A unique Swan Lake

By Shelley Pinto-Duschinsky, 14 October 2015

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“There is something unique happening in the Birmingham Royal Ballet under its director, David Bintley”

Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 13 October 2015

Swan Lake (Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Sir Peter Wright, Galina Samsova)

Birmingham Royal Ballet

David Bintley, Director

Katrina Lindsay, Costume Designer

Royal Ballet Sinfonia

Céline Gittens, Dancer

Tyrone Singleton, Dancer

Jonathan Payn, Dancer

William Bracewell, Dancer

Yvette Knight, Dancer

Yijing Zhang, Dancer

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a feast of excellent dancing

Naomi Mori, 25th April

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a gem in the repertoire, despite shortcomings in the plot. Lavish production designs, stunning classical choreography and excellent dancers makes this a ballet lover's heaven.

*****

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

José Martínez unveils his latest Don Quichotte in Palermo

Vito Lentini, 29th March

José Martínez has envisioned a Don Quichotte that recalls the original 19th century choreography while also acknowledging some of the notable 20th century versions and it's splendid looking.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's reimagined La Bayadère triumphs

Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

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Shelley Pinto-Duschinsky

Shelley studied ballet from childhood and later developed her technique in contemporary dance, having studied with a Hanya Holm protege and with Jose Limon .Shelley also studied choreography with Bessie Schonberg. Her blog, 50yearsindance recalls famous teachers and performances in many forms of dance.

A successful Swan Lake and a unique Odette by the Birmingham Royal Ballet