Merce Cunningham Trust: Night of 100 Solos

By Graham Watts, 18 April 2019

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“a universal clarity of Cunningham technique and flow aligned with power, balance and stamina”

Reviewed at Barbican Theatre, London on 16 April 2019

Various Excerpts (Merce Cunningham)

Daniel Squire, Director, Dancer

Richard Hamilton, Video

Francesca Hayward, Dancer

Estela Merlos, Dancer

Jonathan Goddard, Dancer

Joseph Sissens, Dancer

Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Dancer

Sophie Martin, Dancer

Michael Nunn, Dancer

William Trevitt, Dancer

Asha Thomas, Dancer

Catherine Legrand, Director

Drama/no drama from New York Theatre Ballet at Judson Church

Carla Escoda, 10th April

Anthony Tudor and Merce Cunningham provided the lighter fare in a mixed bill that featured two world premieres from Kevin Iega Jeff, a veteran of the Chicago dance scene, and Julian Donahue, a newer voice.

****1

Liam Francis Dance Company in Alchemy: an absorbing London debut

Daniel Pratt, 7th November

Liam Francis Dance Company at The Place brings an instinctive and intelligent debut for a choreographer in-step with what it is to be a dance artist now.

*****

NYCB's winter season begins with Peck's brand new “sneaker ballet”

Ivy Lin, 27th January

The NYCB dancers are very at-home in this idiom, and they threw themselves wholeheartedly into this ballet. It was never less than watchable, but the music cried out for more avante-garde choreography than Peck provided.

****1

‘The Future Bursts in’ with Dance Umbrella

Sarah Kirkup, 24th October

Amala Dianor and CNN Ballet de Lorraine channel the US choreographer in two UK premieres and a Cunningham classic, all brilliantly performed.

****1

The Royal Ballet keeps the Cunningham flame aglow

Graham Watts, 11th October

A brief but innovative tribute to the lasting influence of Merce Cunningham in the Linbury Theatre

****1

NYCB does Cunningham ... and Balanchine

Ivy Lin, 5th October

Judging by the enthusiastic audience reactions to this program one might have to rethink the modern/ballet divide. Maybe there’s only two types of dance – good dance and bad dance.

****1

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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.

Merce Cunningham Trust: Night of 100 Solos at the Barbican's centennial event