Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Luna: uneven, but with high points

Beatrice Parma in Thaís Suárez' Unwavering

Beatrice Parma and Birmingham Royal Ballet in Iratxe Ansa's Overexposed

Birmingham Royal Ballet in Wubkje Kuindersma's Luna

Birmingham Royal Ballet in Arielle Smith's Empowerment

Beatrice Parma in Thaís Suárez' Unwavering

By Deborah Weiss, 24 October 2024

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“their physical strength, the chemistry and rapport, but mostly because of the emotional investment”

Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 23 October 2024

Luna (Iratxe Ansa, Wubkje Kuindersma, Seeta Patel, Arielle Smith, Thaís Suárez)

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Imaan Ashraff, Costume Designer

Emma Jones, Lighting Designer

Royal Ballet Sinfonia

Hayley Egan, Video

Beatrice Parma, Dancer

Lachlan Monaghan, Dancer

Riku Ito, Dancer

Yu Kurihara, Dancer

Marianna Hovanisyan, Soprano

Themba Mvula, Bass

Dutch National's Junior Company sets ballet to new rhythms

Mark Vicente, 23rd January

The Dutch National's Junior company dazzled in three new works and a Balanchine classic, showcasing the stars of tomorrow.

****1

Candy-crazed: ENB’s sweet-toothed Nutcracker returns

Mark Pullinger, 11th December

Returning for its first anniversary, Arielle Smith and Aaron S Watkin’s Nutcracker for English National Ballet remains a feast for hungry eyes, despite its flaws.

***11

The Royal Ballet School: a triumphant display of excellence throughout

Jonathan Gray, 12th July

It was a wonderful, heartening afternoon – it’s no wonder nearly all the 2025 graduates have gained contracts with several major ballet companies.

*****

Royal Ballet School, Next Generation: championing young choreographers

Amanda Jennings, 24th June

Overall, The Royal Ballet School delivers much to admire, but reminiscent of a multiple-course banquet that still leaves you reaching for the cheese and biscuits when you get home.

***11

ENB's new Nutcracker more than satiates an acute sugar craving

Graham Watts, 12th December

A long-awaited new production of ENB's perennial seasonal classic is a visual feast.

****1

Drawing from tradition but not in thrall to it: London City Ballet

Carla Escoda, 17th September

While most in the audience at New York's Joyce Theater might not have known the original London City Ballet, their affection was palpable at the close of this program.

****1

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Deborah Weiss

Deb joined Bachtrack in 2022 and commissions reviews and writing on ballet and dance. She was Royal Ballet School-trained and is a former principal dancer for companies including London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet) and Bayerisches Staatsballett. She has been writing for more than 30 years – publications have included Dancing Times, DanceTabs, Dance for You and Dance Europe. She also interviews for Voices of British Ballet, an oral archive of people who have worked in the industry in the UK. In addition to her writing, since 2016 she has been facilitating programmes that support victims of domestic abuse. Deb is passionate about her rescue dog, Bruce, and daughters (not in that order), swims a mile at least five days a week and is an avid reader.