LACAD

I enjoy contemporary work and contemporary ballet, however this triple bill was fairly mixed. I am a fan of Kyle Abraham, however The Weathering was quite pretty and inoffensive. It was lovely to see tender male duets that felt romantic rather than virtuosic. Joseph Sissens and Anna Rose O’Sullivan were clear standouts. Solo Echo by Crystal Pite was the highlight for me undoubtedly. Well thought out and rich in brilliant and intelligent choreographic moments, emotionally rich and also peppered with humour and levity. A brilliant cast as well who looked perfectly at home in her very contemporary and controlled style. Wheeldon’s DGV was entertaining and bombastic though not his strongest work. I was surprisingly more interested in what the corps were getting up to than the leading couples. The music and set were fabulous. Gina Storm Jensen was a revelation to me, she commanded the stage.

According to Jeffrey and Boston Ballet’s Instagram accounts he’s to rejoin the company in the 22/23 season, he’ll also be guesting for two productions in the coming months. While this is great new for him to return to his first company, selfishly I feel sad as he was a serious shining light in London. I also fear this may be the start of an exodus from ENB of their really talented dancers! https://www.instagram.com/p/CaSKlW7MzRp/?utm_medium=copy_link

While Clark may well have the Osipova partnership going for him, what will that mean when she retires? I certainly don’t think being the preferred partner of one principal means that you should also be a principal. I personally think Bracewell deserves a promotion. And with no disrespect to Clark, there are some soloists and dancers in the corps who I’d rather see be promoted sooner than him.

I really love this ballet so I was quite gutted to hear that it’s been cut, though if any of the pieces were at risk of being chopped it was Approximate Sonata. I agree with Emeralds, I saw the second cast perform this and it introduced me to Rina Kanehara and Sarah Kundi who are both wonderful artists. It also was one of the few leading roles Angela Wood has done (who I think is a lovely dancer). I was really excited to see it again but perhaps they’ll keep it around for next season as I presume they’ve already paid for the rights to put on the work.

According to ENB’s Twitter Aitor Arrieta (finally) and Emma Hawes have just been promoted to principal dancers! Congratulations to both!

I don’t think the company can quickly let go of Rojo’s legacy. Many in the ballet world have pointed out how she has elevated the company, and her directorial choices have been much admired. In the age of the Internet as well people around the world now have knowledge and even thanks to the on demand service; direct access to the repertoire. ENB can’t afford to lose steam.

I’m not overly familiar with the order of Glazunov’s score, but I didn’t notice any major changes to the score that makes it completely unrecognisable and clunky to the average ballet goer. There were a few moments in act one where the variations were clearly slotted in, but it still had some flow to it. As for Macauley, I’m not surprised. He very much gives critique from *his* opinion, which is valid but in my view - prone to melodrama and nitpicking. He interviewed Doug Fullington recently who studied the Stepanov notation and assisted Rojo, Macauley is ostensibly very knowledgeable and I presume very passionate about the classical production. However I don’t think that justifies calling the ballet a ‘violence’. Please.

And just to add, I thought Tamara looked stunning in her dress!

I really enjoyed it! The story makes sense to me and isn’t too difficult to follow, and the context works well for Raymonda. The choreography is very true to Petipa but with a lot more work for the men (who dance brilliantly). There’s also all those famous ballerina variations still in there including a dizzying amount for Raymonda. Standout performers for me were Julia Conway as the sparkling and sexy Henriette, Emily Suzuki in the lead Hungarian couple in Act III and Act II’s Georgian Ratchuli, Aitor Arrieta and a revelatory Fernando Carratalá Coloma, and Jeffrey Cirio was engaging as always. While I feel Shiori Kase still has a way to go in her skills with projecting her emotions, she faced the role with a lovely charm and technicality, really injecting Raymonda with a lot of youthful energy. Isaac Hernandez accomplished every trick in the book with aplomb, but doesn’t do much with his rather stiff and awkward John de Bryan. The same can be said for Precious Adams who brings that magnificent softness to her dancing but also struggled to flesh out her pious Sister Clemence (as much as that hurts to say as I’m a huge fan of hers). In regards to the choreography, Tamara Rojo has done a magnificent job. The work is full of ambitious corps de ballet sequences and wonderful variations, and even a surprise reference to the shades of La Bayadère with an interesting twist in the dream scene. Her storytelling capabilities are strong, what a wonderful touch to flesh out Henriette and Clemence as representatives of Raymonda’s passions and conscience respectively. It feels almost bittersweet that San Francisco will have her as I’d really like to see what else she can do. Another honourable mention the cimbalom player, it makes Raymonda’s final variation (especially in this production) all the more poignant.

I wouldn’t say ENB couldn’t afford him. If I remember correctly from the last financial reports Tamara Rojo was the highest paid AD, even higher than Kevin O’Hare at the Royal.

I completely agree. It’s bothered me that very few principals have been internally promoted in Rojo’s time at the company (I can only think of Kase and Corrales). I understand star power is needed but there are some great exciting dancers in there. I also fear that with their director leaving and no further promotion, some dancers may move on to other companies and we’ll lose those same exciting dancers. Katja Khaniukova has certainly deserved to be a principal for quite a while.

Looks as if Maria Kochetkova is going to leave ENB after only a few months there. I wonder if this is related to Tamara’s leadership coming to an end?

While I agree with you FLOSS that the board may pick a safe bet, Rojo’s appointment did come at a particularly financially precarious time for the company after the last recession. For that reason I’m more inclined to think that the board may be more lenient to inexperienced but driven individuals with a vision, particularly since Rojo was just that and lead the company into what I believe will be seen as a golden age. And if the Arts Council intervenes this may be more certain as they’ve seen the pay-off and popularity of Rojo’s term at ENB. Come to think of it, does anyone think Maria Kochetkova may throw her hat in the race?

While they’re both quite young, I would like to see Jeffrey Cirio or Isabella Brouwers in a leadership role. They both have their finger on the pulse in the world of arts and theatre in London and would both come up from within the company. Brouwers is also currently in the leadership programme. For now though, while it’s a long shot, I did actually think of Cassa Pancho from Ballet Black. Her company has really established itself as a launch pad for many emerging choreographic talents. Kobborg would also be a safe bet for continuing Rojo’s legacy of a strong but varied rep.

Very shocked by this and sad as I find her programming at ENB always fresh and exciting, definitely a loss for London. Big shoes to fill for whoever is next in charge!

I’d like to see ENB do Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa’s Frida, the original one act version was made on ENB before she made the full length with Dutch National and I really quite liked it. It would be nice to see some of the ballerinas in the company take on the role. I’d also like to see the company do more Bausch (perhaps Café Müller or Masurca Fogo). I’d love to see the dancers in a Balanchine work, maybe something a little less performed like Episodes or Divertimento. Also a different nutcracker! I’ve always always wanted to see Forsythe’s full length Artifact, I know the suite version was created on Scottish Ballet but it’s a ballet that’s always fascinated me. Perhaps Scottish may perform the suite again, but I could see ENB doing the full length if Rojo plans to continue bringing in more Forsythe rep. I’d quite like to see RB do Les Noces, and I’d also happily see some MacMillan one acts since I’m not overly familiar with them (particularly I’d like to see Las Hermanas). I’m actually a fan of McGregor’s and I know he’s doing a new full length but I’ve always wondered why RB hasn’t performed his rep that was made outside the company, I think the dancers would really shine in something like Borderlands and I’ve always wanted to see Genus. I think that it’s high time a British company perform a full length by Neumeier, I think the dramatic traditions in dance in Britain would facilitate some great performances. Even though it’s a long shot, I’d like to see a work by Édouard Lock in a company’s rep. I know his style isn’t to everyone’s taste but I think he’s a very distinctive and original choreographer. I’d love to see a bigger company commission Mthuthezeli November, hopefully after his Olivier win he’ll have some offers but I think he’s an exciting new dance maker that can present something distinctive. And finally I’d love to see the big companies programme more women for the main stage. I don’t mind if they’re contemporary or classical, if they’re established or not. I’m just getting a bit tired of seeing maybe one or two women being listed per season.

When I lived in the Netherlands as a child the dialogue about Zwaartje Piet was that he was covered in soot, they even tried introducing a multicoloured version (this was the mid 00’s). However historically he was a moor and a very typically racist caricature of one at that. Accordingly; Dutch National now portray him as covered in soot. The moor Drosselmeyer doll is from the Mariinsky’s version, I’m not sure if they’ve still kept him in blackface though.

This is true, but it’s also true that these dolls or toys the dancers portray are themselves based on people. Primarily in an overtly racialised way. And while it may be accurate to the time period, is there really a need to retain these elements seeing as they add nothing to the storyline (particularly in the case of a popcorn ballet like the nutcracker)?

Floated home after that one. What a pleasure to see Osipova’s Giselle. There’s really nothing more I can say that hasn’t already been said, it’s a totally unique take on the role and I loved it. Clark was ok, but Magri was the night’s revelation in my eyes. I’ve never got to really witness her eat up the stage, and wow, what a firecracker. Explosive leaps that land without a sound and an arresting command over her army of willis. I found the PD6 alright, was never a fan of it as I find it filler. The willis Corps and lead willis were phenomenal and truly quite threatening. By the end I’ve never heard an audience cheer so loudly for the dancers, and it was well deserved!

Back home from the superhuman Ed Watson’s farewell performance. You could get a real sense of the affection the dancers in the company have for him in a lovely video shown to the audience at the end, many referencing his warmth and sense of humour, as well as of course his flexibility. Since moving here this is only my second time seeing Ed perform, the first being the premiere of the Dante Project. And while I’m quite late to the game, his presence is one that is unshakeable. And totally unique. That being said, I couldn’t help but feel that this performance was not only a touching send off, but a way to pass on the torch for the future male stars of the royal ballet. Which made the evening all the more emotional. In particular, Joseph Sissens and Calvin Richardson seem to be able to emulate something exquisitely different to their fellow male colleagues. Ed Watson is inimitable, but he’s certainly opened the door for new possibilities for the male dancer. As for the ballet, my opinion hasn’t changed too much. Though I have warmed to the latter half of Paradiso (though I still think it is the weakest act of the ballet, I’m still not sold on its music and design aspects). Inferno, to me, remains the most intriguing of the three.

First act is Inferno! Not purgatorio! My mistake.

Overall I felt the piece was not as emotionally engaging as Woolf Works, however it had some brilliant dancing. Purgatorio was filled with phenomenal pas de deux and solos though was perhaps a little long- running at 50 minutes. Special mentions to Richardson, Hayward/Ball, Naghdi/Sambé, Sissens/Kay, and Hamilton/Grennel(?) (from how far up I was it was hard to tell who she was dancing with but Melissa was unmistakable). The atmosphere is dark and heavy and is perhaps the most aesthetically striking of the three acts. Though it was very impressive, did anyone else find the Thieves section with all the men doing virtuoso a little cheesy? It felt just ever so slightly Barnum and Bailey. Purgatorio was my favourite act. Simple and effective set, intriguing music, and glittering performances from the principals and the young Marco Masciari. It felt like it really captured the essence of limbo, being stuck in the ‘waiting room’ for heaven, mulling over your life and loves over and over again. Despite some more phenomenal dancing and complex pas de deux, I was quite unimpressed by Paradiso. From a design perspective it appeared to me like a university dance course doing a Cunningham showcase, trippy projections et al. The principals were stellar, and I did enjoy that in being far up it was egalitarian, nobody is totally distinctive (with exception of Osipova, even from far away you can just tell it’s her, and she’s fab). Overall I’d say definitely go, give it a try! It’s a happy medium between Woolf Works and McGregor’s less narrative pieces. The dancing is great, the choreography is of course always new and exciting. It was certainly a journey, just not an emotional one in my opinion. And how could I forget, Ed Watson! What a thrill, still as striking as ever. To me, this work was such a gift to him, and I feel knowing his story and relationship with the dancers provides more pathos than the piece itself. I wonder will it translate with the other cast and with Paris when they do it!

From my interpretation it seemed that Saruhashi’s character was some sort of moral leader, imposing an ideology that the other characters had to kowtow to. Reimar’s character seems to not take this seriously, something to chuck aside. The creature holds onto it maybe perhaps because it’s a symbol of his hope? Or maybe, if one is more cynical he feels an obligation to protect it as a blind believer. As for other religious references, there is the Latin choral singing in the end of Act II which felt somewhat religious to me. And with Saruhashi’s character holding what I saw as role of moral leader in his neat black shirt, I couldn’t help but see him as ‘priest-like’. That being said, this is just my take. Maybe labelling the character as “priest” might have been a bit too on the nose for the dramaturg? Alternatively, Khan might have just wanted a bit of bling thrown in.

Just came from the final performance of Creature (my first). I was meant to go last week to see the Hernandez cast but unfortunately I caught covid and had a thankfully asymptomatic albeit very boring isolation. While I felt the work wasn’t Khan’s strongest, I still enjoyed it and felt emotionally impacted by it. Cirio is of course a brilliant dancer but this performance was just phenomenal. His movements were rich in animalistic and child like qualities, fluid and totally in control. Takahashi was stellar as always, such beautiful port de bras, she could tell a whole story with those arms. Props to the very threatening Reimar and the magnificently articulate Quagebeur (who’s character I found most compelling). The corps were in great form however I felt their scenes - apart from some very impressive and imposing tableaux - were mostly filler and could’ve been reduced in length. Overall I had no issues with the storyline, there were a lot of concepts and layers going on and some could’ve been alluded to rather than mentioned in passing. But I didn’t feel it weighed the piece too much, I treated these as more of the background to the action. I felt at the core of it this was a typical Khan work that brings power play and social ills to the fore. The music wasn’t as interesting as Giselle but I didn’t mind the intensity and malaise it induced. The issues I had were mostly the repetitive nature of it, many many ideas were recycled for the Corps. For a work that had so much voiceover there was very little text used, just repeated lines (though the “because of what you have done” has a stronger meaning by the end of the work). Some scenes definitely overstayed their welcome and seemed to run just for the sake of filling up a full hour. Overall, I did enjoy the work. I don’t mind at all going to the theatre and getting drawn into a dark world. And I feel through editing, revision, and more time for the casts and perhaps new casts to inhabit and strengthen the impact of the roles that this piece will become stronger. But I feel that something is there. It’s sad and grim, and that’s ok. I find it a compelling ballet with some brilliant dramatic performances in it. I was of course hoping that creature would be a huge critical success considering all the work and time that went to it, as well as the painfully long anticipatory wait. However as others have noted before, this hasn’t deterred audiences from enjoying it and I noticed that Sadler’s was bursting with people on the second circle (the house was sold out tonight), most of whom gave a strong enthusiastic response at the end. And I was among them. As a wee aside, I was wondering what all the fuss was about the “necklace” that is referred to on the forum as a plot hole in the ballet. Perhaps it’s because I’m Irish, but it seemed obvious to me that it was a rosary or some religious token! Definitely something to display power or status quo (a very Khanian mark).

Just watched tonight’s performance from high up in the second circle and still felt the impact of everything! the performance was packed with signature Schechter movement and motifs; rhythmic bouncing and fluid partnering, all to really exceptional intense scores by the choreographer himself. Clowns was all at once violent, goofy, serious, pure entertainment. The crowd was buzzing tonight and loved the participation in the beginning as well as a very campy post performance section. The new piece was not as lighthearted or comedic. The programme indicated that the work centred on what we wanted most over the last year and a half- a hug. The seven dancers seemed emotionally tied to each other, but all also in their own heads and anxieties. The section I found most striking was in fact the most simple, they sit down, cross legged, while the pulsing score continues to get louder. After this there’s a change in dynamic, they observe each other, cradle each other. And even find a way to spread the love to the audience (I won’t give it away). Again the crowd loved it and I noticed couples and groups of friends turning to each other after the show to give them a hug. I’m sure that’s exactly what Hofesh wanted!