Royal Ballet School Summer Performances 2018

[penelopesimpson]

5 hours ago, SPD444 said:

Big Pride march today in West End.

Yeah, Pride in bringing London to a standstill and people unable to enjoy a long-planned day out.  Ridiculous.  Time all these marches and whatever were given a designated space like Hyde Park.

[zxDaveM]

14 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

Yeah, Pride in bringing London to a standstill and people unable to enjoy a long-planned day out.  Ridiculous.  Time all these marches and whatever were given a designated space like Hyde Park.

 

Pride has been long planned, and is a big day for a lot of people. I’m sur3 they didn’t set out to personally inconvenience you

[penelopesimpson]

2 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

 

Pride has been long planned, and is a big day for a lot of people. I’m sur3 they didn’t set out to personally inconvenience you

Possibly not, but the capital City should be open at all times for all people.  Lots of us come up for the day at the weekend and almost every Saturday there is some march or demonstration that creates no-go areas and restricts public transport.

 

Pride is one of the worst offenders.  I was caught up in it last year, missing the first Act because neither buses nor cabs could get across the river from Waterloo.  On the way back it was worse.  Regent Street virtually impassable and the manner of much of the crowd threatening.  Bottles and other refuse left everywhere.  Can't see anything to be proud of in defacing the beautiful City in this way.

 

Demonstrations are an important part of metropolitan life but they should be held in a designated space such as Hyde Park, not be allowed to ruin enjoyment for ordinary people simply wanting a day out.  And no, I don't give a hoot about being PC.

Edited July 8, 2018 by penelopesimpson

[zxDaveM]

 

in this case it seems thousands have inconvenienced one, which seems a fair trade 

[alison]

So, would anyone like to report on the RBS performance, which I was unable to attend?

[SPD444]

1 hour ago, alison said:

So, would anyone like to report on the RBS performance, which I was unable to attend?

 

It was wonderful, Alison. The program planners managed with there choice of ballets to involve all the pupils in each year group and to be able to see how they grew year by year was just amazing until the dancers who leave this year are truly professional standard  dancers. Everyone talks about Harrison Lee and Yu Hang, and rightly so, how the RB only gave them one year deals is astonishing, but there is huge talent all over. The cheers at the end were deafening. If there is a better way to close a performance than the Grand Defile then I have yet to see it, thrilling conclusion. What a brilliant day, thank you RBS.

[capybara]

The programme was as follows:

 

Aurora's Wedding - 3rd Years Upper School , apart from Davi Ramos (2nd year) as a Cavalier- leads Yu Hang and Harrison Lee; Bluebirds Amelia Townsend and Taisuke Nakao

Toot - Excerpt (Didy Velman) - Years 10 and 11 Lower School plus 2nd Years Upper School

Sea Interludes (Andrew McNicol) - 1st Years Upper School

Snegurochka (Tania Fairbairn) - Lower School

Pulcinella Suite (Mark Annear) - Lower School

Self and Soul (Robert Binet) - 3rd Years Upper School

Bach, Multiplicity Forks of Silence and Emptiness - Excerpts (Nacho Duarto) - Upper School

Grand Defile - everyone

 

It was enjoyable, of course, but the programme wasn't as well balanced as the first night at Holland Park. I felt that it leant too much towards the modern or the 'folksy'.

The best bit, as usual, was the Grand Defile. Wish they would dance it twice.

Interesting to see Lazaro Corrales leading on the corps in Aurora's Wedding and standing in the front of his 1st Year Upper School line at the very end. He has beaten his brother onto the ROH stage.

 

 

 

 

[alison]

6 minutes ago, capybara said:

It was enjoyable, of course, but the programme wasn't as well balanced as the first night at Holland Park. I felt that it leant too much towards the modern or the 'folksy'.

 

I got that impression from the schedule even before I read the rest of your post.  I'm thinking I'm glad I went to Holland Park.

[Frannie]

Aurora’s Wedding was superb today. However, I thought it was very disappointing how little the graduating year danced - especially Harrison Lee who is so talented and a pas de deux and one solo.

The pieces were mostly too long and featured White Lodge more than the graduating year. They were such strong dancers and I would like to have seen more of them dancing, particularly the men.

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Frannie and welcome to the Forum!

[fashionista]

As always, a joy to see the RBS students, but once again, disappointed by the programming.  Great start with Aurora's Wedding and fantastic finish with the Grand Defile, but poor programming in between.  5 nondescript "modern" mode pieces - all very much of a muchness, so to speak, and to be honest rather "boring".  This does not give us a chance to see the RBS at their classical best - it is a "classical ballet" school and the programme gave no acknowledgement to their heritage.  One "modern" piece would be great and impressive but 5 in a row does not work.  Yet again, we see no drama - dramatic works are an integral part of the RB repertoire - it is essential that the students are trained and groomed in this vein.  

 

There is boundless talent and this really shone through in the opening and closing pieces (both classical!), although a shame that the Three Ivans was chosen rather than Aurora and her Prince perform the final coda to their pas de deux - am sure they were capable of dancing this.  

 

My dream programme would be Lower School in their traditional Irish, Scottish and English dances, a short Macmillan, Ashton or de Valois work, followed by Two Pigeons, Giselle or Fille.  This has been done in the past.  I know one must move forward but it is to the detriment of what the School should be achieving.  

 

In no way does this reflect any negativity on the students themselves who obviously gave their all and may I wish them every success for their future careers.  

 

 

[FLOSS]

The RBS performance used to be so simple White Lodgers performed British national dances and the Upper School danced anything from Two Pigeons to Giselle, Coppelia or Sleeping Beauty depending on the range and nature of talent available. But that was in the days when the school's standards were far more variable and when in some years the graduating class' ability to secure employment was considerably lower than it is now. I think that we need to remember that the main stage performance was never simply the graduating year's show.   The changes made by the late Gailene Stock have created their own problems but at least they are problems connected with showcasing the significant amount of talent in the school. I think that a lot of people, certainly a lot of parents and teachers, would be disappointed if the White Lodgers had their time on the Covent Garden stage curtailed in some way. We have to remember that many of the  parents are paying  pretty  hefty fees for their children's tuition and that each year the RBS's main stage performance marks the last time that some of the pupils will ever appear on that stage. These are, I am sure, factors which loom large in deciding on the contents of this annual performance. 

 

I am curious to learn  what those of you who were disappointed with the choice of works selected this year would have liked to have seen programmed in their place bearing in mind that this is a programme designed to display the range of talent in the school and as far as the Upper School is concerned the range of styles in which its pupils are able perform rather than being a show case for the graduating year or one special dancer in that year. It functions as a show case for the school and its pupils ,a shop window and quite a few other things. Let me hasten to say that I found the second half something of a let down but sadly these performances can no longer simply be used as a show case of the pupils' classical technique and style and their ability to dance in Ashton and MacMillan. But then you see while I thought that "Yondering" was a complete waste of time when the school danced it a couple of years ago I could see why it was staged, similarly with Multiplicity this year the senior students have to show that they can dance in those styles as many of them will be faced with such vacuous choreography throughout their professional lives. As far as the White Lodge element of the performance is concerned commissioning  Liam Scarlett and other young choreographers to create new works specifically for the two most senior years of the Lower School might help although it would not be a complete solution to the problem.

 

 "Aurora's Wedding" makes no concessions to the student status of the dancers who have appeared in it during these performances. Its choreographic elements are challenging since it requires dancers capable of performing in a range of styles. Just as Sleeping Beauty is a test of a company's depth of technical strength and its over all  artistic health  Aurora's Wedding is a similar challenge. albeit on a smaller scale, for the school. Its choreography demands dancers capable of dancing in the exposed style which evolved at the end of the  nineteenth century when Petipa created his fusion of the French and Italian classical technique. It demands dancers who have the technical skill to be able to perform it without being merely accurate but blandly classical.It calls for clean unobtrusive partnering skills and it requires some dancers who have the ability to dance pas created specifically for exceptionally talented character dancers. The dancers cast as Florimund and Bluebird have to display elegance and control rather than the sheer brute force of a gala piece in which a bravura technical display is generally regarded as ample compensation for less than entirely secure unobtrusive partnering. It is even more challenging because its text is so familiar that most of the audience will be able to identify all but the most minor mistakes and imperfections in performance. Selecting it is  a statement that the school has enough students who are capable of shining in its very exposed classical style of choreography and surmounting the technical challenges which this compilation of selected highlights from the Sleeping Beauty presents to anyone who appears in it. As far as the second part of the afternoon is concerned  I thought that the Snow Maiden over-stayed its welcome but the school can't dance the Children's Mazurka every year can they?

 

I suspect that the slightly underwhelming effect of this performance was the result of staging Aurora's Wedding as the opener rather than the closing piece but then  that was something that must have entered into the calculations at the outset of the planning process. It was almost as if we started at the end and moved forward to the beginning of the programme but there were no doubt what appeared to be compelling reasons for the running order.

Edited July 9, 2018 by FLOSS

[Bruce Wall]

The RB Company has had such a stellar year.  I suppose this made me especially expectant vis a vis the RBS presentation.  (I always find myself looking forward to these.)  Sadly I came away bitterly underwhelmed.  Ah, well ... on to next year.  

 

Somehow much of yesterday made the ENBS presentation I saw the evening before all that much more joyous.  Always a silver lining.  Only you to have to hunt a little more on some occasions as opposed to others.  Caveat emptor!!!

 

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Bruce Wall

[bridiem]

15 minutes ago, FLOSS said:

the senior students have to show that they can dance in those styles as many of them will be faced with such vacuous choreography throughout their professional lives.

 

That really made me laugh, FLOSS (and then it depressed me).

 

I didn't go to the RBS performance, but (apart from Aurora's Wedding) it does look like an odd programme for a classical ballet school. But then, I look at RB programming and sometimes find it odd for a classical ballet company.

Edited July 9, 2018 by bridiem

[JohnS]

A different reaction from me to a couple of posts as I found the Royal Ballet School’s annual performance a joyous occasion (as always) and a fitting way to bring down the curtain on a tremendous season.

 

The programme worked well for me.  I loved Aurora’s Wedding and Yu Hang and Harrison Lee were astonishingly good.  The entire cast were a delight to see, with I think special thanks to Lore Zonderman (Lilac Fairy) and Damien Axtens, Matthew Bates and Ryota Hasegawa (The Three Ivan's).

 

Toot was a fun piece performed with great precision and Harris Bell (Leader) and Toby Seddon (Singer) not only danced but came across strongly with the megaphone.

 

Sea Interludes was a new piece choreographed by Andrew McNicol.  With such a fabulous score, it's easy simply to luxuriate in the music and I'd be very keen to see it again.

 

In the second half the junior school demonstrated their collective aplomb in Snegurochka and the Pulcinella Suite.  For me I very much enjoy seeing the whole School contribute to this celebration.

 

The Upper School brought the programme to a close and I liked Self and Soul with Rebecca Blenkinsop and Harris Bell.  I thought Bach’s Multiplicity fabulous and performed with real panache, particularly Simon Regourd as J S Bach (I didn't see him listed in Graduate Contracts and do wish him well) and Madison Bailey as his ‘cello.

 

The Grand Defile was spectacular.  Good to be in the Amphitheatre and experience the thunderous roar reverberating around the ceiling.  Well worth a day trip from Cumbria in my opinion.

 

[SPD444]

I agree with JohnS, thoroughly enjoyed the choice of ballets. I remember those traditional dances, reels, jigs etc that the lower school used to perform, not for me, I prefer the more contemporary flavour.

[capybara]

12 minutes ago, SPD444 said:

I agree with JohnS, thoroughly enjoyed the choice of ballets. I remember those traditional dances, reels, jigs etc that the lower school used to perform, not for me.............

 

I remember the country dancing too, and not with great pleasure! However, I don't think that they've quite cracked the issue of how best to display White Lodge students.

 

1 hour ago, bridiem said:

 

But then, I look at RB programming and sometimes find it odd for a classical ballet company.

 

As Luke Jennings also asserts (see recent link on the Swan Lake thread).

 

In fairness, it would have been difficult for the graduating students to do much more, especially as so many of them were dancing with the RB and BRB over the preparatory period.

[FLOSS]

I can't help thinking that it is far easier for a school with students aged from sixteen to nineteen which is not regularly called upon to swell the ranks of a fully professional company to put on a show for its end of year performance than it is for one with the age range of the RBS pupils . Of course the RBS could turn its main stage performance into a show exclusively for the Upper School but that would disappoint a lot of parents and supporters as well as presenting practical problems for the Upper School whose graduating year is often depleted to meet the needs of the resident company in performance. There are no easy solutions to the problem which is no doubt why the range of works danced by the Upper School varies so much from year to year.

 

It is not as if there are no suitable repertory works for young dancers.  MacMillan's early works such  as Danses Concertantes have been danced by the school in the past as have Ashton's Les Rendezvous and The Dream, although the latter is only do-able if the cast, and a couple of covers are readily available and Balanchine's Serenade, which was created to demonstrate to students the difference between classroom steps and the same steps used in performance. which went on to become one of his  most performed ballets.  it was in the programme danced in the year when Chadwick graduated. She appeared in it.Now there are plenty of other early ballets which could be pressed into service by the school such as Ashton's Capriole Suite, Façade and Les Patineurs  and MacMillan's Baiser de la Fee and Solitaire which were created for young dancers and then there are the ballets which Tudor created for students. The problem is that the bulk of these works were created fifty or  more years and so are likely to be dismissed as being too old fashioned; too obviously classical; too closely connected to the Royal Ballet and its style; failing to provide roles to show off enough of the pupils ; not being modern enough in style or musical sensibility (ie not being sufficiently asymmetrical; dancers spending insufficient time on the floor and not being  performed to loud. repetitive recorded music) and finally, although this will never be said openly not  modern enough to dispel the idea that the school teaches classical dance which is probably the last thing that the RBS feels it should stress too much if it wishes to convince those who need to be persuaded that it provides training for every style of dance which its graduates are likely to encounter during their professional careers as members of a ballet company as only this degree of adaptability guarantees their employability.

 

By the way I was not suggesting that the annual performance should revert to the British national dances format for the Lower School although I am sure that they still do their job as an element of the school's curriculum by encouraging fast clean footwork and identifying the less than musical dancer at a time when remedial action can be taken.  More works  specially created for dancers of their aptitude and age are the obvious answer for the Lower School. As for the Upper School I have, I think, made a few constructive suggestions. Perhaps the performances after Christmas of Scarlett's new work for the RBS will provide a few more answers. I assume that it will be exclusively for the Upper School on the bass that the Lower School will have had weeks experiencing the main stage when appearing in The Nutcracker.

Edited July 9, 2018 by FLOSS

[Frannie]

Thank you for the welcome Jan.

I found the programme to be too long and had too many modern pieces that were average in my opinion - not what I would expect from the RBS. The White Lodge are lovely to watch and absolutely need to be showcased - but they had 2 performances at Holland Park and 2 pieces would have sufficed. I felt the graduating year were under-utilised and in particular Harrison and Yu-Hang. Both of whom won awards at the Graduation. 

These dancers absolutely do need to know how to do dance many different styles but that is what their training provides and this is the schools showcase as one of the worlds leading classical ballet schools and I found the programme disappointing in this regard.

However I have to say I could not fault the actual performances. I was exhilarated by the calibre of the students and their technique, musicality and artistry. It was a joy to watch. 

[RuthE]

Question about the Grand Defilé. Presumably you need exactly the same number of dancers to end up in each row of boys or girls from each year group. So what happens if, as is inevitable, there are a number of students out with injuries and the absentees are not evenly spread between rows?

[Juliet]

Each row is not exactly the same but you can't see that from the front

[bangorballetboy]

2 hours ago, RuthE said:

Question about the Grand Defilé. Presumably you need exactly the same number of dancers to end up in each row of boys or girls from each year group. So what happens if, as is inevitable, there are a number of students out with injuries and the absentees are not evenly spread between rows?

 

 

[JohnS]

It's great that every fit student is on stage and the producers use all sorts of combinations of numbers to ensure everyone has a role during the Grand Defile, even if it might not have quite the symmetry of the Corps de Ballet.

[RuthE]

Thanks, BBB. The official photos used from previous years on the booking page for the showcase always look much more even than that!

[junedancer]

6 hours ago, RuthE said:

Thanks, BBB. The official photos used from previous years on the booking page for the showcase always look much more even than that!

 

Photoshop is a wonderful thing!

[capybara]

The photo above doesn't look as if it is of this year's finale.............?????

[bangorballetboy]

53 minutes ago, capybara said:

The photo above doesn't look as if it is of this year's finale.............?????

 

Don’t know why you say that as i took it myself on Sunday

[LinMM]

Ive only just got back to Brighton after being in London for the last couple of days with no iPad I will write something briefly tomorrow but I really liked the show perhaps not my most favourite programme ever but still hugely enjoyable. Some of those more modern pieces are harder to pull off successfully than it may seem in my view and I think they were extremely well danced. 

[Lindsay]

Floss, the school did Patineurs at Holland Park a couple of years ago so Ashton certainly seems to be on the menu if suitable dancers are available in a given year.  The problem with a full length like Fille would be the paucity of featured roles, with most graduating students dancing nothing but Corps.  This is the one chance many of them may get for a solo on a major world stage and it seems unfair to deny that to all but the very best.  

 

Tudor is more problematic- I recall them doing Lilac Garden on the main stage and in the Linbury during Gailene Stock’s tenure and, while it was nice to see it, I came away thinking that it was simply too subtle and sophisticated for such young dancers.

[JohnS]

And Patineurs was included at the Annual Performance with an astonishing Harrison Lee.

[FLOSS]

Lindsay,

I must have expressed myself very clumsily. I had thought that by saying that Gailene Stock's success in raising standards at the school had caused its own problems was sufficient indication that I thought that some ballets which might have been staged for the RBS main stage performances in the past were no longer suitable for that purpose and  was sufficient indication that I recognise that some works no  longer provide enough suitable roles to show case the school's pupils and graduate year. I  agree that Fille is unsuitable for RBS main stage performances but then I have never thought that it was suitable, There are two reasons for this. First the exceptional virtuoso demands of its demi-character style choreography, even though current company performance practice seems to have considerably reduced this element, replacing it with a sort of all purpose "Ashtonian classical blandness" and secondly the limited number of roles it provides. I would add  that Two Pigeons is no longer suitable because of the lack of roles and the uber- Ashtonian style of the choreography. I know that Les Patineurs was danced by the school not that long ago and that Les Rendezvous was recently staged but the point that I was trying to make was that I think that something by Ashton should be a regular element in the programme rather than an occasional, as, and, when element.

 

I think that Gailene Stock said that the  RBS could  no longer see itself simply as the feeder school for the two Royal Ballet companies and that it had to be a school which provides training which guarantees employability rather than one specialising in the so-called "English style". I have a feeling that at one time during Park's directorship the school's graduate employment rate was somewhere about fifty percent.By the way when I wrote about the school programming something by Tudor I specifically referred to the works he created for students .There is no way I would suggest that the school's students should appear in Lilac Garden, Dark Elegies or any of the other works he created for mature professional dancers although the students who did appear in Lilac Garden the last time the school programmed it were considerably better than the last RB cast who performed it. The RB cast seemed to have been selected on the basis of improbability rather than suitability.

Edited July 11, 2018 by FLOSS

[LinMM]

Am not sure how much to really comment on individual dancers as most are still studying so not sure what the protocol is especially on students younger than 16!! So if I overstep the mark perhaps the Mods can step in!!

First of all I had a terrific seat ( again thanks to a Forum member) Certainly the best have had at the ROH.

It was in row A in the stalls right over on the right hand side near the brass section of the orchestra( a few of which were a bit out of tune in the last number....perhaps the extreme heat? )

But great to be able to see the whole orchestra anyway.

I was told I might not be able to see the feet of the dancers but really only when they came right down to the front of the stage but more than made up for it with lovely close ups of faces and costumes! 

The two people sitting next to me were also the mum and a friend of one of the young dancers who had just heard she had got into the Upper School at RBS from White Lodge so all very exciting.....and what a lovely dancer she is too!! One to keep an eye on definitely.

The first piece Aurora's Wedding was beautifully danced just so professional.....and it was lovely to see Yu Hang and Harrison Lee as Aurora and Prince Florimund. Harrison partnered my friends daughter in Sydney ( who only dances as a hobby now) when they were about 11/12 at one of the big Eisteddfords they have there .....hence the interest from them on how he is progressing ....so can report all is extremely well indeed!! I could say two possible future stars in the making but then there were other dancers who were terrific as well.

The Bluebird variation was danced by Amelia Townsend ( another Australian) and Taisuke Nakao both really good with Nakao having amazing elevation. The Lilac Fairy was beautifully danced by Lore Zonderman and I was also impressed by both Katharina Nikelski ( who also has beautiful classical line) and Yu Kurihara in their fairy variations. One of the most delightful pieces though was the Little Red Riding piece by more junior members of the school ....the little girl had the most expressive eyes and face and the wolf really got into the part they were really  lovely together and both only in year 8 still. 

The next piece Toot was an amusing modern piece which may have benefitted from the close viewing I was lucky enough to have as the facial expressions were perfect for this piece just the right nuance ....I thought they got it just right. A little slightly "off centre" piece but very enjoyable and some excitement from mum to see daughter pulling of her part really well ( some lovely pirouettes from her!) 

 

Sea Interludes followed a rather nice balletic piece in flowing blue "chiffon" mainly danced by First Year upper students it seemed with a particularly nice duet performed by Marianna Tsembenhoi and James Large and again enjoyable and easy on the eye.

 

After the Interval came the Snegurochka piece performed by the much younger students .....they looked so young a bit of a collective "ah" as I'm sure the Holland Park stage doesn't swallow them up quite so much as the ROH but they looked as if they were enjoying it all and pretty confident dancing.. ....I was also rather pleased to see that a boy who I saw at YBSS last year had a bit of a role ....in Year 9 and will call him CL but I think he's one to watch definitely such a delightful presentation he has. I have to say though was not entirely sure exactly what was going on in this piece at times but lovely dancing anyway.

I cannot remember so much about the Pulcinella Suite writing this now but it gave a lot of opportunities to a large number of the middle school to be seen ...lovely for the many parents there! 

 

I really loved the duet Self and Soul ....just stunning I thought ...danced by Rebecca Blenkinsop and Harris Bell and was very moved by these two. Rebecca is going to join English National Ballet so can look out for her there. She is one of those dancers who I think will have great acting ability as she was in the next piece immediately after too and caught the comedy of that brilliantly. 

So we saw the senior Upper School Students again in Multiplicity ....another amusing and surreal piece which I think they caught the mood of exceptionally well. I particularly liked the Crinolin dance... Tsaisuke Nakao( excelling again) and Gearoid Solan and the Claves were all brill ...nice to see another side to Yu Hang but all were good and again impressed by Rebecca who got the comedy so well. But also brilliantly danced was the Chelo piece with Madison Bailey and Simon Regourd .....an incredibly difficult little piece to coordinate and get the right slightly off hand nuance ...they were really good. I did notice it doesn't say where Simon is going next year I hope he gets a contract somewhere if he is wanting to continue dancing. 

Not much to say about the Grand Defile it is always very impressive but as someone else said on here a little too short!! It's always amazing just how many dancers there are at the RBS when you see them all on stage like that But anyway ended a great  afternoon at the ROH. 

I love the RBS show there's always such a lovely atmosphere in the theatre.

Sorry I didn't get to see you Jillikins by the way ....hope you enjoyed it with your ex student.

Also sorry this has got so long!!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2018 by LinMM

[capybara]

6 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Also sorry this has got so long!!

 

Long is nice, LinMM.