Spring Draft Works (Linbury Theatre)

[zxDaveM]

Always remembering that these pieces are 'drafts' where some are more wholly formed than others, some just a starter section of something bigger (if that opportunity presents itself), these events can often be a bit hit and miss. The Winter Drafts succumbed to covid sadly, though I couldn't say if that subsequently helped or hindered these short works, and the short duration of the evening (an hour with no interval) perhaps hints at the time constraints, and casting problems, the budding choregraphers faced. Created by grabbing a few willing colleagues to give form to ideas the choreographers have had, in their spare time for all concerned, is frankly an achievement getting anything on stage at all. That the majority of them were terrific, is testimony to the dedication of all concerned.

My highlights included the following:

Kristen McNally's new work (no title) with her dancing with Luca Acri. To Chora Coracao by Walter Wanderley (recorded piece), balloon folding will never be the same again. And whilst waiting to play a bit of Chopin (Nocturne No 20) for the second half of the piece, Kate Shipway reading the Racing Post and having a fag, was a nice touch 🙂

Joseph Toonga created a solo for Sarah Lamb which I enjoyed - a sort of mashup of very classical ballet steps intermingled with more contemporary 'twitches'

'Southern Most Point' by Ashley Dean was one of the more complete pieces of the evening, to music by Robert Koch and Savannak Jo Jack, it reflected her sad, frustrating times with covid lockdowns, being apart from family, and holding on to family times in her homeland, the southern most point of South Africa. Poignant and moving, Ashley and her dancers (Luca Acri, Madison Bailey, Mica Bradbury, Leo Dixon, Benjamin Ella, Nadia Mullova-Barley), flowed and interracted (hints of Crystal Pite, which Ashley has been dancing recently - maybe) with purpose and feeling - "dancing through the waves of life". Probably my favourite of the evening.

Alexander Campbell directed an un-named piece choreographed (and danced) by Kristen McNally, featuring a duet with Joe Powell-Main (a wheelchair dancer we have seen recently with Ballet Cymru). It's a stirring and beautifully emotive piece.

The final piece 'That's Someone You'll Never forget' (to Elvis Presley) had some stirring, strong male duets and group work choregraphed by Joshua Junker. Though it did cross my mind how it would have looked with male/female partnerships... I'm obviously an old fashioned fuddy-duddy

 

Although the evening only an hour, I certainly didn't feel shortchanged, as it was quality rather than quantity throughout, especially considering the trying times we have been through recently, and to some extent, still going through (several dancers were replaced from the original casting, for example). Hats off to all concerned

 

more details here:  https://static.roh.org.uk/digital/cast-sheets/Spring-Draft-Works/5.4.22+Spring+draft+works.pdf