, Tir and Romeo a Juliet. They have a knack of identifying the essentials of the the major works, stripping them down for a small cast on the road and presenting them in a very innovative way. Often they add a contemporary Welsh. The scrap between the Capulets and Montagues in Act 1 of their Romeo and Juliet takes place not in Verona but under a flyover on the banks of the Usk and is broken up not by the duke but by the Heddlu Gwent but it is still Shakespeare and Prokofiev. I have seen a screening of Giselle and liked it very much. Isobel Holland, the sweetest young woman you could ever hope to meet in real life, becomes a grisly Myrtha, there are male as well as female wilis oozing out of their tombs. There is an adaptation of the score by Catrin Finch which somehow weaves in familiar Welsh folk tunes. It is new but not gimmicky. It avoids change for change's sake. Attendance at all our post lockdown events has been disappointingly low recently despite months of notice and strenuous promotion. On Saturday, we pushed the boat out hiring a teacher from the London Russian Ballet School and a pianist from Northern Ballet but only attracted 6 dancers including me. I asked the owner of one of the studios we use whether it was the same for other studio users and she confirmed that it was. There seem to be many reasons. Some students have found other things to do. A few have left the area. One or two others have lost their confidence. Quite a few want to avoid crowds. I will let you know how our event goes and you and other subscribers to this website are invited to tune in to my interview with Darius James, Beth Meadway and Andrea Battagia over Zoom.
  22. Terpsichore
    Ballet Cymru will dance Darius James and Amy Doughty's new production of Giselle in Leeds on 4 Nov, I have not yet seen it live but I watched the premiere online and reviewed it for Terpsichore on 9 July. In my review I wrote: "If Ballet Cymru ever offers this choreography as a workshop we [Powerhouse Ballet] would love to learn it. Once this third wave has subsided we shall learn the Coralli-Perrot-Petipa version of the dance of the wilis but the James and Doughty version would be such fun." Our wish was granted sooner than we had expected. The company has agreed to give us a workshop at Yorkshire Dance on 3 Nov between 17:15 and 18:30. Although Powerhouse Ballet are hosting the event we are not monopolizing it. It is open to any dancer who is in or can get to Leeds on Wednesday evening. My law practice is sponsoring the event so it is free to attendees. All they have to do is complete this registration form. After the workshop we shall be holding a little get together in Martha's Room from 18:30 to 20:00 which is open to balletomanes who don't want to take part in the workshop but would like to meet the choreographer and dancers. As they are Welsh and we are from Yorkshire we shall serve cacen cri, Yorkshire parkin and maybe an Indian treat to celebrate Diwali. Anybody wishing to attend the reception but not the workshop can register here. The main event of the get together will be my interview of Darius James and Beth Meadway who danced the lead role at the premiere between 19:00 and 19:30. For Ballet Cymru's fans throughout the world we are live streaming the interview over Zoom. Anybody wanting to watch that interview can sign up here.
  23. Terpsichore
    One of the few good things to result from this pandemic has been the streaming of plays, talks and all sorts of other events over the Internet. It has accelerated the development of digital performances as an art form in its own right. Many companies have seen the emergency as an opportunity. Just a few days ago I reviewed a magnificent double bill by the Dutch National Ballet for this website and there are many companies in this country that have produced some very good work over the last 18 months. I am therefore dismayed to read on The Guardian website that "50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only." Clearly a digital performance is a different experience from a performance in am auditorium but it is not necessarily an inferior one. There are things that a camera picks up that would not be spotted even by individuals in the front row of the stalls. Choreographers, artists and others can be interviewed about the work in the intervals. Perhaps more importantly streaming creates a new audience without losing the old. The new audience will include some on limited means, restricted mobility or a long way from the theatre, Last year I joined the Friends scheme of every company of which I was not already a member and upped my donations to make up for my absence from the box office;. I shall be a lot less generous this year to companies, theatres and others that treat the relaxation of legal restrictions on social distancing as an excuse for cutting back on streaming . Especially as the relaxation of restrictions already appears to have been premature (Nick Triggle Covid: The UK is Europe's virus hotspot - does it matter?, 9 Oct 2021 BBC website),
  24. Terpsichore
    As I do not yet feel confident to return to the theatre (whatever our government allows while Covid cases, hospitalizations and deaths remain high and may possibly be increasing) I am very grateful to companies that continue to stream their performances over the internet. One of those companies is the Dutch National Ballet which streamed a live performance of its double bill "Toer" on 25 Sept and repeated the transmission on 6 Oct. "Toer" was a tribute to the choreographer, stage and costume designer and former dancer, Toer van Schayk who celebrated his 85th birthday last month. Celebrated as an artist and designer as much as for choreography he is perhaps the nearest we have in the 21st century to a renaissance man. The company danced two of his ballets: "Lucifer Studies" which is a new work premiered on 14 Sept 2021 and "7th Symphony" which he created in 1986 to immediate acclaim. As its name suggests, "Lucifer Studies" consists of studies or bits of choreography for a much longer ballet called "Lucifer". "Lucifer" was to have been based on a play of the same name by the 17th century playwright Joost van den Vondel. Now although I like to think that I am reaonably well informed I regret to say that I had never heard of Vondel or his play until I watched the ballet. I have now found out that it is on the same theme as Milton's "Paradise Lost". The cast for Lucifer studies consisted entirely of men and included Timothy van Poucke who has enjoyed a meteoric career with the company as well as Martin ten Kortenaar whom I featured in my blog as an up and coming dancer in 2014, Daniel Robert Silva, Nathan Brhane and Giovanni Princic. The music by Joep Frannsens took time to appreciate but it was performed magnificently. The sets and costumes were designed by van Schayk. Strikingly each of the artists wore a different coloured sleeve. A picture of the dancers which was kindly supplied by the company appears in a longer review in my blog. I regret that I cannot show it here because my licence is restricted to my publication. Work on the full length ballet was interrupted by the pandemic. It is to be hoped that it can be resumed once that scourge is brought under effective control. I took to "7th Symphony" immediately. It is based on Beethoven's 7th Symphony which is one of his best known and most exuberant works. At a symposium on narrative ballet in Leeds that I attended some years ago an eminent authority on dance opined that Beethoven was undanceable. I disagreed then and having seen van Schayk's ballet I could not disagree more now. The 7th symphony is a work crying out to be danced. I struggled to stay silent and keep still, Van Schayk choreographed the work beautifully and it is easy to see why it was an immediate success. Women danced in this ballet as well as men and I was impressed by Floor Eimers though all danced well. The male dancer whom I admired most was Artur Shesterikov who is one of my favourites in the company, but, again, all danced well. Van Schayk designed the sets and costumes for "7th Symphony". The simple blue dresses of the women must have been a joy to wear. Again I have pictures of the ensemble and two of the soloists from the company which I cannot share here but which you can see in my blog if you so wish.
  25. Terpsichore
    Powerhouse Ballet was gathering quite a nice little repertoire before March 2020. We had commissioned works by Terence Etheridge and Yvonne Charlton and Jane Tucker of Northern Ballet Academy had taught us "Waltz of the Flowers" from Act II of the Nutcracker a few weeks earlier. Alex Hallas of Ballet Cymru had given us a great workshop and we were about to learn "Snowflakes" from Act I of the Nutcracker when you know what stopped us in our tracks. We are now emerging from our slumber just like Princess Aurora and have planned a great workshop at Dance Studio Leeds between 2 and 5 pm this coming Saturday. Not everyone in our little troupe has begun to stir so I have 6 places for whoever wants them. The workshop is sponsored by my practice so attendees will not be charged. For more information see the Eventbrite card here.
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