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

Emily Suzuki and Fernando Carratalá Coloma in Mats Ek's The Rite of Spring

Erina Takahashi, James Streeter and Emily Suzuki in Mats Ek's The Rite of Spring

Katja Khaniukova and Henry Dowden in Stina Quagebeur's Take Five Blues

Eric Woolhouse in William Forsyth's Blake Works I

By Graham Watts, 13 November 2022

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“as different to the Bausch and MacMillan creations as is chalk from two types of cheese”

Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 9 November 2022

Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) (Mats Ek)

Blake Works I (William Forsythe)

Take Five Blues (Stina Quagebeur)

English National Ballet

William Forsythe, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Dorothée Merg, Costume Designer

Tanja Rühl, Lighting Designer

Stina Quagebeur, Costume Designer

David Richardson, Lighting Designer

Marie-Louise Ekman, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Linus Fellbom, Lighting Designer

Katja Khaniukova, Dancer

Erina Takahashi, Dancer

James Streeter, Dancer

Emily Suzuki, Dancer

Fernando Carratalá Coloma, 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

Ek and Ekman's subversive double bill is enjoyable madness

Vikki Jane Vile, 21st February

The latest double bill from Staatsballett Berlin features witty, high energy and thought provoking works by Mats Ek and Alexander Ekman, though the audience may not fathom their meaning.

***11

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

More reviews...

Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.

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