The significant involvement of William Forsythe with English National Ballet began under the tenure of the company’s previous director, Tamara Rojo, but the appointment of Aaron S. Watkin as her successor has significantly enhanced that relationship. Watkin’s collaboration with Forsythe goes back to the early days of his career as a dancer. He became a Principal with Forsythe’s company, Ballett Frankfurt and he has staged Forsythe’s works all over the world. This closest of associations paid a dividend at this opening night when ENB performed Forsythe as if it were Ballett Frankfurt.
The evening began with a reworking (subtitled the London Edition 2025) of Rearray, which was originally created, in 2011, for Sylvie Guillem and Nicolas Le Riche (it also premiered at Sadler’s Wells). Forsythe turned it into a trio at the Paris Opera Ballet and this new London edition keeps that format although the specific movement has been reshaped in collaboration with the ENB dancers.
I try to avoid hyperbole but there aren’t sufficient words to describe the awesome performance of Sangeun Lee. One could only watch in mesmerised reverence at the slinky smoothness of her movement, the tightness of her spins and – perhaps above all – the serpentine flexibility and elegance of her arms and wrists. Dancers generally eschew any idea of perfection in their performance, but this was as perfect as it could be. I’m no longer going to think of Rearray as a vehicle for Guillem but as a unique platform for Lee’s flawless artistry. She was more than ably supported in this 21-minute trio by Henry Dowden and Rentaro Nakaaki.
Herman Schmerman is an even deeper dive back into Forsythe’s repertoire, made in 1992 for New York City Ballet. Performed by five dancers – three women and two men – it is a dynamic showcase of classical ballet extended out to emphasise the spherical space (the kinesphere) around the dancers’ bodies with fast, prolific arm and leg extensions. The dancers went full-throttle in their relentless attack, with the two men – Aitor Arrieta and Francesco Gabriele Frola (almost unrecognisable with a new crew cut and beard) mimicking a kind of ballet tag team, each taking turns to share the burden. Ivana Bueno and Alice Bellini stamped their personalities on a dance that means nothing other than to represent the fun of dancing. Swanice Luong is another dancer (like Lee) who has followed Watkin from his former company, Semperoper Ballett Dresden, and as such it was hardly surprising that she also fitted the movement dynamic like a glove.
Back in New York, this quintet was danced wearing leotards that had been created by Versace for Ballett Frankfurt’s production of George Balanchine’s Agon. The subsequent duet added by Forsythe was danced in a transparent mesh top for the woman and short yellow skirts for both dancers (or, alternatively, tight black shorts). I’m not sure when the orangey-red costumes worn here (halter-neck leotards for the women, sleeveless tops and knee-length breeches for the men) were added but they did the dancers no favours.
The programme ended with Playlist (EP), which Forsythe created on ENB, initially in 2018 and expanded for Boston Ballet, a year later. ENB first performed this complete version in 2022, and it is a gift that keeps on giving. Many choreographers have attempted to make classical ballet on pop music but – in my experience – none have managed the fusion as successfully as Forsythe’s achievement in Playlist (EP). Neither is there any better example of classical ballet that is both as fast paced and as joyful as this work. The ENB dancers (and most of the company participates in this piece) clearly enjoy performing it: their absolute enthusiasm is palpable. Forsythe designed the costumes, and the men wear their names on the back of their shirts, like members of a sports team and their movement is appropriately as dynamic and athletic as can be.
I loved the original Playlist (Tracks 1,2) and now it is expanded to six numbers. Rhys Antoni Yeomans and Shiori Kase shone in the ensemble dance to Barry White’s Sha La La Means I Love You; Khalid’s Location has provided a stunning pas de deux for Lee and her partner, Gareth Haw; and the evening ended on a sentimental note with another duet, danced by Precious Adams and Junor Souza, to the sound of Natalie Cole singing This Will Be (An Everlasting Love). Understandably, the audience loved it!
Forsythe and ENB have done much in recent years to strengthen the bond between ballet and a younger audience dynamic and I suspect that the association between the company and the choreographer will continue to go from strength to strength. That has to be welcomed.
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