Ek and Ekman's subversive double bill is enjoyable madness

Staatsballett Berlin in Alexander Ekman's Cacti

Staatsballett Berlin in Mats Ek's A Sort Of...

Staatsballett Berlin in Alexander Ekman's Cacti

Staatsballett Berlin in Mats Ek's A Sort Of...

Marina Duarte and Archille De Groeve, Staatsballett Berlin in Alexander Ekman's Cacti

By Vikki Jane Vile, 24 February 2023

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“parodying what art should be, it sounds high brow but it’s not”

Reviewed at Deutsche Oper, Berlin on 21 February 2023

A Sort of... (Mats Ek)

Cacti (Alexander Ekman)

Staatsballett Berlin

Maria Geber, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Ellen Ruge, Lighting Designer

Alexander Ekman, Lighting Designer

Soloists of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

Arshak Ghalumyan, Dancer

Vivian Assal Koohnavard, Dancer

Clotilde Tran, Dancer

Johnny McMillan, Dancer

Marina Duarte, Dancer

Archille De Groeve, Dancer

Norwegian National Ballet's Dialogues II: brief but brilliant

Graham Watts, 3rd April

A brief but excellent programme of five duets showcased on the main stage of the Den Norske Opera.

***11

Mats Ek's She was black + A Sort Of ...: thrillingly captivating

Maggie Foyer, 6th June

Norwegian National Ballet's highly entertaining double bill of two of Mats Ek's most popular works is enthralling.

*****

Royal Swedish Ballet's Julia and Romeo: surreal and modern

Graham Watts, 21st April

Ek’s vision of the romantic tragedy is seen through a distorted lens, sometimes fascinating, sometimes bemusing.

***11

A new Mats Ek Rite of Spring a leaving gift for ENB's Tamara Rojo

Graham Watts, 9th November

Ek's second, very different take on Stravinsky's Rite crowns an English National Ballet triple bill extolling the pure joy of dance and exposing the terror of forced marriage.

****1

Zucchetti premiere and Beauty top and tail the RB's mixed programme

Graham Watts, 26th June

Marianela Núñez possesses a shimmering, celestial radiance and Vadim Muntagirov is a Prince in his prime.

****1

Juliet and Romeo succeeds in Washington

Hilary Stroh, 1st June

Mat Eks kicks his dancers loose from the stable: a fresh take on Shakespeare's most celebrated romance.

****1

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Vikki Jane Vile

Vikki Jane Vile has been reviewing dance for over ten years, specialising in Ballroom and Ballet. In 2018, she became a member of the Critics' Circle for Dance. Vikki writes for BroadwayWorld and previously Dancing Times, LondonDance.com and CultureWhisper. She also prides herself on being a Strictly Come Dancing connoisseur since its inception and has appeared on BBC radio and several podcasts as an expert on all things Strictly. Having lived in London for ten years, she is now based in Germany and adapting to the Berlin dance scene.