This year’s Ballet Icons Gala was the 19th since its inception, and one can only applaud the dedication of Olga Balakleets, Founder and Artistic Director. By bringing many of the world’s most eminent dancers to the London Coliseum, Balakleets is guaranteed an enthusiastic audience, and this year’s was no exception.
The oft-dreaded opening slot held no fear for Marianela Núñez and William Bracewell, who clearly love dancing together and who set the standard for all that followed with their flawless account of the Sleeping Beauty pas de deux. Núñez exemplifies the thoughtful, insightful classical dancer, and Bracewell, with his good looks, strong partnering and technical prowess of his own, mirrored her excellence.
Also representing the Royal Ballet were Reece Clarke, dancing alongside the luminous Chloe Misseldine, from American Ballet Theatre, in the pas de deux from Giselle Act 2, and Mayara Magri and Matthew Ball, who danced Ball’s own To and Fro. This is an intriguing pas de deux of weight and counter-weight, balance and counter-balance, that heralds a bright future for Ball as a choreographer. Both dancers made it shine. Magri also danced the physically demanding Laurencia pas de deux with Georgi Potskhishvili of Dutch National Ballet, and her work in this approached perfection in its purity and dynamic virtuosity. Clarke was a perfect match for the beautiful Misseldine, a ballerina of pure class, with a stunning technique to support her classical lines and natural elegance.
Potskhishvili was back with Dutch National Ballet principal Anna Tsygankova in one of the choreographic highlights of the programme, Thando by Mthuthuzeli November, a UK premiere. November also wrote the dramatic music. The choreographic style has strong echoes of William Forsythe without being derivative.
Icons stalwart Maria Kochetkova danced Once I had a Love with (and by) Sebastian Kloborg, and Rubies with Osiel Gouneo. Kloborg’s choreography is intriguing, often using unexpected parts of his body to drive the ballerina’s directional movement. I could not help feeling that Rubies was a poor choice; Kochetkova and Gouneo are both brimful of charm but the Balanchinian essence of this stylishly quirky pas de deux was absent.
In Toujours, ex-Royal Ballet principal Mara Galeazzi revealed choreographic chops; dancing with the charismatic Jason Kittelberger, her return to London was most welcome. Matthew Golding and Lucia Lacarra, too, are always welcome visitors, and I much enjoyed their presentation of Fordlandia by Juanjo Arques, using many yards of silk and a seascape backdrop to evoke separation and togetherness. This piece was created during Covid, and is a fitting testament to the resilience of love. Lacarra is a joy to watch, with her exquisite legs and feet and expansive ports de bras.
More classical pas de deux were to come: Grand Pas Classique with Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko, Diana and Acteon with António Casalinho and Margarita Fernandes, Black Swan with Victor Caixeta and Madison Young, and Don Quixote with Maia Makhateli and Timothy van Poucke. There were some moments when nerves got the better of Young, and Caixeta seemed on edge too, but apart from this all were immaculately danced, with stagecraft and presence illuminating superb technique. Casalinho’s triple tours were, as always, greeted with gasps: he gets better and better, and I have nothing but praise for Fernandes, who took a tumble but recovered with impressive maturity and serenity. This is one of the most important skills a dancer can develop.
It was delightful to see David Motta Soares in London. In his seven years with the Bolshoi Ballet he established himself as a rising star in a variety of roles, and now dances with Staatsballett Berlin. He is tall and handsome with strong jumps and turns and partnered Iana Salenko with finesse; they gave a pitch-perfect account of José Martinez’ stylish Delibes Suite, with its challenging changes of direction and intricate, delicate phrases of steps.
Another welcome visitor, Marie-Agnes Gillot, who retired from the Paris Opera Ballet in 2018, danced with Travis Clausen-Knight and James Pett in their A Stranding. Their work is always interesting.
And now we come to my personal highlight, Shale Wagman and Inès McIntosh in Le Corsaire. McIntosh, Paris Opera Ballet’s newest principal, showed herself well worthy of the title with her neat precision and charm. Wagman has worked diligently and insightfully on all aspects of his stagecraft and spectacular technique in his time in Munich since leaving English National Ballet; his dancing is now more refined, with a new sleekness and perfect, clean finishes. He is a dancer who is all heart, and when this quality is matched by such elegance you have something special indeed. His move to the Paris Opera Ballet, where I am sure he will receive excellent support from director José Martinez and his artistic team, can only lead to very great things indeed.
Conductor Maria Seletskaja led the English National Ballet Philharmonic with admirable sensitivity to the needs of the dancers.
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