Sunday, November 7

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Ballet Des Moines has a new artistic director.

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Tom Mattingly is coming to the ballet from Madison, Wisconsin, where he was ballet master for the Madison Ballet.

 

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A review of the Royal Ballet by Jann Parry for DanceTabs.

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In this version of Wright’s production, Albrecht intervenes in Giselle’s distress, appalled at what he has done, rather than standing by helplessly. His treachery has been exposed by resentful Hilarion, who has to witness the consequences of his action. Lukas Bjorneboe Braendsrød’s Hilarion, tall and handsome, had rightly considered himself an accepted suitor for Giselle. His death, inflicted by the implacable Wilis, seems even more unjust than usual; like Giselle, he is a victim of Albrecht’s philandering. The corps of Wilis, back on stage en masse after their long (Covid) absence, are already well drilled, with many more performances to come to perfect their unity.
 

 

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A review of Ballet Black by Graham Watts for Bachtrack.

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I have been writing about Ballet Black for many years and, as the company enters its 19th season (although, thanks to the pandemic, this coincides with the 20th anniversary of its formation) it is a matter of sadness that the original vision of its founder, the irrepressible Cassa Pancho MBE, to change the visible landscape of classical ballet is still as necessary as ever. It is true that the diversity of the UK’s ballet companies has improved with several Black and Asian dancers now prominent (not least the former Ballet Black dancer, Sarah Kundi, at English National Ballet) but the numbers are still marginal. The Black dancers at any of our ballet companies can still be counted on the fingers of one hand. 

Sanjoy Roy's review in The Guardian.

 

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Mthuthuzeli November’s The Waiting Game follows a more familiar dance-drama approach. Its three scenes hinge, somewhat precariously, on the image of a movable door. November starts crouched and cowed, tormented by voices in his head reciting his wake-work-eat-sleep routine while otherworldly pierrot-like figures emerge through the doorway, like sinister unseen forces. In the second scene, Sayaka Ichikawa comes through, coaxing him out of his ennui with impish games of pluck and peck. Finally, he makes it through the door, and finds himself in a land of showtime, glitter-coated with backing dancers, boogieing to Etta James. As dance, it’s a fun finish; as drama, quite a long shot.