Jamiel Devernay-Laurence’s Ballet Nights returned to London’s Cadogan Hall with a roster of interesting performances including a couple of rare appearances that made the evening somewhat special. Devernay-Laurence is the first to admit that presenting one-off shows is a challenging task and although it returns in June, it will be with new offerings.
Ballet Nights might be seen as the younger sibling to ballet galas but it has many notable differences. The standard gala tends to present international stars in a series of well-known party pieces. Ballet Nights is frequently a platform for new faces and voices, composers and choreographers, companies and stars that haven’t been to the UK before. Its formula will undoubtedly have a handful of dissenters but the Hall was sold out and both acts received spontaneous standing ovations. It’s working well for most of us!
In keeping with BN’s tradition, Viktor Erik Emanuel opened each half with a piano recital. The first was Liszt’s Grandes Études de Paganini, S141 no. 6 in A minor, a difficult opener that was overshadowed by Antonio Bazzini’s Dance of the Goblins after the interval in which he was joined by the vivacious Michael Bochmann on the violin.
It was ENB Lead Principal Shiori Kase who kicked off the dancing with the solo from the Black Swan pas de deux. She is a lovely dancer who turns impeccably well and didn’t put a foot wrong, but opening with a solo, taken out of context, was a bit like watching a school assessment – marks out of ten. Echo Echo by Scottish Ballet dancer and up and coming choreographer Madeline Squire was pleasing on all fronts. Kayla-Maree Tarantolo and Harvey Evans danced the duet with the kind of ease that makes the viewer relax and enjoy.
Former Royal Ballet Principal Mara Galeazzi, currently acting as well dancing, performed Safe From Sleep (3rd movement) by Marco Pelle. While it was good to see her back on stage, I don’t think the piece did her justice. Arvo Pärt’s music did not help, soporific in the extreme, it made little lasting impression. Richard Alston’s revised version of his 1990 Roughcut gave Rambert students their moment of glory. A series of ensemble numbers (18 dancers), solos, duets et al were delivered with professionalism and verve. Really polished work must have made original cast member, now Artistic Director of Rambert School Amanda Britton, extremely proud.
The first half closed with a gem. ABC choreographed by Eric Gauthier and performed by Brazilian born dancer Victor Caixeta was a witty, supremely well-executed, clever depiction of an A-Z in the language of dance. Lots of laugh-out-loud moments balanced with plenty of jaw-dropping virtuosity. We’d like to see more of Gauthier and Caixeta in the UK, please.
The second half included the UK debut of BalletX now in its 20th year. Artistic Director Christine Cox chose to bring excerpts from Big Ones by Trey McIntyre to music by Amy Winehouse. Francesca Forcella and Jared Kelly tackled some difficult choreography with assurance and boldness. I wasn’t quite sure what the long-eared caps represented but the piece was eminently watchable and one wonders if a visit for the whole of BalletX is on the cards. James Wilton Dance Company were back with BNs dancing Wilton’s Bach Re-imagined. With partner Sarah Jane Taylor and cellist/composer Raphael Weinroth Browne on stage too, the dare-devil lifts, the implicit trust in each other, made very absorbing viewing. Weinroth Browne’s compelling performance was only marginally upstaged by his own, very long, beautifully silken mane of hair which had choreography all of its own.
There were two other extremely memorable pieces. The Royal Ballet’s Matthew Ball and Mayara Magri performed in Ball’s (Re)current. To music by Sibelius, this was a fitting climax to the evening. With watery undertones, currents and waves of arm movements, this was a duet that spoke volumes. Of course it helps that they are wonderful dancers, they have an extraordinary connection and they are so committed to their art form that it’s impossible not to engage. But they took it to another, exalted level. Stunning lifts (one in particular that provoked a ‘how did they do that?’ response) and a lyricism that curled around every movement like smoke: it was pure bliss.
Earlier in the second half was the duo BlacBrik, who I have not seen live before. Comprising Nahum McLean and Darius Drooh they performed excerpts from their Death of the Bachelors. You don’t even need an explanation. They have what I call liquid limbs. I watched them melt like candle wax, gently swaying hips, flying through the air with a powerful but mellifluous quality, bendy, rippling, slick, genuinely spellbinding. I want to see more. An unforgettable performance.
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