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At last night’s (18/3) performance of the Enduring Images mixed bill at the ROH, it was obvious that it had not sold particularly well. The corporate crowd were notably absent. The position of the price breaks in the auditorium was very obvious just before the beginning – there were clusters of people in the cheaper seats at the sides and back of the amphi with empty seats in front of them (which they moved into at curtain up). It was quite a lively audience all the same, who responded positively to a scorching version of In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated with Bussell in cracking form. Yanowsky looked like some angry avenging goddess.

That was probably the high point of the evening. In the Middle is danced in semi-darkness: it was a shame to follow this up with a series of equally dark works, rather than offering more contrasts. Putting another Forsythe work (The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude) on the same bill as In the Middle didn’t work too well – in a different context Vertiginous could have offered a sharp and salty contrast to a more dreamy or reflective piece. Here it just didn’t look to be in the same class as In the Middle.

Most of the works on the programme are not new to the Royal. In the Middle was first acquired back in 1992, and both Vertiginous and Remanso formed part of the first mixed bill at the reopened house back in 1999 (that didn’t sell particularly well either). The printed programme states that this time the whole of Remanso, instead of an excerpt is given: but the work show appears identical to its earlier counterpart with the same running time.

Remanso didn’t look to be a major work then, and even some fine dancers did not persuade me otherwise. It was a pleasure to see Bolle, Cope and Edward Watson having the stage to themselves to show off their moves, and Watson in particular finds depths and nuances in the simplest things. Although it’s quite a fun joke – various possibilities with three men, a wall and a plastic rose, it ultimately wears a bit thin. It’s hard to imagine getting more out of repeated viewings.

The big new acquisition is Duarto’s Por Vos Muero – a group work, no point shoes, very reminiscent of Kylian in its slow lines of people walking slowly into darkness. It was set to Spanish 15th and 16th century music. Rather unflattering costumes for the women. The episodic nature, with little vignettes set to different songs, was rather like the way Christopher Bruce can structure a work, but somehow it lacked the warmth and humanity he usually has. This was pleasant, not exactly ground breaking, generally pretty to look at, but not stunning. There didn’t seem any particular level of technical difficulty in it which really called for the combined talents of Rojo, Nunez, Yanowsky, Cope, Kobborg et al.

Stretton has indicated that this is very much the direction in which he wants to take the Royal, and that Duarto is exactly the type of choreographer he wants to introduce. These include Forsythe, Duarto, Ek, and in the future Mark Morris. These choreographers aren’t exactly unknown in the UK, and not all are new to the RB. Rather than address head on the issue of whether this is indeed where the Royal should be headed, I thought it was useful to consider the consequences, and to think about this in the context of other companies and audiences in the UK

The Royal will take on its first work by Mats Ek in April – Carmen, in which Guillem is scheduled to appear. But it’s not as if Ek is unknown in Britain. Rambert had one of his works in their repertory last year, and there is another this year (She was Black) on view at Sadlers in May. Mats Ek’s own Cullberg Ballet have been at the Edinburgh Festival, and also in London last year with their production of a radically revised Swan Lake. Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt have visited London twice in recent years, and George Piper have extensively toured Forsythe’s Steptext. NBT toured Duarto’s Jardi Tancat a year or two ago. NDT are regulars in Edinburgh and in London with modern works in the Kylian mould.

There are two key observations I would make about the audiences for these kind of works: first that they are probably not large enough to fill the 2200 seats of the Royal Opera House: and secondly that they are accustomed to much lower seat prices than the ROH charges.

The Cullberg Ballet came to the Barbican Centre. The auditorium there is much smaller than the ROH and was only about half full. Sadlers Wells has 1400 seats: Rambert could not sell this out for the Ek works either. There are very few pure dance companies whose name is capable of shifting a lot of tickets (probably only Pina Bausch). There is a definite market - the difference is that the venues are generally smaller and more welcoming than the ROH, and ticker prices are probably at maximum 35 pounds or so, with much a lot cheaper than this.

If you are interested in Mats Ek, are you more likely to go to see Rambert for about 20 pounds for a decent seat at Sadlers where you can see the stage or for 40 pounds with a poorer view at the ROH ? I suspect the ROH’s marketing on this is mistaken. The regular audiences for Ek and the like will not be drawn to the ROH with an offer of a free glass of champagne (usually 8 pounds a glass).

I’m not clear what the ROH is trying to achieve - to get a new audience (one which is already well served by other venues and companies) into the ROH and to hope for some cross fertilization (“I liked that Forsythe piece so now I ‘ll try Sleeping Beauty”) ? Or to change the viewing habits of its existing audience ? The second also has its difficulties. Some ballet fans are also fond of dance, but not all: though perhaps this is greater than the proportion of dance fans who are interested in ballet. (The only research I’ve seen on this views the two audiences as quite distinct without much crossover, but this was based on a sample outside London).

If the Royal are to succeed in this direction, they might be better off abandoning the ROH as a venue for these kinds of programmes and mounting them at Sadlers instead, with ticket prices more in line with Sadlers usual prices. The venue does matter a lot – I have brought friends to see mixed programmes at the ROH and they have always professed themselves a bit intimidated by the idea of going there. Other venues carry less baggage. With a programme such as Enduring Images there is little need for an orchestra (they played for a total of 11 minutes) and some careful planning could put together a programme which did not require one.

The problem here is much older than Ross Stretton’s directorship. Previously new work (most from within the company) was often partitioned off to the Dance Bites tour, never a satisfactory solution, as the market for seeing new dance is probably stronger in the capital and some venues were disappointed by the lack of tutus on display. Now the Clore and Linbury – small venues of 200 and 400 seats – show some interesting new work, some of which deserves a much wider audience: these venues almost always sell out. There’s no staging post between these and the main auditorium.

If the mixed bills continue to sell poorly, then it is time to adjust the programming to a more attractive mix: or, if modern is what the destiny of the company is to be, then finances might push it towards a different audience, venue and price range. Box office really matters to the ROH – the grant might seem huge, but a collapse in sales can make major financial impact. I’m not saying that this is what I think ought to happen. The last time a dance company set off in this direction they renamed themselves Rambert Dance Company. But I doubt the ROH could forgo its corporate customers in any similar move.

A tricky problem, easier to describe than to solve. Though perhaps the Royal could look closer to home for new choreographers - Fenton’s Frozen, Marston’s Traces and Wheeldon’s There Where She Loves (all seen only briefly in the Linbury or Clore) were all much more interesting works than the Duarto pieces on offer yesterday.