Northern Ballet celebrates narrative even within the abstract

Dancers of Northern Ballet in Benjamin Ella's Joie de Vivre

Northern Ballet dancers in Hans van Manen's Adagio Hammerklavier

Dominique Larose and Joseph Taylor with Northern Ballet in Hans van Manen's Adagio Hammerklavier

Harris Beattie in Tiler Peck's Intimate Pages

Aerys Merrill in Tiler Peck's Intimate Pages

By Deborah Weiss, 01 November 2023

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“beautifully crafted with an obvious command of intricate and aesthetic choreographic vocabulary”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House: Linbury Theatre, London on 31 October 2023

Joie de Vivre (Benjamin Ella)

Adagio Hammerklavier (Hans van Manen)

Intimate Pages (Tiler Peck)

Northern Ballet

Federico Bonelli, Director

Dominique Larose, Dancer

Sarah Chun, Dancer

Harris Beattie, Dancer

Jun Ishii, Dancer

Saeka Shirai, Dancer

Jonathan Hanks, Dancer

Amber Lewis, Dancer

Alessandra Bramante, Dancer

Jackson Dwyer, Dancer

Aerys Merrill, Dancer

Heather Lehan, Dancer

Colin Scott, Piano

Ewan Gilford, Piano

Geoffrey Allan, Violin

Joseph Taylor, Dancer

Dutch National Ballet brings much needed heat to this winter season

Mark Vicente, 10th February

The Dutch National Ballet helped shake off those winter blues with a mixed programme that highlighted ballet’s love affair with Latin rhythms and movement.

****1

NBJ's Ballet Coffret is a feast of modern classics

Naomi Mori, 5th February

National Ballet of Japan's Ballet Coffret showcased the versatility of the company with modern classical works including Dawson's A Million Kisses to my Skin, van Manen's 5 Tangos and Balanchine's Theme and Variations.

****1

Ballet superstars in Frankfurt for a night to savour

Vikki Jane Vile, 30th November

For one night only, audiences in Frankfurt were treated to some world class ballet on the expansive stage of the Jahrhunderthalle.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's Program B is the A+ Program in New York

Ivy Lin, 21st November

Dutch National Ballet's second mixed bill at New York City Center ticked all the right boxes, showcasing the depth of talent across the whole company.

*****

Dutch National Ballet's opener in New York: meandering and unfocused

Ivy Lin, 20th November

Dutch National Ballet returning to New York after more than 40 years should have been thrilling. The opening program, whilst beautifully danced, was somewhat muted.

***11

Czech National Ballet: vibrant programming in Sarcasms

Graham Watts, 24th April

Czech National Ballet present an outstanding programme of intriguing new dance, enveloping a late twentieth century gem.

****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.