Rob S Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 On 27/03/2022 at 13:52, Lizbie1 said: The Weathering: thought this was OK-ish but definitely too long. I liked that we saw some junior dancers featured - Liam Boswell stood out for me. I was sufficiently pleased that they weren't in greige underwear to overlook O'Sullivan's slightly odd outfit. Anna Rose’s outfit was the highlight, along with some of the chaps’ moves that I may try out when I put the bins out. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 My camera’s focusing doesn’t like contemporary! 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Seeing these photos made me wonder (since I didn't buy a programme) if this was the first time the designer, Karen Young, had designed for dancers, in which case a degree of tolerance might (or might not) be appropriate. But I now see from her website that her (evidently quite extensive) work for dance involves 'creating moving clothes for moving bodies, and exploring how costume can help reveal meaning in dance'. Perhaps the first clause explains why none of the men's tops seem to actually fit (since presumably they're supposed to move; wonder if they can do fouettés?). And if these costumes are supposed to reveal the meaning of the work, they failed dismally at least in my case. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Dancer Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 1 hour ago, bridiem said: Seeing these photos made me wonder (since I didn't buy a programme) if this was the first time the designer, Karen Young, had designed for dancers, in which case a degree of tolerance might (or might not) be appropriate. But I now see from her website that her (evidently quite extensive) work for dance involves 'creating moving clothes for moving bodies, and exploring how costume can help reveal meaning in dance'. Perhaps the first clause explains why none of the men's tops seem to actually fit (since presumably they're supposed to move; wonder if they can do fouettés?). And if these costumes are supposed to reveal the meaning of the work, they failed dismally at least in my case. Yes quite. Also I hate it when they have everyone wearing the same colour. It's so much harder to know who is who. Also not sure that shade of magnolia does any of them any favours. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Lovely to see Liam Boswell get a prominent role - I first saw him in 2019 when the RBS performed Liam Scarlett's The Cunning Little Vixen and he stood out for me then. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LACAD Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 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. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 13 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted March 29, 2022 Share Posted March 29, 2022 16 hours ago, Rob S said: Anna Rose’s outfit was the highlight, along with some of the chaps’ moves that I may try out when I put the bins out. Please make sure someone videos you when you do, Rob, and places it on here. 🙂 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted March 29, 2022 Share Posted March 29, 2022 Good to see the dancers and their costumes clearly, but the lights are always turned up for the curtain calls when the ballet has finished! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 On the topic of choreography, I have just received an email saying that Joseph Toonga is the new Emerging Choreographer at the ROH. As his mentor is Wayne McGregor, I think I can guess what sort of choreographer he is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 22 minutes ago, Fonty said: On the topic of choreography, I have just received an email saying that Joseph Toonga is the new Emerging Choreographer at the ROH. As his mentor is Wayne McGregor, I think I can guess what sort of choreographer he is! I think was announced last year? https://www.roh.org.uk/news/the-royal-ballet-announces-company-joiners-for-the-202122-season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 6 minutes ago, oncnp said: I think was announced last year? https://www.roh.org.uk/news/the-royal-ballet-announces-company-joiners-for-the-202122-season The email I received was about two evenings (7th and 8th April) focusing on Toonga and his work, including a performance of an earlier piece by his own company and a conversation with his mentor Wayne McGregor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 I just wonder how he was chosen, And why. Wouldn't it have been great if the emerging choreographer was actually producing classical ballet....... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Fonty said: I just wonder how he was chosen, And why. Wouldn't it have been great if the emerging choreographer was actually producing classical ballet....... Absolutely - someone specialising in HipHop doesn't seem the obvious choice for a classic ballet company. Edited March 30, 2022 by MJW addition 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 3 hours ago, Fonty said: On the topic of choreography, I have just received an email saying that Joseph Toonga is the new Emerging Choreographer at the ROH. As his mentor is Wayne McGregor, I think I can guess what sort of choreographer he is! I doubt it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 2 hours ago, MJW said: Absolutely - someone specialising in HipHop doesn't seem the obvious choice for a classic ballet company. Exactly. Sounds like a waste of money to me at a time the ROH is pleading poverty. Would be great if the money could have been spent on reviving ballets by great choreographers such as De Valois, Massine, Ashton and Macmillan which are in danger of never being performed again. Surely with Macgregor and Wheeldon as well as other one-off modern commissions we have enough modern dance for a classical ballet company? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 I think it was noted on here at the time of Toonga's appointment that he was older than might be expected for someone in an Emerging Choreographer role and also more experienced. But a range of factors obviously come into play when selections are made. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 30, 2022 Share Posted March 30, 2022 Not to mention that he wasn't working in anything approaching a classical ballet idiom ... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clara_f Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 6 hours ago, Fonty said: On the topic of choreography, I have just received an email saying that Joseph Toonga is the new Emerging Choreographer at the ROH. As his mentor is Wayne McGregor, I think I can guess what sort of choreographer he is! Fonty, do you have any intel of what sort of choreographer he is? I don't understand your comment - do explain your thoughts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 6 hours ago, Clara_f said: Fonty, do you have any intel of what sort of choreographer he is? I don't understand your comment - do explain your thoughts. Here’s the page advertising a performance at The Lowry. There is a trailer at the bottom of his bio… https://thelowry.com/whats-on/joseph-toonga-born-to-manifest/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 I've been enjoying catching up on reviews of the modern triple bill in the Links section. A great diversity of opinion which is very interesting to read. Thanks, Links. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said: Here’s the page advertising a performance at The Lowry. There is a trailer at the bottom of his bio… https://thelowry.com/whats-on/joseph-toonga-born-to-manifest/ It's interesting that the ROH/RB seems to feel that it needs to encourage/promote/host all forms of dance, not just ballet. I don't see the Royal Opera involved in any kind of music other than opera. Not sure I understand this. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 14 minutes ago, bridiem said: It's interesting that the ROH/RB seems to feel that it needs to encourage/promote/host all forms of dance, not just ballet. I don't see the Royal Opera involved in any kind of music other than opera. Not sure I understand this. The RB in particular is driven by diversity and inclusivity imperatives. Those are laudable aims but the question arises as to whether the company’s vision, and indeed the art form itself, should change in consequence. Perhaps this is a debate for another thread. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 8 hours ago, Clara_f said: Fonty, do you have any intel of what sort of choreographer he is? I don't understand your comment - do explain your thoughts. I simply meant that reading the background information, and with Wayne McGregor as his mentor, I think it is a fair bet that he won't be producing classical ballet. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 I'd be interested to know whether McGregor has been mentoring, say, Valentino Zucchetti. I'd have thought the work of a mentor would be to encourage the choreographer in whatever style he's producing. Or am I being over-optimistic? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 1 hour ago, bridiem said: It's interesting that the ROH/RB seems to feel that it needs to encourage/promote/host all forms of dance, not just ballet. I don't see the Royal Opera involved in any kind of music other than opera. Not sure I understand this. i've googled the definition of 'ballet' and there are many ranging from the narrow: "an artistic dance form performed to music, using precise and highly formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet, which originated in Renaissance Italy and established its present form during the 19th century, is characterized by light, graceful movements and the use of pointe shoes with reinforced toes." to the broader: "With no definite story line, its purpose is to use movement to express the music and to illuminate human emotion and endeavor. Today, ballet is multi-faceted. Classical forms, traditional stories and contemporary choreographic innovations intertwine to produce the character of modern ballet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 7 minutes ago, PeterS said: i've googled the definition of 'ballet' and there are many ranging from the narrow: "an artistic dance form performed to music, using precise and highly formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet, which originated in Renaissance Italy and established its present form during the 19th century, is characterized by light, graceful movements and the use of pointe shoes with reinforced toes." to the broader: "With no definite story line, its purpose is to use movement to express the music and to illuminate human emotion and endeavor. Today, ballet is multi-faceted. Classical forms, traditional stories and contemporary choreographic innovations intertwine to produce the character of modern ballet. I'd say that the products of the latter definition have to be based on the former definition for it to be ballet. (i.e. the two definitions aren't mutually exclusive.) But - as capybara said, this is really a discussion for another thread, so sorry for starting the diversion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 Yes, it would be nice to get back to the original subject of the thread: I presume some people have been to see it beyond the first night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) 32 minutes ago, bridiem said: I'd say that the products of the latter definition have to be based on the former definition for it to be ballet. (i.e. the two definitions aren't mutually exclusive.) But - as capybara said, this is really a discussion for another thread, so sorry for starting the diversion. no apology necessary. it's an interesting to me because i realised that there are quite possibly as many definitions of ballet as there are members on this forum. personally, i've never really stopped to think about what the definition of 'ballet' may be, simply accepting that everything staged at Covent Garden comes under the umbrella of ballet. so, thank you Edited March 31, 2022 by PeterS clarification 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 17 minutes ago, alison said: Yes, it would be nice to get back to the original subject of the thread: I presume some people have been to see it beyond the first night? I'd still like to know what a man over near the orchestra pit area of the Stalls Circle shouted just before the start of DGV 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 1 hour ago, Rob S said: I'd still like to know what a man over near the orchestra pit area of the Stalls Circle shouted just before the start of DGV me too! perhaps someone woke him up... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art_enthusiast Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 Does anyone know if Natalia Osipova will be back for one of the performances? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 5 hours ago, alison said: Yes, it would be nice to get back to the original subject of the thread: I presume some people have been to see it beyond the first night? I think any triple bill of contemporary works is going to provoke a discussion about contemporary choreography and choreographers. However, it is an interesting topic for a separate thread, I think? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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